Search the Dictionary

Of or pertaining to the Fathers of the Christian church. The voluminous editor of Jerome anf of tons of patristic theology. I. Taylor.

That departnent of historical theology which treats of the lives and doctrines of the Fathers of the church.

Peristaltic contraction or action.

contraction of the muscular fibers of their walls, forcing their contents onwards; as, peristaltic movement. -- Per`i*stal"tic*al*ly, adv.

A genus of orchidaceous plants. See Dove plant.

The herb vervain (Verbena officinalis).

A variety of albite, whitish and slightly iridescent like a pigeon's neck.

Like or pertaining to the pigeons or Columbæ.

Having pigeonlike feet; -- said of those gallinaceous birds that rest on all four toes, as the curassows and megapods.

Peristaltic action, especially of the intestines.

Same as Peristome.

The fringe of teeth around the orifice of the capsule of mosses. It consists of 4, 8, 16, 32, or 64 teeth, and may be either single or double.

Of or pertaining to a peristome.

Same as Peristome.

Turning around; rotatory; revolving; as, a peristrephic painting (of a panorama).

the former sense, it gives name to the larger and inner court of a Roman dwelling, the peristyle. See Colonnade.

Any flying marsupial of the genera Petaurus, Phalangista, Acrobata, and allied genera. See Flying mouse, under Flying, and Phalangister.

A specialist in photometry.

One of a religious order who are the regular clerks of the Scuole Pie (religious schools), an institute of secondary education, founded at Rome in the last years of the 16th century. Addis & Arnold.

See Stylite.