acephalous

American  

[ey-sef-uh-luhs] / eɪˈsɛf ə ləs /

adjective

1. Zoology. Also acephalic headless; lacking a distinct head.

2. without a leader or ruler.

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acephalous British  

/ əˈsɛfələs /

adjective

1. having no head or one that is reduced and indistinct, as certain insect larvae

2. having or recognizing no ruler or leader

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Etymology

Origin of acephalous

1725–35; < Greek aképhalos; see a- ⁶, -cephalous

Explanation

Anything that is acephalous is headless — like the acephalous horseman of folklore. The term acephalous refers to organisms that lack a head, or to a group or society with no leader, or "head." Clams, oysters, mussels, and scallops are acephalous, as are sea stars, sea urchins, and sponges. Some historical tribal societies were acephalous: they had no one formal, decision-making authority. Leaderless digital communities and music bands are acephalous. The term is also used in poetry: An acephalous line is missing its first syllable based on an expected metrical pattern — e.g., "da-DUM da-DUM" becomes "DUM da-DUM." The term acephalous comes from Greek, where a- means "without" and kephalē means "head."

Example Sentences

Others preferred to imagine in this singular personage the acephalous man, the man without a head, named by the grave Baumgarthen as existing on the new continent.

From The Solitary of Juan Fernandez, or the Real Robinson Crusoe by Saintine, Joseph Xavier

Sandiford had divided acephalous animals into three classes: the first, in which the head was wanting; the second, where other organs were also missing; and the third, where the fœtus presented an unformed mass.

From Curiosities of Medical Experience by Millingen, J. G. (John Gideon)

Almost all bivalve shells, or those of acephalous mollusca, are marine, about sixteen only out of 140 genera being fresh-water.

From The Student's Elements of Geology by Lyell, Charles, Sir

And Mr. Buckle begins with making Personality acephalous, and ends-with appending its corpse to Society, to be galvanized into seemings of life.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 11, No. 63, January, 1863 by Various

A spirituality must appear to crown and complete this great continental body; otherwise America is acephalous.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 02, No. 12, October, 1858 by Various