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more about elater
elater |
4 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Elater \E*lat"er\, n. One who or that which elates. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Elater \El"a*ter\, n. [NL., fr Gr ? driver, fr ? to drive.] 1. (Bot.) An elastic spiral filament for dispersing the spores, as in some liverworts. 2. (Zo["o]l.) Any beetle of the family {Elaterid[ae]}, having the habit, when laid on the back of giving a sudden upward spring, by a quick movement of the articulation between the abdomen and thorax; -- called also {click beetle}, {spring beetle}, and {snapping beetle}. 3. (Zo["o]l.) The caudal spring used by {Podura} and related insects for leaping. See {Collembola}. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Elater \El"a*ter\, n. (Chem.) The active principle of elaterium, being found in the juice of the wild or squirting cucumber ({Ecballium agreste}, formerly {Motordica Elaterium}) and other related species. It is extracted as a bitter, white, crystalline substance, which is a violent purgative. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: elater n : any of various widely distributed beetles [syn: {elaterid beetle}, {elaterid}]
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