Dinornis 
Dinornis (di-uor'nis), . [NL., less prop. Deinor- 
iiis, < Gr. (itwor. terrible, mighty, + opvif, bird.] 
The typical and 
only genus of the 
extinct family Di- 
nornithidce. Numer- 
ous species, as D. yi- 
ganteus, D. elephanto- 
pus, etc., have been 
described by Owen, 
differing much in size ; 
the largest must have 
stood about 14 feet 
high, and had thigh- 
bones stouter than 
those of a horse. The 
general figure of these 
huge flightless birds 
was like that of the 
ostrich, but the size 
was much greater, and 
the legs were both rel- 
atively and absolute- 
ly much stouter. See 
moa. 
-- Dinornithes (dl- 
nfir'ni-thez), n.pl. 
[NL.,pl.ofDimor- 
Skeleton of Dinornts. / '/7 \ T A 
Museum of Natural History, New York. * m (-OrntW-).j A 
general name of 
the moas and moa-like birds; a superfamily 
containing the Dinornithida; and Palapterygidx. 
Also called Immanes. 
dinornitbic (dl-n6r-nith'ik), a. [< Dinornis 
(-ornith-) + -ic.] Pertaining to or haying the 
characters of the Dinornitliidos; moa-like. 
A large bird, combining dinornithic and struthious char- 
acters. A. Newton, Encyc. Brit. 
Dinornithidae (di-n&r-nith'i-de), n. pi. [NL., 
< Dinornis (-ornith-) + -ida;.] A family of gi- 
gantic extinct ratite birds of New Zealand; the 
moas. They were characterized by an enormous devel- 
opment of the legs and pelvis in comparison with the rest 
of the skeleton, a ratite or flat sternum, and rudimen- 
tary wings. The extinction of the group is quite recent, 
since portions of the soft parts have been found, and tra- 
ditions are current respecting the living birds ; but the 
period to which they survived is hot exactly known. See 
inoa. 
Dinornithoideae (di-nor-ni-thoi'de-e), n.pl. 
[NL., < Dinornis (-ornith-) + -oidece.] A super- 
family of birds: same as Dinornithes or Im- 
manes. 
dinos (di'nos), n. ; pi. dini (-ni). [Gr. 6ivof, a 
whirling, a round area, a round vase or goblet. 
Cf. dinus] In Or. antiq., a large open vase of 
full curved shape. It may 
be considered a form of 
the crater. 
dinosaur (dl'no-sar), n. 
One of the Dinosauria. 
Also spelled deinosaur. 
Dinosauria (di-no-sa'- 
ri-a), n. pi. [NL., less 
prop. Deinosauria, < Dino- 
saurus, q. v.] A group 
of extinct Mesozoic rep- 
tiles, mostly of gigantic 
or colossal size. They were 
characterized by distinctly 
socketed teeth ; generally flat 
or slightly cupped vertebra, 
some of which were opistho- 
ccelous ; a sacrum of four or 
more vertebrae ; numerous cau- 
dal vertebra ; a structure of 
the skull in many respects in- 
termediate between the croco- 
dilian and lacertilian types ; ambulatory or saltatory 
limbs ; fore limbs reduced and not known to have had 
clavicles ; and hind limbs usually disproportionately de- 
veloped, and with the pelvis presenting a series of modifi- 
cations tending toward the characters of birds, on which 
account the group is also called Ornithoscelida (which see). 
The ornithic structure of the legs is best seen in the 
smaller genera, such as Compsognathus ; it is exhibited in 
the presence of a cnemial crest, the reduction of the distal 
end of the fibula, the disposition of the distal end of the 
tibia, and the relations of the astragalus. In some gen- 
era there was a bony dermal armor, in some cases devel- 
oping great spines. The Dinosauria were a polymorphic 
as well as an extensive group, the limits of which are not 
settled, owing to the wide range of variation presented 
by them. They ranged in size from that of the huge 
iguanodon down to about two feet. By some they are sup- 
posed to have included the remote ancestors of birds ; 
others find in them features that recall mammals, espe- 
cially pachyderms. The order is by some divided into 
Dinosauria proper and Compsoijuatha (which see); it is 
sometimes ranked as a subclass of Septilia, and divided 
into Sauropoda, Stegosauria, Ornithopoda, Theropoda, and 
Hallopoda. 
dinosaurian (di-no-sa'ri-an), a. and n. [< Di- 
nosauria + -an.] 'I. a. Pertaining to or hav- 
ingthe characters of the Dinosauria. 
II. n. One of the Dinosauria. 
Also deinosaurian. 
Dinqsaurus (di-uo-sa'rus), n. [NL.,< Gr. fcvof, 
terrible, mighty, '+ aavpof, a lizard.] The typi- 
1626 Diodon 
H'aldheim, 1848. Also pertaining to a diocese, < LL. diascesis, a diocese : 
see diocese.] I. a. Pertaining to a diocese. 
A fossil animal of 
Apodal Dinos. or Crater, 
resting on a stand, or hypo- 
crater. {From "L'Art pour 
Tous.") 
cal genus of Dinosauria. 
Deinosaurus. 
dinothere (drno^ther), n. 
the genus Dinotherium. 
dinotheria, n. Plural of dinotherium, 2. 
Dinotheriidae (dl"no-the-ri'i-de), n. pi. [NL., 
< Dinotlterium + -idie] The family represented 
by the genus Dinotherium, and commonly re- 
ferred to the order Proboscidea with the ele- 
phants, mastodons, etc. Also Deinotheria. 
Dinotherium (di-no-the'ri-um), n. [NL., < Gr. 
tfeixif, terrible, mighty, + dnpiov, < W/p, a wild 
beast.] 1. A genus of extinct proboscidean 
quadrupeds of 
great size, re- 
lated to the ele- 
phants, mam- 
moths, and mas- 
todons. It had (?) 
incisors in the upper 
and 2 in the lower 
jaw, no canines, 2 
premolars and 3 mo- 
lars in each half of 
each jaw all in po- 
sition at once, the Dinotherium (restored), 
premolars replacing 
milk molars as usual in diphyodont mammals and enor- 
mous lower incisors, turned down or away from the mouth, 
the end of the under jaw being modified to correspond. 
There are several species, from the Miocene of Europe and 
Asia, the best-known of which is D. giyanteum, from Ep- 
pelsheim near Mainz, estimated to have been about 18 feet 
long. 
2. [I. c.] PI. dinotheria (-a). An animal of the 
genus Dinotherium; a dinothere. 
Also spelled Deinotherium. 
dinoxid (di-nok'sid), n. An erroneous form of 
dioxid. 
dinsome (din'sum), a. [< din + -some.] Pull 
of din or noise ; noisy. [Scotch.] 
Block and studdie ring and reel 
Wi' dinsoitie clamour. 
Burns, Scotch Drink. 
dint (dint), n. [< ME. dint, dynt, dunt, also 
dent (whence the other E. form denfl-, q. v.), < 
AS. dynt, a blow, = Icel. dyntr, dynta, assimi- 
lated dyttr, a dint (as a nickname), = Sw. dial. 
dunt, a stroke. Perhaps akin to L. tundere, beat, 
strike, thump: see the verb.] 1. A blow; a 
stroke. 
The Duke had dyed of the dynt doutles anon, 
But the souerayn hym-seluon was surly enarmyt. 
Destruction of Troy (E. E. T. S.), 1. 1237. 
That mortal dint, 
Save he who reigns above, none can resist. 
Milton, P. L., ii. 813. 
2. A mark made by a blow or by pressure on 
a surface: now dent. 3. Force; power: now 
chiefly in the phrase by dint of: as, ly dint of 
argument. 
Strong were our sires, and as they fought they writ, 
Conquering with force of arm and dint of wit. 
Drt/den, On "The Double Dealer." 
And now by dint of fingers and of eyes, 
And words repeated after her, he took 
A lesson in her tongue. Byron, Don Juan. 
Painfully struggling into being, like the other states of 
the Peninsula, by dint of fierce, unintermitted warfare 
with the infidel. Prescott, Ferd. and Isa., Int. 
dint (dint), v. t. [< ME. dynten, dunten, strike, 
beat (not in AS.), = Icel. dynta, dint, = Sw. 
dial, dunta, strike, shake ; from the noun. See 
denfl-, i'.] To make a mark or depression on 
or in by a blow or stroke : now usually dent. 
His wounds worker, that with lovely dart 
Dinting his brest had bred his restlesse paine. 
Spenser, F. Q., VI. x. 31. 
dintless (dint'les), a. [< dint + -less.] With- 
out a dint or dent. 
Lichen and mosses, . . . meek creatures ! the first mer- 
cy of the earth, veiling with hushed softness its dintlem 
rocks. Mwskin, Modern Painters, V. 
dinumerationt (dl-nu-me-ra'shon), n. [< L. 
dinumeratio(n-), a counting over, < dinumcrare, 
pp. dinumeratus, count over, < di- for dis-, apart, 
+ numerare, count : see number, numerate.] 1. 
The act of numbering singly. Johnson. 2. In 
rliet., same as aparithmesis. 
di nuovo (de nwo'vo). [It., < L. de novo, q. v.] 
diobol(di-ob'ol),i. [< Gr.6iu8o>.ov, <<!<-, two-, + 
6/3o/tof, obol.] A silver coin of ancient Greece, 
of the value of two obols. See obol. 
dioc. An abbreviation of diocese and diocesan. 
diocesan (d!'o-se-san or di-os'e-san), a. and . 
[< ME. dyocesan (n.), < OF. diocesain, F. dio- 
cesain = Sp, Pg. It. diocesano, < ML. dioecesanus, 
The diocesan j urisdiction was helpless without the king's 
.ssistance. Slubbs, Const. Hist., 404. 
Diocesan courts, the consistorial or consistory courts in 
the Church of England. 
II. '. 1. A bishop as related to his own dio- 
cese ; one in possession of a diocese and having 
the ecclesiastical jurisdiction over it. 
I have heard it has been advised by a diocesan to his 
inferior clergy, that they should read some of the most 
celebrated sermons printed by others. Tatler. 
2f. One of the clergy or people in a diocese ; a 
diocesener. 
Faithful lovers who . . . are content to rank themselves 
humble diocesans of old Bishop Valentine. 
Laitib, Valentine's Day. 
diocese (di'o-ses), n. [Formerly less prop, dio- 
eess; < ME. '<Koci.se, < OF. diocise, diocese, F. dio- 
cese = Pr. diocezi, diocesa = Sp. didcesi, didcesis 
= Pg. diocese, diecese = It. dioccsi = D. diocese 
= G. diocese, < L. dicecesis, a governor's juris- 
diction, a district, LL. and ML. a bishop's 
jurisdiction, diocese, < Gr. faoiKqaif, housekeep- 
ing, administration, a province, a diocese. < 
SiotKzlv, keep house, conduct, govern, < Ota, 
through, + OIKEIV, inhabit, dwell, < oZ/tof, a dwell- 
ing, a house, = L. vicus, a village (> ult. E. 
wick, a town), = Skt. veqa, a house.] 1. A 
district or division of a country ; a province : 
now obsolete except when used with refer- 
ence to Norway, an episcopal diocese (stiff) of 
which, as a geographical division of the coun- 
try, is sometimes regarded as a province, 
though it has no provincial civil administration. 
\Vild boars are no rarity in this diocess, which the 
Moors hunt and kill in a manly pastime. 
L. Addison, West Barbary, ii. 
2. Under the Roman empire after Diocletian 
and Constantino, a subdivision of a prefecture, 
comprising a number of provinces ; hence, a cor- 
responding extent of territory as an ecclesiasti- 
cal division, including a nuniber of provinces or 
eparchies, each province again containing a 
number of paroaciaa, which themselves finally 
came to be called dioceses in the following (mod- 
ern) sense. 3. The district, with its popula- 
tion, falling under the pastoral care of a bishop. 
The local compass of his [a bishop's] authority we term 
a dioceis. Hooker, Eccles. Polity, vii. 8. 
Meletius of Autioch . . . visited the diocesses of Syria, 
and the several religious persons famous for severe un- 
dertakings. Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. 1835), I. 108. 
The boundaries of the kingdom or principality became 
the boundaries of the bishop's diocese, and, as kingdoms 
aud shires shifted more than bishoprics did, the bounda- 
ries of the dioceses became in Britain, as in Gaul, the best 
guide to the earlier geography of the country. 
E, A. Freeman, Amer. Lects., p. 143. 
diocesenert (di-o-se'se-ner), n. [< diocese + 
-en-er; the term, appar. after that of parisn- 
ion-er, ME. parissh-en.] One who belongs to a 
diocese. 
They say this unity in the bishop or the rector doth not 
create any privity between the parishioners or diocesenere, 
more than if there were several bishops, or several par- 
sons. Bacon, Works. 
diocesst, . An obsolete form of diocese. 
cliock (di'pk), . Aname of the crimson-beaked 
weaver-bird, Quelea sanguinirostris, of Africa. 
dioctahedral (dl-ok-ta-he'dral), a. [< (K-2 + 
octahedral.] In crystal., having the form of an 
octahedral prism with tetrahedral summits. 
Dioctes (di-ok'tez), n. [NL., < Gr. <ii/m?f, 
equiv. to SiuKTtjp, a pursuer, < SI&KCIV, pursue.] 
1. In entom., a genus of adephagous beetles, 
of the family Carabidte. 2. In ornith., a ge- 
nus of tyrant flycatchers, of the family lyran- 
iiidte. The type is D. pyrrholcema of Mexico. 
Reiehenbach, 1850. 
Diodia (di-o-dl'a), n. [NL., < Gr. dtodcia, also 
Siodof , a passage through, < 6ia, through, + 666( , 
way ; so called because many of the speciesgrow 
by the waysides.] A genus of decumbent herbs, 
natural order Rubiaceai, natives of the wanner 
regions of America and Africa. The species are 
rather pretty trailing shrubs, with small white flowers. 
The two North American species, D. virgin-tea and IJ. 
leres, are called 
button-weed. 
Diodon (di'o- 
don), n. [NL., 
< Gr. &-, two-, 
+ orfcii', Ionic 
form of 6<!orf 
(bSovr-) = E. 
tooth] 1. In 
iclitli.: (a) A 
genUS Of globe- Sea-porcupine (JJinia, f&strfx). 
