| wallaby | Origin: From a native name. <zoology> Any one of numerous species of kangaroos belonging to the genus Halmaturus, native of Australia and Tasmania, especially the smaller species, as the brush kangaroo (H. Bennettii) and the pademelon (H. Thetidis). The wallabies chiefly inhabit the wooded district and bushy plains. Alternative forms: wallabee, and whallabee. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| Wallace, Alfred Russel | <person> A British naturalist who founded the field of biogeography and independently formulated a theory of natural selection around the same time that Darwin was doing his work. Lived: 1823-1913. (09 Oct 1997) |
| wallah | <zoology> A black variety of the jaguar. Synonym: tapir tiger. Alternative forms: walla. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| wallaroo | <zoology> Any one of several species of kangaroos of the genus Macropus, especially M. Robustus, sometimes called the great wallaroo. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| wallbird | <zoology> The spotted flycatcher. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| wallenberg's syndrome | <syndrome> Syndrome caused by occlusion of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery, marked by ipsilateral loss of facial pain and temperature sensations, ipsilateral limb ataxia, and contralateral loss of pain and temperature sensations in the trunk and extremities. (12 Dec 1998) |
| Wallenberg, Adolf | <person> German physician, 1862-1949. See: Wallenberg's syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| waller | <zoology> The wels. Origin: G. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| Waller, Augustus | <person> English physiologist, 1816-1870. See: wallerian degeneration, wallerian law. (05 Mar 2000) |
| wallerian | Relating to or described by A.V. Waller. (05 Mar 2000) |
| wallerian degeneration | <medicine> A form of degeneration occurring in nerve fibres as a result of their division; so called from Dr. Waller, who published an account of it in 1850. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| wallerian law | After section of the posterior root of a spinal nerve between the root ganglion and the spinal cord, the central portion degenerates; after division of the anterior root, the peripheral portion degenerates; the trophic centre of the posterior root is therefore the ganglion, that of the anterior root the spinal cord. (05 Mar 2000) |
| wallflower | 1. <botany> A perennial, cruciferous plant (Cheiranthus Cheiri), with sweet-scented flowers varying in colour from yellow to orange and deep red. In Europe it very common on old walls. The name is sometimes extended to other species of Cheiranthus and of the related genus Erysimum, especially the American Western wallflower (Erysimum asperum), a biennial herb with orange-yellow flowers. 2. A lady at a ball, who, either from choice, or because not asked to dance, remains a spectator. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| wallhick | <zoology> The lesser spotted woodpecker (Dryobates minor). Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| walling | 1. The act of making a wall or walls. 2. Walls, in general; material for walls. Walling wax, a composition of wax and tallow used by etchers and engravers to make a bank, or wall, round the edge of a plate, so as to form a trough for holding the acid used in etching, and the like. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |