Spinebill
(Spine"bill`) n. (Zoöl.) Any species of Australian birds of the genus Acanthorhynchus. They
are related to the honey eaters.
Spined
(Spined) a. Furnished with spines; spiny.
Spine-finned
(Spine"-finned`) a. (Zoöl.) Having fine supported by spinous fin rays; — said of certain
fishes.
Spinel
(Spi*nel" Spi*nelle") n. [F. spinelle, or LL. spinellus, perhaps from L. spina a thorn, a prickle,
in allusion to its pointed crystals.] (Min.) A mineral occuring in octahedrons of great hardness and
various colors, as red, green, blue, brown, and black, the red variety being the gem spinel ruby. It consist
essentially of alumina and magnesia, but commonly contains iron and sometimes also chromium.
The spinel group includes spinel proper, also magnetite, chromite, franklinite, gahnite, etc., all of which
may be regarded as composed of a sesquioxide and a protoxide in equal proportions.
Spinel
(Spin"el) n. Bleached yarn in making the linen tape called inkle; unwrought inkle. Knight.
Spineless
(Spine"less) a. Having no spine.
Spinescent
(Spi*nes"cent) a.[L. spinescens, -entis, p. pr. of spinescere to know to grow thorny, fr.
spina a thorn: cf. F. spinescent.] (Bot.) Becoming hard and thorny; tapering gradually to a rigid, leafless
point; armed with spines. Gray.
Spinet
(Spin"et) n. [OF. espinete, F. épinette fr. L. spina a thorn; — so called because its quills resemble
thorns. See Spine.] (Mus.) A keyed instrument of music resembling a harpsichord, but smaller, with
one string of brass or steel wire to each note, sounded by means of leather or quill plectrums or jacks.
It was formerly much used.
Dumb spinet. (Mus.) See Manichordon.
Spinet
(Spi"net) n. [L. spinetum. See Spinny.] A spinny. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
Spinetail
(Spine"tail`) n. (Zoöl.) (a) Any one or several species of swifts of the genus Acanthylis, or
Chætura, and allied genera, in which the shafts of the tail feathers terminate in rigid spines. (b) Any one
of several species of South American and Central American clamatorial birds belonging to Synallaxis
and allied genera of the family Dendrocolaptidæ. They are allied to the ovenbirds. (c) The ruddy duck.
[Local, U.S.]
Spine-tailed
(Spine"-tailed) a. (Zoöl.) Having the tail quills ending in sharp, naked tips.
Spine-tailed swift. (Zoöl.) See Spinetail (a).
Spineted
(Spin"et*ed) a. Slit; cleft. [Obs. & R.]
Spiniferous
(Spi*nif"er*ous) a. [L. spinifer; spina thorn + ferre to produce.] Producing spines; bearing
thorns or spines; thorny; spiny.
Spiniform
(Spin"i*form) a. Shaped like a spine.
Spinigerous
(Spi*nig"er*ous) a. [L. spiniger; spina spine + gerere to bear.] Bearing a spine or spines; thorn-
bearing.
Spininess
(Spin"i*ness) n. Quality of being spiny.
Spini-spirulate
(Spin`i-spir"u*late) a. (Zoöl.) Having spines arranged spirally. See Spicule.
