Acephala 
2. Same as Acrania. 3. In Latreille's system 
of classification (1795), one of seven orders of 
the Linuean Aptcra, containing the spiders, etc., 
corresponding to the Arachnides palpistes of 
Lamarck, and synonymous with Arachnida. 
4. In Haeckel's classification, a group of Mol- 
litsca composed of the Kpirobranchia, or Brachi- 
opoda, and the Lamcl/ibranchia. 
Acephalsea (a-sef-a-le'a), n. pi. [NL., a mod- 
ification of Acephala, after Or. MtA&OMf (neut. 
pi. Kajm^aia), belonging to the head, < Ke<f>a^, 
head : see Acephala.'] A modification by La- 
marck of the name Acephala, given at first to 
that group as aii ordinal name, and later to the 
bivalve shells as a class name. In Lamarck's sys- 
tem of classification of 1801 the Acephalcea were the sec- 
ond order of Mollusca, the Acephala of Cuvier, 1789, in- 
cluding cirripeds, tunicates, anil brachiopods with ordi- 
nary bivalve mollusks. In 1809 Lamarck excluded the 
cirripeds, and in 1812 he excluded the tunicates, making 
Affphalcfa a class of Evtrtebrata, with two orders, Motio- 
utifuritl and Diiiutaria. See Co>ich(fcra. 
acephalan ( a-sef 'a-lan), a. and re. [(Acepha- 
la.] I. a. Of or pertaining to the Acephala or 
to an acephal. 
II. n. One of the Acephala; an acephal. 
Acephali (a-sef 'a-li), n. pi. [LL., pi. of acepha- 
luis: see acephdlus.'] 1. Literally, those who 
have no head or chief. In eccles. hist. : (a) Those 
members of the Council of Ephesns who refused to follow 
either St. Cyril or John of Antioch. (b) An Egyptian 
Monophysite sect of the fifth and sixth centuries, composed 
of those who refused to follow the patriarch of Alexandria 
in subscribing the edict of union issued by the Emperor 
Zeno. (c) Those who took part in the sessions of the General 
Council of Basle that were not presided over by the papal 
legates, (a) A name given to the Flagellants, because of 
their separation from the authority of the Roman Church. 
(e) Before the Council of Trent, a class of priests belonging 
to no diocese. 
2. A class of levelers, mentioned in the laws 
of Henry I. of England, who would acknow- 
ledge no head or superior. 3. A fabulous na- 
tion in Africa, reported by ancient writers to 
have no heads: identified by some with the 
Blemmyes, a historical race. 
acephalia (as-e-fa'li-a), re. [NL., <Gr. d/ce^a/lof, 
headless: see acephalus.] In teratol., the ab- 
sence of the head. 
acephalistt (a-sef'a-list), n. [As Acephali + 
-ist.~] One who acknowledges no head or su- 
perior; specifically, in eccles. hist., one of the 
Acephali. 
These acephalixtx, who will endure no head but that 
upon their own shoulders. 
Bp. Gauden, Tears of the Church (1659), p. 464. 
Acephalite (a-sef'a-lit), re. [As AcephaK + 
-4fel.] One of the Acephali, in any of the senses 
of that word. 
acephalobrachia (a-sef"a-16-bra'ki-a), n. [NL. : 
see accphalobravhius.'] In teratol., absence of 
both head and arms. 
acephalobracMus (a-sef "a-16-bra'ki-us), .; pi. 
acephalobrachii (-1). [NL., < Gr. dxe^aAof, with- 
out a head, + ftpax'uw, L. brachium, arm.] In 
teratol., a monster without head or arms. 
acephalocardia (a-sef"a-16-kar'di-a), re. [NL. : 
see acephalocardiux.'] In teratol., absence of 
both head and heart. 
acephalocardius (a-sef"a-16-kar'di-us), re. ; pi. 
acephaloeardii (-1). [NL., < Gr. d/c%z/iof, with- 
out a head, + KapAia = E. heart."] In teratol., a 
monster without head and heart. 
acephalochiria ( a-sef" a-16-ld'ri-a), re. [NL. : 
see aceplmlochirug."] In teratol., absence of both 
head and hands. Also spelled acephalocheiria. 
acephalochirus (a-sefa-lo-ki'rus), TO.; pi. 
acephalocliiri (-ri). [NL., < Gr. d/c^afof, with- 
out a head, + x c 'Pt hand.] In teratol., a mon- 
ster without head and hands. Also spefled 
acephalocheirus. 
acephalocyst (a-sef'a-16-sist), re. [< NL. ace- 
phalocystis, < Gr. dxt^a/lof, headless (see acepha- 
lous)^ Kvarif, a bag: see cysfl-.] Ahydatidja 
member of a supposed genus Accphalocystis, in- 
stituted by Hunter for the hydatid or encysted 
stage of Tienia echinococcus. See Tosnia. 
acephalocystic (a-sef"a-lo-sis'tik), a. Pertain- 
ing to acephalocysts ; having the character of 
an acephalocyst. 
acephalogaster (a-sef 'a-lo-gas-ter), . [NL., 
< Grr. dfcf^aAof, without a head, + yaarfjp, belly.] 
In teratol., a monster destitute of head, chest, 
and superior parts of the belly. 
acephalogasteria (a-sefa-lo-gas-te'ri-ii), n. 
[NL., < aeephalogatter.'] In teratol., absence 
of the head and superior parts of the trunk. 
Acephalophora (a-sef -a-lof'o-ra), n. pi. [NL., 
< Gr. a- pnv. + Ke&aAi], liead, + -<t>6po, -bearing, 
< (j>epeiv = E. beari.~\ A name proposed by De 
Blainville, 1814, for the acephalous mollusks of 
43 
Cuvier, including the lamellibranchiates and 
tunicates toted licr with the brachiopods. in IK- 
Blainville's system nf classification, the Ac>-i'hfil<i!<l"n'<i 
were the thinl class uf .l/i/^/ncmr, divided into the or- 
ders Palli'ttirtiiiftinitti, liittlixta, Laiiiellil'rftiirhiata, and 
ll''t'-i-ohi-i!iii : f'iti ,- thus corresponding inexactly to ('uvirr s 
Act'i/hala, and exactly to Lamarck's Acephalcea of IM'ii. <>i' 
Lamarck's later Cunchifera and Tunicata together. 
acephalophoran (a-sef-a-lof'o-ran), n. One of 
the Aci'ph/ilitphora. 
acephalopodia (a-sef"a-16-po'di-a), re. [NL. : 
see aceplta/opodius.'] In teratol., absence of 
head and feet. 
acephalopodius (a-sef'a-lo-po'di-us), re. ; pi. 
in-i jihalopodii (-i). [NL., < Gr. dKe^a/tof, without 
a head, + irojf (JTO<!-) = E. /oof.] In teratol., a 
monster without head or feet. 
acephalorachia (a-sef "a-16-ra'ki-a), n. [NL., < 
Gr. d/rf^c/loc, without a head, + pax'C, spine.] In 
teratol., absence of head and vertebral column. 
acephalostomia (a-sef"a-16-sto'mi-a), . [NL. : 
see acephalostomus.~\ In "teratol., the absence of 
the head with the presence of a mouth-like 
opening. 
acephalostomus (a-sef-a-los'to-mus). n. ; pi. 
acephalostomi (-mi). [NL., < Gr. oKt^aAof, with- 
out a head, + oro//a, mouth.] In teratol., a 
monster without a head, but having in its su- 
perior parts an aperture resembling a mouth. 
acephalothoracia (a-sef"a-16-th6-ra'si-a), TO. 
[NL. : see acephalothorns.'] In teratol., absence 
of head and chest. 
acephalothorus (a-sef"a-16-tho'rus), re.; pi. ace- 
phalothori (-i). [NL., short for "acephalothora- 
cius (see above), < Gr. d/ct^a/of, without a head, 
+ dupai;, a breast-plate, the chest : see thorax.'] 
In teratol., a monster without head or chest. 
acephalous (a-sef 'a-lus), a. [< LL. acephalvs, 
< Gr. d/tf^aAof, without a head,< a- priv. + xt^a/l?, 
a head : see a- 18 and cephalic."] 1. Without a 
head; headless: applied (a) In zoiil., particularly 
to the members of the class Acephala (which see) : opposed 
to encephalous and cephalous. (b) In hot., to an ovary the 
style of which springs from its base instead of its apex, 
(c) In teratol., to a fetus having no head, (d) In pros., to 
a verse whose scale differs from the regular scale of the 
same meter by lacking the first syllable of the latter. 
2. Without a leader or chief. 
The tendency to division was strengthened by the aceph- 
alous condition of the Courts. Stubbs, Const. Hist., II. 27. 
3. Wanting a distinct beginning ; indefinite in 
subject. 
A false or acephalous structure of sentence. 
De Quinccy, Rhetoric. 
acephalus (a-sef'a-lus), n. ; pi. acephali (-li). 
[LL. (see Acephali and acephalous) and NL.] 
1. An obsolete name of the taenia or tapeworm. 
2. In teratol., a monster without a head. 3. 
In pros., a verse defective at the beginning. 
ace-point (as'point), n. The single spot on a 
card or die ; also, the side of a die that has but 
one spot. 
acequia (Sp. pron. a-sa'ke-a), re. [Sp.] A 
canal for irrigation. 
Irrigating canals or acequias conduct the water of the 
Oila over all this cultivated district. 
Moinry, Arizona and Sonora, p. 188. 
Acer (a'ser), re. [L., a maple-tree, prob. so 
called from its pointed leaves, < V *ac, be sharp 
orpointed, appearing in acerb, acetic, acid, acute, 
Acrra 6lMa . 
of the 
Sugar-Maple (Acrrsaccharinum}. a, flowering branch ; ^.sterile 
flower ; c, stamen ; d, fruit with one carpel cut open to show the seed. 
(From Gray's " General the Plants of the U. S.") 
etc.] A genus of discifloral polypetalous trees 
and shrubs, commonly known as maples, of the 
natural order /Sapindacea, suborder Acerinece, 
Acerininse 
having opposite simple leaves and the fruit a 
double-winged samara. It includes alwut 50 species, 
ni' ii.nihrni temperate regions, many of them valiuilile 
timl'LT trrcs or widely cultivated fbruttdt and orn:niii-iit, 
Siiinir is obtained in America from the sap of .1. (.,///. 
mint, the su^ai'-maiile. See ><!/,/. 
Acera (as'e-ra), n. [NL., fern. sing, or neut. 
pi. of Acenis, < Gr. dxEpoc, without liorns : see 
Acerus and accrous 2 .] 1 . A genus of mollusks, 
of the family Bullidce or Tornatellidte, belong- 
ing to the tectibranchiate division 
of opisthobranchiate gastropods. 
These bubble-shells have a thin horny 
shell, flattened and almost inclosed, with a 
slit at the suture as in the olive-shells ; the 
head is long and without eyes. The genus 
was instituted in this form by Lamarck, 
1818. A. tin Until is an example. Originally 
spelled Alcera. O. F. Midler, 1776. 
2. Used as a pi. A group of apter- 
ous insects without antennae. In 
this sense, the word is now a mere 
synonym of Arachnida (which see). 3. [Used 
as a plural.] A group of gastropodous mollusks 
without tentacles. [Disused.] 
Aceraceae (as-e-ra'se-e), . pi. Same as Ace- 
rin-ece. 
Acerse (as'e-re), re. pi. [NL., fern, pi.: see 
Acera.~] Same as Acera, 2 and 3. 
aceran (as'e-ran), re. One of the Acera, in any 
of the meanings of that word. 
acerate (as'e-rat), . [< L. acer, maple, + -ate 1 ."] 
A salt of aceric acid. 
aceratophorous (as"e-ra-tof'o-rus), a. [<Gr. 
- priv. + Ktpaf (fcepar-), horn, + -<p6pof,<. Qepeiv = 
E. Sear 1 .] Not bearing horns; hornless: as, 
an aceratophorous ruminant. [Little used.] 
acerb (a-serb'), o- [=F. acerbe = Sp. Pg. It. 
acerbo, < L. acerbus, bitter, sour, < acer, sharp, 
bitter : see acrid.'] Sour, bitter, and harsh to 
the taste ; sour, with astringency or roughness; 
hence, figuratively, sharp, harsh, etc. 
We have a foible for Ritson with his oddities of spelling, 
his acerb humor, . . . and his obstinate disbelief in Doc- 
tor Percy's folio manuscript. 
Lowell, Study Windows, p. 359. 
The dark, acerb, and caustic little professor. 
Charlotte Bronte, Villette, xix. 
acerbate (a-ser'bat or as'er-bat), v. t.; pret. 
and pp. acerbated, ppr. acerbating. [< L. acer- 
batus, pp. of acerbare, make bitter or sour, < 
acerbus, bitter, sour : see acerb, and cf. exacer- 
bate.'] To make sour, bitter, or harsh to the 
taste; hence, to embitter orexasperate. [Rare.] 
acerbate (a-ser'bat or as'er-bat), a. [< L. acer- 
batus, pp.: see the verb.] Embittered; exas- 
perated ; severe. N. E. D. 
acerbic (a-ser'bik), a. Of a harsh character. 
.V. E. D. 
acerbitude (a-ser'bi-tud), re. [< L. acerbitudo 
(rare), equiv. in sense toacerbitas: see acerbity.'] 
Sourness; acerbity. Bailey. [Rare.] 
acerbity (a-ser'bi-ti), TO.; pi. acerbities (-tiz). 
[Earlier acerbitiej< F. acerbite = Sp. acerbidad 
= It. acerbita, < L. acerbita(t-)s, sharpness, sour- 
ness, harshness, < acerbus, sharp : see acerb.'] 1. 
Sourness, with roughness or astringency of 
taste. 2. Poignancy or severity. 
It is ever a rule, that any over-great penalty, besides 
the acerbity of it, deadens the execution of the law. 
Bacon, Works, II. 542. 
We may imagine what acerbity of pain must be endured 
by our Lord. Barrow, Sermons, xxvi. 
3. Harshness or severity, as of temper or ex- 
pression. 
The lectures of Hazlitt display more than his usual 
strength, acuteness, and eloquence, with less than the 
usual acerbities of his temper. 
Whipjile, Ess. and Rev., II. 10. 
acerdese (as'er-des), TO. [F.] Gray oxid of man- 
ganese : a name given by Beudant to the mineral 
manganite. 
acere (as'er), re. A mollusk of the genus Acera. ' 
aceric (a-ser'ik), a. [< L. acer (see Acer) + -ic.~] 
Pertaining to the maple; obtained from the 
maple. Aceric acid, an acid found in the juice of Acer 
campestre, the common European maple. 
Acerina (as-e-ri'na), n. [NL., as Acerus, q. v., 
+ -ina,~\ 1. A genus of crustaceans. Kaji- 
nesqwe, 1814.- 2. A genus of percoid fishes, the 
popes. Cuvier, 1817. 
Acerineae (as-e-rin'e-e), re. pi. [< Acer + -ui- + 
-em."] A suborder of the Sapindamce, distin- 
guished from the rest of the order by its oppo- 
site leaves and exalbuminous seeds. It includes 
the maple (Acer), the box-elder (Ifetflindo), and a third 
genus, I)vbinta,ot a single species, native of the Himalayas. 
Acerininae (as"e-ri-ni'ne), re. pi. [< Acerina, 2, 
+ -iHft'.] A name proposed as a subfamily des- 
ignation for the genus Aeerina, including the 
ruffe and related percoid fishes having a cav- 
ernous head and a single dorsal fin. 
