Orismology, or-is-mol′ō-ji, n. the science of defining technical terms.—adjs. Orismolog′ic, -al. [Gr. horismos—horizein, to bound.]
Orison, or′i-zun, n. a prayer. [O. Fr. orison (Fr. oraison)—L. oratio, -ōnis—orāre, to pray.]
Orle, orl, n. (archit.) a fillet under the ovolo of a capital—also Or′let: (her.) a border within a shield at a short distance from the edge. [O. Fr., border, from Low L. orlum, dim. of L. ora, border.]
Orleanist, or′lē-an-ist, n. one of the family of the Duke of Orleans, brother of Louis XIV. of France: a supporter of the claims of this family to the throne of France.—adj. favourable to the claims of the Orleans family.—ns. Or′leanism; Or′leans, a wool and cotton cloth for women's dresses.
Orlop, or′lop, n. the deck below the berth-deck in a ship where the cables, &c., are stowed. [Dut. overloop, the upper deck—overlopen, to run over.]
Ormer, or′mėr, n. an ear-shell or sea-ear.
Ormolu, or′mo-lōō, n. an alloy of copper, zinc, and tin: gilt or bronzed metallic ware: gold-leaf prepared for gilding bronze, &c. [Fr. or—L. aurum, gold, moulu, pa.p. of moudre, to grind—L. molāre, to grind.]
Ormuzd, or′muzd, n. the name of the chief god of the ancient Persians: the creator and lord of the whole universe: (later) the good principle, as opposed to Ahriman, the bad. [A corr. of Pers. Ahura-Mazdâh=the Living God or Lord (ahu='the living,' 'life,' or 'spirit,' root ah='to be'), the Great Creator (maz+dâ=Sans. mahâ+dhâ), or the Wise One.]
Ornament, or′na-ment, n. anything that adds grace or beauty: additional beauty: a mark of honour: (pl., Pr. Bk.) all the articles used in the services of the church.—v.t. to adorn: to furnish with ornaments.—adj. Ornament′al, serving to adorn or beautify.—adv. Ornament′ally.—ns. Ornamentā′tion, act or art of ornamenting: (archit.) ornamental work; Or′namenter; Or′namentist.—adj. Ornate′, ornamented: decorated: highly finished, esp. applied to a style of writing.—adv. Ornate′ly.—n. Ornate′ness. [Fr. ornement—L. ornamentum—ornāre, to adorn.]
Ornis, or′nis, n. the birds collectively of a region, its avifauna.—adj. Ornith′ic.—ns. Ornithich′nite (geol.), the footmark of a bird found impressed on sandstone, &c.; Ornithodel′phia, the lowest of the three sub-classes of mammals, same as Monotremata—from the ornithic character of the urogenital organs.—adjs. Ornithodel′phian (also n.), Ornithodel′phic, Ornithodel′phous; Or′nithoid, somewhat ornithic.—ns. Ornith′olite (geol.), the fossil remains of a bird: a stone occurring of various colours and forms bearing the figures of birds.—adj. Ornitholog′ical, pertaining to ornithology.—adv. Ornitholog′ically.—ns. Ornithol′ogist, one versed in ornithology, or who makes a special study of birds; Ornithol′ogy, the science and study of birds; Or′nithomancy, divination by means of birds, by observing their flight, &c.—adjs. Ornithoman′tic; Ornithoph′ilous, bird-fertilised; Or′nithopod, Ornithop′odous, having feet like a bird.—ns. Ornithorhyn′chus, an animal in Australia, with a body like an otter and a snout like the bill of a duck, also called Duck-bill; Ornithos′copy, observation of birds or of their habits; Ornithot′omy, the act of dissecting birds. [Gr. ornis, ornithos, a bird.]