centropomid 
Centropomid (sen-tro-po'mid), . A fish of the 
family Centropoufdff, 
Centropomidse (sen-tro-pom'i-de), n. pi. [NL., 
< Centriipomus + -id<E.} A family of acanthop- 
terygian fishes, typified by the genus ('riitr/in- 
mus, peculiar to the tropical and subtropical 
waters of America. They have uu elongate luicly 
with distinct lateral lino continued on to the caudal tin, 
small ctenoid scales, separate dorsal tin--, of which UK- 
first has 7 or 8 spines, the third being the longest, short 
anal tin with :t spines, and forked caudal. 
centropomoid (sen-tro-po'moid), a. and . I. a. 
Of or relating to the ('eutropomidas. 
II. n. A member of the family Centropnmiilir. 
Centropomus (sen-tro-po'mus), . [NL. (La- 
cepede), < (Jr. xevrpov, spine, + Jrtiua, lid, cover, 
i. e., operculum.] A genus of fishes, typical of 
Kohalo {CtntropoMU! umttcimalisl. 
the family Centropomidfc, having a long pre- 
opercular spine, whence the name. It im-ludi-s ;i 
number of spei-ies of moderate size found in the tropical 
American seat*, known as snooks and robalos, and es- 
teemed for food. 
Centropristis (sen-tro-pris'tis), n. [NL., < Gr. 
Kevrpov, a spine, sting, + irpirrrtc, a large fish, 
supposed to be (as in early NL.) the sawfish.] 
A genus of fishes, of the family Serranida;, con- 
taining the sea-basses, such as C. furvus, C. 
atrarius, and C. yhiladelpliii-nx. 
Centropus (sen'tro-pus), n. [NL. (Illiger, 1811), 
< Gr. Kevrpov, a spur, + iroi>( (TTOO-) = E. foot.] 
A genus of birds, typical of the subfamily Cen- 
tropodince : in a restricted sense, covering only 
the African coucals, like C. senegalensis ; iii 
other usages, more or less nearly the same as 
the subfamily Centropodince. 
centrostigma (sen-tro-stig'mS), n. ; pi. centro- 
.itiiimatu (-ma-ta). [NL., < Gr. Ktvrpov, center, 
+ ari^ua, a point, spot.] In morphology, a form 
or body of which all the axes radiate from a 
central point ; a protaxonial organism which is 
defined by its central point. 
centrostigmatic (sen'tro-stig-mat'ik), a. [As 
centrostignta(t-) + -ic.} "Consisting of a centrp- 
stigma; definable as to figure by a center : said 
of protaxonial figures only. 
centrosurface (sen-tro-ser'fas), n. [< L. cen- 
trum, center, -t- surface.'] Ingeom., the locus of 
centers of principal curvature of a surface. 
centrotriaene (sen'tro-tri-e'ne), n. [< Gr. ntv- 
rpov, spine, 4- rpiaiva, a thi'ee-pronged fish-spear, 
a trident: see triwne.} A kind of sponge-spicule 
having the form of a cladose rhabdus or trirene, 
whose cladome arises from the middle of the 
rhabdome. W. J. Solids. 
The shaft may also become trifld at both ends, amphi- 
trisene, and the resulting rays all bifurcate, or the cladome 
may arise from the centre of the rhabdome, centrotrifene. 
Encyc. Brit., XXII. 417. 
centrotylote ( sen-trot 'i-16t), a. [< Gr. idvrpov, 
spine, -r ruAurof, knobbed, < rtvlow, make knob- 
by, < rii/lof, a knot, knob.] Swollen in the mid- 
dle: a term applied by Sollas to a form of 
sponge-spicule which is an oxyaster of two rays 
produced from a central swelling: as, "a cen- 
trotylote microxea," Encyc. Brit., XXII. 417. 
centrum (sen'trum), . ; pi. centra (-tra). [L., 
< Gr. ntvrpov, center : see center 1 .} 1. A center. 
Specifically 2. [NL.] laanat. : (a) The body 
of a vertebra ; the solid piece to which the arches 
and some other parts are or may be attached. 
Morphologically, however, the centrum is not exactly what 
is ordinarily called the body of a vertebra ; for the latter 
usually includes the bases of the neural arches, from which 
the centrum proper is separated for a period by the neuro- 
central suture. See cuts under cervical, dorml, and mdti- 
ikekton. (b) The basis or fundamental portion of 
one of the cranial segments, regarded as analo- 
gous to vertebra. Thus, the basioccipital is the 
centrum of the occipital segment of the skull. 
Centrum ovale, the large white central mass displayed 
by removing the upper portions of the cerebral hemi- 
spheres at the level of the corpus callosum. Also called 
i-fiiirinii ornlf iiinjii.i and centrum ovale of Vieustenn. 
Centrum ovale minus, the white central mass of the 
I'rivbral hemispheres as displayed by a transverse cut at 
any level. Also called centrum ovate of Vicq-d'Azyr. 
centryH, An obsolete variant of center 2 . 
centry-'t, ". A contracted forru of cemetery. 
centry^t, A former spelling of sen try. 
The centra's box. Gay, Trivia, ii. 298. 
889 
centum (sen'tum), n. [L., = E. hundred: see 
cnil, hundred.} A hundred: used in the phrase 
/n r (/nliiin, by the hundred. 
centumpondium (sen-tum-pon'di-um), . ; pi. 
I'ciitiuii/iiiiK/iii (-a). [L., < centum, a hundred, 
+ pondun, weight.] The ancient Roman hun- 
dredweight, equal to 72 pounds avoirdupois. 
centumvir (sen-tum'ver), ii. ; pi. ccntumrira, 
cfiitumriri ' (-verz, -vi-ri). [L. centumriri, prop, 
separately centum viri, < centum (= AS. hand, K. 
liiinil-nd, q. v.) + viri, pi. of vir = AS. irrr, a 
man.] In ancient Rome, one of a body of 10.") 
(called in round numbers 100) judges, 3 from 
each of the 35 tribes, appointed to decide com- 
mon causes among the people. The office of tin r. n 
tumvirs was annual, the prc^denuy of the tribunal Imlong- 
ing to the pretor. The court sat in the Julian basilica, in 
four sections, each presided over by a decemvir or :ui ''\ 
questor. I'ndiT the empire their numlwr was Im-n M i 
to 180, or perhaps more. 
centumviral (sen-tum'vi-ral), a. [< L. centum- 
rirnli,i, < i-i'iitiimviri: sei> centumvir.} Pertaining 
to the centumvirs. 
centumvirate (sen-turn' vi-rat), . [< L. ceii- 
tiimriri + -ati'3.} 1. The office or dignity of a 
centumvir. 2. Any body of a hundred men. 
Kimling food and raiment all that term for a <v/,^y/< 
virate of the profession. Sttraf, Tristram Shandy, ii. 108. 
centum viri, . Latin plural of centumvir. 
centuple (sen'tu-pl), a. [< F. centuple = Sp. 
ci'ntiij)\o-= Pg. It. centiipln, < L. centuplus, hun- 
dred-fold, < centum, a hundred, + -plus (= Gr. 
-Tr^oof), a multiplicative suffix, related to /</.<. 
more, and ult. to E. full.'] A hundred-fold 
greater; multiplied by a hundred. 
I wish his strength were centuple. 
Mawringer, Unnatural Combat, i. 1. 
centuple (sen'tu-pl), r. t. ; pret. and pp. centu- 
pled, ppr. centupling. [< centuple, a.} To make 
a hundred times more ; multiply by a hundred. 
centuplicate (sen-tu'pli-kat), r. t. ; pret. and 
pp. centuplicated, ppr. centuplicating. [< L. 
centuplicatus, _pp. of centuplicare, increase a 
hundred-fold, < centuplex (centuplic-), a hun- 
dred-fold, < centum, a hundred, +plicare, fold.] 
To multiply a hundred times ; centuple. 
I performed the civilities you enjoined me to your 
friends, who return you the like centuplicated. 
Hvmll, Letters, iv. 2. 
centuplyt (sen'tu-pli), v. t. [< L. centuplicare : 
see centuplicate.] To centuple. 
Though my wants 
Were centuplie-d upon myself! I could be patient. 
Fletcher, Spanish Curate, i. 2. 
centuria (sen-tu'ri-a), n. ; pi. centuria (-e). [L. : 
see century 1 .} An ancient Roman measure of 
land, said to have been originally 100 times the 
quantity Romulus distributed to each citizen, 
and equal to 200 jugera : but it seems to have 
varied from 50 to 400 jugera. Seejugerum. 
centurial (sen-tu'ri-al), a. [< L. centurialis, < 
centuria, a century: see century 1 .} 1. Of or 
-pertaining to a century or centuries ; existing 
for a century or centuries of years. 
Quadrangles mossy with centurial associations. 
Lowell, Fireside Travels, p. 70. 
2. Consisting of or regulated by centuries; 
arranged by or divided into hundreds, or hun- 
dreds of years : as, a centurial organization of 
troops ; a centurial history. 
The centurial plan, which prevailed from Flaccus to 
Mosheim, is an improvement [on the purely chronological 
or annallstic method of writing history]. 
Scha/, Hist. Christ. Church, I. 4. 
3. Occurring once in a century or a hundred 
years; centennial: as, a centurial sermon. 
[Rare.] 4. Completing a century. 
Every year of which the number is divisible by four 
without a remainder is a leap-year, excepting the centu- 
rial years, which are only leap-years when divisible by 
four after omitting the two ciphers. Encyc. Brit. , IV. 667. 
Centurial stones, boundary-stones; stones marking the 
limits of an old Roman century or allotment of land. 
See centuryl, 2 (c). 
centuriatet (sen-tu'ri-at), v. t. [< L. centuri- 
atiis, pp. of centuriare, divide into hundreds, < 
centuria, a hundred: see century 1 .} To divide 
into centuries or hundreds. 
centuriatet (sen-tu'ri-at), a. [< L. centuriatus, 
pp. : see the verb.] Divided into or consisting 
of centuries or hundreds : as, centuriate assem- 
blies. Holland. 
centuriation (sen-tu-ri-a'shon), n. [< L. cen- 
tni'iatio(n-), < centuriare, divide into centuries: 
see centuriate, v.} The custom of dividing land 
into centuries. See century 1 , 2 (c). 
It is obvious that formal centuriatiun in straight lines 
and rectangular divisions, by the Agrimensores, produced 
something entirely different from the open field system as 
we have found it in England. 
Seebohm, Eng. Vil. Community, p. 277. 
century 
centuriator (son-tu'ri-a-tor), n. [XL. (> F. <- a. 
titriiiti'iir = Pg. centiiriiiilnr i, '. I,. ci-Hturini'i . 
divide into hundreds: MT i-i-ninri<ili . '. | One 
of the writers of the Protestant ecclesiastical 
history known as the Centuries of Magdeburg. 
Also centurist. 
'I'll.- i-i'iiiiiriatiir.iiit M ngdelmrg were the first that dis- 
rnvi-ri'd this grand imposture. Aylife, Parergon. 
centuried (sen'tu-rid), a. [< century + -ed 2 .] 
Lasting for a century or centuries ; centurial. 
His centuried siU-nrr t., tln.si- hearers frank 
With joy hi- hrokr. ('. llrKn:i. \ i.M.ui ..f NimriHl.il. 
CenturiO (sen-tu'ri-6), w. [NL. (J. E. Gray, 
1H42): .-re </ n in film.} A 
genus of American phyl- 
lostomine bats, notable in 
its family for the absence 
of adistinct nose-leaf, but 
having various extraordi- 
nary excrescences upon 
the face, which produce a 
most grotesque physiog- 
nomy. C'.senexisthetype. 
centurion (sen-tu'ri-on), 
n. [< ME. centurion = F. cfiiturinn = Sp. << n- 
liirinn = I'g. ct'ntiiriiio = It. rfiiturioin-, < L. ci'ii- 
tiirin(ii-), < centuria, a company of a hundred: 
see century 1 .} In ///. until/., ii military officer 
who commanded a century or company of in- 
fantry. The centurion was appointed by the 
commander-in-chief, and corresponded to the 
captain in modern military service. 
centurist (sen'tu-rist), n. [< century 1 + -ist.} 
Same as centuriator. 
Centurus (sen-tu'rus). n. [NL. (Swainson, 
1837), prop. Ccntrurus,<. Gr. Kfvrpov, a spine, + 
n'vpA, tail.] A genus of banded woodpeckers of 
CenturiO sfntx. 
Jew 
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Ctnlxrui carolmus\ 
the warmer parts of America, of which the red- 
bellied woodpecker, ('. carolinus, is the type: 
so called from the acute tail-feathers. They 
are also known as sebra-iroodpecJcers, from the 
transversely striped plumage. 
century 1 (sen'tu-ri), . ; pi. centuries (-riz). [< 
F. centurie= ip. Pg. It. centuria, < L. centuria, 
an assemblage or division consisting of a hun- 
dred units, as a company of a hundred soldiers, 
a division of the people, etc. (not in the sense 
of 'a hundred years,' for which s&culum was 
used: see secular), < centum = E. hundred.} 1. 
In a general sense, a hundred ; anything con- 
sisting of a hundred in number. 
And when 
With wild wood-leaves ami weeds I ha' strew'd his grave, 
And on it said a century nf prayers, 
Such as I can, twice o'er, I'll weep and sigh. 
Shak., Cyinhellne, Iv. 2. 
How many of the centurif of graduates sent forth from 
our famous University every year . . . are able to read 
with moderate relish and understanding one of the Tus- 
culan Disputations? 
Dr. J. Brown, Spare Hours, 3d ser., p. 44. 
Specifically 2. In Rom. antiq.: (a) A division 
of the people (originally so called, probably, 
with reference to the approximate number of 
its members, though there was no fixed limit), 
instituted by Sennus Tullius, formed with ref- 
erence to taxation and to the election of magis- 
trates and enactment of laws. All the citizens 
were divided into classes according to their wealth, and 
each of the classes was divided into from 10 to 40 senior 
and junior centuries, according to age, in all 183 or 194. 
Each century had one vote in the comitia centuriata, 
the wealthier classes voting first and generally controlling 
the others, (ft) A subdivision of the legion, corre- 
sponding to a modern military company of in- 
fantry, and consisting nominally of a hundred 
men. Prior to the rule of Marius the century was half 
of a maniple, and contained normally 100 men, each cen- 
tury having in addition 20 light-armed troops. After the 
military reform of Marius the old distinctions of arms in 
the legion were abolished ; the century was still the half 
