George George (jôrj)
noun [ French
George , or
Georges , a proper name, from Greek
gewrgo`s husbandman, laborer;
ge`a ,
gh^ , the earth +
'e`rgein to work; akin to English
work . See
Work .]
1. A figure of St. George (the patron saint of England) on horseback, appended to the collar of the Order of the Garter. See Garter . 2. A kind of brown loaf. [ Obsolete]
Dryden.
George noble George" no`ble [ So called from the image of St.
George on it.]
A gold noble of the time of Henry VIII. See Noble , noun
Georgian Geor"gi·an adjective 1. Of or pertaining to Georgia, in Asia, or to Georgia, one of the United States. 2. Of or relating to the reigns of the four Georges, kings of Great Britan; as, the Georgian era.
Georgian Geor"gi·an noun A native of, or dweller in, Georgia.
Georgian Geor"gi·an adjective Of or pertaining to Georgia, one of the United States.
Georgian architecture Georgian architecture British or British colonial architecture of the period of the four Georges, especially that of the period before 1800.
Georgic Geor"gic (-jĭk)
noun [ Latin
georgicum (sc.
carmen ), and
georgica , plural, Greek
bi`blion gewrgiko`n , and
ta~ gewrgika` : confer French
géorgiques , plural See
Georgic ,
adjective ]
A rural poem; a poetical composition on husbandry, containing rules for cultivating lands, etc.; as, the Georgics of Virgil.
Georgic Geor"gic (jôr"jĭk),
Geor"gic*al (-jĭ*k
a l)
adjective [ Latin
georgicus , Greek
gewrgiko`s , from
gewrgi`a tillage, agriculture: confer French
géorgique . See
George .]
Relating to agriculture and rural affairs.
Georgium Sidus Geor"gi·um Si`dus [ New Latin , the star of George (III. of England).] (Astron.) The planet Uranus, so named by its discoverer, Sir W. Herschel.
Geoscopy Ge·os"co·py noun [ Greek
ge`a ,
gh^ , the earth +
-scopy : confer French
géoscopie .]
Knowledge of the earth, ground, or soil, obtained by inspection. Chambers.
Geoselenic Ge`o·se·len"ic adjective [ Greek
ge`a ,
gh^ , the earth + ... moon.]
Pertaining to the earth and moon; belonging to the joint action or mutual relations of the earth and moon; as, geoselenic phenomena.
Geostatic Ge`o·stat"ic adjective [ Greek
ge`a ,
gh^ , earth + English
static .]
(Civil Engin.) Relating to the pressure exerted by earth or similar substance. Geostatic arch ,
an arch having a form adapted to sustain pressure similar to that exerted by earth. Rankine.
Geosynclinal Ge`o·syn·cli"nal noun [ Greek
ge`a ,
gh^ , the earth + English
synclinal .]
(Geol.) the downward bend or subsidence of the earth's crust, which allows of the gradual accumulation of sediment, and hence forms the first step in the making of a mountain range; -- opposed to geanticlinal .
Geothermometer Ge`o·ther·mom"e·ter noun [ Greek
ge`a ,
gh^ , the earth + English
thermometer .]
(Physics) A thermometer specially constructed for measuring temperetures at a depth below the surface of the ground.
Geotic Ge·ot"ic adjective [ Greek
ge`a ,
gh^ , the earth.]
Belonging to earth; terrestrial. [ Obsolete]
Bailey.
Geotropic Ge`o·trop"ic adjective [ See
Geotropism .]
(Biol.) Relating to, or showing, geotropism.
Geotropism Ge·ot"ro·pism noun [ Greek
ge`a ,
gh^ , the earth + ... to turn.]
(Biol.) A disposition to turn or incline towards the earth; the influence of gravity in determining the direction of growth of an organ. » In plants, organs which grow towards the center of the earth are said to be
positively geotropic , and those growing in the opposite direction
negatively geotropic . In animals, geotropism is supposed by some to have an influence either direct or indirect on the plane of division of the ovum.
Gephyrea Ge·phyr"e·a noun plural [ New Latin , from Greek ... a dam, a bridge.]
(Zoology) An order of marine Annelida, in which the body is imperfectly, or not at all, annulated externally, and is mostly without setæ.
Gephyrean Ge·phyr"e·an adjective (Zoology) Belonging to the Gephyrea. -- noun One of the Gerphyrea.
Gephyreoid Ge·phyr"e·oid adjective & noun [
Gephyrea +
-oid .]
Gephyrean.
Gepound Ge·pound" noun See Gipoun . [ Obsolete]
Chaucer.
Gerah Ge"rah noun [ Hebrew
g...rah , lit., a bean.]
(Jewish Antiq.) A small coin and weight; 1-20th of a shekel. » The silver gerah is supposed to have been worth about three cents; the gold about fifty-four cents; the weight equivalent to about thirteen grains.
Geraniaceous Ge·ra`ni·a"ceous adjective (Botany) Of or pertaining to a natural order of pants ( Geraniaceæ ) which includes the genera Geranium, Pelargonium, and many others.
Geraniine, Geranine Ge·ra"ni·ine, Ger"a·nine noun [ See
Geranium .]
1. (Medicine) A valuable astringent obtained from the root of the Geranium maculatum or crane's- bill. 2. (Chemistry) A liquid terpene, obtained from the crane's-bill ( Geranium maculatum ), and having a peculiar mulberry odor. [ Written also
geraniin .]
Geranium Ge·ra"ni·um (je*rā"nĭ*ŭm)
noun [ Latin , from Greek
gera`nion , from
ge`ranos crane: confer French
géranium . See
Crane ,
noun ]
1. (Botany) A genus of plants having a beaklike torus or receptacle, around which the seed capsules are arranged, and membranous projections, or stipules, at the joints. Most of the species have showy flowers and a pungent odor. Called sometimes crane's-bill . 2. (Floriculture) A cultivated pelargonium. » Many plants referred to the genus
Geranium by the earlier botanists are now separated from it under the name of
Pelargonium , which includes all the commonly cultivated "geraniums", mostly natives of South Africa.
Gerant Ge"rant noun [ French
gérant .]
The manager or acting partner of a company, joint-stock association, etc.
Gerbe Gerbe noun [ French, prop. a sheaf.]
(Pyrotechny) A kind of ornamental firework. Farrow.
Gerbil Ger"bil (jẽr"bĭl),
Ger`bille" (zhar`bel") noun [ French gerbille . Confer Jerboa .] (Zoology) One of several species of small, jumping, murine rodents, of the genus Gerbillus . In their leaping powers they resemble the jerboa. They inhabit Africa, India, and Southern Europe.
Gerboa Ger·bo"a noun (Zoology) The jerboa.
Gere Gere noun Gear. [ Obsolete]
Chaucer.
Gerent Ge"rent adjective [ Latin
gerens ,
present participle of
gerere to bear, manage.]
Bearing; carrying. [ Obsolete]
Bailey.
Gerfalcon Ger"fal`con noun (Zoology) See Gyrfalcon .
Gerful Ger"ful adjective [ Confer Old French
girer to twirl, English
gyrate .]
Changeable; capricious. [ Obsolete]
Chaucer.
Gerland, Gerlond Ger"land, Ger"lond noun A garland. [ Obsolete]
Gerlind Ger"lind noun (Zoology) A salmon returning from the sea the second time. [ Prov. Eng.]
Germ Germ noun [ French
germe , from Latin
germen ,
germinis , sprout, but, germ. Confer
Germen ,
Germane .]
1. (Biol.) That which is to develop a new individual; as, the germ of a fetus, of a plant or flower, and the like; the earliest form under which an organism appears. In the entire process in which a new being originates . . . two distinct classes of action participate; namely, the act of generation by which the germ is produced; and the act of development, by which that germ is evolved into the complete organism.
Carpenter. 2. That from which anything springs; origin; first principle; as, the germ of civil liberty. Disease germ (Biol.) ,
a name applied to certain tiny bacterial organisms or their spores, such as Anthrax bacillus and the Micrococcus of fowl cholera, which have been demonstrated to be the cause of certain diseases. See Germ theory (below). --
Germ cell (Biol.) ,
the germ, egg, spore, or cell from which the plant or animal arises. At one time a part of the body of the parent, it finally becomes detached,and by a process of multiplication and growth gives rise to a mass of cells, which ultimately form a new individual like the parent. See Ovum . --
Germ gland .
(Anat.) See Gonad . --
Germ stock (Zoology) ,
a special process on which buds are developed in certain animals. See Doliolum . --
Germ theory (Biol.) ,
the theory that living organisms can be produced only by the evolution or development of living germs or seeds. See Biogenesis , and Abiogenesis . As applied to the origin of disease, the theory claims that the zymotic diseases are due to the rapid development and multiplication of various bacteria, the germs or spores of which are either contained in the organism itself, or transferred through the air or water. See Fermentation theory .
Germ Germ intransitive verb To germinate. [ R.]
J. Morley.
Germ Germ noun (Biol.) The germ cells, collectively, as distinguished from the somatic cells, or soma . Germ is often used in place of germinal to form phrases; as, germ area, germ disc, germ membrane, germ nucleus, germ sac, etc.
Germ cell Germ cell (Biol.) A cell, of either sex, directly concerned in the production of a new organism.
Germ plasm Germ" plasm` (Biol.) See Plasmogen , and Idioplasm .
Germ theory Germ theory 1. (Biol.) The theory that living organisms can be produced only by the development of living germs. Confer Biogenesis , Abiogenesis . 2. (Medicine) The theory which attributes contagious and infectious diseases, suppurative lesions, etc., to the agency of germs. The science of bacteriology was developed after this theory had been established.
Germain Ger·main" adjective [ Obsolete]
See Germane .
German Ger"man adjective [ Middle English
german ,
germain , French
germain , from Latin
germanus full, own (said of brothers and sisters who have the same parents); akin to
germen germ. Confer
Germ ,
Germane .]
Nearly related; closely akin. Wert thou a leopard, thou wert german to the lion.
Shak. Brother german .
See Brother german . --
Cousins german .
See the Note under Cousin .
German Ger"man noun ;
plural Germans [ Latin
Germanus , probably of Celtis origin.]
1. A native or one of the people of Germany. 2. The German language. 3. (a) A round dance, often with a waltz movement, abounding in capriciosly involved figures. (b) A social party at which the german is danced. High German ,
the Teutonic dialect of Upper or Southern Germany, -- comprising Old High German , used from the 8th to the 11th century; Middle H. G ., from the 12th to the 15th century; and Modern or New H. G ., the language of Luther's Bible version and of modern German literature. The dialects of Central Germany, the basis of the modern literary language, are often called Middle German , and the Southern German dialects Upper German ; but High German is also used to cover both groups. --
Low German ,
the language of Northern Germany and the Netherlands, -- including Friesic ; Anglo-Saxon or Saxon ; Old Saxon ; Dutch or Low Dutch , with its dialect, Flemish ; and Plattdeutsch (called also Low German ), spoken in many dialects.
German Ger"man adjective [ Latin
Germanus . See
German ,
noun ]
Of or pertaining to Germany. German Baptists .
See Dunker . --
German bit ,
a wood-boring tool, having a long elliptical pod and a scew point. --
German carp (Zoology) ,
the crucian carp. --
German millet (Botany) ,
a kind of millet ( Setaria Italica , var.), whose seed is sometimes used for food. --
German paste ,
a prepared food for caged birds. --
German process (Metal.) ,
the process of reducing copper ore in a blast furnace, after roasting, if necessary. Raymond. --
German sarsaparilla ,
a substitute for sarsaparilla extract. --
German sausage ,
a polony, or gut stuffed with meat partly cooked. --
German silver (Chemistry) ,
a silver-white alloy, hard and tough, but malleable and ductile, and quite permanent in the air. It contains nickel, copper, and zinc in varying proportions, and was originally made from old copper slag at Henneberg. A small amount of iron is sometimes added to make it whiter and harder. It is essentially identical with the Chinese alloy packfong . It was formerly much used for tableware, knife handles, frames, cases, bearings of machinery, etc., but is now largely superseded by other white alloys. --
German steel (Metal.) ,
a metal made from bog iron ore in a forge, with charcoal for fuel. --
German text (Typog.) ,
a character resembling modern German type, used in English printing for ornamental headings, etc., as in the words, » This line is German Text. --
German tinder .
See Amadou .
Germander Ger·man"der noun [ Middle English
germaunder , French
germandrée , Italian
calamandrea , Latin
chamaedrys , from Greek ...; ... on the earth or ground + ... tree. See
Humble , and
Tree .]
(Botany) A plant of the genus Teucrium (esp. Teucrium Chamædrys or wall germander), mintlike herbs and low shrubs. American germander ,
Teucrium Canadense . --
Germander chickweed ,
Veronica agrestis . --
Water germander ,
Teucrium Scordium . --
Wood germander ,
Teucrium Scorodonia .
Germane Ger·mane" adjective [ See
German akin, nearly related.]
Literally, near akin; hence, closely allied; appropriate or fitting; relevant. The phrase would be more germane to the matter.
Shak. [ An amendment] must be germane .
Barclay (Digest).
Germanic Ger·man"ic adjective (Chemistry) Pertaining to, or containing, germanium.
Germanic Ger·man"ic adjective [ Latin
Germanicus : confer French
germanique . See
German ,
noun ]
1. Of or pertaining to Germany; as, the Germanic confederacy. 2. Teutonic. [ A loose sense]
Germanism Ger"man·ism noun [ Confer French
germanisme .]
1. An idiom of the German language. 2. A characteristic of the Germans; a characteristic German mode, doctrine, etc.; rationalism. J. W. Alexander.
Use the search box below if you want to search in Websters only, use the search box at the right to search all of Enyclo.
