eremite 
fled to a solitary place, and there led a life of 
contemplation and asceticism. Later the name was 
applied to a religious order whose members lived isolated 
from one another: as, the Eremites of St. Augustine. 
The king of Portugall caused a Church to be made there, 
. . . where there are onely resident Eremite, and all other 
are forbidden to inhabite there. 
Hakluyt's Voyages, II. 280. 
No wild Saint Dominies and Thebaid Eremites, there 
had been no melodious Dante. Carlyle. 
= Syn. See anchoret. 
II. a. Eremitic. 
eremitic, eremitical (er-e-mit'ik, -i-kai), a. [= 
F. eremitique = Pg. It. eremitico, < ML. eremiti- 
cus, < eremita, an eremite: see eremite.'] Relat- 
ing or pertaining to, having the character of, 
or like an eremite or hermit ; living in solitude 
or in seclusion from the world. 
The austere and eremitical harbinger of Christ. 
Bp. Hall, Contemplations, iv. 
Persons of heroical and eminent graces and operations, 
. . . of prodigious abstinencies, of eremitical retirements. 
Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. 1835), I. 46. 
The eremitic instinct is not peculiar to the Thebais, as 
many a New England village can testify. 
Lowell, Fireside Travels, p. 73. 
eremitish (er'e-mi-tish), a. [< eremite + -is/i 1 .] 
Of or pertaining to or resembling a hermit; 
eremitic. 
I account Christian good fellowship better than an ere- 
mitish and melancholike solitariness. 
Bp. Hall, Meditations and Vows. 
A priest, old, bearded, wrinkled, cowled never being 
more perfectly eremitish. L. Wallace, Ben-Hur, p. 213. 
eremitism (er'e-mi-tizm), . [< eremite + -ism."\ 
The state or condition of a hermit ; voluntary 
seclusion from social life. 
eremobryoid (e-re-mo-bri'oid), . [< Gr. epij- 
,uof, desolate, solitary' (see eremite), + fipvov, a 
kind of seaweed, + -aid.] In ferns, having the 
fronds produced at intervals (nodes) along the 
sides of the rootstock, not at the end, and hav- 
ing the stipes articulated with the rootstalk, 
becoming detached when old, leaving protuber- 
ances with a concave surface. This is the case 
in the tribe represented by Polypodium. See 
Desmobrya. 
Eremomela (er-e-mom'e-la), n. [NL., < Gr. 
epi/uoc, solitary, -t- julfof, a song.] The typical 
genus of African warblers of the subfamily 
Eremomelince. C. J. Nunderall, 1850. 
Eremomelinse (er-e-mom-e-li'ne), n. pi. [NL., 
< Eremomela + -in<e.] A group of warbler-like 
African birds, of some f>0 species, of doubtful 
relationships, commoniy referred to the Timeli- 
idte. 
Eremophila (er-o-mof 'i-la), n. [NL., < Gr. epfj- 
fua;, solitary. + Qi'Aof, loving.] 1. In iohth., a ge- 
nus of fishes. In this sense commonly written 
Eremophilus. Humboldt, 1805. 2. In ornith., a 
notable genus of larks, of the family Alaudida>, 
Homed Lark, or Shore-lark (Eremophila alpestris]. 
containing the horned larks or shore-larks, char- 
acterized by the plumicorn on each side of the 
head. There are several species or varieties, inhabiting 
the northern hemisphere, of which the best-known is E. 
alpestris, common to Europe and North America. Also 
called Phileremos and Otocort/x. Boie, 1828. 
3. In entom., a genus of orthopterous insects. 
Burmeister, 1838. 
Eremopteris (er-e-mop'te-ris), n. [NL., < Gr. 
cp^ftof, solitary, + Trrepic, 
a fern.] A genus of fos- 
sil ferns, separated from 
Sphenopteris by Schimper 
in 1869, by whom it is 
said to have no analogy 
with any living fern. The 
upper part of the fronds is di- 
chotomous. It is found in the 
coal-measures of Great Britain, 
and all through the Appala- 
au * chian coal-fleld in the United 
States. 
erenacht, n. [Also written herenach, repr. Ir. 
airchinneach, " a vicar, an erenach, or lay super- 
intendent of church lands" (Donovan), the same 
1992 
as airchindeach (airchindech, archennach, etc.), 
' ' a superior, prior of a convent, provincial of a 
religious order " (O'Reilly), these being other 
forms of airchidechoin, airchideoehain, an arch- 
deacon, < LL. archidiaconus : see archdeacon.] 
In the Irish Ch., previous to the twelfth century, 
the name of an ecclesiastic having duties akin 
to those of an archdeacon. 
erenow (ar'nou')j prep. phr. as adv. [< erel + 
now.] Before this time. [Now written as two 
words.] 
My father has repented him erenow. Dryden. 
ereptt (e-repf), Snatched away. Bailey, 
1727. 
ereptationt (e-rep-ta'shon), n. [< L. as if "erep- 
tatio(n-), < 'ereptare, assumed freq. of erepere, 
creep out, (.e, out, + repere, creep: see reptile.] 
A creeping forth. Bailey, 1727. 
ereptiont (e-rep'shon), n. [< L. ereptio(n-), < 
ereptus, pp. of eripere, snatch away, < e, away, 
+ rapere, snatch, seize. Cf. correption.] A 
taking or snatching away by force. E. Phil- 
lips, 1706. 
erert, ereret, n. Middle English forms of earer. 
Eresidae (e-res'i-de), n. pi. [NL., < Eresus + 
-id<e.] A' family of saltigrade or leaping spi- 
ders, typified by the genus Eresus, having the 
cephalothorax much elevated and convex in 
front, the two posterior eyes much further apart 
than the next pair, and the tarsi furnished with 
2 or 3 claws. Also Eresoidce and Eresides. 
Eresinae (er-e-si'ne), n. pi. [NL., < Eresus + 
-ince.] One of two subfamilies of Eresidce, hav- 
ing an inframammillary organ and calamis- 
trum (wanting in Palpimanincs). It is composed 
of the genera Eresus and Dorceus. 
Eresus (er'e-sus), n. [NL.] The typical ge- 
nus of spiders of the family Eresidce, contain- 
ing a few species, such as E. lineatus and E. 
cinnabarinus. WalcTcenaer, 1805. 
erethic (e-reth'ik), a. [Irreg. < Gr. epeBeiv, ex- 
cite: see erethism.'] Excitable; restless. [Rare.] 
My mental make-up is inherited mostly from the pater- 
nal side, and is erethic in quality. 
Anwr. Jour. Fsychol., I. 375. 
erethism (er'e-thizm), n. [< Gr. epc6ia/i6g, irri- 
tation, < tpef)it,tiv, equiv. to eptdeiv, rouse to 
anger, excite, irritate.] Inphysiol., excitement 
or stimulation of any organ or tissue, specifi- 
cally of the organs of generation : as, the sexual 
erethism. Mercurial erethism, an irritated state of 
the system produced by the poisonous action of mercury, 
accompanied by depression of strength, irregular action of 
the heart, etc. 
erethismic (er-e-thiz'mik), a. [< erethism + 
- ic. ] Pert aining to erethism Erethismic shock, 
a shock in which symptoms of excitement are combined 
with those of prostration. 
erethistic (er-e-this'tik), a. [< Gr. iptftoradf, 
< epeffifciv, excite : see erethism."] Relating to 
erethism. 
erethitic (er-e-thit'ik), a. [Irreg. < ereth-ism 
+ -it-ic.] Pertaining to or of the nature of 
erethism; characterized by erethism ; excited; 
restless. 
Erethizon (er-e-thi'zon), n. [NL. (P. Cuvier, 
1822), < Gr. epeSifav, ppr. of ipeQi^uv, excite, ir- 
ritate: see erethism.'] A genus of porcupines, 
of the family Hystricidce, having a stout form, 
short spines overlaid by hair, a short, thick, 
blunt, and flattened tail, non-prehensile, the 
toes four in front and five behind, all armed 
with strong curved claws, and the habits ar- 
boreal and terrestrial. There are two living species, 
E. dorsalus, the urson or Canada porcupine, of eastern 
North America, and E. epixanthus, the yellow-haired por- 
cupine, of western North America. A fossil form is de- 
scribed as E. cloacinus. Echinoprocta is a synonym. See 
cut under porcupine. 
Eretmochelys (er-et-mok'e-lis), n. [< Gr. cpcr- 
fiov, an oar (< epeaaetv, row), + ^eAuf, tortoise.] 
Ergates 
Eretmosauria (e-ret-mo-sa'ri-a), n. pi. [NL., 
< Eretmosaurus + -ia.] A group of reptiles, 
taking name from the genus Eretmosavrus. 
Also Erctmosaurce. 
Eretmosaurus (e-ret-mo-sa'rus), . [NL., < 
Gr. eper/t6f, an oar, + aaitpog, a lizard.] A ge- 
nus of reptiles. Seeley, 1874. 
Eretrian (e-re'tri-an), a. [< L. Eretriu, Gr. 
'Eperpia, Eretria (see del), + -an.] Pertaining 
to Eretria, an ancient city in the island of Eu- 
boea, Greece Eretrian school of philosophy, the 
Eliac or Elean school : so called from the fact that it re- 
moved to Eretria. 
Ereunetes (er-<j-ne'tez), . fNL. (Illiger, 
1811), < Gr. ipcwrrrljs, a searcher, < tpcwav, search 
after.] A genus of small sandpipers, of the 
family Scolopacidce, having the general charac- 
Eremopteris arte 
folia. 
Hawkbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricataY 
A genus of sea-turtles, including the caret or 
hawkbill, E. imbricata. 
Eretmopodest (er-et-mop'o-dez), n. pi. [NL., 
< Gr. eper[i6v, an oar, + Troi'f (Trod-) = E. foot.] 
A division of schizognathous swimming birds, 
containing the grebes and finfeet, or the fami- 
lies Podicipedidce and Heliomithidw. 
ft 
Semipaiiiiated Sandpiper (Ercnttetes fitsillus). 
ters of that section of the genus Tringa grouped 
under the genus Actodromas, but the feet semi- 
palmate. The type species, K. pusilhts, is one of the 
commonest sandpipers of North America, well known as 
the seinijialiiiated sandpiper or peep. 
erewhile(ar'hwir),<Kfo- [< ere 1 + while.] Some 
time ago ; a little while before. 
I am as fair now as I was erewhile. 
Shak., M. N. D., iii. 2. 
O, did you find it now? You said you bought it ere- 
ivhile. B. Joiison, Every Man in his Humour, v. 1. 
The knife that was levell'd erewhile at his throat, 
Is employ'd now in ripping the lace from his coat. 
Barham, Ingoldsby Legends, II. 16. 
erewhile (ar'hwil'), a. [< erewhile, adv.] For- 
mer; recent. 
Disraeli . . . has . . . been in a great degree all things 
to all men, complimenting now the Home Rulers on their 
good taste and moderation, now some eretchile antagonist 
on the conscientious energy of his career. 
Escott, quoted in Higginson's Eng. Statesmen, p. 49. 
erf (erf), n. [ME. erf, erfe, < AS. yrfe = OS. erbi 
= D. erf, inheritance, patrimony, ground, = 
OHG. erbi, arbi, G. erbe = Dan. arv = Sw. drfv- 
(ande) = Goth, arbi, inheritance.] If. Inheri- 
tance; patrimony; specifically, stock; cattle. 
Ilk kinnes erf . . . 
Was mad of erthe. 
Genesie and Exodm, 1. 183. 
2. [D. erf.] In Cape Colony, some parts of the 
State of New York, and other regions originally 
settled by the Dutch, a small inherited house- 
and-garden lot in a village or settlement. 
erf-kmt, [ME., <erf+ A-i.] Cattle. 
Al erf-kin hauen he ut-led. 
Genesis and Exodus, 1. 3177. 
erg (6rg), . [< Gr. spyav = E. work, q. v. Cf. 
energy,] In physics, the unit of work in the 
centimeter-gram-second system that is, the 
amount of work done by the unit of force, one 
dyne, acting through the unit of distance, one 
centimeter. One foot-pound is approximately equal to 
1.356 X 10 7 ergs, and one horse-power (English) is equal 
to 7.46 x 10 B ergs per second. Also ergon. 
We request that the word ergon, or erg, be strictly lim- 
ited to the C. G. S. unit of work, or what is, for purposes 
of measurement, equivalent to this, the C. G. S. unit of 
energy. J. D. Everett, Units and Phys. Const., p. 167. 
ergasilan (er-gas'i-lan), n. One of the Ergasi- 
lid(e. 
Ergasilidse (er-ga-sil'i-de), n.pl. [NL., < Erga- 
silus + -ida;.] A family of epizoic siphonosto- 
matous crustaceans. Species of Ergasiliis are 
parasitic upon fishes ; others, of the genus JVt- 
cothoe, upon lobsters. 
Ergasilus (er-gas'i-lus), n. [NL.] The typical 
genus of the family Ergasilidce. AlaoErgasiliii*. 
ergatt, ' See ergot" 2 . 
ergatat (er'ga-ta), n. [L., < Gr. epydrr/f, a sort 
of capstan or windlass, also a workman, < ipyov 
= E. work.] A capstan; a windlass; a crane. 
E. Phillips, 1706. 
Ergates (er'ga-tez), n. [NL., < Gr. ep-ydriK, a 
workman, < ipyov = E. work:] A genus of longi- 
corn beetles, of the group Prioninae. It is a very 
widf-sjiri'ad nviiiis, though it has but few species, being 
found in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South Amer- 
ica. E. faber is a large pitch-brown European species, 
from 1] to 2 inches long, the larva of which feeds on pine- 
wood. K. .s7,'iVii/(;'n.v is tliu only form known to be found 
in the United staffs. 
