Meriania 
species, natives nf tropical America anil tin- West Indies. 
'1 hi') uiv rrrrt .sluUMM "r IHT* with Imiy p. tiult .1 i.lil.HiK- 
lanceolate lra\ < - .unl I u-L'r \ rllowor purple (lowers. Some 
of the species arc I'ulthatril in greenhouieij under the 
name of Jamaica rottes. 
Merianieae (mer i \\ ol'Q-6). ./</. [NL. (Ben- 
tliiun :iii<l Hooker, is(i.i).< .l/i riimia + -co;.] A 
tribe ul' jilnnis of tlu- natural order Atelaylii/ini- 
<<' and the. suborder Melunhnnett. characterized 
by the generally terete or slightly angular cap- 
Hiilar fruit and the angulated, cuneate, or fusi- 
forra seeds. It embraces 11 genera and about 
107 species of tropical American shrubs and 
trees. 
mericarp (mer'i-kiirp), n. [= F. iMear;>e, < 
Gr. //</;, a part, + Kapv6f, fruit.] One of the 
two achene-like carpels which form a cremo- 
carp or fruit in the Uiitbelltferce : same as In /<- 
f<ii-/>. 
merides, . Plural of meris. 
Meridiaceae (me-rid-i-a'se-e), n. pi. [NL. (Ra- 
benhorst, 1864), < Meridian + -accai.] A large 
family of diatoms, according to the classifica- 
tion of Rabenhornt, taking its name from the 
genus Meridion. The frustule is cuneate, producing 
fan-shaped colonies, without central nodule. They live 
in both fresh and salt water. The family is the tame or 
nearly the same as the Meridiece of Kuetzing. 
meridialt (me-rid'i-al), a. [ME. mcrydi/all ; < 
LL. nn-riditilix, of midday, < meridies, midday: 
see meridian.] Of midday; meridian. 
Whole men of what age or complexion so euer they be 
of, Mi ii Mi- take theyr natural! rest and slepe In the nyght : 
and to eschewe merydyall sleep. 
Jlabee* Boole (E. E. T. S.), p. 244. 
meridian (mo-rid' i-an), a. and n. [< ME. mr- 
riiliiin, < OF. meridien, < F. meridien = Sp. Pg. It. 
meridiano, < L. meridianus, of or belonging to 
midday or to the south, southern, < meridies, 
midday, the south, orig. "medidics, < medius, 
middle, + dies, day: see medium, mid 1 , and 
dial.] I. a. 1. Of or pertaining to midday or 
noon ; noonday : as, the meridian sun ; the sun's 
meridian heat or splendor. 
In what place that any nianer man ys at any tyme of the 
yer whan that the sonne by moevyng of the firmament 
Cometh to his verrey meridian place, than is hit vcrrey Mid- 
day, that we clepen owre noon, as to thilke man ; and 
therfore is it cleped the lyne of midday. 
Chaucer, Astrolabe, ii. 39. 
Towards heaven and the full Mazing sun, 
Which now sat high in his meridian tower. 
MUton, P. L., iv. 30. 
The sun rode high in the heavens, and its meridian blaze 
was powerfully felt. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends, I. 181. 
2. Pertaining to the culmination or highest 
point or degree (the sun being highest at mid- 
day); culminating; highest before a decline: 
as, Athens reached its meridian glory in the 
age of Pericles. 3. Pertaining to or marking 
a geographical north and south line; extend- 
ing in the arc of a great circle passing through 
the poles: as, a meridian circle on an artificial 
globe. 4. Noting the eighth of Professor H. 
Kogers's twelve divisions of the Paleozoic series 
hi the Appalachian chain of North America, the 
names of which suggest metaphorically the dif- 
ferent natural periods of the day : it corresponds 
with the Oriskany sandstone (which see, under 
sandstone). 5f. Consummate; complete. 
An effrontery out of the mouth of a meridian villain. 
Roger North, Examen, p. 180. (Danes.) 
Meridian altitude of a star, see attitude. Merid- 
ian line on a dial, the twelve o'clock hour-line. 
II. n. 1. Midday; noon. 2f. Midday re- 
pose or indulgence ; nooning: used specifically 
as in the quotations. 
We have, . . . in the courseof this our toilsome Journey, 
lost our meridian (the hour of repose at noon, which in the 
middle ages was employed in slumber, and which the mo- 
nastic rules of nocturnal vigils rendered necessary). 
Scott, Monastery, xlx. 
Plnnidamas joined the other two gentlemen in drink- 
ing their meridian (a bumper-drain of brandy). 
Scott, Heart of Mid-Lothian, iv. 
3. The highest point reached before a decline ; 
the culmination; the point of greatest incre- 
ment or development. 
You seem to marvel I do not marry all this while, con- 
sidering that 1 urn past tlie Meridian of my Age. 
Hoteett, Letters, I. vi. 60. 
In the meridian of Edward's age and vigour. 
llallam. .Middle Ages, iii. 8. 
4. A great circle of a sphere passing through 
tho poles, or the half of such a circle included 
between the poles ; in fieog., such a circle drawn 
upon the earth; in astrnn., such a circle on the 
celestial spin 'iv. Tin- meridian of a place on the earth's 
surface lathe great t'iivK' passing tliiuUL:li it anil Hit- pulrs 
or the Klvut dlvK> of till 1 rrlrstial splu-fr pa-Mil',' through 
till- jK-li anil tlu- ZL-nith of tliL' phu'e. Siv l^ityitltde. 
3717 
6. Figuratively, the state or condition (in any 
re>pcct) of the people of one place or region, 
or of persons in one sphere or plane of exis- 
tence, as compared with those of or in another: 
as, the institutions > < ustomH of Asia are not 
suited to tin an i iilinn of Europe. 
All other knowledge merely serves the concerns of this 
life, and is fitted to the meridian thereof. 
air M. Hole, Orlg. of Mankind. 
First or prime meridian, the meridian from which lon- 
gitude is reckoned, as that of Greenwich. See longitude, '2. 
Magnetic meridian of any place, a great circle the 
plane of which passes through that place and the line of 
direction of the horizontal magnetic needle. The angle 
which the magnetic makes with the true geographical me- 
ridian isdinVn m hi different places and at different times, 
and is called the magnetic declination or the variation of the 
compass. See declination, and agonic line (under agonic). 
Meridian Of a globe, a meridian drawn upon a globe ; 
especially, abraas circle concentric with the globe, and hav- 
ing the axis of rotation of the globe fixed in the plane of 
one of Its faces. Secondary meridian. In ycoy., a me- 
ridian whose longitude from the prime meridian has been 
so well determined that trustworthy longitudes may be us- 
certained by measuring from it. 
meridian-circle (me-rid'i-an-ser'kl), n. An 
astronomical instrument consisting of a tele- 
scope with cross-wires and moving in the plane 
of t he meridian, and provided with a graduated 
circle. The meridian-circle subserves the same pur- 
poses as the transit-instrument, and also determines the 
declinations of stars. 
meridian-mark (me-rid'i-an-miirk), n. A mark 
placed exactly north or south of a transit-instru- 
ment at a considerable distance, to aid in ad- 
justing the instrument in the meridian. It Is 
sometimes placed near, with a lens Interposed to render 
the rays from it parallel as if it were really remote. 
meridies (ine-rid'i-ez), n. [L.: see meridian.] 
Meridian ; mid-point. [Rare.] 
About the hour that Cynthia's silver light 
Had touch'd the pale meridies of the night 
Cini-li/i. Essays (Agriculture). 
Meridion (me-rid'i-on), n. [NL. (Agardh, 
1824), < Gr. pepiitov, a small part, dim. ot/tipof, 
a part.] A genus of diatoms with cuneate frus- 
tule, typical of the family Meridiacete of Ra- 
benhorst. 
meridional (me-rid'i-o-nal), a. [< ME. meridi- 
onal, meridione'l, < OF. meridional, F. meridional 
= Pr. Sp. Pg. meridional = It. meridionale, < 
LL. merulionalis, of midday, < L. meridies, mid- 
day: see meridian.] 1. Pertaining to the me- 
ridian ; having a direction like that of a terres- 
trial meridian. 
The meridional lines stand wider upon one side then the 
other. Sir T. Browne, Garden of Cyrus, iv. 
Along one side of this body is a meridwnal groove, re- 
sembling that of a peach. W. B. Carpenter, Micros., 5 427. 
2. Highest; consummate. 
The meridional brightness, the glorious noon, and height, 
is to be a Christian. Donne, Sermons, xvii. 
3. Southern; southerly; extending or turned 
toward the south. 
Etliiope Is departed In 2 princypalle parties ; and that 
Is, in the F.st partie and in the MerULvmeUt partie : the 
whiche partie meridionelle is clept Moretane. 
MandeviUe, Travels, p. 156. 
The which lyne ... is cleped the sowth lyne, or elles 
the lyue meridional. Chaucer, Astrolabe, L 4. 
4. Characteristic of southern oiimates or south- 
ern peoples. 
A dark meridional physiognomy. 
Motley, United Netherlands, L 139. 
Meridional distance. See dwtanee. Meridional parts, 
the distance of any given latitude from the equator upon 
Mercator's map-projection expressed in minutes of the 
equator. Neglecting the compression, the meridional parts 
are proportional to the integral of the secant of the lati- 
tude, which is the logarithm of the tangent of half the 
polar distance. Taking account of the compression, the 
secant of the latitnde must be divided before integrating 
by 1 + t- cos-' 4> (where <<> Is the latitude and e the ellip- 
ticitv of the meridian). 
meridionality (me-rid'i-o-nal'i-ti), n. [< me- 
ridional + -ity.] 1. The state of being meridi- 
onal or on the meridian. 2. Position in the 
south ; aspect toward the south. 
meridionally (me-rid'i-o-nal-i), adv. [< merid- 
ional + -'i/ 2 .j In the direction of the meridian; 
north and south. 
Who [the Jews], reverentially declining the situation of 
their Temple, nor willing to lye as that stood, doe place 
their beds from north to south, and delight to sleep me- 
ridionally. Sir T. Broicne, Vulg. Err., ii. 3. 
merihedric (mer-i-he'drik), a. [< Gr. fiipof, a 
part, + eSpa, a seat, base.] Pertaining to some 
part of the faces of a polyhedron, taken accord- 
ing to some regular system. 
merilst, . See imrels. 
meringue (me-rangg'), . [F., said to be < Mek- 
riiHim, a town in Germany.] In cookery, a 
mixture of white of eggs and sugar slightly 
browned, used for ornamenting and supple- 
meristem 
menting other confeet ions. Puddings or tart-. 
etc., covered with this preparation are some 
times called mi riiiiinm. Meringue glace, ice-cream 
served with a casing of meringue, 
merino (rae-re'np), a. and n. [= F. merinos = 
Pg. merino, merino (sheep), < Sp. merino, rov- 
ing from pasture to pasture (said of sheep), < 
mi ruin, an inspector of sheepwalks, a shepherd 
of merino sheep, also a royal judge, < ML. /"- 
joriiiim (used in Spain), the head of a village, a 
steward, majordomo; {. majoralis, a chief, in 
Spain a head shepherd. < L. major, greater, in 
ML. a head, chief, etc.: see major, mayor.] I. 
n. 1. Noting a variety of sheep from Spain, or 
their wool. See below. 2. Made of the wool 
Head of Merino Kam. before and after bearing. 
of the merino sheep : as, merino stockings or 
underclothing. The articles so designated are usually 
made with an admixture of cotton to prevent shrinkage. 
Merino sheep, a variety of sheep originally peculiar 
to Spain, but now introduced into many other countries. 
They are raised chiefly for the sake of their long fine wool, 
the mutton being but little esteemed. In summer the 
Spanish sheep feed upon the elevated hinds of Biscay, Na- 
varre, and Aragon, and toward winter are driven south- 
ward to the fertile plains of New Castile, Andalusia, and 
Estreniadura. 
H. . 1. A merino sheep. 2. A thin woolen 
cloth, twilled on both sides and used especially 
for women's dresses, now to some extent super- 
seded by cashmere. It was originally made of the 
wool of the merino sheep. There is a variety which has 
an admixture of silk. 
3. A variety of tricot or knitted material for 
undergarments. [U. 8.] 
merion (me'ri-on), n. [= F. merione, < NL. 
Meriones, <j. v.] A book-name of the deer- 
mouse or jumping-mouse of North America, 
Zajiux hudnonitiii, formerly placed in the genus 
Meriones under the name of J/. liud-ionicun. 
See cut under deer-mouse, 1. 
Meriones (me-ri'6-uez), H. [NL., so called with 
ref. to the development of the hind legs (cf. Gr. 
tlt/ptovj/f, a man's name, companion of Idpme- 
neus), < Gr. fi'ipia, thigh-bones, < /it/pof, thigh.] 
A genus of saltatorial myomorphic rodents. The 
name has been applied : (a)' By Illiger, 1811, to the Old 
World Jerboas : a synonym of Itiput. (6) By Fred. Cuvier, 
1826, to a different genus of American jumping-mice, now 
called Zaput. [Disused in both senses. ] 
meris (me'ris), .; pi. merides (-ri-dez). [NL.,< 
F. nitride (Perrier), < Gr. /'epic (/"/>'-), a part.] 
A permanent colony of cells or plastids, which 
may remain isolated or may multiply by gem- 
mation to form higher aggregates called denies. 
See deme and zooid. Kncyc. Brit., XVI. 842. 
merismatic (mer-is-mat'ik), a. [< Gr. ftfpiopa, a 
part, ftfpiau6f, a division. < uepifeiv, divide, < /ti- 
pof, apart: see merit.] In biol., dividing by the 
formation of internal partitions; taking place 
by internal partition into cells or segments. 
Merunnatic cells, remaining without fum-tion sometimes 
for several years, until the sap-wood containing them In- 
comes dry or heart wood, when they begin their activity. 
Pop. Sci. Mo., XX VIII. 680. 
merispore (mer'i-spor), H. [< Gr. pcpof or ffpn, 
a part, division, + avopa, seed.] One of the 
individual cells or secondary spores of a pluri- 
cellular (septate or compound) spore. 
meristem (mer'is-tem), n. [Irreg. < Gr. pepia- 
rof , verbal adj. of /itpil^rtv, divide, < fttpof, a part. ] 
Actively dividing cell-tissue ; the unformed and 
growing cell-tissues found at the ends of young 
stems, leaves, and roots. In structure the cells of 
the meristem are characterized by having a delicate homo- 
genous membrane, which Is only rarely thickened, and 
homogenous granular protoplasm with a nucleus. It Is 
di*iini:uished as primary meriiUm when it forms the first 
foundation of a member, or the cells which develop into 
