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In ontogony, differentiation of male and female individuals from embryos having the same rudimentary sexual organs.

Rudiments; first principles, as of grammar. [Obs.] Ford.

Balancers; the rudimentary hind wings of Diptera.

A winter bud, in which the rudimentary foliage or flower, as of most trees and shrubs in the temperate zone, is protected by closely overlapping scales.

irst book for children, or that from which in former times they learned their letters and rudiments; -- so called because a sheet of horn covered the small, thin board of oak, or the slip of paper, on which the alphabet, digits, and often the Lord's Prayer, were written or printed; a primer. "He teaches boys the hornbo…

sors, and two canine teeth, both above and below. The mares usually have the canine teeth rudimentary or wanting. The horse differs from the true asses, in having a long, flowing mane, and the tail bushy to the base. Unlike the asses it has callosities, or chestnuts, on all its legs. The horse excels in strength, speed…

A beginner; one in the rudiments. Johnson.

To instruct in the rudiments or principles of learning, or of a branch of learning; to imbue with learning; to instruct in, or imbue with, principles or doctrines; to teach; -- often followed by in. A master that . . . took much delight in indoctrinating his young, unexperienced favorite. Clarendon.…

The act of indoctrinating, or the condition of being indoctrinated; instruction in the rudiments and principles of any science or system of belief; information. Sir T. Browne.

To acquaint with the beginnings; to instruct in the rudiments or principles; to introduce. Providence would only initiate mankind into the useful knowledge of her treasures, leaving the rest to employ our industry. Dr. H. More. To initiate his pupil into any part of learning, an ordinary skill in the governor is enough…

ucing by instruction, or by the use and application of symbols or ceremonies; elementary; rudimentary. Some initiatory treatises in the law. Herbert. Two initiatory rites of the same general import can not exist together. J. M. Mason.

To ground or establish in principles and rudiments; to educate; to instruct. [Obs.] If children were early instituted, knowledge would insensibly insinuate itself. Dr. H. More.

Elementary; rudimental.

Containing the first principles or doctrines; elemental; rudimentary.

h it would require a whole grammatical sentence to expound, and it may be regarded as the rudiment of such a sentence. But it is a confusion of thought to rank it among the parts of speech. Earle. How now! interjections Why, then, some be of laughing, as, ah, ha, he! Shak.

A division of amphipod Crustacea, in which the abdomen is small or rudimentary and the legs are often reduced to five pairs. The whale louse, or Cyamus, and Caprella are examples.

A small fishlike animal (Amphioxus lanceolatus), remarkable for the rudimentary condition of its organs. It is the type of the class Leptocardia. See Amphioxus, Leptocardia.

many insects are much like the adults in form and habits, but have no trace of wings, the rudimentary wings appearing only in the pupa stage. In other groups of insects the larvæ are totally unlike the parents in structure and habits, and are called caterpillars, grubs, maggots, etc.

A genus of airbreathing mollusks, including the common garden slugs. They have a small rudimentary shell. The breathing pore is on the right side of the neck. Several species are troublesome in gardens. See Slug.

ia, including the marsupials and monotremes; - - so called because the corpus callosum is rudimentary.