2. (Zoöl.) Adhering closely; embracing; -- applied to certain creeping
animals, as caterpillars.
3. (Biol.) Intermediate in character, or on the border, between two
genera, groups, families, etc., of animals or plants, and partaking
somewhat of the characters of each, thus forming a connecting link;
interosculant; as, the genera by which two families approximate are
called osculant genera.
Os"cu*late (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Osculated (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Osculating.] [L. osculatus, p. p. of osculari to kiss, fr. osculum a
little mouth, a kiss, dim. of os mouth. See Oral, and cf. Oscillate.]