Proleg
(Pro"leg) n. [Pref. pro- for, in place of + leg.] (Zoöl.) One of the fleshy legs found on the abdominal
segments of the larvæ of Lepidoptera, sawflies, and some other insects. Those of Lepidoptera have a
circle of hooks. Called also proped, propleg, and falseleg.
Prolegate
(Pro"leg`ate) n. [L. prolegatus; pro for + legatus legate.] (Rom. Hist.) The deputy or substitute
for a legate.
Prolegomenary
(Prol`e*gom"e*na*ry) a. Of the nature of a prolegomenon; preliminary; introductory; prefatory.
Prolegomenon
(||Prol`e*gom"e*non) n.; pl. Prolegomena [ NL., fr. Gr. properly neut. pass. p. pr.
of to say beforehand; before + to say.] A preliminary remark or observation; an introductory discourse
prefixed to a book or treatise. D. Stokes Sir W. Scott.
Prolepsis
(||Pro*lep"sis) n. [L., fr. Gr. from to take beforehand; before + to take.]
1. (Rhet.) (a) A figure by which objections are anticipated or prevented. Abp. Bramhall. (b) A necessary
truth or assumption; a first or assumed principle.
2. (Chron.) An error in chronology, consisting in an event being dated before the actual time.
3. (Gram.) The application of an adjective to a noun in anticipation, or to denote the result, of the action
of the verb; as, to strike one dumb.
Proleptic
(Pro*lep"tic Pro*lep"tic*al) a. proleptique.]—>
1. Of or pertaining to prolepsis; anticipative. "A far-seeing or proleptic wisdom." De Quincey.
2. Previous; antecedent. Glanvill.
3. (Med.) Anticipating the usual time; — applied to a periodical disease whose paroxysms return at an
earlier hour at every repetition.
Proleptically
(Pro*lep"tic*al*ly), adv. In a proleptical manner.
Proleptics
(Pro*lep"tics) n. (Med.) The art and science of predicting in medicine. Laycock.
Prolétaire
(||Pro`lé`taire") n. [F. See Proletary.] One of the common people; a low person; also, the common
people as a class or estate in a country.
Proletaneous
(Prol`e*ta"ne*ous) a. [L. proletaneus.] Having a numerous offspring. [R.]
Proletarian
(Prol`e*ta"ri*an) a. [L. proletarius. See Proletary.] Of or pertaining to the proletaries; belonging
to the commonalty; hence, mean; vile; vulgar. "Every citizen, if he were not a proletarian animal kept at
the public cost." De Quincey. — n. A proletary.
Proletariat
(Prol`e*ta"ri*at) n. [F.] The indigent class in the State; the body of proletarians.
Proletariate
(Prol`e*ta"ri*ate) n. The lower classes; beggars. "The Italian proletariate." J. A. Symonds.
Proletary
(Prol"e*ta*ry) n.; pl. Proletaries [ L. proletarius, fr. proles offspring. Cf. Prolétaire.] (Rom.
Antiq.) A citizen of the lowest class, who served the state, not with property, but only by having children; hence,
a common person.
Prolicide
(Prol"i*cide) n. [L. proles offspring + caedere to kill.] The crime of destroying one's offspring,
either in the womb or after birth. Bouvier.
Proliferate
(Pro*lif"er*ate) v. t. [L. proles offspring + ferre to bear.]
