Pec"tic (?), a. [Gr. &?; curdled.] (Chem.) Of or pertaining to pectin;
specifically, designating an acid obtained from ordinary vegetable
jelly (pectin) as an amorphous substance, tough and horny when dry, but
gelatinous when moist.
Pec"tin (?), n. [Gr. &?; curdled, congealed, from &?; to make fast or
stiff: cf. F. pectine.] (Chem.) One of a series of carbohydrates,
commonly called vegetable jelly, found very widely distributed in the
vegetable kingdom, especially in ripe fleshy fruits, as apples,
cranberries, etc. It is extracted as variously colored, translucent
substances, which are soluble in hot water but become viscous on
cooling.
Pec"ti*nal (?), a. [L. pecten comb. See Pectinate.] Of or pertaining to
a comb; resembling a comb.
Pec"ti*nal, n. A fish whose bone&?; resemble comb teeth. Sir T. Browne.
{ Pec"ti*na`te (?), Pec"ti*na`ted (?), } a. [L. pectinatus, p. pr. of
pectinare to comb, from pecten, -inis, a comb; cf. Gr. &?; to comb, AS.
feax hair, OHG. fahs, E. paxwax.] 1. Resembling the teeth of a comb.
2. (Nat. Hist.) Having very narrow, close divisions, in arrangement and
regularity resembling those of a comb; comblike; as, a pectinate leaf;
pectinated muscles. See Illust. (e) of AntennÊ.
3. Interlaced, like two combs. [R.] "Our fingers pectinated, or shut
together." Sir T. Browne.
Pectinate claw (Zoˆl.), a claw having a serrate edge, found in some
birds, and supposed to be used in cleaning the feathers.
Pec"ti*nate*ly (?), adv. In a pectinate manner.
Pec`ti*na"tion (?), n. 1. The state of being pectinated; that which is
pectinated. Sir T. Browne.