elater

4 definitions found

elater - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Elater \El"a*ter\, n. (Chem.)
     The active principle of elaterium, being found in the juice
     of the wild or squirting cucumber (Ecballium agreste,
     formerly Motordica Elaterium) and other related species. It
     is extracted as a bitter, white, crystalline substance, which
     is a violent purgative.
     [1913 Webster]

  Elater \E*lat"er\, n.
     One who, or that which, elates.
     [1913 Webster]

  Elater \El"a*ter\, n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? driver, fr. ? to drive.]
     1. (Bot.) An elastic spiral filament for dispersing the
        spores, as in some liverworts.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Zo["o]l.) Any beetle of the family Elaterid[ae], having
        the habit, when laid on the back, of giving a sudden
        upward spring, by a quick movement of the articulation
        between the abdomen and thorax; -- called also click  beetle
        , spring beetle, and snapping beetle.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Zo["o]l.) The caudal spring used by Podura and related
        insects for leaping. See Collembola.
        [1913 Webster]

elater - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  elater
      n 1: any of various widely distributed beetles [syn: elaterid beetle
           , elater, elaterid]