Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary
PYROLIGNITE — PYX
PYROLIGNITE, n. [supra.] A salt formed by the combination of pyrolignous acid with another substance.
PYROLITHIC, a. [Gr., fire; stone.] The pyrolithic acid is an acid of recent discovery. It is obtained from the silvery white plates which sublime from uric acid concretions, when distilled in a retort.
PYROLOGIST, n. [See Pyrology.] A believer in the doctrine of latent heat.
PYROLOGY, n. [Gr., fire; discourse.] A treatise on heat; or the natural history of heat, latent and sensible.
PYROMALATE, n. [See Pyromalic.] A compound of malic acid and a salifiable base.
PYROMALIC, a. [Gr., fire; L., an apple.] The pyromalic acid is a substance obtained by the distillation from the malic acid.
PYROMANCY, n. [Gr., fire; divination.] Divination by fire.
PYROMANTIC, a. Pertaining to pyromancy.
PYROMANTIC, n. One who pretends to divine by fire.
PYROMETER, n. [Gr., fire; measure.]
1. An instrument for measuring the expansion of bodies by heat.
2. An instrument for measuring degrees of heat above those indicated by the mercurial thermometer; as the pyrometer of Wedgewood.
PYROMUCITE, n. A combination of pyromucous acid with another substance.
PYROMUCOUS, a. [Gr., fire; L.] The pyromucous acid is obtained by the distillation of sugar or other saccharine substance.
PYROPE, n. [Gr., fire; face.] A mineral regarded as a variety of garnet, occurring in small masses or grains, never in crystals. Its color is a poppy or blood red, frequently with a tinge of orange.
PYROPHANE, n. [Gr., fire; clear.] A mineral which in its natural state is opake, but rendered transparent by heat.
PYROPHANOUS, a. Rendered transparent by heat.
PYROPHOROUS, a. Pertaining to or resembling pyrophorus.
PYROPHORUS, n. [Gr., fire; bearing.] A substance which takes fire on exposure to air, or which maintains or retains light.
PYROPHYSALITE. [See Topaz and Physalite.]
PYRORTHITE, n. A mineral little known, resembling orthite, but very different from it, for it burns in the flame of the blowpipe like charcoal; whereas orthite melts. Pyrorthite is in black plates, thin and almost parallel.
PYROSCOPE, n. [Gr., fire; to view.] An instrument for measuring the pulsatory motion of the air, or the intensity of heat radiating from a fire.
PYROSMALITE, n. A mineral of a liver brown color, or pistachio green, occurring in six sided prisms, of a lamellar structure, found in Sweden.
PYROTARTARIC, PYROTARTAROUS, a. [Gr., fire and tartar.] Denoting an acid obtained by distilling pure tartrite of potash.
PYROTARTRITE, n. A salt formed by the combination of pyrotartarous acid with another substance.
PYROTECHNIC, PYROTECHNICAL, a. [Gr., fire, art.] Pertaining to fire works or the art of forming them.
PYROTECHNICS, PYROTECHNY, n. [supra.] The art of making fire words; or the science which teaches the management and application of fire in its various operations, in gunnery, rockets, etc.
PYROTECHNIST, n. One skilled in pyrotechny.
PYROTIC, a. [Gr., to burn.] Caustic. [See Caustic.]
PYROTIC, n. A caustic machine.
PYROXENE, n. [Gr., fire; a stranger; a guest in fire, unaltered.] Augite. A species of minerals of the class of stones, which has been named volcanic shorl; but it is a family which comprehends many substances of different appearances. It is almost always crystalized, but in complicated forms.
PYROXENIC, a. Pertaining to pyroxene, or partaking of its qualities.
PYRRHIC, n. [L., Gr., a nimble dance.]
1. In poetry, a foot consisting of two short syllables.
2. An ancient military dance.