'Ergot' definitions:
Definition of 'ergot'
From: WordNet
noun
A plant disease caused by the ergot fungus
noun
A fungus that infects various cereal plants forming compact black masses of branching filaments that replace many grains of the plant; source of medicinally important alkaloids and of lysergic acid [syn: ergot, Claviceps purpurea]
Definition of 'Ergot'
From: GCIDE
- Ergot \Er"got\, n. [F. ergot, argot, lit., a spur.]
- 1. A diseased condition of rye and other cereals, in which the grains become black, and often spur-shaped. It is caused by a parasitic fungus, Claviceps purpurea. [1913 Webster]
- 2. The mycelium or spawn of this fungus infecting grains of rye and wheat. It is a powerful remedial agent, and also a dangerous poison, and is used as a means of hastening childbirth, and to arrest bleeding. [1913 Webster]
- 3. (Far.) A stub, like soft horn, about the size of a chestnut, situated behind and below the pastern joint. [1913 Webster]
- 4. (Anat.) See 2d Calcar, 3 (b) . [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'ergot'
From: GCIDE
- Hippocampus \Hip`po*cam"pus\, n. [L., the sea horse, Gr. ? a hippocampus (in senses 1 and 2); "i`ppos horse + ? to bend.]
- 1. (Class. Myth.) A fabulous monster, with the head and fore quarters of a horse joined to the tail of a dolphin or other fish (Hippocampus brevirostris), -- seen in Pompeian paintings, attached to the chariot of Neptune. --Fairholt. [1913 Webster]
- 2. (Zool.) A genus of lophobranch fishes of several species in which the head and neck have some resemblance to those of a horse; -- called also sea horse. [1913 Webster]
- Note: They swim slowly, in an erect position, and often cling to seaweeds by means of the incurved prehensile tail. The male has a ventral pouch, in which it carries the eggs till hatched. [1913 Webster]
- 3. (Zool.) A name applied to either of two ridges of white matter in each lateral ventricle of the brain. The larger is called hippocampus major or simply hippocampus. The smaller, hippocampus minor, is called also ergot and calcar. [1913 Webster]