from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Nutmeg \Nut"meg\, n. [OE. notemuge; note nut + OF. muge musk, of
the same origin as E. musk; cf. OF. noix muguette nutmeg, F.
noix muscade. See {Nut}, and {Musk}.] (Bot.)
The kernel of the fruit of the nutmeg tree ({Myristica
fragrans}), a native of the Molucca Islands, but cultivated
elsewhere in the tropics.
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Note: This fruit is a nearly spherical drupe, of the size of
a pear, of a yellowish color without and almost white
within. This opens into two nearly equal longitudinal
valves, inclosing the nut surrounded by its aril, which
is mace. The nutmeg is an aromatic, very grateful to
the taste and smell, and much used in cookery. Other
species of {Myristica} yield nutmegs of inferior
quality.
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{American nutmeg}, {Calabash nutmeg}, or {Jamaica nutmeg},
the fruit of a tropical shrub ({Monodora Myristica}). It
is about the size of an orange, and contains many aromatic
seeds imbedded in pulp.
{Brazilian nutmeg}, the fruit of a lauraceous tree,
{Cryptocarya moschata}.
{California nutmeg}, a tree of the Yew family ({Torreya
Californica}), growing in the Western United States, and
having a seed which resembles a nutmeg in appearance, but
is strongly impregnated with turpentine.
{Clove nutmeg}, the {Ravensara aromatica}, a lauraceous tree
of Madagascar. The foliage is used as a spice, but the
seed is acrid and caustic.
{Jamaica nutmeg}. See American nutmeg (above).
{Nutmeg bird} (Zool.), an Indian finch ({Munia punctularia}).
{Nutmeg butter}, a solid oil extracted from the nutmeg by
expression.
{Nutmeg flower} (Bot.), a ranunculaceous herb ({Nigella
sativa}) with small black aromatic seeds, which are used
medicinally and for excluding moths from furs and
clothing.
{Nutmeg liver} (Med.), a name applied to the liver, when, as
the result of heart or lung disease, it undergoes
congestion and pigmentation about the central veins of its
lobules, giving it an appearance resembling that of a
nutmeg.
{Nutmeg melon} (Bot.), a small variety of muskmelon of a rich
flavor.
{Nutmeg pigeon} (Zool.), any one of several species of
pigeons of the genus {Myristicivora}, native of the East
Indies and Australia. The color is usually white, or
cream-white, with black on the wings and tail.
{Nutmeg wood} (Bot.), the wood of the Palmyra palm.
{Peruvian nutmeg}, the aromatic seed of a South American tree
({Laurelia sempervirens}).
{Plume nutmeg} (Bot.), a spicy tree of Australia
({Atherosperma moschata}).
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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Plume \Plume\, n. [F., fr. L. pluma. Cf. {Fly}, v.]
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1. A feather; esp., a soft, downy feather, or a long,
conspicuous, or handsome feather.
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Wings . . . of many a colored plume. --Milton.
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2. (Zool.) An ornamental tuft of feathers.
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3. A feather, or group of feathers, worn as an ornament; a
waving ornament of hair, or other material resembling
feathers.
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His high plume, that nodded o'er his head. --Dryden.
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4. A token of honor or prowess; that on which one prides
himself; a prize or reward. "Ambitious to win from me some
plume." --Milton.
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5. (Bot.) A large and flexible panicle of inflorescence
resembling a feather, such as is seen in certain large
ornamental grasses.
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{Plume bird} (Zool.), any bird that yields ornamental plumes,
especially the species of Epimarchus from New Guinea, and
some of the herons and egrets, as the white heron of
Florida ({Ardea candidissima}).
{Plume grass}. (Bot)
(a) A kind of grass ({Erianthus saccharoides}) with the
spikelets arranged in great silky plumes, growing in
swamps in the Southern United States.
(b) The still finer {Erianthus Ravenn[ae]} from the
Mediterranean region. The name is sometimes extended
to the whole genus.
{Plume moth} (Zool.), any one of numerous small, slender
moths, belonging to the family {Pterophorid[ae]}. Most of
them have the wings deeply divided into two or more
plumelike lobes. Some species are injurious to the
grapevine.
{Plume nutmeg} (Bot.), an aromatic Australian tree
({Atherosperma moschata}), whose numerous carpels are
tipped with long plumose persistent styles.
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