Part 103

Schism (?), n. [OE. scisme, OF. cisme, scisme, F. schisme, L. schisma, Gr. schi`sma, fr. schi`zein to split; akin to L. scindere, Skr. chid, and prob. to E. shed, v.t. (which see); cf. Rescind, Schedule, Zest.] Division or separation; specifically (Eccl.), permanent division or separation in the Christian church; breach of unity among people of the same religious faith; the offense of seeking to produce division in a church without justifiable cause.

Set bounds to our passions by reason, to our errors by truth, and to our schisms by charity.

Eikon Basilike.

Greek schism (Eccl.), the separation of the Greek and Roman churches. -- Great schism, or Western schism (Eccl.) a schism in the Roman church in the latter part of the 14th century, on account of rival claimants to the papal throne. -- Schism act (Law), an act of the English Parliament requiring all teachers to conform to the Established Church, -- passed in 1714, repealed in 1719.

||Schis"ma (?), n. [L., a split, separation, Gr. schi`sma: cf. F. ||schisma. See Schism.] (Anc. Mus.) An interval equal to half a comma.

Schis*mat"ic (sz*mt"k; so nearly all orthoëpists), a. [L. schismaticus, Gr. &?;: cf. F. schismatique.] Of or pertaining to schism; implying schism; partaking of the nature of schism; tending to schism; as, schismatic opinions or proposals.

Schis*mat"ic (?; 277), n. One who creates or takes part in schism; one who separates from an established church or religious communion on account of a difference of opinion. "They were popularly classed together as canting schismatics." Macaulay.

Syn. -- Heretic; partisan. See Heretic.

Schis*mat"ic*al (?), a. Same as Schismatic. -- Schis*mat"ic*al*ly, adv. -- Schis*mat"ic*al*ness, n.

Schis"ma*tize (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Schismatized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Schismatizing (?).] [Cf. F. schismatiser.] To take part in schism; to make a breach of communion in the church.

Schism"less (?), a. Free from schism.

Schist (shst), n. [Gr. &?; divided, divisible, fr. &?; to divide: cf. F. schiste. See Schism.] (Geol.) Any crystalline rock having a foliated structure (see Foliation) and hence admitting of ready division into slabs or slates. The common kinds are mica schist, and hornblendic schist, consisting chiefly of quartz with mica or hornblende and often feldspar.

Schis*ta"ceous (?), a. Of a slate color.

Schist"ic (?), a. Schistose.

{ Schis*tose" (?; 277), Schist*ous (?) }, a. [Cf. F. schisteux.] (Geol.) Of or pertaining to schist; having the structure of a schist.

Schis*tos"i*ty (?), n. [Cf. F. schistosité.] (Geol.) The quality or state of being schistose.

Schiz"o- (?). [Gr. &?; to split, cleave.] A combining form denoting division or cleavage; as, schizogenesis, reproduction by fission or cell division.

Schiz"o*carp (?), n. [Schizo- + Gr. &?; fruit.] (Bot.) A dry fruit which splits at maturity into several closed one-seeded portions.

Schiz"o*cœle (?), n. [Schizo- + Gr. &?; hollow.] (Anat.) See Enterocœle.

Schiz`o*cœ"lous (?), a. (Zoöl.) Pertaining to, or of the nature of, a schizocœle.

Schiz`o*gen"e*sis (?), n. [Schizo- + genesis.] (Biol.) Reproduction by fission. Haeckel.

Schiz"og*nath (?), n. [See Schizognathous.] (Zoöl.) Any bird with a schizognathous palate.

||Schi*zog"na*thæ (?), n. pl. [NL.] (Zoöl.) The schizognathous birds.

Schi*zog"na*thism (?), n. (Zoöl.) The condition of having a schizognathous palate.

Schi*zog"na*thous (?), a. [Schizo- + Gr. &?; the jaw.] (Zoöl.) Having the maxillo- palatine bones separate from each other and from the vomer, which is pointed in front, as in the gulls, snipes, grouse, and many other birds.

||Schiz`o*my*ce"tes (?), n. pl., [NL., fr. Gr. &?; to split + &?;, ||-&?;, a fungus.] (Biol.) An order of Schizophyta, including the ||so-called fission fungi, or bacteria. See Schizophyta, in the ||Supplement.

||Schiz`o*ne*mer"te*a (?), n. pl. [NL. See Schizo-, and Nemertes.] ||(Zoöl.) A group of nemerteans comprising those having a deep slit ||along each side of the head. See Illust. in Appendix.

Schiz`o*pel"mous (?), a. [Schizo- + Gr. pe`lma the sole of the foot.] (Zoöl.) Having the two flexor tendons of the toes entirely separate, and the flexor hallucis going to the first toe only.