Emily Dickinson Lexicon

HER-MAPH'RO-DITE, n. [Fr. from Gr. ερμαφροδιτος; ερμης, Mercury, and αφροδιτη, Venus.]

1. A human being, having the parts of generation both of male and female. The term is applied also to other animals characterized by a similar formation. Encyc.
2. In botany, a flower that contains both the stamen and the pistil, or the male and female organs of generation, within the same calyx or on the same receptacle. Martyn. Encyc.
3. A plant that has only hermaphrodite flowers. Martyn.

HER-MAPH-RO-DIT'IC, a.

Partaking of both sexes. Brown.

HER-MAPH-RO-DIT'IC-AL-LY, adv.

After the manner of hermaphrodites.

HER-ME-NEU'TIC, or HER-ME-NEU'TIC-AL, a. [Gr. ερμηνευτικος, from ερμηνευς, an interpreter, from ερμης, Mercury.]

Interpreting; explaining; unfolding the signification; as, hermeneutic theology, the art of expounding the Scriptures. Bloomfield. Encyc.

HER-ME-NEU'TIC-AL-LY, adv.

According to the true art of interpreting words. M. Stuart.

HER-ME-NEU'TICS, n.

The art of finding the meaning of an author's words and phrases, and of explaining it to others.

HER-MET'IC, or HER-MET'IC-AL, a. [Fr. hermetique; Sp. hermetico; from Gr. ερμης, Mercury, the fabled inventor of chimistry.]

1. Designating chimistry; chimical; as, the hermetic art.
2. Designating that species of philosophy which pretends to solve and explain all the phenomena of nature from the three chimical principles, salt, sulphur and mercury; as, the hermetic philosophy.
3. Designating the system which explains the causes of diseases and the operations of medicine, on the principles of the hermetical philosophy, and particularly on the system of an alkali and acid; as, hermetical physic or medicine. Encyc.
4. Perfectly close, so that no air, gas or spirit can escape; as, an hermetic seal. The hermetic seal is formed by heating the neck of a vessel till it is soft, and then twisting it, till the aperture or passage is accurately closed. Encyc. Hermetic books, books of the Egyptians which treat of astrology. Bryant. Books which treat of universal principles, of the nature and orders of celestial beings, of medicine and other topics.

HER-MET'IC-AL-LY, adv.

According to the hermetic art; chimically; closely; accurately; as, a vessel hermetically sealed or closed.

HER'MIT, n. [Fr. hermite, ermite; Sp. ermitaño; It. eremita; Gr. ερημιτης, from ερημος, solitary, destitute. Perhaps from the Shemitic חרם, to cut off from society, to expel, or to be separated. Class Rm. See Harem.]

1. A person who retires from society and lives in solitude; a recluse; an anchoret. The word is usually applied to a person who lives in solitude, disengaged from the cares and interruptions of society, for the purpose of religious contemplation and devotion.
2. A beadsman; one bound to pray for another. Shak.

HER'MIT-AGE, n.

1. The habitation of a hermit; a house or hut with its appendages, in a solitary place, where a hermit dwells. Milton.
2. A cell in a recluse place, but annexed to an abbey. Encyc.
3. A kind of wine.

HER'MIT-A-RY, n.

A cell for the religious annexed to some abbey. Howell.

HER'MIT-ESS, n.

A female hermit. Drummond.

HER-MIT'IC-AL, a.

1. Pertaining to a hermit, or to retired life.
2. Suited to a hermit. Coventry.

HER-MO-DAC'TYL, n. [Gr. ερμης, Mercury, and δακτυλος, a finger; Mercury's finger.]

In the Materia Medica, a root brought from Turkey. It is in the shape of a heart flattened, of a white color, compact, but easy to be cut or pulverized, of a viscous sweetish taste, with a slight degree of acrimony. Some suppose it to be the root of the Colchicum variegatum; others, the root of the Iris tuberosa. It was anciently in great repute as a cathartic; but that which is now furnished has little or no cathartic quality. Encyc.

HER-MO-GE'NI-ANS, n.

A sect of ancient heretics, so called from their leader Hermogenes, who lived near the close of the second century. He held matter to be the fountain of all evil, and that souls are formed of corrupt matter. Encyc.

HERN, n.

A heron – which see.

HERN'HILL, n.

A plant.

HERN'I-A, n. [Gr. ἔρμια, from ερνος, a shooting forth, a branch.]

In surgery, a protrusion of some organ of the abdomen through an interstice in its parietes, producing a soft and slightly elastic tumor.

HERN'SHAW, n.

A heron. [Obs.] Spenser.

HE'RO, n. [L. heros, Gr. ηρως, a demigod. It coincides in elements with Ir. earr, noble, grand, a champion, and with the G. herr, D. heer, lord, master.]

1. A man of distinguished valor, intrepidity or enterprise in danger; as, a hero in arms. Cowley.
2. A great, illustrious or extraordinary person; as, a hero in learning. [Little used.]
3. In a poem, or romance, the principal personage, or the person who has the principal share in the transactions related; as Achilles in the Iliad, Ulysses in the Odyssey, and Æneas in the Æneid.
4. In pagan mythology, a hero was an illustrious person, mortal indeed, but supposed by the populace to partake of immortality, and after his death to be placed among the gods. Encyc.

HE-RO'DI-ANS, n.

A sect among the Jews, which took this name from Herod; but authors are not agreed as to their peculiar notions.

HE-RO'IC, a.

1. Pertaining to a hero or heroes; as, heroic valor.
2. Becoming a hero; bold; daring; illustrious; as, heroic action; heroic enterprises.
3. Brave; intrepid; magnanimous; enterprising; illustrious for valor; as, Hector, the heroic son of Priam; a heroic race.
4. Productive of heroes; as, a heroic line in pedigree.
5. Reciting the achievements of heroes; as, a heroic poem.
6. Used in heroic poetry or hexameter; as, heroic verse; a heroic foot. Heroic age, the age when the heroes, or those called the children of the gods, are supposed to have lived.

HE-RO'IC-AL, a.

The same as heroic. [Little used.]

HE-RO'IC-AL-LY, adv.

In the manner of a hero; with valor; bravely; courageously; intrepidly. The wall was heroically defended.

HE-RO-I-COM'IC, a. [See Hero and Comic.]

Consisting of the heroic and the ludicrous; denoting the high burlesque; as, a heroi-comic poem.