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taxidermy
taxidermy , process of skinning, preserving, and mounting vertebrate animals so that they still appear lifelike. The fur or feathers are cleaned, and the skin, treated with a cleansing and preserving preparation, is mounted on a man-made skeleton. At first, taxidermy was used for the preservation of skins, hunting trophies, and travel souvenirs. Animals were literally stuffed; they were hung downward and filled with straw. Today, taxidermy is employed mainly by museums of science. Carl E. Akeley devised a method of mounting that is now standard. The true contours of the specimen are preserved by making a clay model, exactly duplicating the animal's muscle structure, over an armature that includes the original skeleton or parts of it. A plaster mold is then made, from which is produced a light, durable frame that holds the skin in position. Synthetic materials, especially celluloids, are now often used to reproduce the true color and translucence of such specimens as reptiles and fishes. |
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"taxidermy." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "taxidermy." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-taxiderm.html "taxidermy." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-taxiderm.html |
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taxidermy
tax·i·der·my / ˈtaksəˌdərmē/ • n. the art of preparing, stuffing, and mounting the skins of animals with lifelike effect. DERIVATIVES: tax·i·der·mal / ˌtaksəˈdərməl/ adj. tax·i·der·mic / ˌtaksəˈdərmik/ adj. tax·i·der·mi·cal·ly / ˌtaksəˈdərmik(ə)lē/ adv. |
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"taxidermy." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "taxidermy." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-taxidermy.html "taxidermy." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-taxidermy.html |
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taxidermy
taxidermy XIX. f. Gr. táxis arrangement + dérma skin; see -Y3.
Hence taxidermist XIX. |
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "taxidermy." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "taxidermy." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-taxidermy.html T. F. HOAD. "taxidermy." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-taxidermy.html |
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taxidermy
taxidermy
•fumy, gloomy, plumy, rheumy, roomie, roomy, spumy
•excuse-me • mushroomy • perfumy
•Brummie, chummy, crumby, crummy, dummy, gummy, lumme, mummy, plummy, rummy, scrummy, scummy, slummy, tummy, yummy
•academy • sodomy • blasphemy
•infamy
•bigamy, polygamy, trigamy
•endogamy, exogamy, heterogamy, homogamy, misogamy, monogamy
•hypergamy • alchemy • Ptolemy
•anomie • antinomy
•agronomy, astronomy, autonomy, bonhomie, Deuteronomy, economy, gastronomy, heteronomy, metonymy, physiognomy, taxonomy
•thingummy • Laramie • sesame
•blossomy
•anatomy, atomy
•hysterectomy, mastectomy, tonsillectomy, vasectomy
•epitome
•dichotomy, lobotomy, tracheotomy, trichotomy
•colostomy • bosomy
•squirmy, thermae, wormy
•taxidermy
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Cite this article
"taxidermy." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "taxidermy." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-taxidermy.html "taxidermy." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-taxidermy.html |
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