Pissabed
(Piss"a*bed`) n. (Bot.) A name locally applied to various wild plants, as dandelion, bluet,
oxeye daisy, etc.
Pissasphalt
(Pis"sas*phalt) n. [L. pissasphaltus, Gr. pitch + asphalt: cf. F. pissasphalte.] (Min.) Earth
pitch; a soft, black bitumen of the consistence of tar, and of a strong smell. It is inflammable, and intermediate
between petroleum and asphalt. [Written also pisasphaltum, pisasphalt, etc.]
Pist
(Pist) n. (Man.) See Piste.
Pistachio
(Pis*ta"chio) n. [It. pistacchio fr. L. pistacium, Gr. fr. Per. pistah. Cf. Fistinut.] (Bot.)
The nut of the Pistacia vera, a tree of the order Anacardiaceæ, containing a kernel of a pale greenish
color, which has a pleasant taste, resembling that of the almond, and yields an oil of agreeable taste
and odor; — called also pistachio nut. It is wholesome and nutritive. The tree grows in Arabia, Persia,
Syria, and Sicily. [Written also pistachia.]
Pistacia
(||Pis*ta"ci*a) n. [NL. See Pistachio.] (Bot.) The name of a genus of trees, including the tree
which bears the pistachio, the Mediterranean mastic tree and the species (P. Terebinthus) which yields
Chian or Cyprus turpentine.
Pistacite
(Pis"ta*cite) n. [Cf. F. pistacite. So called from its green color. See Pistachio.] (Min.) Epidote.
Pistareen
(Pis`ta*reen") n. An old Spanish silver coin of the value of about twenty cents.
Pistazite
(Pis"ta*zite) n. (Min.) Same as Pistacite.
Piste
(Piste) n. [F., fr. L. pisere, pinsere, pistum, to pound.] (Min.) The track or tread a horseman
makes upon the ground he goes over. Johnson.
Pistel
(Pis"tel Pis"til) , n. An epistle. [Obs.]
Pistic
(Pis"tic) a. [L. pisticus, Gr. .] Pure; genuine. [R.] Jer. Taylor.
Pistil
(Pis"til) n. [L. pistillum, pistillus, a pestle: cf. F. pistil. See Pestle.] (Bot.) The seed-bearing
organ of a flower. It consists of an ovary, containing the ovules or rudimentary seeds, and a stigma,
which is commonly raised on an elongated portion called a style. When composed of one carpel a pistil
is simple; when composed of several, it is compound. See Illust. of Flower, and Ovary.
Pistillaceous
(Pis`til*la"ceous) a. (Bot.) Growing on, or having nature of, the pistil; of or pertaining to a
pistil. Barton.
Pistillate
(Pis"til*late) a. (Bot.) Having a pistil or pistils; — usually said of flowers having pistils but no
stamens.
Pistillation
(Pis`til*la"tion) n. [L. pistillum a pestle.] The act of pounding or breaking in a mortar; pestillation.
[Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
Pistillidium
(||Pis`til*lid"i*um) n.; pl. Pistillida [NL., fr. E. pistil.] (Bot.) Same as Archegonium.
Pistilliferous
(Pis`til*lif"er*ous) a. [Pistil + -ferous: cf. F. pistillifère.] (Bot.) Pistillate.
Pistillody
(Pis"til*lo*dy) n. [Pistil + Gr. form.] (Bot.) The metamorphosis of other organs into pistils.
Pistol
(Pis"tol) n. [F. pistole, pistolet, It. pistola; prob. from a form Pistola, for Pistoja, a town in Italy
where pistols were first made. Cf. Pistole.] The smallest firearm used, intended to be fired from one
hand, — now of many patterns, and bearing a great variety of names. See Illust. of Revolver.
