‖ meditullium
(mɛdɪˈtʌlɪəm)
[L., f. medi-us middle; the second element is prob. cogn. w. tellus earth.]
† 1. The middle (of anything). Obs.
| 1611 Coryat Crudities 396 Baden..lyeth in the very meditullium of Heluetia. 1638 Sir T. Herbert Trav. (1677) 48 That Meditullium of the earth [India]. |
2. spec. The cellular or reticulated bony substance between the inner and outer laminæ of the cranium; = diploe 1. ? Obs.
| 1693 tr. Blancard's Phys. Dict. (ed. 2), Meditullium, that Spungy Substance betwixt the Two Lamina [sic] of the Scull. |
3. Bot. The interior parenchyma of the leaves and other parts of plants; = diploe 2.
| 1840 Pereira Elem. Mat. Med. ii. 661 The meditullium has frequently a reddish tint. 1880 Garrod & Baxter Mat. Med. 374 The roots are seen to consist of a cortex or rind, and a ligneous cord or meditullium inclosing the pith. |
Hence † mediˈtullian a. Obs., pertaining to the middle (of the earth).
| 1670 Pettus Fodinæ Reg. Introd., As if they were but the soft Products of those Meditullian Petrefactions. |