-cephalic and -cephalous adj combining form

cephˈalin noun (biochemistry)

A compound of phosphorus found in the brain and nervous tissue (also kephalin)

cephalīˈtis noun

Inflammation of the brain

cephalizāˈtion or cephalisāˈtion noun

In animal evolution, the specialization of the anterior end or head as the site of the mouthparts, sensory organs and principal ganglia of the central nervous system

cephalocele /sefˈəl-ə-sēl/ noun (medicine)

The protrusion of the membranes of the brain through a hole in the skull

cephalochordate /-ō-körˈdāt/ noun

(Gr chordē cord) a member of the subphyllum Cephalochordata, of chordate fish-like animals (including the lancelets and amphioxus), having a persisting notochord projecting beyond the nerve cord to the end of the snout (also adjective)

cephalomˈetry noun (medicine)

1. The measurement of the fetal head in the uterus, by ultrasound or radiology
2. The measurement of the head by x-ray, esp in orthodontics

cephˈalopod /-pod/ noun

(Gr pous, podos foot) a member of the Cephalopoda /-opˈod-ə/, the highest class of molluscs, usu large, exclusively marine animals (including cuttlefish, squid, octopus, etc), with the foot modified into arms or tentacles surrounding the mouth

cephalospōˈrin noun

Any of a group of wide-spectrum antibiotics derived from the fungus Cephalosporium

cephalōthoˈrax noun

The fused head and thorax in some arthropods

cephalotomy /kef-al-otˈə-mi/ noun

(Gr tomē a cut) the dissection of the head

cephˈalous adjective

Having a head

meso- /me-sō- or me-zō-, also mē-, -so- or -zo-/, or (before a vowel) mes- /mes-, mez-, mēs- or mēz-/

combining form

Denoting middle

Mesoamerˈica noun

Central America, between N Mexico and Panama

Mesoamerˈican adjective and noun

(also without cap)

mesˈoblast noun

1. (Gr blastos shoot) the middle germinal layer
2. The mesoderm

mesoblasˈtic adjective

mesˈocarp noun

(Gr karpos fruit) the middle layer of a pericarp

mesocephalic /-si-falˈik/ or -cephalous /-sefˈə-ləs/ adjective

Having a medium skull, with a breadth of approx 75 to 80 per cent of its length

mesocephˈalism or mesocephˈaly noun

mesˈoderm noun

(Gr derma skin) the layer of embryonic cells between the ectoderm and the endoderm in a gastrula

mesodermˈal adjective

mesogasˈtric adjective

mesogasˈtrium noun (pl mesogasˈtria)

The region of the abdomen between the epigastrium and the hypogastrium

mesogloea /-glēˈə/ noun

(Gr gloiā glue) in coelenterates and sponges, a structureless gelatinous layer between ectoderm and endoderm

mesohippˈus noun

One of the prehistoric group of three-toed ungulate mammals probably related to the modern horse

mesˈolite noun

(Gr lithos stone) a zeolite intermediate in composition between natrolite and scolecite

Mesolithˈic adjective

Intermediate between Palaeolithic and Neolithic

mesomˈerism noun (chem)

1. Resonance
2. A type of tautomerism

mesˈomorph /-mörf/ noun

(Gr morphē form) a person of muscular bodily type, thought to correspond to a characteristically aggressive and extroverted personality type (see ectomorph under ecto- and endomorph under endo-)

mesomorˈphic or mesomorˈphous adjective

1. Relating to a mesomorph
2. Relating to an intermediate state of matter between solid and liquid (chem)

mesˈomorphy noun

mesˈopause noun

The upper boundary of the mesosphere, the coldest region of the atmosphere

mesopelagic /-pi-lajˈik/ adjective

(Gr pelagos sea) relating to the intermediate regions between the surface and depths of the ocean

mesˈophyll noun

(Gr phyllon leaf) the spongy tissue within a leaf

mesˈophyte /-fīt/ noun

(Gr phyton plant) a plant intermediate between a xerophyte and a hydrophyte

mesophytic /-fitˈik/ adjective

mesˈoscaphe /-skāf/ noun

(Gr skaphos ship) a submersible observation chamber for use at less great depths than the bathyscaphe

mesˈosphere noun

The region of the earth's atmosphere above the stratosphere and below the thermosphere

mesospherˈic /-sferˈik/ adjective

mesothēˈlial adjective

mesothēliōˈma noun

(from epithelium and -oma) a malignant tumour of the lining of the chest or abdomen, often caused by asbestos dust

mesothēˈlium noun (pl mesothēˈlia)

The cell tissue that forms the lining of the chest and abdomen in vertebrates and lines the body-cavity in vertebrate embryos

mesotherˈapy noun (medicine)

The treatment of a specific area of the body by injecting a substance into the mesoderm

mesothoracic /-thö- or -thō-rasˈik/ adjective

mesothorˈax noun

The middle one of the three segments of an insect's thorax

Mesozōˈa plural noun

(Gr zōion animal) minute animals once thought intermediate between Protozoa and Metazoa, prob Metazoa reduced by parasitism

Mesozōˈic adjective (Gr zōē life; geology)

Of or belonging to the middle era of the Phanerozoic eon, between 250 and 65 million years ago (also noun)