Lexic.us

Definition of Speculum

1. Noun. A mirror (especially one made of polished metal) for use in an optical instrument.

2. Noun. A medical instrument for dilating a bodily passage or cavity in order to examine the interior.

Definition of Speculum

1. n. A mirror, or looking-glass; especially, a metal mirror, as in Greek and Roman archæology.

Definition of Speculum

1. Noun. (medicine) A medical instrument used during an examination to dilate an orifice. ¹

2. Noun. A mirror. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Speculum

1. a medical instrument [n -LA or -LUMS] : SPECULAR [adj]

Medical Definition of Speculum

1. Origin: L, fr. Specere to look, behold. See Spy. 1. A mirror, or looking-glass; especially, a metal mirror, as in Greek and Roman archaeology. 2. A reflector of polished metal, especially one used in reflecting telescopes. See Speculum metal, below. 3. An instrument for dilating certain passages of the body, and throwing light within them, thus facilitating examination or surgical operations. 4. A bright and lustrous patch of colour found on the wings of ducks and some other birds. It is usually situated on the distal portions of the secondary quills, and is much more brilliant in the adult male than in the female. Speculum metal, a hard, brittle alloy used for making the reflectors of telescopes and other instruments, usually consisting of copper and tin in various proportions, one of the best being that in which there are 126.4 parts of copper to 58.9 parts of tin, with sometimes a small proportion of arsenic, antimony, or zinc added to improve the whiteness. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Speculum

speculative damages speculative fiction speculative fictions speculative philosophies speculative philosophy speculatively speculativeness speculativity speculator speculatorial

speculators speculatory speculist speculists speculoos speculum (current term) speculum forceps speculums sped spede

spee speech speech-endowed speech-language pathology speech-read speech acoustics speech act speech acts speech articulation tests speech audiogram

Literary usage of Speculum

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The American Journal of the Medical Sciences by Southern Society for Clinical Investigation (U.S.) (1882)
"The internal half of the speculum is perforated by a large number of small holes cut ... At the outer end of this speculum, at its upper and lower aspect, ..."

2. Saint Francis of Assisi: A Biography by Johannes Jørgensen (1912)
"speculum perfectionis As already mentioned, Paul Sabatier, in his search for the missing portion of the Three Brothers' Legend in the late Franciscan ..."

3. Saint Francis of Assisi: A Biography by Johannes Jørgensen (1912)
"speculum perfectionis As already mentioned, Paul Sabatier, in his search for the missing portion of the Three Brothers' Legend in the late Franciscan ..."

4. The Microscope and Its Revelations by William Benjamin Carpenter (1883)
"A mode of illuminating opaque objects by a small (Concave speculum reflecting directly down upon them the light reflected but a much stronger light may be ..."

5. A Practical Treatise on the Diseases of Women by Theodore Gaillard Thomas (1880)
"A great many modifications of Cusco's speculum are now in use. ... Howard's modification of Caico'e speculum. ment that the speculum seems destined to vie ..."

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