Catheter, kath′e-tėr, n. a tube to be introduced through the urethra into the bladder to draw off the urine, or for injecting air or fluids into the Eustachian tube.—ns. Cath′eterism; Cathetom′eter, an instrument for measuring small differences of level of different liquids in tubes; Cath′etus, a straight line falling perpendicularly on another straight line or surface. [Gr. kathetos, perpendicular, kathetēr, from kathienai, to send down.]
Cathisma, ka-thiz′ma, n. in Greek use, a portion of the psalter, there being altogether twenty cathismata: a troparion or short hymn used as a response. [Gr., kathizein, to sit down.]
Cathode, kath-ōd′, n. the negative pole or electrode of a galvanic battery, as opposed to anode: the surface in contact with the negative pole: the object to be coated in electroplating—adj. Cath′odal. [Gr. kathodos, a going down, kata, down, hodos, a way.]
Cat-hole. See Cat.
Catholic, kath′ol-ik, adj. universal: general, embracing the whole body of Christians: orthodox, as opposed to heterodox and sectarian—applied esp. to the Christian Church before the great schism between the East and the West: liberal, the opposite of exclusive: relating to the name claimed by its adherents for the Church of Rome as the alleged sole visible representative of the church founded by Christ and His apostles—the characteristic marks of the Catholic Church being universality, antiquity, unity: relating to the Roman Catholics.—n. an adherent of the R.C. Church.—v.t. Cathol′icise, to make Catholic.—ns. Cathol′icism, Catholic′ity, universality: liberality or breadth of view: the tenets of the R.C. Church; Cathol′icon, a universal remedy or panacea; Cathol′icos, the Patriarch of Armenia.—Catholic creditor (law of Scot.), one whose debt is secured over several or the whole subjects belonging to the debtor—e.g. over two or more heritable estates; Catholic emancipation, the relief of the Roman Catholics from certain vexatious penal regulations and restrictions, granted in 1829; Catholic or General epistles, the name given to certain epistles in the canon addressed not to particular churches or individuals, but either to the Church universal or to a large and indefinite circle of readers—originally only 1 John and 1 Peter, but, as early as the 3d century, also James, Jude, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John; Catholic king, a title given specially to the king of Spain.—Old Catholics, the title assumed by a number of Catholics who at Munich protested against the new dogma of the personal infallibility of the pope in all ex cathedrâ deliverances proclaimed by the Vatican Council in 1870—now a considerable communion or church in Germany and Switzerland. [Gr. katholicos, universal—kata, throughout, holos, the whole.]
Catiline, kat′il-īn, n. the type of a daring and reckless conspirator, from L. Sergius Catilina, whose plot to destroy Rome was foiled by Cicero, 63 B.C.—adj. Cat′ilinārian.
Catkin. See Cat.
Cat-log, kat′-log, n. (Shak.). Catalogue.
Catonian, ka-tō′ni-an, adj. resembling Cato, the Roman Censor (died 149 B.C.), or Cato Uticensis (95-46 B.C.), both remarkable for gravity of manners—hence grave, severe, unbending.
Catoptric, kat-op′trik, adj. relating to catoptrics or vision by reflection.—n.pl. Catop′trics, the part of optics which treats of reflected light. [Gr.; from katoptron, a mirror—kata, against, optesthai, to see.]