Diacritic
(Di`a*crit"ic Di`a*crit"ic*al) a. [Gr. fr. to separate, distinguish; dia` through + to separate. See
Critic.] That separates or distinguishes; — applied to points or marks used to distinguish letters of similar
form, or different sounds of the same letter, as, a, a, ä, o, o, etc. "Diacritical points." Sir W. Jones.
A glance at this typography will reveal great difficulties, which diacritical marks necessarily throw in the
way of both printer and writer.
A. J. Ellis. Diactinic
(Di`ac*tin"ic) a. [Pref. di- + actinic.] (Physics) Capable of transmitting the chemical or actinic
rays of light; as, diactinic media.
Diadelphia
(||Di`a*del"phi*a) n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. di- = di`s- twice + brother.] (Bot.) A Linnæan class of
plants whose stamens are united into two bodies or bundles by their filaments.
Diadelphian
(Di`a*del"phi*an Di`a*del"phous) a. [Cf. F. diadelphe.] (Bot.) Of or pertaining to the class
Diadelphia; having the stamens united into two bodies by their filaments (said of a plant or flower); grouped
into two bundles or sets by coalescence of the filaments (said of stamens).
Diadem
(Di"a*dem) n. [F. diadème, L. diadema, fr. Gr. fr. to bind round; dia` through, across + to bind; cf.
Skr. da to bind.]
1. Originally, an ornamental head band or fillet, worn by Eastern monarchs as a badge of royalty; hence
also, a crown, in general. "The regal diadem." Milton.
2. Regal power; sovereignty; empire; — considered as symbolized by the crown.
3. (Her.) An arch rising from the rim of a crown and uniting with others over its center.
Diadem lemur. (Zoöl.) See Indri. — Diadem spider (Zoöl.), the garden spider.
Diadem
(Di"a*dem), v. t. To adorn with a diadem; to crown.
Not so, when diadem'd with rays divine.
Pope.
To terminate the evil,
To diadem the right.
R. H. Neale.
