2 20 Journal of Comparative Neurology. 



§i8. Attributive Nanws. — These refer, at least in part, to 

 some real or fancied attribute; e. g. callosuiii ; oblongata \ 

 vagus. 



§19. Simile Names. — These express real or fancied re- 

 semblances to other objects by means of the suffixes forinis or 

 oides ; e. g. restifonnis, irapezoides. Most simile names might 

 as well be converted into the corresponding metaphoric names ; 

 e. g. rcstis, trapezium. 



§20. Metaphoric Names. — The names of non-anatomic 

 objects are transferred to parts having some real or fancied 

 resemblance thereto ; e. g. pojis, insula, tlialamus, falx. 



§21. Metaphoric Diminutives. — Since many parts are 

 smaller than the more familiar objects whose names have been 

 transferred to them the diminutive form is sometimes used ; e. 

 g. vallicula (from vallis) ; fascicidus (from fascis) ; colliculus 

 (from collis); clavicula (from clavis). Since, however, size is so 

 variable and unessential an attribute, and since verbal diminu- 

 tives are commonly longer than their originals, the latter might 

 as well be employed. But this suggestion would not apply to 

 a case where there are two of a general sort differing mainly in 

 size ; e. g. cerebrum and cerebellum ; falx {falx cerebri^ ; falcu- 

 la {falx cerebelli). 



§22. Polychrestic Word. — One that does duty in many 

 connections; e. g. , occipitalis, which in various combinations 

 aids in designating at least twenty-five different parts. 



§23. Homonym. — A name applied to two or more differ- 

 ent parts ; an ambiguous term. An extreme case is that of as 

 as signifying either a bone or an orifice ; the oblique cases and 

 derivatives of course distinguish them. Medidla has been ap- 

 plied to several parts. Epiphysis may designate the end of a 

 bone or a part of the brain. Theoretically objectionable, the 

 context commonly frees homonyms from serious ambiguity. 



§24. IdionyjH. — A word which, at least in anatomy, re- 

 fers to but one part ; e. g. , cerebellum ; tJialamus ; chiasma ; 

 pons ; insula. 



§25. Idionyms by Recombination. Cornu posterius, 2iS e.m- 

 ployed by most anatomists, is a homonym, designating either a 



