Part 644

Ptol"e*ma`ist (?), n. One who accepts the astronomical system of Ptolemy.

Pto"ma*ine (?), n. [From Gr. &?; a dead body.] (Physiol. Chem.) One of a class of animal bases or alkaloids formed in the putrefaction of various kinds of albuminous matter, and closely related to the vegetable alkaloids; a cadaveric poison. The ptomaines, as a class, have their origin in dead matter, by which they are to be distinguished from the leucomaines.

||Pto"sis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; a falling.] (Med.) Drooping of the ||upper eyelid, produced by paralysis of its levator muscle.

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Pty"a*lin (?), n. [Gr. &?; spittle. See Ptyalism.] (Physiol. Chem.) An unorganized amylolytic ferment, on enzyme, present in human mixed saliva and in the saliva of some animals.

Pty"a*lism (?), n. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to spit much, fr. &?; spittle, fr. &?; to spit: cf. F. ptyalisme.] Salivation, or an excessive flow of saliva. Quain.

Pty*al"o*gogue (?), n. [Gr. &?; spittle + &?; driving.] (Med.) A ptysmagogue.

Ptys"ma*gogue (?), n. [Gr. &?; spittle + &?; driving: cf. F. ptysmagogue.] (Med.) A medicine that promotes the discharge of saliva.

||Ptyx"is (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; a folding.] (Bot.) The way in which ||a leaf is sometimes folded in the bud.

Pub"ble (?), a. [Perhaps fr. bubble.] Puffed out, pursy; pudgy; fat. [Obs.] Drant.

Pu"ber*al (?), a. [From L. puber, pubes, grown up, adult.] Of or pertaining to puberty.

Pu"ber*ty (?), n. [L. pubertas, fr. puber, pubes, adult: cf. F. pubertÈ.] 1. The earliest age at which persons are capable of begetting or bearing children, usually considered, in temperate climates, to be about fourteen years in males and twelve in females.

2. (Bot.) The period when a plant first bears flowers.

Pu*ber"u*lent (?), a. [See Pubis.] (Bot.) Very minutely downy.

Pu"bes (?), n. [L., the hair which appears on the body at puberty, from pubes adult.] 1. (Anat.) (a) The hair which appears upon the lower part of the hypogastric region at the age of puberty. (b) Hence (as more commonly used), the lower part of the hypogastric region; the pubic region.

2. (Bot.) The down of plants; a downy or villous substance which grows on plants; pubescence.

Pu*bes"cence (?), n. [Cf. F. pubescence.] 1. The quality or state of being pubescent, or of having arrived at puberty. Sir T. Browne.

2. A covering of soft short hairs, or down, as one some plants and insects; also, the state of being so covered.

Pu*bes"cen*cy (?), n. Pubescence.

Pu*bes"cent (?), a. [L. pubescens, -entis, p. pr. of pubescere to reach puberty, to grow hairy or mossy, fr. pubes pubes: cf. F. pubescent.] 1. Arrived at puberty.

That . . . the men (are) pubescent at the age of twice seven, is accounted a punctual truth.

Sir T. Browne.

2. Covered with pubescence, or fine short hairs, as certain insects, and the leaves of some plants.

Pu"bic (?), a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the pubes; in the region of the pubes; as, the pubic bone; the pubic region, or the lower part of the hypogastric region. See Pubes. (b) Of or pertaining to the pubis.

||Pu"bis (?), n. [NL. See Pubes.] (Anat.) The ventral and anterior of ||the three principal bones composing either half of the pelvis; ||sharebone; pubic bone.

Pub"lic (?), a. [L. publicus, poblicus, fr. populus people: cf. F. public. See People.] 1. Of or pertaining to the people; belonging to the people; relating to, or affecting, a nation, state, or community; -- opposed to private; as, the public treasury.

To the public good Private respects must yield.

Milton.