Hypertext Webster Gateway: "coma"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Envelope \En"vel*ope\ (?; 277), Envelop \En*vel"op\ (?; 277), n.
[F. enveloppe.]
1. That which envelops, wraps up, encases, or surrounds; a
wrapper; an inclosing cover; esp., the cover or wrapper of
a document, as of a letter.
2. (Astron.) The nebulous covering of the head or nucleus of
a comet; -- called also {coma}.
3. (Fort.) A work of earth, in the form of a single parapet
or of a small rampart. It is sometimes raised in the ditch
and sometimes beyond it. --Wilhelm.
4. (Geom.) A curve or surface which is tangent to each member
of a system of curves or surfaces, the form and position
of the members of the system being allowed to vary
according to some continuous law. Thus, any curve is the
envelope of its tangents.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Coma \Co"ma\ (k[=o]"m[.a]), n. [NL., fr. Gr. kw^ma lethargy, fr.
koima^n to put to sleep. See {Cemetery}.]
A state of profound insensibility from which it is difficult
or impossible to rouse a person. See {Carus}.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Coma \Co"ma\, n. [L., hair, fr. Gr. ko`mh.]
1. (Astron.) The envelope of a comet; a nebulous covering,
which surrounds the nucleus or body of a comet.
2. (Bot.) A tuft or bunch, -- as the assemblage of branches
forming the head of a tree; or a cluster of bracts when
empty and terminating the inflorescence of a plant; or a
tuft of long hairs on certain seeds.
{Coma Berenices}[L.] (Astron.), a small constellation north
of Virgo; -- called also {Berenice's Hair}.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
coma
n 1: a state of deep and often prolonged unconsciousness; usually
the result of disease or injury [syn: {comatoseness}]
2: a usually terminal tuft of hairs especially on a seed
3: (astronomy) the luminous cloud of particles surrounding the
frozen nucleus of a comet; forms as the comet approaches
the sun and is warmed
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