Part 140

Cen"tring (?), n. See Centring.

Cen*trip"e*tal (?), a. [L. centrum center + petere to move toward.] 1. Tending, or causing, to approach the center.

2. (Bot.) (a) Expanding first at the base of the inflorescence, and proceeding in order towards the summit. (b) Having the radicle turned toward the axis of the fruit, as some embryos.

3. Progressing by changes from the exterior of a thing toward its center; as, the centripetal calcification of a bone. R. Owen.

Centripetal force (Mech.), a force whose direction is towards a center, as in case of a planet revolving round the sun, the center of the system, See Centrifugal force, under Centrifugal. -- Centripetal impression (Physiol.), an impression (sensory) transmitted by an afferent nerve from the exterior of the body inwards, to the central organ.

Cen*trip"e*tence (?), n. Centripetency.

Cen*trip"e*ten*cy (?), n. Tendency toward the center.

Cen*tris"coid (?), a. [NL. Centriscus (r. Gr. &?; a kind of fish) + -oid.] (Zo÷l.) Allied to, or resembling, the genus Centriscus, of which the bellows fish is an example.

Cen`tro*bar"ic (?), a. [Gr. (&?;) &?; a treatise of Archimedes on finding the center of gravity, fr. &?; gravitating toward the center; &?; center + &?; weight.] Relating to the center of gravity, or to the process of finding it.

Centrobaric method (Math.), a process invented for the purpose of measuring the area or the volume generated by the rotation of a line or surface about a fixed axis, depending upon the principle that every figure formed by the revolution of a line or surface about such an axis has for measure the product of the line or surface by the length of the path of its center of gravity; -- sometimes called theorem of Pappus, also, incorrectly, Guldinus's properties. See Barycentric calculus, under Calculus.

Cen"trode (?), n. (Kinematics) In two figures having relative motion, one of the two curves which are the loci of the instantaneous center.

Cen"troid (?), n. [L. centrum + -oid.] The center of mass, inertia, or gravity of a body or system of bodies.

Cen`tro*lec"i*thal (?), a. [Gr. &?; center + &?; yolk of an egg.] (Biol.) Having the food yolk placed at the center of the ovum, segmentation being either regular or unequal. Balfour.

Cen`tro*lin"e*ad (?), n. An instrument for drawing lines through a point, or lines converging to a center.

Cen`tro*lin"e*al (?), a. [L. centrum + linea line.] Converging to a center; -- applied to lines drawn so as to meet in a point or center.

Cen"tro*some` (?), n. [Gr. &?; center + -&?; the body.] (Biol.) A peculiar rounded body lying near the nucleus of a cell. It is regarded as the dynamic element by means of which the machinery of cell division is organized.

Cen`tro*stal"tic (?), a. [Gr. &?; center + &?; checking.] (Physiol.) A term applied to the action of nerve force in the spinal center. Marshall Hall.

||Cen"trum (?), n.; pl. E. Centrums (#), L. Centra (#). [L., center.] (Anat.) The body, or axis, of a vertebra. See Vertebra.

Cen"try (?), n. See Sentry. [Obs.] Gray.

||Cen*tum"vir (?), n.; pl. Centumviri (#). [L., fr. centum hundred + Vir man.] (Rom. Hist.) One of a court of about one hundred judges chosen to try civil suits. Under the empire the court was increased to 180, and met usually in four sections.

Cen*tum"vi*ral (?), a. [L. centumvitalis.] Of or pertaining to the centumviri, or to a centumvir.

Cen*tum"vi*rate (?), n. [Cf. F. centumvirat.] The office of a centumvir, or of the centumviri.

Cen"tu*ple (?), a. [L. centuplex; centum + plicare to fold; cf. F. centuple.] Hundredfold.

Cen"tu*ple, v. t. To increase a hundredfold.

Cen*tu"pli*cate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Centuplicated; p. pr. & vb. n. Centuplicating.] [L. centuplicare. See Centuple, a.] To make a hundredfold; to repeat a hundred times. [R.] Howell.

Cen*tu"ri*al (?), a. [L. See Century.] Of or pertaining to a century; as, a centurial sermon. [R.]

Cen*tu"ri*ate (?), a. [L. centuriatus, p. p. of centuriare to divide (men) into centuries.] Pertaining to, or divided into, centuries or hundreds. [R.] Holland.

Cen*tu"ri*ate (?), v. t. [See century.] To divide into hundreds. [Obs.]