Ampere-meter. 
ampere 
pere, < Ampere, name of a French electrician 
(Andr6 Marie Ampere, died 1836). Cf. ohm and 
volt.'] The unit employed in measuring the 
strength of an electrical current. It is the cur- 
rent which flows through a conductor whose resistance is 
one ohm, and between the two ends of which the unit dif- 
ference of potentials, one volt, is maintained. 
ampere-meter (am-par'me'ter), n. In elect., 
an instrument for measuring the .strength of 
an electric current in am- 
peres. Several forms have been 
devised, some of which are essen- 
tially galvanometers specially 
constructed for this purpose. 
Another form (see the cut) con- 
sists of a hollow coil of wire tra- 
versed by the current to be mea- 
sured, which according to its 
strength draws within itself a 
core supported by a spring and 
having an index attached to it; 
the scale is so graduated that the 
strength of the current is given 
directly in amperes. Also called 
ammeter, ainperometer. 
Ampere's theory. See 
theory. 
Amperian (am-pe'ri-an),a. 
Relating to Andr6 Marie 
Ampere, or to his theories. 
Amperian currents, in elect., 
the hypothetical electrical cur- 
rents by which Ampere explained 
the properties of a magnet See 
AtnpPre'g theory, under theory. 
amperometer(am-pe-rom'- 
e-ter), n. [< ampere + -o- 
meter.] Same as ampere- 
meter. 
ampersand (am'per-sand), 
n. [Also ampersand, am- 
pus-and, amperse-and, am- 
passyand, ampussy-and, ap- 
persi-and, amperzed, etc., 
also simply ampassy, etc., various corruptions 
of and per se and (that is, '& by itself 
and').'] A name formerly in use for the char- 
acter & or & (also called short and), which is 
formed by combining the letters of the Latin 
et, and, and which is commonly placed at the 
end of the alphabet in primers. 
ampery (am'per-i), a. [< amper + -#!.] 1. 
Covered with pimples. 2. Weak : unhealthy ; 
beginning to decay. [Prov. Eng.J 
amphacanthid (am-fa-kan'thid), n. A fish of 
the family Amphaeaniliida;. 
Amphacanthidae (am-fa-kan'thi-de), n. pi. 
[NL., < Amphacanthiis + -tVto.] In ichth., a 
family name synonymous with ttiaaitida (which 
see). 
Amphacanthus (am-fa-kan'thus), n. [NL., 
prop. *amphiacanthtis, ( Gr. awfii, on both sides 
(see amphi-), + anavOa, spine.] A generic name 
of fishes remarkable for the development of a 
spine along the inner as well as the outer mar- 
gin of the ventral fins: identical with Sic/anus 
(which see). 
amphanthium (am-fau'thi-um), n. ; pi. ampltan- 
thia (-a). [NL., < Gr. awfii, about (see amphi-), 
+ <ivft>c, flower.] In bot., a term proposed for 
a dilated receptacle of inflorescence. 
phi-. [ 
ep., = L. , . . 
of Greek origin, meaning on both sides, on all 
sides, around, round about : cognate with and 
equivalent to ambi- of Latin origin. 
Amphiarctos (am-fi-ark'tos), n. [NL.] Same 
as Hywnarctos. 
amphiarthrodial (am"fi-ar-thro'di-al), . [< 
Gr. aiufii + a/itifjudt/f, jointed (< a/iOpov, a joint, 
+ fioof, form), + -ial, with ref. to amphiar- 
throsis. ] Of or pertaining to amphiarthrosis, or 
to a joint exhibiting that kind of articulation. 
amphiarthrosis (am"fi-ar-thr6'sis), n. [NL., 
< Gr. afujii, on both sides, -1- apBpuai;, articula- 
tion : see arthrosis.~\ In anat., a kind of articu- 
lation, intermediate between synarthrosis and 
diarthrosis, permitting slight motion by inter- 
vention of fibrocartilage, as between the bodies 
of vertebrae or in the pubic and sacro-iliac artic- 
ulations. 
Amphiaster (am'fi-as-ter), n. [NL., < Gr. a/tft, 
around, + oari/p, a star.] 1. A genus of star- 
fishes, of the family Goniasterid<e. A. inni-mi* ^ 
a beautiful Californian species with short flat arms, flat 
disk, and regularly arranged spines and tessellated plates. 
2. [I. c.] In embryol., a formation in a matur- 
ing ovum of a fusiform figure radiated at either 
end, thus resembling two stars joined together, 
whence the name. See extract. 
In the place where the remains of the nucleus were 
seen, there now appears a spindle-shaped body made up 
. 
amphi-. [E., NL., etc., < Gr. appi-, prefix, a/jfi, 
prep., = L. ambi-, etc.: see anibi-.] A prefix 
182 
of granules arranged in lines, while from either end other 
lines of granules arc arranged in a radial manner. The 
whole presents an appearance closely similar to that seen 
wliBii iron tilings are exposed to the'influeiire of :i IKM>. 
shnr magnet, while from its ivsemMunrr to tun >l;ii- 
joined toL't.-thtT it has received the name umi>hnf*t, , . 
Xtuiul. Xut. Hint., I., Int., p. xlv. 
amphibala, . Plural of amphibalnm. 
amphibali, n. Plural of ampliibalim. 
amphibalum (am-fib'a-lum), n. ; pi. <iiii/iliili<il(i 
(-la). Same as iim/i/tilxtlus. 
amphibalus (am-nb'a-lus), n. ; pi. inii/i/ii/nili 
(-11). [ML., < Gr. d/i^7?oAor, adj., put around 
(ef. d//^//3/J7yua, a cloak), < afifyi, around, + : iu'/- 
l.etv, throw.] An ecclesiastical vestment, not 
unlike the casula or chasuble, peculiar to the 
Galilean church of the eighth and ninth cen- 
turies. 
Amphibamus (am-fib'a-mus), . [NL., irreg. < 
Gr. afjtyi, around, + [iatveiv, go ; cf . deriv. (if/pa, 
Dor. /3d//a, a step.] A genus of stegocephalous 
amphibians, of stout, lizard-like form, from the 
Carboniferous formations of Illinois. E. J). 
Cope, 1865. 
amphibia (am-fib'i-a), n. pi. [NL., pi. of am- 
phibium, q. v. (also of amphibion), neut. of am- 
phibius, < Gr. d^i/Stoc, living a double life : 
see amphibious.] 1. In popular language, ani- 
mals living both on land and in the water ; those 
which voluntarily and habitually enter that ele- 
ment, though not able to breathe under water, 
such as frogs, turtles, crocodiles, seals, wal- 
ruses, otters, beavers, hippopotami, etc. 2. 
[cap.] In rooY., a name variously used, (o) In the 
Linnean system (1766), the third class of Animalia, includ- 
ing all Keptilia, Batrachia, and various fishes and fish-like 
vertebrates. It was divided into three orders : (1) reptiles 
furnished with feet and breathing by the mouth (Tettuda, 
Draco, Lacerta, Rana); (2) footless serpents, also breathing 
by the mouth (Crotalug, Boa, Coluber, Amjuin, Amphis- 
i-n'iifi. Ctecilia); (3) finned swimmers (Xante* pinnati), 
breathing by lateral brauchieeor gills, comprising 14 genera 
of fishes and fish-like vertebrates, as the Marsipobranchia 
anASifuali. (6) In Cuvier's system (1817), a tribe of carniv- 
orous mammals, intervening between Carnaria and Marsu- 
piata, containing the seals and walruses, or pinniped Car- 
nimra; thus exactly equivalent to the J'iiiiuimlia of mod- 
ern naturalists. Cuvier had earlier (about 1799) placed the 
Amphibia next to the Cetacea, both comprising mammals 
with feet adapted for swimming, as distinguished from 
those with clawsorwith hoofs, (c) A class of ichthyopsidan 
vertebrates, corresponding to the order Batrachia of Bron- 
gniart and Cuvier, containing animals that breathe both in 
the water and in the air at the same or at different periods 
of their lives, and have either permanent gills or gills later 
superseded by lungs, or gills and lungs simultaneously. 
The gills are usually external. Respiration is also usually 
effected to some extent by the skin. Limbs are either pres- 
ent orabsent, and there are no fins in the adult. The Am- 
phibia undergo metamorphosis, the larval forms being 
more or less fish-like, the adult developing limbs. They 
are anamniotic and anallantoic, oviparous, and cold- 
blooded. The heart has two auricles and one ventricle. 
The skull is dicondylian, with an unossifled basi-occipital 
and a parasphenoid. The Amphibia, have been very gener- 
ally called Batrachia, after Cuvier; but the latter term is 
now usually restricted to an order Batrachia of the class 
Amphibia. The Amphibia include all the animals com- 
monly called frogs, toads, newts, efts, tritons, salamanders, 
sirens, axolotls, etc. By some they are divided into Anura 
and Urodela, the tailless and tailed Amphibia. A more 
elaborate division is into four orders : (1) Ophiomorpha or 
Gumnophiona, including only the family Cteciliiate; (2) 
Urodela ; (3) Batrachia ; (4) the fossil Labyrinthodantia. 
amphibial (am-fib'i-al), a. [As amphibious + 
-al.~\ Same as amphibian. 
amphibian (am-fib'i-an), a. and . [As am- 
phibious + -.] I. a. Of or pertaining to am- 
phibia in any sense ; specifically, pertaining to 
the class Amphibia. See amphibious, 2. 
H. n. An animal of the class Amphibia. 
Amphibichthyidae (am*fi-bik-thi'i-de), . pi. 
[NLi.,<AmphibichtIiys + -idee.'] A family of dip- 
nous fishes, typified by the genus Amphibich- 
thys : synonymous with Lepidosirenidw. ffofff/. 
Amphibichthys (am-fi-bik'this), n. [NL., < 
Gr. a^ifitof, amphibious, + IxOv*;, fish.] The 
typical genus of Amphibichthyidce : synonymous 
with Lepidosiren. Hogg. 
amphibiolite (am-fib'i-o-Ht), . [< Gr. a/^i- 
Iliof, amphibious, + Wof, a stone.] The fossil 
remains of an amphibian. Craig, 1847. 
amphibiolith (am-fib'i-o-lith), . Same as am- 
phibiolite. 
amphibiological (am-fib"i-o-loj'i-kal), . [< 
<iij>liibiology + -leal.] Pertaining to amphibi- 
ology. 
amphibiology (am-fib-i-ol'o-ji), . [< Gr. a/t- 
^(/fiof, amphibious, -t- -foyia, < Uyeiv, speak : see 
-ology. ] A discourse or treatise on amphibious 
animals; the department of natural history 
which treats of the Amphibia. 
amphibion (am-fib'i-on), . ; pi. amphibia (-S). 
[NL., = unijihibiuiii, q. v.] Same as amphibium. 
Amphibiotica (am"fi-bi-ot'i-ka), n. pi. [NL., 
< Gr. afujiipiat;, amphibious, + term. -uT-tK-6f."] 
In zoo'l., in Gegenbaur's system of classification, 
amphibolid 
one of two subdivisions (the other being Cor- 
tia) of the Pfoudonevroptera. The Amvlu- 
are composed of tile May-flies, dragon-Hies, and re- 
of other authors, generally considered as suborders of a 
oinveiitional order .W/</-<i^/cm. 
amphibious (am-fib'i-us), a. [< NL. amphibius, 
< Gr. ijUf/jatOf, living a double life, < a/ifi, on 
both sides, + /3/of, life. Cf. ampMMa.l 1. Liv- 
ing both on land and in water; habitually al- 
ternating between land and water. 
A diver for pearls, a youth who, by long habit in his 
trade, was almost grown amphibious. 
Goldsmith, Citizen of the World, Ixxxviii. 
2. Of or pertaining to the Amphibia; amphibian. 
The most completely amphibious animals are those which 
do not undergo complete metamorphosis, or which jiossess 
lungs and gills simultaneously, being thus capable of both 
aerial and aquatic respiration. Amphibious is, however, 
rare in this sense, amphibian being the usual technical 
term in zoology. 
3. Of a mixed nature; partaking of two na- 
tures : as, an amphibious breed. 
A floating island, an amphibious spot 
Unsound, of spongy texture. 
W>ml*worth, Prelude, iii. 
Not in free and common socage, but in this amphibious 
subordinate class of villein socage. 
Blackatotie, Com., II. vi. 
amphibiously (am-fib'i-us-li), adv. In an am- 
phibious manner. 
amphibiousness (am-fib'i-us-nes), n. The 
quality of being amphibious ; ability to live in 
two elements; participation in two natures. 
amphibium (am-fib'i-um), n. ; pi. amphibia (-a). 
[NL. (also written amphibion, < Gr. afufil/itdv), 
sine, of amphibia, q. v.] An amphibious ani- 
mal; one of the Amphibia. 
Thus is man that great and true amphibium, whose na- 
ture is disposed to live not only like other creatures in 
divers elements, but in divided and distinguished worlds. 
Sir T. Browne, Religio Medici, i. 34. 
The children, each one armed with the curved rib of 
some big amphibion, are playing ball and bat among the 
drift*. Kane, Sec. Grinn. Exp., II. 133. 
amphiblastic (am-fi-blas'tik), a. [< Gr. au$i, 
on both sides, + /i/laorof, a germ.] In embryol., 
a term applied to those holoblastic eggs which, 
by unequal segmentation of the vitellus (yolk), 
produce an amphigastrula (which see) in ger- 
minating. Haeckel. 
amphiblastula (am-fi-blas'tu-la), n. ; pi. am- 
phiblastuhc (-le). [NL., < amphi(cytula) + blas- 
tula.'] In embryol., the vesicular morula or 
mulberry-like mass which is formed from that 
stage in the development of a holoblastic egg 
of unequal segmentation known as an amphi- 
cytula, following upon the stage called an am- 
phimorula. The human egg is an example. 
See gastrulation. Haeckel. 
Amphibola (am-fib'o-la), n. [NL., fern, of LL. 
amphiboluy : see amphibole.] A genus of pul- 
monate gastropods with an 
operculum and without ten- 
tacles, constituting the fami- 
ly Amphibolida: : synonymous 
with Ampullacera. 
Amphibolae (am-fib'o-le), . 
pi. [NL., fern. pi. of LL. am- 
phibolux : see amphibole.~\ In 
Nitzsch's classification (1829), 
a group of birds represented 
by the family Musophagida;, 
the plantain-eaters or turacous. [Not in use J 
amphibole (am'fi-bol), n. [< LL. amphibolus, 
ambiguous, < Gr. a/tij>lf}o^of, doubtful, equivocal, 
Amphibola attstra- 
lis. 
jiaAXtiv, doubt, be uncertain, throw around, 
i, around, on both sides, + /jaMetv, throw.] 
A name given by Haiiy to hornblende, from its 
resemblance to augite, for which it may readily 
be mistaken: now used as a general term to 
include all the varieties of which common 
hornblende is one. See hornblende __ Amphi- 
bole granite, same as hornblende yranite (which see, 
under uranitr). 
amphiboli (am-fib'o-H), w. pi. [NL., pi. of LL. 
amphibolus : see amphibote.] A general name 
for birds of zygodactyl form with the toes di- 
rected forward and backward in pairs, that is, 
two forward and two backward. By Illiger (isii) 
considered as a family, but now abandoned as an artificial 
group. 
amphibolic 1 (am-fi-bol'ik), a. [< amphiboly + 
-ic.] Of the nature of amphiboly; amphib- 
olous. 
amphibolic 2 (am-fi-bol'ik), . [< amphibole + 
-ic.] In mineral., pertaining to, resembling, or 
containing amphibole. 
amphibolid (am-fib'o-lid), n. A gastropod of 
the family Amphiboliiiee. 
