plebiscitary 4550 
plebiscitary (pleh'i-si-ta-ri), a. [< plebiscite + mentary nasal appendageb 6 >.^.co uu . c 
->inj. \ Pertaining to orof the nature of apleb- large ears ; the eared bats. The genera Plecotu*. 
iscite. Synattu, Otnnyctrrit, ffyctopkitia, and Antnumu are con- 
TberUbucOan, conflrmatlon make, the reform Illusory. ^ ned . !" ">" f??.' , ."*> ""^ '.''""". 
TV Nation, May 12, 1870, p. 297. plecotine (pk'k'o-tm), a. Belonging to the Ple- 
plebiscite (pleb'i-sit or -set), M. r <" w >*'-- ''"'' 
= Sp. I'j;. It. ftlrhixfitiiy < L. 
or onlinauce of the people, -^ /.,....-, .m MV-^IJK-, 
+ xdtum, a decree, neut. of scitus, pp. of aeire, of - eal 
know: see science.} 1. Same as pumteitum. 
2. An expression of the will or pleasure of the 
whole people in regard to some measure already 
decided upon; a vote of the whole people for , 
the ratification or disapproval of some matter: Plectellaria (plek-te-la n-h) > n. pi. [NL., < L 
til^fififtt T-iltut tii-iTiii i-n-iat -+- _*>//_ -4- ,<.,,< \ 
ww'rt, .!} i _, loiv, I', art. jvw v*uw \f * y *"/* "*"o o 
t). /I. [< F. plebiscite -i, ' . 
. ,,M,i*nt,,m,* decree Plecotus (ple-ko'tus), n. [NL. (Geoffrey), < Gr. 
e, < pi, to, the people, *'/""'< . twlne - V^ 1 ' , + "Vf ( T>' ear ;] *&* 
j.l it- 1 mil Imtti nf rnA Familu I f.-tu't-tiimn nl u' uml 
cliiffly a French usage. 
If people by a jtUlnxile elect a man despot over them, do 
they remain free because the despotism was of their own 
making? //. Spencer, Han vs. State, p. 14. 
I'Mrimtr we have lately taken, In popular use, from the 
French. The wonl previously belonged, however, to the 
language of the civil law. /'. Uall, Mod. Eng., p. 310. 
plebiscitnm (pleb-i-si'tum), w.; pi. plebigcita 
(-tji). [L.: see plebiscite.} A law enacted in plectellarian (plek-te-la'ri-an), a. and . [< 
ancient Rome by the lower rank of citizens Plectellaria + -an.] I. a. <3f or pertaining to 
meeting in the assembly called the comitia tri- the Plectellaria. 
it, under the presidency of a tribune or some n. n. A member of the Plectcilaria. 
plectrum 
mentary nasal appendages or grooves and very Plectranthus (plek-tran'thug), M. [NL. (L'H- 
ritier, 1784 ), so called in allusion to the spurred 
enrol in of many species; < Gr. nISJKTpov, spur 
(see plectrum), + avfof, flower.] A genus of 
gamopetalous plants of the order Labials, 
tribe Ocimoidex, and subtribeA'uocimee, char- 
acterized by the longer and concave anterior 
corolla-lobe, four perfect stamens, calyx with 
five equal or unequal teeth, the posterior tooth 
sometimes larger, and this or the corolla often 
prolonged below into a spur or sac. There 
arc about 80 species, natives of the tropics, especially In 
Africa, Asia, and the Pacific, and also in Japan and at 
the Cape of Good Hope. They are usually herbs, rarely 
tall shrubs, bearing two-lipped flowers with a long tube, In 
large or small cymes, which are variously racemed or pan- 
fcled, and are commonly blue or purple. The name cock- 
ipur-fmeer Is sometimes used for the cultivated species, 
which are either tender annuals or herbs and shrubs grown 
under glass. /'. nudi/loru* Is the I 'hinese basil, and P. 
ternatu* the omlme-root of Madagascar, 
plectre (plek'ter), n. [< F. plectre, < L. plec- 
trum, plectrum: see plectrum.} A plectrum. 
[Rare.] 
He'd strike that lyre adroitly speech. 
Would but a twenty -cubit plectn reach. 
Browning, Sordello. 
espertilionidte and 
subfamily Plecotin-ee, having the incisors and 
premolars each two above and three below on 
each side, as the long-eared bat of Europe, P. 
, and the North American P. macrotis. 
_,, .... ., 
plectere, plait, twine, twist, + -ell- + -aria.'} A 
suborder of nassellarians, whose skeleton con- 
sists of a simple silicious ring or of a triradiate 
framework of spicules, usually furnished with 
Processes forming simple or branched spicules. 
The branchesof the latter may be united into a loose plex- 
us, without, however, forming a chambered fenestrated 
shell. The skeleton is entirely wauling only In the aim- 
piestform. 
lectron_(plek'tron), n. Same &s plectrum. 
to the patricians. 
plebityt (pleb'i-ti), n. 
[< L. plebita(t-)s, the 
up after all the ways of art, compactile, sutile, plectile. 
Sir T. Browne, Misc. Tracts, II. 
Frinaillidfe, so named from the long straight- 
ened hind claw or plectrum characteristic of 
nu, k of a"common'citizen,<^feV the common Plectocomia (nlek-to-ko'mi-ii) w fNL fMar ?' ne f its members 5 tbe snow-buntings or 
people: see pleb*.] The common people; the d Blume 183b) s -i led in allusion to 1O S gS ? U S ', "^ he b , IU " 8ma11 and conlc ' wlth I1Mal 
< H-I.,/__ ' ne, 1(WU;, 8C illusion to rulf or tuft of plumules; the wings are long and pointed; 
the slender filaments; \ wr. iMfKTof, plaited, n/i tiio#ii to K rt ^* ..,,,1 ....,,.,,... . t *- *^i 
plebs. Wharton. 
plebs (plebz), n. [L., also less commonly plebes, 
in OL. plfps, also plebin, the common people ; 
akin to pleaitu, full, plerique, many, etc. : see 
iiienly.] The lower order of citizens in ancient 
Home; the plebeians; hence, in general, the 
populace. The membersof this order were originally of 
pure Latin blood, but were not among the founders of 
Koine ; they were recruited from the ranks of the clients 
and of the Latin peoples who had been annexed by Rome ; 
while citisens, they did not ngure in the three tribes or 
in the curiee and gentes of the patricians, and were thus 
excluded from the comitia, the senate, and all public. 
civil, and religious ofllces. They had all (he duties and 
burdens of citizens with greatly restricted privileges. Af- 
ter the establishment of the republic I here took place a 
long struggle between the two orders. The plebeians se- 
cured the Institution of the tribunate, various reforms, 
and an Increased share In the government; their efforts 
culminated when, by the Llclnian laws (aliont 367 B. c.), 
they secured one of the two consulships. The offices of die- 
twisted (verbal adj. of jrAtnetv, plait, twist), + 
Ko/fij, hair.] A genus of ratau-palms of the 
tribe Lfpidocaryex and subtribe Calameee. it is 
characterized by an axillary dlrcclons Inflorescence, with 
numerous persistent spathca, and the spadlx divided into 
many very long tail-like branches, every branch sheathed 
with numerous two-ranked closely imbricated shell-shaped 
secondary spathes, each inclosing a short spike 3 inches 
or less long, bearing coriaceous perianths. The 6 spe- 
cies are natives of mountains in eastern India and the 
Malayan archipelago. They are climbing palms, with 
slender or robust, very much prolonged stems. The one- 
seeded fleshy fruits are densely covered with overlapping 
rough fringed, almost prickly scales. The large leaves 
are pinnate, with narrowly elliptical segments, and the 
midrib extended into long whip-like tails, covered be- 
neath with exceedingly strong compound claw-likespines, 
which take firm hold of branchesof trees, and support thi 
_ .- _ . _ i t 
and the tall is short, and square or emarginate. The com- 
mon snow-bunting is usually called /'. ntralu, but has 
been placed in a different genus (Plectrnjihenax). The 
Lapland longspur is P. lapponiciu. The collared and the 
painted longgpurs are P. vrnatvii and P. pictus. Exclud- 
ing the snow-bunting, the members of this genus are now 
usually called Ccntrophanes or Calcarius. See cut under 
Centrophants. 
?lectrophenax (plek-trof'e-naks), n. [NL., < 
Gr. wXf/ATpov, a cock's spur (see plectrum), + 
ijxvai;, a cheat.] A genus of Fringillida dis- 
membered from Plectrophanex, having P. nivalis 
as its type ; the snow-buntings. 
?lectropteridse (plek-trop-ter'i-de), w. pi. 
[NL., < Plectropterus + -irffe.] The spur- 
winged geese regarded as a family apart from 
Anatidse. See cut under Plectroptervg. 
Plectropterinae ' 
climbing stem, which in P.clongala, the rotang-tfahown of t'lectropterinae (plek-trop-te-ri ' ne), . pi. 
Indian jungles, is said to extend to a length of 500 feet [NL., ( Plectroptertlg + -('.] A subfamily 
''-, represented by the genus Plectrop- 
spur-winged geese. 
'terine (plek-trop'te-riu), a. Belong- 
le Plectropterinie. 
Plectropterus (plek-trop'te-rus), w. [NL. (W. 
E. Leach, 1824), < Gr. ir/ir/KT/tov, a cock's spur 
(see plectrum), + irrtp6v, wing, = E. feather.} 
Mniiif, Early Hist, of Institutions, p. 132. 
Bethink yon that you have to deal with pith*. 
The commonalty. Browning, King and Book, 1. 153. 
pleck (plek), . [< ME. plrck, pick; a var. of 
pluck.} A plot of ground. [Prov. Eng.] 
For the hours watc ao brod & so blggc alee, 
stalled In the fayrest stud the sterrez an-vnder, 
Prudly on a plat playn. ftrk alther-fayrest 
Alliterative Poemt (ed. MorrtsX U. 137ft. 
plecolepidons (plek-o-lep'i-dus), a. [< Gr. w'/J- 
fied with the articular and angular bones, and 
the lower pharyngeals distinct : so called from 
the extensive ankvloses of the jaws. The order 
Includes the porcupine-fishes, swell-fishes, box-flshes, 
globe-flshes. egg-flahes, flle-tlshes, and related forms, as 
of the families TriacanlMd* . Baliituiit, Triodontida, Of- 
Irni-iiiiilitlfr, Tetroduntidsr, Dindvntidx, and MolMir. 
plectognathic (plek-tog-nath'ik), a. [<plectog- 
nath + -ic.] Same as plectognath. 
plectognathous (plek-tog'na-thus), a. [< plcc- 
tiH/nath + -out.] Same as plectognath. 
-/.-. twine, twist, + toft (>.rJ-), a scale: see Pl^ctoptera (plek-top'te-rft), n.'pl. [NL., < 
oherenr. tlmt /- _7... ' v " - r *- -' 
lepix.] In hot., having the bracts coherent that 
form the involucre in the order Composite. 
plecopter (ple-kop'ter), n. [< Gr. ff/f/c, twine, 
twist, + nr(|6V, wing, = E. feather.] A pseudo- 
neuropterous insect whose wings fold. Also 
plecopteran. 
Plecoptera (j <1 - k P'*e-'*). P'. [NL.: see 
Gr. jr/tKTcif, plaited, twisted, + irrepvv, wing, 
= E. feather.] In Packard's classification 
(1888), one of 15 orders of insects, correspond- 
ing to the pseudoneuropterous family Ej>heme- 
rida alone. These had before (in 1885) been 
raised to ordinal rank by Brauer, but without 
a new name. 
An African genus of geese having a spur on 
the wing, as /'. gambenxix. 
rudlmenufV. The fnll7i>Jr3 J presen*S <l thu e AM- '"? some joints of the back-bone'coSssifiea or 
slon. In Brauer'sclasslllcatlon(iti8(>),ltUoneof leordcrs ankylosed together, as a fish ; having the char- 
of Insects. See cot under Ptrla. acters of the Plectogpondyli. Also plectoxpoiidu- , - , , r 
plecopteran (ple-kop'te-ran), . [<pli;;> lt l,r+ lout. plectrum (pick' trum), n.; pi. plectra (-trft). 
-<j;i.] Same M plaMpfir. JJ. H. Anv fish of the order Plrctoxpondyli. t N ^'' < . L / ptrttrum, < Gr. irMJKTpw, a thin K "t<. 
plecopterous (pl^-kop'te-rug), o. [< pbeoptor Plectospondyli (plek-t6-tij>on'di-ll), n pi 8tnke Wlt1 '. a8 an instrument for striking the 
Having reticulated wings which are [M..: s, e plectoypotKiyl.} An order of fishes yre> a pe r -pO'nt, a cock's spur, a punting- 
folded in repose, asaperlid; specifically, of or having a precoracoid arch, a symplectic but P ' 6 '* *'W>oeii> ("It"-), strike: seep%e.] 1. 
pertiuningto the Plecoptera. no eoronoi.l 1>< s. and the anterior vertebra A 8ma11 ln8trul ne"t ot ivory, horn, or metal 
Plecostomus (plf-kM'i^-mna), . [NL. (lirf>- coossilie,! mid connected with the auditory an- U8ed for P luckin g or twanging the strings of 
novius. 17.">4).ir. ->/<r, twine, twist, + OTO/UI, paratnx by n chain of little bones It contains a lvre - "tna. or other similar instniment. 
inontli.] A South American genusof catfish.-s the cyi.riiii.ls. elnir:ieiiii,|s. and gvmnonotous 
of tte family Silurida . iisl,,. s _ : ,]l ,,f fresh w:iter. 
XL., < Pli-rn- plectospondylous (plek-tp-spon'di-lus), . f< 
-OM. 
.. ol 'I, ,,, ,,.,,..,: , l l,rl,,. l ,,,,, l l, l l .,.. 
.-x.-.n,,!,,,,,, ,,,,!. K< M,,,S //, f m vi,, K n,,li- plectra. ,, IM,,r.l Of 
" ne * ri1 tm ' '>rlni but melodious note of a hiwtlng owl 
indcfinllfly far: such a sound as the frozen earth would 
yield U>truck "*'"" iM "%SlV w.,den , m. 
o Somcthin.? like or lik,, 
P.'t, I '"^ ' f, 'h'e'.t" oh i ,1" ."tv 1 d 
