Stigma

['stɪgmə] or ['stɪɡmə]

Definition

(noun.) a skin lesion that is a diagnostic sign of some disease.

(noun.) an external tracheal aperture in a terrestrial arthropod.

(noun.) the apical end of the style where deposited pollen enters the pistil.

Checker: Millicent--From WordNet

Definition

(v. t.) A mark made with a burning iron; a brand.

(v. t.) Any mark of infamy or disgrace; sign of moral blemish; stain or reproach caused by dishonorable conduct; reproachful characterization.

(v. t.) That part of a pistil which has no epidermis, and is fitted to receive the pollen. It is usually the terminal portion, and is commonly somewhat glutinous or viscid. See Illust. of Stamen and of Flower.

(v. t.) A small spot, mark, scar, or a minute hole; -- applied especially to a spot on the outer surface of a Graafian follicle, and to spots of intercellular substance in scaly epithelium, or to minute holes in such spots.

(v. t.) A red speck upon the skin, produced either by the extravasation of blood, as in the bloody sweat characteristic of certain varieties of religious ecstasy, or by capillary congestion, as in the case of drunkards.

(v. t.) One of the external openings of the tracheae of insects, myriapods, and other arthropods; a spiracle.

(v. t.) One of the apertures of the pulmonary sacs of arachnids. See Illust. of Scorpion.

(v. t.) One of the apertures of the gill of an ascidian, and of Amphioxus.

(v. t.) A point so connected by any law whatever with another point, called an index, that as the index moves in any manner in a plane the first point or stigma moves in a determinate way in the same plane.

(v. t.) Marks believed to have been supernaturally impressed upon the bodies of certain persons in imitation of the wounds on the crucified body of Christ. See def. 5, above.

Checker: Shari

Synonyms and Synonymous

n. [1]. Mark (made with a hot iron), brand.[2]. Stain, blot, disgrace, reproach, dishonor.

Checked by Angelique

Synonyms and Antonyms

SYN:Brand, mark, infamy, disgrace, blot, stain

ANT:Decoration, feather, laurels, credit, renown

Edited by Amber

Definition

n. a brand: a mark of infamy: (bot.) the top of a pistil: any special mark: a place on the skin which bleeds periodically:—pl. Stig′mas or Stig′mata.—n. Stigmā′ria the root of the fossil plant sigillaria found in the coal-measures.—n.pl. Stig′mata the marks of the wounds on Christ's body or marks resembling them claimed to have been miraculously impressed on the bodies of certain persons as Francis of Assisi in 1224.—adjs. Stigmat′ic -al marked or branded with a stigma: giving infamy or reproach.—adv. Stigmat′ically.—adj. Stigmatif′erous (bot.) stigma-bearing.—n. Stigmatisā′tion the operation or effect of producing bleeding spots upon the body as by hypnotism.—v.t. Stig′matise to brand with a stigma.—n. Stig′matist one impressed with the stigmata.—adj. Stig′matose stigmatic: stigmatised.—n. Stigmatō′sis a form of inflammation of the skin occurring in spots.—adj. Stigmatyp′ic pertaining to the making of impressions by means of scorching-hot plates.—ns. Stig′matypy a species of printing with points that consists of their arrangement in pictures; Stig′mē (Gr. paleog.) a dot used as a punctuation mark esp. at the top of the line equivalent to a period.

Editor: Ramon