Ac`an*thop`ter*yg"i*an (&?;), a. (Zoöl.) Belonging to the order of fishes having spinose fins, as the perch. -- n. A spiny-finned fish.
||Ac`an*thop`ter*yg"i*i (&?;), n. pl. [NL., from Gr. &?; thorn + &?; fin, dim. fr. &?; wing.] (Zoöl.) An order of fishes having some of the rays of the dorsal, ventral, and anal fins unarticulated and spinelike, as the perch.
Ac`an*thop`ter*yg"i*ous (&?;), a. (Zoöl.) Having fins in which the rays are hard and spinelike; spiny-finned.
A*can"thus (&?;), n.; pl. E. Acanthuses (&?;), L. Acanthi (&?;). [L., from Gr. &?;. Cf. Acantha.]
1. (Bot.) A genus of herbaceous prickly plants, found in the south of Europe, Asia Minor, and India; bear's- breech.
2. (Arch.) An ornament resembling the foliage or leaves of the acanthus (Acanthus spinosus); -- used in the capitals of the Corinthian and Composite orders.
||A cap*pel"la (&?;). [It. See Chapel.] (Mus.) (a) In church or chapel style; -- said of compositions sung in the old church style, without instrumental accompaniment; as, a mass a capella, i. e., a mass purely vocal. (b) A time indication, equivalent to alla breve.
A*cap"su*lar (&?;), a. [Pref. a- not + capsular.] (Bot.) Having no capsule.
A*car"di*ac (&?;), a. [Gr. &?;; 'a priv. + &?; heart.] Without a heart; as, an acardiac fetus.
A*car"i*dan (&?;), n. [See Acarus.] (Zoöl.) One of a group of arachnids, including the mites and ticks.
||Ac`a*ri"na (&?;), n. pl. [NL., from Gr. &?; a mite.] (Zoöl.) The group of Arachnida which includes the mites and ticks. Many species are parasitic, and cause diseases like the itch and mange.
Ac"a*rine (&?;), a. (Med.) Of or caused by acari or mites; as, acarine diseases.
Ac"a*roid (&?;), a. [NL., acarus a mite + -oid.] (Zoöl.) Shaped like or resembling a mite.
Ac`ar*pel"lous (&?;), a. [Pref. a- not + carpel.] (Bot.) Having no carpels.
A*car"pous (&?;), a. [Gr. &?;; 'a priv. + &?; fruit.] (Bot.) Not producing fruit; unfruitful.
||Ac"a*rus (&?;), n.; pl. Acari (&?;). [NL., from Gr. &?; the cheese mite, tick.] (Zoöl.) A genus including many species of small mites.
A*cat`a*lec"tic (&?;), a. [L. acatalecticus, Gr. &?;, not defective at the end; 'a priv. + &?; to cease.] (Pros.) Not defective; complete; as, an acatalectic verse. -- n. A verse which has the complete number of feet and syllables.
A*cat"a*lep`sy (&?;), n. [Gr. &?;; 'a priv. + &?; to seize, comprehend.] Incomprehensibility of things; the doctrine held by the ancient Skeptic philosophers, that human knowledge never amounts to certainty, but only to probability.
A*cat`a*lep"tic (&?;), a. [Gr. &?;.] Incapable of being comprehended; incomprehensible.