Quinarian, kwī-nā′ri-an, adj. classified in sets of five: (zool.) relating to the circular or so-called natural system of classification, propounded in 1819 and much elaborated by Swainson in 1835—also Quī′nary.—n. one who supports this theory. [L. quinarius—quini, five each—quinque, five.]
Quinate, kwī′nāt, adj. (bot.) having five leaflets on a petiole. [L. quini, five each.]
Quince, kwins, n. the golden, globose or pear-shaped, fragrant fruit of a large shrub or small tree (Pyrus Cydonia) of the rose family, too austere to be eaten raw, but excellent for jellies, marmalade, and flavouring other fruits. [Pl. of quine—O. Fr. coin (Fr. coing)—L. cydonium—Gr. Cydōnia, in Crete.]
Quincentenary, kwin-sen′te-nā-ri, adj. relating to five hundred, especially five hundred years.—n. a five hundredth anniversary.
Quinch, kwinsh, v.t. (Spens.). Same as Quitch, v.t.
Quincunx, kwin′kungks, n. an arrangement of five things, so as to occupy each corner and the centre of a square, esp. of trees or plants.—adj. Quincun′cial.—adv. Quincun′cially. [L. quinque, five, uncia, a twelfth part, an ounce.]
Quindecemvir, kwin-dē-sem′vir, n. one of a college of fifteen men in ancient Rome who had the charge of the Sibylline books:—pl. Quindecem′viri.—ns. Quindec′agon, a plane figure with fifteen sides and angles; Quindecem′virate, the body of the quindecemviri or their office; Quindec′ima (mus.), the interval of a fifteenth, or double-octave. [L.,—quindecim, fifteen (quinque, five, decem, ten), vir, a man.]
Quinible, kwin′i-bl, n. (mus.) an interval of a fifth: a descant sung at the fifth. [L. quinque, five.]
Quinine, kwin′ēn, ki-nēn′, or kwī′nīn, n. a colourless, inodorous, and very bitter alkaloid, obtained from the bark of the Cinchona tree, its salts used for agues and fevers.—ns. Quī′na, the bark of various species of Cinchona; Quinam′ine, a natural white crystalline alkaloid obtained from various Cinchona barks; Quinaquī′na, the bark of various species of Cinchona.—adj. Quin′ic, pertaining to, or derived from, quinine.—ns. Quin′idine, a white crystalline compound, isomeric with quinine, found in some Cinchona barks; Quinol′ogy, the knowledge of quinine and other Cinchona alkaloids. [Fr.,—Sp. and Port. quinina—Peruv. quina, kina, bark.]