xer-, xero-, xir-

A dryness of the skin.

Pain that results by touching a dry or rough object: Since Mary knew that she had xerostalgia, she never wanted to feel any uneven or rugged objects, like some rocks or the trunks of trees.

1. Dryness of the mouth resulting from diminished or arrested salivary secretion.
2. Abnormal dryness of the mouth due to insufficient secretions of saliva; also called, "dry mouth".

Xerostomia may occur in diabetes, hysteria, paralysis of the facial nerve involving the chorda tympani (branch of the facial nerve), acute infections, and some types of neuroses. It may also be caused by certain drugs; such as, nicotine and atropine.

Dryness of the body.

A dry and hot environment.

Describing or relating to a climate characterized by dry and hot weather conditions.

1. A postglacial interval of warmer and drier climate; approximately equivalent to the Altithermal period or the Subboreal period.
2. A long phase of the postglacial geological history of Europe with a warm and dry climate: "The Xerothermal Period is chronologically corresponding to the end of the Atlantic and the beginning of the Subboreal period (4,000-5,000 years ago)."

1. A reference to organisms tolerating or thriving in hot and dry environments.
2. Characterized by dryness and heat.

Referring to organisms that are adapted to dry summer conditions.

1. Dry; characterized by dryness.
2. Pertaining to or characterized by xerosis.

Fetal "dry labor".

Dry labor is child labor in which there is a deficiency of the liquor amnii, or in which there has been a premature rupture of the amniotic sac.

Liquor amnii is the fluid that surrounds the developing fetus within the amniotic sac. This environment cushions the baby from injury and plays an important role in fetal development.

The amniotic sac encloses the embryo of the fetus, that provides a fluid environment to prevent dehydration during development of land based animals.

A form of mammography that records the image of the breast on paper rather than on film: Xerotomography is a term that is rarely used now.

Dry friction (attrition, rubbing).

An orientation response of plants to desiccation (dryness).

1. A trademark for a photocopying or printing process that uses xerography.
2. A global company dedicated to providing office solutions. Xerox offers digital copiers, fax machines, printers, scanners, and multi-function devices.

The Xerox Corporation is considered to be the world's largest document-management company, providing the industry's broadest range of color and black-and-white printers, multifunction systems, copiers, digital production printing presses, and related consulting services and supplies.

The company is so identified with its product that the term "Xerox machine" is often used to refer to xerographic duplicators produced by other companies.

The verb term "xeroxing" has become synonymous with "copying"; however, the company does not condone nor in any way approve of the uses of its trademark name as a verb, adjective, nor noun.