Part 262

Ses`qui*al"ter (?), a. Sesquialteral.

{ Ses`qui*al"ter (?), Ses`qui*al"ter*a (?), } n. [NL. sesquialtera.] (Mus.) A stop on the organ, containing several ranks of pipes which reënforce some of the high harmonics of the ground tone, and make the sound more brilliant.

{ Ses`qui*al"ter*al (?), Ses`qui*al"ter*ate (?), } a. [L. sesquialter once and a half; sesqui- + alter other: cf. F. sesquialtére.] Once and a half times as great as another; having the ratio of one and a half to one.

Sesquialteral ratio (Math.), the ratio of one and a half to one; thus, 9 and 6 are in a sesquialteral ratio.

Ses`qui*al"ter*ous (?), a. Sesquialteral.

Ses`qui*ba"sic (?), a. [Sesqui- + basic.] (Chem.) Containing, or acting as, a base in the proportions of a sesqui compound.

Ses`qui*du"pli*cate (?), a. [Sesqui- + duplicate.] Twice and a half as great (as another thing); having the ratio of two and a half to one.

Sesquiduplicate ratio (Math.), the ratio of two and a half to one, or one in which the greater term contains the lesser twice and a half, as that of 50 to 20.

Ses`qui*ox"ide (?), n. [Sesqui- + oxide.] (Chem.) An oxide containing three atoms of oxygen with two atoms (or radicals) of some other substance; thus, alumina, Al2O3 is a sesquioxide.

{ Ses*quip"e*dal (?), Ses`qui*pe*da"li*an (?), } a. [Sesqui- + pedal: cf. F. sesquipédal, L. sesquipedalis.] Measuring or containing a foot and a half; as, a sesquipedalian pygmy; -- sometimes humorously applied to long words.

{ Ses`qui*pe*da"li*an*ism (?), Ses*quip"e*dal*ism (?), } n. Sesquipedality.

Ses`qui*pe*dal"i*ty (?), n. 1. The quality or condition of being sesquipedal. Sterne.

2. The use of sesquipedalian words; style characterized by the use of long words; sesquipedalism.

Ses*quip"li*cate (?), a. [Sesqui- + plicate.] (Math.) Subduplicate of the triplicate; -- a term applied to ratios; thus, a and a′ are in the sesquiplicate ratio of b and b′, when a is to a′ as the square root of the cube of b is to the square root of the cube of b′, or a:a′::√b3:√b′3.

The periodic times of the planets are in the sesquiplicate ratio of their mean distances.

Sir I. Newton.

Ses"qui*salt (?), n. [Sesqui- + salt.] (Chem.) A salt derived from a sesquioxide base, or made up on the proportions of a sesqui compound.

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Ses`qui*sul"phide (?), n. [Sesqui- + sulphide.] (Chem.) A sulphide, analogous to a sesquioxide, containing three atoms of sulphur to two of the other ingredient; -- formerly called also sesquisulphuret; as, orpiment, As2S3 is arsenic sesquisulphide.

Ses`qui*ter"tial (?), a. Sesquitertian.

{ Ses`qui*ter"tian (?), Ses`qui*ter"tian*al (?), } a. [Sesqui- + L. tertianus belonging to the third. Cf. Tertian.] (Math.) Having the ratio of one and one third to one (as 4 : 3).

Ses"qui*tone (?), n. [Sesqui- + tone.] (Mus.) A minor third, or interval of three semitones.

Sess (?), v. t. [Aphetic form of assess. See Assess, Cess.] To lay a tax upon; to assess. [Obs.]

Sess, n. A tax; an assessment. See Cess. [Obs.]

Ses"sa (?), interj. Hurry; run. [Obs.] Shak.

Ses"sile (?), a. [L. sessilis low, dwarf, from sedere, sessum, to sit: cf. F. sessile.] 1. Attached without any sensible projecting support.

2. (Bot.) Resting directly upon the main stem or branch, without a petiole or footstalk; as, a sessile leaf or blossom.

3. (Zoöl.) Permanently attached; - - said of the gonophores of certain hydroids which never became detached.