Christmas 
public and social festivities, by the iiitiTrlian^f of ^'ifts 
between relatives and friends, and by the distributim: of 
food and clothing among tile poor. In most Christian com- 
munities Christinas is a legal boliduy. 
Thei faste not on the Satreday, no tynie of tlie seer, but 
it be Criatema&e even or Estre even. 
Mamlcrille, Travels, p. 19. 
Canons were made by several councils to oblige men to 
receive the Holy Communion three times a year at least, 
viz.: at Christmas, Easter, and Whitsuntide. 
Whcatleij, 111. of Book of Common Prayer. 
2. Christmas day, the 25th day of December. 
Christinas has come once more the day devoted by the 
large majority of Christians to the commemoration of the 
Nativity of the Saviour. Channinff, Perfect Life, p. 215. 
3. [I. c.] The holly, Ilex Aqiiifolinm, from its 
use for decoration on Christmas day. Christ- 
mas block, a Christmas log (which see, below). 
To lay a Log of Wood upon the Fire, which they termed 
a Yule-Clog, or Christmas-lllm-li. 
Bourne's Pop. Antiq. (1777), p. 155. 
Christmas box. (a) Originally, a money-box with a slit 
through which coin could be dropped, carried by pren- 
tices, iwrters, and others at Christmas-time for the recep- 
tion of presents of money ; hence, a Christmas gift, espe- 
cially of money. [Eng.] 
By the Lord Harry, I shall be undone here with Christ- 
mas-boxes. The rogues at the coffee-house have raised 
their tax, every one giving a crown, and I gave mine for 
shame, besides a great many half-crowns to great men's 
porters. Swift, Journal to Stella, Dec. 26, 1710. 
(6) A box of presents at Christmas. Christmas card, a 
card variously ornamented with designs, plain or colored, 
sent as a token of remembrance at Christmas, and usually 
bearing a Christmas legend or words of Christmas greet- 
ing. Christmas carol, a carol suitable for Christmas ; a 
song or hymn sung in celebration of the nativity of Christ. 
Christmas fern, Aspidium acrostichoides, a fern hav- 
ing simply pinnate fronds of firm texture, which remain 
green through the winter and may be gathered at any 
time. Christmas fish, a name of an American plaice or 
flat-fish, Pleuronectes glaber: so called in New England 
from the time of its appearance in the harbors. Christ- 
mas flower. Same as Christmas rose. Christmas log, 
a large log of wood, which in old times formed the back- 
log of the lire at Christmas; the yule log Christmas 
lord or prince, the lord of misrule (which see, under 
lord). 
As he hath wrought him, 'tis the finest fellow 
That e'er was Christmas-lord ; he carries it 
So truly to the life, as though he were 
One of the plot to gull himself. 
Fletcher (and another), Noble Gentleman, ii. 1. 
Christmas rose, a plant, Helleborus niger, so called from 
its open rose-like flower, which blossoms during the win- 
ter months. Also called Christmas flotver. See Helle- 
borus. Christmas tree, a small evergreen tree or large 
branch, upon which at Christmas presents, ornaments, and 
lights are hung, as the occasion of a festal gathering. 
Christmas-tide (kris'mas-tid), n. The season 
of Christmas. 
Christocentric (kris-to-sen'trik), a. [< L. 
Christus, Christ, + centrum, center, + -tc.] 
Having Christ as a center; regarding Christ as 
the center of history or of the universe. 
The ever-increasing number of Lives of Christ strength- 
ens the Christocentric character of modern theology. 
Schaff, Christ and Christianity, p. 46. 
The essentially Christocentric character of his view of 
the universe gave him [Servetusl an almost unique place 
in the history of religious thought. 
Eneyc. Brit., XXI. 685. 
christofia (kris-to'fi-a), n. A tonic made of 
white wine and sugar, seasoned with cinnamon, 
cloves, and bitter almonds. De Colange. 
Christolatry (kris-tol'a-tri), n. [< Gr. XpiaTof, 
Christ, + 'Aarpda, worship.] The worship of 
Christ regarded as a kind of idolatry. 
Christological (kris-to-loj'i-kal), a. [< Chris- 
tology + -ical.~\ Pertaining to Christology. 
The Christological conceptions and formulas which oc- 
cur in the book [Apocalypse] are not always consistent. 
Enciic. Brit., XX. 499. 
Christplogy (kris-tol'o-ji), n. [= F. christolo- 
gie, < Gr. Xpia-dc;, Christ, + -/toyj'a, < teyeiv, speak : 
see -ology.~] 1. That branch of theology which 
treats of the person and character of Jesus 
Christ. 
That part of divinity which I make bold to call Christol- 
ogy in displaying the great mystery of godliness, God the 
Son manifested in human flesh. 
B. Oley, Preface to Works of Thomas Jackson. 
The Trinity and Christology, the two hardest problems 
and most comprehensive dogmas of theology, are inti- 
mately connected. Schaff, Hist. Christ. Church, HI. 135. 
2. Sometimes, less accurately, doctrine con- 
cerning Christ's office and work. 
Christolyte (kris' to-lit), n. [< Gr. X/Mffr6f, 
Christ, + Avr6f, verbal adj. of rlietv, loose.] One 
of a sect of Christians of the sixth century who 
held that when Christ descended into hades he 
left both his body and soul there, and rose with 
his divine nature alone. 
christomt, See chrism. 
Christophany (kris-tof 'a-ni), n. ; pi. Christopha- 
nies (-niz). [= F. christophanic, < Gr. Xptar6f, 
Christ, + -Qa.via, < tjiaiveiv, show, appear.] An 
appearance or manifestation of Christ to men 
986 
after his death, as recorded in John xx. and 
elsewhere in the New Testament. 
The Christophanies resemble in some respects the the- 
ophanies of the Old Testament, which were granted only 
to few believers, yet for the general benefit. 
Scha/, Hist. Christ. Church, I. 19. 
Christopher (kris'to-fer), . [< ME. Cristofrc, 
in def. 2.] 1. See herb-christopher. 2f. A 
brooch, badge, pilgrim's sign, or the like, bear- 
ing a figure of St. Christopher carrying the in- 
fant Christ. 
A Cristofre on his brest of silver schene. 
Chaucer, Gen. Prol. to C. T., 1. 115. 
christophite (kris'to-fit), n. [< Christopli (see 
def.) + -i'fc 2 .] A brilliant black variety of 
spalerite or zinc blende from the St. Christoph 
mine, at Breitenbrimn in Saxony. It is peculiar 
in containing a considerable quantity of iron. 
Christ's-thorn (krists'thorn), n. The Paliurnn 
(iciileatua, a deciduous shrub, a native of Pales- 
tine and the south of Europe : so named from a 
belief that the crown of thorns placed upon the 
head of Christ was made of it. See Paliurus. 
Christ-tidet (krist'tid), n. [< Christ + tide. Cf. 
fhrixtmas-tidf."] Christmas. B. Jonson. 
Chroicocephalus (kr6"i-ko-sef'a-lus), n. [NL. 
(T. C. Eyton, 1836), < Gr. ^wucof/colored (< xpota, 
xpoa, color), + nc^aty, head. Later " emended " 
Chrcecoeephalus, and also Chro6cephals.~\ A 
genus of gulls (the hooded gulls), of the family 
Laridcs and subfamily Larinte, including many 
medium-sized and small species which have, 
when adult and in the breeding season, the 
chromatography 
piece; not diatonic. (b) Involving the use of 
the black notes on the keyboard, or of sharps 
and flats on the staff Chromatic aberration. See 
aberration, 4. Chromatic alteration of a tone, the 
cli-vation or depression of its pitch by a semitone. Such 
an alteration is indicated by the chromatic signs, or occi- 
dentals, $, t>. 3- Chromatic attachment, an ap- 
paratus which can be attached to some forms of printing- 
presses for putting different colors of printing-ink, always 
in stripes or bands, on oue hiking-roller, for the purpose 
of printing from types or plates in several colors at one 
impression. Chromatic chord or melody, a chord or 
melody containing tones foreign to the diatonic tonality 
of the piece. Chromatic harmony, harmony consisting 
of chromatic chords. Chromatic instrument, a musi- 
cal instrument constructed so as to produce a chromatic 
scale, as a chromatic harp or a chromatic horn. Chro- 
matic intensity, the intensity of the chroma of a color- 
sensation. See chroma, 3. Chromatic interval, an aug- 
mented or diminished interval. Chromatic printing, 
a rainbow-like blending or shading of different colors, 
effected by an operation of printing alone or by a com- 
bination of printing and stenciling. Chromatic print- 
ing-press, a printing-press which prints at one impres- 
sion two or more colors, always in stripes or bands. See 
chromatic attachment, above. Chromatic scale, in mu- 
sic, a scale of twelve semitones, which in modern music 
are made equal to one another. It may be written : 
Hooded Gull (Ckroicocrfkalus atricilla). 
head enveloped in a dark or blackish hood or 
capistrum. C. ridibundu* is the common laughing-gull 
of Europe; C.atricitta., C.franklim,&ndC.philadelphia&re 
abundant North American species. 
chroma (kro'ma), n. [L.,<Gr. xpofta: seechro- 
matic.] 1. In music : (a) In Greek music, a mod- 
ification of the usual diatonic scale. (b) The sign 
by which a note is raised or lowered a semi- 
tone ; a sharp, t, or a flat, b. (cf) An eighth-note 
or quaver, J*. See croma. (d) A semitone or 
half-step, whether large or small. See semi- 
tone. 2. In rhet., a figure of speech which 
consists in speaking so as not to offend the 
hearer. Crabb. 3. The degree of departure 
of a color-sensation from that of white or gray ; 
the intensity of distinctive hue; color-inten- 
sity. 4. [cap."] [NL.] In entom., a genus of 
lepidopterous insects. J. E. Gray, 1832 Chro- 
ma duplex, (a) A sixteenth-note, or semiquaver, Jfc. (b) 
A double sharp, X, or double flat, tjfy. 
chromameter (kro-mam'e-ter), n. [< F. chro- 
mametre, < Gr. xpupa, chroma, + fttrpov, mea- 
sure: see meter. ~] An adjustable monochord 
invented at Paris in 1827 as a help to the tuning 
of pianofortes. Its scale was chromatic, whence 
its name. 
chromascope (kro'ma-skop). . [Irreg. < Gr. 
Xpafta, color, T anoirelv, view.] An instrument 
for showing certain optical effects of color. 
chromate (kro'mat), n. [< chrom(ic) + -ate 1 .] 
A salt of chromic acid. The chromates are strong 
oxidizing agents, and have brilliant colors. The chro- 
mate and especially the bichromate of potassium are 
much used in dyeing and in the manufacture of chromate 
of lead, which is the pigment chrome-yellow. 
chromatic (kro-mat'ik), a. and n. [= F. chro- 
matiqite == Sp. cromdtico = Pg. cJiromatico = It. 
cromatico, < L. chromaticus, < Gr. xPr larlK fi re ~ 
lating to color, < ;rpu/ia(r-), color, complexion, 
prop, the skin, surface, < xp"& tv i XPi& tv i touch 
the surface, tinge, color, < xp ia > XP& a > skin, 
surface, complexion, color; of. xp&f in same 
senses.] I. a. 1. Relating to or of the nature 
of color. 
Good colour depends greatly on what may be called the 
chromatic composition of the picture. 
Rood, Modern Chromatics, p. 316. 
2. In muxic: (a) Involving tones foreign to the 
normal tonality of a scale, a harmony, or a 
Chromatic type, printing-type divided into two or more 
parts or sections, each part or section made for printing in 
a separate color, but forming in combination a perfect let- 
ter in two or more colors. 
II. n. In music, a note affected by an acci- 
dental. 
chromaticalt (kro-mat'i-kal), a. Same as chro- 
matic. 
Among sundry kinds of music, that which is called chro- 
matical delyghteth, eulargeth and joyeth the heart. 
Holland, tr. of Plutarch, p. 486. 
chromatically (kro-mat'i-kal-i), adv. In a 
chromatic manner.' 
chromatics (kro-mat'iks), n. [PI. of chromatic : 
see -ics.~\ The' science of colors; that part of 
optics which treats of the properties of colors 
and colored bodies. 
chromatin (kro'ma-tin), n. [< Gr. ^pu^a(T-), 
color, + .-in' 2 .'] 1". In bot., a name proposed 
for that portion of the substance of the nucleus 
which is readily colored by staining agents. 
2. In tsool., that portion of the substance of 
an ovum which has a special affinity for color- 
ing matter and readily becomes colored ; chro- 
mophilous protoplasm, which in the process of 
maturation of the ovum forms various colored 
figures, as disks and threads: the opposite of 
achromatin. 
The germinal spot . . . consists of two juxtaposed quad- 
rilateral disks, each containing four chromatin globules, 
united by a substance having less affinity for colouring 
matter. Encyc. Brit., XX. 417. 
chromatism (kro'ma-tizm), n. [< Gr. xf>f a - 
T/o-uiir, coloring, < ^pw/jar/fttv, color, < ;tfp<Dua(r-), 
color: see chromatic.'] 1. Chromatic aberra- 
tion. See aberration, 4. 2. In bot., the as- 
sumption by leaves, or other normally green 
parts of a plant, of colors similar to those of 
the petals; unnatural coloration of plants or 
their leaves. Also called chromism. 
chromatize (kro'ma-tiz), . t. ; pret. and pp. 
chromatized, ppr. chromatizing. [< chromate + 
-ize. Cf. Gr. xP u r laT '&' v > color, dye, < ;r/3Uyua(r-), 
color: see chromatic."] To impregnate with a 
chromate Chromatized gelatin, a cement for glass 
consisting of 1 part gelatin and 5 parts of a 5 per cent, to 
10 per cent, solution of bichromate of potassium. 
chromato-, chromo-. [< Gr. XP"/J<*TO-, combin- 
ing form of xp"r ia (XP u r laT -)j color: see chro- 
matic.] An element in some compound words 
of Greek origin, meaning ' color.' 
chromatogenous (kro-ma-toj'e-nus), a. [< Gr. 
Xp&/ia(T-), color, T -yevyf, producing: see -gen, 
-genous.] Generating or forming color. 
chromatograph (kro'ma-to-graf), n. [< Gr. 
Xpti[ia(T-), color, + ypafyeiv, write.] An instru- 
ment used to produce different shades of color by 
the simultaneous rotation of colored segments. 
chromatography (kro-ma-tog'ra-fi), . [< Gr. 
XP<JIM(T-), color, + -ypafyta, < ypcupeiv, write.] A 
treatise on colors. 
