Diaphoretic noun (Medicine) A medicine or agent which promotes perspiration.

» Diaphoretics differ from sudorifics ; the former only increase the insensible perspiration, the latter excite the sensible discharge called sweat . Parr.

Diaphoretic, Diaphoretical adjective [ Latin diaphoreticus , Greek ...: confer French diaphorétique . See Diaphoresis .] Having the power to increase perspiration.

Diaphote noun [ Prefix dia- + Greek ..., light.] (Electricity) An instrument designed for transmitting pictures by telegraph. Fallows.

Diaphragm noun [ Latin diaphragma , Greek ..., from ... to fence by a partition wall; dia` through + ..., ..., to fence, inclose; probably akin to Latin fareire to stuff: confer French diaphragme . See Farce .]
1. A dividing membrane or thin partition, commonly with an opening through it.

2. (Anat.) The muscular and tendinous partition separating the cavity of the chest from that of the abdomen; the midriff.

3. (Zoology) A calcareous plate which divides the cavity of certain shells into two parts.

4. (Opt.) A plate with an opening, which is generally circular, used in instruments to cut off marginal portions of a beam of light, as at the focus of a telescope.

5. (Machinery) A partition in any compartment, for various purposes.

Diaphragm pump , one in which a flexible diaphragm takes the place of a piston.

Diaphragmatic adjective [ Confer French diaphragmatique .] Pertaining to a diaphragm; as, diaphragmatic respiration; the diaphragmatic arteries and nerves.

Diaphysis noun [ Greek ... a growing through; dia` through + ... to bring forth.]
1. (Botany) An abnormal prolongation of the axis of inflorescence.

2. (Anat.) The shaft, or main part, of a bone, which is first ossified.

Diapnoic adjective [ Greek ... outlet for the wind, exhalation, from ... to blow through; dia` through + ... to blow, breathe: confer French diapnoïque .] (Medicine) Slightly increasing an insensible perspiration; mildly diaphoretic. -- noun A gentle diaphoretic.

Diapophysical adjective (Anat.) Pertaining to a diapophysis.

Diapophysis noun [ New Latin See Dia- , and Apophysis .] (Anat.) The dorsal transverse, or tubercular, process of a vertebra. See Vertebra .

Diarchy noun [ Greek di- = di`s- twice + ... to rule.] A form of government in which the supreme power is vested in two persons.

Diarial, Diarian adjective [ See Diary .] Pertaining to a diary; daily.

Diarist noun One who keeps a diary.

Diarrhea, Diarrhœa (dī` a r*rē"ȧ) noun [ Latin diarrhoea , Greek dia`rroia , from dia`rrei^n to flow through; dia` + "rei^n to flow; akin to English stream . See Stream .] (Medicine) A morbidly frequent and profuse discharge of loose or fluid evacuations from the intestines, without tenesmus; a purging or looseness of the bowels; a flux.

Diarrheal, Diarrhœal adjective (Medicine) Of or pertaining to diarrhea; like diarrhea.

Diarrhetic, Diarrhœtic adjective (Medicine) Producing diarrhea, or a purging.

Diarthrodial adjective (Anat.) Relating to diarthrosis, or movable articulations.

Diarthrosis noun [ New Latin , from Greek ..., from ... to joint, articulate; dia` through, asunder + ... to fasten by a joint, 'a`rqron joint.] (Anat.) A form of articulation which admits of considerable motion; a complete joint; abarticulation. See Articulation .

Diary noun ; plural Diaries . [ Latin diarium , from dies day. See Deity .] A register of daily events or transactions; a daily record; a journal; a blank book dated for the record of daily memoranda; as, a diary of the weather; a physician's diary .

Diary adjective lasting for one day; as, a diary fever. [ Obsolete] " Diary ague." Bacon.

Diaspora noun [ Greek .... See Diaspore .] Lit., "Dispersion." -- applied collectively: (a) To those Jews who, after the Exile, were scattered through the Old World, and afterwards to Jewish Christians living among heathen. Confer James i. 1 . (b) By extension, to Christians isolated from their own communion, as among the Moravians to those living, usually as missionaries, outside of the parent congregation.

Diaspore noun [ From Greek ... a scattering; dia` through, asunder + ... to sow, scatter like seed: confer French diaspore .] (Min.) A hydrate of alumina, often occurring in white lamellar masses with brilliant pearly luster; -- so named on account of its decrepitating when heated before the blowpipe.

Diastase noun [ Greek ... separation, from ..., ... to stand apart; dia` through + ..., ..., to stand, set: confer French diastase . Confer Diastasis .] (Physiol. Chem.) A soluble, nitrogenous ferment, capable of converting starch and dextrin into sugar.

» The name is more particularly applied to that ferment formed during the germination of grain, as in the malting of barley; but it is also occasionally used to designate the amylolytic ferment contained in animal fluids, as in the saliva.

Diastasic adjective Pertaining to, or consisting of, diastase; as, diastasic ferment.

Diastasis noun [ New Latin See Diastase .] (Surg.) A forcible separation of bones without fracture.

Diastatic adjective [ Greek ... separative. See Diastase .] (Physiol. Chem.) Relating to diastase; having the properties of diastase; effecting the conversion of starch into sugar.

The influence of acids and alkalies on the diastatic action of saliva.

Lauder Brunton.

Diastem noun [ Latin diastema , Greek ..., from ...: confer French diastème .] (a) Intervening space; interval. (b) (Anc. Mus.) An interval.

Diastema noun [ Latin See Diastem .] (Anat.) A vacant space, or gap, esp. between teeth in a jaw.

Diaster noun [ Greek di- = di`s- twice + ... star.] (Biol.) A double star; -- applied to the nucleus of a cell, when, during cell division, the loops of the nuclear network separate into two groups, preparatory to the formation of two daughter nuclei. See Karyokinesis .

Diastole noun [ Latin , from Greek ..., from ... to put asunder, to separate; dia` through + ... to set, to place.]
1. (Physiol.) The rhythmical expansion or dilatation of the heart and arteries; -- correlative to systole, or contraction.

2. (Gram.) A figure by which a syllable naturally short is made long.

Diastolic adjective (Physiol.) Of or pertaining to diastole.

Diastyle noun [ Latin diastylus , Greek ...; dia` through, asunder + ... pillar, column: confer French diastyle .] (Architecture) See under Intercolumniation .

Diatessaron noun [ Latin , from Greek ... (sc. ...); dia` through + ..., gen. of ... four (sc. ....).]
1. (Anc. Mus.) The interval of a fourth.

2. (Theol.) A continuous narrative arranged from the first four books of the New Testament.

3. An electuary compounded of four medicines.

Diathermal adjective [ Greek ... thoroughly warm; dia` through + ... warm, hot. Confer Diathermous .] Freely permeable by radiant heat.

Diathermancy, Diathermaneity noun [ See Diathermanous .] The property of transmitting radiant heat; the quality of being diathermous. Melloni.

Diathermanism noun The doctrine or the phenomena of the transmission of radiant heat. Nichol.

Diathermanous adjective [ Greek ... to warm through; dia` through + ... to warm, ... warm.] Having the property of transmitting radiant heat; diathermal; -- opposed to athermanous .

Diathermic adjective Affording a free passage to heat; as, diathermic substances. Melloni.

Diathermometer noun [ Greek ... warm + -meter . See Diathermal .] (Physics) An instrument for examining the thermal resistance or heat- conducting power of liquids.

Diathermous adjective Same as Diathermal .

Diathesis noun [ New Latin , from Greek ..., from ... to place separately, arrange; dia` through, asunder + ... to place, put.] (Medicine) Bodily condition or constitution, esp. a morbid habit which predisposes to a particular disease, or class of diseases.

Diathetic adjective Pertaining to, or dependent on, a diathesis or special constitution of the body; as, diathetic disease.

Diatom (dī`ȧ*tŏm) noun [ Greek dia`tomos cut in two. See Diatomous .]
1. (Botany) One of the Diatomaceæ , a family of minute unicellular Algæ having a siliceous covering of great delicacy, each individual multiplying by spontaneous division. By some authors diatoms are called Bacillariæ , but this word is not in general use.

2. A particle or atom endowed with the vital principle.

The individual is nothing. He is no more than the diatom , the bit of protoplasm.

Mrs. E. Lynn Linton.

Diatomic (dī`ȧ*tŏm"ĭk) adjective [ Prefix di- + atomic .] (Chemistry) (a) Containing two atoms. (b) Having two replaceable atoms or radicals.

Diatomous adjective [ Greek dia`tomos cut through, from diate`mnein to cut through; dia` through + te`mnein to cut. Confer Diatom .] (Min.) Having a single, distinct, diagonal cleavage; -- said of crystals. Mohs.

Diatonic (dī`ȧ*tŏn"ĭk) adjective [ Latin diatonicus , diatonus , Greek ..., ..., from ... to stretch out; dia` through + ... to stretch: confer French diatonique . See Tone .] (Mus.) Pertaining to the scale of eight tones, the eighth of which is the octave of the first.

Diatonic scale (Mus.) , a scale consisting of eight sounds with seven intervals, of which two are semitones and five are whole tones; a modern major or minor scale, as distinguished from the chromatic scale.

Diatonically adverb In a diatonic manner.

Diatribe noun [ Latin diatriba a learned discussion, Greek ..., prop., a wearing away of time, from ... to rub away, spend time; dia` through + ... to rub: confer Latin terere , French trite : confer French diatribe .] A prolonged or exhaustive discussion; especially, an acrimonious or invective harangue; a strain of abusive or railing language; a philippic.

The ephemeral diatribe of a faction.

John Morley.

Diatribist noun One who makes a diatribe or diatribes.

Diatryma noun [ New Latin , from Greek dia` through + ... hole.] (Paleon.) An extinct eocene bird from New Mexico, larger than the ostrich.

Diazeuctic, Diazeutic adjective [ Greek ... disjunctive, from ... to disjoin; dia` through, asunder + ... to join, yoke.] (Anc. Mus.) Disjoining two fourths; as, the diazeutic tone, which, like that from F to G in modern music, lay between two fourths, and, being joined to either, made a fifth. [ Obsolete]