2. (Geom.) To touch closely. See Osculation, 2.
3. (Biol.) To have characters in common with two genera or families, so as to form a connecting link
between them; to interosculate. See Osculant.
Osculation
(Os`cu*la"tion) n. [L. osculatio a kissing: cf. F. osculation.]
1. The act of kissing; a kiss.
2. (Geom.) The contact of one curve with another, when the number of consecutive points of the latter
through which the former passes suffices for the complete determination of the former curve. Brande &
C.
Osculatory
(Os"cu*la*to*ry) a.
1. Of or pertaining to kissing; kissing. "The osculatory ceremony." Thackeray.
2. (Geom.) Pertaining to, or having the properties of, an osculatrix; capable of osculation; as, a circle
may be osculatory with a curve, at a given point.
Osculatory circle. (Geom.) See Osculating circle of a curve, under Circle. — Osculatory plane a
plane which passes through three successive points of the curve. — Osculatory sphere (to a line of
double curvature), a sphere passing through four consecutive points of the curve.
Osculatory
(Os"cu*la*to*ry), n. [LL. osculatorium. See Osculate.] (R. C. Ch.) Same as Pax, 2.
Osculatrix
(Os`cu*la"trix) n.; pl. Osculatrixes [NL.] (Geom.) A curve whose contact with a given curve,
at a given point, is of a higher order (or involves the equality of a greater number of successive differential
coefficients of the ordinates of the curves taken at that point) than that of any other curve of the same
kind.
Oscule
(Os"cule) n. [Cf. F. oscule. See Osculum.] (Zoöl.) One of the excurrent apertures of sponges.
Osculum
(||Os"cu*lum) n.; pl. Oscula [L., a little mouth.] (Zoöl.) Same as Oscule.
-
ose
(-ose) [L. -osus: cf. F. -ose. Cf. - ous.]
1. A suffix denoting full of, containing, having the qualities of, like; as in verbose, full of words; pilose,
hairy; globose, like a globe.
2. (Chem.) A suffix indicating that the substance to the name of which it is affixed is a member of the
carbohydrate group; as in cellulose, sucrose, dextrose, etc.
Osier
(O"sier) n. [F. osier: cf. Prov. F. oisis, Armor. ozil, aozil, Gr. L. vitex, and E. withy.] (Bot.)
(a) A kind of willow (Salix viminalis) growing in wet places in Europe and Asia, and introduced into North
America. It is considered the best of the willows for basket work. The name is sometimes given to any
kind of willow. (b) One of the long, pliable twigs of this plant, or of other similar plants.
The rank of osiers by the murmuring stream.
Shak. Osier bed, or Osier holt, a place where willows are grown for basket making. [Eng.] — Red osier.
(a) A kind of willow with reddish twigs (b) An American shrub (Cornus stolonifera) which has slender
red branches; — also called osier cornel.
Osier
(O"sier), a. Made of osiers; composed of, or containing, osiers. "This osier cage of ours." Shak.
Osiered
(O"siered) a. Covered or adorned with osiers; as, osiered banks. [Poetic] Collins.
