numerous 
Such prompt eloquence 
Flow'd from their lips, in prose or numerous verse, 
More tuneable than needed lute or harp 
To add more sweetness. Milton, P. L., v. 160. 
4. In descriptive bot., indefinite in number, usu- 
ally any number above twenty, as stamens in 
a flower. 
numerously (nu'me-rus-li), adv. 1. In or with 
great numbers: as" a meeting numerously at- 
tended. 2f. Harmoniously; musically. See 
numerous, 3. 
The Smooth-pac'd Hours of ev'ry Day 
Glided numerously away. 
Cowley, Elegy upon Anacreon. 
numerousness (nu'me-rus-nes), n. 1. The 
state of being numerous or many; the condi- 
tion of consisting of a great number of indi- 
viduals. 
The numerousness of these holy houses may easily be 
granted, seeing that a very few make up a Jewish congre- 
gation. L. Addison, State of Jews, p. 89. (Latham.) 
2f. Poetic quality; melodiousness; musical- 
ness. 
That which will distinguish his style is the numerous- 
ness of his verse. Dryden. 
He had rather chosen to neglect the numerousness of his 
Verse than to deviate from those Speeches which are re- 
coided on this great occasion. 
Addison, Spectator, No. 357. 
Niimida (nu'mi-da), n. [NL., < L. Numida, a 
Numidian: see Numidian.'] The typical genus 
Obverse. 
Reverse. 
United States Silver Dollar, type of 1878. 
-/, legend ; B, inscription ; C, exergue. 
Common Guinea-fowl (\ittnida meieaffris'}. 
of Numididce; the guinea-fowls. The common 
guinea-hen is N. meleagris, a native of Africa, 
now everywhere domesticated. See guinea- 
fowl. 
Numidian (nu-mid'i-an), a. and n. [< L. Nu- 
midianus, pertaining to Numidia, < Numidia 
(see def.), < Numida, a nomad, a Numidian, 
< Gr. voudf (vo/ia6-), a nomad, No,uadcf, Nutnid- 
ians: see nomad.] I. a. Pertaining to Nu- 
midia, an ancient kingdom of northern Africa, 
corresponding generally to the modern Algeria. 
Later it formed a Roman province, or was divid- 
ed among Roman provinces Numidian crane 
the demoiselle, Anthropoides mrgo, a large wading bird 
noted for the elegance of its form and its graceful deport- 
ment. It is a native of Africa, and may be seen in most 
zoological gardens. See cut under demoiselle. Numid- 
ian marble. See marble, 1. 
II. n. A native or an inhabitant of Numidia. 
The original Numidians constituted several no- 
madic tribes, whence the name. 
Cairaoan hath in it an Ancient Temple, and College of 
Priests. Hither the great men among the Moores and 
Numidians are brought to bee buried, hoping by the 
prayers of those Priests to clime to Heauen. 
Purchas, Pilgrimage, p. 805. 
Numididae (nu-mid'i-de), n. pi. [NL., < Nu- 
mida + -idee.'] A family of rasorial birds of 
the order GalliMe, peculiar to Africa; the 
guinea-fowls. 
Numidinae (nu-mi-di'ne), n. pi. [NL., < Nu- 
mida + -wo;.] The guinea-fowls regarded as 
the African subfamily of Pltasianidce. 
numismatic (nu-mis-mat'ik), a. [= P. numts- 
matique = Sp. numismdtico = Pg. It. numisma- 
tico, numismatic (F. numismatique = Sp. nu- 
mismdtica = Pg. It. numismatic, numismat- 
ics),^ NL. numismaticus (Gr. vofuaij.ari.K6f), per- 
taining to money or coin, < L. numisma, nummis- 
ma, prop, nomisma (nomismat-), a coin, a medal, 
stamp on a coin, < Gr. vupiaua, a coin, a piece 
of money, anything sanctioned by usage, < vo/ii- 
few, own as a custom, use customarily, < v6fio(, 
custom, law: see nome. Cf. L. nummus, nu- 
mus, a coin: see nummary. ] Of or pertaining 
to coins or medals ; relating to or versed in nu- 
mismatics. 
numismatical (nu-mis-mat'i-kal), a. [< nu- 
mismatic + -l,~\ Same as numismatic. [Rare.] 
numismatically (nu-mis-mat'i-kal-i), adv. In 
a numismatic manner or sense. 
numismatician (nu-mis-ma-tish'an), [< 
numismatic + -w.] A numismatist [Rare ] 
4040 
numismatics (nu-mis-mat'iks), . [PI. of nu- 
mismatic: see -ics.] The science that treats 
of coins and 
medals, with es- 
pecial reference 
to their history, 
artistic qual- 
ity, description, 
and classifica- 
tion. The name 
coin is in modern 
numismatics given 
to pieces of metal 
impressed for the 
purpose of circula- 
tion as money, while 
the name medal is 
applied to impress- 
ed pieces of similar 
character to coins, 
but not intended 
for circulation as 
money, which are 
designed and dis- 
tributed in com* 
memoration of some 
person or event. An- 
cient coins, how- 
ever, are by collec- 
tors often called 
medals. The parts 
of a coin or medal 
are the obverse or 
face, containing 
generally the head, 
bust, or figure of the 
sovereign or person 
in whose honor the 
medal was struck, or 
some emblematic 
figure relating to 
the person or coun- 
try, etc., and the reverse, containing various designs or 
words. The lettering around the border forms the legend ; 
that in the middle or field, the inscription. The lower part 
of the coin, often separated by a line from the designs or 
the inscription, is the basis or exergue, and commonly con- 
tains the date, the place where the piece was struck, the 
emblem or signature of the artist or of some official, etc. 
numismatist (nu-mis'ma-tist), n. [= F. nu- 
mismatiste = Spl numismatista ; < L. numisma 
(numismat-), a coin, a piece of money (see nu- 
mismatic), T -ist,~\ One who is versed in numis- 
matics ; a student of coins and medals. 
numismatography (nu-mis-ma-tog'ra-fi), . 
[= F. numismatograpkie = Sp. numismatogra- 
fia = Pg. numismatograpJiia, mimismatografia, 
< L. numisma (numismat-), a coin, a piece of 
money (see numismatic), + Gr. -ypaQia, (ypa<j>eiv, 
write.] The science that treats of coins and 
medals; numismatics. [Rare.] 
numismatologist (nu-mis-ma-tol'o-jist), n. [< 
numismatolog-y + -ist."} One versed in numis- 
matology ; a numismatist. [Rare.] 
numismatology (nu-mis-ma-tol'o-ji), . [< L. 
numisma (numismat-), a coin, apiece of money, 
+ Gr. -/toy/a, < teytiv, speak : see -ology.'] Same 
as numismatography. [Rare.] 
nummary (num'a-ri), a. [= Pg. numario = It. 
nummario, < li.nummarius, nitmarius, pertaining 
to money, < nummus, numus, Italic Gr. vovfifiof, 
vov/wf, vduof, a coin, a piece of money, akin to Gr. 
viftof, a custom, law (vo/ua/ta, a coin): see name 5 , 
numismatic.'] Relating to coins or money. 
They borrowed their money pound from the Greeks, and 
their nummary language from the Romans. 
Ruding, Coinage of Great Britain, I. 309, note. 
nummiform (num'i-form), a. [< L. nummus, a 
coin, + forma, form.] Shaped like a coin ; 
nummulary. 
Nummulacea (num-u-la'se-a), n. pi. [NL., < 
Nummul(ites) + -aeea.'} A family of foramini- 
fers represented by Nummulites and genera re- 
sembling it in the discoidal form of the shell. 
nummulacean (num-u-la'se-an), o. and n. I. 
a. Resembling a nummulite ; belonging to the 
Nummulacea. 
II. . A member of the Nummulacea. 
nummular (num'u-lar), a. [< L. nummularius : 
see nummulary.'] Same as nummulary: applied 
in medicine to the sputa or expectorations in 
phthisis, when on falling they flatten like a 
piece of money. 
nummulary (num'u-la-ri), a. [= Sp. numu- 
lario = It. nummulario, < L. nummularius, per- 
taining to money-changing, < nummulus, some 
money, money, dim. of nummus, a coin, a piece 
of money: see nummary.'] 1. Of or pertaining 
to coins or money. 
The nummulary/ talent which was in common use by the 
Greeks. Jiuding, Coinage of Great Britain, I. 102. 
2. Resembling a coin; in med., see nummular. 
nummulated (num'u-la-ted), a. [< L. BHI- 
mulus, money (see nummulary), + -ate 2 + -erf 2 .] 
Nummular; nummiform. 
nun 
nummuliform (num'u-li-form), a. [< L. num- 
miilus, dim. of nummus, a coin, + forma, form.] 
Shaped like a nummulite ; resembling nummu- 
lites. 
Nummulina (num-u-li'nii), . [NL., fern, of 
liiimmitliiins, coin-like: see nttmmwliiie.] A ge- 
nus of living nurnmuline foraminifers, giving 
name to the family NumniulinMai. IfOfoigny. 
nummnline (mim'u-lin), a. [< NL. nummulinus, 
< L. nummulus, dim. of nummus, a coin.] Shaped 
like a coin; resembling a nummulite in struc- 
tural characters ; nummulitic. 
Each layer of shell consists of two finely-tubulated or 
nummuline lamellae. W. B. Carpenter, .Micros., 494. 
Nummulinidae (num-u-lin'i-de), n. pi. [NL., 
< Nummulina + -irfa 1 .] A family of perforate 
foraminifers, typified by the genus Niiiiimuliiin. 
The test is calcareous and finely tubulated, typically free, 
polythalamous, and symmetrically spiral ; the higher forms 
all possess a supplemental skeleton and a canal-system of 
greater or less complexity. Also Xummulitidat. 
Nummulinidea (num"u-li-nid'e-a), n. pi. [NL. : 
see Numnmlinidw.'] The NummuUnida! regarded 
as an order of perforate foraminifers. 
nummulite (num'u-lit), . [< NL. nummuUtet, 
< L. nummulus, dim. of nummus, a coin, a piece 
of money : see nummary.'] A member of the ge- 
nus Nummulites or family Nummulitida; : used in 
a broad sense, generally in the plural, for a fos- 
sil nummuline shell of almost any kind. Nummu- 
lites comprise a great variety of fossil foraminifers having 
externally somewhat the appearance of a piece of money 
(hence their name), without any apparent opening, and in- 
ternally a spiral cavity, divided by partitions into numer- 
ous chambers, communicating with each other by means of 
small openings. They vary in size from less than J inch to 
1J inches in diameter. Nummulites occupy an important 
place in the history of fossil shells. See nummulitic. 
Nummulites (num-u-li'tez), n. [NL. : see num- 
mulite.'] The leading genus of fossil foramini- 
fers of the family Nummulinida;, or typical of 
a family Nummulitida;. 
nummulitic (num-u-lit'ik), a. [< nummulite + 
-ic.] Containing or characterized by nummu- 
lites Nummulitic series, an important group of stra- 
ta belonging to the Eocene Tertiary, extending from the 
Pyrenees east to the eastern confines of Asia : so called 
from the prodigious numbers of nummulites contained in 
them. The series varies considerably in lithological char- 
acter, but limestone usually predominates, and not infre- 
quently this passes into a crystalline marble. The thick- 
ness of the group is also variable, reaching in places sev- 
eral thousand feet. The nummulitic rocks are largely de- 
veloped in the Himalayas, where they have been raised by 
the mountain-building processes to more than 15,000 feet 
above the sea-level. 
Nummulitidae (num-u-lit'i-de), u. pi. [NL., < 
Nummulites + -ides.'] A family of perforate Fo- 
raminifera, named from the genus Nummulites: 
same as Nummulinidse. 
numpst (numps), . [< numb, with formative 
-s, as in mawlts, minx^, etc. Cf. numskull.'] A 
dolt; a blockhead. 
Take heart, numps I here is not a word of the stocks. 
Sp. Parker, Reproof of Rehearsal Trans. (1673), p. 85. 
numskull (num'skul), . [Formerly also num- 
scull; < num, now usually numb, + skull.'] A 
dunce ; a dolt ; a stupid fellow. 
They have talked like numskulls. Artndhnot. 
You numskulls .' and so, while, like your betters, you are 
quarrelling for places, the guests must be starved ! 
Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer, ii. 
numskulled (num'skuld), a. [< numskull + 
-ed 2 .~] Dull in intellect ; stupid ; doltish. 
Have you no more manners than to rail at Hocus, that 
saved that clodpated numskull'd ninnyhammer of yours 
from ruin and all his family ? 
Arbuthnot, Hist. John Bull, xii. 
numud (num'ud), n. [Also nammad; < Pers. 
namad, felt, coarse cloth.] A thick carpeting 
of felt made in Persia, inlaid with designs in 
different colors felted into the body of the ma- 
terial. This material is often an inch or more 
in thickness. 
nun (nun), n. [<ME. nunne, nonne, < AS. uiiiini- 
= MD. nonne, D. non = MLG. LG. nunne = OHG. 
niinnd, MHG. nunne, G. nonne = Sw. nitnna = 
Dan. nonne = F. nonne, < LL. nonna, ML. also 
nunna (LGr. v6wa), a nun, orig. a title of re- 
spect, 'mother' (>It. nonna, grandmother) (ef. 
masc. LL. nonnus, LGr. wSwof, a monk, 'father,' 
> It. nonno, grandfather), = Skt. nand, mother, 
used familiarly like E., etc., mama, and of like 
imitative origin.] 1. A woman devoted to a 
religious life, under a vow of poverty, celibacy, 
and obedience to a superior: correlative to 
monk. 
There with inne ben Monkes :md Konnes Cristene. 
MandevMe, Travels, p. 124. 
Whereas those Nuns of yore 
Gave answers from their caves, and took what shapes they 
please. Drayton, Polyolbion, i. 60. 
