Sextillion
(Sex*til"lion) n. [Formed (in imitation of million) fr. L. sextus sixth, sex six: cf. F. sextilion.]
According to the method of numeration the number expressed by a unit with twenty-one ciphers annexed.
According to the English method, a million raised to the sixth power, or the number expressed by a unit
with thirty-six ciphers annexed. See Numeration.
Sexto
(Sex"to) n.; pl. Sextos [L. sextus sixth.] A book consisting of sheets each of which is folded
into six leaves.
Sextodecimo
(Sex`to*dec"i*mo) a. [L. sextus- decimus the sixteenth; sextus the sixth (fr. sex six)
+ decimus the tenth, from decem ten. See - mo.] Having sixteen leaves to a sheet; of, or equal to,
the size of one fold of a sheet of printing paper when folded so as to make sixteen leaves, or thirty-two
pages; as, a sextodecimo volume.
Sextodecimo
(Sex`to*dec"imo), n.; pl. Sextodecimos A book composed of sheets each of which is
folded into sixteen leaves; hence, indicating, more or less definitely, a size of a book; — usually written
16mo, or 16°.
Sextolet
(Sex"to*let) n. (Mus.) A double triplet; a group of six equal notes played in the time of four.
Sexton
(Sex"ton) n. [OE. sextein, contr. fr. sacristan.] An under officer of a church, whose business
is to take care of the church building and the vessels, vestments, etc., belonging to the church, to attend
on the officiating clergyman, and to perform other duties pertaining to the church, such as to dig graves,
ring the bell, etc.
Sexton beetle (Zoöl.), a burying beetle.
Sextoness
(Sex"ton*ess), n. A female sexton; a sexton's wife.
Sextonry
(Sex"ton*ry) n. Sextonship. [Obs.] Ld. Bernes.
Sextonship
(Sex"ton*ship), n. The office of a sexton. Swift.
Sextry
(Sex"try) n. See Sacristy. [Obs.]
Sextuple
(Sex"tu*ple) a. [Formed (in imitation of quadruple) fr. L. sextus sixth: cf. F. sextuple.]
1. Six times as much; sixfold.
2. (Mus.) Divisible by six; having six beats; as, sixtuple measure.
Sexual
(Sex"u*al) a. [L. sexualis, fr. sexus sex: cf. F. sexuel.] Of or pertaining to sex, or the sexes; distinguishing
sex; peculiar to the distinction and office of male or female; relating to the distinctive genital organs of the
sexes; proceeding from, or based upon, sex; as, sexual characteristics; sexual intercourse, connection, or
commerce; sexual desire; sexual diseases; sexual generation.
Sexual dimorphism (Biol.), the condition of having one of the sexes existing in two forms, or varieties,
differing in color, size, etc., as in many species of butterflies which have two kinds of females. — Sexual
method (Bot.), a method of classification proposed by Linnæus, founded mainly on difference in number
and position of the stamens and pistils of plants. — Sexual selection (Biol.), the selective preference
of one sex for certain characteristics in the other, such as bright colors, musical notes, etc.; also, the
selection which results from certain individuals of one sex having more opportunities of pairing with the
other sex, on account of greater activity, strength, courage, etc.; applied likewise to that kind of evolution
which results from such sexual preferences. Darwin.
In these cases, therefore, natural selection seems to have acted independently of sexual selection.
A.
R. Wallace.
