a. [ NL. apiculus, dim. of L. apex, apicis. ] Situated at, or near, the apex; apical. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ See Apicular. ] (Bot.) Terminated abruptly by a small, distinct point, as a leaf. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. apis bee + E. culture. ] Rearing of bees for their honey and wax. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a farmer who keeps bees for their honey.
Syn. -- beekeeper, apiarist. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Jav. & Malay pikul, fr. pikul to carry on the back, to carry a burden; n., a man's burden. ] A commercial weight varying in different countries and for different commodities. In Borneo it is 1355/8 lbs.; in China and Sumatra, 1331/2 lbs.; in Japan, 1331/3 lbs.; but sometimes 130 lbs., etc. Called also, by the Chinese, tan. [ Written also pecul, and pecal. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Dim. of Picus. ] (Zool.) Any species of very small woodpeckers of the genus Picumnus and allied genera. Their tail feathers are not stiff and sharp at the tips, as in ordinary woodpeckers. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Spiculae [ NL., dim. of L. spica a spike, ear. ] (Bot.) (a) A little spike; a spikelet. (b) A pointed fleshy appendage. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. spiculum a dart: cf. F. spiculaire. ] Resembling a dart; having sharp points. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. spiculatus, p. p. of spiculare to sharpen, to point, fr. spiculum a dart. ] 1. Covered with, or having, spicules. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) Covered with minute spiculae, or pointed fleshy appendages; divided into small spikelets. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To sharpen to a point. [ R. ] “With spiculated paling.” Mason. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. spiculum a little point, a dart. ] 1. A minute, slender granule, or point. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) Same as Spicula. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) Any small calcareous or siliceous body found in the tissues of various invertebrate animals, especially in sponges and in most Alcyonaria. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Spicules vary exceedingly in size and shape, and some of those found in siliceous sponges are very complex in structure and elegant in form. They are of great use in classification. [ 1913 Webster ]

Description of the Illustration: [ 1913 Webster ]

a Acerate; b Tricurvate, or Bowshaped; c d Hamate; e Broomshaped; f Scepterellate; g Spinispirulate; h Inequi-anchorate; i Sexradiate; j A Trichite Sheaf; k Six-rayed Capitate; l Rosette of Esperia; m Equi-anchorate. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Having the shape of a spicule. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. spiculum + -genous. ] (Zool.) Producing or containing spicules. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. ] (Zool.) A division of sponges including those which have independent siliceous spicules. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Spicula [ L., a little point. ] (Zool.) Same as Spicule. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. stirps, stirpis, stem, stock, race + cultura culture. ] The breeding of special stocks or races. [ 1913 Webster ]