| Waller, Augustus | <person> English physiologist, 1816-1870. See: wallerian degeneration, wallerian law. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| 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) |
| walloons | Sing. Walloon . [Cf. F. Wallon. A Romanic people inhabiting that part of Belgium which comprises the provinces of Hainaut, Namur, Liege, and Luxembourg, and about one third of Brabant; also, the language spoken by this people. Used also adjectively. "A base Walloon . . . Thrust Talbot with a spear." Walloon guard, the bodyguard of the Spanish monarch; so called because formerly consisting of Walloons. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| wallwort | <botany> The dwarf elder, or danewort (Sambucus Ebulus). Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| walnut | <botany> The fruit or nut of any tree of the genus Juglans; also, the tree, and its timber. The seven or eight known species are all natives of the north temperate zone. In some parts of America, especially in new England, the name walnut is given to several species of hickory (Carya), and their fruit. Ash-leaved walnut, a tree (Juglans fraxinifolia), native in Transcaucasia. Black walnut, a North American tree (J. Nigra) valuable for its purplish brown wood, which is extensively used in cabinetwork and for gunstocks. The nuts are thick-shelled, and nearly globular. English, or European, walnut, a tree (J. Regia), native of Asia from the Caucasus to Japan, valuable for its timber and for its excellent nuts, which are also called Madeira nuts. Walnut brown, a deep warm brown colour, like that of the heartwood of the black walnut. Walnut oil, oil extracted from walnut meats. It is used in cooking, making soap, etc. White walnut, a North American tree (J. Cinerea), bearing long, oval, thick-shelled, oily nuts, commonly called butternuts. See Butternut. Origin: OE. Walnot, AS. Wealh-hnutu a Welsh or foreign nut, a walnut; wealh foreign, strange, n, a Welshman, Celt (akin to OHG. Walh, properly, a Celt, from the name of a Celtic tribe, in L. Volcae) + hnutu a nut; akin to D. Walnoot, G. Walnuss, Icel. Valhnot, Sw. Valnot, Dan valnod. See Nut, and cf. Welsh. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| walrus | <zoology> A very large marine mammal (Trichecus rosmarus) of the Seal family, native of the Arctic Ocean. The male has long and powerful tusks descending from the upper jaw. It uses these in procuring food and in fighting. It is hunted for its oil, ivory, and skin. It feeds largely on mollusks. Called also morse. The walrus of the North Pacific and Behring Strait (Trichecus obesus) is regarded by some as a distinct species, by others as a variety of the common walrus. Origin: D. Walrus; of Scand. Origin; cf. Dan valros, Sw. Vallross, Norw. Hvalros; literally, whale horse; akin to Icel. Hrosshvalr, AS. Horshwael. See Whale, and Horse. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| Walter Gilbert | <person> The coinventor of Maxam-Gilbert sequencing, which is a lab technique used to find the sequence of nucleotide bases of a nucleic acid (DNA or RNA). He is also known for his research on the intron-exon gene structure of eukaryotes. In 1980, he shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Paul Berg, a biochemist. (09 Oct 1997) |
| Walthard's cell rest | A nest of epithelial cells occurring in the peritoneum of the uterine tubes or ovary; when neoplastic, possibly comprising one of the components of the Brenner tumour. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Walthard, Max | <person> Swiss gynecologist, 1867-1933. See: Walthard's cell rest. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Walther's canals | From 8 to 20 small ducts of the sublingual salivary gland that open into the mouth on the surface of the sublingual fold; a few join the submandibular ducts. Synonym: ductus sublinguales minores, Rivinus' ducts, Walther's canals, Walther's ducts. (05 Mar 2000) |