sb. pl. [f. med.L. Amphiscii more commonly used unchanged in Eng. (a. Gr. ἀμφἰσκιοι, f. ἀμφί on both sides + σκία shadow) + -AN.] A name given to inhabitants of the torrid zone, whose shadows at one time of the year fall northward, at another southward.
1622. Heylin, Cosmogr. (1674), Introd. 20/1. Amphiscii … so called, because their shadows are both ways.
1623. Cockeram, Eng. Dict., III. Amphisceans, people whose shadow is sometime to the North, and sometime to the South.
1652. Urquhart, Jewel, Wks. 1834, 259. Whether Periscians, Hetroscians, or Amphiscians.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Amphyscians [ed. 1672 Amphiskians] such people as live under the burning zone, near the equinoctial line.
1751. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., The amphiscii are called also ascii.
1788. Pasquin, Childr. Thespis (1792), 145. The wandering Amphiscii, whose singular state, Made sceptics to question the wisdom of Fate.
