bys|sus

bys|sus
bys|sus «BIHS uhs», noun, plural bys|sus|es or bys|si.
1. a group of tough filaments secreted by a gland of the foot, by which various mussels attach themselves to rocks and other objects.
2. a) a kind of yellow flax known to the ancients, especially the ancient Egyptians. b) a fine and valuable linen fabric made from it. It is this fabric, sometimes mistranslated as cotton or silk, that was generally used by the ancient Egyptians for wrapping their dead in mummification.
╂[< Latin byssus < Greek býssos flax, apparently < Semitic (compare Hebrew būs)]

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  • bys — am·bys·to·ma; am·bys·to·moi·dea; bys; bys·ma·lith; bys·sa·ceous; bys·sal; bys·sif·er·ous; bys·sine; bys·si·no·sis; bys·soid; bys·so·lite; bys·sus; bys·trom·ite; am·bys·to·mid; …   English syllables

  • sus — al·lo·der·ma·nys·sus; bal·a·no·glos·sus; bas·sus; bdel·lo·nys·sus; be·je·sus; bo·na·sus; bo·ras·sus; bul·bo·cav·er·no·sus; bys·sus; car·ba·sus; ca·sus; cau·sus; cer·a·sus; cer·a·to·glos·sus; chon·dro·glos·sus; cis·sus; clys·sus; co·los·sus;… …   English syllables

  • byssus — bys·sus …   English syllables

  • byssus — bys•sus [[t]ˈbɪs əs[/t]] n. pl. bys•sus•es, bys•si [[t]ˈbɪs aɪ[/t]] 1) zool. a collection of silky filaments by which certain mollusks attach themselves to rocks 2) tex an ancient cloth, thought to be of linen, cotton, or silk • Etymology:… …   From formal English to slang

  • Byssus — Bys|sus der; <über lat. byssus aus gr. býssos »Baumwolle, Flachs«, dies aus hebr. ḅūs »feine weiße Baumwolle«>: 1. kostbares, zartes Leinen od. Seidengewebe des Altertums (z. B. ägypt. Mumienbinden). 2. feines Baumwollgewebe für Leibwäsche …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

  • byss — Byssus Bys sus, n.; pl. E. {Byssuses}; L. {Byssi}.[L. byssus fine flax, fine linen or cotton, Gr. by ssos .] [1913 Webster] 1. A cloth of exceedingly fine texture, used by the ancients. It is disputed whether it was of cotton, linen, or silk.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Byssi — Byssus Bys sus, n.; pl. E. {Byssuses}; L. {Byssi}.[L. byssus fine flax, fine linen or cotton, Gr. by ssos .] [1913 Webster] 1. A cloth of exceedingly fine texture, used by the ancients. It is disputed whether it was of cotton, linen, or silk.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • byssin — Byssus Bys sus, n.; pl. E. {Byssuses}; L. {Byssi}.[L. byssus fine flax, fine linen or cotton, Gr. by ssos .] [1913 Webster] 1. A cloth of exceedingly fine texture, used by the ancients. It is disputed whether it was of cotton, linen, or silk.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Byssus — Bys sus, n.; pl. E. {Byssuses}; L. {Byssi}.[L. byssus fine flax, fine linen or cotton, Gr. by ssos .] [1913 Webster] 1. A cloth of exceedingly fine texture, used by the ancients. It is disputed whether it was of cotton, linen, or silk. [Written… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Byssuses — Byssus Bys sus, n.; pl. E. {Byssuses}; L. {Byssi}.[L. byssus fine flax, fine linen or cotton, Gr. by ssos .] [1913 Webster] 1. A cloth of exceedingly fine texture, used by the ancients. It is disputed whether it was of cotton, linen, or silk.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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