alveary

English

Etymology

From Latin alvearium (“beehive”). In the sense of the hollow of the ear, because it is where the wax accumulates. In the sense of a repository: originally the name of a dictionary encompassing several languages, because of the many contributors being like "busy bees".

Noun

alveary (plural alvearies)

1. A beehive, or anything resembling a beehive.
   • 1954, British Bee Journal - Volume 82, page 639:

     The value of an alveary or hive was 4d, and a swarm on a tree was recognised as free for the taking.

2. (anatomy) The hollow of the external ear.
   • 1848, J. H. Rausse, Miscellanies to the Graefenberg Water-cure, page 137:

     The effects of the hydriatic treatment upon inflammations of the brain are elimination of the matter of disease, partly through perspiration and eruptions on the head, but more through abnormal secretions from the alvearies or hollows of the ears, and from the nostrils (catarrh); oftentimes these secretions have quite an abnormal color and acridness.

   • 2009, Anton L, “Mastoiditis Island”, in United States RX Medication - Men's Health:

     In otoscopy alveary narrowed due to the omission of his caudineural wall.

   • 2012 January, М О Кустов, “Inflammatory diseases of alveary.”, in Russian otorhinolaryngology, volume 1:

     (see title)

   • 2013, Antoine Beuger, 24 Petits Préludes pour la Guitare:

     I had to look up "alvearium", not a common term. I was pointed toward "alveary", a word with two intriguingly different definitions: first, a beehive, or something resembling a beehive and second, the hollow of the external ear. Apian aspects don't leap out at one here, so I'm going with the latter meaning, thinking of these sounds flowing around my own alvearies.

   • 2014, D. V. Savchenko, I. A. Gurenko, “Etiology and Clinical-Hematological Description of Bacterial Otitides for Dogs”, in eLibrary:

     In the article the results of researches are presented on the determination of the composition of microflora of the alveary of dogs with the clinical signs of sharp outward otopyosis and the character of clinical-hematological changes of this disease.

   • 2017, V Samoylyuk, V Volokonska, “Efficiency of Meatotympanal Novocaine Blockage in the System of Holiatry Festering Inflammation of Outward Ear for Cats”, in Theoretical and Applied Veternary Medicine:

     Outward inflammations of the ear for cats more often flows with hyperemia of alveary – 80.8%, by a sickliness during palpation of base of the ear – 74.4% and accompanied by the selection of to the exsudate - 70.2%.

3. A repository, especially of knowledge or information.
   • 1911, Hélène Favre de Coulevain, Pierre de Coulevain, The Unknown Isle, page 198:

     They married the proprietors of the great empty alvearies, filled these with seed, and obtained, in return, titles and crowns, which were the baubles of which they had ever been dreaming.