AQUA'RIAN, noun One of a sect of christians, in the primitive church, who consecrated water in the eucharist instead of wine; either under a pretense of abstinence, or because it was unlawful to drink wine.

AQUA'RIUS, noun [Latin] The water bearer; a sign in the zodiac which the sun enters about the 21st day of January; so called from the rains which prevail at that season, in Italy and the East. The stars in this constellation according to Ptolenty, are 45; according to Tycho Brahe, 41; according to Hevelius, 45; and according to Flamstead, 108.

AQUAT'IC, adjective [Latin aquaticus. See Aqua.]

Pertaining to water; applied to animals which live in water, as fishes; or to such as frequent it, as aquatic fowls; applied to plants, it denotes such as grown in water. Aquatical is rarely used.

AQUAT'IC, noun A plant which grows in water, as the flag.

AQ'UATILE, adjective That inhabits the water. [Rarely used.]

AQUATINT'A, noun [aqua, water. See tincture.]

A method of etching on copper, by which a beautiful effect is produced, resembling a fine drawing in water colors or Indian ink. This is performed with a powder of asphalt and fine transparent rosin sifted on the plate, which is a little greased; the loose powder being shaken off, the plate is heated over a chafing dish; and when cool, the light places on the plate are covered with a hair pencil, dipped in turpentine varnish mixed with ivory black. A rim is then raised with bees wax, and reduced nitrous acid is poured on, and suffered to stand five minutes; then poured off, and the plate dried. This process with the pencil and the aqua fortis is to be repeated till the darkest shades are produced.

AQ'UEDUCT, noun [Latin aqua, water, and ductus, a pipe or canal, from duco, to lead. See Duke.]

A structure made for conveying water from one place to another over uneven ground; either above or under the surface. It may be either a pipe or a channel. It may be constructed above ground of stone or wood; carried through hills by piercing them, and over valleys, by a structure supported by props or arches. some have been formed with three conduits on the same line, elevated one above another.

A'QUEOUS, adjective Watery; partaking of the nature of water, or abounding with it.

A'QUEOUSNESS, noun The quality of being watery; waterishness; wateriness.

AQ'UILA, noun [Latin whence aquilinus.]

In ornithology, the eagle. Also a northern constellation containing, according to the British catalogue, 71 stars.

AQ'UILINE, adjective [Latin aquilinus. See aquila.]

1. Belonging to the eagle.

2. Curving; hooked; prominent, like the beak of an eagle.

AQ'UILON, noun [Latin aquilo.] The north wind.

AQUITA'NIAN, adjective Pertaining to Aquitania, one of the great divisions of Gaul, which, according to Cesar, lay between the Garonne, the Pyrenees and the Ocean. In modern days, it has been called Gascony. The inhabitants, in Cesar's time, spoke a different dialect from that of the proper Celts, between the Garonne and Seine. This dialect bore an affinity to the Basque, in Biscay, to which they were contiguous; and some remains of it still exist in the Gascon. Aquitania is the country of the Aqui; from the name of the people, with tan, a Celtic word, signifying region or country. The Romans, either from their general usage, or from not understanding the Celtic tan, annexed another termination signifying country. Heb. ai, a settlement or habitation; Gr. land, country.

A.R. stand for anno regni, the year of the king's reign; as adjective R.G.R. 20, in the 20th year of the reign of king George.