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Webster 1913 Edition


Speculum

Spec′u-lum

,
Noun.
;
pl. L.
Specula
(#)
, E.
Speculum
(#)
.
[L., fr.
specere
to look, behold. See
Spy
.]
1.
A mirror, or looking-glass; especially, a metal mirror, as in Greek and Roman archaeology.
2.
A reflector of polished metal, especially one used in reflecting telescopes. See
Speculum metal
, below.
3.
(Surg.)
An instrument for dilating certain passages of the body, and throwing light within them, thus facilitating examination or surgical operations.
4.
(Zool.)
A bright and lustrous patch of color found on the wings of ducks and some other birds. It is usually situated on the distal portions of the secondary quills, and is much more brilliant in the adult male than in the female.
Speculum metal
,
a hard, brittle alloy used for making the reflectors of telescopes and other instruments, usually consisting of copper and tin in various proportions, one of the best being that in which there are 126.4 parts of copper to 58.9 parts of tin, with sometimes a small proportion of arsenic, antimony, or zinc added to improve the whiteness.

Definition 2024


speculum

speculum

English

Noun

speculum (plural speculums or specula)

  1. (medicine) A medical instrument used during an examination to dilate an orifice.
  2. A mirror, especially one used in a telescope.
  3. (ornithology) A bright, lustrous patch of colour found on the wings of ducks and some other birds, usually situated on the distal portions of the secondary quills, and much more brilliant in the adult male than in the female.

Translations

Anagrams


Latin

Etymology

From speciō + -ulum. Confer with spectrum.

Pronunciation

  • (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈspe.ku.lum/, [ˈspɛ.kʊ.ɫũ]

Noun

speculum n (genitive speculī); second declension

  1. a looking-glass, mirror

Inflection

Second declension.

Case Singular Plural
nominative speculum specula
genitive speculī speculōrum
dative speculō speculīs
accusative speculum specula
ablative speculō speculīs
vocative speculum specula

Descendants

References