Chapter Backpiece to Baff of B by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

Bacon
(Ba"con) n. [OF. bacon, fr. OHG. bacho, bahho, flitch of bacon, ham; akin to E. back. Cf. Back the back side.] The back and sides of a pig salted and smoked; formerly, the flesh of a pig salted or fresh.

Bacon beetle (Zoöl.), a beetle (Dermestes lardarius) which, especially in the larval state, feeds upon bacon, woolens, furs, etc. See Dermestes. — To save one's bacon, to save one's self or property from harm or loss. [Colloq.]

Baconian
(Ba*co"ni*an) a. Of or pertaining to Lord Bacon, or to his system of philosophy.

Baconian method, the inductive method. See Induction.

Bacteria
(Bac*te"ri*a) n. pl. See Bacterium.

Bacterial
(Bac*te"ri*al) a. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to bacteria.

Bactericidal
(Bac*te"ri*ci`dal) a. Destructive of bacteria.

Bactericide
(Bac*te"ri*cide) n. [Bacterium + L. caedere to kill] (Biol.) Same as Germicide.

Bacteriological
(Bac*te"ri*o*log`ic*al) a. Of or pertaining to bacteriology; as, bacteriological studies.

Bacteriologist
(Bac*te"ri*ol`o*gist), n. One skilled in bacteriology.

Bacteriology
(Bac*te"ri*ol`o*gy) n. [Bacterium + -logy.] (Biol.) The science relating to bacteria.

Bacterioscopic
(Bac*te`ri*o*scop"ic) a. (Biol.) Relating to bacterioscopy; as, a bacterioscopic examination.

Bacterioscopist
(Bac*te`ri*os"co*pist) n. (Biol.) One skilled in bacterioscopic examinations.

Bacterioscopy
(Bac*te`ri*os"co*py) n. [Bacterium + -scopy.] (Biol.) The application of a knowledge of bacteria for their detection and identification, as in the examination of polluted water.

Bacterium
(Bac*te"ri*um) n.; pl. Bacteria [NL., fr. Gr. bakth`rion, bak`tron, a staff: cf. F. bactérie.] (Biol.) A microscopic vegetable organism, belonging to the class Algæ, usually in the form of a jointed rodlike filament, and found in putrefying organic infusions. Bacteria are destitute of chlorophyll, and are the smallest of microscopic organisms. They are very widely diffused in nature, and multiply with marvelous rapidity, both by fission and by spores. Certain species are active agents in fermentation, while others appear to be the cause of certain infectious diseases. See Bacillus.

Bacteroid
(Bac"te*roid Bac`te*roid"al) a. [Bacterium + -oid.] (Biol.) Resembling bacteria; as, bacteroid particles.

Bactrian
(Bac"tri*an) a. Of or pertaining to Bactria in Asia. — n. A native of Bactria.

Bactrian camel, the two-humped camel.

Bacule
(Bac"ule) n. [F.] (Fort.) See Bascule.

Baculine
(Bac"u*line) a. [L. baculum staff.] Of or pertaining to the rod or punishment with the rod.

Baculite
(Bac"u*lite) n. [L. baculum stick, staff; cf. F. baculite.] (Paleon.) A cephalopod of the extinct genus Baculites, found fossil in the Cretaceous rocks. It is like an uncoiled ammonite.

Baculometry
(Bac`u*lom"e*try) n. [L. baculum staff + -metry.] Measurement of distance or altitude by a staff or staffs.