comb. form of Gr. βραχύ-ς short, as in Brachycatalectic, a. Prosody. [cf. CATALECTIC, Gr. βραχυκατάληκτος], wanting one foot or two syllables. Brachyceral, Brachycerous, a. Ent. [Gr. κέρας horn], having short ‘horns’ or antennæ. Brachydiagonal a. Cryst., pertaining to the shorter lateral axis of a rectangular prism; also as sb. Brachydome Cryst. [see DOME], a ‘dome’ or prism whose face is parallel to the brachydiagonal axis. Brachyelytrous: see BRACHELYTROUS. Brachymetropy [Gr. μέτρ-ον measure + ὤψ, ὠπ-ός eye], near- or short-sightedness. Brachypinacoid, -koid, a. Cryst. [Gr. πίναξ πίνακ-ος board, tablet], pertaining to either of the two planes which in the Orthorhombic system are parallel to the vertical and brachydiagonal axes respectively. Brachypleural a. [Gr. πλευρ-ά rib], having short ribs. Brachypterous a. [Gr. πτερ-όν wing], short-winged: applied to certain species of diving-birds. Brachytypous a. Min. [Gr. τύπ-ος form, type], of a short form.
1821. Blackw. Mag., X. Nov., 386/1. The ancients had no such verse as the Iambic dimeter brachycatalectic.
1875. W. Houghton, Sk. Brit. Ins., 107. Another brachyceral fly.
1875. Blake, Zool., 283. The brachycerous Dipterans comprise … the Gad-flies.
1868. Dana, Min., Introd. 25. The short lateral or brachydiagonal [axis]. Ibid., 26. The planes form what is called a brachydome, they being parallel to the shorter lateral axis.
1879. Rutley, Stud. Rocks, x. 119. In the direction of the … brachydiagonal it is hyacinth-red. Ibid., 97. The cleavages, which are parallel to the base and brachypinakoid.
1881. Academy, 22 Oct., 315. Macropleural and brachypleural types.
