Specious, spē′shus, adj. that looks well at first sight: showy: plausible: appearing actual, not merely imaginary.—ns. Spēcios′ity, Spē′ciousness, plausible appearance.—adv. Spē′ciously. [Fr.,—L. speciosus, showy—species, form—specĕre, to see.]
Speck, spek, n. a spot: a blemish: a mark betokening decay: a separate piece or particle, an atom, the least morsel or quantity: a percoid fish of the United States, a darter.—v.t. to spot. [A.S. specca; Low Ger. spakig, spotted with wet.]
Speck, spek, n. fat, lard.—n. Specktioneer′, the chief harpooner in whale-fishing. [A.S. spic, bacon; Ger. speck, Dut. spek, fat.]
Speckle, spek′l, n. a little speck or spot in anything different in substance or colour from the thing itself: (Scot.) kind, sort.—v.t. to mark with speckles.—adj. Speck′led, variegated, piebald.—n. Speck′ledness.—adjs. Speck′less, spotless, perfectly clean; Speck′y, partially spotted.
Spectacle, spek′ta-kl, n. a sight: show, a pageant, exhibition: (pl.) a pair of lenses mounted in frames to assist the sight, aids to mental vision: a marking resembling spectacles, as in the cobra.—adjs. Spec′tacled, wearing spectacles: marked like spectacles, as the bear, cobra, &c.; Spectac′ular, marked by display.—n. Spectacular′ity.—adv. Spectac′ularly. [L. spectaculum—spectāre, -ātum, intens. of specĕre, to look at.]
Spectant, spek′tant, adj. looking forward.—v.t. Spec′tāte, to survey.—n. Spec′tātion. [L. spectans, -antis, pr.p. of spectāre.]
Spectator, spek-tā′tor, n. one who looks on:—fem. Spectā′tress, Spectā′trix.—adj. Spectatō′rial.—n. Spectā′torship, the office or quality of a spectator: (Shak.) the act of beholding.
Spectre, spek′tėr, n. a ghost.—adj. Spec′tral, relating to, or like, a spectre.—n. Spectral′ity, the state of being spectral, a spectral object.—adv. Spec′trally.—n. Spec′tre-bat, a South American leaf-nosed bat or vampire. [L. spectrum, a vision—specĕre, to see.]
Spectrum, spek′trum, n. the image of something seen continued after the eyes are closed: the colours of light separated by a prism, and exhibited as spread out on a screen:—pl. Spec′tra.—n. Spec′trograph, an apparatus for photographing a spectrum.—adjs. Spectrograph′ic, -al.—n. Spectrog′raphy, the art of using the spectrograph.—adj. Spectrolog′ical.—adv. Spectrolog′ically.—ns. Spectrol′ogy, the division of physical science that embraces spectrum analysis: demonology; Spectrom′eter, an instrument like a spectroscope, by means of which the angular deviation of a ray of light in passing through a prism can be accurately measured.—adj. Spectromet′ric.—n. Spec′trophōne, an adaptation of the spectroscope, in which, on the principle of the radiophone, perception of a succession of sounds takes the place of observation by the eye.—adj. Spectrophon′ic.—ns. Spec′tro-polar′iscope, a polariscope combined with a spectroscope; Spec′troscope, an instrument for forming and examining spectra of luminous bodies, so as to determine their composition.—adjs. Spectroscōp′ic, -al.—adv. Spectroscōp′ically.—ns. Spec′troscōpist, one skilled in spectroscopy; Spec′troscōpy, the use of the spectroscope and the study of spectrum analysis. [L.,—specĕre, to see.]
Specular, spek′ū-lar, adj. resembling a speculum: having a smooth reflecting surface: assisting vision, serving for inspection.—Specular iron ore, a variety of hematite, with a brilliant metallic lustre. [L.]