brachistochrone (brakistokron)

[Word invented by John Bernoulli in 1694; fining the brachistochrone. Until recently always spelled brachystochrone. brachium (bra'kior brak'i-um), n.; pl. brachia (-a). [L., prop. bracchium, the arm, > ult. E. bracel, n., q. v.] 1. The upper arm, from the shoulder to the elbow, coinciding in extent with the humerus; the arm proper, as distinguished from the ante brachium or forearm.-2. The humerus. [Rare.] -3. An arm-like proce of the brain. See phrases below.-4. An armlike part of a body. Specifically-(a) In crinoids, one of the rays or arms given off from the calyx, and to which the pinnulæ may be attached. See cut under Cri (see cephalic ) is 80 and upward, and who consequently have short skulls or are brachycephalic. brachycephalic (brak i-se-fal'ik or -sef'a-lik), a. [As brachycephal -ous +-ic.] Short-headed: applied, in ethnol., ethnol ., to heads whose diameter from side to side is not much le than that from front to back, their ratio being as 80 to 100, as those of the Mongolian type; and also to races or individuals having such heads: opposed to dolichocephalic . There are two sections of this group, brach is to cephalic and eurycephalic. It is supposed that a brachycephalic race inhabited Europe before the Celts. Also brachycephalous , brachykephalic , brachy kephalous . For the extremes of these varieties [of cranial form), Retzius proposed the names of brachy - kephalic or short headed, and dolicho-kephalic or long-headed, which have come into general use. Dawson , Origin of World, p. 427.