Galactic circle (Astron.), the great circle of the heavens, to which
the course of the galaxy most nearly conforms. Herschel. -- Galactic
poles, the poles of the galactic circle.
Ga*lac"tin (?), n. [Gr. &?;, &?;, milk. Cf. Lactin.] (Chem.) (a) An
amorphous, gelatinous substance containing nitrogen, found in milk and
other animal fluids. It resembles peptone, and is variously regarded as
a coagulating or emulsifying agent. (b) A white waxy substance found in
the sap of the South American cow tree (Galactodendron). (c) An
amorphous, gummy carbohydrate resembling gelose, found in the seeds of
leguminous plants, and yielding on decomposition several sugars,
including galactose.
Ga*lac`to*den*sim"e*ter (?), n. [Gr. &?;, &?; + E. densimeter.] Same as
Galactometer.
Gal`ac*tom"e*ter (?), n. [Gr. &?;, &?;, milk + -meter: cf. F.
galactomËtre. Cf. Lactometer.] An instrument for ascertaining the
quality of milk (i.e., its richness in cream) by determining its
specific gravity; a lactometer.
Gal`ac*toph"a*gist (?), n. [Gr. &?;, &?;, milk + &?; to eat: cf. &?; to
live on milk.] One who eats, or subsists on, milk.
Gal`ac*toph"a*gous (?), a. [Gr. &?;: cf. F. galactophade.] Feeding on
milk.
Gal`ac*toph"o*rous (?), a. [Gr. &?;; &?;, &?;, milk + &?; to bear: cf.
F. galactophore. Cf. Lactiferous.] (Anat.) Milk-carrying; lactiferous;
-- applied to the ducts of mammary glands.
Ga*lac`to*poi*et"ic (?), a. [Gr. &?;, &?;, milk + &?; capable of
making; fr. &?; to make.] (Med.) Increasing the flow of milk;
milk-producing. -- n. A galactopoietic substance.
Ga*lac"tose (?), n. (Chem.) A white, crystalline sugar, C6H12O6,
isomeric with dextrose, obtained by the decomposition of milk sugar,
and also from certain gums. When oxidized it forms mucic acid. Called
also lactose (though it is not lactose proper).
Ga*lage" (?), n. (Obs.) See Galoche. Spenser.
Ga*la"go (?), n.; pl. Galagos (#). [Native name.] (Zoˆl.) A genus of
African lemurs, including numerous species.
The grand galago (Galago crassicaudata) is about the size of a cat; the
mouse galago (G. murinus)is about the size of a mouse.
{ Ga*lan"ga (?), Ga*lan"gal (?) }, n.[OE. galingale, OF. galingal,
garingal, F. galanga (cf. Sp. galanga), prob. fr. Ar. khalanj&?;n. ]
The pungent aromatic rhizome or tuber of certain East Indian or Chinese
species of Alpinia (A. Galanga and A. officinarum) and of the KÊmpferia
Galanga), -- all of the Ginger family.
Gal"an*tine (? or ?), n. [F. galantine.] A dish of veal, chickens, or
other white meat, freed from bones, tied up, boiled, and served cold.
Smart.
Gal"a*pee` tree" (?), (Bot.) The West Indian Sciadophyllum Brownei, a
tree with very large digitate leaves.
Ga*la"tian (?), a. Of or pertaining to Galatia or its inhabitants. -- A
native or inhabitant of Galatia, in Asia Minor; a descendant of the
Gauls who settled in Asia Minor.
Gal"ax*y (?), n.; pl. Galaxies (#). [F. galaxie, L. galaxias, fr. Gr.
&?; (sc. &?; circle), fr. &?;, &?;, milk; akin to L. lac. Cf. Lacteal.]
1. (Astron.) The Milky Way; that luminous tract, or belt, which is seen
at night stretching across the heavens, and which is composed of
innumerable stars, so distant and blended as to be distinguishable only
with the telescope. The term has recently been used for remote clusters
of stars. Nichol.