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M — Meditatist to Megacephalous (Part 2 of 6)

Medius
(||Me"di*us) n.; pl. Medii [NL., fr. L. medius middle. See Medium.] (Anat.) The third or middle finger; the third digit, or that which corresponds to it.

Medlar
(Med"lar) n. [OE. medler medlar tree, OF. meslier, F. néflier, L. mespilum, mespilus, Gr. . Cf. Naseberry.] A tree of the genus Mespilus (M. Germanica); also, the fruit of the tree. The fruit is something like a small apple, but has a bony endocarp. When first gathered the flesh is hard and austere, and it is not eaten until it has begun to decay.

Japan medlar (Bot.), the loquat. See Loquat.Neapolitan medlar (Bot.), a kind of thorn tree (Cratægus Azarolus); also, its fruit.

Medle
(Med"le) v. t. [See Meddle.] To mix; to mingle; to meddle. [Written also medly.] [Obs.] Chaucer.

Medley
(Med"ley) n.; pl. Medleys [OE. medlee, OF. meslée, medlée, mellée, F. mêlée. See Meddle, and cf. MelÉe, Mellay.]

1. A mixture; a mingled and confused mass of ingredients, usually inharmonious; a jumble; a hodgepodge; — often used contemptuously.

This medley of philosophy and war.
Addison.
Love is a medley of endearments, jars,
Suspicions, reconcilements, wars.
W. Walsh.

2. The confusion of a hand to hand battle; a brisk, hand to hand engagement; a mêlée. [Obs.] Holland.

3. (Mus.) A composition of passages detached from several different compositions; a potpourri.

Medley is usually applied to vocal, potpourri to instrumental, compositions.

4. A cloth of mixed colors. Fuller.

Medley
(Med"ley), a.

1. Mixed; of mixed material or color. [Obs.] "A medlé coat." Chaucer.

2. Mingled; confused. Dryden.

Medly
(Med"ly) v. t. See Medle. Johnson.

Médoc
(||Mé`doc") n. [Cf. Mayduke.] A class of claret wines, including several varieties, from the district of Médoc in the department of Gironde.

Medregal
(Med"re*gal) n. (Zoöl.) See Bonito, 3.

Medrick
(Med"rick) n. [Etymol. uncertain.] (Zoöl.) A species of gull or tern. [Prov.] Lowell.

Medulla
(Me*dul"la) n. [L.]

1. Marrow; pith; hence, essence. [Obs.] Milton.

2. (Anat.) The marrow of bones; the deep or inner portion of an organ or part; as, the medulla, or medullary substance, of the kidney; specifically, the medula oblongata.

3. (Bot.) A soft tissue, occupying the center of the stem or branch of a plant; pith.

||Medulla oblongata. [L., oblong medulla] (Anat.), the posterior part of the brain connected with the spinal cord. It includes all the hindbrain except the cerebellum and pons, and from it a large part of the