Pyrosulphate Pyr`o·sul"phate noun (Chemistry) A salt of pyrosulphuric acid.

Pyrosulphuric Pyr`o·sul·phu"ric adjective [ Pyro- + -sulphuric .] (Chemistry) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid called also disulphuric acid ) obtained by distillation of certain sulphates, as a colorless, thick, oily liquid, H ₂ S ₂ O ₇ resembling sulphuric acid. It is used in the solution of indigo, in the manufacture of alizarin, and in dehydration.

Pyrotartaric Pyr`o·tar·tar"ic adjective [ Pyro- + tartaric .] (Chemistry) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained as a white crystalline substance by the distillation of tartaric acid.

Pyrotartrate Pyr`o·tar"trate noun (Chemistry) A salt of pyrotartaric acid.

Pyrotechnian Pyr`o·tech"ni·an noun A pyrotechnist.

Pyrotechnic, Pyrotechnical Pyr`o·tech"nic, Pyr`o·tech"nic·al adjective [ Pyro- + technic , technical: confer French pyrotechnique . See Fire , Technical .] Of or pertaining to fireworks, or the art of forming them.

Pyrotechnical sponge . See under Sponge .

Pyrotechnician Pyr`o·tech·ni"cian noun A pyrotechnist.

Pyrotechnics Pyr`o·tech"nics noun The art of making fireworks; the manufacture and use of fireworks; pyrotechny.

Pyrotechnist Pyr`o·tech"nist noun One skilled in pyrotechny; one who manufactures fireworks. Steevens.

Pyrotechny Pyr`o·tech`ny noun [ Confer French pyrotechnie .] 1. The use and application of fire in science and the arts. [ Obsolete] Sir M. Hale.

2. Same as Pyrotechnics .

Pyrothonide Py·roth"o·nide noun [ Pyro- + Greek ... linen.] (Medicine) A kind of empyreumatic oil produced by the combustion of textures of hemp, linen, or cotton in a copper vessel, -- formerly used as a remedial agent. Dunglison.

Pyrotic Py·rot"ic adjective [ Greek ..., from ... to burn, from ..., ..., fire: confer French pyrotique .] Caustic. See Caustic . -- noun (Medicine) A caustic medicine.

Pyrotritartaric Pyr`o·tri`tar·tar"ic adjective [ Pyro- + tri- + tartaric .] (Chemistry) Designating an acid which is more commonly called uric acid.

Pyrotungstic Pyr`o·tung"stic adjective (Chemistry) Polytungstic. See Metatungstic .

Pyrovanadic Pyr`o·va·nad"ic adjective [ Pyro- + vanadic .] (Chemistry) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid of vanadium, analogous to pyrophosphoric acid.

Pyroxanthin Pyr`o·xan"thin noun [ Pyro- + Greek ... yellow.] (Chemistry) A yellow crystalline hydrocardon extracted from crude wood spirit; -- called also eblanin .

Pyroxene Pyr"ox·ene noun [ French pyroxène , from Greek ... fire + ... a stranger; -- so called because it was supposed to the be a stranger, or of rare occurrence, in igneous rocks,] (Min.) A common mineral occurring in monoclinic crystals, with a prismatic angle of nearly 90°, and also in massive forms which are often laminated. It varies in color from white to dark green and black, and includes many varieties differing in color and composition, as diopside, malacolite, salite, coccolite, augite, etc. They are all silicates of lime and magnesia with sometimes alumina and iron. Pyroxene is an essential constituent of many rocks, especially basic igneous rocks, as basalt, gabbro, etc.

» The pyroxene group contains pyroxene proper, also the related orthorhombic species, enstatite, bronzite, hypersthene, and various monoclinic and triclinic species, as rhodonite, etc.

Pyroxenic Pyr`ox·en"ic adjective [ Confer French pyroxénique .] Containing pyroxene; composed chiefly of pyroxene.

Pyroxenite Py·rox"e·nite noun (Min.) A rock consisting essentially of pyroxene.

Pyroxyle Py·rox"yle noun [ Confer French pyroxyle . See Pyroxylic , -yl .]

Pyroxylic Pyr`ox·yl"ic adjective [ Pyro- + Greek ... wood.] (Old Chem.) Derived from wood by distillation; -- formerly used in designating crude wood spirit.

Pyroxylin Py·rox"y·lin noun (Chemistry) A substance resembling gun cotton in composition and properties, but distinct in that it is more highly nitrified and is soluble in alcohol, ether, etc.; -- called also pyroxyle .

Pyroüric Pyr`o·ü"ric adjective [ Pyro- + uric .] (Old Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid now called cyanuric acid. See Cyanuric .

Pyrrhic Pyr"rhic adjective [ Latin pyrrhichius , Greek ... belonging to the ... (sc. ...) a kind of war dance.] 1. Of or pertaining to an ancient Greek martial dance. " ye have the pyrrhic dance as yet." Byron.

2. (Pros.) Of or pertaining to a pyrrhic, or to pyrrhics; containing pyrrhic; as, a pyrrhic verse.

Pyrrhic Pyr"rhic noun 1. [ Greek ...: confer French pyrrhique , fem.] An ancient Greek martial dance, to the accompaniment of the flute, its time being very quick.

2. [ Latin pyrrhichius (sc. pes ), Greek ... (sc. ...): confer French pyrrhique , masc.] (Pros.) A foot consisting of two short syllables.

Pyrrhicist Pyr"rhi·cist noun (Gr. Antiq.) One two danced the pyrrhic.

Pyrrhonean, Pyrrhonic Pyr·rho"ne·an, Pyr·rhon"ic adjective [ Latin Pyrrhonêus : confer French pyrrhonien .] Of or pertaining to pyrrhonism.

Pyrrhonism Pyr"rho·nism noun [ From Pyrrho , the founder of a school of skeptics in Greece (about 300 b. c. ): confer French pyrrhonisme .] Skepticism; universal doubt.

Pyrrhonist Pyr"rho·nist noun A follower of Pyrrho; a skeptic.

Pyrrhotine, Pyrrhotite Pyr"rho·tine, Pyr"rho·tite noun [ Greek ... flame-colored, from ... fire.] (Min.) A bronze-colored mineral, of metallic luster. It is a sulphide of iron, and is remarkable for being attracted by the magnet. Called also magnetic pyrites .

Pyrrol Pyr"rol noun [ Greek ... flame-colored (from ... fire) + Latin ol eum oil.] (Chemistry) A nitrogenous base found in coal tar, bone oil, and other distillates of organic substances, and also produced synthetically as a colorless liquid, C ₄ H ₅ N, having on odor like that of chloroform. It is the nucleus and origin of a large number of derivatives. So called because it colors a splinter of wood moistened with hydrochloric acid a deep red .

Pyrroline Pyr"ro·line noun (Chemistry) A nitrogenous base, C ₄ H ₇ N, obtained as a colorless liquid by the reduction of pyrrol.

Pyrula Pyr"u·la noun [ New Latin , from Latin pyrus a pear.] (Zoology) A genus of large marine gastropods. having a pear-shaped shell. It includes the fig-shells. See Illust. in Appendix.

Pyruric Py·ru"ric adjective Same as Pyroüric .

Pyrus Py"rus noun [ Latin pyrus , or better pirus , pear tree.] (Botany) A genus of rosaceous trees and shrubs having pomes for fruit. It includes the apple, crab apple, pear, chokeberry, sorb, and mountain ash.

Pyruvic Py·ru"vic adjective [ Pyro- + Latin uva a grape.] (Chemistry) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid (called also pyroracemic acid ) obtained, as a liquid having a pungent odor, by the distillation of racemic acid.

Pyruvil Py·ru"vil noun (Chemistry) A complex nitrogenous compound obtained by heating together pyruvic acid and urea.

Pythagorean Pyth`a·go"re·an adjective [ Latin Pythagoreus , Greek ....] Of or pertaining to Pythagoras (a Greek philosopher, born about 582 b. c. ), or his philosophy.

The central thought of the Pythagorean philosophy is the idea of number, the recognition of the numerical and mathematical relations of things.

Encyc. Brit.

Pythagorean proposition (Geom.) , the theorem that the square described upon the hypothenuse of a plane right-angled triangle is equal to the sum of the squares described upon the other two sides. -- Pythagorean system (Astron.) , the commonly received system of astronomy, first taught by Pythagoras, and afterward revived by Copernicus, whence it is also called the Copernican system . -- Pythagorean letter . See Y.

Pythagorean Pyth`a·go"re·an noun A follower of Pythagoras; one of the school of philosophers founded by Pythagoras.

Pythagoreanism Pyth`a·go"re·an·ism noun The doctrines of Pythagoras or the Pythagoreans.

As a philosophic school Pythagoreanism became extinct in Greece about the middle of the 4th century [ B. C. ].

Encyc. Brit.

Pythagoric, Pythagorical Pyth`a·gor"ic, Pyth`a·gor"ic·al adjective [ Latin Pythagoricus , Greek ...: confer French pythagorique .] See Pythagorean , adjective

Pythagorism Py·thag"o·rism noun [ Greek ....] The doctrines taught by Pythagoras.

» Pythagoras made numbers the basis of his philosophical system, as well physical as metaphysical. The doctrine of the transmigration of souls (metempsychosis) is associated closely with name of Pythagoras.

Pythagorize Py·thag"o·rize intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Pythagorized ; present participle & verbal noun Pythagorizing .] [ Greek ....] To speculate after the manner of Pythagoras.

Pythiad Pyth"i·ad noun [ See Pythian .] (Gr. Antiq.) The period intervening between one celebration of the Pythian games and the next.

Pythian Pyth"i·an adjective [ Latin Pythius , Greek ... belonging to Pytho, the older name of Delphi and its environs: confer French pythien .] Of or pertaining to Delphi, to the temple of Apollo, or to the priestess of Apollo, who delivered oracles at Delphi.

Pythian games (Gr. Antiq.) , one of the four great national festivals of ancient Greece, celebrated near Delphi, in honor of Apollo, the conqueror of the dragon Python, at first once in eight years, afterward once in four.

Pythocenic Pyth`o·cen"ic adjective [ Greek ... to rot + ... origin.] Producing decomposition, as diseases which are supposed to be accompanied or caused by decomposition.

Python Py"thon noun [ New Latin , from Latin Python the serpent slain near Delphi by Apollo, Greek ....] 1. (Zoology) Any species of very large snakes of the genus Python , and allied genera, of the family Pythonidæ . They are nearly allied to the boas. Called also rock snake .

» The pythons have small pelvic bones, or anal spurs, two rows of subcaudal scales, and pitted labials. They are found in Africa, Asia, and the East Indies.

2. A diviner by spirits. "[ Manasses] observed omens, and appointed pythons ." 4 Kings xxi. 6 (Douay version).

Pythoness Pyth"o·ness noun [ Latin pythonissa : confer French pythonisse . See Pythian .] 1. (Gr. Antiq.) The priestess who gave oracular answers at Delphi in Greece.

2. Any woman supposed to have a spirit of divination; a sort of witch. Bp. Hall.

Pythonic Py·thon"ic adjective [ Latin pythonicus , Greek .... See Pythian .] Prophetic; oracular; pretending to foretell events.

Pythonism Pyth"o·nism noun The art of predicting events after the manner of the priestess of Apollo at Delphi; equivocal prophesying.

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