Scor"o*dite (?), n. [G. scorodit; -- so called in allusion to its smell
under the blowpipe, from Gr. &?; garlic.] (Min.) A leek-green or
brownish mineral occurring in orthorhombic crystals. It is a hydrous
arseniate of iron. [Written also skorodite.]
Scor*pæ"noid (?), a. [NL. Scorpaena, a typical genus (see Scorpene) + -
oid.] (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the family Scorpænidæ, which includes
the scorpene, the rosefish, the California rockfishes, and many other
food fishes. [Written also scorpænid.] See Illust. under Rockfish.
Scor"pene (?), n. [F. scorpène, fr. L. scorpaena a kind of fish, Gr.
&?;.] (Zoöl.) A marine food fish of the genus Scorpæna, as the European
hogfish (S. scrofa), and the California species (S. guttata).
Scor"per (?), n. Same as Scauper.
||Scor"pi*o (?), n.; pl. Scorpiones (#). [L.] 1. (Zoöl.) A scorpion.
2. (Astron.) (a) The eighth sign of the zodiac, which the sun enters
about the twenty-third day of October, marked thus [] in almanacs. (b)
A constellation of the zodiac containing the bright star Antares. It is
drawn on the celestial globe in the figure of a scorpion.
||Scor`pi*o"de*a (?), n. pl. [NL.] (Zoöl.) Same as Scorpiones.
{ Scor"pi*oid (?), Scor`pi*oid"al (?) }, a. [Gr. &?;; &?; a scorpion +
&?; form.] 1. Having the inflorescence curved or circinate at the end,
like a scorpion's tail.
Scor"pi*on (?), n. [F., fr. L. scorpio, scorpius, Gr. &?;, perhaps akin
to E. sharp.] 1. (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of pulmonate
arachnids of the order Scorpiones, having a suctorial mouth, large
claw-bearing palpi, and a caudal sting.
Scorpions have a flattened body, and a long, slender post- abdomen
formed of six movable segments, the last of which terminates in a
curved venomous sting. The venom causes great pain, but is unattended
either with redness or swelling, except in the axillary or inguinal
glands, when an extremity is affected. It is seldom if ever destructive
of life. Scorpions are found widely dispersed in the warm climates of
both the Old and New Worlds.
2. (Zoöl.) The pine or gray lizard (Sceloporus undulatus). [Local, U.
S.]