‖n. [ NL.; cf. Gr. &unr_;&unr_;&unr_;&unr_; a name of Venus. ] (Zool.) A genus of mollusks, including the cowries. See Cowrie. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a natural family of marine gastropods comprising the cowries.
Syn. -- family Cypraeidae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

A prefix. See Pre-. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL. See Pre-, and 1st Cave. ] (Anat.) The superior vena cava. -- Præ"ca`val a. B. G. Wilder. [1913 Webster]

n. [ L., imperative of praecipere to give rules or precepts. See Precept. ] (Law) (a) A writ commanding something to be done, or requiring a reason for neglecting it. (b) A paper containing the particulars of a writ, lodged in the office out of which the writ is to be issued. Wharton. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. See Precocious. ] (Zool.) A division of birds including those whose young are able to run about when first hatched. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Of or pertaining to the Præcoces. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ L. praecognitus, p. p. of praecognoscere to foreknow. See Pre-, and Cognition. ] This previously known, or which should be known in order to understand something else. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. præ + commissure. ] (Anat.) A transverse commissure in the anterior part of the third ventricle of the brain; the anterior cerebral commissure. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Anat.) See Precoracoid. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., fr. prae before + cor, cordis, the heart. ] (Anat.) The front part of the thoracic region; the epigastrium. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Anat.) Same as Precordial. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Præcornua [ NL. See Pre-, and Cornu. ] (Anat.) The anterior horn of each lateral ventricle of the brain. B. G. Wilder. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. See Predial. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Prefloration. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Prefoliation. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Premaxilla. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. See Premolar. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Same as Premorse. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To subject to the penalties of præmunire. [ Obs. ] T. Ward. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Corrupted from L. praemonere to forewarn, cite. See Admonish. ] (Eng. Law) (a) The offense of introducing foreign authority into England, the penalties for which were originally intended to depress the civil power of the pope in the kingdom. (b) The writ grounded on that offense. Wharton. (c) The penalty ascribed for the offense of præmunire. [ 1913 Webster ]

Wolsey incurred a præmunire, and forfeited his honor, estate, and life. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The penalties of præmunire were subsequently applied to many other offenses; but prosecutions upon a præmunire are at this day unheard of in the English courts. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. See Premunitory. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. See Pre-, Nares. ] (Anat.) The anterior nares. See Nares. B. G. Wilder. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Anat.) Same as Prenasal. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Prænomina [ L., fr. prae before + nomen name. ] (Rom. Antiq.) The first name of a person, by which individuals of the same family were distinguished, answering to our Christian name, as Caius, Lucius, Marcus, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to a prænomen. [ Obs. ] M. A. Lower. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ NL. ] (Anat.) Same as Preoperculum. -- Præ`o*per"cu*lar, a. [1913 Webster]

n., n., n., n., n. Same as Preoral, Prepubis, Prescapula, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

A prefix. See Preter-. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Theol.) See Preterist. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. See Pretermit. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Prætextæ E. Prætextas [ L. (sc. toga), fr. praetextus, p. p. of praetexere to weave before, to fringe, border; prae before + texere to weave. ] (Rom. Antiq.) A white robe with a purple border, worn by a Roman boy before he was entitled to wear the toga virilis, or until about the completion of his fourteenth year, and by girls until their marriage. It was also worn by magistrates and priests. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Pretor. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. See Pretor. ] (Zool.) A division of butterflies including the satyrs. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. See Pretorian. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Pretorium. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. (Anat.) Same as Prezygapophysis. [ 1913 Webster ]