Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

MYOGRAPHIST — MYTILITE

MYOGRAPHIST, n. One who describes the muscles of animals.

MYOGRAPHY, n. [Gr. a muscle, and to describe.] A description of the muscles of the body.

MYOLOGICAL, a. [See Myology.]

Pertaining to the description and doctrine of the muscles.

MYOLOGY, n. [Gr. muscle, and discourse.]

A description of the muscles, or the doctrine of the muscles of the human body.

MYOPE, n. [Gr. to shut, and the eye.] A short-sighted person.

MYOPY, n. Short-sightedness.

MYRIAD, n. [Gr. extreme, innumerable.]

1. The number of ten thousand.

2. An immense number, indefinitely.

MYRIAMETER, n. [Gr. ten thousand, and measure.]

In the new system of French measures, the length of ten thousand meters, equal to two mean leagues of the ancient measure.

MYRIARCH, n. [Gr. ten thousand, and chief.]

A captain or commander of ten thousand men.

MYRIARE, [Gr. are; L. area.] A French linear measure of ten thousand areas, or 100,000 square meters.

MYRICIN, n. The substance which remains after bees-wax, or the wax of the myrica cordifolia, has been digested in alcohol.

MYRIOLITER, n. [Gr. a pound.] A French measure of capacity containing ten thousand liters, or 610,280 cubic inches.

MYRMIDON, n. [Gr. a multitude of ants.] Primarily, the Myrmidons are said to have been a people on the borders of Thessaly, who accompanied Achilles to the war against Troy. Hence the name came to signify a soldier of a rough character, a desperate soldier or ruffian.

MYROBALAN, n. [L. myrobolanum; Gr. unguent, and a nut.]

A dried fruit of the plum kind brought from the East Indies, of which there are several kinds, all slightly purgative and astringent, but not now used in medicine.

MYROPOLIST, n. [Gr. unguent, and to sell.]

One that sells unguents. [Little used.]

MYRRH, n. mer. [L. myrrha.] A gum-resin that comes in the form of drops or globules of various colors and sizes, of a pretty strong but agreeable smell, and of a bitter taste. It is imported from Egypt, but chiefly from the southern or eastern parts of Arabia; from what species of tree or plant it is procured, is unknown. As a medicine, it is a good stomachic, antispasmodic and cordial.

MYRRHINE, a. [L. myrrhinus.] Made of the myrrhine stone. [See Murrhine.]

MYRTIFORM, a. [L. myrtus, myrtle, and form.]

Resembling myrtle or myrtle berries.

MYRTLE, n. [L. myrtus.] A plant of the genus Myrtus, of several species. The common myrtle rises with a shrubby upright stem, eight or ten feet high. Its branches form a close full head, closely garnished with oval lanceolate leaves. It has numerous small, pale flowers from the axillas, singly on each footstalk.

MYRUS, n. A species of sea-serpent, of the anguilliform kind.

MYSELF, pron. A compound of my and self, used after I, to express emphasis, marking emphatically the distinction between the speaker and another person; as, I myself will do it; I have done it myself.

1. In the objective case, the reciprocal of I. I will defend myself.

2. It is sometimes used without I, particularly in poetry.

Myself shall mount the rostrum in his favor.

MYSTAGOGUE, n. mys’tagog. [Gr. one initiated in mysteries, and a leader.]

1. One who interprets mysteries.

2. One that keeps church relics and shows them to strangers.

MYSTERIAL, a. Containing a mystery or enigma.

MYSTERIARCH, n. [Gr. mystery, and chief.]

One presiding over mysteries.

MYSTERIOUS, a. [See Mystery.] Obscure; hid from the understanding; not clearly understood. The birth and connections of the man with the iron mask in France are mysterious, and have never been explained.

1. In religion, obscure; secret; not revealed or explained; hidden from human understanding, or unintelligible; beyond human comprehension. Applied to the divine counsels and government, the word often implies something awfully obscure; as, the ways of God are often mysterious.

MYSTERIOUSLY, adv. Obscurely; enigmatically.

1. In a manner wonderfully obscure and unintelligible.

MYSTERIOUSNESS, n. Obscurity; the quality of being hid from the understanding, and calculated to excite curiosity or wonder.

1. Artful perplexity.

MYSTERY, n. [L. mysterium; Gr. a secret. This word in Greek is rendered also murium latibulum; but probably both senses are from that of hiding or shutting; Gr. to shut, to conceal.]

1. A profound secret; something wholly unknown or something kept cautiously concealed, and therefore exciting curiosity or wonder; such as the mystery of the man with the iron mask in France.

2. In religion, any thing in the character or attributes of God, or in the economy of divine providence, which is not revealed to man.

3. That which is beyond human comprehension until explained. In this sense, mystery often conveys the idea of something awfully sublime or important; something that excites wonder.

Great is the mystery of godliness. 1 Timothy 3:16.

Having made known to us the mystery of his will. Ephesians 1:9.

We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery. 1 Corinthians 2:7.

4. An enigma; any thing artfully made difficult.

5. A kind of ancient dramatic representation.

6. A trade; a calling; any mechanical occupation which supposes skill or knowledge peculiar to those who carry it on, and therefore a secret to others.

[The word in the latter sense has been supposed to have a different origin from the foregoing, viz.]

MYSTIC, MYSTICAL, a. [L. mysticus.] Obscure; hid; secret.

1. Sacredly obscure or secret; remote from human comprehension.

God hath revealed a way mystical and supernatural.

2. Involving some secret meaning; allegorical; emblematical; as mystic dance; mystic Babylon.

MYSTICALLY, adv. In a manner or by an act implying a secret meaning.

MYSTICALNESS, n. The quality of being mystical, or of involving some secret meaning.

MYSTICISM, n. Obscurity of doctrine.

1. The doctrine of the Mystics, who profess a pure, sublime and perfect devotion, wholly disinterested, and maintain that they hold immediate intercourse with the divine Spirit.

MYSTICS, n. A religious sect who profess to have direct intercourse with the Spirit of God.

MYTHIC, a. [from Gr. a fable.] Fabulous.

MYTHOLOGICAL, a. [See Mythology.]

Relating to mythology; fabulous.

MYTHOLOGICALLY, adv. In a way suited to the system of fables.

MYTHOLOGIST, n. One versed in mythology; one who writes on mythology, or explains the fables of the ancient pagans.

MYTHOLOGIZE, v.i. To relate or explain the fabulous history of the heathen.

MYTHOLOGY, n. [Gr. a fable, and discourse.] A system of fables or fabulous opinions and doctrines respecting the deities which heathen nations have supposed to preside over the world or to influence the affairs of it.

MYTILITE, n. [Gr. a kind of shell.]

In geology, a petrified muscle or shell of the genus Mytilus.