Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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About this entry:
First published 1976 (SND Vol. X, list of scientific terms with Scottish connections).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
NICOL. 1. After William Nicol (1768–1851), of Edinburgh, in phr. Nicol's prism, in Optics: a polarising prism used in microscopes for the examination of crystals. Sometimes called a nicol, from its inventor.
2. After James Nicol (1810–79), of Traquair, geologist and professor at Cork and Aberdeen. Derivs. Nicolia, a fossil plant found in Egypt (1850 F. Unger Gen. et Spec. Plant. foss. 523); Nicolella, a genus of Ordovician brachiopods (1917 F. C. Reed in Trans. Royal Soc. Edb. LI. (4) 860).
