The joyous and lepid consul.
Sydney Smith.
Lep"i*dine (lp"*dn or *dn), n. (Chem.) An organic base, C9H6.N.CH3,
metameric with quinaldine, and obtained by the distillation of
cinchonine.
Lep`i*do*den"drid (lp`*d*dn"drd), n. (Paleon.) One of an extinct family
of trees allied to the modern club mosses, and including Lepidodendron
and its allies.
Lep`i*do*den"droid (-droid), a. (Paleon.) Allied to, or resembling,
Lepidodendron. -- n. A lepidodendrid.
||Lep`i*do*den"dron (-drn), n. [NL., fr. Gr. lepi`s -i`dos, a scale +
||de`ndron tree.] (Paleon.) A genus of fossil trees of the Devonian and
||Carboniferous ages, having the exterior marked with scars, mostly in
||quincunx order, produced by the separation of the leafstalks.
||
Lep`i*do*ga"noid (lp`*d*g"noid or -gn"oid), n. [Gr. lepi`s -i`dos, a
scale + E. ganoid.] (Zoöl.) Any one of a division (Lepidoganoidei) of
ganoid fishes, including those that have scales forming a coat of mail.
Also used adjectively.
Le*pid"o*lite (l*pd"*lt; 277), n. [Gr. lepi`s -i`dos, a scale + -lite:
cf. F. lépidolithe.] (Min.) A species of mica, of a lilac or
rose-violet color, containing lithia. It usually occurs in masses
consisting of small scales. See Mica.
Lep`i*dom"e*lane (lp`*dm"*ln), n. [Gr. lepi`s -i`dos, a scale + me`las,
me`laina, black.] (Min.) An iron-potash mica, of a raven-black color,
usually found in granitic rocks in small six-sided tables, or as an
aggregation of minute opaque scales. See Mica.
Lep`i*dop"ter (lp`*dp"tr), n. [Cf. F. lépidoptère.] (Zoöl.) One of the
Lepidoptera.
||Lep`i*dop"te*ra (-dp"t*r), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. lepi`s - i`dos, a
||scale + ptero`n a feather, wing.] (Zoöl.) An order of insects, which
||includes the butterflies and moths. They have broad wings, covered
||with minute overlapping scales, usually brightly colored.
||
They have a tubular proboscis, or haustellum, formed by the two slender
maxillæ. The labial palpi are usually large, and the proboscis, when
not in use, can be coiled up spirally between them. The mandibles are
rudimentary. The larvæ, called caterpillars, are often brightly
colored, and they commonly feed on leaves. The adults feed chiefly on
the honey of flowers.
{ Lep`i*dop"ter*al (-tr*al), Lep`i*dop"ter*ous (-s), } a. (Zoöl.) Of or
pertaining to the Lepidoptera.
Lep`i*dop"ter*ist, n. (Zoöl.) One who studies the Lepidoptera.
||Lep`i*do*sau"ri*a (-d*s"r*), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. lepi`s - i`dos, a
||scale + say^ros a lizard.] (Zoöl.) A division of reptiles, including
||the serpents and lizards; the Plagiotremata.
||
Lep`i*do*si"ren (-s"rn), n. [Gr. lepi`s -i`dos, a scale + seirh`n a
siren.] (Zoöl.) An eel- shaped ganoid fish of the order Dipnoi, having
both gills and lungs. It inhabits the rivers of South America. The name
is also applied to a related African species (Protopterus annectens).
The lepidosirens grow to a length of from four to six feet. Called also
doko.
{ Lep"i*dote (lp"*dt), Lep"i*do`ted (-d`td), } a. [Gr. lepidwto`s
covered with scales, fr. lepi`s -i`dos, a scale.] (Bot.) Having a coat
of scurfy scales, as the leaves of the oleaster.
||Le*pis"ma (l*pz"m), n. [NL., fr. Gr. le`pisma peel, fr. lepi`s
||-i`dos, a scale.] (Zoöl.) A genus of wingless thysanurous insects
||having an elongated flattened body, covered with shining scales and
||terminated by seven unequal bristles. A common species (Lepisma
||saccharina) is found in houses, and often injures books and
||furniture. Called also shiner, silver witch, silver moth, and
||furniture bug.
||
Le*pis"moid (-moid), a. [Lepisma + -oid.] (Zoöl.) Like or pertaining to
the Lepisma.
Lep"o*rine (lp"*rn or - rn), a. [L. leporinus, fr. lepus, leporis,
hare. See Leveret.] (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to a hare; like or
characteristic of, a hare.
||Le"pra (l"pr), n. [L. See Leper.] (Med.) Leprosy.
||
The term lepra was formerly given to various skin diseases, the leprosy
of modern authors being Lepra Arabum. See Leprosy.
<! p. 844 pr=VMG !>
Lep"re (lp"r), n. Leprosy.[Obs.] Wyclif.
Lep"rose` (lp"rs`), a. [See Leprous.] (Nat. Hist.) Covered with thin,
scurfy scales.
Le*pros"i*ty (l*prs"*t), n. The state or quality of being leprous or
scaly; also, a scale. Bacon.
Lep"ro*sy (lp"r*s), n. [See Leprous.] (Med.) A cutaneous disease which
first appears as blebs or as reddish, shining, slightly prominent
spots, with spreading edges. These are often followed by an eruption of
dark or yellowish prominent nodules, frequently producing great
deformity. In one variety of the disease, anæsthesia of the skin is a
prominent symptom. In addition there may be wasting of the muscles,
falling out of the hair and nails, and distortion of the hands and feet
with destruction of the bones and joints. It is incurable, and is
probably contagious.
The disease now called leprosy, also designated as Lepra or Lepra
Arabum, and Elephantiasis Græcorum, is not the same as the leprosy of
the ancients. The latter was, indeed, a generic name for many varieties
of skin disease (including our modern leprosy, psoriasis, etc.), some
of which, among the Hebrews, rendered a person ceremonially unclean. A
variety of leprosy of the Hebrews (probably identical with modern
leprosy) was characterized by the presence of smooth, shining,
depressed white patches or scales, the hair on which participated in
the whiteness, while the skin and adjacent flesh became insensible. It
was an incurable disease.
Lep"rous (-rs), a. [OF. leprous, lepros, F. lépreux, fr. L. leprosus,
fr. lepra, leprae, leprosy. See Leper.]
1. Infected with leprosy; pertaining to or resembling leprosy. "His
hand was leprous as snow." Ex. iv. 6.