-ity
(Latin: suffix used to form abstract nouns expressing act, state, quality, property, or condition corresponding to an adjective)
2. The quality of being puerile; (mere) childishness, triviality.
2. A large amount or number.
2. Treated as if holy or immune from criticism or violation: The elderly poet was treated with a sacrosanctity by her fellow poets who praised her for her creative talents.
2. Etymology: from Middle French sagacité which came from Latin sagacitatem, sagacitas, "quality of being acute", from sagax, sagacis, "of quick perception", related to sagus, "prophetic", and sagire, "to perceive keenly".
2. The weight ratio between dissolved salts and water in seawater.
3. In chemistry, the amount of dissolved salts in any solution.
2. The quality of being sacred or hallowed; sacredness, claim to (religious) reverence; inviolability.
3. Something thought to be sacred.
2. Perceptible to the sense of taste; having flavor.
3. Having a strong pleasant flavor; savory.
4. Pleasing to the mind; engaging.
2. Used figuratively: slippery; evasive: Jack's reasons were very saporaceous and he avoided telling his parents the real truth.
The saprobity system is based on the observation that in the course of the self-purification process a body of water shows distinct zones of decreasing pollution (or improved water quality); these zones are termed polysaprobic (gross pollution), alpha-mesosaprobic, beta-mesosaprobic, and oligosaprobic; the latter may be divided into alpha- and beta- oligosaprobic.
Each zone is characterized by a particular content of oxygen, organic matter, products of septic decay, and products of mineralization. Biologically, each zone affords optimal conditions for certain species and communities of organisms, the so-called "indicator" organisms.
- Polysaprobic zone, heavy pollution with sewage or other organic materials, mass development of bacteria that are involved in decomposition processes, a high rate of oxygen consumption, and a high production of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide.
- Alpha-mesosaprobic zone, vigorous oxidation processes, increased dissolved oxygen though oxygen consumption is still high, no hydrogen sulfide production, oxidation of ammonia starts.
- Beta-mesosaprobic zone, much dissolved oxygen, low oxygen consumption, mineralization of organic materials, and large amounts of the end-products of mineralization; for example, nitrates.
- Oligosaprobic zone, all mineralization processes have been completed, the dissolved oxygen content is high and oxygen consumption nearly zero; the beta-oligosaprobic level is characterized by rather moderate variety of species and low bioactivity, while the alpha-oligosaprobic level is characterized by a comparatively large variety of species and high bioactivity.
The particular saprobity zones may be characterized as follows:
2. The geographic and historical distribution of earthquakes.
3. The likelihood of an area being subject to natural earthquakes.
Forgetting names and faces or misplacing keys are normal occurrences for any age and when people are young, they think nothing of such situations; however, as they get older, they're tempted to worry that such actions are signs of senility.
2. Priority or precedence in office or service; especially military: Susan's seniority at the company allowed her to have three weeks annual vacation.
3. Superiority in standing to another of equal rank by reason of earlier entrance into the service, or an earlier date of appointment: Mr. Johnson, the elderly politician, had seniority over the more recently elected representatives.