Lecythis | ‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. 3 an oil flask. ] (Bot.) A genus of gigantic trees, chiefly Brazilian, of the order Myrtaceæ, having woody capsules opening by an apical lid. Lecythis Zabucajo yields the delicious sapucaia nuts. Lecythis Ollaria produces the monkey-pots, its capsules. Its bark separates into thin sheets, like paper, used by the natives for cigarette wrappers. [ 1913 Webster ] |
Lecithin | n. [ Gr. le`kiqos the yolk of an egg. ] (Physiol. Chem.) A complex, nitrogenous phosphorized substance widely distributed through the animal body, and especially conspicuous in the brain and nerve tissue, in yolk of eggs, and in the white blood corpuscles. [ 1913 Webster ] |