browse words by letter
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
s
t
u
v
w
x
y
z
more about byssi
byssi |
1 definition found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Byssus \Bys"sus\, n.; pl E. {Byssuses}; L. {Byssi}.[L. byssus fine flax, fine linen or cotton, Gr by`ssos .] 1. A cloth of exceedingly fine texture, used by the ancients. It is disputed whether it was of cotton, linen, or silk. [Written also {byss} and {byssin}.] 2. (Zo["o]l.) A tuft of long, tough filaments which are formed in a groove of the foot, and issue from between the valves of certain bivalve mollusks, as the {Pinna} and {Mytilus}, by which they attach themselves to rocks, etc 3. (Bot.) An obsolete name for certain fungi composed of slender threads. 4. Asbestus.
more about byssi
This work is licensed under a
