Osculant

[ɒskjulәnt]

Definition

(a.) Kissing; hence, meeting; clinging.

(a.) Adhering closely; embracing; -- applied to certain creeping animals, as caterpillars.

(a.) Intermediate in character, or on the border, between two genera, groups, families, etc., of animals or plants, and partaking somewhat of the characters of each, thus forming a connecting link; interosculant; as, the genera by which two families approximate are called osculant genera.

Inputed by Anna

Definition

adj. kissing: adhering closely: (biol.) situated between two other genera and partaking partly of the character of each.—v.t. Os′culāte to kiss: to touch as two curves: to form a connecting-link between two genera.—adj. of or pertaining to kissing.—n. Osculā′tion.—adj. Os′culātory of or pertaining to kissing: (geom.) having the same curvature at the point of contact.—n. a tablet with a picture of the Virgin or of Christ which was kissed by the priest and then by the people.—ns. Os′cule a little mouth: a small bilabiate aperture; Os′cūlum a mouth in sponges: one of the suckers on the head of a tapeworm.

Edited by Hardy