Melanosperm to Meloe
Melanosperm
(Me*lan"o*sperm) n. [Gr. me`las, -anos, black + spe`rma seed.] (Bot.) An alga of any
kind that produces blackish spores, or seed dust. The melanosperms include the rockweeds and all
kinds of kelp. — Mel`a*no*sper"mous a.
Melanotic
(Mel`a*not"ic) a. Melanistic.
Melanotype
(Me*lan"o*type) n. [Gr. me`las, -anos, black + -type.] (Photog.) A positive picture produced
with sensitized collodion on a smooth surface of black varnish, coating a thin plate of iron; also, the process
of making such a picture. [Written also melainotype.]
Melanterite
(Me*lan"ter*ite) n. (Min.) A hydrous sulphate of iron of a green color and vitreous luster; iron
vitriol.
Melanure
(Mel"a*nure) n. [NL. melanurus, fr. Gr. me`las, -anos, black + o'ura` tail.] (Zoöl.) A small
fish of the Mediterranean; a gilthead. See Gilthead (a).
Melanuric
(Mel`a*nu"ric) a. [Melam + urea.] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, a complex nitrogenous
acid obtained by decomposition of melam, or of urea, as a white crystalline powder; — called also melanurenic
acid.
Melaphyre
(Mel"a*phyre) n. [F., fr. Gr. me`las, -anos, black + porphyre porphyry.] (Min.) Any one of
several dark-colored augitic, eruptive rocks allied to basalt.
Melasma
(||Me*las"ma) n. [NL., fr. Gr. black spot.] (Med.) A dark discoloration of the skin, usually
local; as, Addison's melasma, or Addison's disease. — Me*las"mic a.
Melasses
(Me*las"ses) n. See Molasses.
Melassic
(Me*las"sic) a. [See Molasses.] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained
from molasses or glucose, and probably identical with saccharic acid. See Saccharic.
Melastoma
(||Me*las"to*ma) n. [NL., fr. Gr. me`las black + sto`ma mouth.] (Bot.) A genus of evergreen
tropical shrubs; — so called from the black berries of some species, which stain the mouth.
Melastomaceous
(Mel`a*sto*ma"ceous) a. (Bot.) Belonging to the order of which Melastoma is the
type.
Melchite
(Mel"chite) n. [Heb. melek king.] (Eccl. Hist.) One of a sect, chiefly in Syria and Egypt,
which acknowledges the authority of the pope, but adheres to the liturgy and ceremonies of the Eastern
Church.
Meleagrine
(Mel`e*a"grine) a. (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the genus Meleagris.
Meleagris
(||Mel`e*a"gris) n. [L., the Guinea fowl.] (Zoöl.) A genus of American gallinaceous birds, including
the common and the wild turkeys.
Mêlée
(||Mê`lée") n. [F., fr. mêler to mix. See Meddle, Mell, and cf. Mellay.] A fight in which the combatants
are mingled in one confused mass; a hand to hand conflict; an affray.
Melena
(||Me*le"na) n. (Med.) See Melæna.
Melene
(Mel"ene) n. [Melissic + ethylene.] (Chem.) An unsaturated hydrocarbon, C30H60, of the ethylene
series, obtained from beeswax as a white, scaly, crystalline wax; — called also melissene, and melissylene.
Melenite
(Mel"e*nite) n. [Gr. me`li honey.] An explosive of great destructive power; — so called from
its color, which resembles honey.
