n 1  :  a particular appearance or state in a regularly recurring cycle of changes  2  :  a distinguishable part in a course, development, or cycle <the early s of a disease>   3  :  a point or stage in the period of a periodic motion or process (as a light wave or a vibration) in relation to an arbitrary reference or starting point in the period  4  :  a homogeneous, physically distinct, and mechanically separable portion of matter present in a nonhomogeneous physicochemical system : esp  :  one of the fundamental states of matter usu. considered to include the solid, liquid, and gaseous forms  5  :  an individual or subgroup distinguishably different in appearance or behavior from the norm of the group to which it belongs : also  :  the distinguishing peculiarity .
 
 
 
Similar sounding terms:  face  FAS  FHS  fos·sa 
 
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