Oy"noun (?), n. Onion. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Oys"ter (?), n. [OF. oistre, F. huître, L. ostrea, ostreum, Gr.
'o`streon; prob. akin to 'ostre`on bone, the oyster being so named from
its shell. Cf. Osseous, Ostracize.] 1. (Zoöl.) Any marine bivalve
mollusk of the genus Ostrea. They are usually found adhering to rocks
or other fixed objects in shallow water along the seacoasts, or in
brackish water in the mouth of rivers. The common European oyster
(Ostrea edulis), and the American oyster (Ostrea Virginiana), are the
most important species.
2. A name popularly given to the delicate morsel contained in a small
cavity of the bone on each side of the lower part of the back of a
fowl.
Fresh-water oyster (Zoöl.), any species of the genus Etheria, and
allied genera, found in rivers of Africa and South America. They are
irregular in form, and attach themselves to rocks like oysters, but
they have a pearly interior, and are allied to the fresh-water mussels.
-- Oyster bed, a breeding place for oysters; a place in a tidal river
or other water on or near the seashore, where oysters are deposited to
grow and fatten for market. See 1st Scalp, n. -- Oyster catcher
(Zoöl.), any one of several species of wading birds of the genus
Hæmatopus, which frequent seashores and feed upon shellfish. The
European species (H. ostralegus), the common American species (H.
palliatus), and the California, or black, oyster catcher (H. Bachmani)
are the best known. -- Oyster crab (Zoöl.) a small crab (Pinnotheres
ostreum) which lives as a commensal in the gill cavity of the oyster.
-- Oyster dredge, a rake or small dragnet of bringing up oyster from
the bottom of the sea. -- Oyster fish. (Zoöl.) (a) The tautog. (b) The
toadfish. -- Oyster plant. (Bot.) (a) A plant of the genus Tragopogon
(T. porrifolius), the root of which, when cooked, somewhat resembles
the oyster in taste; salsify; -- called also vegetable oyster. (b) A
plant found on the seacoast of Northern Europe, America and Asia
(Mertensia maritima), the fresh leaves of which have a strong flavor of
oysters. -- Oyster plover. (Zoöl.) Same as Oyster catcher, above. --
Oyster shell (Zoöl.), the shell of an oyster. -- Oyster wench, Oyster
wife, Oyster women, a women who deals in oysters. -- Pearl oyster.
(Zoöl.) See under Pearl. -- Thorny oyster (Zoöl.), any spiny marine
shell of the genus Spondylus.
Oys"ter-green` (?), n. (Bot.) A green membranous seaweed (Ulva) often
found growing on oysters but common on stones, piles, etc.
Oys"ter*ing, n. Gathering, or dredging for, oysters.
Oys"ter*ling (?), n. (Zoöl.) A young oyster.
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O*ze"na (?), n. [NL., fr. L. ozaena, Gr. 'o`zaina, fr. 'o`zein to
smell.] (Med.) A discharge of fetid matter from the nostril,
particularly if associated with ulceration of the soft parts and
disease of the bones of the nose.
O`zo*ce"rite (?), n. [Gr. 'o`zein to smell + &?; wax.] (Min.) A waxlike
mineral resin; -- sometimes called native paraffin, and mineral wax.
O`zo*na"tion (?), n. (Chem.) The act of treating with ozone; also, the
act of converting into, or producing, ozone; ozonization.
O"zone (?), n. [Gr. 'o`zwn smelling, p. pr. of 'o`zein to smell. See
Odor.] (Chem.) A colorless gaseous substance (O&?;) obtained (as by the
silent discharge of electricity in oxygen) as an allotropic form of
oxygen, containing three atoms in the molecule. It is a streng
oxidizer, and probably exists in the air, though by he ordinary tests
it is liable to be confused with certain other substances, as hydrogen
dioxide, or certain oxides of nitrogen. It derives its name from its
peculiar odor, which resembles that of weak chlorine.
O*zon"ic (?), a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, resembling, or containing,
ozone.
O*zo`ni*fi*ca"tion (?), n. [Ozone + L. -ficare to make. See fy. ]
(Chem.) The act or process of producing, or of subjecting to the action
of, ozone.
O`zo*ni*za"tion (?), n. (Chem.) Ozonation.
O"zo*nize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ozonized (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Ozonizing.] (Chem.) (a) To convert into ozone, as oxygen. (b) To treat
with ozone.
O"zo*ni`zer (?), n. (Chem.) An apparatus or agent for the production or
application of ozone.
O`zo*nom"e*ter (?), n. [Ozone + -meter.] An instrument for ascertaining
the amount of ozone in the atmosphere, or in any gaseous mixture.
Faraday.
O`zo*no*met"ric (?), a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or used for, the
determination of the amount of ozone; of or relating to ozonometry.
O`zo*nom"e*try (?), n. (Chem.) The measurement or determination of the
quantity of ozone.
O*zo"no*scope (?), n. [Ozone + -scope.] (Chem.) An apparatus employed
to indicate the presence, or the amount, of ozone.
O*zo`no*scop"ic (?), a. [Ozone + Gr. &?; to view.] (Chem.) Serving to
indicate the presence or the amount of ozone.
O"zo*nous (?), a. Pertaining to or containing, ozone.