osculant

1 definition found

osculant - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Osculant \Os"cu*lant\, a. [L. osculans, -antis, p. pr. of
     osculari to kiss. See Osculate.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. Kissing; hence, meeting; clinging.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Zool.) Adhering closely; embracing; -- applied to certain
        creeping animals, as caterpillars.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Biol.) Intermediate in character, or on the border,
        between two genera, groups, families, etc., of animals or
        plants, and partaking somewhat of the characters of each,
        thus forming a connecting link; interosculant; as, the
        genera by which two families approximate are called
        osculant genera.
        [1913 Webster]