Part 139

Pec"tic (?), a. [Gr. &?; curdled.] (Chem.) Of or pertaining to pectin; specifically, designating an acid obtained from ordinary vegetable jelly (pectin) as an amorphous substance, tough and horny when dry, but gelatinous when moist.

Pec"tin (?), n. [Gr. &?; curdled, congealed, from &?; to make fast or stiff: cf. F. pectine.] (Chem.) One of a series of carbohydrates, commonly called vegetable jelly, found very widely distributed in the vegetable kingdom, especially in ripe fleshy fruits, as apples, cranberries, etc. It is extracted as variously colored, translucent substances, which are soluble in hot water but become viscous on cooling.

Pec"ti*nal (?), a. [L. pecten comb. See Pectinate.] Of or pertaining to a comb; resembling a comb.

Pec"ti*nal, n. A fish whose bone&?; resemble comb teeth. Sir T. Browne.

{ Pec"ti*na`te (?), Pec"ti*na`ted (?), } a. [L. pectinatus, p. pr. of pectinare to comb, from pecten, -inis, a comb; cf. Gr. &?; to comb, AS. feax hair, OHG. fahs, E. paxwax.] 1. Resembling the teeth of a comb.

2. (Nat. Hist.) Having very narrow, close divisions, in arrangement and regularity resembling those of a comb; comblike; as, a pectinate leaf; pectinated muscles. See Illust. (e) of AntennÊ.

3. Interlaced, like two combs. [R.] "Our fingers pectinated, or shut together." Sir T. Browne.

Pectinate claw (Zoˆl.), a claw having a serrate edge, found in some birds, and supposed to be used in cleaning the feathers.

Pec"ti*nate*ly (?), adv. In a pectinate manner.

Pec`ti*na"tion (?), n. 1. The state of being pectinated; that which is pectinated. Sir T. Browne.

2. The act of combing; the combing of the head.

3. (Nat. Hist.) Comblike toothing.

Pec*tin"e*al (?), a. [See Pecten.] (Anat.) (a) Of or pertaining to the pecten. (b) Relating to, or connected with, the pubic bone.

Pec*tin"i*branch (?), n. (Zoˆl.) One of the Pectinibranchiata. Also used adjectively.

||Pec`ti*ni*bran`chi*a"ta (?), n. pl. [NL. See Pecten, and Branchia.] ||(Zoˆl.) A division of Gastropoda, including those that have a ||comblike gill upon the neck.

Pec`ti*ni*bran"chi*ate (?), a. [L. pecten, -inis, a comb + E. branchiate.] (Zoˆl.) Having pectinated gills.

Pec*tin"i*form (?), a. Comblike in form.

Pec*tize" (?), v. i. [Gr. &?; solid.] To congeal; to change into a gelatinous mass. [R.] H. Spencer.

Pec"to*lite (?), n. [L. pecten a comb + -lite.] (Min.) A whitish mineral occurring in radiated or fibrous crystalline masses. It is a hydrous silicate of lime and soda.

Pec"to*ral (?), a. [L. pectoralis, fr. pectus, -oris the breast; cf. F. pectoral.] 1. Of or pertaining to the breast, or chest; as, the pectoral muscles.

2. Relating to, or good for, diseases of the chest or lungs; as, a pectoral remedy.

3. (Zoˆl.) Having the breast conspicuously colored; as, the pectoral sandpiper.

Pectoral arch, or Pectoral girdle (Anat.), the two or more bony or cartilaginous pieces of the vertebrate skeleton to which the fore limbs are articulated; the shoulder girdle. In man it consists of two bones, the scapula and clavicle, on each side. -- Pectorial cross (Eccl.), a cross worn on the breast by bishops and abbots, and sometimes also by canons. - - Pectorial fins, or Pectorials (Zoˆl.), fins situated on the sides, behind the gills. See Illust. under Fin. -- Pectorial rail. (Zoˆl.) See Land rail (b) under Land. -- Pectorial sandpiper (Zoˆl.), the jacksnipe (b).

Pec"to*ral (?), n. [L. pectorale a breastplate, neut. of pectorials.] 1. A covering or protecting for the breast.

2. (Eccl.) (a) A breastplate, esp. that worn by the Jewish high person. (b) A clasp or a cross worn on the breast.

3. A medicine for diseases of the chest organs, especially the lungs.

Pec"to*ral*ly (?), adv. As connected with the breast.

Pec`to*ri*lo"qui*al (?), a. [Cf. F. pectoriloque.] Pertaining to, or of the nature of, pectoriloquy.