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economics

   value : the worth of something to its owner. Two concepts of value have been distinguished in economics: (1) value in use - the pleasure a commodity actually generates for its owner, and (2) value in exchange - the quantity of other commodities (or, more usually, money) a commodity can be swapped for; e.g. water has high value in use, but low value in exchange.

commodity

biology

   vascular (vasculose, vasculous) : pertaining to, composed of, or provided with vessels or ducts that convey fluids, as blood, lymph, or sap.

botany & gardening

   velum : a membranous structure or covering in mushrooms, extending from the margin of the cap to the stipes; the torn parts of a velum often form a ring on the stipes, also known as a partial veil.
    vapor : a gas at a temperature below the critical temperature, so that it can be liquefied by compression, without lowering the temperature.

abbreviation

   var. : the designation 'variety' following generic and specific (Latin) names of plants and animals means that in this case there is a variety of the species, e.g. Rosa rugosa var.; note: while generic and specific names are set in italic type, the designation 'var.' is set in roman type.

economics                 acronym

   VAT : value-added tax : a general tax applied at each point of exchange of goods or services from primary production to final consumption; it is levied on the difference between the sale price of the goods or services (outputs) to which the tax is applied and the cost of goods and services (inputs) bought in for use in its production.

tax

vector : any quantity that is described uniquely by both magnitude and direction at each point in space; in our three dimensional space it requires three numbers to describe the magnitude of the vector quantity in three independent space directions; compare with a scalar quantity. Examples of vectors include velocity, acceleration, force and electric field. Compare with:  scalar.

    velocity : a vector quantity representing the time rate of the change of position. The direction of motion and the magnitude (speed) of the velocity vector must be specified. Units of the magnitude of velocity are length per time, such as meters per second (m/s), or miles per hour (mph).
    vernal : of or pertaining to spring (e.g. vernal sunshine); appearing or occurring in spring (e.g. vernal equinox, vernal migrations); appropriate to or suggesting spring, springlike (e.g. vernal greenery)

botany & gardening

   verticil : a whorl; an arrangement in which the leaves or flowers surround the stem in a circle upon the same plane.

botany & gardening

   vetch : any of a number of short, leafy, climbing or trailing plants of the pea family, grown chiefly for fodder and as a soil restorer; especially, a leguminous plant of the genus Vicia. The name is also applied to many other leguminous plants of different genera, as the chickling vetch of the genus Lathyrus, the horseshoe vetch of the genus Hippocrepis, the milk vetch of the genus Astragalus, etc. Vicia saliva is the common vetch; the licorice vetch is Abrus precatorius.

meteorology

   virga : precipitation falling from the base of a cloud and evaporating before it reaches the ground.

philosophy

   vitalism : the doctrine that the life in living organisms is caused and sustained by a vital principle that is distinct from all physical and chemical forces and that life is, in part, self-determining and self-evolving : opposed to mechanism.

doctrine

mechanism

prefix

   vice- : in place of, acting as substitute or deputy for (as in vice president), next in rank to (as in vice-consul, vice admiral); usually written without the hyphen.
    viceroy : a person governing a colony or province etc. as the sovereign's representative.

Latin

   vice versa : the other way around; we gossip about them and vice versa (i.e. and they gossip about us).

Latin                    abbreviation

   viz. : videlicet : namely; the z in the abbreviation representing the usual medieval Latin symbol of contraction for -et.
volatility : the quality of having a low boiling temperature or subliming temperature at ordinary pressure or, equivalently, of having a high vapor pressure at ordinary temperatures.
volatilization : the conversion of a substance from a liquid or solid state to a gaseous or vapor state by the application of heat, by reducing pressure, or by a combination of these processes. Also known as vaporization.

games : tennis

 volley : playing the ball in the air before it bounces.

botany & gardening

 volva : the membranous covering which completely envelopes some mushrooms during the early stage of growth; becoming ruptured as the mushroom grows, and sometimes remaining as a cup around the base of the stipes.
 
 

UPDATED : 2007-05-18

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