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A grayish or dark green mineral, consisting essentially of magnesia (magnesium oxide), occurring in granular forms or in isometric crystals.

Any organ inclosing the essential organs of a flower; a perianth.

A hydrocarbon radical (C6H5) regarded as the essential residue of benzene, and the basis of an immense number of aromatic derivatives. Phenyl hydrate (Chem.), phenol or carbolic acid. -- Phenyl hydrazine (Chem.), a nitrogenous base (C6H5.N2H3) produced artificially as a colorless oil which unites with acids, ketones,…

of which a sound can be made to produce a visible trace or record of itself. It consists essentially of a resonant vessel, usually of paraboloidal form, closed at one end by a flexible membrane. A stylus attached to some point of the membrane records the movements of the latter, as it vibrates, upon a moving cylinder…

A device, consisting essentially of an electric arc and a camera, by which a series of photographs of the variations of the arc due to sound waves are obtained for reproduction by means of a selenium cell and a telephone.

An oily liquid hydrocarbon extracted from the creosote of beechwood tar. It consists essentially of certain derivatives of pyrogallol.

Hence: The which contains the strength of life; the vital or essential part; concentrated force; vigor; strength; importance; as, the speech lacked pith. Enterprises of great pith and moment. Shak. Pith paper. Same as Rice paper, under Rice.

A flourlike food preparation made from skim milk, and consisting essentially of the unaltered proteid of milk. It is also used in making biscuits and crackers, for mixing with cocoa, etc. A mixture of this with butter, water, and salt is called Plasmon butter, and resembles clotted cream in appearance.…

Hence, the most prominent or important feature, as of an argument, discourse, etc.; the essential matter; esp., the proposition to be established; as, the point of an anecdote. "Here lies the point." Shak. They will hardly prove his point. Arbuthnot.

An instrument consisting essentially of a polarizer and an analyzer, used for polarizing light, and analyzing its properties.

An exclusive or peculiar privilege; prior and indefeasible right; fundamental and essential possession; -- used generally of an official and hereditary right which may be asserted without question, and for the exercise of which there is no responsibility or accountability as to the fact and the manner of its exercise.…

y planets. (Astron.) See the Note under Planet. -- Primary qualities of bodies, such are essential to and inseparable from them. -- Primary quills (Zoöl.), the largest feathers of the wing of a bird; primaries. -- Primary rocks (Geol.), a term early used for rocks supposed to have been first formed, being crystallin…

A principal or essential point or rule; a principle. [Obs.]

Any original inherent constituent which characterizes a substance, or gives it its essential properties, and which can usually be separated by analysis; -- applied especially to drugs, plant extracts, etc. Cathartine is the bitter, purgative principle of senna. Gregory. Bitter principle, Principle of contradiction, etc…

Crystallography of organic forms; -- a division of morphology created by Haeckel. It is essentially stereometric, and relates to a mathematical conception of organic forms. See Tectology.

thetical hydrocarbon radical, C3H5, isomeric with allyl and glyceryl, and regarded as the essential residue of glycerin. Cf. Allyl, and Glyceryl.

Belonging to the natural or essential constitution; peculiar; not common; particular; as, every animal has his proper instincts and appetites. Those high and peculiar attributes . . . which constitute our proper humanity. Coleridge.

nything; a peculiar quality of a thing; that which is inherent in a subject, or naturally essential to it; an attribute; as, sweetness is a property of sugar. Property is correctly a synonym for peculiar quality; but it is frequently used as coextensive with quality in general. Sir W. Hamilton.

A hydrocarbon radical regarded as an essential residue of propine and allied compounds.

The hypothetical radical C3H5O, regarded as the essential residue of propionic acid and certain related compounds.