spine 
adjectives. Palatine spine. See (posterior) iiasal ipine, 
under nasal. Posterior superior spine of the ilium. 
See spines of the ilium. Pubic spine. See below, and 
jttih/i- Railway spine, concussion of the spine (espe- 
cially in its more vague sense) resulting from railway ac- 
cident. Scapular spine. Same as fi/ine of the scapula. 
Sciatic spine the spine of the iscliium. Serm'tal 
spine. See semitat. Spine Of the ischium, a pointed 
triangular eminence situated a little below the middle of 
the posterior border of the ischium, and separating the 
lesser from the greater sacroseiatic notch. In man the 
pudlc vessels and nerve wind around tins spine. Spine 
Of the pubis, the pubic spine, a prominent tubercle 
which projects from the upper border of the pubis about 
an inch from the symphysis. Spine of the scapula, the 
scapular spine, in man a prominent plate of bone sepa- 
rating the supraspinous and iufraspinous fossie, and ter- 
minating in the acromion.- Spine of the sphenoid, a 
projection from the lower part of the greater wing of the 
sphenoid, extending backward into the angle between the 
petrous and squamous divisions of the temporal bone. 
Also called spinous process of the sphenoid. Spines of 
the ilium, the iliac spines. In man these are four in num- 
ber : the anterior extremity of the iliac crest terminates 
in the anterior superior spine, below which and separated 
from it by a concavity is the anterior inferior spine; 
In a similar manner the posterior extremity of the iliac 
crest terminates in the posterior superior spine, while be- 
low it is the posterior inferior spine, the two being sepa- 
rated by a notch. Spines of the tibia, a pair of pro- 
cesses between the two articular surfaces of the head of 
the tibia, in the interior of the knee-joint, to which are 
attached the ends of the semilunar cartilages and the cru- 
cial ligaments of the joint Trochlear spine, a small 
spine-like projection upon the orbital part of the frontal 
bone for attachment of the pulley of the superior oblique 
muscle of the eye. 
spine-armed (spm'armd), a. Armed with spines 
or spiny processes, as a murex ; spinigerous. 
spineback (spin'bak), n. A fish of the family 
Notacanthidx. 
spine-bearer (spin'bar"er), n. A spine-bearing 
caterpillar. 
spine-bearing (spin'bar"ing),rt. Having spines; 
spine J or spiny; spinigerous. 
spinebelly (spln'bel"i), n. A kind of balloon- 
tish, Tetraodon lineatus, more fully called striped 
spinebelly. See cut under balloon-fish. 
spinebill (spm'bil), n. An Australian meli- 
phagine bird, Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris, for- 
merly called slender-billed creeper, or another 
of this genus, A . supcrciliosits. In both these honey- 
eaters the bill is slender, curved, and extremely acute. 
They are closely related to the members of the genus 
Myzamela, but present a totally different pattern of color- 
ation. The first-named is widely distributed on the con- 
tinent and in Tasmania; the second inhabits western and 
southwestern Australia. 
Spined (spind), a. [< spine + -erf 2 .] 1. Hav- 
ing a spine or spinal column ; backboned ; ver- 
tebrate. 2. Having spines; spinous or spiny : 
as, a spined caterpillar; the spined cicadas. 
Spined soldier-bug. See soldier-buy. 
spinefoot (spin'fut), . A lizard of the genus 
Acanthudactylits, as A. vulgaris of northern 
Africa. 
spinel (spin'el or spi-nel'), n. [Also spinelle, 
espinel; early mod. E. spinelle; < OF. spinelle, 
espinelle, F. spinelle = It. spinella, spinel; prob. 
orig. applied to a mineral with spine-shaped 
crystals; dim. of L. spina, a thorn, spine: see 
spine.'] 1. A mineral of various shades of red, 
also blue, green, yellow, brown, and black, 
commonly occurring in isometric octahedrons. 
It has the hardness of topaz. Chemically, it consists of 
the o.vids of magnesium and aluminium, with iron pro- 
toxid in some varieties, also chromium in the variety 
picotite. Clear and finely colored red varieties are 
highly prized as ornamental stones in jewelry. The red 
varieties are known as spinel ruby or balas ruby, while 
those of a dark-green, brown, or black color, containing 
iron protoxid in considerable amount, are called ceylon- 
ite or pleonaste. The valuable varieties, including the 
spinel ruby (see ruby), occur as rolled pebbles in river- 
channels in Ceylon, Burma, and Siam ; they are often as- 
sociated with the true ruby (corundum). The spinel 
group of minerals includes several species which may be 
considered as made up of equal parts of a protoxid and 
a sesquioxid (R,0+R2O 3 ). Here belong gahnite, magnet- 
ite, franklinite, etc. An octahedral habit characterizes 
them all. 
There [in the Island of Zeilam] is also founde an other 
kynde of Rubies, which wee caule Spinelle and the Indians 
Caropus. R. Eden, tr. of Antonio Pigafetta (First Books 
[on America, ed. Arber, p. 264). 
2. A bleached yarn from which the linen tape 
called inkle is made. E. H. Knight Zinc- 
spinel. Same as gahnite. 
spineless (splu'les), a. [< spine + -less.'] 1. 
Having no spine or spinal column; inverte- 
brate. Hence 2. Having no backbone, vigor, 
or courage; limp; weak; nerveless. 3. Hav- 
ing the backbone flexible or supple. 
A whole family of Sprites, consisting of a remarkably 
stout father and three spineless sons. 
Dickens, Uncommercial Traveller, Iv. (Dames.) 
4. In icJith., having no fin-spines; soft-finned; 
anacanthine; malacopterous : as, the spineless 
fishes, or Anacanthini Spineless perch a pirate- 
perch. 
5830 
spinellane (spi-m-1'an), . [< .</>/<//( + -<nie.] 
A blue variety of nosean occurring in small 
crystalline masses and in minute crystals, found 
near Andernach on the Ehine. 
spinelle (spi-nel'). See xpiiirl. 
spine-rayed (spin'rad), a. In iclitli., ocanthop- 
Eerygian. 
spinescent (spi-nes'ent), a. [< L. spinesccn(t-)><, 
ppr. of apincscn-e, grow thorny, < spina, a thorn, 
prickle, spine : see spine.] 1. In hot., tending 
to be hard and thorn-like ; terminating in a spine 
or sharp point; armed with spines or thorns; 
spinose. 2. In zoiil., somewhat spinous or 
spiny, as the fur of an animal; very coarse, 
harsh, or stiff, as hair; spinulous. 
spinet 1 ! (spin'et), n. [< L. spinetum, a thicket 
of thorns, < s)iina, a thorn, spine : see spine. Cf . 
OF. spinat, F. dial, fyinat, a thicket of thorns; 
and see spinney.'] A small wood or place where 
briers and thorns grow; a spinney. 
A satyr, lodged in a little spinet, by which her majesty 
and the Prince were to come, . . . advanced his head 
above the top of the wood. B. Jonson, The Satyr. 
spinet 2 (spiu'et or spi-net'), it. [Formerly also 
spitmet, espinette; = D. spiuet = G. Sw. spinett 
= Dan. spinet, < OF. espinette, F. epinette = Sp. 
Pg. es}>ineto, < It. spinetta, a spinet, or pair of 
virginals (said to be so called because struck 
with a pointed quill), < spinetta, a point, spigot, 
etc., dim. of spina, a thorn, < L. sjrina, a thorn: 
see spine.] A musical instrument essentially 
similar to the harpsichord, but of smaller size 
and much lighter tone. Also called virginal and 
couched harp. Dumb spinet. Same as maniehord. 
spinetail (spm'tal), n. In ornith.: (a) A pas- 
serine bird of the family Dendrocolaptidee, hav- 
ing stiff and more or less acuminate tail-fea- 
thers, much like a woodpecker's ; a spine-tailed 
or sclerurine bird. See cuts under saberbill and 
Sclerurus. (b) A cypseline bird of the subfam- 
ily Cheeturinee; aspme-tailedorchsBturineswift, 
having mucronate shafts of the tail-feathers. 
See Acanthytlis, and cut under mucronate. (e) 
The ruddy duck, Erismatura rubida. [Penn- 
sylvania and New Jersey.] 
spine-tailed (spin'tald), a. 1. In ornith.: (a) 
Having stiff and generally acuminate tail-fea- 
thers; dendrocolaptine ; sclerurine. (6) Hav- 
ing mucronate shafts of the tail-feathers; ch- 
turine. 2. In lierpet., having the tail ending in 
a spine, as a serpent. Seefer-de-lance, and cuts 
under Craspidocephalus and Cyclura. 3. In en- 
torn., having the abdomen ending in a spine or 
spines. The Scoliidx are known as spine-tailed wasps, 
and the Sapygidse have been called parasitic spine-tailed 
wasps. See cut under Elix. 
spine-tipped (spin'tipt). a. In bot., tipped with 
or bearing at the extremity a spine, as the leaves 
of agave. 
spiii-houset (spin'hous), . A place in which 
spinning is carried on. Also spinning-house . 
See the quotation. 
As we returned we stepp'd in to see the Spin-house, a 
kind of Bridewell, where incorrigible and lewd women 
are kept in discipline and labour. 
Evelyn, Diary, Aug. 19, 1641. 
spinicerebrate (spl-ni-ser'f-brat), a. [< L. 
spina, the spine, + cerebrum, the brain, 4- -ate 1 .] 
Having a brain and spinal cord ; cerebrospinal ; 
myelencephalous. 
spi'nideltoid (spi-ni-del'toid), a. and n. [< L. 
spina, the spine, + E. deltoid.'] I. a. Repre- 
senting that part of the human deltoid muscle 
which arises from the spine of the scapula, as 
a muscle ; pertaining to the spinideltoideus. 
II. n. The spinideltoideus. 
spinideltoideus (spi"ni-del-toi'de-us), .: pi. 
spinideltoidei (-i). [NL. : see spinideltoid.] A 
muscle of the shoulder and arm of some ani- 
mals, corresponding to the spinal or mesoscapu- 
lar part of the human deltoideus: it extends 
from the mesoscapula and metacromion to the 
deltoid ridge of the humerus. 
spiniferite (spi-nif 'e-rit), n. [< L. spinifer, bear- 
ing spines (see spitiiferous), + -ite*.] A certain 
minute organism beset with spines, occurring in 
the Chalk flints. Their real nature is unascertained, but 
they have been supposed to be the gemmules of sponges 
spiniferous (spi-nif'e-rus), a. [< L. spinifer, 
bearing spines, < spina, a thorn, spine, + ferre 
= E. Mat*.] Bearing or provided with spines ; 
spinous or spiny; spinigerous. 
spiniform (spi'ni-fdrm), a. [< L. spina, a thorn, 
spine, + forma, form.] Having the form of a 
spine or thorn ; spine-like. Huxley. 
spinigerous (spi-nij'e-rus), a. [<LL. spiniger, 
bearing thorns or spines, < L. spina, a thorn, 
siti 
I. 
spinner 
spine, + gercre, bear, carry.] Bearing spines. 
as a hedgehog: spinose; aculeate; spiuiferous. 
Spinigerous elytra, in entom.. elytra each oneof hicli 
has an upright sutura! process, the two uniting, when the 
elytra are closed, to foim a large spiniform process on the 
back, as in certain phytophagous beetles. 
Spinigrada (spi-nig'ra-dii), n. pi. [NL., neut. 
pi. of sjiiiiii/railtts: see spinigrade,] An order 
of echinoderms, composed of the ophiurans and 
euryaleans, or the brittle-stars and gorgon's- 
licails. Fnrlii.i. [Rare.] 
spinigrade (spi'ni-grad), . [< NL. spiiiii.irti'lii*. 
< L. spina, a thorn, spine, + r/radi, walk, go : 
see grade 1 .] Moving by means of spines or 
spinous processes, as an echinoderm; of or 
pertaining to the Spinignnlii. 
spininess (spi'ni-nes), n. Spiny character or 
state, (a) Thorniness. (6t) SU-nderness; dimness: 
lankness. 
The old men resemble grasshoppers for their cold and 
bloodless spininttn. Chapman, Iliad, iii.,Commentarius. 
spinirector (spi-ni-rek'tor), a. and n. [< L. 
, the spine, + rector for NL. erector, q. v.] 
. a. Erecting, extending, or straightening the 
spine, or spinal column : noting the set or series 
of muscles of the back of which the erector 
spines is the basis. 
II. n. The erector spinse. (See erector.) It 
corresponds to the so-called fourth layer of the 
muscles of the back in human anatomy. Cones 
and Slnite, 1887. 
spinispicule (spi-ni-spik'ul), n. [< L. spina, a 
spine, + E. spicwle.] A spiny sponge-spicule ; 
a spiraster. 
spinispirula (spi-ni-spir'(?-lil), n. ; pi. spinispi- 
rulx (-le). [NL., < L. spina, a spine, + spirtt- 
la, a small twisted cake, dim. of spira, a coil, 
spire: see spire 2 .] A spiny sigmaspire; a sig- 
moid microsclere orflesh-spicule provided with 
spines. Also called spiraster. Sollas. 
spinispirular (spi-ni-spir'ij-lar), a. [< spini- 
spirula + -ar s .] Spiny and slightly spiral, as 
a sponge-spicule; having the character of a 
spinispirula. Sollas. 
spinispirulate (spi-ni-spir'ij-lat), a. [< spini- 
spirula + -ate 1 .] Same as spinispirular. 
spinitis (spi-ni'tis), n. [NL., < L. spina, the 
spine, + -itis.] Inflammation of the spinal cord 
and its membranes, in the horse and other do- 
mestic quadrupeds. 
Spinitrapezius (spi"ni-tra-pe'zi-us), n. ; pi. spi- 
nitrapezii (-1). [NL., < L. spina, the spine, + 
NL. trapezius.] The spinal as distinguished 
from the cranial part of the trapezius muscle, 
forming in some animals a nearly distinct mus- 
cle. 
spink 1 (spingk), H. [< ME. spink, spyiik, spynke 
= Sw. dial, spink, also spikke, spekke, a sparrow 
(gull-spink, a goldfinch), = Norw. spikke (for 
*spinke), a sparrow or other small bird; cf. Gr. 
OTriyj-of, also airl^a, a finch (< oirifrtv, chirp) ; an 
imitative name, like the equiv. pink&, fineh^.] 
The chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs. [Prov. Eng.] 
The ipink chants sweetest in a hedge of thorns. 
W. Barte. 
spink- (spingk), n. [Origin obscure; prob. in 
part a var. of pink%.] The primrose, Primula 
veris; also, the lady's-smock, Cardamine pra- 
tensis (also bo(/-spinks), and some other plants. 
[Scotland.] 
spinnaker (spin'a-ker), n. [Said to be < spin, 
in sense of 'go rapidly.'] A jib-headed racing- 
sail carried by yachts, set, when running before 
the wind, on the side opposite to the mainsail. 
spinnel (spin'el), n. A dialectal variant of spin- 
dle. 
spinner 1 (spin'er), . [< ME. spinnere, spijnner, 
spinnare (= D. G. spinner = Sw. spinnare = Dan. 
spinder); <sm'ii + -eri. Cf. spider.] 1. One who 
or that which spins, in any sense ; one skilled in 
spinning, (a) A workman who gives shape to vessels of 
thin metal by means of a turning-lathe. See spin, c. (., 8. 
(6) In woolen-manvf., any thread-spinning machine; a 
drawing and twisting machine for making woolen threads. 
(c) A trawling fish hook fitted with wings to make it revolve 
in the water ; a propeller spoon-bait, (a) In hat-manuf., 
a machine for finishing the exterior of a hat. It consists 
of a flat oval table with a face corresponding to the curve 
of the hat-brim. 
2. A spider; especially, a spinning-spider. 
As if thou hadst borrowed legs of a spinner and a voice 
of a cricket. B. Jonson, Bartholomew Fair, i. 1. 
3. See the quotation. [Eng.] 
I do not know whether the daddy longlegs is ever called 
"gin spinner"; but Jenny Spinner is certainly the name 
of a very different insect, viz. the metamorphosis of the 
iron-blue dun, which, according to Ronald's nomenclature, 
Cloe. 
is an ephemera of the genus C 
A", and Q., 7th ser., VI. 153. 
