Definition of Byss. Meaning of Byss. Synonyms of Byss
Here you will find one or more explanations in English for the word Byss. Also in the bottom left of the page several parts of wikipedia pages related to the word Byss and, of course, Byss synonyms and on the right images related to the word Byss.
Definition of Byss
byss Byssus Bys"sus, n.; pl. E. Byssuses; L. Byssi.[L. byssus
fine flax, fine linen or cotton, Gr. by`ssos .]
1. A cloth of exceedingly fine texture, used by the ancients.
It is disputed whether it was of cotton, linen, or silk.
[Written also byss and byssin.]
2. (Zo["o]l.) A tuft of long, tough filaments which are
formed in a groove of the foot, and issue from between the
valves of certain bivalve mollusks, as the Pinna and
Mytilus, by which they attach themselves to rocks, etc.
3. (Bot.) An obsolete name for certain fungi composed of
slender threads.
4. Asbestus.
