Galactose
(Ga*lac"tose) n. (Chem.) A white, crystalline sugar, C6H12O6, isomeric with dextrose, obtained
by the decomposition of milk sugar, and also from certain gums. When oxidized it forms mucic acid.
Called also lactose
Galage
(Ga*lage") n. (Obs.) See Galoche. Spenser.
Galago
(Ga*la"go) n.; pl. Galagos [Native name.] (Zoöl.) A genus of African lemurs, including numerous
species.
The grand galago (Galago crassicaudata) is about the size of a cat; the mouse galago (G. murinus)is
about the size of a mouse.
Galanga
(Ga*lan"ga Ga*lan"gal) , n.[OE. galingale, OF. galingal, garingal, F. galanga prob. fr. Ar.
khalanjn. ] The pungent aromatic rhizome or tuber of certain East Indian or Chinese species of Alpinia
(A. Galanga and A. officinarum) and of the Kæmpferia Galanga), — all of the Ginger family.
Galantine
(Gal"an*tine) n. [F. galantine.] A dish of veal, chickens, or other white meat, freed from
bones, tied up, boiled, and served cold. Smart.
Galapee tree
(Gal"a*pee` tree") (Bot.) The West Indian Sciadophyllum Brownei, a tree with very large
digitate leaves.
Galatian
(Ga*la"tian) a. Of or pertaining to Galatia or its inhabitants. — A native or inhabitant of Galatia,
in Asia Minor; a descendant of the Gauls who settled in Asia Minor.
Galaxy
(Gal"ax*y) n.; pl. Galaxies [F. galaxie, L. galaxias, fr. Gr. fr. milk; akin to L. lac. Cf. Lacteal.]
1. (Astron.) The Milky Way; that luminous tract, or belt, which is seen at night stretching across the
heavens, and which is composed of innumerable stars, so distant and blended as to be distinguishable
only with the telescope. The term has recently been used for remote clusters of stars. Nichol.
2. A splendid assemblage of persons or things.
Galban
(Gal"ban, Gal"ba*num) n. [L. galbanum, Gr. prob. from Heb. klekb'nh: cf. F. galbanum.] A
gum resin exuding from the stems of certain Asiatic umbelliferous plants, mostly species of Ferula. The
Bubon Galbanum of South Africa furnishes an inferior kind of galbanum. It has an acrid, bitter taste, a
strong, unpleasant smell, and is used for medical purposes, also in the arts, as in the manufacture of
varnish.
Gale
(Gale) n. [Prob. of Scand. origin; cf. Dan. gal furious, Icel. galinn, cf. Icel. gala to sing, AS.
galan to sing, Icel. galdr song, witchcraft, AS. galdor charm, sorcery, E. nightingale; also, Icel. gjola
gust of wind, gola breeze. Cf. Yell.]
1. A strong current of air; a wind between a stiff breeze and a hurricane. The most violent gales are
called tempests.
Gales have a velocity of from about eighteen ("moderate") to about eighty ("very heavy") miles an our.
Sir. W. S. Harris.
2. A moderate current of air; a breeze.
A little gale will soon disperse that cloud.
Shak.
And winds of gentlest gale Arabian odors fanned
From their soft wings.
Milton.
