mention 
Took, lll'ltl* ''n ' III- IKIIIH- 01 III.- 
made I ly tin- t-inpiTor Ami-lius. 
i'ifiifi;r, DttartpOon of the Kast, II. L 92. 
meiltionable (men'shon-a-bl), a. [(. menliun + 
-ulilt'.] That can or may be mentioned. 
mentohyoid (raeu-to-hi oid), . and . [< L. 
mi-ill a in, llir chin, + NL. hijoulcs, hyoid.] I. a. 
lYrtuining to the chin and to the hyoid bone. 
II. a. An occasional muscle in man, passing 
between the chin and the hyoid bone. 
mentomeckelian (men"to-me-ke'H-an), . [< 
L. meitlum, the chin, + Meckel (see def.) + 
-in n.] A distal division of Meckel's cartilage 
around which the lower jaw ossifies, as distin- 
guished from a proximal division which is con- 
verted into a part of the suspensorium of the 
jaw or an ossicle of the ear. 
mentonniere (mon-ton-iSr'), n. [F., < OP. 
mentaiiicre, < inentou, the chin, < L. mentum, 
the chin: see mentum.] 1. Same as beaver^. 
2. A piece of armor, used on occasions of 
special danger 
as an appen- 
dage to the 
open helmet, 
worn about 
the close of 
the fifteenth 
and the begin- 
ning of the 
sixteenth cen- 
:t7l 1 
Kill aii'l that it was menu (rne-utt')> [F., < L. miiiutum, neut. of 
uiutiix, small: see winiifr'-'.] A bill of fare. 
You have read the menu, may you read it again : 
Champagne, iierfgord, galantine, and champagne. 
Locker, Mr. 1'lacid's Flirtation. 
Mentonntfcre, close of I5th century. 
tury. It was put 
on outside of the 
gorget, secured 
to the helmet by 
luniks on each 
side and by a slut 
or similar con- 
trivance at the 
umbrel. and thus 
replaced thevizor 
and beaver of 
the armet, except 
that It was not 
capable of being raised, but had to be removed altogether. 
3. An extra defense used during the just, pro- 
tecting the throat and lower part of the face. 
[Bare.] 
mentor (men'tor), n. [< L. Mentor,<. Gr. Mfv- 
rup, Mentor (or Athena in his guise), friend and 
adviser of Odysseus (Ulysses) and of Telema- 
ehus; prob. 'adviser,' akin to L. monitor, ad- 
viser: see monitor.'] One who acts as a wise 
and faithful guide and monitor, especially of 
a younger person; an intimate friend who is 
also a sage counselor, as of one who is young or 
inexperienced. 
mentorial (men-to'ri-al), a. [X mentor + -ial,] 
Containing advice or admonition. 
mentum (men'tum), n. ; pi. menta (-ta). [L., 
the chin.] 1. The chin; the anterior and 
inferior part of the mandible or under jaw- 
bone of a mammal, with or without associated 
soft parts. It sometimes is regarded as Including the 
parts in the whole interraraal space, or interval between 
the horizontal rarai of the mandible. 
2. In eiitom., the median or central and usually 
principal part of the labium. The term has 
been applied to different parts of the labium, In ditferent 
Insects and also in the same Insect, whence confusion has 
arisen, especially in the use of the terms iiteuttint and 
tubmentum. The mentum Is properly the part of the 
liiiiinin between the snbmentum and the ligula, and Is 
often luss conspicuous than either of these. See labium, 
and cut at mouth-parts. 
3. In hot., a projection in front of the flower 
in some orchids, caused by the extension of the 
foot of the column Levator mentl. See Uoator. 
Mentum absconditum, the retreating chin, not attain- 
ing to a perpendicular let fall from the alveolar border of 
the jaw; a chin with no prominence. Mentum proml- 
nulutn. the protrusive chin, extending beyond a perpen- 
dicular let fall from the alveolar border of the jaw. Quad- 
ratus mentl, the depressor hibii infcriorls, a muscle of 
the chin which draws down the lower lip. Symphysis 
mentl, the midllne of union of the two halves of the lower 
Jaw-bone. Tooth. Of tb.9 mentum. Same as mentum- 
tooth. Trlangularls mentl, the depressor angull or is, a 
muscle which draws down the corner of the mouth. 
mentum-tooth (men'tum-toth), n. In entom., 
a small median process on the front margin of 
the mentum, generally within an emargination. 
It is found in certain Coleoptera. 
Mentzelia (ment-ze'li-a), n. [NL. (Plumier, 
1703), named after ('. M, nl-i->, n botanical au- 
thor of Brandenburg in the 17th century.] A 
genus of dicotyledonous polypetalous plants 
of the natural order Loaneai. it is distinguished by 
a one-celled ovary with an indefinite number of ovules, by 
having no scales on the corolla, and by alternate leaves. 
About 40 species are known, which are found In the 
wurmer and tropical regions of America, especially in 
the western part. They are herbs or small shrubs, usually 
with rigid tenacious t>arl>e<l hairs, leaves which are most- 
ly coarsely toothed or pinnatifld, and yellow or white 
flowers, which are cymose or solitary. 
Menura (me-nu'rii), . [NL., so called in n -I'. 
to the extraordinary form of the tail (which is 
otherwise compared to a lyre), < Gr. v//v>i, the 
moon, + ovpa, tail. ] The typical and only known 
genus of Mi-iiitrida'. Three species are described: M 
luperba, M. victoria, and M. alberli, all of Australia, and 
two apparently valid. See cut under lyre-bird. Also writ- 
ten, incorrectly, Mtenura, Mtenura. 
menurancet, n. See mantirance. 
menuret, <' ' See manure. 
Menuridae (me-nu'ri-de), n.fl. [NL., < Menura 
+ -iilce.] An Australian family of anomalous or 
pseudoscinine passerine birds, represented by 
the genus Menura ; the lyre-birds, it is one of 
two families (the other being Atnchiidce) which, though 
belonging to the order Patteret, deviate from the non-.ial 
passerine type in the structure of the vocal organs and in 
some other particulars, to such an extent that a separate 
division of the order has been established for their recep- 
tion. (See Menuroideae and Pieudoscines.) The remarkable 
conformation of the tail of the male birds early attracted 
attention, and the size and general appearance of the birds 
caused them for many yean to be considered as UKirlll 
or gallinaceous, they being accordingly ranked with the 
mound-birds, curassows, and guans. Subsequently they 
were referred by some authors to the American family of 
rock-wrens (Pteroptochidce). It is only of late years that 
a knowledge of the anatomical structure has enabled orni- 
thologists to classify the family correctly. 
menuroid (men'u-roid), a. Having the charac- 
ters of the Menuroidecc; pseudoscinine. 
Menuroideae (men-u-roi'de-e), n. pi. [NL., < 
Menura + -oidece.] A superfamily of pseudo- 
scinine passerine birds containing the Menuri- 
dte and Atnchiidce, or the Australian lyre-birds 
and scrub-birds, characterized by the abnormal 
structure of the acromyodian syrinx, and the 
disposition of the tensor patagii brevis as in 
picarian birds. 
menuse 1 !, v. A Middle English form of minish. 
menuse 2 t, See menise. 
Menyantheae (men-i-an'the-e), . pi. [NL. 
(Grisebach, 1839), < Menyanihes + -ece.] A tribe 
of plants of the natural order Gentianea-, the 
gentian family. It is characterized by having radical 
or alternate leaves, and by the lobes of the corolla being 
indupllcate-valvate In the bud. It embraces 4 genera, of 
which Menyantitef is the type, and about 40 species. 
Menyanthes(men-i-an'thez),. [NL. (Tourne- 
fort, 1700), improp. for Menianthes or Menan- 
thes, < Gr. /iiyvz>c, or //^vaiof, monthly, or f-^tv, 
month, + avdof , flower.] A genus of plants of 
the natural order Gentianece, type of the tribe 
Menyanthece. It is characterized by a capsule which 
breaks open irregularly at the top Into two partial valves, 
and by long petiolate radical leaves, which are trifoliate 
or round, reniform, and crenate. There are two species, 
or perhaps only one, M. trifoliata, the bog-bean, buck- 
bean, or marsh-trefoil. They are herbaceous water-plants, 
with a creeping rootstock, sheathed by the membranous 
bases of the long petioles, and bear white or bluish flow- 
ers, which grow In a raceme at the apex of a long leafless 
scape. See bog-bean. 
menyanthin (men-i-an'thin), . [< Menyaii- 
thes + -in'*.] A bitter principle obtained from 
Menyanthes trifoliata. 
menyet, menyiet, Other farms of meiny. 
menyngt, A Middle English form of meaning. 
menzie (me'nyi), n. A Scotch form of meiny. 
Before all the menzie, and in her moment of power, the 
Queen humbled her to the dust by taxing her with her 
shame. Scott, Abbot, xxxi. 
Menziesia (men-zi-e'si-ft), . [NL. (J. E. 
Smith, 1806), so named after Archibald 3/< : I 
(died 1842), surgeon and naturalist to the expedi- 
tion under Vancouver. The surname Mensies, 
prop. Menyies (the e being orig. merely another 
shape of y), appears to be derived from ME. 
menzie, i. e. menyie, var. of meinie, etc., a house- 
hold: see meiny.] A genus of plants of the 
natural order Kricacece and the tribe lihodorca;. 
It is distinguished by the loose coat of the seeds, the short 
gamopetalous corolla, and the 4- to 5-ceiled ovary. There 
are 7 species, natives of North America, Japan, and Kam- 
chatka, shrubs with alternate petioled entire deciduous 
leaves, and small or medium-sized flowers in terminal ra- 
cemes. One species, M. globularit, Is found in the Alle- 
ghanles. The Irish heath, Dabeocia puHMia, was formerly 
included in this genus. 
meoblet, a. and n. See moble*. 
meont, . [< Gr. /Jijm>, spignel : see Meunfi, 
mew"?.] Same as weic?. Minshen. 
Mephistophelean (mef'is-to-fe'le-an), a. 
[< Mephistophele-s + -an.] Same as Mephisto- 
phelian. 
Wit is apt to be cold . . . and Mephistophelean in men 
who have no relish for humour. 
George Eliot, Essays. German Wit, 
Mephistopheles (mef-is-tof e-lezl, . [Written 
in Shakspere, Fletcher, etc., 
mercable 
.\lifiliiixliihiliti in Marlowe, lull now generally 
Mi /iliintn/ilnli-f, u in Goethe; it inaili--u|> 11111111-, 
like most of the names of the medieval devils. 
Whether the orig. concocter of the name meant 
to form it from Gr. u>i, not, + ^>f (?<^-)i liK 1 ' 4 . 
-I- <?i/'n; loving (a plausible etymology, though 
the formation is irregular), or from some other 
elements (some conjecture Gr. v/^or a cloud, 
+ ^i7.of, loving), or merely concocted a Greek- 
seeming name of no meaning, must be left to 
conjecture.] The name of a familiar spirit men- 
tioned in the old legend of Sir John Faustug, 
and a principal agent in Marlowe's play of Dr. 
Faustus, and in Goethe's "Faust." 
Then he may pleasure the king, at a dead pinch too, 
Without a Mephvitovhilut, such as thou art. 
Fletcher, Wife for a Month, v. 1. 
HepkMophelet ... U the Spirit of Negation, and bis 
being exists through opposition to the positive Truth, and 
Order, and Beauty, which proceed from the never ending 
creative energy of the Deity. . . . His Irreverence and 
irony are ... a part of his nature. 
IS. Taylor, Faust, L, note 53. 
Mephistophelian (mef*is-to-fe'lian), a. [Also 
Alejihistojthelean ; < Mepliistophel-es T -ia.J Of, 
pertaining to, or resembling in character the 
spirit Mephistopheles; diabolical; sardonic; 
jeering; irreverent. 
mephitic (me-fit'ik), a. [= F. mfphitiqve = 
Sp. mefitico = Pg. mephitico = It. niejilico, < 
LL. mcpliiticus, pestilential, < L. mephitis, a 
pestilential exhalation: see mephitis.] Per- 
taining to mephitis; foul; noxious; pestilen- 
tial; poisonous; stifling. 
The schools kept the thinking faculty alive and active, 
when the disturbed state of civil life, the mephitic atmo- 
sphere engendered by the dominant ecclesiastic-ism, and 
the almost total neglect of natural knowledge might well 
have stilled it. Huxley, Nineteenth Century, XXI. 195. 
That strange and scarcely known lily, alas 1 of almost 
mephitic odor, the xerophyllum. 
Harpcr't Mag., LXXVIU. 863. 
Mephitic gaat, carbon dioxld. 
mephitical (me-fit'i-kal), a. [< mephitic + -al.] 
Same as meplittir. 
mephitically (me-fit'i-kal-i), adv. [< mepjiiticat 
+ -ly 2 .] With mephitis; foully ; pestilentially. 
Mephitinae (mef-i-ti'ne), . pi. fNL., < Mephi- 
tis + -ina;.] A subfamily of Mustelida peculiar 
to America, typified by tne genus Mephitis; the 
skunks. The group is closely related to the badgers or 
Meliiue and to the African Zorillbuz, the three being com- 
bined by some authors. But the Hephitinoc are distin- 
guished by having :' or 4 more teeth In the lower than in 
the upper jaw, the back upper molar quadrate, and the 
premolars 3 above and below on each side (In one genus 
only 2 aboye on each side). The form is stout, with mode- 
rately developed limbs, unwebbed digits, and long bushy 
tail ; the coloration is black and white ; there is no sub- 
caudal pouch as in badgers, but the perinea! glands are 
enormously developed, secreting the fetid fluid which 
forms a means of defense and offense. The habits are ter- 
restrial and to some extent fossorial. There are 3 genera, 
Mephitis, SpUogale, and Conepatut. 
mephitis (me-fi'tis), . [< L. mephitis, & pesti- 
lential exhalation ; personified, Mejiliitis, also 
Mefitis, a goddess who averts pestilential ex- 
halations.] 1. A pestilential exhalation, espe- 
cially from the earth ; any noxious or ill-smell- 
ing emanation, as from putrid or filthy sub- 
stances; a noisome or poisonous stench. 2. 
[cap.] I^NL.] A genus of skunks, typical of the 
subfamily Mephitina: The teeth are 34 in number, 16 
above and 18 below. The pelage Is very long, the tail long 
ami very bushy, and the coloration black, striped or spotted 
with white. The palate ends opposite the last molar ; the 
mastold process Is flaring ; the perlotlcs are not much in- 
flated ; the zygoma rises backward : and the profile of the 
skull Is highest over the orbits. The nostrils ore lateral, 
and the soles hairy, at least in part. There are several 
species, of North and Central America, the best-known of 
which Is .V. mephitica, the common skunk. M. macrura Is 
the long-tailed skunk of Mexico. The little striped skunk, 
M. putoriui of the United States, is referred by Coues to 
the genus Spilnyale. The Souti American and African 
skunks which have been referred to Mephitii belong to 
other genera. See skunk. 
mephitism (me-fi'tizm), n. [< mephit(is) + 
-I'.SIH.] Same as mephitis, 1. Dunqlison. 
Mephostophilust, Mephostophilist, n. See 
Mci>histopheles. 
meracioust fme-ra'shus), a. [Erroneously for 
*ieracous,< L.'meractts, pure, unmixed. < /*. 
pure: see mere^.] Without admixture or adul- 
teration; pure; hence, strong; racy. 
meracityt (me-ras'i-ti), . [< L. meracvs, pure: 
see meracious'.] Clearness or pureness. Bailey, 
1731. 
meraline (mer'a-lin). . A woolen material for 
women's dresses and cloaks, usually having a 
narrow stripe. 
mercablet (mer'ka-bl), a. [< L. mercabilis, that 
can be bought, <"mereari, trade, buy: eee mer- 
chant.] Capable of being bought or sold ; mer- 
chantable. Bailey, 1731. 
