XEBEC, z[=e]'bek, _n._ a small three-masted vessel much used by the former
corsairs of Algiers. [Sp.,--Turk. _sumbak[=i]_.]
XEMA, z[=e]'ma, _n._ the genus of fork-tailed gulls.
XENARTHRAL, zen-arth'ral, _adj._ peculiarly jointed, as dorso-lumbar
vertebræ. [Gr. _xenos_, strange, _arthron_, a joint.]
XENIAL, z[=e]'ni-al, _adj._ of or belonging to hospitality. [Gr. _xenos_, a
guest.]
XENIUM, z[=e]'ni-um, _n._ a present made to a guest, stranger, or
ambassador. [Gr.]
XENODOCHY, z[=e]-nod'[=o]-ki, _n._ reception of strangers.--_n._
XENODOCH[=E]'UM, a building for the reception of strangers: an inn in
modern Greece.
XENOGAMY, zen-og'a-mi, _n._ (_bot._) cross-fertilisation. [Gr. _xenos_,
strange, _gamos_, marriage.]
XENOGENESIS, zen-[=o]-jen'e-sis, _n._ the generation of something
altogether and permanently unlike the parent.--_adj._ XENOGENET'IC. [Gr.
_xenos_, a stranger, _genesis_, birth.]
XENOMANIA, zen-[=o]-m[=a]'ni-a, _n._ an inordinate attachment to things
foreign. [Gr. _xenos_, foreign, _mania_, madness.]
XENOMENIA, zen-[=o]-m[=e]'n[=i]-a, _n._ vicarious or supplementary
menstruation. [Gr. _xenos_, strange, _m[=e]niaia_, menses.]
XENOMORPHIC, zen-[=o]-mor'fik, _adj._ not having its own proper form, but
an irregular shape impressed by adjacent minerals. [Gr. _xenos_, strange,
_morph[=e]_, form.]
XENOPS, z[=e]'nops, _n._ a genus of South American tree-creepers, with
short turned-up bills. [Gr. _xenos_, strange, _[=o]ps_, face.]
XENURUS, z[=e]-n[=u]'rus, _n._ a genus of armadillos.--_adj._ XEN[=U]'RINE.
[Gr. _xenos_, strange, _oura_, tail.]
XERANSIS, z[=e]-ran'sis, _n._ siccation.--Also XER[=O]'SIS.
XERANTIC, z[=e]-ran'tik, _adj._ drying up, exsiccant.
XERASIA, z[=e]-r[=a]'si-a, _n._ a morbid dryness of the hair.--Also
XER[=O]'SIS. [Gr. _x[=e]ros_, dry.]
XERODERMA, z[=e]-r[=o]-der'ma, _n._ a morbid state of dryness of the skin
due to diminished secretion of the sebaceous glands.
XERODES, z[=e]-r[=o]'d[=e]s, _n._ any tumour attended with dryness.
XEROMYRUM, z[=e]-rom'i-rum, _n._ a dry ointment.
XEROPHAGY, z[=e]-rof'a-ji, _n._ the habit of living on dry food. [Gr.
_x[=e]ros_, dry, _phagein_, to eat.]
XEROPHILOUS, z[=e]-rof'i-lus, _adj._ (_bot._) loving dryness.
XEROPHTHALMIA, z[=e]-rof-thal'mi-a, _n._ a dry form of conjunctivis.
XEROSTOMIA, z[=e]-r[=o]-st[=o]'mi-a, _n._ abnormal dryness of the mouth.
XEROTES, z[=e]'r[=o]-t[=e]z, _n._ a dry habit of body.--_adj._ XEROT'IC.
XEROTRIBIA, z[=e]-r[=o]-trib'i-a, _n._ dry friction.--Also XEROTRIP'SIS.
XIPHOID, zif'oid, _adj._ resembling the sword-fish.
XOANON, z[=o]'a-non, _n._ a primitive statue, fallen from heaven,
originally of wood, later overlaid with ivory and gold. [Gr.]
X-RAYS. See under X.
XYLANTHRAX, z[=i]-lan'thraks, _n._ wood-coal.
XYLEM, z[=i]'lem, _n._ the woody part of vegetable tissue--opposed to the
_phloëm_, or bast part.
XYLOBALSAMUM, z[=i]-l[=o]-bal'sa-mum, _n._ the dried twigs of the
balm-of-Gilead tree.
XYLOCARP, z[=i]'l[=o]-kärp, _n._ a hard and woody fruit.--_adj._
XYLOCAR'POUS.
XYLOGRAPHY, zi-log'ra-fi, _n._ the art of engraving on wood.--_ns._
XYL'OGRAPH, an impression or print from a wood block: an impression of the
grain of wood for surface decoration; XYLOG'RAPHER.--_adjs._ XYLOGRAPH'IC,
-AL. [Gr. _xylon_, wood, _graphein_, to write.]
XYLOID, z[=i]'loid, _adj._ woody, ligneous.
XYLOIDINE, z[=i]-loi'din, _n._ an explosive like gun-cotton, prepared by
the action of strong nitric acid on starch or woody fibre. [Gr. _xylon_,
wood, _eidos_, form, appearance.]
XYLOL, z[=i]'lol, _n._ any of the metameric dimethyl benzenes. [Gr.
_xylon_, wood, L. _oleum_, oil.]
XYLONITE, z[=i]'-l[=o]-n[=i]t, _n._ a kind of celluloid (q.v.). [Gr.
_xylon_, wood.]
XYLOPHAGAN, z[=i]-lof'a-gan, _n._ one of the XYLOPH'AGA, a genus of boring
bivalves.
XYLOPHAGOUS, z[=i]-lof'a-gus, _adj._ wood-eating.
XYLOPHILOUS, z[=i]-lof'i-lus, _adj._ fond of wood, living upon wood.
XYLOPHONE, z[=i]'l[=o]-f[=o]n, _n._ a musical instrument consisting of a
graduated series of wooden bars, which are rested on straw, and are struck
by wooden hammers. [Gr. _xylon_, wood, _ph[=o]n[=e]_, a voice.]
XYLOPIA, z[=i]-l[=o]'p[=i]-a, _n._ a genus of plants, natives of the
tropics, chiefly in America. [Gr. _xylon_, wood, _pikros_, bitter.]
XYLOPYROGRAPHY, z[=i]-l[=o]-p[=i]-rog'ra-fi, _n._ poker-painting.
XYST, zist, _n._ a covered portico used by athletes for their
exercises.--Also XYST'OS, XYST'US.
XYSTER, zis't[.e]r, _n._ a surgeon's instrument for scraping bones.
* * * * *
Y the twenty-fifth letter of our alphabet.--Y=150; [=Y]=150,000.--_ns._
Y'-LEVEL, an engineers' spirit-level, so called because of the telescope
formerly resting on 'Y's,' capable of being rotated at will--now
substituted by the 'dumpy-level'--also _Wye-level_; Y'-MOTH, the gamma, a
destructive noctuid moth, with a silvery Y-shaped mark on the upper wings;
Y'-TRACK, a short track laid at right angles to a railway-line, connected
with it by two switches resembling a Y, used instead of a turn-table for
reversing engines.
YACCA, yak'a, _n._ a kind of evergreen in the West Indies.
YACHT, yot, _n._ a sailing or steam vessel, elegantly fitted up for
pleasure-trips or racing, or as a vessel of state.--_v.i._ to sail in a
yacht.--_adj._ YACHT'-BUILT, built on the model of a yacht.--_ns._
YACHT'-CLUB, a club of yachtsmen; YACHT'ER, one engaged in sailing a yacht;
YACHT'ING, sailing in a yacht; YACHTS'MAN, one who keeps or sails a yacht;
YACHTS'MANSHIP, the art of sailing a yacht. [Dut. _jagt_ (formerly
_jacht_), from _jagen_, to chase=Old High Ger. _jag[=o]n_, Ger. _jagen_, to
hunt.]
YAFF, yaf, _v.i._ (_Scot._) to bark like a snarling dog.
YAFFINGALE, yaf'ing-g[=a]l, _n._ (_Tenn._) the green woodpecker. [From
Prov. Eng. _yaffle_ (and under the influence of _nightingale_), from the
sound.]
YAGER, y[=a]'g[.e]r, _n._ formerly one of various bodies of light infantry
in German armies, largely recruited from foresters, now one of various
corps of infantry or cavalry, generally riflemen.--Also JÄ'GER. [Ger.
_jäger_, a huntsman.]
YAGGER, yag'[.e]r, _n._ (_Scot._) a peddler, a stroller. [Dut. _jager_, a
huntsman--_jagen_, to hunt.]
YAHOO, ya-h[=oo]', _n._ a name given by Swift in _Gulliver's Travels_ to a
class of animals which have the forms of men but the understanding and
passions of the lowest brutes: a despicable character.
YAHVEH, yä-v[=a]'=_Jehovah_.--_n._ YAH'VIST=_Jehovist_.
YAK, yak, _n._ a species of ox found in Tibet, and domesticated there,
covered all over with a thick coat of long silky hair, that of the lower
parts hanging down almost to the ground. [Tibetan.]
YAKUT, ya-k[=oo]t', _n._ a member of a mixed Turkish race in Siberia, in
the Lena district.
YALD, YAULD, yäld, _adj._ (_Scot._) active, supple.
YAM, yam, _n._ a large root like the potato growing in tropical countries.
[Port. _inhame_.]
YAMA, yam'a, _n._ in Hindu mythology, the first mortal progenitor of the
human race. [Sans.]
YAMADOU, yam'a-d[=oo], _n._ an oil from the yellow-nutmeg.
YAMMER, yam'[.e]r, _v.i._ to lament, wail: to whine.--_n._ YAMM'ERING.
[A.S. _geómerian_--_geómor_, sad.]