a. Now rare. Also 5 spongyouse, 6 -yous, -ius, -iouse, 7–8 spungious. [ad. L. spongiōsus (see SPONGIOSE a.). Cf. F. spongieux, † espongieux, It. spugnoso, Sp. esponjoso.]
1. Of the nature of a sponge; spongy.
Very common c. 1550–1700.
α. c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 108. Þei [bones] ben sumwhat spongious [v.r. spongyouse] in þe myddis.
1543. Traheron, Vigo’s Chirurg., II. xv. 60. Uvula (as the Anatomystes say) is a spongyous membre.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, I. xxiv. 35. They are full stuft with a spongious substance.
1652. French, Yorksh. Spa, vii. 70. The ground … is spongious, and drinks in water apace.
1678. R. Russell, trans. Geber, II. I. 98. Solid Woods give a strong Fire, spongious a weak.
1709. Phil. Trans., XXVII. 121. There are several spongious Laminæ which arise from its lower part. Ibid. (1778), LXVIII. 672. In the spongious bones of the upper jaw.
1825. Examiner, 732/2. Soft, fluid, porous, spongious, but withal tenacious matter.
1869. Blackmore, Lorna D., ii. He came up to me … with a piece of spongious coralline.
β. 1604. E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, IV. xii. 245. In weight it is diminished five partes of that it was, and is spungious.
1657. Heylin, Ecclesia Vind., 177. An oake … which was of an hollow or spungious body.
1758. J. S., Le Dran’s Observ. Surg. (1771), 236. This Caries more commonly attacks those Bones that are Spungious.
2. Of or pertaining to a sponge.
1846. Proc. Berw. Nat. Club, II. 196. Of a … spongious texture.
1851. G. F. Richardson, Geol., 214. Many of the moss agates are of spongious origin.
Hence † Spongiousness, sponginess. Obs.
1597. A. M., trans. Guillemeau’s Fr. Chirurg., 37 b/1. The fleshe in that place is not of such a crassitude and spongiousnes as in the ioyncte.
1611. Cotgr., Spongiosité, spunginesse, or spungiousnesse: a spungie lightnesse.
1727. Bailey (vol. II.), Spongiousness, Spunginess.
