polymorphism, in biology, a discontinuous genetic variation resulting in the occurrence of several different forms or types of individuals among the members of a single species. A discontinuous genetic variation divides the individuals of a population into two or more sharply distinct forms. The

polymorphism, in crystallography, the condition in which a solid chemical compound exists in more than one crystalline form; the forms differ somewhat in physical and, sometimes, chemical properties, although their solutions and vapours are identical. The existence of different crystalline or

polymorphism, in biology, a discontinuous genetic variation resulting in the occurrence of several different forms or types of individuals among the members of a single species. A discontinuous genetic variation divides the individuals of a population into two or more sharply distinct forms. The

granulocyte, any of a group of white blood cells (leukocytes) that are characterized by the large number and chemical makeup of the granules occurring within the cytoplasm. Granulocytes are the most numerous of the white cells and are approximately 12–15 μm in diameter, making them larger than red

polymyalgia rheumatica, joint disease that is fairly common in people over the age of 50, with an average age of onset of about 70. Out of 100,000 people over the age of 50, approximately 700 will exhibit signs of polymyalgia rheumatica. It tends to affect women twice as often as men. The syndrome

polymyositis, chronic, progressive inflammation of skeletal muscles, particularly the muscles of the shoulders and pelvis. Initially muscles may be swollen slightly, and the first symptoms to appear are usually muscle weakness and sometimes pain. A weakening of muscles close to the torso is common.

polymyxin, any of five polypeptide antibiotics derived from various species of soil bacterium in the genus Bacillus that are active against gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Polymyxins disrupt the cell membranes of bacteria, destroying their ability to

polymyxin: Only polymyxins B and E are used clinically. Their chief therapeutic use is in the treatment of infections involving gram-negative bacteria that are resistant to penicillin and other broad-spectrum antibiotics. Polymyxin B is applied topically to treat infections such as those of the eye, the ear,…

polymyxin: Only polymyxins B and E are used clinically. Their chief therapeutic use is in the treatment of infections involving gram-negative bacteria that are resistant to penicillin and other broad-spectrum antibiotics. Polymyxin B is applied topically to treat infections such as those of the eye, the ear, the skin, and…

Antigone: …city and his crown, and Polyneices, who was attacking Thebes. Both brothers, however, were killed, and their uncle Creon became king. After performing an elaborate funeral service for Eteocles, he forbade the removal of the corpse of Polyneices, condemning it to lie unburied, declaring him to have been a traitor.…

threadfin, any of about 41 species of marine fishes of the family Polynemidae (order Perciformes), widely distributed along warm seashores, often over sand. Threadfins have two well-separated dorsal fins and a forked tail, and are usually silvery in colour. Their name refers to their pectoral fins,

French Polynesia, overseas collectivity of France consisting of five archipelagoes in the south-central Pacific Ocean. Included are some 130 islands scattered across the Pacific between latitudes 7° and 27° S and longitudes 134° and 155° W—a total land area roughly equivalent to that of

French Polynesia, overseas collectivity of France consisting of five archipelagoes in the south-central Pacific Ocean. Included are some 130 islands scattered across the Pacific between latitudes 7° and 27° S and longitudes 134° and 155° W—a total land area roughly equivalent to that of

Polynesian culture: …beliefs and practices of the indigenous peoples of the ethnogeographic group of Pacific islands known as Polynesia (from Greek poly ‘many’ and nēsoi ‘islands’). Polynesia encompasses a huge triangular area of the east-central Pacific Ocean. The triangle has its apex at the Hawaiian Islands in the north and its base…

Polynesian culture, the beliefs and practices of the indigenous peoples of the ethnogeographic group of Pacific islands known as Polynesia (from Greek poly ‘many’ and nēsoi ‘islands’). Polynesia encompasses a huge triangular area of the east-central Pacific Ocean. The triangle has its apex at the

Te Matatini, biennial New Zealand festival highlighting traditional Maori culture, especially the performing arts. The festival was called by a variety of names after its inception in 1972 and has been known since 2004 as Te Matatini, which in the Maori language means “The Many Faces.” It is also

blackbirding: …only in 1868 with the Polynesian Labourers Act, which provided for the regulation of the treatment of Kanaka labourers—who theoretically worked of their own free will for a specified period—and the licensing of “recruiters.” Because the Queensland government lacked constitutional power outside its own borders, the regulations could not be…

Polynesian languages, group of about 30 languages belonging to the Eastern, or Oceanic, branch of the Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) language family and most closely related to the languages of Micronesia and Melanesia. Spoken by fewer than 1,000,000 persons spread across a large section of the

rat: Classification and paleontology: nitidus, R. exulans, and R. tanezumi) extend outside continental Southeast Asia, from the Sunda Shelf to New Guinea and beyond to some Pacific islands, and most likely represent introductions facilitated by human activities.

biogeographic region: Polynesian subkingdom: In many respects the Pacific islands are outliers of Malesia, but each of the four main divisions within the Polynesian subkingdom—Hawaii; the remaining portion of Polynesia; Melanesia and Micronesia; and New Caledonia, with Lord Howe and Norfolk islands (Figure 1)—has a high number…

tattler: …tattler (Heteroscelus incanus) and the Polynesian, or gray-rumped, tattler (H. brevipes). Both closely resemble the yellowlegs but are short-legged and have barred underparts in summer. The wandering tattler nests on gravel bars in Alaskan rivers and winters from Mexico to western Pacific islands. The slightly smaller Polynesian tattler does not…

Polynesian culture: Contemporary Polynesia: …based in Hawaii, founded the Polynesian Voyaging Society in order to evaluate various theories of Polynesian seafaring and settlement. They reconstructed a double-hulled voyaging canoe in order to test both its seaworthiness and the efficacy of traditional (i.e., noninstrumental) navigation methods over the long ocean routes that Polynesians had once…

French Polynesia, overseas collectivity of France consisting of five archipelagoes in the south-central Pacific Ocean. Included are some 130 islands scattered across the Pacific between latitudes 7° and 27° S and longitudes 134° and 155° W—a total land area roughly equivalent to that of

neuritis: …affected, it is known as polyneuritis. The symptoms of neuritis are usually confined to a specific portion of the body served by the inflamed nerve or nerves.

alcoholism: Acute diseases: …alcoholism can also lead to polyneuropathy, a degenerative disease of the peripheral nerves with symptoms that include tenderness of calf muscles, diminished tendon reflexes, and loss of vibratory sensation. Inflammation and fatty infiltration of the liver are common, as are disorders of the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, duodenal ulcer, and, less…

polynya, a semipermanent area of open water in sea ice. Polynyas are generally believed to be of two types. Coastal polynyas characteristically lie just beyond landfast ice, i.e., ice that is anchored to the coast and stays in place throughout the winter. They are thought to be caused chiefly by

polynomial, In algebra, an expression consisting of numbers and variables grouped according to certain patterns. Specifically, polynomials are sums of monomials of the form axn, where a (the coefficient) can be any real number and n (the degree) must be a whole number. A polynomial’s degree is that

algebraic geometry: …geometric properties of solutions to polynomial equations, including solutions in dimensions beyond three. (Solutions in two and three dimensions are first covered in plane and solid analytic geometry, respectively.)

Gaston Maurice Julia: …memoir on the iteration of polynomial functions (functions whose terms are all multiples of the variable raised to a whole number; e.g., 8x5 − 5x2 + 7) that won the Grand Prix from the French Academy of Sciences in 1918. Together with a similar memoir by French mathematician Pierre Fatou,…

numerical analysis: Historical background: …a set of data (“polynomial interpolation”). Following Newton, many of the mathematical giants of the 18th and 19th centuries made major contributions to numerical analysis. Foremost among these were the Swiss Leonhard Euler (1707–1783), the French Joseph-Louis Lagrange (1736–1813), and the German Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777–1855).

P versus NP problem: …so-called NP problems are actually P problems. A P problem is one that can be solved in “polynomial time,” which means that an algorithm exists for its solution such that the number of steps in the algorithm is bounded by a polynomial function of n, where n corresponds to the…

P versus NP problem, in computational complexity (a subfield of theoretical computer science and mathematics), the question of whether all so-called NP problems are actually P problems. A P problem is one that can be solved in “polynomial time,” which means that an algorithm exists for its solution

NP-complete problem: Polynomial-time algorithms are considered to be efficient, while exponential-time algorithms are considered inefficient, because the execution times of the latter grow much more rapidly as the problem size increases.

Severo Ochoa: …named the enzyme he discovered polynucleotide phosphorylase. It was subsequently determined that the enzyme’s function is to degrade RNA, not synthesize it; under test-tube conditions, however, it runs its natural reaction in reverse. The enzyme has been singularly valuable in enabling scientists to understand and re-create the process whereby the…

polynya, a semipermanent area of open water in sea ice. Polynyas are generally believed to be of two types. Coastal polynyas characteristically lie just beyond landfast ice, i.e., ice that is anchored to the coast and stays in place throughout the winter. They are thought to be caused chiefly by

paddlefish, (Polyodon spathula), archaic freshwater fish with a paddlelike snout, a wide mouth, smooth skin, and a cartilaginous skeleton. A relative of the sturgeon, the paddlefish makes up the family Polyodontidae in the order Acipenseriformes. A paddlefish feeds with its mouth gaping open and

chondrostean: >paddlefishes (family Polyodontidae) in the order Acipenseriformes. Some taxonomies also include the bichirs and reedfish of Africa (order Polypteriformes), but this remains a subject of much debate. Many taxonomists argue that the subclass Chondrostei is a paraphyletic group—that is,

major industrial polymers: Polyurethanes: …and polyesters are known as polyols.

polyolefin, any of a class of synthetic resins prepared by the polymerization of olefins. Olefins are hydrocarbons (compounds containing hydrogen [H] and carbon [C]) whose molecules contain a pair of carbon atoms linked together by a double bond. They are most often derived from natural gas or from

polyomavirus, (family Polyomaviridae), any of a subgroup of minute oncogenic DNA viruses of the family Polyomaviridae. The virus was first isolated in 1953 when the murine polyomavirus was discovered to have caused tumours in laboratory mice. Since then the virus has been found in a wide variety of

polyomavirus, (family Polyomaviridae), any of a subgroup of minute oncogenic DNA viruses of the family Polyomaviridae. The virus was first isolated in 1953 when the murine polyomavirus was discovered to have caused tumours in laboratory mice. Since then the virus has been found in a wide variety of

polyomavirus, (family Polyomaviridae), any of a subgroup of minute oncogenic DNA viruses of the family Polyomaviridae. The virus was first isolated in 1953 when the murine polyomavirus was discovered to have caused tumours in laboratory mice. Since then the virus has been found in a wide variety of

polyomino, equal-sized squares, joined to at least one other along an edge, employed for recreational purposes. The name for such multisquare tiles, or pieces, was introduced in 1953 in analogy to dominoes. The simpler polyomino shapes are shown in part A of the figure. Somewhat more fascinating

blue butterfly, (subfamily Polyommatinae), any member of a group of insects in the widely distributed Lycaenidae family of common butterflies (order Lepidoptera). Adults are small and delicate, with a wingspan of 18 to 38 mm (0.75 inch to 1.5 inches). They are rapid fliers and are usually

annelid: Annotated classification: …cm; examples of genera: Ophelia, Polyophthalmus, Scalibregma. Order Capitellida No prostomial appendages; 1 or 2 anterior segments without setae; parapodia biramous; setae all simple; size, 1 to 20 or more cm; examples of genera: Capitella, Notomastus,

bone disease: Congenital bone diseases: Multiple abnormalities occur in polyostotic fibrous dysplasia, in which affected bone is replaced by fibrous connective-tissue matrix. The condition may cause multiple deformities that require surgical correction.

major industrial polymers: Polyacetal: Also called polyoxymethylene (POM) or simply acetal, polyacetal has the simplest structure of all the polyethers. It is manufactured in a solution process by anionic or cationic chain-growth polymerization of formaldehyde (H2C=O), a reaction analogous to vinyl polymerization. By itself, the polymer is unstable…

polyp, in zoology, one of two principal body forms occurring in members of the animal phylum Cnidaria. The polyp may be solitary, as in the sea anemone, or colonial, as in coral, and is sessile (attached to a surface). The upper, or free, end of the body, which is hollow and cylindrical, typically

polyp, in medicine, any growth projecting from the wall of a cavity lined with a mucous membrane. A polyp may have a broad base, in which case it is called sessile; or it may be a pedunculated polyp, i.e., one with a long, narrow neck. The surface of a polyp may be smooth, irregular, or

soil: Pedons and polypedons: Soils are natural elements of weathered landscapes whose properties may vary spatially. For scientific study, however, it is useful to think of soils as unions of modules known as pedons. A pedon is the smallest element of landscape that can be called soil. Its…

Procrustes, in Greek legend, a robber dwelling somewhere in Attica—in some versions, in the neighbourhood of Eleusis. His father was said to be Poseidon. Procrustes had an iron bed (or, according to some accounts, two beds) on which he compelled his victims to lie. Here, if a victim was shorter

thalassemia: Genetic defects of thalassemia: …one or more of the polypeptide chains of globin. The various forms of the disorder are distinguished by different combinations of three variables: the particular polypeptide chain or chains that are affected; whether the affected chains are synthesized in sharply reduced quantities or not synthesized at all; and whether the…

Hellenistic age: Alexander’s successors: …commander but maladroit politician named Polyperchon, who tried to win the Greeks of the mainland by a new proclamation of their liberties. The result was that the Athenians used their freedom to execute the pro-Macedonians, including the worthy but compromising Phocion. War flared up. Eumenes, allied with Polyperchon, challenged Antigonus…

coleopteran: Annotated classification: Suborder Polyphaga Includes the majority of beetles; wing with base of Rs vein absent; prothorax never with distinct notopleural suture. Superfamily Bostrichoidea Larvae soft-bodied, lack specialized setae (hairs), maintain a C-shaped position; adult hard, head region hoodlike; members often associated with timber, destructive.

cockroach: Family Corydiidae: There are some 40 genera of sand cockroaches of the family Corydiidae, including Polyphaga, Arenivaga, Therea, and the relatively colorful Eucorydia. The question-mark cockroach (Therea olegrandjeani) has conspicuous black-and-white markings and is sometimes kept as a pet. A related species, known as the domino…

phase: …transmission the terms multiphase and polyphase are applied to currents that are out of phase with one another. In a two-phase system there are two currents with a phase-angle difference of 90°; in a three-phase system the currents differ in phase angle by 120°.

sleep: Developmental patterns of sleep and wakefulness: …is a developmental shift from polyphasic sleep to monophasic sleep (i.e., from intermittent to uninterrupted sleep). In infants there may be six or seven periods of sleep per day that alternate with an equivalent number of waking periods. With the decreasing occurrence of nocturnal feedings in infancy and of morning…

Polyphemus, in Greek mythology, the most famous of the Cyclopes (one-eyed giants), son of Poseidon, god of the sea, and the nymph Thoösa. According to Ovid in Metamorphoses, Polyphemus loved Galatea, a Sicilian Nereid, and killed her lover Acis. When the Greek hero Odysseus was cast ashore on the

saturniid moth: Major species: The larvae of the polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus) are green with white lines and are marked by gold knobs; they feed on oak, maple, and birch leaves and pupate in a cocoon in a leaf on the ground. Antheraea species, including A. polyphemus, are sometimes used as a source…

major industrial polymers: Aramids: DuPont began to produce Nomex (its trademark for poly-meta-phenylene isophthalamide) in 1961 and Kevlar (the trademarked name of poly-para-phenylene terephthalamide) in 1971. These two compounds are distinguished by the structure of their polymer chains, Kevlar containing para-oriented phenyl rings and Nomex containing meta-oriented rings:

polyether: Polyphenylene oxide resins, such as Noryl, possess great resistance to water and to high temperatures (175°–300° C; 350°–575° F). Penton, a chlorine-containing polyether unaffected by many chemicals, is fabricated into sheets used for lining storage tanks and the like.

organosulfur compound: Sulfides: Poly(phenylene sulfide) (PPS), a polymeric material derived from diphenyl sulfide, which has been known for more than 100 years, is used in electrical, electronic, and mechanical applications. Polythiophene conductors are of great interest for use in molecular electronic devices. Research has led to the preparation of macrocyclic…

Wendy Whelan: of Christopher Wheeldon, in whose Polyphonia (2001) and After the Rain (2005) she gave riveting performances. She also debuted leading roles in works commissioned for NYCB, notably William Forsythe’s Herman Schmerman (1992), Ulysses Dove’s Red Angels (1994), and Alexei Ratmansky’s

Burgundian school: …as a musical genre, the polyphonic chanson, or secular song, is the most characteristic expression of the Burgundian school. Its clear musical structure is based on the stanza patterns of the ballade, rondeau, and virelai, written in the traditional fixed forms of French poetry. Early in the 15th century, composers…

polyphonic prose, a freely rhythmical form of prose that employs characteristic devices of verse other than strict metre (such as alliteration, assonance, or rhyme). The form was developed in the early 20th century by Amy Lowell, who demonstrated its techniques in her book Can Grande’s Castle

cuneiform: Origin and character of cuneiform: …value (this feature is called polyphony).

polyphony, in music, the simultaneous combination of two or more tones or melodic lines (the term derives from the Greek word for “many sounds”). Thus, even a single interval made up of two simultaneous tones or a chord of three simultaneous tones is rudimentarily polyphonic. Usually, however,

Mikhail Bakhtin: Bakhtin further developed this theory of polyphony, or “dialogics,” in Voprosy literatury i estetiki (1975; The Dialogic Imagination), in which he postulated that, rather than being static, language evolves dynamically and is affected by and affects the culture that produces and uses it. Bakhtin also wrote Tvorchestvo Fransua Rable…

algae: The algae are not closely related in an evolutionary sense, and the phylogeny of the group remains to be delineated. Specific groups of algae share features with protozoa and fungi that, without the presence of chloroplasts and photosynthesis as delimiting features, make them difficult to distinguish from those…

algae: The algae are not closely related in an evolutionary sense, and the phylogeny of the group remains to be delineated. Specific groups of algae share features with protozoa and fungi that, without the presence of chloroplasts and photosynthesis as delimiting features, make them difficult to distinguish from those…

moss animal: Size range and diversity of structure: …the digestive tract—are called the polypide.

chiton, any of numerous flattened, bilaterally symmetrical marine mollusks, worldwide in distribution but most abundant in warm regions. The approximately 600 species are usually placed in the class Placophora, Polyplacophora, or Loricata (phylum Mollusca). Chitons are usually oval in shape. On the

polyploidy, the condition in which a normally diploid cell or organism acquires one or more additional sets of chromosomes. In other words, the polyploid cell or organism has three or more times the haploid chromosome number. Polyploidy arises as the result of total nondisjunction of chromosomes

Polypodiaceae, family (including Grammitidaceae) in the order Polypodiales, which contains 56 genera and about 1,200 species of diverse and widely distributed medium-sized and small ferns. Some earlier classification systems have recognized as many as 170 genera and 7,000 species in the family,

fern: Annotated classification: Order Polypodiales (known as Filicales in some older literature) Suborder Lindsaeineae Family Lindsaeaceae (lace ferns) Plants mostly in soil or on rocks; rhizomes short- to long-creeping, hairy or scaly; leaves 1 to 3 times pinnately compound, usually

plant: Annotated classification: Polypodiopsida (leptosporangiate ferns) Vascular plants; sporophyte differentiated into stem (rhizome), roots, and leaves (fronds); leaves entire or, more often, divided; arrangement of vascular tissue in stem variable, primary growth only; sporangia usually clustered into sori, often located on the under (abaxial) surface of sporophylls; mostly…

fern: Annotated classification: Suborder Polypodiineae Family Davalliaceae rabbit’s-foot fern Plants epiphytic or sometimes on rocks; rhizomes long-creeping, often somewhat flattened, scaly; leaves 1 to 4 times pinnately divided, rarely undivided, the petioles jointed at their bases, the blades glabrous or, less commonly, hairy; sori round, rarely elongate

fern, (class Polypodiopsida), class of nonflowering, herbaceous vascular plants that possess true roots, stems, and complex leaves and that reproduce by spores. The number of known extant fern species is about 10,500, but estimates have ranged as high as 15,000, the number varying because certain

plant: Annotated classification: representative genera include Pteridium, Polypodium, Polystichum, Adiantum, and Cyathea. Class Equisetopsida (horsetails, scouring rushes) Vascular plants; sporophyte differentiated into stem, leaf, and root; stems ribbed and jointed,

cancer: Nomenclature of benign tumors: …is referred to as a polypoid cancer in order to avoid confusion.

shelf fungus, basidiomycete that forms shelflike sporophores (spore-producing organs). Shelf fungi are commonly found growing on trees or fallen logs in damp woodlands. They can severely damage cut lumber and stands of timber. Specimens 40 cm (16 inches) or more in diameter are not uncommon. A

Polyporales, large order of pore fungi within the phylum Basidiomycota (kingdom Fungi). The 2,300 known species have conspicuous sporophores (fruiting bodies), sometimes mushroomlike, the spore-bearing layer (hymenium) appearing either tube-shaped, gill-like, rough, smooth, or convoluted. Many

Polyporales: …of birch and conifers (Polyporus). The white undersurface of artist’s fungus (Fomes applanatus, or Ganoderma applanatum), which darkens when cut, has been used for etching.

Polyporales: The inedible birch fungus Polyporus betulinus causes decay on birch trees in the northern United States. Dryad’s saddle (P. squamosus) produces a fan- or saddle-shaped mushroom. It is light coloured with dark scales, has a strong odour, and grows on many deciduous trees. The edible hen of…

Polyporales: The edible hen of the woods (P. frondosus), which grows on old trees and stumps, produces a cluster of grayish mushrooms with two or three caps on a stalk; the undersides of the caps are porous. The sulfur mushroom, P. (Laetiporus) sulphureus, a common shelflike fungus that…

basidiocarp: …those of bracket fungi (Polyporus squamosus)—2 m in diameter. The smallest are single cells of the yeastlike Sporobolomyces.

Polyporales: The sulfur mushroom, P. (Laetiporus) sulphureus, a common shelflike fungus that grows on dead wood, derives its name from its sulfur-yellow colour; only the younger portions of the fruiting body are edible.

wreckfish, (Polyprion americanus), large, grayish fish of the family Polyprionidae (order Perciformes), found in the Mediterranean and in both sides of the Atlantic, generally in offshore waters. The wreckfish is deep-bodied, with a large head and jutting lower jaw, and attains a length and weight

polypropylene, a synthetic resin built up by the polymerization of propylene. One of the important family of polyolefin resins, polypropylene is molded or extruded into many plastic products in which toughness, flexibility, light weight, and heat resistance are required. It is also spun into fibres

polypropylene, a synthetic resin built up by the polymerization of propylene. One of the important family of polyolefin resins, polypropylene is molded or extruded into many plastic products in which toughness, flexibility, light weight, and heat resistance are required. It is also spun into fibres

polyether: Polypropylene glycols are liquids, mostly insoluble in water, used to suppress foaming in industrial processes and for making polyurethane resins, hydraulic fluids, and various other materials.

polyether: Polypropylene glycols are liquids, mostly insoluble in water, used to suppress foaming in industrial processes and for making polyurethane resins, hydraulic fluids, and various other materials.

fish: Annotated classification: Order Polypteriformes (bichirs and reedfish) Relationships controversial, placed in own subclass by some and thought related to crossopterygians by others. Typical chondrostean characters, such as ganoid scales and a paleoniscoid type of preopercle. Fins modified into long continuous dorsal, tail diphycercal. Freshwater, Africa. Late Cretaceous to…

bichir, (genus Polypterus), any of about 10 species of air-breathing tropical fishes of the genus Polypterus native to freshwater river and lake systems in western and central Africa. Bichirs are classified in the family Polypteridae, order Polypteriformes. These fishes are elongated in form with

bichir: endlicherii) and Congo bichirs (P. congicus), grow to lengths of 75 cm (29.5 inches) and 97 cm (38.2 inches) and weights of 3.3 kg (7.3 pounds) and 4.4 kg (9.7 pounds), respectively.

bichir: …the largest two species, the saddled bichirs (P. endlicherii) and Congo bichirs (P. congicus), grow to lengths of 75 cm (29.5 inches) and 97 cm (38.2 inches) and weights of 3.3 kg (7.3 pounds) and 4.4 kg (9.7 pounds), respectively.

bichir: At least one species, the Senegal or gray bichir (P. senegalus), is capable of using its pectoral fins to propel itself across land for short distances—an adaptation that may have evolved to help the species move between temporary ponds that were drying up or hunt terrestrial insects.

polyptoton, the rhetorical repetition within the same sentence of a word in a different case, inflection, or voice or of etymologically related words in different parts of speech. The device is exemplified in the following lines from T.S. Eliot’s poem “The Dry Salvages”

altarpiece: … has three panels, and a polyptych has four or more panels. A winged altarpiece is one equipped with movable wings that can be opened or closed over a fixed central part, thereby allowing various representations to be exposed to view. The term reredos is used for an ornamental screen or…

Piero della Francesca: Formative period: The Misericordia Altarpiece shows Piero’s indebtedness to the Florentines Donatello and Masaccio, his fondness for geometric form, and the slowness and deliberation with which he habitually worked—for the Misericordia altarpiece was not completed until 1462.