Emily Dickinson Lexicon

MEL'AN-ITE, n. [Gr. μελαν, black.]

A mineral, a variety of garnet, of a velvet black or grayish black, occurring always in crystals of a dodecahedral form. – Cleaveland. Ure. Melanite is perfectly opake. It is found among volcanic substances. – Dict. Nat. Hist.

MEL-AN-IT'IC, a.

Pertaining to melanite.

MEL'AN-TER-I, n. [Gr. μελαν, black.]

Salt of iron, or iron in a saline state, mixed with inflammable matter. Fourcroy.

MEL'A-NURE, or MEL-A-NU'RUS, n.

A small fish of the Mediterranean. – Dict. Nat. Hist.

ME-LASS'ES, n. [sing. It. melassa; Sp. melaza; Fr. melasse; Port. melaço; from μελι, honey; or μελας, black.]

The sirup which drains from Muscovado sugar when cooling; treacle. Nicholson. The melasses strains through the spungy stalk and drops into the cistern. Edwards, W. Indies.

ME-LEE', n. [melài; Fr.]

A mixture; a fight or scuffle.

ME-LIC'ER-OUS, a. [Gr. μελικηρις.]

Noting a tumor inclosed in a cyst, consisting of matter like honey. – Hosack.

MEL'I-LOT, n. [Fr.]

A plant of the genus Trifolium.

MEL'IOR-ATE, v.i.

To grow better.

MEL'IOR-ATE, v.t. [Fr. ameliorer; Sp. mejorar; It. migliorare; from L. melior, better; W. mall, gain, profit; Ir. meall, good.]

To make better; to improve; as, to meliorate fruit by grafting, or soil by cultivation. Civilization has done much, but Christianity more, to meliorate the condition of men in a society. Nature by art we nobly meliorate. – Denham.

MEL'IOR-A-TED, pp.

Made better; improved.

MEL'IOR-A-TING, ppr.

Improving; advancing in good qualities. The pure and benign light of revelation has had a meliorating influence on mankind. Washington's Circular, June 18, 1783.

MEL-IOR-A'TION, n.

The act or operation of making better; improvement.

MEL-IOR'I-TY, n.

The state of being better. [Not in us.] – Bacon.

MELL, n. [L. mel.]

Honey. [Not English.]

MELL, v.i. [Fr. mêler.]

To mix; to meddle. [Not in use.] Spenser.

MEL'LATE, n. [L. mel, honey, Gr. μελι, W. mel.]

A combination of the mellitic acid with a base.

MEL-LIF'ER-OUS, a. [L. mel, honey, and fero, to produce.]

Producing honey.

MEL-LIF-I-CA'TION, n. [L. mellifico.]

The making or production of honey.

MEL-LIF'LU-ENCE, n. [L. mel, honey, and fluo, to flow.]

A flow of sweetness, or a sweet smooth flow. Watts.

MEL-LIF'LU-ENT, or MEL-LIF'LU-OUS, a.

Flowing with honey; smooth; sweetly flowing; as, a mellifluous voice.

MEL-LIF'LU-ENT-LY, or MEL-LIF'LU-OUS-LY, adv.

Smoothly; flowingly.

MEL-LIG'E-NOUS, a. [Gr. μελ, honey, and γενος, kind.]

Having the qualities of honey.

MEL'LIT, n.

In farriery, a dry scab on the heel of a horse's fore foot, cured by a mixture of honey and vinegar.

MEL'LITE, n. [L. mel.]

Honey-stone; a mineral of a honey color, found only in very minute regular crystals. Cleaveland.