- Semelaic languages
Semelaic languages, (from Malay orang asli, “aborigines”), subbranch of the Aslian branch of the Mon-Khmer language family, which is itself a part of the Austroasiatic stock. The subbranch consists of three languages spoken in southern and central Malaysia: Betise’ (previously known as Mah Meri, or
- Semele (Greek mythology)
Semele, in Greek mythology, a daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia, at Thebes, and mother of Dionysus (Bacchus) by Zeus. Semele’s liaison with Zeus enraged Zeus’s wife, Hera, who, disguised as an old nurse, coaxed Semele into asking Zeus to visit her in the same splendour in which he would appear before
- semelparity (biology)
aging: Reproduction and aging: The distinction between semelparous and iteroparous modes of reproduction is important for an understanding of biological aging. Semelparous organisms reproduce by a single reproductive act. Annual and biennial plants are semelparous, as are many insects and a few vertebrates, notably salmon and eels. Iteroparous organisms, on the other…
- semen (biochemistry)
semen, fluid that is emitted from the male reproductive tract and that contains sperm cells, which are capable of fertilizing the female’s eggs. Semen also contains liquids that combine to form seminal plasma, which helps keep the sperm cells viable. In the sexually mature human male, sperm cells
- semen analysis
semen analysis, laboratory examination of a sample of seminal fluid, usually consisting of the determination of semen volume, alkalinity or acidity (pH), sperm number (or sperm count), and the motility, shape, and viability of sperm. An examination of seminal fluid is usually undertaken to check
- Semenanjung Malaysia (region, Malaysia)
Peninsular Malaysia, region of the 13-state federation of Malaysia. It occupies the southern half of the Malay Peninsula and is separated from East Malaysia (on the island of Borneo) by the South China Sea. Formerly the Federation of Malaya (1948–63), it contains the bulk of Malaysia’s population
- Semënov, Nikolay Nikolayevich (Russian chemist)
Nikolay Nikolayevich Semyonov was a Soviet physical chemist who shared the 1956 Nobel Prize for Chemistry with Sir Cyril Hinshelwood for research in chemical kinetics. He was the second Soviet citizen (after the émigré writer Ivan Bunin) to receive a Nobel Prize. Semyonov was educated in St.
- Semenza, Gregg L. (American physician)
Gregg L. Semenza is an American physician and scientist known for his investigations of how cells use and regulate oxygen and for his discovery of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), a molecule that is activated by reduced oxygen availability in cells and that plays a critical role in enabling cells to
- Semeru, Mount (volcano, Indonesia)
Java: Land: The highest volcano is Mount Semeru, at 12,060 feet (3,676 metres). A series of discontinuous plateaus lies south of the volcanic belt and reaches an elevation of about 1,000 feet (300 metres).
- Semet-Solvay Company (American company)
AlliedSignal: …Company (founded 1917), producing dyes; Semet-Solvay Company (founded 1894), manufacturing coke and its by-products; and Solvay Process Company (founded 1881), producing alkalies and nitrogen materials. In the 1940s these companies were transformed into “divisions” of Allied Chemical. There were further reorganizations and acquisitions of companies and plants during the 1950s,…
- Semey (Kazakhstan)
Semey, city, eastern Kazakhstan. It is a port on the Irtysh (Ertis) River where the latter emerges into the West Siberian Plain. It was founded as a Russian fort in 1718, 11 miles (18 km) downstream from the present site, near the ruins of a Buddhist monastery consisting of seven buildings, from
- Semeynaya khronika (work by Aksakov)
Sergey Timofeyevich Aksakov: …become classics: Semeynaya khronika (1856; The Family Chronicle), Vospominaniya (1856; “Reminiscences”; Eng. trans. A Russian Schoolboy), and Detskie gody Bagrova-vnuka (1858; Childhood Years of Grandson Bagrov). Aksakov unfolds his chronicles objectively in an unaffected style with simple language. Their interest lies in the illusion of reality and intimacy created by…
- semi (vehicle)
truck: Types and definitions: …weight and load of a semitrailer, which is a truck trailer equipped with one or more axles and constructed so that the end and a substantial part of its own weight and that of its load rests upon a truck tractor. In contrast, a full trailer is constructed so that…
- semi-Arianism (Christianity)
semi-Arianism, a 4th-century Trinitarian heresy in the Christian church. Though it modified the extreme position of Arianism, it still fell short of the church’s orthodox teaching that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are of the same substance. Arius held that the Father and the Son are of distinct
- Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (military science)
warning system: Air defense systems: Examples include the semiautomatic ground environment (SAGE), augmented by a mobile backup intercept control system called BUIC in the United States, NATO air defense ground environment (NADGE) in Europe, a similar system in Japan, and various land-mobile, airborne, and ship command and control systems. Little information concerning the…
- semi-ideal solution (chemistry)
liquid: Activity coefficients and excess functions: …zero, but two types of semi-ideal solutions can be designated: in the first, SE is zero but HE is not; this is called a regular solution. In the second, HE is zero but SE is not; this is called an athermal solution. An ideal solution is both regular and athermal.
- semi-noir (film genre)
film noir: Defining the genre: …sometimes designated as “semi-noir,” or film gris (“gray film”), to indicate their hybrid status.
- semi-Pelagianism (religious movement)
semi-Pelagianism, in 17th-century theological terminology, the doctrine of an anti-Augustinian movement that flourished from about 429 to about 529 in southern France. The surviving evidences of the original movement are limited, but it is clear that the fathers of semi-Pelagianism were monks who
- Semi-Pro (film by Alterman [2008])
Will Ferrell: Elf, Anchorman, and Talladega Nights: …Blades of Glory (2007) and Semi-Pro (2008).
- semi-pukka (housing)
Pakistan: Housing of Pakistan: …bamboo, reeds, or thatch); and semi-pukka houses, which are a mix between the two. Housing stocks comprise an equal number of semi-pukka and katchi houses (about two-fifths each), and remaining houses (roughly one-fifth of the total) are the better-variety pukka houses. Urban areas are dominated by ramshackle neighbourhoods known locally…
- Semi-Tough (film by Ritchie [1977])
Michael Ritchie: Films: Semi-Tough (1977) followed, a genial adaptation of Dan Jenkins’s humorous novel about the world of professional football. Burt Reynolds and Kris Kristofferson starred as teammates who both love the owner’s daughter (Jill Clayburgh). It was only a modest hit, with much criticism directed at the…
- semiactive-guidance system
rocket and missile system: Semiactive: Semiactive guidance involved illuminating or designating the target with energy emitted from a source other than the missile; a seeker in the projectile that was sensitive to the reflected energy then homed onto the target. Like active guidance, semiactive guidance was commonly used for…
- semiarid climate
alluvial fan: …more prominent in arid and semiarid regions, however, and generally are regarded as characteristic desert landforms. This is particularly true in the basin-and-range type of areas of parts of Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the western United States, Chile and Peru, Sinai and western Arabia, and Central Asia, where the basic landscape…
- semiautogenous mill
mineral processing: Grinding: …development is the autogenous or semiautogenous mill. Autogenous mills operate without grinding bodies; instead, the coarser part of the ore simply grinds itself and the smaller fractions. To semiautogenous mills (which have become widespread), 5 to 10 percent grinding bodies (usually metal spheres) are added.
- semiautomatic ground environment (military science)
warning system: Air defense systems: Examples include the semiautomatic ground environment (SAGE), augmented by a mobile backup intercept control system called BUIC in the United States, NATO air defense ground environment (NADGE) in Europe, a similar system in Japan, and various land-mobile, airborne, and ship command and control systems. Little information concerning the…
- semiautomatic pistol (weapon)
semiautomatic pistol, handgun that utilizes either recoil or blowback to discharge the empty cartridge, reload, and cock the piece after each shot. The semiautomatic pistol dates from the very late 19th century, when developments in ammunition made possible cartridges and bullets that would feed or
- semiautomatic rifle
automatic rifle: …should not be confused with semiautomatic rifles, as the latter fire only one shot at each pull of the trigger. An automatic rifle fires repeatedly as long as the trigger is held down, until the magazine is exhausted. That fully automatic firing is achieved by weapons such as the machine…
- semiautomatic shotgun
shotgun: In semiautomatic shotguns, firing a shot automatically positions the next round.
- semiboiled method (soapmaking)
soap and detergent: Cold and semiboiled methods: In the semiboiled method, the fat is placed in the kettle and alkali solution is added while the mixture is stirred and heated but not boiled. The mass saponifies in the kettle and is poured from there into frames, where it solidifies. Because these methods are technically…
- semicell (biology)
desmid: …cell is divided symmetrically into semicells connected at a central isthmus. The three-layered cell wall is impregnated with openings or pores and pectin spicules; irregular desmid movement is caused by the flow of a gelatinous substance through these pores. Conjugation (temporary union for the exchange of nuclear material) is the…
- semichemical pulp (pulp)
papermaking: Semichemical pulp: For semichemical pulping, wood preparation and chipping are essentially the same as that for other wood-pulping processes. The chips are steeped and impregnated with inorganic chemical solutions similar to those used for full chemical pulping, but in smaller amounts and with less severe conditions.…
- semicircular canal (anatomy)
semicircular canal, any of three loop-shaped organs in the inner ear that help control balance and stability by sensing rotation and orientation of the head in three-dimensional space. The semicircular canals are part of the vestibular system of the inner ear, or labyrinth, which also includes
- semicircular duct (anatomy)
human ear: Semicircular canals: …its ampulla enclose a membranous semicircular duct of much smaller diameter that has its own ampulla. The membranous ducts and ampullae follow the same pattern as the canals and ampullae of the bony labyrinth, with their openings into the utricle and with a common crus for the superior and posterior…
- semicolon (grammar)
punctuation: Punctuation in English since 1600: The semicolon (;) ranks halfway between a comma and a full point. It may be substituted for a period between two grammatically complete sentences that are closely connected in sense; in a long or complicated sentence, it may precede a coordinate conjunction (such as or, and,…
- semiconductor (electronics)
semiconductor, any of a class of crystalline solids intermediate in electrical conductivity between a conductor and an insulator. Semiconductors are employed in the manufacture of various kinds of electronic devices, including diodes, transistors, and integrated circuits. Such devices have found
- Semiconductor Chip Protection Act (United States [1984])
copyright: …programs; a separate statute (the Semiconductor Chip Protection Act of 1984) affords protection for mask works—two- or three-dimensional layout-design patterns for creating layers of integrated circuits—fixed in a semiconductor chip product. (Under certain circumstances, computer programs may receive patent protection.)
- semiconductor detector (radiation detector)
solid-state detector, radiation detector in which a semiconductor material such as a silicon or germanium crystal constitutes the detecting medium. One such device consists of a p-n junction across which a pulse of current develops when a particle of ionizing radiation traverses it. In a different
- semiconductor device (electronics)
semiconductor device, electronic circuit component made from a material that is neither a good conductor nor a good insulator (hence semiconductor). Such devices have found wide applications because of their compactness, reliability, and low cost. As discrete components, they have found use in
- semiconductor diode (electronics)
electricity: Electroluminescence: …in a reverse-biased semiconductor p–n junction diode—i.e., a p–n junction diode in which the applied potential is in the direction of small current flow. Electrons in the intense field at the depleted junction easily acquire enough energy to excite atoms. Little of this energy finally emerges as light, though the…
- semiconductor diode laser (instrument)
laser: Types of lasers: …widely used lasers today are semiconductor diode lasers, which emit visible or infrared light when an electric current passes through them. The emission occurs at the interface (see p-n junction) between two regions doped with different materials. The p-n junction can act as a laser medium, generating stimulated emission
- semiconductor laser (instrument)
telecommunications media: Electro-optical transmitters: …a longer lifetime than the semiconductor laser. However, the semiconductor laser couples its light output to the optical fibre much more efficiently than the LED, making it more suitable for longer spans, and it also has a faster “rise” time, allowing higher data transmission rates. Laser diodes are available that…
- semiconductor memory (device)
semiconductor memory, any of a class of computer memory devices consisting of one or more integrated circuits. (See computer memory and integrated
- semiconductor radiation detector (radiation detector)
solid-state detector, radiation detector in which a semiconductor material such as a silicon or germanium crystal constitutes the detecting medium. One such device consists of a p-n junction across which a pulse of current develops when a particle of ionizing radiation traverses it. In a different
- semiconservative DNA replication (genetics)
genetics: DNA and the genetic code: …for DNA replication (called the semiconservative method) was demonstrated experimentally for the first time by American molecular biologist Matthew Meselson and American geneticist Franklin W. Stahl. In 1961 Crick and South African biologist Sydney Brenner showed that the genetic code must be read in triplets of nucleotides, called codons
- semicontinuous mill (metallurgy)
steel: Principles: …be shortened by a so-called semicontinuous mill, in which the workpiece is passed back and forth through a reversing mill before being sent through the rest of the line. When open-train and tandem arrangements are combined for rolling long products in more compact layouts, it is called a cross-country mill.
- semicrystalline polymer (chemistry)
chemistry of industrial polymers: Amorphous and semicrystalline: Polymers exhibit two types of morphology in the solid state: amorphous and semicrystalline. In an amorphous polymer the molecules are oriented randomly and are intertwined, much like cooked spaghetti, and the polymer has a glasslike, transparent appearance. In semicrystalline polymers, the molecules pack together…
- semidesert (geography)
Asia: Semidesert and desert: Through inner Kazakhstan and Mongolia stretches a zone of semidesert, and in Middle Asia, the Junggar (Dzungarian) Basin, the Takla Makan Desert, and Inner Mongolia, there is a belt of temperate-zone deserts. A belt of subtropical deserts extends through the
- semidiesel (engineering)
diesel engine: Early work: …the development of the so-called semidiesel that operated on a two-stroke cycle at a lower compression pressure and made use of a hot bulb or tube to ignite the fuel charge. These changes resulted in an engine less expensive to build and maintain.
- semidiurnal tide
Earth tide: …solar diurnal, and the solar semidiurnal tides. Diurnal tides have a period of approximately 24 hours (1 day), and semidiurnal tides have a period of approximately 12 hours (12 day). The actual amplitudes of these tides in terms of vertical movement of the surface of the solid Earth are about…
- semidry process (cement)
cement: Manufacture of cement: …as the wet, dry, and semidry processes and are so termed when the raw materials are ground wet and fed to the kiln as a slurry, ground dry and fed as a dry powder, or ground dry and then moistened to form nodules that are fed to the kiln.
- Semien Mountains (mountains, Ethiopia)
Simien Mountains, mountains in northern Ethiopia, northeast of Gonder. In the range is Ras Dejen (or Dashen), the highest peak in Ethiopia at 14,872 feet (4,533 metres). The region is the site of Simien Mountains National Park, which is home to a number of very rare species that include the walia
- semifinished material (industry)
marketing: Marketing intermediaries: the distribution channel: Manufacturers use raw materials to produce finished products, which in turn may be sent directly to the retailer, or, less often, to the consumer. However, as a general rule, finished goods flow from the manufacturer to one or more wholesalers before they reach the retailer and, finally,…
- semifixed ammunition (artillery)
ammunition: ) In semifixed ammunition, the projectile is detachable from the cartridge case, an arrangement that allows for the size of the propelling charge to be adjusted, after which the projectile can be inserted loosely into the case. In separate-loading ammunition, a complete round consists of three components:…
- Semigallian (people)
Baltic states: Early Middle Ages: To the east were the Semigallians, in present-day central Latvia and portions of northern Lithuania. Eastern Latvia was inhabited by the Selonians and Latgalians. At least four major principalities can be distinguished among the latter.
- semigelatinous dynamite (explosive compound)
explosive: Ammonium nitrate: …low-density ammonia dynamites and (2) semigelatins. Prior to their development, the density of most dynamites was about the same and was quite high. Strength was changed in the different grades by varying the amount of explosives used. The new concept was to employ the strongest formula possible, with a minimum…
- semigroup (mathematics)
automata theory: Classification by semi-groups: A mathematically significant classification of transducers may be obtained in terms of the theory of semi-groups. In outline, if the transducer T is reduced, the functions ϕs given in terms of M, for fixed input, as maps from and to the space of states…
- Semik (festival)
Slavic religion: Communal banquets and related practices: …annual festival in particular, the Semik (seventh Thursday after Easter) was dedicated to the expulsion of these spirits. They are called rusalki in Russia, vile or samovile in Serbo-Croatia and Bulgaria.
- semilunar cartilage (anatomy)
joint: Intra-articular fibrocartilages: …when incomplete they are called menisci. Disks are found in the temporomandibular joint of the lower jaw, the sternoclavicular (breastbone and collarbone) joint, and the ulnocarpal (inner forearm bone and wrist) joint. A pair of menisci is found in each knee joint, one between each femoral condyle and its female…
- semilunar valve (anatomy)
semilunar valve, either of two pocketlike half-moon-shaped structures located between the left ventricle and the aorta (aortic valve) and between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery (pulmonary valve) of the heart. The semilunar valves permit blood to flow into the arteries from the
- semimajor axis (geometry)
geoid: …specified by two parameters: a semimajor axis (equatorial radius for Earth) and a semiminor axis (polar radius), or the flattening. Flattening (f) is defined as the difference in magnitude between the semimajor axis (a) and the semiminor axis (b) divided by the semimajor axis, or f = (a − b)/a.…
- semimetal (chemistry)
metalloid, in chemistry, an imprecise term used to describe a chemical element that forms a simple substance having properties intermediate between those of a typical metal and a typical nonmetal. The term is normally applied to a group of between six and nine elements (boron, silicon, germanium,
- semiminor axis (geometry)
geoid: …radius for Earth) and a semiminor axis (polar radius), or the flattening. Flattening (f) is defined as the difference in magnitude between the semimajor axis (a) and the semiminor axis (b) divided by the semimajor axis, or f = (a − b)/a. For Earth the semimajor axis and semiminor axis…
- semimonocoque (fuselage)
fuselage: …all of the stresses) and semimonocoque. These structures provide better strength-to-weight ratios for the fuselage covering than the truss-type construction used in earlier planes.
- seminal duct dysgenesis (chromosomal disorder)
Klinefelter syndrome, disorder of the human sex chromosomes that occurs in males. Klinefelter syndrome is one of the most frequent chromosomal disorders in males, occurring in approximately 1 in every 500 to 1,000 males. It results from an unequal sharing of sex chromosomes very soon after
- seminal fluid (biochemistry)
semen, fluid that is emitted from the male reproductive tract and that contains sperm cells, which are capable of fertilizing the female’s eggs. Semen also contains liquids that combine to form seminal plasma, which helps keep the sperm cells viable. In the sexually mature human male, sperm cells
- seminal plasma
ejaculation: …the sperm receive fluids, called seminal plasma, from the various internal accessory organs (prostate gland, ejaculatory ducts, seminal vesicles, and bulbourethral glands), the acidity decreases. As they leave the body, the sperm receive oxygen, which is vital to motility. Unable to leave the male body by their own motivation, the…
- seminal vesicle (anatomy)
seminal vesicle, either of two elongated saclike glands that secrete their fluid contents into the ejaculatory ducts of some male mammals. The two seminal vesicles contribute approximately 60 percent of the fluids passed from the human male during ejaculation (q.v.). In some mammals the capacity of
- seminar (educational method)
Charles Kendall Adams: …historian who introduced the European seminar method to U.S. universities.
- seminary (religious education)
Gregory XIII: …decree ordering the establishment of seminaries, he founded several colleges and seminaries, including the Gregorian University, and delegated their direction to the Jesuits, whom he patronized. These schools trained missionaries for those countries that had established Protestant state religions.
- seminiferous tubule (anatomy)
animal reproductive system: Testes: …testes are composed largely of seminiferous tubules—coiled tubes, the walls of which contain cells that produce sperm—and are surrounded by a capsule, the tunica albuginea. Seminiferous tubules may constitute up to 90 percent of the testis. The tubule walls consist of a multilayered germinal epithelium containing spermatogenic cells and Sertoli…
- Seminole (film by Boetticher [1953])
Budd Boetticher: Westerns: …he returned to westerns with Seminole (1953), an atypically pro-Native American story set in Florida’s Everglades. Hudson starred as a cavalry officer who tries (unsuccessfully) to help his old friend Osceola (Quinn) resist the army’s efforts to wipe out the native Seminole population. The Man from the Alamo (1953) is…
- Seminole (people)
Seminole, North American Indian tribe of Creek origin who speak a Muskogean language. In the last half of the 18th century, migrants from the Creek towns of southern Georgia moved into northern Florida, the former territory of the Apalachee and Timucua. By about 1775 those migrants had begun to be
- Seminole (Oklahoma, United States)
Seminole, city, Seminole county, central Oklahoma, U.S., east-southeast of Oklahoma City. Settled in 1890 as a trading centre for farmers and stockmen, it was known as Tidmore until 1907, when it was renamed for the Seminole Indians, on whose land the site was located. The city’s population grew
- Seminole Freedmen (people)
Black Seminoles, a group of free blacks and runaway slaves (maroons) that joined forces with the Seminole Indians in Florida from approximately 1700 through the 1850s. The Black Seminoles were celebrated for their bravery and tenacity during the three Seminole Wars. The Native American Seminoles
- Seminole Maroons (people)
Black Seminoles, a group of free blacks and runaway slaves (maroons) that joined forces with the Seminole Indians in Florida from approximately 1700 through the 1850s. The Black Seminoles were celebrated for their bravery and tenacity during the three Seminole Wars. The Native American Seminoles
- Seminole War, First (United States history [1817–1818])
First Seminole War, conflict between U.S. armed forces and the Seminole Indians of Florida that is generally dated to 1817–18 and that led Spain to cede Florida to the United States. The Seminoles were largely of Creek origin and lived in villages in northern Florida. The area was also home to a
- Seminole War, Second (United States history [1835–1842])
Second Seminole War, conflict (1835–42) that arose when the United States undertook to force the Seminole Indians to move from a reservation in central Florida to the Creek reservation west of the Mississippi River. It was the longest of the wars of Indian removal. Following the end of the First
- Seminole Wars (United States history)
Seminole Wars, (1817–18, 1835–42, 1855–58), three conflicts between the United States and the Seminole Indians of Florida in the period before the American Civil War that ultimately resulted in the opening of the Seminole’s desirable land for white exploitation and settlement. The First Seminole
- seminoma (pathology)
testicular cancer: Types of testicular cancer: …which are broadly classified as seminomas or nonseminomas on the basis of their appearance and other characteristics. About 40 to 60 percent of testicular germ cell tumours are seminomas. These cancers tend to be slow-growing and respond well to treatment. Seminomas are derived from immature germ cells in the tissues…
- seminomadism (pastoral society)
transhumance, form of pastoralism or nomadism organized around the migration of livestock between mountain pastures in warm seasons and lower altitudes the rest of the year. The seasonal migration may also occur between lower and upper latitudes (as in the movement of Siberian reindeer between the
- semiology (study of signs)
semiotics, the study of signs and sign-using behaviour. It was defined by one of its founders, the Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure, as the study of “the life of signs within society.” Although the word was used in this sense in the 17th century by the English philosopher John Locke, the idea
- Semionotidae (fish family)
holostean: Extant groups: …years ago), belongs to the Semionotidae. Members of this family have small mouths and strong teeth, heavily ossified (that is, composed of true bone rather than cartilage) dermal bones, and hemiheterocercal tails. The body may be fusiform (tapered at both ends), as in Semionotus, or flat and disk-shaped, as in…
- Semionotiformes (order of fishes)
fish: Annotated classification: Order Semionotiformes (gar and fossil relatives) 3 (2 extinct and 1 living) families of widely divergent fishes; probably independent of the Amiiformes but with typical holostean characters; length to about 3 metres (roughly 10 feet). Late Permian to present. Infraclass Teleostei (advanced bony
- semiotics (study of signs)
semiotics, the study of signs and sign-using behaviour. It was defined by one of its founders, the Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure, as the study of “the life of signs within society.” Although the word was used in this sense in the 17th century by the English philosopher John Locke, the idea
- Semipalatinsk (Kazakhstan)
Semey, city, eastern Kazakhstan. It is a port on the Irtysh (Ertis) River where the latter emerges into the West Siberian Plain. It was founded as a Russian fort in 1718, 11 miles (18 km) downstream from the present site, near the ruins of a Buddhist monastery consisting of seven buildings, from
- semipalmated goose (bird)
magpie goose, (Anseranas semipalmata), large unusual waterfowl of Australia and Papua New Guinea. Although classified by many ornithologists as the sole member of the subfamily Anseranatinae in family Anatidae (ducks, geese, and swans), it may merit recognition as a separate family in order
- semipelagic trawl (fishing boat)
commercial fishing: Dragged gear: …of mid-water trawl is the semipelagic trawl, originally invented in Iceland and now operated primarily by French fishermen. In this technique the otter boards remain in touch with the bottom but the trawl floats at some distance above it. Semipelagic trawls were constructed because fish often are concentrated at a…
- semiperfect gas equation of state (chemistry and physics)
ideal gas law, relation between the pressure P, volume V, and temperature T of a gas in the limit of low pressures and high temperatures, such that the molecules of the gas move almost independently of each other. In such a case, all gases obey an equation of state known as the ideal gas law: PV =
- semipermeable membrane
cardiovascular disease: Diseases of the capillaries: The capillaries are freely permeable to water and small molecules but ordinarily are not highly permeable to proteins and other materials. In some pathological situations, such as in certain allergic states (e.g., hives) or because of local injury, as in burns, there may be local areas of permeability, with…
- semiplosive (phonetics)
affricate, a consonant sound that begins as a stop (sound with complete obstruction of the breath stream) and concludes with a fricative (sound with incomplete closure and a sound of friction). Examples of affricates are the ch sound in English chair, which may be represented phonetically as a t
- semipolar bond (chemistry)
acid–base reaction: Reactions of Lewis acids: …bond is termed semipolar or coordinate, as in the reaction of boron trifluoride with ammonia:
- semiporcelain (pottery)
ironstone china, type of stoneware introduced in England early in the 19th century by Staffordshire potters who sought to develop a porcelain substitute that could be mass-produced. The result of their experiments was a dense, hard, durable stoneware that came to be known by several names—e.g.,
- semiprecious stone
jewelry: The properties of gems: Among the semiprecious stones used in jewelry are amethyst, garnet, aquamarine, amber, jade, turquoise, opal, lapis lazuli, and malachite. Matrix jewelry is cut from a stone such as opal or turquoise and the surrounding natural material,
- Semiramide (opera by Rossini)
Gioachino Rossini: Italian period: …crown his Italian career with Semiramide (1823). The old-fashioned Venetians, however, did not understand the astonishing work, his longest and most ambitious, and so he resolved not to write another note for his countrymen. Following his resolution, he decided to leave Italy.
- Sémiramis (play by Voltaire)
Voltaire: Later travels of Voltaire: …apparition of a ghost, for Sémiramis (1748), but his public was not captivated. His enemies compared him with Prosper Jolyot, sieur de Crébillon, who was preeminent among French writers of tragedy at this time. Though Voltaire used the same subjects as his rival (Oreste, Sémiramis), the Parisian audience preferred the…
- Semiramis (queen of Assyria)
Sammu-ramat was an Assyrian queen who became a legendary heroine. Sammu-ramat was the mother of the Assyrian king Adad-nirari III (reigned 810–783 bc). Her stela (memorial stone shaft) has been found at Ashur, while an inscription at Calah (Nimrūd) shows her to have been dominant there after the
- Semirechye (historical region, Central Asia)
history of Central Asia: …hence its Russian name of Semirechye.
- semiregular polyhedron (mathematics)
Archimedes: His works: …of refraction; on the 13 semiregular (Archimedean) polyhedra (those bodies bounded by regular polygons, not necessarily all of the same type, that can be inscribed in a sphere); and the “Cattle Problem” (preserved in a Greek epigram), which poses a problem in indeterminate analysis, with eight unknowns. In addition to…
- semirhyme (poetry)
rhyme: …is sometimes softened by using trailing rhyme, or semirhyme, in which one of the two words trails an additional unstressed syllable behind it (trail / failure). Other types of rhyme include eye rhyme, in which syllables are identical in spelling but are pronounced differently (cough / slough), and pararhyme, first…
- semirigid airship (aircraft)
airship: …have been built: nonrigids (blimps), semirigids, and rigids. All three types have four principal parts: a cigar-shaped bag, or balloon, that is filled with a lighter-than-air gas; a car or gondola that is slung beneath the balloon and holds the crew and passengers; engines that drive propellers; and horizontal and…