apex

Borrowed from Latin apex (“point, tip, summit”).

The highest or the greatest part of something, especially forming a point.

(botany) The end of a leaf, petal or similar organ opposed to the end where it is attached to its support.

(attributive, ecology) The top of the food chain.


peacock

→ Hawaiian: pīkake
→ English: pikake

→ Maori: pīkake

From Middle English pecok, pekok, pocok, pacok, equivalent to pea (“peafowl; peacock”) + cock. Compare Old Norse páfugl (“peacock”, literally “pea-fowl”), and English peahen, peachick, etc.

cog

(entomology) Any of various Asian species of papilionid butterflies of the genus Papilio.


partridge

en-noun

partridge (plural partridges or partridge)

/ˈpɑːtɹɪd͡ʒ/

/ˈpɑɹtɹɪd͡ʒ/

From Middle English partrich, partriche, pertriche, perdriz, from Old French perdriz, partriz, from Latin perdīx (“partridge”), from Ancient Greek πέρδιξ (pérdix, “partridge”), probably from πέρδομαι (pérdomai, “to fart”).

partridge-wood

Andira inermis; Millettia stuhlmannii; Stereum frustulosum

On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me a partridge in a pear tree.

...and the loudest sound in the lonely fields was when, adventuring too near some late brood, the partridge sought to deceive by a plaintive cry and seeming helplessness, crossing before your very feet, till, when drawn to a sufficient distance, suddenly the air vibrated to the flutter of her active pinions.

1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XI, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 80:

(ornithology) Any bird of a number of genera in the family Phasianidae, notably in the genera Perdix and Alectoris.

thëllëzë

any bird of the genera Perdix or Alectoris

鷓鴣 /鹧鸪 (zhègū) (francolin, but often translated as partridge)


CSS

en-noun

CSS (countable and uncountable, plural CSSs or CSSes)

Recently, the construction of CSS has been reported for the mapping of a susceptibility locus for testicular cancer on mouse chromosome 19.

2005, Eugene J. Eisen, editor, The Mouse in Animal Genetics and Breeding Research, Imperial College Press, →ISBN, page 77:

However, the gender of the mice, and, hence, the “direction” of the cross, is important to ensure that the X and Y chromosomes and the mitochondria are derived from the host strain in autosomal CSSs.

2006, Annie E. Hill, Eric S. Lander, Joseph H. Nadeau, “Chromosome Substitution Strains: A New Way to Study Genetically Complex Traits”, in Qing K. Wang, editor, Cardiovascular Disease: Methods and Protocols (Methods in Molecular Medicine), volume I (Genetics), Humana Press, →ISBN, page 160:

CSS models are also advantageous for detecting a given QTL in the presence of many other QTLs. In comparing results of published mapping studies, as many, and usually substantially more, QTLs were detected with CSSs than with F₂ intercrosses of comparable size.

2008, Wendell W. Weber, Pharmacogenetics, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 288:

(genetics) Initialism of chromosome substitution strain.


ram

From Middle English ram, rom, ramme, from Old English ramm (“ram”), from Proto-Germanic *rammaz (“ram”), possibly from *rammaz (“strong”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Rom (“ram”), Dutch ram (“a male sheep”), German Ramm, Ramme (“ram”). Possibly akin also to Danish ram (“sharp; acrid; rank”), Swedish ram (“strong; perfect”), Faroese ramur (“strong; competent”), Icelandic rammur (“strong; sturdy”).

(zoology, agriculture) A male sheep, typically uncastrated.


plate

→ Maori: pereti

→ Hindi: प्लेट (pleṭ)

From Middle English plate, from Old French plate, from Medieval Latin plata, from Vulgar Latin *plat(t)us, from Ancient Greek πλατύς (platús, “broad, flat, wide”). Compare Spanish plato.
(foot): Cockney rhyming slang, from "plates of meat" for "feet".

der

(herpetology) Any of various larger scales found in some reptiles.


heart

en-verb

heart (third-person singular simple present hearts, present participle hearting, simple past and past participle hearted)

hearts (present singular third-person)
hearting (participle present)
hearted (participle past)
hearted (past)
hart (alternative obsolete)
harte (alternative obsolete)
hearte (alternative obsolete)

PIE word
 *ḱḗr
From Middle English herte, from Old English heorte (“heart”), from Proto-West Germanic *hertā, from Proto-Germanic *hertô (“heart”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱérd (“heart”). Doublet of cardia; see also core.
Most of the modern figurative senses (such as passion or compassion, spirit, inmost feelings, especially love, affection, and courage) were present in Old English. However, the meaning “center” dates from the early 14th century.
The verb sense “to love” is from the 1977 I ❤ NY advertising campaign.

(intransitive, agriculture, botany) To form a dense cluster of leaves, a heart, especially of lettuce or cabbage.


true

en-adj

true (comparative truer or more true, superlative truest or most true)

truer (comparative)
more true (comparative)
truest (superlative)
most true (superlative)
trew (alternative obsolete)
trewe (alternative obsolete)
troo (alternative nonstandard)

[t̠ɹ̠̊˔ʷu̠ː]

From Middle English trewe, from Old English trīewe, (Mercian) trēowe (“trusty, faithful”), from Proto-Germanic *triwwiz (compare Saterland Frisian trjou (“honest”), Dutch getrouw and trouw, German treu, Norwegian and Swedish trygg (“safe, secure’”), from pre-Germanic *drewh₂yos, from Proto-Indo-European *drewh₂- (“steady, firm”) (compare Irish dearbh (“sure”), Old Prussian druwis (“faith”), Ancient Greek δροόν (droón, “firm”)), extension of *dóru (“tree”) (possibly also Proto-Slavic *sъdorvъ (“healthy”) from the same root). More at tree. For the semantic development, compare Latin robustus (“tough”) from robur (“red oak”).

der

the course of true love never did run smooth

true sparrows (Passer)

true spiders

true blusher (Amanita rubescens, as distinguished from the false blusher, Amanita pantherina)

The true bugs are those of the order Hemiptera; and, by some lights, most truly those of the suborder Heteroptera.

en:genuine, legitimate, valid, sensu stricto

Genuine; legitimate; valid; sensu stricto.

(biology) Used in the designation of group of species, or sometimes a single species, to indicate that it belongs to the clade its common name (which may be more broadly scoped in common speech) is restricted to in technical speech, or to distinguish it from a similar species, the latter of which may be called false.


life

en-noun

life (usually uncountable, plural lives)

lives (plural)
lyfe (alternative obsolete)

death

antonym(s) of “the state that precedes death”

From Middle English lyf, from Old English līf, from Proto-West Germanic *līb, from Proto-Germanic *lībą (“life, body”), from *lībaną (“to remain, stay, be left”), from Proto-Indo-European *leyp- (“to stick, glue”). Cognate with Scots life, leif (“life”), North Frisian liff (“life, limb, person, livelihood”), West Frisian liif (“belly, abdomen”), Dutch lijf (“body”) and leven (“life”), Low German Lief (“body; life-force; waist”), German Leib (“body; womb”) and Leben (“life”), Danish, Norwegian and Swedish liv (“life; waist”), Icelandic líf (“life”). Related to belive.
The sense "biography" is likely a semantic loan from Medieval Latin vīta (“biography; hagiography”).

semantic loan

живо́т m (živót) (archaic, poetic, now means "belly")

(uncountable) The state of organisms preceding their death, characterized by biological processes such as metabolism and reproduction and distinguishing them from inanimate objects; the state of being alive and living.

(biology) The status possessed by any of a number of entities, including animals, plants, fungi, bacteria, and sometimes viruses, which have the properties of replication and metabolism.


sugar

en-verb

sugar (third-person singular simple present sugars, present participle sugaring, simple past and past participle sugared)

sugars (present singular third-person)
sugaring (participle present)
sugared (participle past)
sugared (past)
shugar (alternative obsolete)

Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch
sugar

From Middle English sugre, sucre, from Middle French sucre, from Old French çucre (circa 13th century), from Old Italian zucchero (or another vernacular of Italy), from Arabic سُكَّر (sukkar), from Persian شکر (šakar), from Middle Persian [script needed] (škl), 𐫢𐫞𐫡 (šqr /šakar/), from Sanskrit शर्करा (śárkarā, “ground or candied sugar", originally "grit, gravel”). Akin to Ancient Greek κρόκη (krókē, “pebble”), whence the words crocodile and krokodil are derived. Doublet of jaggery and sucro-.
The verb is from Middle English sugren, from the noun.

der

Some entomologists assert that it is useless to sugar when ivy is in bloom.

1876, W. Sandison, “Note on sugaring”, in The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine, volume 12, page 207:

The latter are best taken by "sugaring" — painting patches of mixed beer and sugar on a series of tree trunks, and making several rounds at twilight with a lantern and a cyanide bottle.

1921, Arthur Herbert Savory, Grain and Chaff from an English Manor:

Sugaring attracts some species of moth that do not readily come to light.

2006, William J. Sutherland, Ecological Census Techniques: A Handbook:

(entomology) To apply sugar to trees or plants in order to catch moths.


tail

Sranan Tongo: tere

From Middle English tail, tayl, teil, from Old English tæġl (“tail”), from Proto-West Germanic *tagl, from Proto-Germanic *taglą (“hair, fiber; hair of a tail”), from Proto-Indo-European *doḱ- (“hair of the tail”), from Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- (“to tear, fray, shred”). Cognate with Scots tail (“tail”), Saterland Frisian Tail (“tail, end”), West Frisian teil (“tail”), Dutch teil (“tail, haulm, blade”), Low German Tagel (“twisted scourge, whip of thongs and ropes; end of a rope”), German Zagel (“tail”), dialectal Danish tavl (“hair of the tail”), Swedish tagel (“hair of the tail, horsehair”), Norwegian tagl (“tail”), Icelandic tagl (“tail, horsetail, ponytail”), Gothic 𐍄𐌰𐌲𐌻 (tagl, “hair”). In some senses, apparently by a generalization of the usual opposition between head and tail.

cog

have the world by the tail on a downhill pull

mackerel sky and mare's-tails make lofty ships carry low sails

mackerel sky and mare's-tails make tall ships carry low sails

the cow knows not the worth of its tail till it loses it

trust someone as far as one could fling a bull by the tail

(entomology) A filamentous projection on the tornal section of each hind wing of certain butterflies.


blade

From Middle English blade, blad, from Old English blæd (“leaf”), from Proto-West Germanic *blad, from Proto-Germanic *bladą, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰl̥h₃-o-to-m, from *bʰleh₃- (“to thrive, bloom”).
See also West Frisian bled, Dutch blad, German Blatt, Danish blad, Irish bláth (“flower”), Welsh blodyn (“flower”), Tocharian A pält, Tocharian B pilta (“leaf”), Albanian fletë (“leaf”). Similar usage in German Sägeblatt (“saw blade”, literally “saw leaf”). Doublet of blat. More at blow.

teh

typically sharp-edged working end of a knife or other cutting tool

(botany) The thin, flat part of a plant leaf, attached to a stem (petiole).

(biology) The four large shell plates on the sides, and the five large ones of the middle, of the carapace of the sea turtle, which yield the best tortoise shell.


float

From Middle English flote, from Old English flota (“sailor, boat”), from Proto-West Germanic *flotō, from Proto-Germanic *flutô, from Proto-Indo-European *plewd-.

(biology) The gas-filled sac, bag, or body of a siphonophore; a pneumatophore.


count

From Middle English counte, from Anglo-Norman conte and Old French comte (“count”), from Latin comes (“companion”) (more specifically derived from its accusative form comitem) in the sense of "noble fighting alongside the king". Doublet of comes, comte, and conte.

(entomology) Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the genus Tanaecia. Other butterflies in this genus are called earls and viscounts.


sand

(colloquial, birdwatching) Ellipsis of sandpiper.


stone

en-noun

stone (countable and uncountable, plural stones or (UK, as unit of weight) stone)

Sranan Tongo: ston

→ Esperanto: ŝtono

From Middle English ston, stone, stan, from Old English stān, from Proto-West Germanic *stain, from Proto-Germanic *stainaz, from Proto-Indo-European *steyh₂- (“to stiffen”).
See also West Frisian stien, Saterland Frisian Steen, Dutch steen, German Stein, Danish and Swedish sten, Norwegian stein; also Russian стена́ (stená, “wall”), Ancient Greek στία (stía, “pebble”), στέαρ (stéar, “tallow”), Albanian shtëng (“hardened or pressed matter”), Sanskrit स्त्यायते (styāyate, “it hardens”)). Doublet of stein.

cog

Near-synonym: pip

a peach stone

(botany) The central part of some fruits, particularly drupes; consisting of the seed and a hard endocarp layer.


flame

en-noun

flame (countable and uncountable, plural flames)

From Middle English flawme, blend of Old French flame and flambe, flamble, the first from Latin flamma, the second from Latin flammula, diminutive of flamma, both from pre-Latin *fladma; Proto-Italic *flagmā, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to shimmer, gleam, shine”). Displaced native Old English līeġ.

der

The Gardeners divide it into Five Claſſes, which they diſtinguiſh by the Name of Picketees, Painted Ladies, Beazarts, Flakes, and Flames: […] the Flames have a red Ground always ſtrip’d with black or very dark Colours.

1718, Richard Bradley, “Part II. Chapter II: Of Perannual Flowers, the talleſt Blowers. Sect IX. Of the Carnation or July-Flower […] ”, in New Improvements of Planting and Gardening, Both Philoſophical and Practical […] , 2nd edition, London: W. Mears, page 82:

Sic flow’rs o’ sorts ane seldom sees, / Flecks, flames, bussards an’ picketees, / Wi’ strong carnations, like young trees, / To face the entry; […]

1812, Peter Forbes, “On going to see a nobleman’s gardener in the neighbourhood”, in Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, Edinburgh: R. Menzies, page 89:

(obsolete, botany) A variety of carnation.


key

From Middle English keye, kaye, keiȝe, from Old English cǣġ (“key, solution, experiment”) (whence also Scots key and kay (“key”)), of uncertain origin. The only sure cognates are Saterland Frisian Koai (“key”), West Frisian kaai (“key”), and North Frisian kay (“key”). Possibly from Proto-Germanic *kēgaz, *kēguz (“stake, post, pole”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵogʰ-, *ǵegʰ-, *ǵegʰn- (“branch, stake, bush”), which would make it cognate with Middle Low German kāk (“whipping post, pillory”), and perhaps to Middle Dutch keige (“javelin, spear”) and Middle Low German keie, keige (“spear”). For the semantic development, note that medieval keys were simply long poles (ending in a hook) with which a crossbar obstructing a door from the inside could be removed from the outside, by lifting it through a hole in the door. Liberman has noted, however, "The original meaning of *kaig-jo- was presumably '*pin with a twisted end.' Words with the root *kai- followed by a consonant meaning 'crooked, bent; twisted' are common only in the North Germanic languages."

шпи́лка

object used to maintain the orientation between two others

Key in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)

(botany) An indehiscent, one-seeded fruit furnished with a wing, such as the fruit of the ash and maple; a samara.

(biology) A series of logically organized groups of discriminating information which aims to allow the user to correctly identify a taxon.


key

en-verb

key (third-person singular simple present keys, present participle keying, simple past and past participle keyed)

keys (present singular third-person)
keying (participle present)
keyed (participle past)
keyed (past)

(intransitive, biology, chiefly taxonomy) To be identified as a certain taxon when using a key.


apostrophe

As is well known, chloroplast in the epistrophe position presents an oval or more or less circular form; in the apostrophe position a flattened and lenticular form.

1905 September 8, Harold Wager, “On Some Problems of Cell Structure and Physiology”, in English Mechanics and the World of Science, volume 82, number 2111, page 105:

(botany) An arrangement of chlorophyll grains perpendicular to the outer surface of plant cells, as opposed to epistrophe (an arrangement on the outer surface).


crown

→ Japanese: クラウン (kuraun)

→ Korean: 크라운 (keuraun)

→ Maori: karauna

From Middle English coroune, from Anglo-Norman corone, from Latin corōna (“crown, wreath”), from Ancient Greek κορώνη (korṓnē). Doublet of corona, korona, koruna, krona, króna, and krone. Displaced native Old English corenbēag (“crown”); and Middle English kinehelm, kynehelm, from Old English cynehelm (“crown”).
* (paper size): So called because originally watermarked with a crown.

doublet

(botany) The part of a plant where the root and stem meet.


horizontal

en-adj

horizontal (comparative more horizontal, superlative most horizontal)

more horizontal (comparative)
most horizontal (superlative)

/ˌhɒɹɪˈzɒntəl/

/hərɪˈzɔɳʈəl/

Infectious agents may spread by horizontal transmission.

(biology) Being or relating to the transmission of organisms between biotic and/or abiotic members of an ecosystem that are not in a parent-progeny relationship.


orbit

en-noun

orbit (countable and uncountable, plural orbits)

Inherited from Middle English orbite, orbita, from Latin orbita (“course, track, impression, mark”).

គន្លង

kɔɔkŭənlɔɔng

(anatomy) The bony cavity in the skull of a vertebrate containing the eyeball.

(zoology) The area around the eye of a bird or other animal.


vein

veins (plural)
wayn (alternative obsolete)

From Middle English veyne, borrowed from Anglo-Norman veine, from Latin vēna (“a blood-vessel; vein; artery”) of uncertain origin. See vēna for more. Doublet of vena. Displaced native edre, from ǣdre (whence edder).

жи́ла

stripe or streak in stone or other material

(botany) In leaves, a thickened portion of the leaf containing the vascular bundle.

(zoology) The nervure of an insect’s wing.


emperor

emperors (plural)
emperour (alternative)

From Middle English emperour, from Anglo-Norman emperour, from Latin imperātorem, derived from imperō (“to command”). Doublet of imperator. Displaced earlier Old English casere, from Latin Caesar.

(entomology) Any of various butterflies of the subfamily Charaxinae.

(entomology) Any of various large dragonflies of the cosmopolitan genus Anax.


earl

From Middle English erl, erle, from Old English eorl, from Proto-West Germanic *erl, from Proto-Germanic *erlaz (compare Old Saxon erl, Old Norse jarl), from Proto-Germanic *erōną, *arōną (compare Old Norse jara (“fight, battle”)). Doublet of eorl and jarl. Unrelated to ealdorman (“alderman”).

(entomology) Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the genus Tanaecia. Other butterflies in this genus are called counts and viscounts.


organism

/ˈɔː.ɡəˌnɪz.əm/

From organ + -ism, from Ancient Greek ὄργανον (órganon, “tool, instrument”), from Proto-Indo-European *werǵ- (“work”). Compare Medieval Latin organismus.

аргані́зм

any complex thing with properties normally associated with living things

Plastics are energy-rich substances, which is why many of them burn so readily. Any organism that could unlock and use that energy would do well in the Anthropocene. Terrestrial bacteria and fungi which can manage this trick are already familiar to experts in the field.

2013 July 20, “Welcome to the plastisphere”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845:

This strategy, known as caloric restriction, has been shown to increase the life span of various organisms and reduce their rate of cancer and other age-related ailments.

2019 July 16, Anahad O’Connor, “Cutting 300 Calories a Day Shows Health Benefits”, in The New York Times:

(biology) A discrete and complete living thing, such as animal, plant, fungus or microorganism.

ភាវរស់

phiəvĕəʼrŭəh


analog

→ Irish: analóg

[ˈɛən.əˌlɔɡ]

[ˈɛən.əˌlɑɡ]

First attested in the early 19th century; from French analogue, from Ancient Greek ἀνάλογος (análogos, “proportionate”), from ἀνά (aná, “up to”) + λόγος (lógos, “ratio”).

der

See also: convergent evolution

(countable, biology) An organ or structure that is similar in function to one in another kind of organism but is of dissimilar evolutionary origin.


tissue

en-noun

tissue (countable and uncountable, plural tissues)

From Middle English tissu, from Old French tissu (“woven”), past participle of tistre (“to weave”), from Latin texō (“to weave”).

What they lack is outermost brain tissue that, at least in humans, prompts awareness and interpretation.

2014, Robert K. Bolger, Scott Korb, Gesturing Toward Reality: David Foster Wallace and Philosophy:

extracellular matrix
extracellular matrix#English

(biology) A group of cells (along with their extracellular matrix if any) that are similar in origin and function together to do a specific job.


still

en-adj

still (comparative stiller or more still, superlative stillest or most still)

stiller (comparative)
more still (comparative)
stillest (superlative)
most still (superlative)
stil (alternative)
stille (alternative)
styll (alternative)
stylle (alternative)

From Middle English stille (“motionless, stationary”), from Old English stille (“still, quiet”), from Proto-West Germanic *stillī, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)telH- (“to be silent; to be still”). Cognate with Scots stil (“still”), Saterland Frisian stil (“motionless, calm, quiet”), West Frisian stil (“quiet, still”), Dutch stil (“quiet, silent, still”), Low German still (“quiet, silent, still”), German still (“still, quiet, tranquil, silent”), Swedish stilla (“quiet, silent, peaceful”), Icelandic stilltur (“set, quiet, calm, still”). Related to stall.
(noun: Falkland Islander): Military slang, short for still a Benny, since the military had been instructed not to refer to the islanders by the derogatory term Benny (which see).

cog

l-vocalizing: UK, General Australian, New Zealand

a still spore


skein

skeins (plural)
skean (alternative obsolete)
skain (alternative obsolete)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-skein.wav

From Middle English skayne, from Old French escaigne (Modern French écagne), probably of Proto-Celtic origin, from Proto-Indo-European *skend- (“to split off”). Compare Irish scáinne (“skein, clew”).

der

High above the swallows and 2 miles or so out into the Channel was a skein of geese, probably brent geese on the first day of their emigration from the estuaries of the Channel coast towards the high Arctic tundra of Spitsbergen or Russia.

2018, Laurence Rose, The Long Spring, Bloomsbury, →ISBN, page 111:

(zoology, UK, dialect, collective) A group of wild fowl (e.g. geese, goslings) when they are in flight.


stop

From Middle English stoppen, stoppien, from Old English stoppian (“to stop, close”), from Proto-West Germanic *stoppōn, from Proto-Germanic *stuppōną (“to stop, close”), *stuppijaną (“to push, pierce, prick”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tewp-, *(s)tewb- (“to push; stick”), from *(s)tew- (“to bump; impact; butt; push; beat; strike; hit”).
Cognate with Saterland Frisian stopje (“to stop, block”), West Frisian stopje (“to stop”), Dutch stoppen (“to stop”), Low German stoppen (“to stop”), German stopfen (“to be filling, stuff”), German stoppen (“to stop”), Danish stoppe (“to stop”), Swedish stoppa (“to stop”), Icelandic stoppa (“to stop”), Middle High German stupfen, stüpfen (“to pierce”). More at stuff, stump.
Alternative etymology derives Proto-West Germanic *stoppōn from an assumed Vulgar Latin *stūpāre, *stuppāre (“to stop up with tow”), from stūpa, stīpa, stuppa (“tow, flax, oakum”), from Ancient Greek στύπη (stúpē), στύππη (stúppē, “tow, flax, oakum”). This derivation, however, is doubtful, as the earliest instances of the Germanic verb do not carry the meaning of "stuff, stop with tow". Rather, these senses developed later in response to influence from similar sounding words in Latin and Romance.

cog

The stop in a bulldog's face is very marked.

(zoology) The depression in a dog’s face between the skull and the nasal bones.


nut

→ Japanese: ナット (natto)

From Middle English nute, note, from Old English hnutu, from Proto-West Germanic *hnut, from Proto-Germanic *hnuts (“nut”), from a root *knu- possibly shared with Proto-Celtic *knūs and Latin nux (“nut”). Based on the form of the nouns and the restriction of the root to Germanic, Celtic and Italic, it has been argued to be of non-Indo-European (substrate) origin.
See also West Frisian nút, Dutch noot, German Nuss, Danish nød, Swedish nöt, Norwegian nøtt.

dió

walnut in particular and an element in the name of some other nuts

dióféle

literally: ’walnut-like’, the family of this fruit

walnuts, hazelnuts/peanuts, chestnuts, and related fruits

even a blind squirrel can find a nut once in a while

(food, loosely) Any of various hard-shelled seeds or hard, dry fruits from various families of plants.

(botany, strictly) Such a fruit that is indehiscent.


valve

→ Cantonese: 嘩佬 /哗佬 (waa1 lou2)

→ Japanese: バルブ (barubu)

→ Thai: วาล์ว (waao)

From Middle English valve, from Latin valva (“double door, valve”). Doublet of valva.

(botany) One of the pieces into which certain fruits naturally separate when they dehisce.

(botany) A small portion of certain anthers, which opens like a trapdoor to allow the pollen to escape, such as in the barberry.

(biology) One of the pieces or divisions of bivalve or multivalve shells.

(biology) One of the two similar portions of the shell of a diatom.


mandarin

→ Irish: mandairín

From Portuguese mandarim, mandarij, from Malay menteri, manteri, and its source, Sanskrit मन्त्रिन् (mantrin, “minister, councillor”), from मन्त्र (mantra, “counsel, maxim, mantra”) + -इन् (-in, an agent suffix). In Chinese folk etymology, the word originates from Mandarin 滿大人 /满大人 (Mǎndàrén, literally “Manchu important man”).

com

(ornithology) Ellipsis of mandarin duck.


vessel

vessels (plural)
vessell (alternative obsolete)

Etymology tree
Proto-Italic *wāss
Latin vās
Proto-Indo-European *-lós
Proto-Italic *-elom
Latin -ulum
Latin -culum
Latin vāsculum
Proto-Italic *-elom
Latin -lum
Late Latin vāscellum
Old French vaisselbor.
Middle English vessel
English vessel
Inherited from Middle English vessel, vessell (“small container”); from Old French vaissel (compare modern French vaisseau and Catalan vaixell), from Late Latin vāscellum, diminutive of vāsculum, diminutive of vās (“vase, vessel”).

etymon

Blood and lymph vessels are found in humans; xylem and phloem vessels are found in plants.

(biology) A tube or canal that carries fluid in an animal or plant.


gyre

Borrowed from Latin gȳrus (“circle; circular motion”), from Ancient Greek γῦρος (gûros, “circle; ring”), from Proto-Indo-European *gew- (“to bend; to curve”). The English word is a doublet of gyro and gyrus.

der

(anatomy, zootomy, archaic) Synonym of gyrus (“a fold or ridge on the cerebral cortex of the brain”).


continuous

From Latin continuus, from contineō (“hold together”). Displaced native Old English singal.

continuous erythropoietin receptor activator

(botany) Not deviating or varying from uniformity; not interrupted; not joined or articulated.


annotation

en-noun

annotation (countable and uncountable, plural annotations)

/ˌænəˈteɪʃən/

From Latin annotātiōnem, accusative singular of annotātiō (“remark, annotation”), from annotātus, perfect passive participle of annotō (“note down, remark”). Equivalent to annotate + -ion.

(genetics) Information relating to the genetic structure of sequences of bases.

注釋 /注释

information relating to the genetic structure of sequences of bases


beard

PIE word
 *bʰardʰéh₂
From Middle English berd, bard, bærd, from Old English beard, from Proto-West Germanic *bard, from Proto-Germanic *bardaz (compare West Frisian burd, Dutch baard, German Bart). Cognate further to Latin barba, Lithuanian barzda, Russian борода́ (borodá): the word may date to Proto-Indo-European as *bʰardʰeh₂, *bʰh₂erdʰeh₂. Doublet of barb.

the beard of grain

(botany) Long or stiff hairs on a plant; the awn.


domain

range

antonym(s) of “domain of definition of a function”

From Middle English demayne, demain (“rule”), from Old French demeine, demaine, demeigne, domaine (“power”), (French domaine), from Latin dominium (“property, right of ownership”), from dominus (“master, proprietor, owner”). See dame, and compare demain, danger, dungeon. Doublet of demesne, domino.

definisieversameling

(mathematics) the set on which a function is defined

(taxonomy) The highest rank in the classification of organisms, above kingdom; in the three-domain system, one of the taxa Bacteria, Archaea, or Eukaryota.

domein

(taxonomy) highest-level grouping of organisms

(biochemistry) A folded section of a protein molecule that has a discrete function; the equivalent section of a chromosome.


convoluted

en-adj

convoluted (comparative more convoluted, superlative most convoluted)

more convoluted (comparative)
most convoluted (superlative)

[B]y the means of theſe hooks, and Spikes it [a tapeworm in the intestines] might faſten it ſelf, and ſo prevent it's too eaſy ejection out of the body. For it being ſo very long, and large too, and it's body in many places winding, and convoluted, the deſcent of the fæces upon all occaſions would be apt to carry it out with them; had it not this hold, [...]

1683 April 20, Edward Tyson, “Lumbricus Latus, or a Discourse Read before the Royal Society of the Joynted Worm, […]”, in Philosophical Transactions. Giving Some Accompt of the Present Undertakings, Studies and Labours of the Ingenious in Many Considerable Parts of the World, volume XIII, number 146, Oxford: Printed at the Theater, and are to be sold by Moses Pit […], and Samuel Smith […], →OCLC, page 130:

The figure [of the constellation Anguilla] is that of the common eel in that convoluted ſtate in which it is uſually ſeen when in motion.

1754, John Hill, “ANGUILLA, the Eel”, in Urania: Or, A Compleat View of the Heavens; Containing the Antient and Modern Astronomy, in the Form of a Dictionary: […], London: Printed for T. Gardner, […], →OCLC:

Petals five, generally reflected, the three exterior ovate, hollowed; the two interior longer and convoluted.

1822, William P[aul] C[rillon] Barton, “Listera convallarioides”, in A Flora of North America. […], volume II, Philadelphia, Pa.: H[enry] C[harles] Carey & I[saac] Lea […], →OCLC, page 8:

Among the various fossil shells which abound in the secondary beds, and which are not known in a recent state, one of the most remarkable and numerous is the Genus Ammonites, commonly called Cornu Ammonis from its resemblance to the convoluted horn generally represented on the head of Jupiter Ammon in mythological history. [...] This Genus, which consists of discoid, convoluted, chambered shells with contiguous volutions, the margins of whose septa are lobated and sinuous, and whose siphunculus is dorsal, is very nearly related to Nautilus, [...]

1831 March 31, George Brettingham Sowerby, “Ammonites”, in Number XXXIV. … of the Genera of Recent and Fossil Shells, for the Use of Students in Conchology and Geology, London: G. B. Sowerby, […], →OCLC:

The great mass of cloud filling the head of the gulf had long red smears amongst its convoluted folds of grey and black, as of a floating mantle stained with blood.

1904 January 29 – October 7, Joseph Conrad, chapter VII, in Nostromo: A Tale of the Seaboard, London, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers […], published 1904, →OCLC, part third (The Lighthouse), page 347:

Closer examination, however, begins to reveal the brain as having a much more intricate structure and sophisticated organization [...]. The large convoluted (and most porridge-like) portion on top is referred to as the cerebrum.

1989, Roger Penrose, “Real Brains and Model Brains”, in The Emperor’s New Mind: Concerning Computers, Minds and The Laws of Physics, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, →ISBN; paperback edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, 1999, →ISBN, page 483:

Everyone is familiar with the Hollywood cliche of the 'mad scientist' crouching over convoluted glassware in which fuming green liquids bubble away.

1999, “Make Me a Molecule”, in Nina Hall, editor, The Age of the Molecule, London: Royal Society of Chemistry, →ISBN, page 14:

(chiefly anatomy, zoology) Having numerous overlapping coils or folds; convolute.

ոլորապտույտ

having numerous overlapping coils or folds


band

en-verb

band (third-person singular simple present bands, present participle banding, simple past and past participle banded)

bands (present singular third-person)
banding (participle present)
banded (participle past)
banded (past)

Inherited from Middle English band (also bond), from Old English beand, bænd, bend (“bond, chain, fetter, band, ribbon, ornament, chaplet, crown”), from Proto-Germanic *bandą, *bandiz (“band, fetter”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰendʰ- (“to tie, bind”). Middle English band reinforced by Old French bande. Cognate with Dutch band, German Band, Danish bånd, Swedish band, Icelandic band (“band”). Related to bond, bind, bend.

inh

(transitive, ornithology) To fasten an identifying band around the leg of (a bird).

rengastaa

ornithology: fasten an identifying band around the leg of


leader

→ Catalan: líder

→ Czech: lídr

→ Galician: líder

→ Japanese: リーダー (rīdā)

→ Korean: 리더 (rideo)

→ Polish: lider

→ Portuguese: líder

→ Romanian: lider

→ Russian: ли́дер (líder)

→ Spanish: líder

→ Turkish: lider

→ Ukrainian: лі́дер (líder)

From Middle English leder, ledere, from Old English lǣdere (“leader”), from Proto-West Germanic *laidijārī (“leader”), equivalent to lead + -er. Cognate with Scots ledar, leidar (“leader”), West Frisian lieder (“leader”), Dutch leider (“leader”), German Leiter (“leader, conductor, manager”), Danish leder (“leader, manager”), Swedish ledare (“leader, conductor, director”), Icelandic leiðari (“leader, conductor”).

cog

A strong central leader may result in essentially horizontal branches resembling a "telephone pole."

1975, David J. De Laubenfels, Mapping the world's vegetation: regionalization of formations and flora, page 82:

Someone or something that leads or conducts.

(botany) A fast-growing terminal shoot of a woody plant.


harem

en-noun

harem (countable and uncountable, plural harems)

harems (plural)
hareem (alternative dated)
harim (alternative dated)

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish حرم (harem) Turkish harem, from Arabic حَرَم (ḥaram, “something prohibited; sanctuary, women”); and later also from حَرِيم (ḥarīm) with same meaning, both from حَرُمَ (ḥaruma, “be forbidden or unlawful”). Doublet of haram.

der

In the meantime we were hidden in a close juniper thicket on the little knoll, and expected the capercailzie cock every moment; but our old friend tarried a long time in his harem.

1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 90:

(ornithology) A group of female birds mated to or associated with a breeding male.


squash

en-noun

squash (countable and uncountable, plural squashes)

→ Catalan: esquaix

→ Czech: squash

→ Dutch: kwast

Afrikaans: kwas

→ Finnish: squash

→ French: squash

→ Japanese: スカッシュ (sukasshu)

→ Korean: 스쿼시 (seukwosi)

→ Norwegian Bokmål: squash

→ Norwegian Nynorsk: squash

→ Polish: squash

→ Portuguese: squash

→ Russian: сквош (skvoš)

→ Swedish: squash

From Middle English squachen, squatchen, from Old French esquacher, escachier, from Vulgar Latin *excoāctiāre, from Latin ex + coāctāre. Probably influenced by Middle English quashen, quassen, from Old French esquasser, escasser (“to crush, shatter, destroy, break”), from Vulgar Latin *exquassare, from Latin ex- + quassare (“to shatter”) (see quash).

(biology) A preparation made by placing material on a slide (flat, rectangular piece of glass), covering it and applying pressure.


squash

squash (countable and uncountable, plural squash or squashes)

Shortening of Narragansett askutasquash (“[a vegetable] eaten green (or raw)”), from askut (“green, raw”) + asquash (“eaten”).

wasawa

plant and its fruit of the genus Cucurbita

Cucurbita maxima
Cucurbita maxima#Translingual

(botany, countable) A plant and its fruit of any of a few species of the genus Cucurbita, or gourd kind.

Cucurbita maxima, including hubbard squash, great winter squash, buttercup squash, and some varieties of pumpkins.

Cucurbita argyrosperma (syn. Cucurbita mixta), cushaw squash.

Cucurbita moschata
Cucurbita moschata#Translingual

Cucurbita moschata, butternut squash, Barbary squash, China squash.

Cucurbita pepo
Cucurbita pepo#Translingual

Cucurbita pepo, most pumpkins, acorn squash, summer squash, zucchini.

(botany) Any other similar-looking plant of other genera.

Lagenaria siceraria
Lagenaria siceraria#Translingual

Lagenaria siceraria (syn. Cucurbita verrucosa), calabash, long-neck squash.


obsolete

en-adj

obsolete (comparative more obsolete, superlative most obsolete)

more obsolete (comparative)
most obsolete (superlative)
absolete (alternative obsolete)

Borrowed from Latin obsolētus (“worn out, gone out of use”), past participle of obsolēscere (“to wear out, fall into disuse, grow old, decay”); see obsolesce.

bor+

These two birds somewhat closely resemble each other, but the Sedge Warbler is russet-brown above, the feathers with dark centres, the pale buff eyestripe is very clearly defined, and the underparts are buffish white; the Reed Warbler is more olive on the upper parts, the feathers having no dark centres, the underparts are more inclined to buff, and the eyestripe is nearly obsolete.

1891, Charles Dixon, The Birds of Our Rambles: With a Companion for the Country, page 130:

(biology) Imperfectly developed; not very distinct.


grooming

en-noun

grooming (usually uncountable, plural groomings)

Child grooming
Groom (disambiguation)#Grooming

(biology) The practice of primates picking through the hair of others, looking for insects etc.


mildew

→ Catalan: míldiu

→ French: mildiou

→ Portuguese: míldio

→ Spanish: mildiu

From Middle English myldew, from Old English meledēaw, mildēaw, from Proto-West Germanic *milidauw, from *mili (“honey”) + *dauw (“dew”). Compare West Frisian moaldau, Dutch meeldauw, German Mehltau. More at dew.

(phytopathology) A growth of minute powdery or webby fungi, whitish or of different colors, found on various diseased or decaying substances.


halm

halm (countable and uncountable, plural halms)


pyrena

From New Latin pyrēna, from Ancient Greek πῡρήν (pūrḗn, “fruit-stone”).

der

Holonyms: pericarp < drupe, stone fruit

Meronyms: endocarp, seed

Near-synonym: pip

[…] pericarp drupaceous, or baccate, 1—4 nuts (pyrena), which are sometimes enclosed in an utricular membrane […]

1848, Samuel Frederick Gray, Gray's Supplement to the Pharmacopoeia:

(botany) A nutlet resembling a seed, or the stone of a drupe, comprising the endocarp and the kernel.


pyrene

From Ancient Greek πῡρήν (pūrḗn, “fruit-stone”).

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-pyrene.wav


pyrenoid

(biology) any of several transparent structures found in the chloroplast of certain algae etc.; they are responsible for the fixation of carbon dioxide and the formation of starch


floor

non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger

non-rhotic, dough–door merger, African-American Vernacular

Inherited from Middle English flor, flore, from Old English flōr (“floor, pavement, ground, bottom”), from Proto-West Germanic *flōr, from Proto-Germanic *flōraz (“flat surface, floor, plain”), from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂ros (“floor”), from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂- (“flat”).
Cognate with Scots flair, Scots flure, fluir (“floor”), Saterland Frisian Floor (“floor”), West Frisian flier (“floor”), Dutch vloer (“floor”), German Low German Floor (“entry hall”), German Flur (“field, floor, entrance hall”), Swedish flor (“floor of a cow stall”), Norwegian Nynorsk flor (“floor of a cow stall”), Irish urlár (“floor”), Scottish Gaelic làr (“floor, ground, earth”), Welsh llawr (“floor, ground”), Latin plānus (“level, flat”).

cog

The leaves covering the forest floor provide many hiding-places for small animals.

Many sunken ships rest on the ocean floor.

The floor of a cave served the refugees as a home.

The pit floor showed where a ring of post holes had been.

(geology, biology, chiefly with a modifier) The bottom surface of a natural structure, entity, or space (e.g. cave, forest, ocean, desert, etc.); the ground (surface of the Earth).

земя́

surface of the Earth, as opposed to the sky or water or underground


community

en-noun

community (countable and uncountable, plural communities)

communities (plural)
communitie (alternative)

From Late Middle English communite, borrowed from Old French communité, comunité, comunete (modern French communauté), from Classical Latin commūnitās (“community; public spirit”), from commūnis (“common, ordinary; of or for the community, public”) + -itās. By surface analysis, commune + -ity. Doublet of communitas.

der

Synecology has for the objects of its study, not individual organisms but biological communities, which are groups of organisms living in a given space, the properties of which space select a certain assemblage of organisms of definite autecological characteristics. Such communities are moreover not merely collections of organisms of restricted autecology, but tend to become organized by the biotic relationships that exist beteen the various individuals comprising the community.

1949, G[eorge] E[velyn] Hutchinson, E[dward] S[mith] Deevey, Jr., “Ecological Studies on Populations”, in George S. Avery, Jr., editor, Survey of Biological Progress, volume I, New York, N.Y.: Academic Press, page 325:

(countable, ecology) A group of interdependent organisms inhabiting the same region and interacting with each other.

коло́ния

(ecology) group of interdependent organisms


rhinoceros

en-noun

rhinoceros (plural rhinoceros or rhinoceroses or (uncommon) rhinocerosses or (nonstandard) rhinoceri or (nonstandard) rhinoceroi or (now rare) rhinocerotes)

rhinoceros (plural)
rhinoceroses (plural)
rhinocerosses (plural uncommon)
rhinoceri (nonstandard plural)
rhinoceroi (nonstandard plural)
rhinocerotes (archaic plural)

/ɹɑɪˈnɔs.ə.ɹəs/

From Latin rhīnocerōs, from Ancient Greek ῥῑνόκερως (rhīnókerōs, “nose-horned”), composed of ῥῑ́ς, ῥῑνός (rhī́s, rhīnós, “nose, of (the) nose”) + κέρας (kéras, “horn”).

derived

Rhinoceros Party English Wikipedia has an article on:Rhinoceros Party

Rhinos

cf. also the homophones: RINO, RINOs, Republican(s) In Name Only

(paleontology) A member of the superfamily Rhinocerotoidea, including hornless members of the extinct genus Paraceratherium.


datiscin

en-noun

datiscin (countable and uncountable, plural datiscins)

(biochemistry) A white crystalline glucoside extracted from bastard hemp (Datisca cannabina).


asteroid

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀστεροειδής (asteroeidḗs), from ἀστήρ (astḗr, “star”) + εἶδος (eîdos, “form”). Analyzable as aster- + -oid.

(zoology) Any member of the taxonomic class Asteroidea; a starfish.


locellate

Latin locellus (“compartment”), diminutive of locus (“place”).

(botany) Divided into secondary compartments or cells, as where one cavity is separated into several smaller ones


hamulus

(botany, anatomy) A hook, or hook-like process.

(zoology) A hooked barbicel of a feather.


mask

Borrowed from Middle French masque (“a covering to hide or protect the face”), from Italian maschera (“mask, disguise”), from (a byform of, see it for more) Medieval Latin masca, mascha, a borrowing of Proto-West Germanic *maskā from which English mesh is regularly inherited.
Replaced Old English grīma (“mask”), whence grime, and displaced non-native Middle English viser (“visor, mask”) borrowed from Old French viser, visier.
Compare also Hebrew מַסֵּכָה (masseiḥa).

蒙版

two-color bitmap used to create transparency in an image

(zoology) The lower lip of the larva of a dragonfly, modified so as to form a prehensile organ.

pyyntinaamari

zoology: lower lip of the larva of a dragon fly


masked

en-adj

masked (comparative more masked, superlative most masked)

more masked (comparative)
most masked (superlative)
masqued (alternative archaic)

(zoology, of birds) Having the anterior part of the head differing decidedly in color from the rest of the plumage.


acarpellous

a-("without") + carpel + -ous (“full of”)


acarpous

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek ἄκαρπος (ákarpos, “fruitless”), from privative ἀ- (a-) + καρπός (karpós, “fruit”).

lbor

(botany) Not producing fruit; unfruitful; sterile.


upeygan

Diceros bicornis
Diceros bicornis#Translingual

(zoology) A borele or two-horned black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis).


neurula

From New Latin neurula, diminutive in -ula of Ancient Greek νεῦρον (neûron, “sinew, tendon, cord”).

der

(zoology) An embryo of vertebrates in the stage when the primitive band is first developed.

Neurula

zoology: an embryo of vertebrates in the state when the primitive band is first developed


cycle

→ Japanese: サイクル (saikuru)

From Middle English cicle (“fixed length period of years”), from Late Latin cyclus, from Ancient Greek κύκλος (kúklos, “circle”), from Proto-Hellenic *kúklos, *kʷókʷlos, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷékʷlos (“circle, wheel”).
Doublet of chakra, chakram, charkha, chukker, cyclus, and wheel (see there for more).

pyörä

bicycle, tricycle, motorcycle etc. — see also bicycle

a cycle or set of leaves

1857, Asa Gray, First Lessons in Botany and Vegetable Physiology:

(botany) One entire round in a circle or a spire.

kierros

botany: entire round in a circle or a spire


ich

Ich is one of the most common diseases of freshwater fish.

1996, Edward J. Noga, Fish Disease: Diagnosis and Treatment, Iowa State University Press (2000), →ISBN, page 95:

(ichthyology) Ichthyophthiriasis, a parasitic infection of freshwater fish caused by ciliates of genus Ichthyophthirius.


translocation

en-noun

translocation (countable and uncountable, plural translocations)

(genetics) A transfer of a chromosomal segment to a new position, especially on a nonhomologous chromosome; the segment so transferred.

translocatie

genetics: transfer of chromosomal segment

(biochemistry) A transfer of a molecule through a membrane.


artificial

en-adj

artificial (comparative more artificial, superlative most artificial)

more artificial (comparative)
most artificial (superlative)

→ Welsh: artiffisial

/ˌɑː(ɹ).təˈfɪʃ.əl/

[ˌɑːɹtɪˈfɪʃl]

From Middle English artificial (“man-made”) via Old French (modern French artificiel), from Latin artificiālis from artificium (“skill”), from artifex, from ars (“skill”), and -fex, from facere (“to make”). Displaced native Old English cræftlīċ.

Artificial keys are devised purely to facilitate determination […]

1966 October, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume I, New York, N.Y.; London: Columbia University Press, →OCLC, page 3:

(taxonomy) Based on characteristics useful for identification, without regard for the formal differences used in classification.

artificial

based on characteristics useful for identification


hapuku

hapukus (plural)
hapuku (plural)
hapuka (alternative)
whapuka (alternative)
whapuku (alternative)

(zoology) A large and valuable food fish, Polyprion oxygeneios, in the family Serranidae of New Zealand.


acaudate

From a- (“without”) + caudate (“having a tail”).


acaulescent

(botany) Having no stem or caulis, or only a very short one concealed in the ground.


acauline

en-adj

acauline (comparative more acauline, superlative most acauline)

more acauline (comparative)
most acauline (superlative)


igloo

From Inuktitut ᐃᒡᓗ (iclo, “house, building (of any kind)”), from Proto-Inuit *ǝɣlu, from Proto-Eskimo *ǝŋlu.

hogan

used by the Navajo in the southwestern United States

wetu

used by the Wampanoag in the northeastern United States

wickiup

used in the southwestern and western United States

(zoology) A cavity, or excavation, made in the snow by a seal, over its breathing hole in the sea ice.


polygonaceous

en-adj

polygonaceous (comparative more polygonaceous, superlative most polygonaceous)

more polygonaceous (comparative)
most polygonaceous (superlative)

(botany) Of or pertaining to a family of apetalous plants, Polygonaceae, of which the knotweeds of the genus Polygonum are the type, and which includes also the docks of the genus Rumex, the buckwheat, rhubarb, sea grape of the genus Coccoloba, and several other genera.


polygoneutic

From poly- + Ancient Greek γονεύω (goneúō, “to produce offspring”) + -tic, from γονεύς (goneús, “parent”).

af

(zoology) Having two or more broods in a season.


polygonum

en-noun

polygonum (plural polygonums or polygona)

From translingual Polygonum, from Ancient Greek πολύγονον (polúgonon, “knotweed”), from πολύς (polús, “many”) + γόνυ (gónu, “knee”), so called in allusion to the numerous joints, or neuter of πολύγονος (polúgonos, “prolific”), from πολύς (polús, “many”) + γόνος (gónos, “offspring”). Related to polygon (from γωνία (gōnía, “corner, angle”), a derivative of γόνυ (gónu)).

affix

(botany) Any of many plants, of the family Polygonaceae, embracing a large number of species, including bistort, knotweed, smartweed, etc.


astral

en-adj

astral (comparative more astral, superlative most astral)

more astral (comparative)
most astral (superlative)

From Late Latin astralis, from Latin astrum (“star”), from Ancient Greek ἄστρον (ástron, “star”).

astral rays

astral sphere


stepmother

stepmothers (plural)
step-mother (alternative)

From Middle English stepmoder, from Old English stēopmōdor, from Proto-Germanic *steupamōdēr (“stepmother”), corresponding to step- + mother. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Stäifmuur (“stepmother”), Dutch stiefmoeder (“stepmother”), German Low German Steevmoder (“stepmother”), German Stiefmutter (“stepmother”), Danish stedmor (“stepmother”), Swedish styvmor (“stepmother”), Icelandic stjúpmóðir (“stepmother”). Compare also West Frisian styfmem (“stepmother”).

cog

The second came up about ten days later in the lee of the channel marker, and it was called stepmother, or love-in-idelness.

1974, Tove Jansson, translated by Thomas Teal, The Summer Book, Sort Of Books, published 2003, page 115:

Viola tricolor
Viola tricolor#Translingual

(botany, rare) A viola, especially Viola tricolor, heartsease.


sequence

en-verb

sequence (third-person singular simple present sequences, present participle sequencing, simple past and past participle sequenced)

sequences (present singular third-person)
sequencing (participle present)
sequenced (participle past)
sequenced (past)

From Middle English sequence, from Old French sequence (“a sequence of cards, answering verses”), from Late Latin sequentia (“a following”), from Latin sequēns (“following”), from sequī (“to follow”); see sequent.

der

(transitive, biochemistry) To determine the order of monomers in (a biological polymer), e.g. of amino acids in (a protein), or of bases in (a nucleic acid).

szekvenál

to determine the order of monomers in (a biological polymer)


sarnie

sarnies (plural)
sarny (alternative)
sarney (alternative)

From sarn- (“perhaps from a dialectal pronunciation of the first syllable of sandwich”) + -ie. Alternatively, perhaps a misreading or an intentional dissimilation of samie (i.e. sammie), where the 'm' is mistaken for or replaced with 'rn'.

suffix

perhaps from a dialectal pronunciation of the first syllable of <i class="Latn mention" lang="en">sandwich</i>


cornet

From Middle English cornet, from Old French cornet, a diminutive of a popular reflex of Latin cornū (“horn”).

LL-Q1860 (eng)-I learned some phrases-cornet.wav


diurnal

en-adj

diurnal (comparative more diurnal, superlative most diurnal)

more diurnal (comparative)
most diurnal (superlative)

nocturnal

antonym(s) of “happening or active during the day”

nocturnal

antonym(s) of “active or open during the day”

From Latin diurnālis, from diēs (“day”). Doublet of journal.

diel

having a 24-hour period, regardless of day or night

(botany) Said of a flower that is open, or releasing its perfume during daylight hours, but not at night.

diürn

botany; of flowers open or releasing perfume during the day


additive

additive (comparative more additive, superlative most additive)

more additive (comparative)
most additive (superlative)

From Late Latin additivus, from the participial stem of Latin addere (“to add”).

(genetics) Of or pertaining to genes (or the interaction etc. of such genes) which govern the same trait and whose effects work together on the phenotype.


context

en-noun

context (countable and uncountable, plural contexts)

(mycology) The trama or flesh of a mushroom.


kernel

→ Japanese: カーネル (kāneru)

From Middle English kernel, kirnel, kürnel, from Old English cyrnel, from Proto-West Germanic *kurnil, diminutive of Proto-Germanic *kurną (“seed, grain, corn”), equivalent to corn + -le. Cognate with Yiddish קערנדל (kerndl), Middle Dutch kernel, cornel, Middle High German kornel. Related also to Old Norse kjarni (“kernel”).

ядро

(mathematics, algebra) set of elements mapped to zero

(botany) The central (usually edible) part of a nut, especially once the hard shell has been removed.

(botany) A single seed or grain, especially of corn or wheat.

(botany, US) The stone of certain fruits, such as peaches or plums.

կորիզ

(US) stone of certain fruits, such as peaches or plums


edit

Back-formation from editor, influenced by French éditer (“edit, publish”) and Latin editus.

(genetics) An alteration to the DNA sequence of a chromosome; an act of gene splicing.


edit

en-verb

edit (third-person singular simple present edits, present participle editing, simple past and past participle edited)

edits (present singular third-person)
editing (participle present)
edited (participle past)
edited (past)

Today, the technology to edit genomes is limited in the number of changes that can be made at once, which is probably one reason why the Harvard team focused on only 14 genes.

2015 April 26, Beth Shapiro, “Could we 'de-extinctify' the woolly mammoth”, in The Guardian:

(biology) To alter the DNA sequence of a chromosome; to perform gene splicing.


labour

en-noun

labour (countable and uncountable, plural labours)

term-label

(British spelling, Canadian spelling, Australian spelling, New Zealand spelling)

From Middle English labor, labour, labur, from Old French labor (modern labeur) and its etymon, Latin labor.


passage

Borrowed into Middle English from Old French passage, from passer (“to pass”).

(bacteriology, virology) Serial passage.


memory

en-noun

memory (countable and uncountable, plural memories)

From Anglo-Norman memorie, Old French memoire etc., from Latin memoria (“the faculty of remembering, remembrance, memory, a historical account”), from memor (“mindful, remembering”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mer- (to remember), related to Ancient Greek μνήμη (mnḗmē, “memory”) μέρμερος (mérmeros, “anxious”), μέριμνα (mérimna, “care, thought”), Old English ġemimor (“mindful, remembering”). More at mimmer. Doublet of memoir and memoria. Displaced native Old English ġemynd, which took on a different meaning as modern mind.

cog

(zoology, collective, rare) A term of venery for a social group of elephants, normally called a herd.


essential

en-adj

essential (comparative more essential, superlative most essential)

more essential (comparative)
most essential (superlative)
essentiall (alternative)

From Late Latin essentiālis, from Latin essentia (“being, essence”).

(biology) Necessary for survival but not synthesized by the organism, thus needing to be ingested.


TOC

(cytology) Initialism of translocon on outer chloroplast membrane.


host

hosts (plural)
hoast (alternative obsolete)

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *gʰóstis
Proto-Indo-European *pótis
Proto-Indo-European *gʰóstipotis
Proto-Italic *hostipotis
Latin hospes
Old French ostebor.
Middle English hoste
English host
From Middle English hoste, from Old French oste (French: hôte), from Latin hospitem, accusative of hospes (“a host, also a sojourner, visitor, guest; hence, a foreigner, a stranger”), from *hostipotis, an old compound of hostis and the root of potis, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰóstipotis (“master of guests”), from *gʰóstis (“stranger, guest, enemy”) and *pótis (“owner, master, host, husband”). Used in English since 13th century.

der

Viruses depend on the host that they infect in order to be able to reproduce.

A recent study explored the ecological variables that may contribute to bats’ propensity to harbor such zoonotic diseases by comparing them with another order of common reservoir hosts: rodents.

2013 May-June, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 193:

(ecology) A cell or organism which harbors another organism or biological entity, usually a parasite.

ܡܐܲܪܚܵܢܵܐ

biology: cell or organism which harbors another organism

The so-called junk DNA is known, so far, to provide no apparent benefit to its host.

(evolution, genetics) An organism bearing certain genetic material, with respect to its cells.

drager

genetics: organism bearing certain genetic material


sense

en-noun

sense (countable and uncountable, plural senses)

→ Afrikaans: sense

From Middle English sense, from Old French sens, sen, san (“sense, perception, direction”); partly from Latin sēnsus (“sensation, feeling, meaning”), from sentiō (“feel, perceive”); partly of Germanic origin (whence also Occitan sen, Italian senno), from Vulgar Latin *sennus (“sense, reason, way”), from Frankish *sinn ("reason, judgement, mental faculty, way, direction"; whence also Dutch zin, German Sinn, Swedish sinne, Norwegian sinn). Both Latin and Germanic from Proto-Indo-European *sent- (“to feel”).

gl

enough sense to pound sand into a rathole

where there's no sense there's no feeling

(biochemistry) referring to the strand of a nucleic acid that directly specifies the product.


ordinal

Borrowed from Latin ōrdinālis, adjective formed from noun ōrdō (“order”), + adjective suffix -ālis.

(taxonomy) Pertaining to a taxon at the rank of order.


quest

en-verb

quest (third-person singular simple present quests, present participle questing, simple past and past participle quested)

quests (present singular third-person)
questing (participle present)
quested (participle past)
quested (past)

From Middle English quest, queste; partly from Anglo-Norman queste, Old French queste (“acquisition, search, hunt”), and partly from their source, Latin quaesta (“tribute, tax, inquiry, search”), noun use of quaesita, the feminine past participle of quaerere (“to ask, seek”).

der

(entomology, of a tick) To locate and attach to a host animal.


order

en-noun

order (countable and uncountable, plural orders)

orders (plural)
ordre (alternative obsolete)

→ Swahili: oda

From Middle English ordre, from Old French ordre, ordne, ordene (“order, rank”), from Latin ōrdinem, accusative of ōrdō (“row, rank, regular arrangement”, literally “row of threads in a loom”), from Proto-Italic *ordō (“to arrange”), probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂or-d-, from *h₂er-.
Related to Latin ōrdior (“begin”, literally “begin to weave”). In sense “request for purchase”, compare bespoke. Doublet of ordo.

cog

The magnolia and nutmeg families belong to the order Magnoliales.

Bats host many high-profile viruses that can infect humans, including severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola. A recent study explored the ecological variables that may contribute to bats’ propensity to harbor such zoonotic diseases by comparing them with another order of common reservoir hosts: rodents.

(countable, biology, taxonomy) A category in the classification of organisms, ranking below class and above family; a taxon at that rank.


ABC

en-noun

ABC (countable and uncountable, plural ABCs)

ABC transporter

ABC-transporters are multispan membrane proteins that mediate the active uptake or efflux of specific substrates across various biological membrane systems. A functional ABC-transporter protein usually consists of two transmembrane domains and two ABCs.

2008, Gerd Schmitz, “Sterol Transporters”, in Stefan Offermanns, Walter Rosenthal, editors, Encyclopedia of Molecular Pharmacology, 2nd edition, volume 1, Springer, →ISBN, page 1157:

(biochemistry) Initialism of ATP-binding cassette.

(cryptozoology) Initialism of alien big cat.


jag

The noun is from late Middle English jagge, from Old English giagga, giacga. The verb is from jaggen, from Old English giacgian.


CD

CD (countable and uncountable, plural CDs)

Abbreviation of various terms and phrases.

سِي دِي

abbreviation of compact disc — see also compact disc

cluster of differentiation
cluster of differentiation#English

(immunology, biochemistry) Initialism of cluster of differentiation.


PET

PET (countable and uncountable, plural PETs)

The name of the computer (sense 4) derives from the 1970s pet rock fad; the acronym was invented afterwards.

(countable, genetics) Acronym of paired-end tag.


ADH

ADH (countable and uncountable, plural ADHs)

antidiuretic hormone
antidiuretic hormone#English

(biochemistry) Initialism of antidiuretic hormone.


division

division (countable and uncountable, plural divisions)

PIE word
 *dwóh₁
From Middle English divisioun, from Old French division, from Latin dīvīsiō, dīvīsiōnem, noun of process form from perfect passive participle dīvīsus (“divided”), from dīvidō (“divide”). Doublet of divisio.

remainder left over if divisor does not divide dividend

Magnolias belong to the division Magnoliophyta.

(botany, mycology) A rank below kingdom and above class, particularly used of plants or fungi, also (particularly of animals) called a phylum; a taxon at that rank.

отдел

biology: taxonomic classification of plants

(zoology) An optional rank subordinate to the infraclass and superordinate to the legion and cohort; a taxon at that rank.


en-adj

null (comparative more null, superlative most null)

more null (comparative)
most null (superlative)

Borrowed from Middle French nul, from Latin nūllus.

(genetics, of a mutation) Causing a complete loss of gene function; amorphic.


tank

→ Afrikaans: tenk

→ Albanian: tank

→ Gulf Arabic: تانْكي (tānki)

→ Armenian: տանկ (tank)

→ Assamese: টেংকি (teṅki)

→ Asturian: tanque

→ Azerbaijani: tank

→ Bashkir: танк (tank)

→ Belarusian: танк (tank)

→ Bengali: ট্যাংক (ṭêṅko)

→ Burmese: တင့်ကား (tang.ka:)

→ Buryat: танк (tank)

→ Catalan: tanc

→ Chechen: танк (tank)

→ Chinese:

Mandarin: 坦克 (tǎnkè)

→ Chuvash: танк (tank)

→ Czech: tank

→ Danish: tank

→ Dutch: tank

→ Dzongkha: ཏེངཀ (tengk)

→ Eastern Mari: танк (tank)

→ Estonian: tank

→ Fiji Hindi: tanki

→ Finnish: tankki

→ French: tank

→ Galician: tanque

→ Georgian: ტანკი (ṭanḳi)

→ German: Tank

→ Greek: τανκ (tank)

→ Greenlandic: tanki

→ Hebrew: טנק (tank)

desctree

→ Hindi: टंकी (ṭaṅkī)
→ Burmese: တိုင်ကီ (tuingki)

→ Hungarian: tank

→ Indonesian: tank

→ Italian: tank, tanca

→ Japanese: タンク (tanku)

→ Kazakh: танк (tank)

→ Korean: 탱크 (taengkeu)

→ Kumyk: танк (tank)

→ Kyrgyz: танк (tank)

→ Lao: ຖັງ (thang)

→ Latvian: tanks

→ Lezgi: танк (tank)

→ Lithuanian: tankas

→ Macedonian: тенк (tenk)

→ Malay: tank

→ Maori: taika

→ Norwegian: tank, tanks

→ Ossetian: танк (tank)

→ Persian: تانک (tânk)

desc

→ Portuguese: tanque (“armored vehicle”)

→ Quechua: tanki

→ Romanian: tanc

→ Romansch: tanc

desctree

→ Russian: танк (tank), танкъ (tank) — Pre-reform orthography (1918)
→ Armenian: տանկ (tank)
→ Kazakh: танк (tank)
→ Mongolian: танк (tank)

→ Carpathian Rusyn: танк (tank)

→ Serbo-Croatian:

Cyrillic script: тенк

Latin script: tenk

→ Sidamo: tanke

→ Slovak: tank

→ Slovene: tank

→ Swahili: tangi

→ Tajik: танк (tank), тонк (tonk)

→ Tamil: தாங்கி (tāṅki)

→ Tatar: танк (tank)

→ Thai: ถัง (tǎng)

→ Tokelauan: tane

→ Turkish: tank

→ Turkmen: tank

→ Ukrainian: танк (tank)

→ Upper Sorbian: tank

→ Urdu: ٹینک (ṭaink)

→ Uyghur: تانكا (tanka)

→ Uzbek: tank

→ Vietnamese: xe tăng, tăng

→ Walloon: tank

→ Welsh: tanc

→ Yakut: тааҥка (taañka)

→ Yiddish: טאַנק (tank)

From Portuguese tanque (“tank, liquid container”), from an Indo-Aryan language such as Gujarati ટાંકી (ṭā̃kī, “cistern”) or Marathi टांकी (ṭāṅkī). Compare the Arabic verb اِسْتَنْقَعَ (istanqaʕa, “to become stagnant, to stagnate”).
In the sense of armoured vehicle, first attested in 1915, prototypes were described as tanks for carrying water to disguise their nature as well as due to physical resemblance.

der

(botany) A structure of tightly overlapping leaves used by some bromeliads to retain water.


syzygy

en-noun

syzygy (countable and uncountable, plural syzygies)

From Late Latin sȳzygia (“conjunction”), from Ancient Greek συζυγία (suzugía, “union, yoke, pair”). This word was recognized as English in 1847 (in its astronomical meaning).

der

When two or more arm-joints meet transversely by a rigid suture, and only the upper one is pinnule-bearing, those joints form a syzygy, whether their apposed faces are striated, dotted, or smooth.

1900, Karl Alfred von Zittel, Text-book of Paleontology: Protozoa. Coelentrata (zoophytes). Echinodermata. Vermes (Worms). Molluscoidea. Mollusca. Arthropoda (articulates):

These include syzygy, fusion of larvae or adults of flatworms, fusion of buds of some Tunicata, somatic fertilization (fusion of spermatozoa with somatic cells), composite zygotes of some Cestoda and Insecta, and fusion of cells in various tissues.

2018, Richard E. Blackwelder, The Diversity of Animal Reproduction, CRC Press, →ISBN:

(zoology) The association of two protozoa end-to-end or laterally for the purpose of asexual exchange of genetic material.

(genetics) The pairing of chromosomes in meiosis.


eclipse

en-noun

eclipse (countable and uncountable, plural eclipses)

From Old French eclipse, from Latin eclīpsis, from Ancient Greek ἔκλειψις (ékleipsis, “eclipse”), from ἐκλείπω (ekleípō, “I abandon, go missing, vanish”), from ἐκ (ek, “out”) and λείπω (leípō, “I leave behind”). Doublet of eclipsis.

der

(ornithology) A seasonal state of plumage in some birds, notably ducks, adopted temporarily after the breeding season and characterised by a dull and scruffy appearance.


missense

en-noun

missense (countable and uncountable, plural missenses)

(biology) A damaged DNA sequence that is meaningful but has an incorrect meaning, with the result that its products do not do what they are supposed to do.


test

→ Azerbaijani: test

→ Catalan: test

→ Czech: test

→ Danish: test

→ Dutch: test

→ Finnish: testi

→ French: test

→ German: Test

→ Hungarian: teszt

→ Italian: test

→ Japanese: テスト (tesuto)

→ Korean: 테스트 (teseuteu)

→ Macedonian: тест (test)

→ Norwegian: test

→ Persian: تست (test)

→ Polish: test

→ Portuguese: teste

→ Romanian: test

→ Russian: тест (test)

→ Serbo-Croatian:

Cyrillic script: тест

Latin script: test

→ Slovene: test

→ Spanish: test

→ Swedish: test

→ Turkish: test

→ Ukrainian: тест (test)

From Middle English test, teste, from Old French test, teste (“an earthen vessel, especially a pot in which metals were tried”), from Latin testum (“the lid of an earthen vessel, an earthen vessel, an earthen pot”), from *terstus, past participle of the root *tersa (“dry land”). See terra, thirst. The examination sense came via metaphor of the metallurgical sense - the way a metallurgist puts to the test their gold, a teacher may put to the test their students' knowledge.


glycolysis

en-noun

glycolysis (usually uncountable, plural glycolyses)

(biochemistry) The cellular degradation of the simple sugar glucose to yield pyruvic acid, and ATP as an energy source


labyrinth

From Middle English laberynt, laberynthe, from Latin labyrinthus, from Ancient Greek λᾰβύρῐνθος (lăbúrĭnthos, “a maze”).

der

(anatomy) A tortuous anatomical structure:

(zoology) An accessory respiratory organ of certain fish.


theta

→ Malay: teta

Borrowed from Ancient Greek θῆτα (thêta).

The reader is less likely to throw the book down in a fit of disgust than she is to be lulled into a theta state, a highway hypnosis induced by page after page of incantatory prose.

2018 September 19, Meghan O'Gieblyn, “The Most Unread Book Ever Acclaimed”, in The Paris Review:

(biology) Designating a level of brain activity as measured by electroencephalography having a frequency of between four and seven cycles per second (associated with drowsiness in adults).


homologous

en-adj

homologous (comparative more homologous, superlative most homologous)

more homologous (comparative)
most homologous (superlative)

/həˈmɒləɡəs/

From Late Latin homologus, from Ancient Greek ὁμόλογος (homólogos, “agreeing, of one mind”), from ὁμός (homós, “same”) + λόγος (lógos, “reason, reckoning”). Compare homo- (“same”) and -ous (adjectival suffix). From 1655, in the mathematical sense. See also homolog, homologue.

der

Flippers and hands are homologous structures.

Lobules, homologous in structure, recur again only in the Gondwanalandic families Lepidolaenaceae and Jubulopsidaceae thus in the Lepidolaenineae.

1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page 4:

Showing a degree of correspondence or similarity.

(biology) Corresponding to a similar structure in another life form with a common evolutionary origin.

хомоложен

(biology) corresponding to a similar structure in another life form

(genetics) Having the same morphology as another chromosome or locus; relating to a homologue.

homologní

(genetics) having the same morphology as another chromosome


linear

en-adj

linear (comparative more linear, superlative most linear)

more linear (comparative)
most linear (superlative)

From Latin līneāris, from līnea (“line”) + -āris (adjectival suffix), equivalent to line + -ar. Doublet of lineal.

lineêr

in mathematics, of first-degree polynomial

(botany, of leaves) Long and narrow, with nearly parallel sides.


line

→ Scottish Gaelic: loidhne

From Middle English line, lyne, from Old English līne (“line, cable, rope, hawser, series, row, rule, direction”), from Proto-West Germanic *līnā, from Proto-Germanic *līnǭ (“line, rope, flaxen cord, thread”), from Proto-Germanic *līną (“flax, linen”), from Proto-Indo-European *līno- (“flax”).
Influenced in Middle English by Middle French ligne (“line”), from Latin linea. More at linen.
The oldest sense of the word is “rope, cord, thread”; from this the senses “path”, “continuous mark” were derived.

lyn

path through two or more points, threadlike mark

lyn

single horizontal row of text on a screen, printed paper, etc.

linja

measure of length, the main division of an inch or its local equivalent

(genetics) A population of cells derived from a single cell and containing the same genetic makeup.


polygyny

en-noun

polygyny (countable and uncountable, plural polygynies)

From Ancient Greek πολύ (polú, “many”) + γυνή (gunḗ, “woman, wife”). By surface analysis, poly- + -gyny.


tentacle

From New Latin tentāculum, from tentō. Doublet of tentaculum.

With one blow of the axe, Captain Nemo cut this formidable tentacle, that slid wriggling down the ladder.

1873, Jules Verne, “The “Devil Fish.”—Terrible Encounter.—Crushed to Death in the Arms of a Monster.—Ned Land saved by the Captain.—“Only Revenge”.”, in [anonymous], transl., Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Seas; […], James R. Osgood edition, Boston, Mass.: Geo[rge] M[urray] Smith & Co., →OCLC, part II, page 274:

1897, H. G. Wells, The Crystal Egg
The body was small, but fitted with two bunches of prehensile organs, like long tentacles, immediately under the mouth.

1936, H. P. Lovecraft, The Shadow Out of Time
Surmounting this head were four slender grey stalks bearing flower-like appendages, whilst from its nether side dangled eight greenish antennae or tentacles.

(zoology) An elongated, boneless, flexible organ or limb of some animals, such as the octopus and squid.

(botany) One of the glandular hairs on the leaves of certain insectivorous plants.


nick

The noun is derived from Late Middle English nik (“notch, tally; nock of an arrow”). Its further etymology is unknown; a connection with nock (“notch in a bow to hold the bowstring; notch at the rear of an arrow that fits the bowstring; cleft in the buttocks”) has not been clearly established.
The verb appears to be derived from the noun, though the available evidence shows that some of the verb senses predate the noun senses. No connection with words in Germanic languages such as Danish nikke (“to nod”), Middle Dutch nicken (“to bend; to bow”) (modern Dutch knikken (“to nod”)), Middle Low German nicken (“to bend over; to sink”), Middle High German nicken (“to bend; to depress”) (modern German nicken (“to nod”)), Middle Low German knicken (“to bend; to snap”) (modern German knicken (“to bend; to break”), Old Frisian hnekka (“to nod”), and Swedish nicka (“to nod”), has been clearly established.

unknown

further etymology is unknown

cog

Analysis of the effect of temperature on the polymerization reaction with nicked and gapped DNA substrates in Mn²⁺ (8) [...] reveals identical values of activation energy (Eₐ) and Q₁₀, indicating that the frequency of productive interactions of polymerase β with 3′-hydroxyl termini at nicks and gaps is indistinguishable and suggesting that localized destabilization of the 5′-terminated DNA strand at the nick site does not contribute significantly to the rate-determining step(s) of the synthetic reaction.

1981, David Korn, Paul A. Fisher, Teresa S.-F. Wang, “Mechanisms of Catalysis of Human DNA Polymerases α and β”, in Waldo E. Cohn, editor, Progress in Nucleic Acid Research and Molecular Biology, volume 26 (DNA: Multiprotein Interactions), New York, N.Y.: Academic Press, →ISBN, page 66:

The double-stranded insert and linearized vector are denatured, and the resulting single strands of DNA anneal with their overlapping ends and extend using each other as a template to form double-stranded circular plasmids with only two nicks, one on each single strand. [...] Lastly, the nicks are covalently closed upon transformation into E. coli using its natural repair processes.

2015, Lesley-Ann Giddings, David J. Newman, “Activating the Expression of Natural Product Biosynthetic Gene Clusters”, in Bioactive Compounds from Extremophiles: Genomic Studies, Biosynthetic Gene Clusters, and New Dereplication Methods (SpringerBriefs in Microbiology), Cham, Switzerland, Heidelberg: Springer, →DOI, →ISBN, →ISSN, section 2.2 (Heterologous Expression), page 13:

The nick translation process is simply a replication of DNA in vitro with DNA polymerase I (Klenow fragment) and radioactive nucleotide, which becomes incorporated into the duplicated DNA at a nick (break).

2015, Byong H. Lee, “Concepts and Tools for Recombinant DNA Technology”, in Fundamentals of Food Biotechnology, 2nd edition, Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, section 2.2.3 (Purpose of Gene Cloning), pages 172–173:

(genetics) One of the single-stranded DNA segments produced during nick translation.


NHL

Nenets Herding Laika
Nenets Herding Laika#English

(zoology, cynology) Initialism of Nenets Herding Laika.


PPV

en-noun

PPV (countable and uncountable, plural PPVs)

(biology) Porcine parvovirus, a virus causing reproductive failure of swine.


class

class (countable and uncountable, plural classes)

→ Assamese: ক্লাছ (klas)

desc

→ Bengali: ক্লাস (klaś), কেলাস (kelaś) — nonstandard

q

or from French <i class="Latn mention" lang="fr">classe</i>

→ Gulf Arabic: كلاس (klās) (or from French classe)

→ Hindustani:

Hindi: क्लास (klās)

Urdu: کلاس

→ Japanese: クラス (kurasu)

→ Korean: 클래스 (keullaeseu)

→ Nepali: क्लास (klās)

→ Scottish Gaelic: clas

→ Thai: คลาส (kláas)

→ Yoruba: kíláàsì

From Middle French classe, from Latin classis (“a class or division of the people, assembly of people, the whole body of citizens called to arms, the army, the fleet, later a class or division in general”), from Proto-Indo-European *kelh₁- (“to call, shout”). Doublet of clas and classis.

class action

class-action, class action lawsuit, class suit

Magnolias belong to the class Magnoliopsida.

(taxonomy, countable) A rank in the classification of organisms, below phylum and above order; a taxon of that rank.

klas

taxonomy: classification below Phylum and above Order


phylum

en-noun

phylum (plural phyla or (nonstandard) phylums)

phyla (plural)
phylums (nonstandard plural)

From Latin phylum, from Ancient Greek φῦλον (phûlon, “tribe, race”).

der

Mammals belong to the phylum Chordata.

While biologists are perpetually finding new species, they can almost always fit the organism into one of the existing taxonomic pigeonholes by which scientists classify life forms. The discovery of an organism so unusual that it needs its own phylum is an extremely rare event.

1995 December 14, Natalie Angier, “Flyspeck on a Lobster Lip Turns Biology on Its Ear”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

(taxonomy) A rank in the classification of organisms, below kingdom and above class; also called a divisio or a division, especially in describing plants; a taxon at that rank

filum

(biology, taxonomy) A rank in the classification of organisms, below kingdom and above class


genus

en-noun

genus (plural genera or (all nonstandard) genuses or genusses or genii)

genera (plural)
genuses (nonstandard plural)
genusses (nonstandard plural)
genii (nonstandard plural)

→ Malayalam: ജീനസ് (jīnasŭ)

→ Swahili: jenasi

→ Thai: สกุล (sà-gun) (semantic loan)

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁-
Proto-Indo-European *-os
Proto-Indo-European *ǵénh₁os
Latin genusbor.
English genus
Borrowed from Latin genus (“birth, origin, a race, sort, kind”) from the root gen- in Latin gignō (“to beget, produce”). Doublet of gender and genre, further related to kin.

genus

rank in a taxonomic classification between family and species

All magnolias belong to the genus Magnolia.

Other species of the genus Bos are often called cattle or wild cattle.

There are only two genera and species of seadragons.

Müller […] criticized the division of the "Jubuleae" into two families and he cited Jubula as an annectant genus.

1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page 6:

Other maloid genera with hard nutlets are Cotoneaster, Hesperomeles, Osteomeles, and Pyracantba, but each of these is quite different from Mespilus and Crataegus.

2003, James B. Phipps, Robert J. O'Kennon, Ronald W. Lance, Hawthorns and Medlars, Portland, O.R.: Timber Press, →ISBN, page 57:

(biology, taxonomy) A category in the classification of organisms, ranking below family (Lat. familia) and above species.

In most cases, at subsequent mentions of the binomial name you can abbreviate the genus with no danger of confusing the reader.

en:biotaxonomic rank above species
en:genus name


carbon

en-noun

carbon (countable and uncountable, plural carbons)

carbons (plural)
carbone (alternative obsolete)

→ Bengali: কার্বন (karbon)

→ Malay: karbon

→ Navajo: káábin

→ Welsh: carbon

Borrowed from French carbone, coined by Antoine Lavoisier, from Latin carbō, carbōnem (“charcoal, coal”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *kerh₃- (“to burn”). By surface analysis, carbo- + -on.

der

carbon neutral

carbon capture

If Alberta’s reserves are a carbon bomb, this global expansion of tar sands and oil shale exploitation amounts to an escalating emissions arms race, the unlocking of a subterranean cache of weapons of mass ecological destruction.

2014 April 25, Martin Lukacs, “Canada becoming launch-pad of a global tar sands and oil shale frenzy”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 190, number 20, page 13:

(ecology, climate change, uncountable) Ellipsis of carbon dioxide.


PBS

en-noun

PBS (countable and uncountable, plural PBSs)

phosphate-buffered saline
w:phosphate-buffered saline

(US, biology) Initialism of phosphate-buffered saline, a buffer solution commonly used in biological research.


uva

(botany) A small pulpy or juicy fruit containing several seeds and having a thin skin, such as a grape.


nucleus

Learned borrowing from Latin nucleus (“kernel, core”). The earliest uses refer to the head of a comet and the kernel of a seed, both recorded in Lexicon Technicum in 1704. The sense in atomic physics was coined by British scientist Michael Faraday in 1844 in a theoretical meaning.

coin

(cytology) A large membrane-enclosed organelle found in eukaryotic cells which contains genetic material.

selkern

cytology: large organelle found in cells


sexual

en-adj

sexual (comparative more sexual, superlative most sexual)

more sexual (comparative)
most sexual (superlative)

Japanese: セクシャル (sekusharu)

Etymology tree
Latin sexus
Proto-Italic *-ālis
Latin -ālis
Latin sexuālisbor.
English sexual
From Latin sexuālis, from sexus (“sex”), equivalent to sex + -ual.

seksuel

of or relating to sexual orientation, identity or preferences

sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts

(biology) Capable of sexual reproduction; sexed, sexuate.

սեռային

of or relating to the sex of an organism


sexual

(biology) A species which reproduces by sexual rather than asexual reproduction, or a member of such a species.


sex

en-verb

sex (third-person singular simple present sexes, present participle sexing, simple past and past participle sexed)

sexes (present singular third-person)
sexing (participle present)
sexed (participle past)
sexed (past)
sexe (alternative archaic)
s*x (alternative)

From Middle English sexe (“gender”), from Old French sexe (“genitals; gender”), from Latin sexus (“gender; gender traits; males or females; genitals”), from Proto-Italic *seksus, from Proto-Indo-European *séksus, from *sek- (“to cut, cut off, sever”), thus meaning "section, division" (into male and female).
Usage for women influenced by Middle French le sexe (“women”) (attested in 1580). Usage for third and additional sexes calqued from French troisième sexe, referring to masculine women in 1817 and homosexuals in 1847. First used by Lord Byron and others in English in reference to Catholic clergy. Usage for sexual intercourse first attested in 1899 (in the writings of H. G. Wells).

der

If we sex the cattle, which is the only way to get at their value, we shall have... 400 cows, 200 yearling heifers.

1878 January 19, Spirit of the Times, 659/2:

If, in fact, in L. funebris there is no sex marker on the song elements themselves, then a young bird must be able to sex its tutor. The same is true if the individuals were predisposed to produce the total vocabulary of any population, or of both sexes in their own population, and then under experience had to suppress a sex-specific subset of that repertoire [7]. It seems unrealistic to assume the reverse, that a parent bird can sex by some hidden cues newly hatched sexually monomorphic offspring and direct its own vocabulary to consexual young only.

1996 December 1, W. Wickler, K. Lunau, “How Do East African Bush Shrikes Laniarius funebris Recognize Male and Female Tutors During Gender Dialect Development?”, in Naturwissenschaften, volume 83, →DOI, pages 579b–c:

The ability to sex birds invasively through laparoscopy initially solved that problem, but now it is even easier and less stressful on the birds through testing the DNA of their feathers or blood.

2007, Clive Roots, Domestication, page 75:

Semen usually is sexed at 90% accuracy, and the sexes of calves at birth almost always are in that statistical range if averaged over […]

2013, David J Patterson, Michael T. Smith, Beef Heifer Development, An Issue of Veterinary Clinics: Food Animal Practice,, Elsevier Health Sciences, →ISBN:

(zoology, transitive) To determine the sex of (an animal).


exobiology

en-noun

exobiology (usually uncountable, plural exobiologies)

From exo- + biology, coined by American molecular biologist Joshua Lederberg.

coin

Biology has lately given rise to a new discipline: exobiology, the study of extraterrestrial life. Ever since 1959, when analysis of a piece of meteor substance showed traces of organic compounds, a controversy has raged as to whether these compounds came into the atmosphere with the meteorite or whether they originate on earth.

1973, Lyall Watson, Supernature, page ix. 310:

(biology, science fiction) The branch of biology dealing with lifeforms originating a different planet.

exobiologia

biology dealing with extraterrestrial lifeforms


Cr

(biochemistry) Abbreviation of creatine.

(biochemistry) Abbreviation of creatinine.


PG

en-noun

PG (countable and uncountable, plural PGs)

(biochemistry) Initialism of proteoglycan.


terminal

→ Bulgarian: термина́л (terminál)

→ Japanese: ターミナル (tāminaru)

→ Korean: 터미널 (teomineol)

desctree

→ Russian: термина́л (terminál)
→ Kazakh: терминал (terminal)

Borrowed from Late Latin terminalis (“pertaining to a boundary or to the end, terminal, final”), from Latin terminus (“a bound, boundary, limit, end”). See term, terminus.

термина́л

computing - the end of a line of signals

(biology) The end ramification (of an axon, etc.) or one of the extremities of a polypeptide.


omicron

/əʊˈmaɪkɹɒn/

/əʊˈmaɪkɹən/

/ˈoʊməˌkɹɑn/

/ˈoʊmɪˌkɹɑn/

Johann Bayer
Uranometria
en:omicron (disambiguation)

From Latin omicron, from Koine Greek ὂ μῑκρόν (ò mīkrón, “little o”), named in contrast with omega (“big o”). The uncommon form omicra is similarly borrowed from Latin and Greek. The use for designating stars in a constellation—typically in order of apparent brightness—began with Johann Bayer's 1603 Uranometria.

Omicron (alternative)
omikron (alternative)
Omikron (alternative)
o (alternative)
O (alternative)
Ο (alternative)
ο (alternative)

(virology, pathology) Ellipsis of Omicron variant.


bolt

en-verb

bolt (third-person singular simple present bolts, present participle bolting, simple past and past participle bolted)

bolts (present singular third-person)
bolting (participle present)
bolted (participle past)
bolted (past)

From Middle English bolt, from Old English bolt, from Proto-West Germanic *bolt, from Proto-Germanic *bultaz, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeld- (“to knock, strike”). Compare Lithuanian beldu (“I knock”), baldas (“pole for striking”). Akin to Dutch and West Frisian bout, German Bolz or Bolzen, Danish bolt, Swedish bult, Icelandic bolti.

der

Lettuce and spinach will bolt as the weather warms up.

When an onion bolts and forms a flower stalk, the stem grows right up through the neck, forming a tough, fibrous tube that pierces the center of the bulb. The plant channels all its energy into this flower stalk, so no more fleshy […]

1982, Dorothy Hinshaw Patent, Diane E. Bilderback, Garden Secrets: A Guide to Understanding how Your Garden Grows and how You Can Help it Grow Even Better, →ISBN:

To be honest, this hasn't been my Garden of Eden year. […] The lettuce turned bitter and bolted. The Green Comet broccoli was good, but my coveted Romanescos never headed up.

1995, Anne Raver, “Gandhi Gardening”, in Deep in the Green: An Exploration of Country Pleasures, New York, N.Y.: Alfred A. Knopf, →ISBN:

Hardneck garlic bolts, which means it produces a single flower stalk, also known as a scape. It is considered to be far tastier and “gourmet.” You can find hardneck garlic mainly at farmers' markets […]

2011, Trina Clickner, A Miscellany of Garlic: From Paying Off Pyramids and Scaring Away Tigers to Inspiring Courage and Curing Hiccups, the Unusual Power Behind the World's Most Humble Vegetable, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN:

(intransitive, botany, of lettuce, spinach, garlic, onion, etc) To produce flower stalks and flowers or seeds quickly or prematurely; to form a bolt (stalk or scape); to go to seed.

spinach; garlic; onion; etc; spinach; garlic; onion; etc


sole

→ Hebrew: סוֹל (sol)

From Middle English sole, soole, from Old English sole, solu. Reinforced by Anglo-Norman sole, Old French sole, from Vulgar Latin *sola (“bottom of the shoe”, also “flatfish”), from Latin solea (“sandal, bottom of the shoe”), from Proto-Indo-European *swol- (“sole”). Cognate with Dutch zool (“sole, tread”), German Sohle (“sole, insole, bottom, floor”), Danish sål (“sole”), Icelandic sóli (“sole, outsole”), Gothic 𐍃𐌿𐌻𐌾𐌰 (sulja, “sandal”). Related to Latin solum (“bottom, ground, soil”). More at soil.
Compare typologically Russian по́чва (póčva) akin to подо́шва (podóšva).

cog

The fishermen crowding in the cafés were also waiting for the end of the storm, when the fish, reassured, would rise to the surface after the bait. Soles, hog fish and skate were returning from their nocturnal expeditions. Day was now breaking.

1952, Nikos Kazantzakis, chapter 1, in Carl Wildman, transl., Zorba the Greek, New York, N.Y.: Simon & Schuster, translation of Βίος και πολιτεία του Αλέξη Ζορμπά [Víos kai politeía tou Aléxi Zormpá], →ISBN, page 3:

(zoology) Solea solea, a flatfish of the family Soleidae; a true sole.


function

From Middle French function, from Old French fonction, from Latin functiō (“performance, execution”), from functus, perfect participle of fungor (“to perform, execute, discharge”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewg- (“to enjoy”).

der

(biology) The physiological activity of an organ or body part.

фу́нкцыя

biology: physiological activity of an organ or body part


mt

(biology) Abbreviation of mitochondrial.


mt

(biology) Abbreviation of mitochondrion or mitochondria.


well

From Middle English welle, from Old English wielle (“well”), from Proto-West Germanic *wallijā, from Proto-Germanic *wallijǭ (“well, swirl, wave”), from Proto-Indo-European *welH- (“to turn; wind; roll”).
Cognate with West Frisian wel (“well”), Dutch wel (“well”), German Low German Well (“well”), German Welle (“wave”), Danish væld (“well; spring”), Swedish väl (“well”), Icelandic vella (“boiling; bubbling; eruption”).

cog

wool (interjection or unstressed, some accents)

the jug goes to the well until it breaks

the pitcher goes so often to the well that it is broken at last

you don't miss the water till the well runs dry

you never miss the water till the well runs dry

you never miss the water until the well runs dry

(biology) In a microtiter plate, each of the small equal circular or square sections which serve as test tubes.


bill

From Middle English bill, bil, bille, bile, from Old English bile (“beak (of a bird); trunk (of an elephant)”), of unknown origin. Perhaps from a special use of Old English bil, bill (“hook; sword”) (see below).

inh

The woosel cock so black of hue, With orange-tawny bill, The throstle with his note so true, The wren with little quill[…]

c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], line 125:

[…] The flesh [of the mistletoe berry] is sticky, and forms strings and ribbons between my thumb and forefinger. For the mistletoe, this viscous goop – and by the way, viscous comes to English from viscum – is crucial. The stickiness means that, after eating the berries, birds often regurgitate the seeds and then wipe their bills on twigs – leading to the seeds' getting glued to the tree, where they can germinate and begin the cycle anew.

2014 December 23, Olivia Judson, “The hemiparasite season [print version: Under the hemiparasite, International New York Times, 24–25 December 2014, page 7]”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 2014-12-23:

(zootomy) The beak of a bird, especially when small or flattish; sometimes also used with reference to a platypus, turtle, or other animal.


generic

en-adj

generic (comparative more generic, superlative most generic)

more generic (comparative)
most generic (superlative)
generick (alternative obsolete)

gendered

antonym(s) of “neither masculine nor feminine”

/d͡ʒɪˈnɛɹɪk/

From Middle French générique, from Latin genus (“genus, kind”) + -ic; thus morphologically parallel with, and a doublet of, general.

Holonym: familial

Meronyms: infrasubspecific, infraspecific, subspecific, specific

There are scores of generic names within the order Decapoda, which includes many sea creatures that are called shrimp.

(taxonomy) Pertaining to genera of life instead of particular species thereof.


acclimation

en-noun

acclimation (countable and uncountable, plural acclimations)

From acclimate + -ion. First attested in 1801.

(biology) The adaptation of an organism to its natural climatic environment.


champion

→ Danish: champion

→ German: Champion

→ Estonian: tšempion

→ Georgian: ჩემპიონი (čemṗioni)

→ Irish: seaimpín

→ Japanese: チャンピオン (chanpion)

→ Korean: 챔피언 (chaempieon)

→ Latvian: čempions

→ Lithuanian: čempionas

→ Polish: czempion

desctree

→ Russian: чемпио́н (čempión)
→ Armenian: չեմպիոն (čʻempion)
→ Azerbaijani: çempion
→ Crimean Tatar: çempion
→ Gagauz: çempion
→ Kazakh: чемпион (çempion)
→ Turkmen: çempion
→ Uzbek: chempion
→ Yakut: чемпион (cempion)

→ Sabah Malay: campin

→ Swahili: championi

→ Ukrainian: чемпіон (čempion)

→ Yiddish: טשעמפּיאָן (tshempyon)

Etymology tree
Proto-Italic *kampos
Latin campusbor.
Proto-West Germanic *kamp
Proto-Indo-European *-yéti
Proto-Germanic *-janą
Proto-West Germanic *-jan
Proto-West Germanic *kampijan
Proto-Germanic *-jô
Proto-West Germanic *-jō
Frankish *kampijōbor.
Medieval Latin campiō
Old French champiunbor.
Middle English champioun
English champion
From Middle English champioun, from Old French champion, from Medieval Latin campio (“combatant in a duel, champion”), from Frankish *kampijō (“fighter”), from Proto-West Germanic *kampijō (“combat soldier”), a derivative of Proto-West Germanic *kampijan (“to battle, to campaign”), itself a derivative of Proto-West Germanic *kamp (“battlefield, battle”), ultimately a borrowing in West-Germanic from Latin campus (“a field, a plain, a place of action”). By surface analysis champ + -ion.

kampion

someone who has been winner in a contest

җиңеп чыгучы

ciñep çığuçı

өстен чыгучы

östen çığuçı

Pictured above is an actual photograph of a Regal Lily that famed all over the world. It's a champion plant—because in one season it produced a total of 89 blooms from one bulb, an amazing record among lilies.

1938 November 5, Puritan Cordage Mills, “Take a Lesson from a Lily”, in Elmer C. Hole, editor, American Lumberman, volume 65, number 3138, Chicago, page 55:

There was a news clipping there with a photo of a magnificent American elm, which had just been named the champion for its species, the largest of its kind.

2013, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass, 1st edition, Milkweed Editions, →ISBN, →LCCN, pages 43–44:

He [Matthew Olson] was searching for red maple trees to be tapped for syrup as part of the Stockton Maple Project when he came across the new champion tree.

2022 February 10, Christopher Doyle, “Stockton professor, students discover largest 'champion tree' in New Jersey”, in The Press of Alantic City, archived from the original on 2022-02-10:

(botany) A particularly notable member of a plant species, such as one of great size.


eukaryote

head

eukaryote (plural eukaryotes or eukarya)

eukaryotes (plural)
eukarya (plural)
eucaryot (alternative)
eucaryote (alternative)
eukaryot (alternative)

Borrowed from French eucaryote; equivalent to eu- + karyon + -ote.

It is now clear that among organisms there are two different organizational patterns of cells, which Chatton (1937) called, with singuar prescience, the eucaryotic and procaryotic type.

1962 March, Roger Stanier, “The concept of a bacterium”, in Archiv für Mikrobiologie, volume 42, number 1, page 17:

(cytology) Any of the single-celled or multicellular organisms of the taxonomic domain Eukaryota, whose cells contain at least one distinct nucleus.

حقيقيات النوى

any of the single-celled or multicellular organisms whose cells contain at least one distinct nucleus


maintenance

en-noun

maintenance (usually uncountable, plural maintenances)

From Middle English mayntenaunce, from Old French maintenance, from maintenir, from Latin manus tenēre (“to hold in the hand”). By surface analysis, maintain + -ance.
Note that maintain has undergone a sound and spelling change, hence is spelt with -tain-, rather than the -ten- still found in maintenance.

der

(biology) The natural process which keeps an organism alive.


BSA

(biochemistry) Initialism of bovine serum albumin.


lavaret

en-noun

lavaret (countable and uncountable, plural lavarets)

From French lavaret, from Late Latin levaricinus.

Coregonus lavaretus
Coregonus lavaretus#Translingual

(zoology) A European whitefish Coregonus lavaretus, found in the mountain lakes of Sweden, Germany, and Switzerland, and in the archipelago in the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Finland.


endogamy

endogamy (usually uncountable, plural endogamies)

(biology) The fusion of two related gametes.


laurel

laurel (countable and uncountable, plural laurels)

Inherited from Middle English laurer, laurel, from Anglo-Norman lorer, from Old French lorier, from Vulgar Latin *laurārius, from Latin laurus (“laurel”). Doublet of loureiro.

(botany) Any plant of the family Lauraceae.

(botany) Any of various plants of other families that resemble laurels.


lauraceous

en-adj

lauraceous (comparative more lauraceous, superlative most lauraceous)

more lauraceous (comparative)
most lauraceous (superlative)

/ˌlɔɹˈeɪ.ʃəs/

From Lauraceae, from Latin laurus (“laurel”).

(botany) Belonging to, or resembling, a natural order (Lauraceae) of trees and shrubs having aromatic bark and foliage, and including laurel, sassafras, cinnamon, true camphor, etc.


plane

planes (plural)
'plane (alternative dated)

(entomology) Any of various nymphalid butterflies, of various genera, having a slow gliding flight.

(entomology) The butterfly Bindahara phocides, family Lycaenidae, of Asia and Australasia.


arrow

From Middle English arwe, from Old English earh (oblique form ēarw-), from Proto-West Germanic *arhu, from Proto-Germanic *arhwō, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂érkʷo- (“bow, arrow”). Cognate with Faroese ørv (“arrow”), Icelandic ör (“arrow”), örvar (“arrows”), Gothic 𐌰𐍂𐍈𐌰𐌶𐌽𐌰 (arƕazna, “dart”), Latin arcus (“bow”).

der

When the bulb of the “blowing ball” is operated, a gentle spray, much like what happens in Nature when a sugar cane arrow is shaken by the wind or gently tapped, is given out at the free end of the capsule and can be directed to any portion of the arrow as desired.

1921, The Louisiana Planter and Sugar Manufacturer, volume 67, page 187:

(botany) The inflorescence or tassel of a mature sugar cane plant.