‖n. [ NL.; L. adeps, adipis, fat + Gr. ly`sis a loosing. ] (Physiol.) The digestion of fats. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. [ L. adeps, adipis, fat + Gr. &unr_; to loose. ] (Chem.) Hydrolyzing fats; converting neutral fats into glycerin and free fatty acids, esp. by the action of an enzyme; as, adipolytic action. Contrast saponify, to hydrolyze fat by the action of an alkali. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

pos>n. (Biochemistry, Genetics) an enzyme that catalyzes the formation of DNA from deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates. Cells contain several types of DNA polymerase, some of which are required for replication of DNA, and are indispensable for multipliation and division of cells. [ PJC ]

adj. of or pertaining to Malayo-Polynesia. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n.; pl. Monopolies [ L. monopolium, Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;; mo`nos alone + &unr_; to sell. ] 1. The exclusive power, or privilege of selling a commodity; the exclusive power, right, or privilege of dealing in some article, or of trading in some market; sole command of the traffic in anything, however obtained; as, the proprietor of a patented article is given a monopoly of its sale for a limited time; chartered trading companies have sometimes had a monopoly of trade with remote regions; a combination of traders may get a monopoly of a particular product. [ 1913 Webster ]

Raleigh held a monopoly of cards, Essex a monopoly of sweet wines. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Exclusive possession; as, a monopoly of land. [ 1913 Webster ]

If I had a monopoly out, they would have part on 't. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The commodity or other material thing to which the monopoly relates; as, tobacco is a monopoly in France. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Mono- + Gr. poly`s many + lo`gos speech. ] An exhibition in which an actor sustains many characters. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. polium, the name of a plant, perhaps Teucrium polium, Gr. &unr_;. ] (Bot.) A whitish woolly plant (Teucrium Polium) of the order Labiatæ, found throughout the Mediterranean region. The name, with sundry prefixes, is sometimes given to other related species of the same genus. [ Spelt also poley. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Poly mountain. See Poly-mountain, in Vocabulary. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ See Full, a. ] A combining form or prefix from Gr. poly`s, many; as, polygon, a figure of many angles; polyatomic, having many atoms; polychord, polyconic. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Poly- + acid. ] (Chem.) Capable of neutralizing, or of combining with, several molecules of a monobasic acid; having more than one hydrogen atom capable of being replaced by acid radicals; -- said of certain bases; as, calcium hydrate and glycerin are polyacid bases. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Poly- + acoustic: cf. F. polyacoustique. ] Multiplying or magnifying sound. -- n. A polyacoustic instrument. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The art of multiplying or magnifying sounds. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Polyacra E. Polyacrons [ NL., fr. Gr. poly`s many + 'a`kron summit. ] (Geom.) A solid having many summits or angular points; a polyhedron. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. See Poly-, and Actinia. ] (Zool.) An old name for those Anthozoa which, like the actinias, have numerous simple tentacles. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. poly`s many + &unr_; brother. ] (Bot.) A Linnæan class of plants having stamens united in three or more bodies or bundles by the filaments. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. (Bot.) Belonging to the class Polyadelphia; having stamens united in three or more bundles. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. See Polyandry. ] (Bot.) A Linnæan class of monoclinous or hermaphrodite plants, having many stamens, or any number above twenty, inserted in the receptacle. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Bot.) Polyandrous. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. polyandrique. ] Pertaining to, or characterized by, polyandry; mating with several males. “Polyandric societies.” H. Spencer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Bot.) Belonging to the class Polyandria; having many stamens, or any number above twenty, inserted in the receptacle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Poly- + Gr. 'anh`r, 'andro`s, man, male: cf. F. polyandrie. ] The possession by a woman of more than one husband at the same time; -- contrasted with monandry. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In law, this falls under the head of polygamy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Polyanthuses [ NL., fr. Gr. poly`anqos rich in flowers; poly`s many + 'a`nqos flower. ] [ Written also polyanthos. ] (Bot.) (a) The oxlip. So called because the peduncle bears a many-flowered umbel. See Oxlip. (b) A bulbous flowering plant of the genus Narcissus (Narcissus Tazetta, or Narcissus polyanthus of some authors). See Illust. of Narcissus. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who advocates polyarchy; -- opposed to monarchist. Cudworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Poly- + -archy: cf. F. polyarchie. Cf. Polarchy. ] A government by many persons, of whatever order or class. Cudworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Poly- + atomic. ] (Chem.) (a) Having more than one atom in the molecule; consisting of several atoms. (b) Having a valence greater than one. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Poly- + autography. ] The act or practice of multiplying copies of one's own handwriting, or of manuscripts, by printing from stone, -- a species of lithography. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Poly- + basic. ] (Chem.) Capable of neutralizing, or of combining with, several molecules of a monacid base; having several hydrogen atoms capable of being replaced by basic radicals; -- said of certain acids; as, sulphuric acid is polybasic. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Polybasic. ] (Min.) An iron-black ore of silver, consisting of silver, sulphur, and antimony, with some copper and arsenic. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. See Poly-, and Branchia. ] (Zool.) A division of Nudibranchiata including those which have numerous branchiæ on the back. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Poly- + bromide. ] (Chem.) A bromide containing more than one atom of bromine in the molecule. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Bot.) Composed of several or numerous carpels; -- said of such fruits as the orange. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Poly- + Gr. &unr_; fruit. ] (Bot.) (a) Bearing fruit repeatedly, or year after year. (b) Having several pistils in one flower. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., from Gr. poly`s many + &unr_; hair. ] (Zool.) One of the two principal groups of Chætopoda. It includes those that have prominent parapodia and fascicles of setæ. See Illust. under Parapodia. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Poly- + chloride. ] (Chem.) A chloride containing more than one atom of chlorine in the molecule. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; wide-ruling. ] A government by many chiefs, princes, or rules. [ Obs. ] Cudworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_;; poly`s many + &unr_; string, cord. ] Having many strings. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Mus.) (a) A musical instrument of ten strings. (b) An apparatus for coupling two octave notes, capable of being attached to a keyed instrument. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; useful for many purposes; poly`s many + &unr_; useful, fr. &unr_; to use: cf. F. polychreste. ] (Med.) A medicine that serves for many uses, or that cures many diseases. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Polychrest salt (Old Med. Chem.), potassium sulphate, specifically obtained by fusing niter with sulphur. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Poly- + Gr. &unr_; color. ] Same as Pleochroism. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Poly- + Gr. &unr_; color: cf. F. polychroïte. ] (Chem.) The coloring matter of saffron; -- formerly so called because of the change of color on treatment with certain acids; -- called also crocin, and safranin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Polychromic. ] (Chem.) A salt of a polychromic acid. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Polychromatic. ] (Chem.) A compound which exhibits, or from which may be prepared, a variety of colors, as certain solutions derived from vegetables, which display colors by fluorescence. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Poly- + chromatic. ] Showing a variety, or a change, of colors. [ 1913 Webster ]

Polychromatic acid (Old Chem.), a substance obtained by the action of nitric acid on aloes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Poly- + Gr. &unr_; color. ] (Chem.) Esculin; -- so called in allusion to its fluorescent solutions. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. polychrome. ] Executed in the manner of polychromy; as, polychrome printing. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Poly- + (sense 1) Gr. &unr_;, or (sense 2) chromic. ] 1. Polychromatic. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, any one of several acids (known only in their salts) which contain more than one atom of chromium. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to polychromy; many-colored; polychromatic. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Poly- + Gr. &unr_; color. ] (Anc. Art) The art or practice of combining different colors, especially brilliant ones, in an artistic way. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Poly- + Gr. &unr_; for a long time, &unr_; time. ] Enduring through a long time; chronic. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Poly- + clinic. ] (Med.) A clinic in which diseases of many sorts are treated; especially, an institution in which clinical instruction is given in all kinds of disease. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Poly- + conic. ] Pertaining to, or based upon, many cones. [ 1913 Webster ]

Polyconic projection (Map Making), a projection of the earth's surface, or any portion thereof, by which each narrow zone is projected upon a conical surface that touches the sphere along this zone, the conical surface being then unrolled. This projection differs from conic projection in that latter assumes but one cone for the whole map. Polyconic projection is that in use in the United States coast and geodetic survey. [ 1913 Webster ]