. [ Gr. 'amfi`. ] A prefix in words of Greek origin, signifying both, of both kinds, on both sides, about, around. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. amphi- + arthrodial. ] Characterized by amphiarthrosis. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ NL., fr. Gr. 'amfi` + &unr_; a joining, &unr_; a joint. ] (Anat.) A form of articulation in which the bones are connected by intervening substance admitting slight motion; symphysis. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ NL., fr. Gr. 'amfi` + 'asth`r a star. ] (Biol.) The achromatic figure, formed in mitotic cell-division, consisting of two asters connected by a spindle-shaped bundle of rodlike fibers diverging from each aster, and called the spindle. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ See Amphibium. ] (Zool.) One of the classes of vertebrates. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The Amphibia are distinguished by having usually no scales, by having eggs and embryos similar to those of fishes, and by undergoing a complete metamorphosis, the young having gills. There are three living orders: (1) The tailless, as the frogs (Anura); (2) The tailed (Urodela), as the salamanders, and the siren group (Sirenoidea), which retain the gills of the young state (hence called Perennibranchiata) through the adult state, among which are the siren, proteus, etc.; (3) The Cœcilians, or serpentlike Amphibia (Ophiomorpha or Gymnophiona), with minute scales and without limbs. The extinct Labyrinthodonts also belonged to this class. The term is sometimes loosely applied to both reptiles and amphibians collectively. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & n. Amphibian. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Of or pertaining to the Amphibia; as, amphibian reptiles. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) One of the Amphibia. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to amphibiology. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; amphibious + -logy: cf. F. amphibiologie. ] A treatise on amphibious animals; the department of natural history which treats of the Amphibia. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. 'amfi` + biwtiko`s pertaining to life. ] (Zool.) A division of insects having aquatic larvæ. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. 'amfi`bios living a double life, i. e., both on land in water; 'amfi` + bi`os life. ] 1. Having the ability to live both on land and in water, as frogs, crocodiles, beavers, and some plants. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Pertaining to, adapted for, or connected with, both land and water. [ 1913 Webster ]

The amphibious character of the Greeks was already determined: they were to be lords of land and sea. Hare. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Of a mixed nature; partaking of two natures. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not in free and common socage, but in this amphibious subordinate class of villein socage. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Like an amphibious being. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. L. Amphibia E. Amphibiums [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; (sc. &unr_; an animal). See Amphibious. ] An amphibian. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. 'amfi` + blastiko`s tending to sprout. ] (Biol.) Segmenting unequally; -- said of telolecithal ova with complete segmentation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. 'amfi`bolos doubtful, equivocal, fr. 'amfiba`llein to throw round, to doubt: cf. F. amphibole. Haüy so named the genus from the great variety of color and composition assumed by the mineral. ] (Min.) A common mineral embracing many varieties varying in color and in composition. It occurs in monoclinic crystals; also massive, generally with fibrous or columnar structure. The color varies from white to gray, green, brown, and black. It is a silicate of magnesium and calcium, with usually aluminium and iron. Some common varieties are tremolite, actinolite, asbestus, edenite, hornblende (the last name being also used as a general term for the whole species). Amphibole is a constituent of many crystalline rocks, as syenite, diorite, most varieties of trachyte, etc. See Hornblende. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Of or pertaining to amphiboly; ambiguous; equivocal. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Of or resembling the mineral amphibole. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a metamorphic rock composed chiefly of amphibole and plagioclase. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Of doubtful meaning; ambiguous. “Amphibological expressions.” Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Am*phib`o*log"ic*al*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n.; pl. Amphibologies [ L. amphibologia, for amphibolia, fr. Gr. 'amfiboli`a, with the ending -logia as if fr. Gr. 'amfi`bolos ambiguous + lo`gos speech: cf. F. amphibologie. See Amphiboly. ] A phrase, discourse, or proposition, susceptible of two interpretations; and hence, of uncertain meaning. It differs from equivocation, which arises from the twofold sense of a single term. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. amphibolus, Gr. &unr_; thrown about, doubtful. See Amphibole. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Ambiguous; doubtful. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Never was there such an amphibolous quarrel -- both parties declaring themselves for the king. Howell. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Logic) Capable of two meanings. [ 1913 Webster ]

An amphibolous sentence is one that is capable of two meanings, not from the double sense of any of the words, but from its admitting of a double construction; e. g., “The duke yet lives that Henry shall depose.” Whately. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Amphibolies [ L. amphibolia, Gr. &unr_;: cf. OE. amphibolie. See Amphibolous. ] Ambiguous discourse; amphibology. [ 1913 Webster ]

If it oracle contrary to our interest or humor, we will create an amphiboly, a double meaning where there is none. Whitlock. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. &unr_;, Gr. &unr_; short at both ends; 'amfi` + brachy`s short. ] (Anc. Pros.) A foot of three syllables, the middle one long, the first and last short (˘ -- ˘); as, hăbēr&ebreve_;. In modern prosody the accented syllable takes the place of the long and the unaccented of the short; as, pro-phet&bprime_;ic. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Gr. 'amfi` + karpo`s fruit. ] (Bot.) Producing fruit of two kinds, either as to form or time of ripening. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. 'amfi` + &unr_; color. ] (Chem.) Exhibiting or producing two colors, as substances which in the color test may change red litmus to blue and blue litmus to red. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Gr. &unr_; hollowed all round; 'amfi` + &unr_; hollow. ] (Zool.) Having both ends concave; biconcave; -- said of vertebræ. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; with hair all round; 'amfi` + &unr_; hair. ] A kind of figured stone, rugged and beset with eminences, anciently used in divination. [ Obs. ] Encyc. Brit. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_;. ] Of or pertaining to the Amphictyons or their League or Council; as, an Amphictyonic town or state; the Amphictyonic body. W. Smith. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. [ L. Amphictyones, Gr. &unr_;. Prob. the word was orig. &unr_; dwellers around, neighbors. ] (Grecian Hist.) Deputies from the confederated states of ancient Greece to a congress or council. They considered both political and religious matters. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Amphictyonies [ Gr. &unr_;. ] (Grecian Hist.) A league of states of ancient Greece; esp. the celebrated confederation known as the Amphictyonic Council. Its object was to maintain the common interests of Greece. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. 'a`mfw both: cf. F. amphide. ] (Chem.) A salt of the class formed by the combination of an acid and a base, or by the union of two oxides, two sulphides, selenides, or tellurides, as distinguished from a haloid compound. [ R. ] Berzelius. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. 'amfi` + di`skos a round plate. ] (Zool.) A peculiar small siliceous spicule having a denticulated wheel at each end; -- found in freshwater sponges. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. 'amfi`dromos running about or around. ] Pertaining to an Attic festival at the naming of a child; -- so called because the friends of the parents carried the child around the hearth and then named it. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. 'amfi` + &unr_; marriage. ] (Bot.) Having a structure entirely cellular, and no distinct sexual organs; -- a term applied by De Candolle to the lowest order of plants. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. 'amfi` + &unr_;, &unr_;, the earth. ] Extending over all the zones, from the tropics to the polar zones inclusive. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. 'amfi` + -gen: cf. F. amphigène. ] (Chem.) An element that in combination produces amphid salt; -- applied by Berzelius to oxygen, sulphur, selenium, and tellurium. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Min.) Leucite. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. 'amfi` + &unr_; generation. ] (Biol.) Sexual generation; amphigony. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Bot.) Increasing in size by growth on all sides, as the lichens. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to amphigony; sexual; as, amphigonic propagation. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. 'amfi` + &unr_; a begetting. ] Relating to both parents. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Sexual propagation. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Amphigory. ] Nonsensical; absurd; pertaining to an amphigory. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. amphigouri, of uncertain derivation; perh. fr. Gr. 'amfi` + &unr_; a circle. ] A nonsense verse; a rigmarole, with apparent meaning, which on further attention proves to be meaningless. [ Written also amphigouri. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ Gr. &unr_; + -logy. ] Ambiguity of speech; equivocation. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. amphimacrus, Gr. &unr_;; 'amfi` on both sides + &unr_; long. ] (Anc. Pros.) A foot of three syllables, the middle one short and the others long, as in cāst&ibreve_;tās. Andrews. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. 'amfi` + &unr_; sinew, nerve. ] (Zool.) A division of Mollusca remarkable for the bilateral symmetry of the organs and the arrangement of the nerves. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 a family comprising the lancelets.
Syn. -- family Amphioxidae, Branchiostomidae, family Branchiostomidae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. 'amfi` + &unr_; sharp. ] (Zool.) A fishlike creature (Amphioxus lanceolatus), two or three inches long, found in temperature seas; -- also called the lancelet. Its body is pointed at both ends. It is the lowest and most generalized of the vertebrates, having neither brain, skull, vertebræ, nor red blood. It forms the type of the group Acrania, Leptocardia, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. 'amfi` + &unr_; one who breathes, &unr_; to breathe. ] (Zool.) One of a tribe of Amphibia, which have both lungs and gills at the same time, as the proteus and siren. [ 1913 Webster ]