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LATIN | |
| abacus | a counting device using beads. Pl. ABACI or ABACUSES. |
| abdomen | the posterior division of the body in insects, spiders, and some other arthropods. Pl. ABDOMENS or ABDOMINA. |
| abducens | a cranial nerve. Pl. ABDUCENTES. |
| abies | a fir tree. |
| abolla | a Roman military cloak. Pl. ABOLLAS or ABOLLAE. |
| abomasum | the fourth of the four stomachs of a ruminant (cf. OMASUM). Pl. ABOMASA. Also ABOMASUS. |
| abomasus | the fourth of the four stomachs of a ruminant. Pl. ABOMASI or ABOMASUSES. Also ABOMASUM. |
| abscissa | the distance of a point from the y-axis measured parallel to the x-axis. Pl. ABSCISSAE or ABSCISSAS. Also ABSCISS, ABSCISSE. |
| absit | a student's leave to pass one night away from college. |
| academia | the academic life or world. Also ACADEME. |
| acarus | a mite. Pl. ACARI. |
| accidia | sloth; physical torpor. Also ACCIDIE, ACEDIA. |
| accipiter | a bird belonging to the Accipiter genus of hawks. [L. accipiter, a hawk]. |
| acer | a plant of the maple genus. [L. acer, maple]. |
| acetabulum | a cuplike hollow on the hipbone to receive the thighbone. Pl. ACETABULA or ACETABULUMS. |
| acetum | vinegar. |
| achates | a faithful friend. [The faithful friend of Aeneas (Virgil Aeneid VI. 158 etc.)]. |
| acicula | a needle-like bristle or spine. Pl. ACICULAS or ACICULAE. |
| acinus | a berry which grows in clusters. Pl. ACINI. |
| aconitum | the poisonous herb ACONITE; also, an extract from it. |
| acroterium | a pedestal or ornament at the angle of a pediment. Pl. ACROTERIA. Also ACROTER, ACROTERION. |
| acta | official minutes of a proceeding. |
| actinia | a sea anemone of the genus Actinia; loosely any sea anemone. Pl. ACTINIAE or ACTINIAS. Also ACTINIAN. |
| aculeus | a prickle growing on the bark, as in some brambles and roses. Pl. ACULEI. |
| acumen | keenness of intellect. [L. acumen]. |
| addendum | something to be added. Pl. ADDENDA. |
| adipocere | a fatty substance occurring in corpses left in moist areas. [L. adeps, adipis, soft fat + cera, wax]. |
| adsum | 'I am present'. |
| adunc aduncate aduncated | hooked. [L. aduncus, aduncatus, from ad to + uncus, a hook]. |
| adytum | the sacred part of a temple or church; a church chancel. |
| aecidium | a cup-shaped fructification in rust fungi. Also AECIUM. |
| aecium | a cup-shaped fructification in rust fungi. Also AECIDIUM. |
| aedile edile | in classical times, a magistrate in charge of games, markets or buildings. |
| aegis egis | protection, defense; patronage, sponsorship. [L. from Gk aigis, goatskin]. |
| aegrotat | an unclassified degree granted a university student who has fulfilled all requirements for graduation but was prevented by illness from attending the final examinations. |
| aeneus aeneous | of a shining bronze colour. |
| aeolian eolian | relating to erosion or transportation by wind; giving forth or marked by a moaning or sighing sound or musical tone produced by or as if by the wind. [L. Aeolus, from Gk. Aiolos god of the winds]. |
| aerobium | an aerobe. Pl. AEROBIA. |
| aerugo erugo | a green film that forms on copper. Pl. AERUGOS, ERUGOS. |
| affidavit | a written statement, confirmed by oath, to be used as evidence. |
| afflatus | a creative impulse, an inspiration. Pl. AFFLATUSES. |
| agendum | things to be done. Pl. AGENDA or AGENDUMS. |
| agger | an artificial mound or elevation for military use. |
| agnomen | an additional name; surname; nickname. Pl. AGNOMENS or AGNOMINA. |
| ala | an outgrowth on a fruit. [L. ala, wing]. Pl. ALAE. |
| albata | a variety of German silver. |
| albedo | the fraction of light reflected from a body or surface. Pl. ALBEDOS or ALBEDOES. |
| albugo | a white spot on the cornea of the eye; a LEUCOMA. [L. albugo, whiteness]. |
| albumen | the white of egg, the nutritive material surrounding the yolk in the eggs of higher animals. [L. albumen from albus, white]. |
| albumin | the protein part of egg-white. [L. albumen, from albus, white]. |
| alga | a seaweed. Pl. ALGAE or ALGAS. |
| alias | an adopted alternative name. |
| aliquant | of a number that divides into another with a remainder. [L. aliquantum, somewhat]. Cf. ALIQUOT, but ALIQUANT does not take an -S hook. |
| aliquot | a number that divides into another without leaving a remainder. |
| aliunde | from another source; from elsewhere; as, a case proved aliunde; evidence aliunde. |
| allium | a plant of the Allium genus to which onions, garlics, leeks etc. belong. |
| allodium | an estate held in absolute ownership, without acknowledgement to a superior. Pl. ALLODIUMS or ALLODIA. Also ALOD, ALLOD, ALODIUM. |
| alluvion alluvium | land gradually gained from the sea by the washing up of sand and earth. [L. alluvio]. |
| alodium | an estate held in absolute ownership, without acknowledgement to a superior. Pl. ALODIUMS or ALODIA. Also ALOD, ALLOD, ALLODIUM. |
| alopecia | loss of hair, baldness. [L. alopecia, fox-mange, fr. Gk alopekia, fr. alopex, because loss of the hair is common among foxes.] |
| alternatim | alternately. |
| altocumulus | a type of cloud. Pl. ALTOCUMULI. |
| altostratus | a type of cloud. Pl. ALTOSTRATI. |
| altrices | birds whose young are hatched in a very immature and helpless condition, so as to require the care of their parents for some time, as opposed to PRAECOCES. |
| alula | three feathers springing from the base of the primaries. [L. alula, dim. of ala, wing]. Pl. ALULAE. |
| alumna | a female ALUMNUS. Pl. ALUMNAE. |
| alumnus | an ex-student of a college. Pl. ALUMNI. |
| alveolus | a cell in a honeycomb. Also ALVEOLE. |
| amanuensis | one employed to take dictation or to copy manuscript. Pl. AMANUENSES. |
| amaracus | marjoram. [L. amaracus]. |
| ameba | a single-celled aquatic protozoan, characterized by a constantly changing shape. Pl. AMEBAE or AMEBAS. Also AMOEBA. |
| amentum | a catkin. [L. amentum, thong, strap]. Pl. AMENTA. |
| amicus | a legal expert witness. Pl. AMICI. |
| amoeba | a single-celled aquatic protozoan, characterized by a constantly changing shape. Pl. AMOEBAE or AMOEBAS. Also AMEBA. |
| amphora | a vessel for holding oil. Pl. AMPHORAE or AMPHORAS. |
| amplexus | the rutting of frogs and toads. [L. amplexus, embrace]. Pl. AMPLEXUSES. |
| ampulla | a vessel for holy oil or wine for coronations or rituals. Pl. AMPULLAE. Also AMPUL. |
| amuletum | a charm worn to ward off evil, disease, etc; a medicine supposed to operate magically. [L. amuletum]. |
| amygdal | an almond. |
| amygdala | any almond-shaped formation in body, e.g. a tonsil. Pl. AMYGDALAE or AMYGDALAS. |
| ancile | the sacred shield of the Romans, said to have fallen from heaven in the reign of Numa. It was the PALLADIUM of Rome. Pl. ANCILIA. |
| ancilla | one who helps another to accomplish or master something difficult or complicated. Pl. ANCILLAE or ANCILLAS. |
| anestrus | a period of sexual inactivity between periods of oestrus. Also ANESTRUM, ANOESTRUM, ANOESTRUS. |
| angelus | a prayer said in morning, at noon and at sunset. Pl. ANGELUSES. |
| anglice | in plain English. |
| anguifauna | the snakes of a region. |
| anguiped anguipede | having feet or legs in the form of snakes; used of mythical giants etc. [L. anguis, snake, + pes, foot]. |
| anima | the soul, the innermost part of the personality. |
| animus | a usually prejudiced and often spiteful or malevolent ill will. Pl. ANIMUSES or ANIMI. |
| anno | in the year of the Christian era. |
| annulus | a ring, a circle that is not filled in; spec. a partial veil forming a collar round the stalk in some agarics. Pl. ANNULUSES or ANNULI. |
| ansa | part of Saturn's rings. Pl. ANSAE. |
| antefixa | an ornament at the end of a classical building, hiding the ends of roof tiles. Pl. ANTEFIXAE. |
| antenati | those born before a certain date. This is plural: no –S hook. |
| antenna | either of a pair of sensory appendages on the heads of insects, crustaceans, and some other arthropods; a feeler. Pl. ANTENNAE or ANTENNAS. |
| antepast | a foretaste, an appetiser. [L. ante, before, + pascere, pastum to feed]. |
| antibacchius | a foot of two long (or stressed) syllables followed by a short (or unstressed) one. Pl. ANTIBACCHII. |
| antidora | the unconsecrated bread remaining after the Eucharistic Liturgy, blessed by the priests and given to non-communicants as well as communicants. |
| antlia | the suctorial proboscis of certain insects. Pl. ANTLIAE. |
| antrum | a sinus; a cavity, especially leading into nose. Pl. ANTRA or ANTRUMS. |
| anuresis | inability to urinate. Pl. ANURESES. |
| anus | the opening at the end of the alimentary canal by which undigested residues are excreted. [L. anus, ring]. |
| aorta | the main artery into the heart. Pl. AORTAE or AORTAS. |
| apex | the summit or peak. Pl. APEXES or APICES. |
| aphtha | a roundish pearl-colored speck or flake in the mouth, on the lips, etc., terminating in a white slough, commonly characteristic of thrush. Pl. APHTHAE. |
| aphelion | the point when the earth is farthest from the sun during its annual orbit. [Gk. apo, from + helios, sun]. Pl. APHELIA or APHELIONS. |
| apiculus | a short sharp point in which an organ may end. Pl. APICULI. |
| aplustre | an ornamental appendage of wood at a ship's stern, usually spreading like a fan and curved like a bird's feather. |
| apoapsis | the high point in an orbit. Pl. APOAPSIDES. |
| apologia | an apology, usu. in literary form. Pl. APOLOGIAE or APOLOGIAS. |
| apostrophus | the backwards C symbol used in Roman numerals. Pl. APOSTROPHUSES. |
| apsis | the point at which a heavenly body is most or least distant from centre of attraction. Pl. APSIDES. |
| aqua | water. Pl. AQUAE or AQUAS. |
| arabis | any member of a large genus of trailing plants. |
| arbiter | a judge. |
| arbitrium | a power of decision. Pl. ARBITRIUMS. |
| arbor | a tree. Pl. ARBORES or ARBORS. |
| arboretum | a tree-garden. Pl. ARBORETA or ARBORETUMS. |
| arbutus arbute | the strawberry-tree. |
| arcadia | an ideal region of rural contentment. [L f. Gk. Arkadia a mountainous district in the Peloponnese]. |
| arcus | a bow-shaped or ring-shaped fatty deposit found in the cornea. |
| area | a particular tract of the earth's (or another planet's) surface; a region; a neighbourhood, a vicinity. Pl. AREAS or AREAE. |
| arena | an area enclosed by seating; originally, part of the ancient amphitheatre strewed with sand for combat. |
| areola | a small circular area; spec. the area of pigmented skin surrounding a nipple. Pl. AREOLAE or AREOLAS. Also AREOLE. |
| argentum | silver. Pl. ARGENTUMS. |
| argumentum | logical argument, proof. Pl. ARGUMENTA. |
| arillus | an additional envelope, often fleshy, developed around the seed in certain plants (e.g. yew). Pl. ARILLI. Also ARIL. |
| arista | an awn (bristle on grass). Pl. ARISTAE or ARISTAS. |
| armilla | an ARMIL, a bracelet. Pl. ARMILLAE or ARMILLAS. |
| arsis | the accented or longer part of a poetic foot; the point where an ictus is put. Pl. ARSES. |
| aruspex haruspex | a person who inspected the entrails of sacrificial victims in order to foretell the future. Pl. ARUSPICES, HARUSPICES. |
| arval | pertaining to ploughed land. [L. arvalis]. |
| arvicole | a member of the water-vole genus. [L. arvum, a field + colere, to inhabit]. |
| asarum | the dried root of the wild ginger. [L. asarum, asarabacca]. |
| ascus | an enlarged cell. Pl. ASCI. |
| aspergillus | a minute fungus forming mould. Pl. ASPERGILLI. |
| asphaltum | a mixture of bituminous pitch with sand etc. used for surfacing paths, roads, etc. Pl. ASPHALTUMS. Also ASPHALT. |
| aspirata | a type of plosive. Pl. ASPIRATAE. |
| assumpsit | a contract (not under seal); a suit for breach of such a contract. |
| astragalus | the ankle-bone. Pl. ASTRAGALI or ASTRAGALUSES. |
| asylum | a place of refuge; a hospital for the insane. Pl. ASYLA or ASYLUMS. |
| athenaeum | a literary or scientific association. Pl. ATHENAEUMS. Also ATHENEUM. |
| atheneum | a literary or scientific association. Pl. ATHENEUMS. Also ATHENAEUM. |
| atrium | a square hall lighted from above, into which rooms open at one or more levels. Pl. ATRIUMS, ATRIA. |
| attollens | of a muscle, that raises. [L. attollens, pp. of attollere, to lift up]. |
| attrahens | attracting; that which attracts. |
| auceps | a hawker or bird-tender. [L. auceps, bird-catcher, fowler, from avis bird, and capere, to catch]. Pl. AUCEPSES. |
| auditorium | the part of a theatre, lecture-hall, or other public building occupied by the audience. Pl. AUDITORIUMS or AUDITORIA. |
| aula | a hall. Pl. AULAS. |
| aura | a supposed subtle emanation from living things. Pl. AURAE or AURAS. |
| aureola | a crown or increment to the ordinary blessedness of heaven, represented as a gold or coloured disc. Pl. AUREOLAE or AUREOLAS. Also AUREOLE. |
| aureus | a gold coin of ancient Rome. Pl. AUREI. |
| auricula | a species of Primula, or primrose, aka, from the shape of its leaves, bear's-ear. Pl. AURICULAE or AURICULAS. |
| auris | the ear. Pl. AURES. |
| aurora | a luminous atmospheric phenomenon. Pl. AURORAS or AURORAE. |
| aurum | gold. Pl. AURUMS. |
| auspex | a soothsayer of ancient Rome. Pl. AUSPICES. |
| ave | a prayer to the Virgin Mary. |
| avifauna | the birdlife of a region. Pl. AVIFAUNAS or AVIFAUNAE. |
| axilla | an armpit; shoulder. Pl. AXILLAS or AXILLAE. |
| axis | the imaginary straight line about which a body such as the earth rotates. Pl. AXES or AXISES. |
| bacca | a berry. Pl. BACCAE or BACCAS. |
| bacchius | a metrical foot composed of a short syllable and two long ones; according to some, two long and a short. Pl. BACCHII. |
| bacillus | any rod-shaped bacterium; loosely any pathogenic bacterium. Pl. BACILLI. |
| baculum | the penis bone in some mammals. Pl. BACULA or BACULUMS. |
| balista ballista | a Roman military engine in the form of a crossbow for projecting heavy missiles. Pl. BALISTAE or BALISTAS; BALLISTAE or BALLISTAS. |
| barathrum | an insatiable extortioner or glutton; (hist.) a pit in Athens into which condemned criminals were thrown. [L. from Gk. barathron, pit]. |
| basaltes | unglazed stoneware. [L. basaltes, from Greek basanites (lithos) touchstone]. Pl. BASALTES. |
| basidium | a club-shaped spore-bearing structure produced by a basidiomycete. Pl. BASIDIA. |
| basilic basilica | a large oblong hall with double colonnades and a semicircular apse; a Roman Catholic church with honorific privileges. Pl. of BASILICA is BASILICAS or BASILICAE. |
| belga | a former monetary unit of Belgium. |
| bembex bembix | a kind of sandwasp. |
| benedicite | a canticle (the Latin version of which begins with this word) which may be used in the order for morning prayer in the Church of England. |
| biceps | the two-headed muscle at the front of the arm that flexes the forearm. Pl. BICEPSES. |
| biennium | a period of two years. Pl. BIENNIA or BIENNIUMS. |
| biga | a two-horse chariot. Pl. BIGAE. |
| bigener | a hybrid arising from two genera. |
| bimillennium | a period of two thousand years. Pl. BIMILLENNIUMS or BIMILLENNIA. |
| bitumen | naturally-occurring asphalt from the Middle East, used as mortar etc. |
| bivium | in echinoderms, the two rays enclosing the MADREPORITE |
| blastula | that stage in the development of the ovum in which the outer cells of the MORULA become more defined and form the blastoderm. Pl. BLASTULAE or BLASTULAS. |
| boletus | a genus of fungi having the under side of the pileus or cap composed of a multitude of fine separate tubes. Pl. BOLETI or BOLETUSES. |
| bolus | a large pill; a soft rounded mass of chewed food. Pl. BOLUSES. |
| bombax | a tree of the genus Bombax, the silk-cotton tree. |
| bona | goods. |
| bonasus bonassus | the aurochs or European bison. |
| borealis+ | lights seen round the North Pole. |
| boreas+ | the North wind. |
| botanica | a shop that sells herbs and magic charms. |
| bothrium | a groove on a tapeworm. Pl. BOTHRIA or BOTHRIUMS. |
| brachium | the upper arm; the segment of the fore limb between the shoulder and the elbow. Pl. BRACHIA. |
| branchia | a gill; a respiratory organ for breathing the air contained in water, such as many aquatic and semiaquatic animals have. Pl. BRANCHIAE. |
| brassica | a cruciferous plant of the genus Brassica, which includes cabbage, turnip, rape, etc. [L. brassica, cabbage]. |
| bronchium | a middle-sized bronchial tube. Pl. BRONCHIA. |
| bronchus | one of the subdivisions of the trachea or windpipe; esp. one of the two primary divisions. Pl. BRONCHI. |
| brucella | any of a genus of harmful bacteria. Pl. BRUCELLAE or BRUCELLAS. |
| bubo | an inflammation, with enlargement, of a lymphatic gland, esp. in the groin, as in syphilis. Pl. BUBOES. |
| buccina | a Roman curved trumpet. Pl. BUCCINAS. |
| bufo | a black tincture in alchemy. [L. bufo, toad]. |
| bulla | a round seal attached to a papal bull. Pl. BULLAE. |
| bursa | any sac or saclike cavity; especially, one of the synovial sacs, or small spaces, often lined with synovial membrane, interposed between tendons and bony prominences. Pl. BURSAE or BURSAS. |
| buteo | any of a genus of hawks Buteo with broad rounded wings; a buzzard. |
| byssus | a filamentous tuft ('beard') by which molluscs attach themselves to rocks; a fine flax and fabric woven from it. Pl. BYSSI or BYSSUSES. |
| cactus | a succulent plant of the family Cactaceae, with thick fleshy stems, usu. spiny and without leaves. Pl. CACTI or CACTUSES. |
| cacumen | a top or point. |
| caduceus | a Greek or Roman herald's wand; spec. the wand carried by the messenger-god Hermes or Mercury, usu. represented with two serpents twined round it. Pl. CADUCEI. |
| caecum | any structure that ends in a bag or sac. Pl. CAECA. Also CECUM. |
| caesar | a Roman emperor, as being the successor of Augustus Caesar. Hence, a kaiser, or emperor of Germany, or any emperor or powerful ruler. |
| caesura | a pause in a poem or a song. Pl. CAESURAE or CAESURAS. Also CESURA. |
| caisson | a vehicle or chest for holding ammunition. [Fr. caisson, a large chest]. |
| calamus | a quill or reed used as a pen. Pl. CALAMI. |
| calathus | a vase-shaped Ancient Greek basket, carried on the head. Pl. CALATHI. Also CALATHOS. |
| calcaneum | one of the bones of the tarsus which in man, forms the great bone of the heel. Also CALCANEUS. |
| calcaneus | one of the bones of the tarsus which in man, forms the great bone of the heel. Also CALCANEUM. |
| calcar | a spur-like projection; a furnace or oven for annealing. [L. calcar, spur]. |
| calceamentum | a red silk embroidered sandal forming part of the insignia of the Holy Roman Empire. Pl. CALCEAMENTA. |
| calculus | a system of computation; a stone-like concretion that forms in certain vessels of the body. Pl. CALCULI or CALCULUSES. |
| caldarium | a hot room in a Roman bath-house. |
| calends | the first day of the ancient Roman month from which days were counted backwards to the Ides. Also KALENDS. |
| calendula | a marigold. |
| caligo | dimness or obscurity of sight, dependent upon a speck on the cornea; also, the speck itself. [L. caligo, fog]. Pl. CALIGOES or CALIGOS. |
| calix | a cup; esp. an ecclesiastical chalice. [L. calix, a cup]. |
| calluna | any plant of the genus CALLUNA, ling. |
| caltha | a genus of plants including the marsh marigold. |
| calvarium | the upper skull. Pl. CALVARIA. |
| calvities | baldness. Pl. CALVITIES. |
| calx | the substance of a metal or mineral that remains after strong heating. [L. calx, lime]. Pl. CALCES or CALXES. |
| campana | a church bell. |
| campanula | a member of the bellflower family. |
| campus | the grounds of e.g. an educational institution. Pl. CAMPUSES. (Verb) to restrict a student to school grounds. |
| cancelli | the lattice-work of spongy bone tissue; the mesh of spaces within this. [L. cancelli, lattice-work]. |
| candida | a parasitic, yeast-like fungus, that causes the infection CANDIDIASIS. |
| canities | whitening or greying of the hair. [L. canus, grey]. |
| canna | a tropical lily with showy red or yellow flowers. Pl. CANNAE or CANNAS. [L. canna, reed]. |
| cannula | a small tube of metal, wood, or India rubber, used for various purposes, esp. for injecting or withdrawing fluids. It is usually associated with a TROCAR. Pl. CANNULAE or CANNULAS. Also CANULA. |
| cantate | the 98th Psalm, from its opening words. |
| cantharus | a large two-handled drinking-cup; a laver in the atrium before ancient churches. |
| canthus | the angle between the eyelids at the corner of the eye. Pl. CANTHI. |
| canticum | a canticle, a part-song in an ancient play. |
| cantor | the leader of a church choir. |
| cantoris | to be sung on the cantorial or north side of a choir, as opposed to DECANI. |
| cantus | a melody or chant, esp. in mediaeval ecclesiastical music. Pl. CANTUS. |
| canula | a small tube of metal, wood, or India rubber, used for various purposes, esp. for injecting or withdrawing fluids. It is usually associated with a TROCAR. Pl. CANULAE or CANULAS. Also CANNULA. |
| capias | a writ authorizing the arrest of a person. Pl. CAPIASES. |
| capitulum | a type of inflorescence in which there are many crowded florets, typically found in the Daisy family. [L. dim. of caput, head]. Pl. CAPITULA. |
| caput | the head; also, a knoblike protuberance or capitulum. |
| cardia | the heart. Pl. CARDIAS or CARDIAE. |
| carduus | a kind of thistle. Pl. CARDUUSES. |
| carex | a genus of plants, the sedges. Pl. CARICES. |
| caries | decay (of a bone or tooth). |
| carina | a keel-shaped ridge on a bird's breast. Pl. CARINAS or CARINAE. |
| caritas | love, charity. Pl. CARITASES or CARITATES. |
| carnifex | an executioner, esp. the public executioner in ancient Rome. |
| carolus | a former English gold coin, first struck in the reign of Charles I. Pl. CAROLUSES or CAROLI. |
| carpus | the part of the human skeleton between the forearm and the metacarpus. Pl. CARPI. |
| carta charta | a charter. [L. c(h)arta, from Gk. chartes a sheet of paper]. |
| castellum | a small Roman fort, a mile-castle. PL. CASTELLA or CASTELLUMS. |
| castoreum | a pungent, bitter-tasting, reddish-brown substance obtained from two perineal sacs of the beaver, used in medicine and perfumery. |
| castral | of or belonging to a camp. |
| casus | an event; an occurrence; a combination of circumstances. |
| catasta | a scaffold or stage for torture or selling slaves. |
| catena | a chain or connected series of things, esp. of the patristic comments on Scripture. Pl. CATENAS or CATENAE. |
| cathedra | the chair or throne of office of a bishop or other high official. Pl. CATHEDRAS or CATHEDRAE. |
| cathexis | the investment of emotional energy in a thought or idea. Pl. CATHEXES. |
| caudex | the stem of a tree, esp. a stem without a branch, as of a palm or a tree fern. Pl. CAUDICES or CAUDEXES. |
| caulis | an herbaceous or woody stem which bears leaves, and may bear flowers. Pl. CAULES. |
| causa | a (legal) cause. |
| caveat | a warning, qualification, or explanation; (verb) to enter a caveat, a legal notice. |
| cecum | any structure that ends in a bag or sac. Pl. CECA. Also CAECUM. |
| cella | the inner chamber of a classical temple. Pl. CELLAE. |
| cementum | hard tissue covering roots of teeth. |
| census | an investigation or count of a population; (verb) to carry out a census. [L. census, a register]. |
| cento | a literary work, especially a poem, composed of parts taken from works of other authors. [L. cento, patchwork]. Pl. CENTOS or CENTONES. |
| centrum | the major part of a vertebra. Pl. CENTRA or CENTRUMS. |
| centum | a hundred. Centum languages: a classification group of Indo-European languages, in which an original palatal consonant developed as a guttural. Cf. SATEM. |
| centumvir | in Rome, one of a court of about one hundred judges chosen to try civil suits. Pl. CENTUMVIRI. |
| centurion | the leader of a Roman century, one hundred men. |
| cercaria | the larval form of a trematode worm having the shape of a tadpole, with its body terminated by a tail-like appendage. Pl. CERCARIAE or CERCARIAS. |
| cercus | a tail-like appendage. Pl. CERCI. |
| cerebellum | the large lobe of the hind brain in front of and above the medulla; the little brain. It controls combined muscular action. |
| cerebrum | the front and larger part of the brain. Pl. CEREBRA or CEREBRUMS. |
| cereus | a genus of plants of the Cactus family. They are natives of America, from California to Chili. [L. cereus waxen, wax-taper (from their stiff form)]. |
| cerris | a species of oak native to the Orient and southern Europe, aka Turkey oak. [L. cerreus]. |
| cerumen | the yellow waxlike substance secreted in the outer ear. |
| cervix | the neck of the womb. Pl. CERVIXES or CERVICES. |
| cestui | in legal phrases, he, the one. |
| cestus | a girdle; particularly that of Aphrodite (or Venus) which gave the wearer the power of exciting love. Pl. CESTI. Also CESTOS, CAESTUS. |
| cesura | a pause in a poem or a song. Pl. CESURAE or CESURAS. Also CAESURA. |
| chaeta | a bristle or seta of sea-worms. Pl. CHAETAE. |
| chalaza | the place on an ovule, or seed, where its outer coats cohere with each other and the nucleus. Pl. CHALAZAE or CHALAZAS. |
| chara | a genus of freshwater plants including stoneworts. |
| chela | the claw of an arthropod. Pl. CHELAE. 2. a novice or disciple in Buddhism. Pl. CHELAS. |
| chiasmus | inversion of order of corresponding elements of two parallel phrases, as in born under one law, to another bound. Pl. CHIASMI. |
| chimaera | a mythical or genetic hybrid. |
| choana | a funnel-shaped opening, esp. either of those connecting the nasal cavities to the pharynx. Pl. CHOANAE. |
| choragus | the leader of chorus in ancient Greek drama; a person officiating at a festival. Pl. CHORAGI or CHORAGUSES. Also CHOREGUS. |
| chorda | any stringlike structure in the body. Pl. CHORDAE. |
| choregus | the leader of chorus in ancient Greek drama; a person officiating at a festival. Pl. CHOREGI. Also CHORAGUS. |
| ciborium | a freestanding canopy to cover an altar; a vessel for holding eucharistic bread. Pl. CIBORIA. |
| cicada | an insect like a grasshopper. Pl. CICADAE or CICADAS. Also CICALA. |
| cicatrix cicatrice | the scar of a healed wound, burn, etc.; a scar on the bark of a tree. [L. cicatrix, a scar]. Pl. CICATRICES. |
| cicuta | the hemlock plant. |
| cidaris | the royal tiara or cap of state of the ancient Persians. [L f. Gk kidaris, kitaris, = Heb. keter (Persian) crown, diadem]. |
| cilice | a haircloth shirt worn as penance. |
| cilium | a hair-like lash borne by a cell. Pl. CILIA. |
| cimelia | treasures laid up in store. [Late L, pl. of cimelium (church) treasure f. Gk keimelion anything stored up as valuable.]. |
| cimex | a bed-bug. Pl. CIMICES. |
| cinerarium | a place to receive the ashes of the cremated dead. Pl. CINERARIA. |
| cingulum | a girdle or girdle-like structure; a priest's belt. Pl. CINGULA. |
| cippus | a small column marking a burial-place or landmark. [L. cippus, post, stake]. Pl. CIPPI. |
| circa | about; around. |
| circiter | about; around. |
| cirrocumulus | a type of cloud. Pl. CIRROCUMULI. |
| cirrostratus | a type of cloud. Pl. CIRROSTRATI. |
| cirrus | a type of cloud. Pl. CIRRI. |
| cisterna | a sac or space containing e.g. cerebrospinal fluid. Pl. CISTERNAE. |
| cito | quickly. |
| classis | a division according to rank; a class. Pl. CLASSES. |
| claustrum | a thin lamina of gray matter in each cerebral hemisphere of the brain of man. Pl. CLAUSTRA. |
| clausula | a short clause ending a period in Latin prose. Pl. CLAUSULAE. |
| clavicula | the collar-bone. Also CLAVICLE. |
| claviger | one who carries the keys of any place. [L. clavis, key]. |
| clavis | a key; hence a clue or aid in solving problems. Pl. CLAVES. |
| clavus | a horny thickening of the skin. Pl. CLAVI. |
| clematis | a climbing plant with showy clowers. [L. from Gk. klematis a plant, probably periwinkle, from klema, a twig]. |
| clepsydra | an instrument which measures time by trickling water. Pl. CLEPSYDRAE or CLEPSYDRAS. |
| clianthus | any climbing shrub of the genus Clianthus. [L., from Gk. kleos. glory + anthos, flower]. |
| clinamen | a bias, an inclination. Pl. CLINAMENS. |
| clitellum | in annelids, a swelling of the body towards the head of the animal, where the gonads are located. Pl. CLITELLA. |
| cloaca | a sewer; a common cavity for the release of digestive and urogenital products in birds, reptiles, amphibians, most fish, and monotremes. Pl. CLOACAE or CLOACAS. |
| clonus | a type of muscle spasm, characteristic of grand mal. [L. from Gk klonos, turmoil]. Pl. CLONUSES. |
| clypeus | the frontal plate of the head of an insect. Pl. CLYPEI. [L. clipeus, clupeus, round shield.] |
| coagulum | a coagulated mass; that part of the blood that coagulates, the clotting element. Pl. COAGULA or COAGULUMS. |
| coccus | one of the separable carpels of a dry fruit. Pl. COCCI. |
| cochlea | an appendage of the labyrinth of the internal ear, which is elongated and coiled into a spiral in mammals. Pl. COCHLEAE or COCHLEAS. |
| cochleare | a spoon. |
| codex | a book; a manuscript. Pl. CODICES. |
| codicil | a supplement to a will. [L. codicillus, dim. of codex]. |
| coenurus | the larval stage of a tapeworm which forms bladderlike sacs in the brain of sheep, causing a fatal disease. Pl. COENURI. Also COENURE. |
| cogito | a philosophical principle enunciated by Descartes. Pl. COGITOS. |
| cognomen | a family name. Pl. COGNOMENS or COGNOMINA. |
| cognovit | an instrument in writing whereby a defendant in an action acknowledges a plaintiff's demand to be just. |
| coitus | copulation. Pl. COITUSES. |
| coliseum | a large building or stadium used as a place of entertainment. Also COLOSSEUM. |
| collegium | an executive council. Pl. COLLEGIA or COLLEGIUMS. |
| colloquium | a conference, a seminar. Pl. COLLOQUIA or COLLOQUIUMS. |
| colluvium | material which accumulates at the foot of a steep slope. Pl. COLLUVIA or COLLUVIUMS. |
| colobus | a genus of monkey. Pl. COLOBI. |
| colonus | a freeborn serf. Pl. COLONI. |
| colossus | a statue of gigantic size. The name was especially applied to certain famous statues in antiquity, as the Colossus of Nero in Rome, the Colossus of Apollo at Rhodes. Pl. COLOSSUSES or COLOSSI. |
| colostrum | milk secreted for a few days after parturition, characterised by high protein and antibody content. |
| columbarium | a structure of vaults lined with recesses. Pl. COLUMBARIA. |
| columella | the uvula. Pl. COLUMELLAE. |
| coma | a spherical cloud of material surrounding the head of a comet. Pl. COMAE or COMAS. |
| comatula | a crinoid of the genus Antedon and related genera, aka feather star. Pl. COMATULAE. |
| combretum | a member of a genus of tropical trees known for the beauty of their flowers. Pl. COMBRETUMS. |
| comedo | a small worm-like yellowish black-tipped pasty mass which can in some persons be made, by pressure, to exude from hair follicles. [L. comedo: glutton or maggot]. Pl. COMEDOS or COMEDONES. |
| comitatus | a band of warriors who escort a prince. Pl. COMITATUSES. |
| comitia | a public assembly of the Roman people for electing officers or passing laws. No plural. |
| commendam | a vacant living or benefice commended to a cleric (usually a bishop) who enjoyed the revenue until a pastor was provided. |
| compendium | an assortment, a varied collection. Pl. COMPENDIA or COMPENDIUMS. |
| compluvium | a space left unroofed over the court of a Roman dwelling, through which the rain fell into the IMPLUVIUM or cistern. Pl. COMPLUVIUMS or COMPLUVIA. |
| comus | a revel. [From Comus, a Roman god of mirth and revelry]. Pl. COMUSES. |
| conarium | the pineal gland. Pl. CONARIA. |
| conatus | a natural impulse or tendency. Pl. CONATUS. |
| concedo | in logic, I admit, I yield. |
| conceptus | the products of conception; the developing foetus and surrounding tissue in the uterus. Pl. CONCEPTUSES or CONCEPTI. |
| concha | the plain semidome of an APSE; sometimes used for the entire apse. Pl. CONCHAE. |
| conductus | a style of metrical Latin song of the 12th and 13th century. Pl. CONDUCTI. |
| conferva | any of a large group of filamentous cryptogams, esp. simple freshwater green algae. Pl. CONFERVAE or CONFERVAS. |
| confiteor | a prayer of confession of sins. |
| congius | an ancient unit of liquid measure. Pl. CONGII. |
| conidium | a peculiar kind of reproductive cell found in certain fungi, and often containing zoospores. Pl. CONIDIA. |
| conium | a genus of biennial, poisonous, white-flowered, umbelliferous plants, bearing ribbed fruit and decompound leaves. |
| conjunctiva | the membrane lining the eyelid and joining it with the eyeball. |
| consensus | agreement. Pl. CONSENSUSES. |
| conservatorium | a school of music. Pl. CONSERVATORIA or CONSERVATORIUMS. Also CONSERVATOIRE. |
| consortium | an association of organizations or States formed for commercial or financial purposes. Pl. CONSORTIA or CONSORTIUMS. |
| consul | either of two annually elected magistrates who jointly exercised supreme authority in the Roman Republic. |
| contagium | contagion; contagious matter. Pl. CONTAGIA. |
| continuum | a continuous extent. Pl. CONTINUA or CONTINUUMS. |
| contra | against; (noun) an argument against. |
| conundrum | a riddle answered by a pun; also, a paradoxical, insoluble, or difficult problem. |
| conus | a structure or organ resembling a cone. Pl. CONI. |
| convolvulus | a climbing plant. Pl. CONVOLVULUSES or CONVOLVULI. |
| copula | a word which unites the subject and predicate. Pl. COPULAE or COPULAS. |
| corallum | the coral or skeleton of a zoophyte, whether calcareous of horny, simple or compound. Pl. CORALLA. |
| coram | in the presence of. |
| corbicula | the pollen basket of bees, consisting of the dilated posterior tibia with its fringe of long hairs. Pl. CORBICULAE. |
| coremium | an organ of certain fungi. Pl. COREMIA. |
| corium | a leather armour; the true skin, under the EPIDERMIS. Pl. CORIA or CORIUMS. |
| cormidium | an aggregation of polyps in a colonial marine hydrozoan. Pl. CORMIDIA. |
| cormus | the differentiated body of a CORMOPHYTE; the whole body of a compound animal. Pl. CORMUSES. |
| cornea | a transparent hard material protecting the eyeball. [L. cornea (tela), horny (tissue)]. |
| corniculum | a small hornlike part or process. |
| cornu | a horn-shaped process on the thyroid cartilage or certain bones (as the hyoid and the coccyx). Pl. CORNUA. |
| cornus | the dogwood. Pl. CORNUSES. |
| corolla | the collective name for all the petals of a flower. |
| corona | a small circle of light sometimes seen round the sun, moon, or other luminary; esp. one due to diffraction by water droplets. Pl. CORONAS or CORONAE. |
| coronis | in Greek grammar, a sign ['] sometimes placed over a contracted syllable. Pl. CORONISES. |
| corpus | a body e.g. of literary works. Pl. CORPORA. |
| cortex | the outer layer of certain organs, esp. of the brain. [L. cortex, bark]. Pl. CORTICES or CORTEXES. |
| corvus | a grappling hook, a hooked ram for destroying walls. [L. corvus, raven]. |
| corylus | a deciduous nut-bearing tree of the Corylus genus, including hazel. |
| coryphaeus | the leader of the Greek chorus; hence, 1) the leader of a chorus 2) the leader of a party or school of thought. [L. leader, from Gk koruphaios, from koruphe, head]. |
| coryza | nasal catarrh. |
| costa | a rib of an animal or a human being. Pl. COSTAE. |
| cothurnus | a buskin anciently used by tragic actors on the stage; hence, tragedy in general. Pl. COTHURNI. Also COTHURN. |
| cotta | a short surplice. Pl. COTTAS or COTTAE. |
| coxa | the first joint of the leg of an insect or crustacean. Pl. COXAE. |
| crambe | warmed-over cabbage; the annoying repetition or a tiresome, harped-on old story. |
| cranium | the skull. Pl. CRANIA or CRANIUMS. |
| crassamentum | a clot of blood. Pl. CRASSAMENTA. |
| credenda | things to be believed: articles of faith. |
| credendum | a thing to be believed; an article of faith; -- distinguished from AGENDUM, a practical duty. |
| credo | a concise statement of doctrine; a section of Mass followed by offertory. [L. credo, I believe]. Pl. CREDOS. |
| cremor | a thick juice or liquid; a broth; a scum gathering on the top of a liquid. |
| crena | a notch or tooth. Pl. CRENAS. |
| crepitus | a fart. |
| cribellum | a sieve-like spinning organ of certain spiders. Pl. CRIBELLA. |
| crimen | crime, as in CRIMEN FALSI, the crime of perjury. Pl. CRIMINA. |
| crissum | on a bird, feathers covering the underside of the base of the tail; undertail coverts. Pl. CRISSA. |
| crista | a ridge or fold resembling a crest. Pl. CRISTAE. |
| crocus | a kind of flower. Pl. CROCUSES or CROCI. |
| crotalum | a clapper or castanet used in ancient religious rites. Pl. CROTALA. |
| crumen | a deer's tear-pit. [L. crumena, a purse]. |
| cruor | a mass of coagulated blood; a blood-clot. Pl. CRUORS or CRUORES. |
| crus | a part of a leg, the shank. Pl. CRURA. |
| crusta | a hard outer layer, rind, shell, or incrustation. Pl. CRUSTAE. |
| crux | the nub, the crucial point. Pl. CRUCES or CRUXES, |
| ctenidium | each of the respiratory organs or gills in a mollusc, consisting of an axis with a row of projecting filaments; a row of spines like a comb in some insects. Pl. CTENIDIA. |
| cubiculum | a cubicle. Pl. CUBICULA. |
| culex | a genus of insects, including the mosquito. Pl. CULICES. |
| culmen | the highest point, the upper ridge of a bird's bill. |
| culpa | fault, blame. Pl. CULPAE. |
| culturati | cultured people. |
| cultus | a religious ritual; a cult. Pl. CULTI or CULTUSES. |
| cumulus | a kind of cloud. [L. cumulus, a heap, a pile]. Pl. CUMULI. |
| cunabula | the place where something began or was nurtured. This is already a plural. |
| cunctator | someone who delays or procrastinates. |
| cuprum | copper. |
| cupula | a cup-shaped anatomical structure. Pl. CUPULAE. |
| curator | a person who has the charge of anything; a superintendent, especially of a museum. |
| curatrix | a female CURATOR. Pl. CURATRIXES. |
| curculio | a weevil. [L. curculio, corn-weevil]. |
| curia | a papal court and its officials. Pl. CURIAE or CURIAS. |
| curiosa | rare and curious books. |
| curriculum | a program of educational resources etc. Pl. CURRICULA or CURRICULUMS. |
| cursor | a sliding part of a measuring instrument. |
| cursores | in old classifications, running birds. |
| cursus | an elongated prehistoric earthwork. Pl. CURSI. |
| cuspis | a point e.g. the horn of the moon. Pl. CUSPIDES. Also CUSP. |
| custos | a guardian, custodian or keeper, especially of convents or monasteries. Pl. CUSTODES. |
| cuticula | the outer hard covering of an insect. Pl. CUTICULAE. |
| cutis | the dermis, or true skin. [L. cutis, skin]. Pl. CUTISES. |
| cyathium | the characteristic inflorescence of the spurges. Pl. CYATHIA. |
| cyathus | an ancient Greek or Roman filling or measuring cup; a measure equal to about 1/2 pint. Pl. CYATHI. |
| cyclus | a cycle of myths, poems, songs, etc. Pl. CYCLUSES (not CYCLI*). |
| cyma | an ogee moulding of the cornice. Pl. CYMAE or CYMAS. |
| cymatium | the topmost molding of a cornice. Pl. CYMATIA. |
| cypsela | the fruit of members of the daisy family, consisting of two carpels fused together and surrounded by a calyx sheath. Pl. CYPSELAE. |
| cytisus | a plant of the broom genus. Pl. CYTISI. |
| dactylus | the leg joint of certain insects. Pl. DACTYLI. |
| datum | a given fact. Pl. DATA or DATUMS. |
| decani | the dean's (south) side of a choir, as opposed to CANTORIS. |
| decemvir | one of a body of ten magistrates in ancient Rome. Pl. DECEMVIRS and DECEMVIRI. |
| decennium | a period of ten years. Pl. DECENNIA or DECENNIUMS. |
| decidua | the inner layer of the wall of the uterus, which envelops the embryo, forms a part of the placenta, and is discharged with it. Pl. DECIDUAS or DECIDUAE. |
| decorum | proper behaviour. |
| decubitus | one's posture or position in bed. A DECUBITUS ULCER is a bed-sore. |
| decuman | a great wave, as every tenth wave was supposed to be. [L. decumanus, from decem, ten]. |
| decuria | a company of ten or more Roman soldiers under a DECURION. Also DECURY. |
| decurion | in the Roman army, an officer over 10 soldiers. |
| decury | a company of ten or more Roman soldiers under a DECURION. Also DECURIA. |
| dedimus | a writ to commission private persons to do some act in place of a judge, as to examine a witness, etc. Pl. DEDIMUSES. |
| definiens | a word or words used in a dictionary definition. [L. pp. of definire]. Pl. DEFINIENTIA. |
| definiendum | a word or phrase that is to be defined in a dictionary. |
| dei | pl. DEUS, god. |
| dejecta | excrements. |
| delenda | things to be deleted or destroyed. [Pl. L. delendum]. |
| deliquium | a melting or dissolution in the air, or in a moist place; a liquid condition; as, a salt falls into a deliquium. Pl. DELIQUIUMS. |
| delirium | the state of being delirious. Pl. DELIRIA or DELIRIUMS. |
| delubrum | a font, a temple or shrine having a font. Pl. DELUBRUMS. |
| denarius | a Roman coin. Pl. DENARII. |
| dentalium | a genus of marine mollusks belonging to the Scaphopoda, having a tubular conical shell. Pl. DENTALIA or DENTALIUMS. |
| dentex | an edible European marine fish of the perch family. Pl. DENTEXES. |
| dermis | the true skin, below the outer layer. Also DERM, DERMA. |
| desideratum | something needed and desired. Pl. DESIDERATA. |
| detritus | waste or debris. [L. detritus]. |
| deus | a god. |
| dexter | the right-hand side. (Unlike SINISTER, this is a noun and can take an –S). |
| diatretum | a glass bowl of late Roman times. |
| dictum | a saying. Pl. DICTUMS or DICTA. |
| diesis | in printing, a double dagger. Pl. DIESES. |
| digitorium | a silent piano for practicing. Pl. DIGITORIUMS. |
| diluvium | a deposit of superficial loam, sand, gravel, stones, etc., caused by former action of flowing waters, or the melting of glacial ice. Pl. DILUVIA or DILUVIUMS. Also DILUVION. |
| dirige | a service for the dead, in the Roman Catholic Church, being the first antiphon of Matins for the dead, of which Dirige is the first word; a dirge. |
| discursus | argumentation; ratiocination; discursive reasoning. |
| discus | a heavy thick-centred disc or plate thrown in ancient and modern athletic sports. Pl. DISCUSES or DISCI. |
| dissensus | difference of opinion. |
| divisim | separately. |
| dixi | I have spoken. Cf. DIXIT. |
| dixit | an utterance or statement (quoted as) already made. Cf. DIXI. |
| dolichurus | a dactylic hexameter with a redundant syllable at the end. Pl. DOLICHURI. |
| dolium | a Roman earthenware jar for grain, oil etc. Pl. DOLIA. |
| domatium | a plant structure that harbours mites or other symbiotic organisms. Pl. DOMATIA. |
| dominium | ownership of property with right of disposition. Pl. DOMINIUMS. |
| dorsum | the back. Pl. DORSA. |
| douleia | in Roman Catholicism, the inferior veneration accorded to saints and angels. Also DULIA. |
| dulcamara | a flower of the potato family, aka BITTERSWEET. [L. dulcis, sweet + amara, bitter]. |
| duodenum | the part of the small intestines between the stomach and the jejunum. Pl. DUODENA or DUODENUMS. |
| dupondius | a Roman coin. Pl. DUPONDII. |
| duramen | the heartwood of a tree or other woody plant. [L. duramen, hardness]. |
| durum | a strain of wheat. [L. durus, hard]. |
| duumvir | one of two men sharing same office. |
| dux | a leader. Pl. DUXES. |
| ecclesia | the public legislative assembly of the Athenians. Pl. ECCLESIAE. |
| echinus | a carved molding just below the abacus of a Doric capital; a sea-urchin. [L. from Gk. ekhinos, hedgehog]. Pl. ECHINUSES or ECHINI. |
| ectasis | the lengthening of a syllable from short to long. |
| edile | in classical times, a magistrate in charge of games, markets or buildings. Also AEDILE. |
| effluvium | an invisible emanation; an offensive exhalation or smell. Pl. EFFLUVIA or EFFLUVIUMS. |
| egesta | that which is egested or thrown off from the body by the various excretory channels; excrements; -- opposed to INGESTA. |
| egis | protection, defense; patronage, sponsorship. Also AEGIS. |
| ejecta | material ejected e.g. from a volcano. |
| electrum | an alloy of gold and silver. Pl. ELECTRUMS. |
| elegit | a writ of execution on a debtor's property. |
| elenchus | that part of an argument on which its conclusiveness depends; that which convinces of refutes an antagonist; a refutation. Pl. ELENCHI. Also ELENCH. |
| elogium | praise bestowed on a person or thing; a panegyric. Also ELOGY. |
| eluvium | an accumulation of rock debris. Pl. ELUVIA or ELUVIUMS. |
| elytrum | each of the horny forewings of a coleopterous insect, which form protective sheaths for the hindwings. Pl. ELYTRA. Also ELYTRON. |
| embolus | something inserted, as a wedge; the piston or sucker of a pump or syringe. Pl. EMBOLI or EMBOLUSES. |
| emerita | (someone female) honorably discharged from the performance of public duty on account of age, infirmity, or long and faithful services. Pl. EMERITAE. |
| emeritus | (someone male) honorably discharged from the performance of public duty on account of age, infirmity, or long and faithful services. Pl. EMERITI. |
| emporium | a shop, esp. one that sells unusual or fancy goods. Pl. EMPORIUMS or EMPORIA. |
| encomium | glowing and warmly enthusiastic praise. Pl. ENCOMIA or ENCOMIUMS. |
| endameba | a parasitic amoeba. Pl. ENDAMEBAE or ENDAMEBAS. Also ENDAMOEBA. |
| endamoeba | a parasitic amoeba. Pl. ENDAMOEBAE or ENDAMOEBAS. Also ENDAMEBA. |
| endocardium | a membrane lining the heart cavities. Pl. ENDOCARDIA. |
| endometrium | the inner lining of the womb. Pl. ENDOMETRIA. |
| entameba | an amoeba that causes amoebic dysentery. Pl. ENTAMEBAS or ENTAMEBAE. Also ENTAMOEBA. |
| entamoeba | an amoeba that causes amoebic dysentery. Pl. ENTAMOEBAS or ENTAMOEBAE. Also ENTAMEBA. |
| entellus | an East Indian long-tailed bearded monkey regarded as sacred by the natives, remarkable for the caplike arrangement of the hair on the head. [Apparently from Entellus, the old Sicilian in Virgil’s Aeneid, from its old-mannish appearance]. |
| entomofauna | insect life. |
| entropium | the inversion or turning in of the border of the eyelids. |
| ephebus | a young adult Greek. Pl. EPHEBI. Also EPHEBOS, EPHEBE. |
| ephelis | a freckle or mole. Pl. EPHELIDES. |
| ephemera | a fever of one day's continuance only. Pl. EPHEMERAS or EPHEMERAE. |
| epicardium | that part of the pericardium which forms the outer surface of the heart; the cardiac pericardium. |
| epicedium | a funeral ode. Pl. EPICEDIA. |
| epifauna | the class of animals that inhabit submerged ground and river and sea beds. Pl. EPIFAUNAE or EPIFAUNAS. |
| epigonus | an inferior imitator of a creative thinker or artist. Pl. EPIGONI. Also EPIGON, EPIGONE. |
| equant | a term in Ptolemy's astronomical system. [L. aequare, to make equal]. |
| equid | any member of the horse family. |
| equinox | the beginning of autumn and spring, the two days each year when the sun is directly overhead at the equator. |
| equisetum | a plant, horsetail. |
| equites | an order of knights holding a middle place between the senate and the commonalty; members of the Roman equestrian order. |
| eremurus | a flower, the foxtail lily. Pl. EREMURI. |
| ergo | therefore; hence. |
| erica | a genus of plants, heather. |
| erotema | a rhetorical question. Pl. EROTEMAS. Also EROTEME, EROTESIS. |
| erotica | erotic books, art etc. |
| erratum | an error in writing or printing. Pl. ERRATA. |
| esse | actual existence, essence. [L. esse, to be]. |
| estrum | a period of sexual excitement and ovulation in animals. Also ESTRUS, OESTRUS, OESTRUM. |
| estrus | a period of sexual excitement and ovulation in animals. Also ESTRUM, OESTRUS, OESTRUM. |
| etcetera | and the rest. |
| eulogia | a blessing; holy bread. Pl. EULOGIAE or EULOGIAS. |
| eulogium | normal eulogy. Pl. EULOGIA. |
| euouae | a Gregorian cadence. [From the vowels in 'seculorum Amen' heard in the doxology 'Gloria Patri']. Also EVOVAE. |
| euripus | an arm of the sea with strong currents, spec. that between Euboea and Boeotia in classical Greece. Pl. EURIPI or EURIPUSES. |
| evangeliarium | a book of passages from the Gospels to be used at Mass or other services. Also EVANGELIARION, EVANGELIAR, EVANGELIARY. |
| evovae | a Gregorian cadence. [From the vowels in 'seculorum Amen' heard in the doxology 'Gloria Patri']. Also EUOUAE. |
| examen | an examination; an inquiry, esp. a formal examination of the soul or conscience.. |
| excerptum | an excerpt, selection. Pl. EXCERPTA. |
| excrementum | waste material or rubbish. Pl. EXCREMENTA. |
| excreta | waste products, excrement. |
| excudit | he or she struck, hammered, forged or printed this. |
| excursus | a dissertation or discussion on some particular matter appended to the main body of a book or chapter. Pl. EXCURSUSES. |
| exeat | a permit for temporary absence (as from a college or monastery). [L. 'let him go out']. |
| exedra | a semicircular bench beside an episcopal throne; an outdoor bench or recess. Pl. EXEDRAE. Also EXHEDRA. |
| exemplum | a short story or anecdote with a moral. Pl. EXEMPLA. |
| exequatur | a written official recognition of a consul or commercial agent, issued by the government to which he is accredited, and authorizing him to exercise his powers in the place to which he is assigned. |
| exeunt | (stage direction) they go out. |
| exhedra | a semicircular bench beside an episcopal throne; an outdoor bench or recess. Pl. EXHEDRAE. Also EXEDRA. |
| exodus | a going out. |
| exordium | the beginning or introduction to a composition. Pl. EXORDIUM or EXORDIA. |
| extempore | without previous study or meditation; without preparation; on the spur of the moment; (noun) an impromptu speech etc. [L. ex tempore (out of the time), from tempus (time)]. |
| extremum | a maximum or mininum of a mathematical function. Pl. EXTREMA. |
| exuviae | cast skins, shells, or coverings of animals; any parts of animals which are shed or cast off, as the skins of snakes, the shells of lobsters, etc. |
| exuvium | the moulted covering of an animal. Pl. EXUVIA. |
| facetiae | witty or humorous sayings or writings. [L. facetia, jest]. N.B. there is no singular FACETIA. |
| faciend | the multiplicand. |
| facies | facial expression as a symptom; general aspect. |
| factis factice | vulcanized oil, used as substitute for rubber. [L. facticius, factitivus, from facere to make]. |
| factotum | an employee or assistant who does just about everything. Pl. FACTOTUMS. |
| factum | a man's own act and deed. Pl. FACTUMS, not FACTA*. |
| facula | an unusually bright spot on the sun's surface. Pl. FACULAE. |
| faeces feces | excrement. |
| falcula | a curved and sharp-pointed claw. Pl. FALCULAS. |
| falx | the sickle-shaped fold of the dura mater on the midline of the brain between the cerebral hemispheres. [L. falx, sickle]. Pl. FALCES. |
| famulus | a private secretary or attendant. Pl. FAMULUSES or FAMULI. |
| fanum | a liturgical garment worn by the Pope when celebrating a solemn pontifical mass. Also FANON, FANO. |
| farina | a fine flour or meal made from cereal grains. [L. flour, corn]. Also FARINHA. |
| farinha | a fine flour or meal made from cereal grains. [L. farina, flour, corn]. Also FARINA. |
| farrago | a confused collection, mixture. [L. farrago, mixed fodder, cattle feed]. Pl. FARRAGOS or FARRAGOES. |
| fascis+ | a bundle of rods with an axe used to symbolise authority: FASCES. |
| fascia | a band of color; a band or layer of connective tissue; a name-board over shop; a dashboard. Pl. FASCIAE or FASCIAS. |
| fasciculus | a little bundle; a fascicle. Pl. FASCICULI. |
| fasciola fasciole | a band of colour. |
| fasti | those days among the ancient Romans on which it was lawful to transact legal or public business (the opposite of nefasti, which is not in OSWI, though NEFAST is). |
| fastigium | the apex, the summit; in architecture. the ridge or gable end of a roof, a pediment. |
| fastuous | haughty, arrogant; ostentatious, showy. [L. fastuosus, from fastus, arrogance]. |
| fauces | the narrow passage from the mouth to the pharynx, situated between the soft palate and the base of the tongue. [L. fauces, throat]. |
| fauna | the animal life of a region. Pl. FAUNAS or FAUNAE. |
| favus | a fungal skin disease, chiefly of the scalp. [L. favus, honeycomb]. |
| fecial fetial | in ancient Rome: a member of a group of priests who acted as heralds and performed the rites connected with the declaration of war and conclusion of peace. [L. fetialis]. |
| fecit | he or she made this. |
| fecula | a fine flour usually extracted from potatoes. Pl. FECULAE or FECULAS. |
| feliciter | happily, successfully. |
| felid | a member of the cat family. [L. felis, cat]. |
| fellatio | oral stimulation of the penis. [L. from fellatus, pp. of fellare to suck]. |
| femur | the thighbone. Pl. FEMURS or FEMORA. |
| fenestra | a small opening; esp., one of the apertures, closed by membranes, between the tympanum and internal ear. Pl. FENESTRAS or FENESTRAE. |
| feria | a weekday of the church calendar on which no feast is celebrated. Pl. FERIAE or FERIAS. |
| ferrugo | a disease of plants caused by fungi, commonly called the rust, from its resemblance to iron rust in color. [L. ferrugo, iron-rust]. Pl. FERRUGOS. |
| ferrum | iron. Pl. FERRUMS. |
| ferula | an instrument used to punish children; specif: a flat piece of wood (as a ruler); (verb) to strike with this. Pl. FERULAE or FERULAS. Also FERULE. |
| fetialis | in ancient Rome: a member of a group of priests who acted as heralds and performed the rites connected with the declaration of war and conclusion of peace. Pl. FETIALES. Cf. FECIAL, FETIAL. |
| fetor foetor | an offensive odor, a stench. |
| fetus foetus | the young animal in the egg or in the womb, after its parts are distinctly formed. |
| fiat | a formal authorization for a proposed arrangement; (verb) to sanction. |
| fibrilla | a minute thread of fiber, as one of the fibrous elements of a muscular fiber; a fibril. Pl. FIBRILLAE. |
| fibula | a bone of the leg; a brooch in the shape of a safety pin. Pl. FIBULAE or FIBULAS. |
| ficus | a genus of plants including the fig-tree. |
| filaria | a parasitic worm. Pl. FILARIAE or FILARIAS. Also FILARIID. |
| filioque | a clause in the Nicene Creed. |
| filum | a threadlike anatomical structure. Pl. FILA. |
| fimbria | a fringe; any of the threads or other projections forming a fringe. Pl. FIMBRIAE. |
| finalis | a type of tone in mediaeval music. |
| finis | the end, the conclusion. |
| fistula | an abnormal duct to the body surface or to another cavity. Pl. FISTULAE or FISTULAS. |
| flabellum | a fan; especially, the fan carried before the pope on state occasions, made in ostrich and peacock feathers. Pl. FLABELLUMS or FLABELLA. |
| flagellum | a whip, a whip-like organ. Pl. FLAGELLUMS or FLAGELLA. |
| flamen | a priest of a Roman deity. Pl. FLAMENS or FLAMINES. |
| flatus | gas in the stomach. |
| flocculus | a small lobe in the under surface of the cerebellum, near the middle peduncle; the subpeduncular lobe. Also FLOCCULE. |
| floccus | the tuft of hair terminating the tail of mammals. Pl. FLOCCI. |
| flora | the plant life of a region. Pl. FLORAS or FLORAE. |
| floreat floreant+ | may it flourish. |
| florilegium | a collection of literary pieces; an anthology. Pl. FLORILEGIA. |
| floruit | the period during which a person was alive. Pl. FLORUITS. |
| fluor | a mineral, calcium fluoride. [L. fluor, to flow, from its use as a flux]. |
| focus | a point at which rays or waves (of light, heat, sound, etc.) meet after reflection or refraction. Pl. FOCI. |
| foederatus | a conquered enemy of Rome; an auxiliary soldier fighting for the Romans. |
| foetus | an unborn viviparous animal in the womb, an unhatched oviparous animal in the egg; esp. an unborn human more than eight weeks after conception. |
| folium | a leaf, lamina or lamella. Pl. FOLIA or FOLIUMS. |
| follis | a coin of ancient Rome. Pl. FOLLES. |
| fomes | a substance capable of carrying infection, such as woolen clothes. [L. fomes, tinder]. Pl. FOMITES. |
| fonticulus | the depression just over the top of the breastbone. Pl. FONTICULI. |
| foramen | a small opening, perforation, or orifice; a fenestra. Pl. FORAMENS or FORAMINA. |
| forceps | a pair of pincers, usually held in one hand to obtain a firm grip on a small object. [L. formus, hot, + cepere, to hold]. Pl. FORCEPS, FORCEPSES or FORCIPES. |
| forfex | a pair of scissors or pincers. Pl. FORFEXES. |
| formaliter | formal; in respect of the formal element. |
| formula | a prescribed or set form; a fixed or conventional method in which anything is to be done, arranged, or said. Pl. FORMULAE or FORMULAS. |
| fornix | an arch or fold; as, the fornix, or vault, of the cranium; the fornix, or reflection, of the conjunctiva. Pl. FORNICES. |
| fortis | pronounced with tension and strong articulation (fortis consonants: f, p). [L. strong]. |
| forum | a marketplace; a place for discussion. Pl. FORUMS or FORA. |
| fossa | the depression in which the nostril is located. Pl. FOSSAE. 2. (Malagasy) a red-brown catlike viverrid mammal of Madagascar. Pl. FOSSAS. Also FOUSSA. |
| fossor | a grave-digger. |
| fossula | a small depression or groove. Pl. FOSSULAE. |
| fovea | a depression or pit. Pl. FOVEAE or FOVEAS. |
| foveola | a small depression. Pl. FOVEOLAE or FOVEOLAS. Also FOVEOLE, FOVEOLET. |
| fractus | a ragged cloud. Pl. FRACTI. |
| fraenum | a connecting fold of membrane serving to support or restrain any part; as, the frenum of the tongue. Pl. FRAENUMS or FRAENA. Also FRENUM. |
| fragor | a crash. |
| frater | a monk; also, a frater house. |
| fremitus | a vibration; a rumbling. |
| frenulum | a small stiff hair on the hindwings of some insects, serving to bond hind and front wings. Pl. FRENULA or FRENULUMS. |
| frenum | a connecting fold of membrane serving to support or restrain any part; as, the frenum of the tongue. Pl. FRENUMS or FRENA. Also FRAENUM. |
| frigidarium | the room in Roman baths containing the final, cold, bath. Pl. FRIGIDARIA. |
| frons | the forehead; the part of the cranium between the orbits and the vertex. Pl. FRONTES. |
| frustum | the part of a solid next the base, formed by cutting off the, top; or the part of any solid, as of a cone, pyramid, etc., between two planes, which may be either parallel or inclined to each other. Pl. FRUSTUMS or FRUSTA. |
| frutex | a plant having a woody, durable stem, but less than a tree; a shrub. Pl. FRUTICES. |
| fucus | a genus of seaweed, brown algae. Pl. FUCI or FUCUSES. |
| fulcrum | the prop or support on which a lever pivots. Pl. FULCRA or FULCRUMS. |
| fumatorium | a place for smoking or fumigation. Pl. FUMATORIUMS or FUMATORIA. Also FUMATORY. |
| fumulus | a thin cloud. Pl. FUMULI. |
| fundus | the inner basal surface farthest from the opening (as in the eye). Pl. FUNDI. |
| fungus | any of a large division of organisms including mushrooms, toadstools, moulds, rusts and yeasts. Pl. FUNGI or FUNGUSES. |
| funiculus | the umbilical cord; a funicle. [L. funiculus, dim. of funis, a rope]. Pl. FUNICULI. |
| furcula | the jointed clavicles of a bird, the WISHBONE. Pl. FURCULAE. |
| furculum | the jointed clavicles of a bird, the WISHBONE. Pl. FURCULA. |
| furfur | dandruff or scurf. [L. furfur, bran]. Pl. FURFURS or FURFURES. |
| galbanum | a gum resin exuding from the stems of certain Asiatic umbelliferous plants, mostly species of Ferula. [L. from Gk. chalbane, probably an Eastern word]. |
| galea | a helmet-shaped structure. Pl. GALEAE or GALEAS. |
| galena | an ore of lead. Pl. GALENAS. |
| garum | a thick fish sauce. |
| gastrula | an embryo at the stage following inward migration of the cells of the blastula, typically consisting of a hollow cup-shaped structure having three layers of cells enclosing the archenteron. Pl. GASTRULAS or GASTRULAE. Cf. BLASTULA, MORULA. |
| gaudeamus | a convivial gathering, esp. of college or university students. [L. let us rejoice]. Pl. GAUDEAMUSES. |
| gemma | a bud from which a new plant can grow. Pl. GEMMAE. |
| gena | the cheek or side of the head. |
| generale | general principles, esp. in pl. GENERALIA. |
| genesis | the act of producing, or giving birth or origin to anything. |
| genista | a genus of plants including the common broom of Western Europe. |
| genitor | one who begets; a generator; an originator. |
| genetrix genitrix | a mother; female ancestor. Pl. GENETRIXES or GENETRICES; GENITRICES or GENITRIXES.. |
| genius | the tutelary or attendant spirit in classical pagan belief allotted to every person at birth, or to a place, institution, etc. Pl. GENIUSES or GENII. |
| gens | an ancient Rome a clan including several families descending from a common ancestor. Pl. GENTES. |
| genu | the knee. Pl. GENUA. |
| genus | a taxonomic group of lower rank than a family. Pl. GENERA. |
| georgic | a poem on husbandry or rural affairs. [L. georgicus]. |
| geum | an avens, a plant of the Geum genus of the rose family. |
| gingiva | the fleshy tissue that surrounds the teeth. Pl. GINGIVAE. |
| gingival | relating to the gums. [L. gingiva, gum]. |
| ginglymus | a joint that permits movement in one plane only, a hinge joint. Pl. GINGLYMI. |
| glabella | the space between the eyebrows, just above the nose. Pl. GLABELLAE. |
| gladiolus | a lilylike plant of the genus Gladiolus, aka corn flag. Pl. GLADIOLUSES or GLADIOLI. Also GLADIOLA, GLADIOLE. |
| gladius | the internal shell, or pen, of cephalopods like the squids. [L. gladius, sword]. Pl. GLADIUSES. |
| glans | the vascular body which forms the apex of the penis, and the extremity of the clitoris. [L. glans, acron]. Pl. GLANDES. |
| gleba | a spore-bearing mass of some fungi. [L. gleba, clod, soil]. Pl. GLEBAE. |
| globus+ | any spherical structure: GLOBI. |
| glochidium | the larva of a freshwater mussel that develops as a parasite on fish. Pl. GLOCHIDIA. |
| glomus | a small body consisting of blood-vessels and associated tissue; esp. any of numerous small structures in the skin of the hands and feet functioning in temperature regulation. [L. glomus, ball of wool]. Pl. GLOMERA. |
| gloria | an aureole, a halo. Pl. GLORIAS. |
| glossa | the tongue. Pl. GLOSSAE or GLOSSAS. |
| glutaeus | any of the three large muscles of the buttock. Pl. GLUTAEI. Also GLUTEUS. |
| gluteus | any of the three large muscles of the buttocks. Pl. GLUTEI. Also GLUTAEUS. |
| gracilis | a thigh muscle. Pl. GRACILES. |
| gradatim | step by step. |
| gradus | a dictionary of prosody, designed as an aid in writing Greek or Latin poetry. Pl. GRADUSES. |
| grandiflora | (a plant) bearing large flowers. |
| granum | a part of a plant chloroplast. [L. granum, grain]. |
| graphium | a stylus. |
| gratis | without charge; for free. |
| gravamen | the material part of a complaint. [L. gravare (to burden) and ultimately from L. gravis (heavy)]. Pl. GRAVAMENS or GRAVAMINA. |
| gravida | a pregnant woman. Pl. GRAVIDAE or GRAVIDAS. |
| gravis+ | as in myasthenia gravis, a wasting disease. |
| gravitas | high seriousness. |
| gregatim | in flocks. |
| grex+ | a group of plants arising from the same hybrid parent: GREXES. |
| groma | a Roman surveying instrument. Pl. GROMAS. |
| gubernator | a powerful man in government. |
| gula | the upper part of the throat. [L. gula, throat]. |
| gumma | a syphilitic tumour. Pl. GUMMATA or GUMMAS. |
| gutta | a small, drop-like ornament on a Doric entablature. Pl. GUTTAE or GUTTAS. |
| gyrus | a convoluted ridge between two grooves. Pl. GYRI or GYRUSES. |
| habitus | habitude; mode of life; general appearance. Pl. HABITUS. |
| haeres | an heir. Pl. HAEREDES. Also HERES. |
| halitus | vapour; breath. |
| hallux | the big toe; the hind toe of birds. Pl. HALLUCES. |
| hamulus | a small hook or hook-like process on a bone. Pl. HAMULI. |
| haruspex | a person who inspected the entrails of sacrificial victims in order to foretell the future. Pl. HARUSPICES. Also ARUSPEX. |
| haustorium | one of the suckerlike rootlets of such plants as the dodder and ivy. Pl. HAUSTORIA. |
| hedera+ | ivy. |
| hemina | an obsolete corn measure. Pl. HEMINAS. |
| hepatica | a flower, aka LIVERWORT. Pl. HEPATICAE or HEPATICAS. |
| hercules | an exceptionally strong or muscular man. Pl. HERCULESES. |
| heres | an heir. Pl. HEREDES. Also HAERES. |
| heretrix | a heiress. Pl. HERETRIXES or HERETRICES. |
| heritrix | a heiress. Pl. HERITRIXES or HERITRICES. |
| herma | a head of Hermes on a square stone post. Pl. HERMAE or HERMAI. |
| hernia | a rupture. Pl. HERNIAE or HERNIAS. |
| herpes | a skin disease. [L. 'creeping']. |
| herpetofauna | snake life. |
| hetaera | a paramour; prostitute; concubine. Pl. HETAERAE or HETAERAS. Also HETAIRA. |
| hiant | gaping. [L. hiare, to yawn]. |
| hiatus | a gap, an interruption. [L. hiare, to yawn]. |
| hibernaculum | winter quarters. Pl. HIBERNACULA. |
| hibiscus | any of numerous chiefly tropical herbaceous plants, shrubs, and trees of the genus Hibiscus. [L. from Gk. ibiskos, marsh-mallow]. |
| hiems | (Shakesp.) winter. [L. hiems]. |
| hieratic | consecrated to sacred uses; sacerdotal; pertaining to priests. [L. hieraticus, from Gk. hieratikos, from hieros, sacred]. |
| hieratica | the finest papyrus, used for Egyptian sacred writings. [L. hieraticus, from Gk. hieratikos, from hieros, sacred]. |
| hilum | a mark where a seed was attached to its stalk; small opening in organ for duct, nerves, or vessels. Pl. HILA. |
| hilus | an indentation in the surface of an organ, as the kidney or spleen, where blood-vessels, ducts, nerve fibres, etc., enter or leave it. Pl. HILI. |
| hippus | a clonic spasm of the iris. Pl. HIPPUSES. |
| histrio histrion | (arch.) an actor. [L. histrio]. |
| hoc | this, as in ad hoc. |
| homo | man generically. Pl. HOMINES; (sl.) a homosexual. Pl. HOMOS. |
| hospitium | a hospice. Pl. HOSPITIA. |
| humerus | the bone of the BRACHIUM, or upper part of the arm or fore limb. Pl. HUMERI. |
| humidor | a receptacle for saliva. |
| humus | the generally dark, more or less stable part of the organic matter in a soil, so well decomposed that the original sources cannot be identified. Pl. HUMUSES. |
| hydra | a freshwater hydrozoon of the genus Hydra, remarkable for the power of multiplication on being cut or divided. Pl. HYDRAE or HYDRAS. |
| hypha | a threadlike element forming the mycelium of a fungus. Pl. HYPHAE. |
| hypnum | the largest genus of true mosses; feather moss |