n. 1. branched gram-positive bacteria, often found in soil, some of which are pathogenic for humans and animals. some species have been found to produce metabolites which are useful in medicine. Many species of these bacteria have been isolated and extensively screened by pharmaceutical companies and university research groups for production of useful therapeutic agents. Among the agent produced by actinomycetes are tetracyclines, streptomycin, avermectin, and thienamycin [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. 1 any fungus of the class Ascomycetes (or subdivision Ascomycota) in which the spores are formed inside an ascus.
Syn. -- ascomycetous fungus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. 1 large class of higher fungi .
Syn. -- class Ascomycetes. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. pl. [ NL.; ascus + Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, fungus. ] (Bot.) A large class of higher fungi distinguished by septate hyphæ, and by having their spores formed in asci, or spore sacs; the sac fungi. It comprises many orders, among which are the yeasts, molds, mildews, truffles, morels, etc. The class is coextensive with the phylum Ascomycota. -- As`co*my*ce"tous a. [Webster 1913 Suppl. + WordNet 1.5]

n. 1. any of various fungi of the subdivision Basidiomycota.
Syn. -- basidiomycetous fungi. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. pl. a phylum of fungi with the Basidiomycota [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

n. any of various yeastlike budding fungi of the genus Blastomyces; -- they may cause disease in humans and other animals. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. [ L., pl. ] (Zool.) One of the Cetacea, or collectively, the Cetacea. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Cete. ] (Chem.) An oily hydrocarbon, C16H32, of the ethylene series, obtained from spermaceti. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. cétérac, fr. Ar. shetrak. ] (Bot.) A species of fern with fronds (Asplenium Ceterach). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. citoal, F. zedoaire. See Zedoary. ] Same as Zedoary. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. L. dens, dentis, tooth + cetus, pl. cete, whale, Gr. &unr_;. ] (Zool.) The division of Cetacea in which the teeth are developed, including the sperm whale, dolphins, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ ‖ ‖ } [ L. et and + caetera other things. ] Others of the like kind; and the rest; and so on; -- used to point out that other things which could be mentioned are to be understood. Usually abbreviated into etc. or &c. (&c.) Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a class used in some classifications, which is coextensive with the division Eumycota.
Syn. -- class Eumycetes. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

a. [ L. facetus elegant, fine, facetious; akin to facies. See Face, and cf. Facetious. ] Facetious; witty; humorous. [ Archaic ] “A facete discourse.” Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

“How to interpose” with a small, smart remark, sentiment facete, or unctuous anecdote. Prof. Wilson.

-- Fa*cete"ly, adv. -- Fa*cete"ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having facets. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., from Gr. &unr_; stomach + &unr_; a mushroom. ] (Bot.) An order of fungi, in which the spores are borne inside a sac called the peridium, as in the puffballs. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A category used in some classification systems for various basidiomycetous fungi including e.g. mushrooms and puffballs which are usually placed in the classes Gasteromycetes and Hymenomycetes.
Syn. -- subclass Homobasidiomycetes. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; a membrane + &unr_;, &unr_;, a mushroom. ] (Bot.) One of the great divisions of fungi, containing those species in which the hymenium is completely exposed. M. J. Berkley. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; a web + &unr_;, &unr_;, a mushroom. ] (Bot.) One of the great division of fungi, containing those species which have naked spores borne on free or only fasciculate threads. M. J. Berkley. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL.; meso- + mycetes. ] (Bot.) One of the three classes into which the fungi are divided in Brefeld's classification. -- Mes`o*my*ce"tous a. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. mykhth`s a bellower, fr. myka^sqai to bellow. ] (Zool.) A genus of South American monkeys, including the howlers. See Howler, 2, and Illust. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. my`stax the upper lip, also, the mustache + kh^tos a whale. ] (Zool.) Any right whale, or whalebone whale. See Cetacea. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Biol.) an organism of the class Myxomycetes.
Syn. -- true slime mold, acellular slime mold, plasmodial slime mold. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. pl. [ NL.; Gr. &unr_; mucus, slime + myceles. ] (Bot.) A class of peculiar organisms, the slime molds, formerly regarded as animals (Mycetozoa), but now generally thought to be plants and often separated as a distinct phylum (Myxophyta); essentially equivalent to the division Myxomycota. They are found on damp earth and decaying vegetable matter, and consist of naked masses of protoplasm, often of considerable size, which creep very slowly over the surface and ingest solid food. -- Myx`o*my*ce"tous a.
Syn. -- true slime molds, acellular slime molds, plasmodial slime molds. [Webster 1913 Suppl. + WordNet 1.5]

‖n. pl. [ NL., from Gr. 'odoy`s, 'odo`ntos, a tooth + kh^tos a whale. ] (Zool.) A subdivision of Cetacea, including the sperm whale, dolphins, etc.; the toothed whales. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A genus of fowl including the sharp-tailed grouse (Pedioecetes phasianellus, also called the prairie chicken).
Syn. -- genus Pedioecetes. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. pl. [ NL.; Gr. fy^kos seaweed + mycetes. ] (Bot.) A large, important class of parasitic or saprophytic fungi, the algal or algalike fungi. The plant body ranges from an undifferentiated mass of protoplasm to a well-developed and much-branched mycelium. Reproduction is mainly sexual, by the formation of conidia or sporangia; but the group shows every form of transition from this method through simple conjugation to perfect sexual reproduction by egg and sperm in the higher forms. -- Phy`co*my*ce"tous a. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

‖n. pl. (Biol.) A family of fungi consisting of the one genus Saccharomyces. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl., [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; to split + &unr_;, -&unr_;, a fungus. ] (Biol.) An order of Schizophyta, including the so-called fission fungi, or bacteria. See Schizophyta, in the Supplement. [ 1913 Webster ]