<B>adytum, </B>noun, pl. <B>-ta.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the innermost part of an ancient Greek or Roman temple, open only to the priests. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) an inner room; a sanctum. </DL>
<A NAME="adz">
<B>adz</B> or <B>adze, </B>noun, verb, <B>adzed,</B> <B>adzing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> a tool somewhat like an ax, used for shaping heavy timbers. The blade is set across the end of the handle and curves inward. <DD><I>v.t. </I> to shape with an adz. </DL>
<A NAME="adzukibean">
<B>adzuki bean,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a variety of kidney bean widely grown for food in China and Japan. Also, <B>adsuki bean.</B> </DL>
<B>ae.,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> at the age of. See <B>aet.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="aeacus">
<B>Aeacus, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Greek Mythology.) a son of Zeus, grandfather of Achilles, and one of the three judges of Hades. </DL>
<A NAME="aec">
<B>AEC</B> (no periods) or <B>A.E.C.,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> Atomic Energy Commission (of the United States, abolished in 1974). See <B>ERDA,</B> <B>NRC.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="aecialstage">
<B>aecial stage,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the phase in the life cycle of certain rust fungi in which aecia (spores) are produced. </DL>
<B>aecium, </B>noun, pl. <B>-cia.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a cup-shaped structure which produces chains of spores (aeciospores), formed by the fusion of spores of opposite mating types of certain rust fungi. They usually appear on the lower surface of the leaf of the host plant. Also, (British,) <B>aecidium.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="aecl">
<B>AECL</B> (no periods),<DL COMPACT><DD> Atomic Energy of Canada Limited. </DL>
<A NAME="aedes">
<B>aedes, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>any mosquito of the species that transmits yellow fever and dengue; tiger mosquito. <DD><B> 2. </B>any other mosquito of the same genus. </DL>
<A NAME="aedile">
<B>aedile, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> an elected official in ancient Rome in charge of promoting public games and circuses, maintaining public order, supervising traffic, and superintending public buildings and lands, the marketplace, and food and water supplies. Also, <B>edile.</B> noun <B>aedileship.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="aeetes">
<B>Aeetes, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Greek Legend.) a king of Colchis, from whom the Golden Fleece was stolen by Jason and Medea, Aeetes' daughter. </DL>
<A NAME="aef">
<B>A.E.F.</B> or <B>AEF</B> (no periods),<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>Allied Expeditionary Force (during World War II). <DD><B> 2. </B>American Expeditionary Forces or Force (soldiers sent to Europe by the United States during World War I). </DL>
<A NAME="aegean">
<B>Aegean, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>of or in the Aegean Sea, between Greece and Asia Minor, or the islands in it. <DD><B> 2. </B>of or having to do with the first great European civilization (from about 3000 to about 1100 B.C.) that flourished on Crete and nearby islands, during the Bronze Age and spread to Greece before 1400 B.C. </DL>
<A NAME="aeger">
<B>aeger, </B>noun. <B>=aegrotat.</B></DL>
<A NAME="aegeriid">
<B>aegeriid, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Zoology.) a moth of a family having mainly transparent, scaleless wings; a clearwing. </DL>
<A NAME="aegeus">
<B>Aegeus, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Greek Legend.) the father of Theseus who, thinking his son was dead, threw himself into the Aegean Sea. </DL>
<A NAME="aegilops">
<B>aegilops, </B>noun. <B>=egilops.</B></DL>
<A NAME="aeginetansculptures">
<B>Aeginetan sculptures</B> or <B>marbles,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a collection of sculptures dating from the 400's B.C., discovered in 1811 on the island of Aegina, off the southeastern coast of Greece. </DL>
<A NAME="aegir">
<B>Aegir, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the Old Norse god of the sea, husband of Ran. </DL>
<A NAME="aegis">
<B>aegis, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>Also, <B>Aegis.</B> (Greek Mythology.) the shield or breastplate used by Zeus or by his daughter Athena. According to one legend the shield was made by Hephaestus (Vulcan) for Zeus. Whenever Athena went on a mission for Zeus, she carried the Aegis with her as a sign of authority. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) protecting influence or care; protection. <BR> <I>Ex. the aegis of the law.</I> (SYN) shield, shelter. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Figurative.) sponsorship; auspices. <BR> <I>Ex. The conference on world health was held under the aegis of the United Nations.</I> <DD> Also, <B>egis.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="aegisthus">
<B>Aegisthus, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Greek Legend.) the lover of Clytemnestra, and her accomplice in murdering her husband, Agamemnon. He was, in turn, killed by Agamemnon's son, Orestes. </DL>
<A NAME="aegrotat">
<B>aegrotat, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a medical certificate given at certain British and Canadian universities to a student too ill to attend an examination. <DD><B> 2. </B>the unclassified degree awarded to a student on the basis of this certificate. Also, <B>aeger.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="aegyptopithecus">
<B>Aegyptopithecus, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> an extinct anthropoid ape of the early Miocene whose remains were discovered in 1966 in the Fayum desert region of Egypt. </DL>
<B>Aeneas, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Greek and Roman Legend.) a Trojan hero, son of Anchises and Aphrodite (Venus). After the fall of Troy, he escaped from the burning city carrying his father and leading his little son. After years of wandering he reached Italy, where his descendants supposedly founded Rome. </DL>
<A NAME="aeneid">
<B>Aeneid, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a long poem by Virgil telling the story of the wanderings and adventures of Aeneas. It is a Latin epic poem in twelve books, completed about 19 B.C. </DL>
<B>aeneous, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> bronze-colored (used especially of insects). </DL>
<A NAME="aeolian">
<B>aeolian, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>of or produced by the winds. <BR> <I>Ex. aeolian sandstone.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>carried by the winds. <BR> <I>Ex. aeolian soil.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="aeolian">
<B>Aeolian</B> (1), adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of Aeolus. Also, <B>Eolian.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="aeolian">
<B>Aeolian</B> (2), adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> belonging to a certain branch of the Greek people that lived in Boeotia, Thessaly, and Asia Minor. <DD><I>noun </I> a member of this branch. Also, <B>Eolian.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="aeolianharp">
<B>aeolian harp</B> or <B>lyre,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a box that gives out musical sounds when currents of air blow across the six or more tuned strings fitted over openings in its top, causing the strings to vibrate; wind harp. </DL>
<A NAME="aeolianmode">
<B>Aeolian mode,</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>one of the modes in ancient Greek music, characterized as grand and stately. <DD><B> 2. </B>a mode of medieval church music, beginning and ending on the note A. </DL>
<A NAME="aeolic">
<B>Aeolic, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> one of the great groups of dialects of ancient Greece, spoken in Aeolis, Lesbos, Thessaly, and Boeotia. <DD><I>adj. </I> of Aeolis. Also, <B>Eolic.</B> </DL>
<B>aeolipile</B> or <B>aeolipyle, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> an apparatus demonstrating the principle of the jet engine, said to have been invented by Hero of Alexandria, consisting of a boiler connected to a pivoted spherical vessel having two tubes bent at right angles to the pivot. Reaction to jets of steam escaping through the tubes causes the vessel to rotate. Also, <B>eolipile,</B> <B>eolipyle.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="aeolotropic">
<B>aeolotropic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Physics.) varying in properties and behavior along different axes or directions; anisotropic. </DL>
<B>aepyornis, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a gigantic, extinct, flightless bird of Madagascar; elephant bird. </DL>
<A NAME="aequoanimo">
<B>aequo animo,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Latin.) with an even mind; calmly; tranquilly. </DL>
<A NAME="aequorin">
<B>aequorin, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a protein in certain jellyfish which causes them to glow in the presence of calcium, extracted for use as a natural source of luminescence. </DL>
<A NAME="aer">
<B>aer-,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (combining form.) the form of <B>aero-</B> used sometimes before vowels, as in <I>aerate.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="aerarian">
<B>aerarian, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> in ancient Rome: <DD><I>noun </I> one of the lowest class of Roman citizens, who paid only a poll tax but had no right to vote. <DD><I>adj. </I> connected with the public treasury; fiscal. </DL>
