| chondrite |
a stony meteorite that contains chondrules, formed from materials present in the early solar system . |
| Church Fathers |
the ecclesiastical authorities of the early Christian church, whose writings had an authoritative influence on the formation of Christian doctrine. |
| clavichord |
an early soft-toned keyboard instrument, recognized as the forerunner of the piano, with strings that are struck by metal wedges attached to the end of each key. |
| Conestoga wagon |
a large heavy covered wagon with broad wheels, used by early U.S. pioneers to haul their freight and household goods. |
| constructivism |
an early twentieth-century art movement, originating in the Soviet Union, in which industrial materials were used to create massive nonrepresentational works. |
| cretaceous |
(cap.) of, relating to, or designating the geological period at the end of the Mesozoic Era, from approximately 135 million to 65 million years ago, when dinosaurs died out, early mammals and flowering plants appeared, and chalk beds were formed. [1/2 definitions] |
| crocus |
any of several small plants, related to the iris, that grow from a bulb and bloom in early spring with a single colorful flower. |
| crumhorn |
an early double-reed wind instrument, the tube of which terminates in a curve or crook. |
| crystal set |
an early form of radio receiver that used a crystal detector. |
| cubism |
an early twentieth-century movement in painting and sculpture in which objects were represented abstractly by geometrical forms. |
| dada |
(sometimes cap.) a primarily European literary and artistic period of the early twentieth century characterized by cynicism, anarchy, and a rejection of convention. |
| daguerreotype |
an early process of photography that used a silvered metal plate rather than film. [1/2 definitions] |
| Darwinian theory |
Charles Darwin's theory that plants and animals evolved from early primitive life forms with variation caused by natural selection and survival of the fittest. (See evolution.) |
| denier2 |
an early French coin, now obsolete. [1/2 definitions] |
| developmental |
occurring in the natural process of an individual's early growth and development. [1/4 definitions] |
| DEW line |
a line of radar stations, located along the seventieth parallel in Canada and the United States, that provides advance notice of approaching hostile aircraft or missiles (acronym for "distant early warning"). |
| Dixieland |
an early style of small-group jazz, characterized by a strict two-beat rhythm and by improvised ensemble and solo playing. [1/2 definitions] |
| earlier |
comparative of "early." [1/2 definitions] |
| earliest |
superlative of "early." |
| early bird |
one who gets up early in the morning. [1/2 definitions] |
| Edda |
either of two early Icelandic literary works, one a collection of religious and mythological poems, and the other a summary of Norse mythology and a manual on poetry. |