Ceriphasiidas 
900 
certain 
gastropods, typified by the genus Ceriphasia. having the apex curved or bent down : specifi- "J^* 9 -f rom - a y co j 10 Y in delicate needles 
The species are closely related to the Mdaniidce, but the pally, in hot., noting less inclination than pen- rt-i-__i ml fse-rok'si-lon) n FNL. 
- ^lous; in entom., said of the head when it is ^ X ^i;; wood .] ^'genus of 
,** Ar,^ c-/-i no tf\ fm'TYl <1 V10-MT iimrm with TIC J . 
margin of the mantle is entire, and the females are ovipa- 
rous. The shell varies from an elongate turreted to a sub- 
globular form. The operculum is subspiral. About 500 
species have been described, all of which are inhabitants 
of North America and the West Indies. 
Ceriphasis (se-rif 'a -sis), n. Same as Ceri- 
phasia. 
cerise (se-rez'), n. and a. [F., < L. cerasus, a 
cherry-tree : see cherry^.] I. n. Cherry color. 
II. a. Cherry-colored. 
cerite 1 (se'rit), n. [< Off-Mum) + -ite%.] A rare 
mineral, a hydrated silicate of cerium, of a 
ditlous; , 
bent down so as to form a right angle with the 
thorax, as in the crickets. 
cero (se'ro), n. [< Sp. sierra, saw, sawfish.] 
A scombroid fish, Seoniberomorus regalis, with 
elongated body and of silvery color relieved by 
a broken brownish band along the side, above 
and below which are numerous brownish spots, 
the anterior portion of the spinous dorsal fin 
being black. It is closely related to the well-known 
Spanish mackerel, but reaches a mucli larger size, some- 
,< Gr. K7?poc, 
tree-palms, 
natives of South America. They have pinnate leaves 
and small berries with one hard seed. The wax-palm of 
South America, C. andicola, is one of the tallest of American 
Sweden. It totodUrf IMM of" cerium, Ynd Ys the wax-colors; an encaustic painting, 
mineral from which that metal was first obtained. It con- cerOgTaphlC, CerOgraphlCal (se-ro-gral ik, -1- 
tains also lanthanum and didymium. kal), a. [< cerography + -1C, -ical.] Pertam- 
cerite 2 (se'rit), . [< Ceritimn, Cerithium, q. v.] j n ' g to cerography. 
A gastropod of the genus Cerithium or family cerographist (se-rog'ra-fist), n. [< cerography 
Cerithiidai. + -int.] One who is versed in or who practises 
Cerithiidse (ser-i-thi'i-de), n. pi. [NL., < Ceri- cerography. 
tliiitm + -idtv.] A family of holostomatous cerography (se-rog'ra-fi), n. [< Gr. Krjpoypaijiia, 
tsenioglossate pectinibranchiate gastropodous encaustic painting, '< Ktipo-ypa<j>tiv, paint with 
mollusks, or sea-snails, typified by the genus W ax, < Kr/p6c., wax, 4- ypafynv, write.] 1. The 
Cerithium, to which different limits have been ar t or ac t o f writing or engraving on wax. 2. 
assigned; the club-shells. As now generally under- Wax-painting; encaustic painting, 
stood, it includes mollusks with a short muzzle, eyes on cero l e i n (se-ro'le-in), n. [< L. cera, wax, + -ol 
short pedicles connate with the slender tentacles, and " "_ . _,.v; st '' n hWinpd from beeswax 
with shells elongate, turreted and having a short, wide + -- J A substance 
anterior spo\it to the aperture or a sinuous anterior mar- by treating the wax with boiling alconol. It 
_.. :, _ _ js yerj , S0 ft > Jiiggoives readily in cold alcohol and ether, 
and is acid to litmus. It is probably a mixture of fatty 
bodies. 
cerolite (se'ro-lit), . [< Gr. Kr/pof, wax, + Iddoc,, 
stone.] A hydrous magnesium silicate, occur- 
ring in reniform masses with conchoidal frac- 
ture. Also kerolite. 
ceroma (se-ro'mii), w. [L., < Gr. KJ/pofui, a wax 
cerithiopsid (se-rith-i-op'sid), w. A gastropod tablet, a wax salve, < K?/p6c., wax: see cere.] 1. 
of the family Cerithiopsidce. j n c lass. antiq., an unguent used by wrestlers. 
Cerithiopsidae (se-rith-i-op'si-de), n. pi. [NL., _ 2 . l n ornith., same as cere. 
< Cerithiopsis + -ida!.] A family of gastropods, ceromancy (se'ro-man-si), n. [< Gr. Kr/p6<;, wax, 
typified by the genus Cerithiopsis. They have + ^ aj ^- e ; a; divination.] Divination from the 
mal haTa retrMUle'prolrascis' 'ihefetv species aremosUy forms assumed by drops of melted wax let fall 
confined to the northern seas. i n * water. 
Cerithiopsis (se-rith-i-op'sis), n. [NL., < Ce- ceromel(se'ro-mel), n. [< L. cera (= Gr. K W of ), 
ritiiium + Gr. 6^, aspect.] The typical genus wax, + mel = Gr. fttk, honey.] An ointment 
composed of 1 part of yellow wax and from 2 
gin. The species are very numerous and mostly of small 
size. They are generally distributed, but most abundant 
in tropical seas. Also written Cerithiadce. See cut un- 
der Cerithium. 
ceritMoid (se-rith'i-oid), a. and n. [< Cerithium 
+ -oid.] I. a. Pertaining to or resembling the 
genus Cerithium. 
II. K. One of the Cerithiidcs. 
horn, dim. of ntpaf, a horn.] 
The typical genus of club- 
shells of the family Cerithiidce. 
The species are numerous. 
C. obtusum is an example. 
cerium (se'ri-um), n. [NL., 
named by Berzelius in 1803 
from the planet Ceres."] 
Chemical symbol, Ce ; atomic 
weight, 141.5; specific grav- 
ity, 5.5. A metal discovered 
in 1803 by Klaproth, Hi- 
singer, and Berzelius inde- 
pendently. It is a powder of 
lamellar texture, malleable, of a 
color between that of iron and that 
of lead, and acquires a metallicluster 
by pressure. It becomes bright by 
polishing, but soon tarnishes in the 
air. It does not occur native, but 
exists in combination in the mineral cerite, in which it 
was first found, as also in allanite, gadolinite, and some 
others. 
Cermatia (ser-ma'ti-a), n. [NL., < Gr. Kepfia(r-), 
a slice, a mite, a small coin, < Kcipciv, shear: see 
shear.~\ The typical genus of the family Cerma- 
tiida!, having large faceted eyes : synonymous 
with Scutigera. C. or S. coleoptrata of Europe is an 
of the family Cerithiopsidce. 
Cerithium (se-rith'i-um), n. [NL., also Ce- to 4 parts of made honey: used in India and cerr j s ( 8e r'is), n. 
i-iliiim : a modification of Gr. Kepdriov, a little other tropical countries as an application for cerruSj a ^i n( i o f 
wounds and ulcers. Europea 
ceroon, n. See seroon. ^^ / s6rt ) a(ll ._ [< M E. cert, < OF. cert, < L. 
< 
Wax-palm (Ceroxylon andicola}. 
palms, reaching a height of over 150 feet, and often grows 
on the mountains at the limit of perpetual snow. A se- 
cretion consisting of two parts of resin and one part of wax 
is produced in great abundance on the stem, and is also 
exuded from the leaves, each tree yielding on an average 
25 pounds. It is used with tallow in candle-making. The 
genus has also been named Iriartea. 
cerrial (ser'i-al), a. [< ME. cerial (see first ex- 
tract), prop, "cerreal, < L. cerreus, of or pertain- 
ing to the cerrus, the Turkey oak : see cerris.] 
Pertaining to the cerris or bitter oak. 
A corone of a greue ok cerial 
Upon hir heed was set ful faire and meete. 
Chanctr, Knight's Tale, 1. 1432. 
Chaplets green of cerrial oak. 
Dryden, Flower and Leaf, 1. 230. 
[NL., improp. form of L. 
ak, the Turkey oak.] The 
European bitter oak, Quercus Cerris. 
Club-shell (Ctritkiuti 
obtusum}. 
ceropheraryt (se-rof g-ra-ri), n. [A mixed cert ~ cer ' ( ' a(J < C ertus, certain: see certain, 
form, = F. cerofei-aire = Sp. Pg. ceroferarto, < an d c f. eerie*.] Certainly. [Obsolete or Scotch.] 
ML. ceroferarius, also corruptly ceroferagitts, an go h ben (lelited jn that art 
acolyte who earned candles (neut. ceroferanum, xhat wery ue ben hy neuere, cert, 
ceroferale, cerofarium, a stand to hold candles), King Alisaunder, 1. 5802. 
< L. cera, wax, cereus, a wax candle. + ferre = E. For cert, for certain ; certainly. [Scotch.] 
ftearl ; or < Gr. Ktjpoa wax, pi. a/poi. wax tapers, certain (ser'tan), a. and n. [Early mod. E. 
+ <i>tpeiv = L. ferre = E. oearl. See cere, cere- also certayn, certen, < ME. certain, -tayn, certein, 
OK*.] 1. Eccles., an acolyte; one who carries -tei/n, -ten, etc., < OF. certain, certein, F. certain 
candles in religious processions. Fuller. 2. = Pr. certan = OSp. It. certano, < ML. *certanus, 
A stand to hold candles. extended form ot L. certus (> hp. cierto = fs. 
ceroplastic (se-ro-plas'tik), a. and n. [< Gr. certo - Pr. cert = OF. cert: see cert, certes), 
wmoTrAaoTYKof, modeling in wax (fern. T; KTJPOTT/M- fixed, determined, of the same origin as cretus, 
aTuiti, the art), < Kr,p(mfjiaToc., molded in wax, < ?- pp. of cernere, separate, perceive, decide, = Gr. 
poc, wax, + TtUoaeiv, mold, verbal adj. Tr/.aar6q : Kpivciv, separate, decide, akin to Icel. sttlja, sep- 
' arate: see akitt. From the same L. source 
come also ascertain, concern, decern, decree, dis- 
cern; from the Gr., critic, diacritic, etc.] I. a. 
1 . Fixed ; determinate ; definite ; specified ; 
prescribed ; settled beforehand : as in the 
phrase "at a time certain." 
Alle the bretheren and sisteren paien a certein somme 
of seluer to leghte of Trinite. 
English Gilds (E. E. T. S.), p. 116. 
see plastic.] I. a. Pertaining to the art of 
modeling in wax; modeled in wax. 
II. n. The art of modeling or of forming 
models in wax. It probably originated in Egypt and 
Persia, where wax was used in embalming. The Greeks 
derived it from the Egyptians and applied it to portraiture 
in the time of Alexander the Great. The Romans deco- 
rated the vestibulespf their houses with wax bustsuf their 
ancestors. 
cerosin, cerosine (se'ro-sin), n. [< Gr. 
vviiiLi AJt/(*on/o/ it. \j, ui o. i;uiieu//(// ini* ui j^uivpt 10 on *-,- v A. JJ o 
example. C. forceps is a common species of the middle wax (with unusual retention of nom. case-end- day 
and southern United States. ing -of ; cf . kerosene), + -JJi 2 , -j'ne 2 .] A wax-like 
Cermatiidae (ser-ma-tl'i-de), n. pi. [NL., < substance forming a white or grayish-green 
Cermatia + -idee.] A family of chilopod my- coating on some species of sugar-cane. When 
riapods or centipeds, represented by the genus purified, it yields fine light pearly scales. 
Cermatia. The filiform antennae are at least as long as CerOStoma (se-ros'to-ma), n. [NL., < Gr. Kepac,, 
the body; the legs are long, and increase in length from a norDi + (7T ^ a) mO uth".] A genus of moths, 
the caterpillars of one species of which, C. xylo- 
stella, the turnip diamond-back moth, are very 
destructive to turnip-crops by eating the leaves. 
These caterpillars are about naif an inch long, green in 
color, and tapering to both ends. The genus is referred 
The people shall go out and gather a certain rate every 
y. Ex. xvi. 4. 
In France a person is compelled to make a certain dis- 
tribution of his property among his children. Brougham. 
before backward ~, and the free terga are few. They have 
faceted eyes instead of ocelli. Also called Scutigeridce. 
cernt (sera), v. t. [Abbreviation of concern.] 
To concern. 
What cerns it you if I wear pearl and gold? 
Shak., T. of the S., v. 1. to ^ tamaj - TimSda . 
cernet, [ME., < OF. and F. cerne, a circle, cerotate (se'ro-tat),w. [< cerot(ic) + 
ring, compass, < L. circinus, a pair of compasses, sa it o f cerotic acid. 
< Gr. KipKtvof, a circle, < rip/foc, a circle : see cir- cero tet (se'rot), n. [< Gr. Kr/phrrti, a salve, cerate, 
cvs, circle.] A circle; a ring; a magic circle. f em . o f KWU rof, covered with wax (= L. cera- 
She a-roos softly, and made a cerne with hir wymple all turn, a cerate), (. Kr/poq, wax : see cere.] Same 
a-boute the bussh and all a-boute Merlin. 
2. Indefinite in the sense of not being specifi- 
cally named; known but not described: applied 
to one or more real individual objects or char- 
acters, as distinguished from a class of objects 
or an order of characters ; coming under par- 
ticular observation, but undefined, as to kind, 
number, quantity, duration, etc.; some particu- 
lar : as, a lady of a certain age. 
Therby in the rokkes be certayne Caues where the apos- 
telles hyd theym in the tyme of the passyon of our Lorde. 
Sir R. Guylforde, Pylgrymage, p. 34. 
We returnyd to the Mounte Syon to reffressh us and 
ther restyd us for a Certeyn tyme. 
Torki-ngton, Diarie of Eng. Travel], p. 34. 
Then came a certain poor widow. Mark xii. 42. 
The priests and monks concluded the interview with cer- 
as cerate. lm .- . .., ,.., --.- - 
(E. E. T. 8.), lii. 681. cerot j c ( S e-rot'ik), a. [< cerate + -ic.] Pertain- tain religious services. Brace, Source of the Nile, II. 145. 
cernuous (ser'nu-us), a. [< L. cernuiw, stoop- ing to or derived from beeswax Cerotic acid, About everything he wrote there was a certain natural 
ing or bending forward.] Drooping ; hanging ; 27^02, a fatty acid existing in the free state in beeswax, grace and decorum. Macaulay. 
