acme, -acmic

(Greek: highest point; prime, best time)

acmatic (adjective), more acmatic, most acmatic
Referring to the highest point or peak of something; the highest level of attainment: It was during her acmatic phases of performing on stage that Marilyn reached the ultimate level of success as an actress.
acme (s) (noun) (no pl)
1. The highest point of achievement or success; point of culmination, the peak: With her appointment as the Chair of the Board of Directors, Suzanne felt she had reached the acme of her career.
2. In medicine, the crisis or critical stage of a disease: After putting off going to her doctor, Janice finally decided to see him and the results of the tests indicated that her affliction was at its acme, and so the doctor suggested that she wait until after her recovery before she attempted to go back to work.
Point of utmost attainment.
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acmesthesia, acmaesthesia (s) (noun); acmesthesias; acmaesthesias (pl)
A sharp sensation on the skin similar to a pin point touching the skin: Marty's discomfort of acmesthesia was felt most frequently during the dry winter months.

Eliza winced as if she were experiencing acmesthesia even before the doctor gave her an injection.

acmic (adjective) (not comparable)
1. Referring to an acme, particularly to the peak of a genetic series of organisms: Martin learned all about the acmic or higheest point of the genetical development of cats.
2. Concerning a period where an aquatic group goes through seasonal changes: In her ecology class, Ivy learned about how marine organisms undergo the acmic time of transitional changes of the seasons.
acmite (s) (noun), admites (pl)
A mineral containing a brown or green silicate of sodium and iron; aegirite: An acmite belongs to the pyroxene group and is usually encountered in long pointed prismatic crystals.
acne (s) (noun), acnes (pl)
1. An ailment of the oil-secreting glands of the skin which often affects adolescents: Acne is characterized by prducing red pimples or eruptions on the face, neck, and shoulders that can leave pitted scars.
2. Localized skin inflammation as a result of over activity of the oil glands at the base of hair follicles: Acne appears when oil (sebaceous) glands come to life around puberty when these glands are stimulated by male hormones that are produced in the adrenal glands of both boys and girls.

The oil glands, which are located just beneath the skin, continuously produce and secrete oil through openings in the skin. The oil lubricates and protects the skin.

Under certain circumstances, cells that are close to the openings of the oil glands block the openings. This causes a buildup of oil underneath the skin.

Certain bacteria feast on this oil, multiply, and cause the surrounding tissues to become inflamed.

If the inflammation is near the surface, a person will get a pustule. If it's deeper, it is called a papule (pimple). And if still deeper, it is termed a cyst.

If the oil breaks though to the surface, the result is a "whitehead". If the oil becomes oxidized (that is, acted on by oxygen in the air), the oil changes from white to black, and the result is a "blackhead".

—Acne explanations are based on info from MedicineNet.com

The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology states that acne was borrowed from Late Greek, akne, in 1835, as a New Latin medical term. It was misspelled by the 6th century author, Aëtius, of the Greek "akme", (highest) point.

Klein's Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language says, "this word owes its existence to a clerical error of Greek, akme, 'point', having been miswritten as akne."

epacme (s) (noun), epacmes (pl)
In evolution, the stage or period of development: Epacme relates to the ancestral or phylogenetic history of a genus or species of certain organisms before the perfection of adaption or growth, or its acme, is attained.
heteracme (s) (noun) (no pl)
In botany, the state in which an organism alters its sex during its time of life; dichogamy: Heteracme is the creation of the pistils and stamens of a flower at various times in order to avoid automatic self-pollination.
menacme (s) (noun), menacmes (pl)
The period of menstrual activity in a woman's life: Susan read about the menacme in a female's life taking place between the time of menarche and menopause.
monactine (adjective) (not comparable)
A single-rayed sponge spicule: A monactine is a small hard needle-shaped part, especially one of the calcium-containing or silicon-containing supporting parts of some invertebrates such as sponges and corals.

A small needlelike structure like one of the silicate or calcium carbonate processes holding up the soft tissue of certain invertebrates, especially sponges.

paracme (s) (noun), paracmes (pl)
1. A point or period at which the prime in one's life is past; Tina's grandfather was getting much older and had to use a cane to walk being past his highest point of vigor in his life or, in other words. at the time of paracme.
2. The point when the crisis of a fever is over; paracmasis: After being very sick, Judy was happy when finally the doctor said that the paracme of her illness was past.
synacme (s) (noun) (no pl)
The peak of maturity of certain parts of flowers; synthesis: When the stems and stamens of a flower have simultaneoously ripened, the synacime has been reached.
synamic (s) (noun), synamics (pl)
The kind of dynamic used in music notations: When a small "s", meaning subito, is placed in front of the notation "fff", meaning forte-fortissimo, the synamic, or change in dynamics. is to be altered or shifted instantly or rapidly to the new dynamic notation.