Acephalous
Acephalous means "headless," whether literally or metaphorically, or "leaderless." The word is used literally in
biology; and metaphorically in
prosody or
grammar for a verse or sentence with a beginning wanting. In
zoology, the
mollusca are divided into cephalous and acephalous (
Acephala), according as they have or have not an organized part of their anatomy as the seat of the brain and special senses. The
Acephala, or
Lamellibranchiata, are commonly known as bivalve shell-fish. In
botany the word is used for
ovaries not terminating in a stigma. "Acephalocyst" is the name given by
R.-Th.-H. Laënnec to the hydatid, immature or larval
tapeworm.
- See also : Acephali
- (from an old encyclopedia)
