ALATE, al'[=a]t, _adj._ winged: (_bot._) bordered by a leafy
expansion.--Also AL'ATED. [L. _alatus_--_ala_, a wing.]
ALB, alb, _n._ in R.C. churches, a white linen vestment with tight sleeves,
reaching to the feet, worn by the officiating priest at the celebration of
the eucharist, under the chasuble, cope, or dalmatic. [A.S. _albe_--Low L.
_alba_, L. _albus_, white.]
ALBACORE, al'ba-k[=o]r, _n._ a large species of the tunny fish, found in
West Indian waters. [Port.--Ar. _al_, the, _bukr_, pl. _bak[=a]rat_, a
young camel.]
ALBATA, al-b[=a]'ta, _n._ a white silvery alloy of nickel, zinc, and
copper--also _British plate_ and _German Silver_. [L., _alb[=a]re_, to
whiten, _albus_, white.]
ALBATROSS, al'ba-tros, _n._ a large, long-winged, web-footed sea-bird of
remarkable powers of flight, found abundantly in the Southern Ocean,
particularly near the Cape of Good Hope. [Corr. from ALCATRAS (q.v.), perh.
with reference to _albus_, white, from its colour.]
ALBE, ALE-BE, awl-b[=e]', _obs._ forms of ALBEIT.
ALBEIT, awl-b[=e]'it, _adv._ although it be: notwithstanding: even if,
although. [All be it (that) = all though it be that]
ALBERT, al'bert, _n._ a short kind of watch-chain. [Named from Prince
_Albert_, husband of Queen Victoria.]
ALBESCENT, al-bes'ent, _adj._ becoming white: whitish.--_n._ ALBES'CENCE.
[L. _albescens_, -_entis_, pr.p. of _albesc[)e]re_, to grow white--_albus_,
white.]
ALBESPYNE, ALBESPINE, al'be-sp[=i]n, _n._ whitethorn, hawthorn. [O. Fr.
_albespine_, _aubespine_ (Fr. _aubépine_)--L. _alba spina_, white thorn.]
ALBIGENSES, al-bi-jen's[=e]z, _n.pl._ a name applied to antisacerdotal
sects in the south of France during the 12th and 13th centuries, infected
with Manichæan heresy, and extirpated with the most horrible cruelties.
[The town _Albi_.]
ALBINO, al-b[=i]'no, _n._ a human being or animal whose skin and hair are
abnormally white, and the pupil of the eye of pink colour:--_fem._
ALB[=I]'NESS:--_pl._ ALB[=I]'NOS.--_n._ AL'BINISM, state or condition of
being an albino. [Sp. _albino_, whitish--L. _albus_, white.]
ALBITE, al'b[=i]t, _n._ a species of mineral of the felspar family, of a
white colour, and forming a constituent of many kinds of rocks. [From L.
_albus_, white.]
ALBUGINEOUS, al-b[=u]-jin'e-us, _adj._ like the white of an egg or of the
eye. [L. _albugo_, _albuginis_, whiteness, from _albus_, white.]
ALBUM, al'bum, _n._ among the Romans, a white tablet or register on which
the prætor's edicts and such public notices were recorded: a blank book for
the insertion of portraits, autographs, poetical extracts, memorial verses,
postage-stamps, or the like.--_adj._ AL'BUM[=E]'AN, and _n._ AL'BUMESS,
whimsical coinages of Charles Lamb. [L. _albus_, white.]
ALBUMEN, al-b[=u]'men, _n._ the white of eggs: a like substance found in
animal and vegetable bodies.--_ns._ ALB[=U]'MIN, one of the classes of
albuminoids, such as are soluble in water, or in dilute acids or alkalis;
ALB[=U]'MINATE, one of a class of bodies in which albumin appears in weak
combination with a base.--_v.t._ ALBUMINISE' (_phot._), to cover or
impregnate with albumen: to coat paper with an albuminous solution.--_adj._
ALB[=U]'MINOUS, like or containing albumen: insipid. [L.--_albus_, white.]
ALBUMINOID, al-b[=u]'min-oid, _adj._ like albumen.--_n._ one of a class of
nitrogenous compounds derived from animal tissues. [ALBUMEN, and Gr.
_eidos_, form.]
ALBURNUM, al-burn'um, _n._ in trees, the white and soft parts of wood
between the inner bark and the heart-wood.--_adj._ ALBURN'OUS.
[L.--_albus_, white.]
ALCAHEST. See ALKAHEST.
ALCAIC, al-k[=a]'ik, _adj._ of or pertaining to the Greek lyrical poet,
Alcæus (_c._ 600 B.C.), or to the kind of verse invented by him. The most
common form consists of an anacrusis, a trochee, a spondee, and two
dactyls; a second, of a catalectic iambic pentameter, the third foot always
being a spondee; a third, of two dactyls followed by two trochees. The most
common arrangement was two lines of (1), followed by one of (2) and one of
(3). Cf. Tennyson's 'O mighty-mouth'd inventor of harmonies.'
ALCAID, ALCAYDE, al-k[=a]d', _n._ a governor: a chief magistrate: a gaoler.
[Sp. and Port.--Ar. _alk[=a][=i]d_--_al_, the, _q[=a][=i]d_, a leader,
_q[=a]da_, to lead.]