Karpholite noun [ Greek ... rice straw + -lite : confer French carpholithe .] (Min.) A fibrous mineral occurring in tufts of a straw-yellow color. It is a hydrous silicate of alumina and manganese.

Karroo (kȧr*rō") noun ; plural Karroos (-rōz"). One of the dry table-lands of South Africa, which often rise terracelike to considerable elevations. [ Also karoo .]

The Great Karroo , or The Karroo , a vast plateau, in Cape Colony, stretching through five degrees of longitude, at an elevation of about 3,000 feet.

Karstenite noun Same as Anhydrite .

Karvel noun [ Obsolete] See Carvel , and Caravel .

Karyokinesis (kăr`ĭ*o*ki*nē"sĭs) noun [ New Latin , from Greek ka`ryon a nut, kernel + kinei^n to move.] (Biol.) The indirect division of cells in which, prior to division of the cell protoplasm, complicated changes take place in the nucleus, attended with movement of the nuclear fibrils; -- opposed to karyostenosis . The nucleus becomes enlarged and convoluted, and finally the threads are separated into two groups which ultimately become disconnected and constitute the daughter nuclei . Called also mitosis . See Cell development , under Cell .

Karyokinetic (-nĕt"ĭk) adjective (Biol.) Of or pertaining to karyokinesis; as, karyokinetic changes of cell division.

Karyomiton (-ŏm"ĭ*tŏn) noun [ New Latin , Greek ka`ryon a nut + mi`tos a thread.] (Biol.) The reticular network of fine fibers, of which the nucleus of a cell is in part composed; -- in opposition to kytomiton , or the network in the body of the cell. W. Flemming.

Karyoplasma (kăr`ĭ*o*plăz"mȧ) noun [ New Latin , from Greek ka`ryon a nut + pla`sma a thing molded.] (Biol.) The protoplasmic substance of the nucleus of a cell: nucleoplasm; -- in opposition to kytoplasma , the protoplasm of the cell.

Karyostenosis noun [ New Latin , from Greek ka`ryon a nut, kernel + ... a being straitened.] (Biol.) Direct cell division (in which there is first a simple division of the nucleus, without any changes in its structure, followed by division of the protoplasm of the cell); -- in opposition to karyokinesis .
[ 1913 Webster]

Karyostenotic adjective (Biol.) Pertaining to, or connected with, karyostenosis; as, the karyostenotic mode of nuclear division.

Kasack (kăt) noun (Ethnol.) Same as Cossack .

Kat (kät) noun (Botany) An Arabian shrub ( Catha edulis ) the leaves of which are used as tea by the Arabs.

Katabolic adjective (Physiol.) Of or pertaining to katabolism; as, katabolic processes, which give rise to substances (katastates) of decreasing complexity and increasing stability.

Katabolism noun [ Greek ... down + ... to throw.] (Physiol.) Destructive or downward metabolism; regressive metamorphism; -- opposed to anabolism . See Disassimilation .

Katastate noun [ Greek down + to cause to stand.] (Physiol.) A substance formed by a katabolic process; -- opposed to anastate . See Katabolic .

Kate noun (Zoology) The brambling finch.

Kathetal adjective [ Greek ... a perpendicular line. See Cathetus .] (Math.) Making a right angle; perpendicular, as two lines or two sides of a triangle, which include a right angle.

Kathetometer noun Same as Cathetometer .

Kattimundoo noun A caoutchouc-like substance obtained from the milky juice of the East Indian Euphorbia Kattimundoo . It is used as a cement.

Katydid noun (Zoology) A large, green, arboreal, orthopterous insect ( Cyrtophyllus concavus ) of the family Locustidæ , common in the United States. The males have stridulating organs at the bases of the front wings. During the summer and autumn, in the evening, the males make a peculiar, loud, shrill sound, resembling the combination Katy-did , whence the name.

Kauri noun [ Native name.] (Botany) A lofty coniferous tree of New Zealand Agathis, or Dammara, australis ), furnishing valuable timber and yielding one kind of dammar resin. [ Written also kaudi , cowdie , and cowrie .]

Kauri noun (a) Kauri resin. (b) By extension, any of various species of Dammara ; as, the red kauri ( D. lanceolata ).

Kauri resin, gum or copal A resinous product of the kauri, found in the form of yellow or brown lumps in the ground where the trees have grown. It is used for making varnish, and as a substitute for amber.

Kava noun [ Polynesian.] (Botany) A species of Macropiper ( M. methysticum ), the long pepper, from the root of which an intoxicating beverage is made by the Polynesians, by a process of mastication; also, the beverage itself. [ Written also kawa , kava , and ava .]

Kavass noun ; plural Kavasses [ Turk. kāvvās ] An armed constable; also, a government servant or courier. [ Turkey]

Kaw intransitive verb & noun See Caw .

Kawaka noun (Botany) a New Zealand tree, the Cypress cedar ( Libocedrus Doniana ), having a valuable, fine-grained, reddish wood.

Kawn noun An inn. [ Turkey] See Khan .

Kayak noun (Nautical) A light canoe, made of skins stretched over a frame, and usually capable of carrying but one person, who sits amidships and uses a double-bladed paddle. It is peculiar to the Eskimos and other Arctic tribes.

Kayaker noun One who uses a kayak.

Kayko noun (Zoology) The dog salmon.

Kayles noun plural [ Akin to Danish kegle , Swedish kegla , D. & German kegel , Old High German kegil , whence French quille .] A game; ninepins. [ Prov Eng.] Carew.

Kaynard noun [ French cagnard .] A lazy or cowardly person; a rascal. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Kazoo noun [ Etymol. uncertain.] A kind of toy or rude musical instrument, as a tube inside of which is a stretched string made to vibrate by singing or humming into the tube.

Kea (kā"ȧ; colloquial kē"ȧ) noun [ Maori.] (Zoology) A large New Zealand parrot ( Nestor notabilis ), notorious for having acquired the habit of killing sheep; -- called also mountain parrot .

Keck intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Kecked ; present participle & verbal noun Kecking .] [ Confer dial. German köcken , köken .] To heave or to retch, as in an effort to vomit. [ R.] Swift.

Keck noun An effort to vomit; queasiness. [ R.]

Keckle intransitive verb & noun See Keck , intransitive verb & noun

Keckle transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Keckled ; present participle & verbal noun Keckling .] (Nautical) To wind old rope around, as a cable, to preserve its surface from being fretted, or to wind iron chains around, to defend from the friction of a rocky bottom, or from the ice. Totten.

Keckling noun Old rope or iron chains wound around a cable. See Keckle , transitive verb

Kecklish adjective [ From keck , keckle .] Inclined to vomit; squeamish. [ R.] Holland.

Kecksy noun ; plural Kecksies (-sĭz). [ Properly plural of kex . See Kex .] (Botany) The hollow stalk of an umbelliferous plant, such as the cow parsnip or the hemlock. [ Written also kex , and in pl ., kecks , kaxes .]

Nothing teems
But hateful docks, rough thistles, kecksies , burs.

Shak.

Kecky adjective Resembling a kecksy. Grew.

Keddah noun [ Malay kedah , from Arabic qadah hole.] An inclosure constructed to entrap wild elephants; an elephant trap. [ India]

Kedge (kĕj) intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Kedged (kĕjd); present participle & verbal noun Kedging .] [ Confer dial. Swedish keka to tug, to drag one's self slowly forward; or perhaps from ked , and kedge , noun , for keg anchor , named from the keg or cask fastened to the anchor to show where it lies.] (Nautical) To move (a vessel) by carrying out a kedge in a boat, dropping it overboard, and hauling the vessel up to it.

Kedge noun [ See Kedge , transitive verb ] (Nautical) A small anchor used whenever a large one can be dispensed with. See Kedge , transitive verb , and Anchor , noun

Kedger noun (Nautical) A small anchor; a kedge.

Kedlock (kĕd"lŏk) noun [ Confer dial. German köddik , küdik , kettich , keek , Danish kidike , English charlock , and Anglo-Saxon cedelc the herb mercury.] (Botany) See Charlock .

Kee (kē) noun plural of Cow. [ Anglo-Saxon cȳ , plural of cū cow. See Kine .] See Kie , Ky , and Kine . [ Prov. Eng.] Gay.

Keech (kēch) noun [ Confer Prov. English keech a cake.] A mass or lump of fat rolled up by the butcher. [ Obsolete] Shak.