<B>epitaxy, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the growth of crystals of one material on the crystal face of another, in an orientation which retains the structure of the underlying material. </DL>
<A NAME="epithalamion">
<B>epithalamion, </B>noun, pl. <B>-mia.</B> =epithalamium.</DL>
<A NAME="epithalamium">
<B>epithalamium, </B>noun, pl. <B>-miums,</B> <B>-mia.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a poem or song in honor of a bride, bridegroom, or newly married couple. </DL>
<A NAME="epitheca">
<B>epitheca, </B>noun, pl. <B>-cae.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Zoology.) a continuous thin sheath or layer surrounding the theca or skeleton in some corals. </DL>
<A NAME="epithecium">
<B>epithecium, </B>noun, pl. <B>-cia.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Botany.) the surface of the fruiting disk in certain lichens and fungi. </DL>
<A NAME="epithelial">
<B>epithelial, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or having to do with the epithelium. <BR> <I>Ex. In a piece of skin, for example, the epithelial cells migrate round over the surface normally exposed to the air, enclosing it in a capsule (New Scientist).</I> </DL>
<B>epithelioma, </B>noun, pl. <B>-mas,</B> <B>-mata.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a tumor derived from and consisting chiefly of epithelial cells, especially such a tumor when malignant or cancerous. </DL>
<A NAME="epitheliomatous">
<B>epitheliomatous, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> having to do with or of the nature of epithelioma. </DL>
<A NAME="epitheliomuscular">
<B>epitheliomuscular, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> having to do with epithelial cells with muscular processes. <BR> <I>Ex. The epitheliomuscular cells of coelenterates are generally considered to be the most primitive type of muscle cells (Hegner and Stiles).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="epithelium">
<B>epithelium, </B>noun, pl. <B>-liums,</B> <B>-lia.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a thin layer or layers of cells forming a tissue that covers surfaces of the body and lines hollow organs. Epithelium is compactly arranged with little intercellular substance. It performs protective, secretive, and other functions. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Botany.) <DD><B> a. </B>a delicate layer of cells lining certain internal cavities. <DD><B> b. </B>the thin epidermis of petals. </DL>
<A NAME="epithelization">
<B>epithelization, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the process of becoming covered with epithelium. </DL>
<A NAME="epithelize">
<B>epithelize, </B>transitive verb, <B>-lized,</B> <B>-lizing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> to cover with epithelium. </DL>
<A NAME="epithem">
<B>epithem, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a group of water-secreting cells in the leaf of a plant. </DL>
<A NAME="epithema">
<B>epithema, </B>noun, pl. <B>-mata.</B> =epithem.</DL>
<A NAME="epithermal">
<B>epithermal, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> (of ore deposits) formed at shallow depths and at low temperatures and pressures. <BR> <I>Ex. Shallow, or epithermal, vein deposits were made at depths of less than 4000 feet (Fenton and Fenton).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="epithet">
<B>epithet, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a descriptive expression; a word or phrase expressing some quality or attribute. In "crafty Ulysses," "Richard the Lion-Hearted," and "Honest Abe," the epithets are "crafty," "Lion-Hearted," and "Honest." <BR> <I>Ex. Such epithets like pepper, Give zest to what you write (Lewis Carroll).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>a word or phrase (sometimes insulting or contemptuous) used in place of a person's name. <DD><B> 3. </B>that part of the scientific name of an animal or plant which denotes a species, variety, or other division of a genus. (Example:) In <I>Canis familiaris</I> (the dog), <I>familiaris</I> is the specific epithet. In <I>Prunus persica</I> (the peach), <I>persica</I> is the specific epithet. <DD><B> 4. </B>(Obsolete.) a phrase or expression. </DL>
<A NAME="epithetic">
<B>epithetic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>having to do with or of the nature of an epithet. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Obsolete.) abounding with epithets. </DL>
<A NAME="epithetical">
<B>epithetical, </B>adjective. =epithetic.</DL>
<A NAME="epitome">
<B>epitome, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a condensed account; summary. An epitome contains only the most important points of a book, essay, article, or other literary work. <BR> <I>Ex. In general nothing is less attractive than an epitome (Macaulay).</I> (SYN) compendium. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) a person or thing that is typical or representative of something. <BR> <I>Ex. Solomon is often spoken of as the epitome of wisdom. [She] is rated the epitome of fashion elegance (Eugenia Sheppard). The rubber plant and the antimacassar were the epitome of good taste (New York Times Magazine).</I> (SYN) embodiment. <BR><I>expr. <B>in epitome,</B> </I>in a diminutive form; in miniature. <BR> <I>Ex. The characteristics and pursuits of various ages and races of men are always existing in epitome in every neighborhood (Thoreau).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="epitomic">
<B>epitomic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> representative; typical. <BR> <I>Ex. The Packers, who, as charter members of the N.F.L. [are] its most epitomic team ... (New Yorker).</I> </DL>
<B>epitomist, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a person who writes epitomes. </DL>
<A NAME="epitomize">
<B>epitomize, </B>transitive verb, <B>-mized,</B> <B>-mizing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>to make a summary of. <BR> <I>Ex. to epitomize a long report.</I> (SYN) abridge, condense. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) to be typical or representative of. <BR> <I>Ex. Galahad and Lancelot epitomize the knighthood of ancient Britain. Helen Keller epitomizes the human ability to overcome handicaps. John Finley epitomized the sensible attitudes for oldsters to take by his witty motto, "Nothing succeeds like successors" (Harper's).</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>to contain in a brief form. <BR> <I>Ex. His problems epitomize the problems of the entire neighborhood.</I> (SYN) concentrate. noun <B>epitomizer.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="epitope">
<B>epitope, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the part of an antigen molecule to which a specific antibody molecule becomes attached. <BR> <I>Ex. The specific patterns that are recognized by antibody molecules are epitopes (Scientific American).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="epitoxoid">
<B>epitoxoid, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a toxoid which has less affinity than the toxin for the corresponding antitoxin. </DL>
<A NAME="epitrichium">
<B>epitrichium, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a thin membrane which overlies the epidermis and hair during fetal life, usually disappearing before birth. </DL>
<A NAME="epitrite">
<B>epitrite, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a foot of verse consisting of three long syllables and one short one, called first, second, third, or fourth epitrite, according as the short syllable is the first, second, third, or fourth. </DL>
<A NAME="epitympanum">
<B>epitympanum, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the upper portion of the tympanic cavity of the ear. </DL>
<A NAME="epizeuxis">
<B>epizeuxis, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Rhetoric.) immediate or almost immediate repetition of a word or phrase for the sake of emphasis. Example. <BR> <I>Ex. Alone, alone, all all alone, Alone on a wide, wide sea (Samuel Taylor Coleridge).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="epizoic">
<B>epizoic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> living as an external parasite or commensal. </DL>
<A NAME="epizoite">
<B>epizoite, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> an epizoic animal; epizoon. </DL>
<A NAME="epizoon">
<B>epizoon, </B>noun, pl. <B>-zoa.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> an animal living on the outer surface of another animal, often as a parasite or as a commensal. </DL>
<A NAME="epizootic">
<B>epizootic, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> occurring or spreading widely among animals, such as an epidemic disease. <DD><I>noun </I> an epizootic disease. </DL>
<A NAME="epizootiology">
<B>epizootiology, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the study of epizootic diseases. </DL>
<A NAME="epizootology">
<B>epizootology, </B>noun. =epizootiology.</DL>
<A NAME="epizooty">
<B>epizooty, </B>noun, pl. <B>-ties.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> an epidemic disease affecting animals. </DL>
<A NAME="epluribusunum">
<B>e pluribus unum,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Latin.) out of many, one. It is the motto inscribed on the official seal of the United States. It was once the official motto of the United States, but since 1956 the official motto has been "In God We Trust." </DL>
<A NAME="epoch">
<B>epoch, </B>noun,<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a period of time; era. <BR> <I>Ex. an epoch of extravagance, an epoch of strange manifestations. There were few peaceful epochs in the history of our country.</I> (SYN) age. <DD><B> 2. </B>a period of time in which striking things happened. <BR> <I>Ex. The years of the Civil War were an epoch in the history of the United States.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>the starting point of such a period. <BR> <I>Ex. The invention of the steam engine marked an epoch in the growth of industry.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>one of the divisions of time into which a geological period is divided. <BR> <I>Ex. the Recent epoch of the Quaternary period.</I> <DD><B> 5. </B>(Astronomy.) <DD><B> a. </B>an arbitrarily fixed instant of time or date (usually the beginning of a century or half-century) used as a reference point in giving the elements of a planetary orbit or the like. <DD><B> b. </B>the longitude of a planet seen from the sun at such an instant or date. </DL>
<A NAME="epochal">
<B>epochal, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>of or having to do with an epoch or epochs. <DD><B> 2. </B>of the nature of an epoch; very important or significant. <BR> <I>Ex. Marriage is an epochal event in life.</I> adv. <B>epochally.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="epochmaking">
<B>epoch-making, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> beginning an epoch; causing important changes; epochal. <BR> <I>Ex. an epoch-making discovery.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="epode">
<B>epode, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> in classical verse: <DD><B> 1. </B>a lyric poem in which a long line is followed by a shorter one, a form used by Horace. <DD><B> 2. </B>the part of a lyric ode following the strophe and antistrophe. </DL>
<A NAME="epodic">
<B>epodic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> having to do with or containing an epode. </DL>
<A NAME="epollicate">
<B>epollicate, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Zoology.) having no pollex or thumb. </DL>
<A NAME="eponge">
<B>eponge, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (French.) a thick, nubby, spongy fabric having a loose but firm weave, used as a dress material. </DL>
