Acephalous

Quick meaning: Acephalous is an adjective meaning Having no head.

Meaning

Having no head.

More Meanings

1. (zoology, applied to bivalve mollusks) Without a distinct head.
2. (botany) Having the style spring from the base, instead of from the apex, as is the case in certain ovaries
3. (prosody) Deficient in the beginning, as a line of poetry that is missing its expected opening syllable.
4. Lacking the first portion of the text. (of a manuscript)
5. (social sciences, political science, sociology) A system of society without centralised state authority, where power is welded amongst groups of community entities e.g. clans. Without a leader or chief.
6. (rare) Without a beginning.

Example Sentences

an acephalous society / community

A very brief acephalous interim followed the death of the dark Dictator.

They have acephalous or headless Verses, which commence with a short Syllable instead of a long one:

“But tell me, my Dea—my Psyche!— (With your wings outspread as to race With that swift and acephalous Nike Who lost her bean somewhere in Thrace)—

Synonyms for acephalous

Depending on context, synonyms include acephalic, headless, leaderless.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include headless, mollusca, acephalic, anencephalous, bareheaded, aphonous.

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