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That of which anything is composed; constituent substance; material; the material or substantial part of anything; the constituent elements of conception; that into which a notion may be analyzed; the essence; the pith; the embodiment. He is the matter of virtue. B. Jonson.

Hence, a part of a whole; an independent constituent of a body; as:

in plants, the act or process by which are produced all of those chemical changes in the constituents of the plant which are not accompanied by a production of organic matter; metabolism.

A pigment of a green color, the chief constituent of which is oxide of chromium.

ry assertion; the form of the syllogism, as determined by the quantity and quality of the constituent proposition; mood.

Crumbling, soft, friable earth; esp., earth containing the remains or constituents of organic matter, and suited to the growth of plants; soil.

or as compared with the hydrogen atom as a standard; the sum of the atomic weights of the constituents of a molecule; thus, the molecular weight of water (H2O) is 18.

Essential element, or constituent element. I shall state the several momenta of the distinction in separate propositions. Sir W. Hamilton.

That doctrine which refers all phenomena to a single ultimate constituent or agent; -- the opposite of dualism.

Of, pertaining to, or obtained from, sea salt, or from chlorine, one of the constituents of sea salt; hydrochloric. Muriatic acid, hydrochloric acid, HCl; -- formerly called also marine acid, and spirit of salt. See hydrochloric, and the Note under Muriate.

An elementary substance which forms one of the constituents of didymium. Symbol Nd. Atomic weight 140.8.

t it forms many important compounds, as ammonia, nitric acid, the cyanides, etc, and is a constituent of all organized living tissues, animal or vegetable. Symbol N. Atomic weight 14. It was formerly regarded as a permanent noncondensible gas, but was liquefied in 1877 by Cailletet of Paris, and Pictet of Geneva.…

A constituent of the nuclei of all cells. It is a colorless amorphous substance, readily soluble in alkaline fluids and especially characterized by its comparatively large content of phosphorus. It also contains nitrogen and sulphur.

he most important is a colorless, volatile, inflammable liquid, found in petroleum, and a constituent of benzene or ligroin.

hether actually separate or not; a piece; a fragment; a fraction; a division; a member; a constituent. And kept back part of the price, . . . and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles'feet. Acts v. 2. Our ideas of extension and number -- do they not contain a secret relation of the parts Locke. I am a part…

ing to the pine; obtained from the pine; formerly, designating an acid which is the chief constituent of common resin, - - now called abietic, or sylvic, acid.

A minute opening or passageway; an interstice between the constituent particles or molecules of a body; as, the pores of stones.

An elementary substance, one of the constituents of didymium; - - so called from the green color of its salts. Symbol Ps. Atomic weight 143.6.

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…

fluids and make up the greater part of animal tissues and organs. They are also important constituents of vegetable tissues. See 2d Note under Food. -- Pro"te*id, a.