sextant 
with the reading-lens ff. In the hands of a competent ob- 
server, the accuracy of work with a sextant is surprising. 
The first inventor of the sextant (or quadrant) was Xew- 
ton, among whose papers a description of such an instru- 
ment was found after his death not, however, until after 
its reinvention hy Thomas Godfrey, of Philadelphia, in 
1730, and, perhaps, hy lliulley, in 1731. 
Chamenet, Astronomy, II. 78. 
3. [e;>.] Same as Sextans, 2 Box-sextant, a sur- 
veyors' instrument for measuring; angles, and for tilling in 
the details of a survey, when the theodolite is used for long 
lines and for laying out the larger triangles. Prismatic 
sextant, a sextant in which a rectangular prism takes the 
place of the common horizon-glass, and with which any 
angle up to 180 can be measured, 
sextantal (seks'tan-tal), " [< L. sextan(t-)s + 
-/.] Of or pertaining to the ancient Roman 
coin called sextans ; pertaining to the division 
of the as into six parts, or to a system based 
on such division. 
Bronze coins of the end of the third century, with marks 
of value and weights which show them to belong to the 
sextantal system. S. V. Head, Uistoria Numorum. p. 38. 
sextarius (seks-ta'ri-us), . ; pi. sextarii (-1). 
[L. : see MBteryl.1 A Roman measure of ca- 
pacity, one sixth of a congius, equal to If United 
States pints or 4'tl imperial pint. Several of the 
later Eastern systems had sextarii derived from 
the Roman, and generally somewhat larger. 
sextary 1 (seks'ta-ri), w. ; pi. sextaries (-riz). [< 
L. sextarius, a sixth part, also a sixteenth part, 
< sextus, sixth, < sex, six: see six. Cf. sextet; 
sester.] A sextarius. 
Then must the quantity be two drams of castoreum, one 
sextary of honey and oyle, and the like quantity of water. 
Topsell, Beasts (1607), p. 49. (HalUwfJl.) 
S6Xtary 2 t, . Same as sextry. 
sexte, n. See sext. 
sextent, w. An obsolete spelling of sexton. 
sextennial (seks-ten'i-al), a. [< L. sextus, 
sixth, + annus, a year, + -al. Cf. sexennial.] 
Occurring every sixth year. 
In the seventh place, the legislatures of the several 
states are balanced against the Senate by xextennial elec- 
tions. J. Adams, To J. Taylor (Works, VI. 468). 
sexter (seks'ter), n. [Also sextar, sester; < ME. 
sextcr, sexster, sester, < OF. sextier, sestier, sep- 
tier, setier, a measure (of grain, land, wine, etc.) 
of varying value, < L. sextarius, a measure : see 
sextaryi, sextaritis.] A unit of capacity, ap- 
parently a small variety of the French setter. 
Weede hem wel, let noo weede in hem stande ; 
V gexter shall suffice an acre lande. 
Palladia*, Husbondrie (E. E. T. S.), p. 106. 
In the time of Edward the Confessor the sheriffwick of 
Warwick, with the borough and royal manors, rendered 
65. and "thirty-six sextan of honey, or 24 68. instead 
of honey (pro omnibus quse ad mel pertinebant). . . . Now 
... it renders twenty-four sextars of honey of the larger 
measure." Encyc. Brit., XXIV. 380. 
sextern (seks'tern), n. [< L. sex, six, + -tern, 
as in quartern.] A set of six sheets: a unit of 
tale for paper. Encyc. Brit., XVIII. 144. 
sexteryt, n. Same as sextry. 
sextet, sextette (seks-tef), . [< L. sextus, 
sixth (see sext), + -et, -ette. Cf. sestet.] In mu- 
sic : (a) A work for six voices or instruments. 
Compare quartet and quintet. Also sestet, sex- 
tuor. (b) A company of six performers who 
sing or play sextets. 
sextette (seks-tet'to), . Same as sextet. 
Sextian (seks'ti-an), n. [< Sextus (see def.) + 
-ian.] A member of a philosophical school at 
Rome in the period of the empire, followers of 
Sextus Empiricus. The Sextians held views 
intermediate between those of the Cynics, 
Stoics, and Pythagoreans. 
sextic (seks'tik), a. and . [< L. sextus, sixth, 
+ -if.] I. n. Of the sixth degree ; of the sixth 
order Sextic curve. See curve. 
II. n. A quaiitic, or equation, of the sixth 
degree ; also, a curve of the sixth order An- 
harmonic-ratio sextic, the equation of the sixth degree 
which gives the six anharmonic ratios of the roots of an 
equation of the fourth degree. 
sextile (seks'til), a. [= F. Sp. Pg. sextil = It. 
iH-xtilc, < L. sextilis, sixth, used only in the cal- 
endar, sc. mcmis, the sixth month (later called 
Augustus, August), < sextus, sixth, < sex, six: see 
six. Cf. bissextile.] In astral., noting the as- 
pect or position of two planets when distant 
from each other sixty degrees or two signs. 
This position is marked thus. if. The sextile, like the 
trine, was considered one of the good aspects ; the square 
or quartile an evil one. Used also as a noun. 
That planet [the moon) receives the dusky light we dis- 
cern in its Kfxtile aspect from the earth's benignity. 
Glam-Ule, Vanity of Dogmatizing, xviii. 
And yet the aspect is not in trine or sextile, 
But in the quartile radiation 
Or tetragon, which shows an inclination 
Averse, and yet admitting of reception. 
Randolph, Jealous Lovers, v. 2. 
348 
5537 
sextillion (seks-til'yon), M. [More prop. 
lion, < L. sex, six (sex'tits, sixth), + E. (iii)illiiiii.] 
According to English and original Italian nu- 
meration, a million raised to the sixth power; a 
number represented by unity with thirty-six ci- 
phers annexed; according to French numera- 
tion, commonly taught in America, a thousand 
raised to the seventh power; a thousand quin- 
tillions. [For a note on the nomenclature, see 
trillion.] 
sextinet, n. [A false Latin-seeming form, with 
sense of E. sixteenth.] Sixteenth. 
From that moment to this sextine centurie (or, let me not 
I>e taken with a lye, rive hundred ninety-eight, that wants 
but a paire of yeares to make me a true man) they [the 
sands] would no more live under the yoke of the sea. 
Xathe, Lenten Stuffe (Harl. Misc., VI. 150). 
[Nashe seems to have considered that 1598 belonged to 
the fifteenth century an erroneous nomenclature which 
has only of recent years passed into complete desuetude.] 
sextinvariant (seks-tin-va'ri-ant), n. [< scx- 
t(ic) + inrarinnt.] An invariant of the sixth 
degree in the coefficients. 
sextipartite (seks'ti-par-tlt), a. [< L. sextus, 
sixth, + partitas, pp. of partire, divide.] Made 
into six parts; consisting of six parts ; sexpar- 
tite. 
This Device was resolved on : Oaths for Secrecy were 
taken ; and Indentures, sextipartite for performing Condi- 
tions agreed upon between them, sealed and delivered. 
Baker, Chronicles, p. 159. 
sextiply (seks'ti-pli), r. t. ; pret. and pp. sexti- 
plied, ppr. sextiplyiug. [Irreg. (after multiply, 
etc.) < L. sextus, sixth, + plicare, fold.] To 
multiply sixfold. 
A treble paire doth our late wracke repaire, 
And xextiplies our mirth for one mishappe. 
Dames, Microcosmos, p. 6. (Daviei.) 
sexto (seks'to), . [< L. (NL.) sexto (orig. in 
sexto), abl. of sextus, sixth: see sixth. Cf. quar- 
to, octavo.] A book formed by folding each 
sheet into six leaves. 
sextodecimo (seks"t6-des'i-m6). n. [L. (NL.) 
sexto decimo (orig. in sexto decimo), abl. of sex- 
tus deeimus, sixteenth: sextus, sixth; decimus, 
tenth.] A sheet of paper when regularly fold- 
ed in 16 leaves of equal size ; also, a pamphlet 
or book made up of folded sheets of 16 leaves : 
usually indicated thus, Vomo or 16 (commonly 
read sixteenmo). Also used adjectively. When 
the size of paper is not named, the 16mo leaf untrimmed 
is supposed to be of the size 4J by 6j inches. Also decimo- 
sexto. 
sextole (seks'tol), n. [< L. sextus, sixth, + -olf.] 
Same as scxtuplet, 2. 
sextolet(seks'to-let),M. [< sextole + -et.] Same 
as sextuplet, 2. 
sexton (seks'ton), . [Also dial, saxton (which 
appears also in the surname Saxton beside Sex- 
ton) ; early mod. E. also sextcn, sextin ; < ME. 
sextein, sexteyne, sexesten, sexestein, contr. of sac- 
ristan, secristan, a sexton, sacristan: see sacris- 
tan. Cf. sextry, similarly contracted.] 1. An 
under-officer of a church, whose duty it is to act 
as janitor, and who has charge of the edifice, 
utensils, furniture, etc. In many instances the sex- 
ton also prepares graves and attends burials. Usually, in 
the Church of England, the sexton is a life-officer, but in 
the United States he is hired in the same manner as the 
janitor of any public building. See sacristan. 
The sexegten went [weened] welle than 
That he had be a wode man. 
MS. Cantab. Ff. ii. 38, f. 240. (HaUimll.) 
The sexton of our church is dead, 
And we do lack an honest painful man 
Can make a grave, and keep our clock in frame. 
Dekker and Webster (?), Weakest Ooeth to the Wall, Hi. 1. 
They went and told the sexton, 
And the sextan toll'd the bell. 
Hood, Faithless Sally Brown. 
2. In eiitoiii., a soxton-beetle; a bury ing-bee tie; 
any member of the genus Necrophorus. See 
also cut under Necrophorus. 
Sextons, or Sexton-beetles (Necrophorus , burying .1 dead bird. 
sexual 
sexton-beetle (seks'ton-be'tl), . A coleop- 
terous insect of the genus .\ci-r<i/>li<>i'iix : same 
as linri/iiiij-bii Hi'. 
sextoness (seks'ton-es), . [< scj-ton + -<*..-.] 
A female sexton. [Rare.] 
still the darkness increased, till it reach'd such a pass 
That the sextoness hasten'd to turn on the gas. 
Barham, Ingoldsby Legends, II. 43. 
As the ftextrtnexs had personally seen it [the coffin of ,Tef- 
ferys] before 1803, the discovery of 1810 can only be called 
the rediscovery in a manner that made it more public. 
2V. and Q., 7th ser., II. 182. 
sextonryt (seks'ton-ri), n. [Early mod. E. also 
sextenry ; a contraction of sacristanry, as sexton 
of sacristan; < sexton + -n/.] Sextonship. 
The same maister retayned to hymselfe but a small 
lyueng, and that was the sextenry of our lady churche in 
Renes, worthe by yere, if he be resydent, a ('. frankes. 
Berners, tr. of Froissart's Chron., II. cxcvii. 
Sextonship (seks'ton-ship), n. [< sexton + 
-ship.] The office of a sexton. 
sextryt (seks'tri), >i. [Early mod. E. also sex- 
tery, sextary, saxtry ; < ME. scxtrye, a corruption 
ot sacristy: see sacristy.] A sacristy; vestry. 
A Sextry, sacrarium. Levins, Manip. Vocab., p. 105. 
Sextry land, land given to a church or religious house 
for the maintenance of a sexton or sacristan. 
sextubercular (seks-tu-ber'ku-liir), . [< L. 
sex, six, + tuberculum, a boil, tubercle: see tu- 
bercular.] Having six tubercles: as, a sextu- 
bercular molar. Nature, XLI. 467. 
sextumvirate (seks-tum'vi-rat), n. [Errone- 
ously (after dunlin-irate) for sexvirate.] The 
union of six men in the same office; the office 
or dignity held by six men jointly; also, six 
persons holding an office jointly. 
A sextumvirate to which all the ages of the world can- 
not add a seventh. Su>\ft, Gulliver's Travels, iii. 7. 
sextuor (seks'tu-6r), n. [< L. sextus, sixth, + 
(quatt)uor, four.] In music, same as sextet (a). 
sextuple (seks'tu-pl), a. [< OF. (and F.) 
sextuple = Sp. sextuple = Pg. sextupJo = It. ses- 
tuplo, < ML. as if "sextuplus, < L. sextus, sixth, 
+ -plus, as in duphis, double, etc. ; cf. duple, 
quadruple, septuple, etc.] Sixfold ; six times 
as much. 
Which well agreeth unto the proportion of man ; whose 
length that is, a perpendicular from the vertex unto the 
sole of the foot is sextuple unto his breadth. 
Sir T. Browne, Vulg. Err., iv. 5. 
Sextuple rhythm or time, in music, a rhythm charac- 
terized by six beats or pulses to the measure. It has two 
distinct forms, the one derived from duple rhythm by sub- 
dividing each part into three secondary parts, making a 
triply compound duple rhythm ; and the other derived 
from triple rhythm by subdividing each part into two 
secondary parts, making aduply compound triple rhythm. 
The term is usually applied to the former, especially when 
indicated by the rhythmic signature S or ;. 
sextuple (seks'tu-pl), D. t. ; pret. and pp. sex- 
tupled, ppr. scxiupling. [< sextuple, a.] To 
multiply by six. 
We have sextupled our students. 
Maine, Village Communities, p. 248. 
sextuplet (seks'tu-plet), n. [< sextuple + -et.] 
1. A union or combination of six things: as, 
a sextuplet of elliptic springs. 2. In music, a 
group of six notes to be performed in the time 
of four; a double triplet. Also sestole, sextole, 
sextolet, etc. Compare triplet, decimole, etc. 
sextuplex fseks'tu-pleks), v. t. [< 'sextuplex, 
a., < L. sextus, sixth, + -plex as in quadruplex, 
etc.] In telen., to render capable of conveying 
six messages at the same time. 
If the line is already duplexed, the phonophore will 
quadruplex it. If it is already quadruplexed, the phono- 
phore will Kextvplex or octuplex it. 
Elect. Rev. (Amer.), XIV. 6. 
sextus (scks'tus), n. [ML., sixth: see sext, 
sixth.] In medieval music for more than four 
voice-parts, the second additional voice or part. 
sexual (sek'su-al), a. [= F. sexuel = Sp. Pg. 
sexual It. sessualc. < L. sexualis, < sexus 
(sexu-), sex: see sex'i.] 1. Of or pertaining to 
sex or the sexes in general : as, sexual char- 
acteristics. 2. Distinctive of sex, whether 
male or female ; peculiar to or characteristic 
of either sex ; genital : as, sexual organs ; the 
sexual system. 3. Of the two sexes ; done by 
means of the two sexes; reproductive: as, sex- 
ual intercourse ; sexual reproduction. 4. Pe- 
culiar to or affecting the sexes or organs of sex ; 
venereal: as, sexual disease or malformation. 
5. Having sex; sexed; separated into two 
sexes ; monoecious : the opposite of asexual: as, 
a sexual animal Secondary sexual characters 
some or any characteristics, not immediately concerned 
in reproduction, which one sex has and the other sex has 
not ; any structural peculiarity, excepting the organs of 
generation, which distinguishes male from female. Thus, 
the hair on a man's face and breast, the antlers of the 
