263. Matter

See also 261. MATERIALS, PROPERTIES OF ; 316. PHYSICS .

allomorphism

variant crystalline structure in a chemical compound. —allomorphic , adj.

allotropism, allotropy

the quality of certain substances to exist in more than one form, with different properties in each form. — allotropic, allotropical , adj.

hylozoism

Philosophy. the doctrine that all matter has life. —hylozoist , n. —hylozoistic , adj.

materialism

1. the philosophical theory that regards matter and its phenomena as the only reality and explains all occurrences, including the mental, as due to material agencies.

2. attention to or emphasis on material objects, needs, and considerations, with a disinterest in or rejection of intellectual and spiritual values. —materialist , n. —materialistic , adj.

monism

Metaphysics. any of various theories holding that there is only one basic substance or principle that is the ground of reality. —monist , n. — monistic, monistical , adj.

rheology

Chemistry and Geology. the study of the flow and deformation of colloids, especially pastes. —rheologist , n. —rheologic, rheological , adj.

somatology

Obsolete, the branch of physics that studies the properties of matter. Also called somatics .