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| − | Nabob – formerly, a provincial governor or viceroy who lived luxuriously in India. Later, an Englishman who returned wealthy from a tour of duty in India
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| − | Nacelle – a cover housing (separate from the fuselage) that holds engines, fuel, or equipment on an aircraft
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| − | Nacre – mother of pearl
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| − | Naevus – birthmark
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| − | Namby Pamby – a satire on the poetry of Ambrose Phillips
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| − | Naming – procedure whereby the speaker or one of his deputies proposes a vote on the suspension of a member of the House whom he believes has broken the rules of conduct of the House of Commons
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| − | Nanotechnology – the science and technology of building electronic circuits and devices from single atoms and molecules. Precision engineering of substances at the molecular and atomic level
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| − | Nawab – a deputy ruler or viceroy in India
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| − | Neat – in a drink, pure or undiluted
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| − | Necromancer – a person who practices necromancy, a discipline of black magic used to communicate with the dead to foretell the future
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| − | Necrosis – the premature death of cells and living tissue
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| − | Nectar – a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants. It is produced in glands called nectaries
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| − | Negus – former ruler of Ethiopia
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| − | Nelson’s Blood – rum
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| − | Neroli – from the orange
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| − | Netsuke – miniature sculptures that were invented in 17th century Japan to serve a practical function, i.e. to hold personal belongings
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| − | Neuroeconomics – combines neuroscience, economics, and psychology to study how we make choices
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| − | Newel – the upright post which supports the handrail of a stair banister
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| − | Nickelodeon – only cost a nickel to get in
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| − | Nidification – nest building
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| − | Ninja – a member of a class of 14th century Japanese mercenary agents who were trained in the martial arts and hired for espionage or sabotage or assassinations
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| − | Niqab – face veil, worn with a hijab. May cover the lower half of the face only, or the entire face with exception of the eyes, or may cover the face including the eyes
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| − | Nizam – title of the native sovereigns of Hyderabad State
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| − | Nocebo – a negative placebo effect as, for example, when patients taking medications experience adverse side effects unrelated to the specific pharmacological action of the drug
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| − | Nome – a subnational administrative division of ancient Egypt
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| − | Nomophobia – the fear of being out of mobile phone contact
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| − | Nosology – a branch of medicine that deals with classification of diseases
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| − | Notary – someone legally empowered to witness signatures and certify a document's validity
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| − | Notaphilist – collects banknotes
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| − | Noumenon – a posited object or event that is known (if at all) without the use of the senses. Contrasted with phenomenon
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| − | Novella – a prose fiction longer than a short story but shorter than a novel
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| − | Nugatory – of little value
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| − | Nuggar – sailing vessel used to navigate Nile
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| − | Numeronym – a number-based word, e.g. K9
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| − | Numismatist – collects coins and medals
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| − | Nuncio – diplomatic representative of the Pope
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| − | Nyctophobia – fear of darkness
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| − | == O ==
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| − | Obelus – division sign
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| − | Obelus – alternative name for the dagger typographical symbol
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| − | Obfuscation – the concept of concealing the meaning of communication by making it more confusing and harder to interpret
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| − | Obi – a sash for traditional Japanese dress
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| − | Oblast – type of administrative division in Slavic countries and in some countries of the former Soviet Union
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| − | Oblateness – the flattening of a planet from spherical form because of the centrifugal effect of rotation
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| − | Oboe – an improved navigational device based on radar that increased bombing accuracy
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| − | Obsidian '''–''' a usually black or banded, hard volcanic glass that displays shiny, curved surfaces when fractured and is formed by rapid cooling of lava
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| − | Obverse and Reverse – sides of a coin
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| − | Occidentalism – stereotyped and sometimes dehumanizing views on the Western world
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| − | Ochlophobia – fear of crowds
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| − | Ochlocracy – rule by the mob
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| − | Octoroon – has one black and seven white great grandparents (see quadroon)
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| − | Ocularist – makes artificial eyes
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| − | Oculus – an eyelike opening or ornament; a round window, or a circular opening at the apex of a dome
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| − | Odalisque – a virgin female slave, who could rise in status to being a concubine or a wife in Ottoman Seraglios, but most of whom tended to the harem of the Turkish sultan
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| − | Odeon – ancient Greek and Roman buildings built for singing exercises, musical shows and poetry competitions
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| − | Odometer – an instrument that indicates distance travelled by a vehicle
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| − | Oenology – study of wine making
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| − | Oenomel – an ancient Greek beverage consisting of honey and unfermented grape juice
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| − | Ogee – a curve shaped like an S, consisting of two arcs that curve in opposite senses. In architecture, the principal use of the term is to describe an arch composed of two ogees
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| − | Ogive – the roundly tapered end of a two-dimensional or three-dimensional object
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| − | Oligarchy – government by the few (see autocracy, plutocracy, stratocracy, theocracy)
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| − | Olivine – a greenish or yellow mineral, a silicate of magnesium and iron found in mafic and ultramafic igneous rock
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| − | Ombrophobia – fear of rain
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| − | Ombudsman – Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration
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| − | Omerta – code of silence used by the Mafia
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| − | Onager – a wild ass related to donkeys and horses used in ancient Sumer to pull chariots
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| − | Onager – a torsion-powered siege engine used by the Romans to catapult heavy projectiles such as rocks
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| − | Oneiromancy – divination by dreams
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| − | Oneirophobia – fear of dreams
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| − | Onesie – a one-piece garment combining a top with trousers, worn by adults as leisurewear
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| − | Onomastics – or onomatology, the study of proper names of all kinds and the origins of names
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| − | Ontology – branch of metaphysics that deals with the nature of being
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| − | Ophiophobia – fear of snakes
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| − | Ophthalmoscope – a lighted instrument used to examine the inside of the eye, including the retina and the optic nerve
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| − | Or – gold, in heraldry
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| − | Orientalism – the imitation or depiction of aspects of Eastern cultures in the West by writers, designers and artists
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| − | Ormolu – an 18th century English term for applying finely ground, high-carat gold in a mercury amalgam to an object of bronze
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| − | Ornithopter – an aircraft that flies by flapping its wings
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| − | Orrery – a mechanical device that illustrates the relative positions and motions of the planets and moons in the solar system in the heliocentric model
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| − | Orthography – a standardized system for using a particular writing system (script) to write a particular language
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| − | Orthotics – the science and technology of braces, especially when supporting weak or injured joints and muscles
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| − | Ossuary – a container or receptacle, such as an urn or a vault, for holding the bones of the dead
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| − | Osteoarchaeology – the study of bones from archaeological sites
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| − | Osteopathy – emphasizes the interrelationship between structure and function of the body and recognizes the body's ability to heal itself
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| − | Ostracon– a piece of pottery (or stone), usually broken off from a vase or other earthenware vessel
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| − | Outcrop – a visible exposure of bedrock on the surface of the Earth
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| − | Outspan – an area on a South African farm kept available for travellers to rest and refresh animals
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| − | Overner – anyone not native to Isle of Wight
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| − | Overtone – any frequency higher than the fundamental frequency of a sound
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| − | == P ==
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| − | Pacyderm – any of various non-ruminant hoofed mammals having very thick skin: elephant; rhinoceros; hippopotamus
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| − | Painter – a rope that is attached to the bow of a boat and used for tying up or for towing
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| − | Palaeography – study of ancient and medieval writings
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| − | Palaeontology – study of fossil animals and plants
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| − | Paleopathology – the study of disease of former times (as inferred from fossil evidence)
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| − | Palfrey – a type of horse highly valued as a riding horse in the Middle Ages
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| − | Palimpsest – a parchment or the like from which writing has been partially or completely erased to make room for another text
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| − | Palmate – web-footed
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| − | Pandiculation – the act of yawning and stretching simultaneously
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| − | Pangram – a sentence containing all the letters of the alphabet (see isogram)
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| − | Panjandrum – an important or self-important person
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| − | Panjandrum – a massive, rocket-propelled, explosive-laden cart designed by the British military during World War II
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| − | Pannage – ancient tradition allowing pig farmers to graze their animals through the New Forest, eating acorns which could prove deadly to ponies
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| − | Pantile – roofing tile with a S-shape; laid so that curves overlap
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| − | Pantograph – collects current from overhead wires, on a train
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| − | Paper tiger – the nature of a person or organization that appears powerful but is actually powerless and ineffectual
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| − | Papilla – a small nipple-like projection
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| − | Parabasis – a point in a play when all of the actors leave the stage and the chorus is left to address the audience directly
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| − | Parable – a short moral story
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| − | Paraclete – the Holy Spirit as advocate or counselor
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| − | Paradiddle – type of drum roll
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| − | Paragon – a model of excellence or perfection of a kind; a peerless example: a paragon of virtue
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| − | Paralanguage – the non-verbal elements of communication used to modify meaning and convey emotion
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| − | Paramagnetism – a form of magnetism which only occurs in the presence of an externally applied magnetic field
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| − | Paramour – an adulterous lover
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| − | Paraphilia – sexual arousal to objects, situations, or individuals that are not part of normative stimulation
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| − | Parapraxis – Freudian slip. A slip of the tongue
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| − | Parataxis – a literary technique, in writing or speaking, which favors short, simple sentences
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| − | Parthenocarpy – the development of a fruit without fertilization or seeds
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| − | Paraskavedekatriaphobia – fear of Friday the thirteenth
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| − | Pardoner – sold papal indulgences. A person who had a license to sell pardons for sins committed
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| − | Pariah – a social outcast
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| − | Paronomasia – pun, or play on words
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| − | Partisan – a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation
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| − | Partwork – series of magazines on a particular topic
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| − | Parvenu – a person who has suddenly risen to a higher social and economic class and has not yet gained social acceptance by others in that class
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| − | Pasha – a high rank in the Ottoman Empire political system, typically granted to governors, generals and dignitaries
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| − | Pashmina – a type of fine cashmere wool and the shawls made from it. The wool comes from the pashmina goat
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| − | Passant (of predators) – walking: standing on three feet, one forefoot raised
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| − | Pastel – an art medium in the form of a stick, consisting of pure powdered pigment and a binder
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| − | Pastiche – describes a literary or other artistic genre. The word has two competing meanings, meaning either a ‘hodge-podge’ or an imitation
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| − | Pastrami – spiced, smoked beef
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| − | Patchouli – a small Southeast Asian shrub in the mint family, having leaves that yield fragrant oil used in the manufacture of perfumes
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| − | Paternoster – a passenger elevator which consists of a chain of open compartments that move slowly in a loop up and down inside a building without stopping
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| − | Patina – the change in an object's surface resulting from natural aging due to wear and oxidation
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| − | Patka – a piece of cloth which fits snugly over the kesh, as worn by Monty Panesar
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| − | Patna – city giving its name to long-grained rice
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| − | Patrician – the original aristocratic families of Ancient Rome
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| − | Patristics – or patrology is the study of the early Christian writers who are designated Church Fathers
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| − | Patten – holds the bread at a communion service
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| − | Patrial – person who has right of abode in UK
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| − | Patrilineality – a system in which one belongs to one's father's lineage
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| − | Payola – in the American music industry, is the illegal practice of payment or other inducement by record companies for the broadcast of recordings on music radio
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| − | Payot – the Hebrew word for sidelocks or sidecurls
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| − | Pavee – Irish travelers
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| − | Paywall – a system that prevents Internet users from accessing webpage content without a paid subscription
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| − | Peal – a ringing of a set of bells, especially a change or set of changes rung on bells
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| − | Pebbledash – cement or plaster with small stones embedded in it, used as a coating for exterior walls
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| − | Peculation – embezzlement of public funds or property
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| − | Pedagogue – a schoolteacher; an educator
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| − | Pedagogue – one who instructs in a pedantic or dogmatic manner
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| − | Pedalophobia – fear of bald people
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| − | Peel – long-handled pole used by a baker
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| − | Peerage – the peers of a kingdom considered as a group
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| − | Pejorative – tending to make or become worse. Disparaging; belittling
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| − | Pelagianism – the theological doctrine propounded by Pelagius, a British monk, and condemned as heresy by the Roman Catholic Church in 416 AD. It denied original sin and affirmed the ability of humans to be righteous by the exercise of free will
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| − | Pelotherapy – therapeutic treatment using mud
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| − | Pellucid – transparent
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| − | Pemmican – a concentrated mixture of fat and protein used as a nutritious food. Used by Arctic and Antarctic explorers
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| − | Peng – slang for an attractive girl
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| − | Penology – the study, theory, and practice of prison management and criminal rehabilitation
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| − | Penrose tiles – pattern of tiles, discovered by Roger Penrose and Robert Ammann, which could completely cover an infinite plane, but only in a pattern which is non-repeating (aperiodic)
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| − | Pentadactyl – having five fingers or toes on each hand or foot
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| − | Pentimento – an underlying image in a painting, as an earlier painting, part of a painting, or original draft, that shows through
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| − | Pentasyllabic – having or characterized by or consisting of five syllables, e.g. 77
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| − | Peon – day labourer in Spanish countries
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| − | Peripatetic – teacher who works at more than one college. Also – walking or travelling about. Of or pertaining to Aristotle, or the Aristotelian school of philosophy, who taught philosophy while walking in the Lyceum in ancient Athens
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| − | Periphrasis – a roundabout way of saying something, e.g. he’s passed away
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| − | Peristyle – a columned porch or open colonnade in a building surrounding a court that may contain an internal garden
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| − | Periwig / Peruke – wig fashionable in 17th and18th centuries
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| − | Persona – a character played by an actor. Term coined by Jung
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| − | Personification – giving human qualities to an inanimate object or an abstract idea, e.g. Keats’s ''To Autumn''
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| − | Pescetarian – a person who eats seafood, but not the flesh of other animals
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| − | Petard – an explosive device used to break down doors or walls. Hence – hoist
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| − | on ones... Used by Shakespeare in ''Hamlet''
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| − | Petiole – the small stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem
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| − | Petrology – study of rocks
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| − | Pettifogger – a quibbler of details. Used to refer to lawyers
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| − | Pewter – any of numerous silver-grey alloys of tin with various amounts of antimony, copper, and sometimes lead
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| − | Phalanx – an ancient military formation of infantry in close, deep ranks with shields overlapping
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| − | Pharology – study of lighthouses
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| − | Phasmophobia – fear of ghosts
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| − | Philippic – a fiery, damning speech, or tirade, delivered to condemn a particular political actor. The term originates with Demosthenes, who delivered several attacks on Philip II of Macedon in the 4th century BC. Cicero consciously modeled his own attacks on Mark Antony, in 44 BC and 43 BC, on Demosthenes’ speeches
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| − | Philophobia – fear of love
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| − | Phishing – scammers fishing for account information by sending email, e.g. pretending to be a bank
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| − | Phizog – slang term for face
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| − | Phonology – study of the sound systems of a particular language
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| − | Photomontage – the process (and result) of making a composite photograph by cutting and joining a number of other photographs
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| − | Photometry – the science of measurement of light, in terms of its perceived brightness to the human eye
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| − | Photophore – a light-producing organ in certain fishes and other animals
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| − | Phreaking – phone hacking
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| − | Phrenology – a pseudoscience primarily focused on measurements of the human skull, based on the concept that the brain is the organ of the mind, and that certain brain areas have localized, specific functions
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| − | Phylactery – either of two small leather cases containing texts from the Hebrew Scriptures
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| − | Physiology – study of the functions of living organisms and their parts
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| − | Picador – a horseman in a bullfight who lances the bull's neck muscles
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| − | Picaresque – romantic novel that deals with rogues and rascals
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| − | Piccadilly – 17th century word for a shirt collar
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| − | Pied – having two or more colours
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| − | Pied-noir – a term for the former French colonists of North Africa, especially Algeria
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| − | Pieta – artwork or sculpture which portrays the Virgin Mary cradling the lifeless body of Christ upon her lap
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| − | Pigeon Pair of twins – one boy, one girl
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| − | Pilaster – rectangular column with a capital and base, projecting only slightly from a wall as an ornamental motif
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| − | Pilcrow – also called the paragraph mark, is a typographical character commonly used to denote individual paragraphs. Looks like a backwards P
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| − | Pillory – a device made of a wooden or metal framework erected on a post, with holes for securing the head and hands, formerly used for punishment by public humiliation
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| − | Pilum – a Roman legionary's six foot javelin
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| − | Pinata – a container, ofen a donkey, filled with sweets or toys at Mexican festivals
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| − | Pirogue – canoe made from a hollowed tree trunk
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| − | Pizzo – protection money paid to the Mafia
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| − | Planchet – a round metal disk that is ready to be struck as a coin. An older word for planchet is flan
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| − | Plantigrade – walking with the entire sole of the foot on the ground, as humans, bears, raccoons, and rabbits do
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| − | Plasticity – a property of a material to undergo a non-reversible change of shape in response to an applied force. Plastic deformation occurs under shear stress, as opposed to brittle fractures which occur under normal stress
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| − | Platen – the roller in a typewriter that serves as the backing for the paper against which the type bars strike
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| − | Platitude – a worn-out cliche
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| − | Plebiscite – a direct vote in which the entire electorate is invited to accept or refuse a proposal
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| − | Pleonasm – the use of more words or word-parts than is necessary for clear expression: e.g. burning fire
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| − | Pluralism – the recognition and affirmation of diversity within a political body
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| − | Plus fours – so called due to an extra 4” of material
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| − | Plutocracy – government by the wealthy (see autocracy, oligarchy, stratocracy, theocracy)
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| − | Pnyx – hill near the Acropolis where the Assembly of the Athenians held its meetings
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| − | Podcast '''–''' an audio broadcast that has been converted to an MP3 file or other audio file format for playback
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| − | Polemic – a controversial argument, especially one refuting or attacking a specific opinion or doctrine
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| − | Polemology – study of conflict and war
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| − | Polenta – a dish made from boiled cornmeal
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| − | Polari – a form of cant slang used in the gay subculture in Britain. It was revived in the 1950s and 1960s by its use by camp characters Julian and Sandy in the popular BBC radio shows ''Beyond our Ken'' and ''Round the Horne''
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| − |
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| − | Polity – a state or one of its subordinate civil authorities, such as a city, or district. It is generally understood to mean a geographic area with a corresponding government
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Polka – an energetic Bohemian dance performed in the round in 2/4 time
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Pollard – animal without horns
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Polonaise – a stately, marchlike Polish dance, primarily a promenade by couples
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Polyandry – woman married to more than one man
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Polychromy – the use of many colours in decoration, especially in architecture and sculpture
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Polygamy – man married to more than one woman
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Polygon – a closed plane figure bounded by three or more line segments
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Polyphobia – fear of many things
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Polyptych – painting which is divided into four or more sections, or panels
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Polysemy – the capacity for a sign (e.g., a word, phrase, etc.) or signs to have multiple meanings, e.g. crane. Similar to homonymy
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Pomade – from apples. Used to style hair
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Pommel – counterweight at the top of the handle of a sword
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Pontoon – floating bridge
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Portmanteau word – formed by combining both sounds and meanings from two or more words, e.g. smog, genome (gene and chromosome), animatronics (animation and electronics)
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Porphyrophobia – fear of the colour purple
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Postprandial – after a meal
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Potwalloper – an archaic term referring to a borough constituency returning members to the House of Commons before 1832 and the Reform Act
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Praetor – an ancient ''Roman'' magistrate ranking below a consul
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Praxis – practical application or exercise of a branch of learning; Habitual or established practice
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Pratfall – a ridiculous tumble in which someone, especially a clown or comedian, lands on their bottom
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Prebendary – a post connected to an Anglican or Catholic cathedral or collegiate church and is a type of canon who receives a prebend (a stipend) for serving the church
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Precession – the motion of the axis of a spinning body, such as the wobble of a spinning top or the wobbling effect of the earth on its axis, when there is an external force acting on the axis
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Prehensility – the quality of an organ that has adapted for grasping or holding. Examples of prehensile body parts include the tails of New World monkeys and opossums, the trunks of elephants, the tongues of giraffes, the lips of horses and the proboscides of tapir
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Prelapsarian – of or relating to the period before the fall of Adam and Eve
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Pressgang – the act of forcibly conscripting people to serve as sailors, abolished in 1853
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Pret-a-porter – ready to wear fashion
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Priest – a mallet used to kill fish caught when angling
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Printer’s devil – young apprentice at a printers, covered in ink
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Primogeniture – the common law right of the first-born son to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Privateer – a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Proa – a type of multihull sailing vessel in Micronesia
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Probate – proving a will
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Probiotics – dietary supplements of live bacteria or yeasts thought to be healthy
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Progeria – premature aging
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Prolegomenon – an introduction
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Proletariat – the class of modern wage labourers who, having no means of production of their own, are reduced to selling their labour power in order to live
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Prolix – tending to speak or write at excessive length
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Prone – lying down with the face down
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Propylaea – any monumental gateway based on the original Propylaea that serves as the entrance to the Acropolis in Athens
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Prorogation – period between two sessions of a legislative body
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Proscenium – arch in a theatre separating the stage from the auditorium
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Proscribe – 1. To denounce or condemn. 2. To prohibit; forbid
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Prose – not written in ‘poetic style’ – it is written normally
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Proselyte – a new convert; especially a gentile converted to Judaism
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Prosody – the rhythm, stress, and intonation of speech. Includes poetical metre
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Prosopagnosia – inability to recognize faces
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Prosthetics – replacement of body parts with artificial parts
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Protagonist – chief character in a play
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Prophylactic – intended to prevent disease
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Protoscience – historical philosophical disciplines which existed prior to the development of scientific method, which allowed them to develop into science proper, e.g. alchemy or astrology
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Provenance – a record of ownership of a work of art or an antique, used as a guide to authenticity or quality
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Provost – mayor in Scotland
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Psephology – scientific analysis of political elections and polls
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Pteridology – study of ferns
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Pterophobia – fear of flying
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Publican – a collector of public taxes or tolls in the ancient Roman Empire
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Pudenda – the human external genital organs, especially of a woman
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Puggle – a crossbreed dog with a beagle parent and a pug parent
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Pukao – hats or topknots formerly placed on top of some moai statues from Easter Island
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Pullet – a female chicken (sometimes applied to other species) under one year of age
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Punic – Carthaginian: of or relating to or characteristic of ancient Carthage or its people or their language
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Punkah – a type of fan
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Punty – tool used in glassblowing
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Purdah – screening women from the public eye
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Purga – strong winter wind of central Asia
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Pusillanimous – lacking courage; cowardly
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Putative – commonly accepted as true on inconclusive grounds
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Putsch – uprising or insurrection
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Puttee – a covering for the lower part of the leg from the ankle to the knee, consisting of a long narrow piece of cloth wound tightly and spirally round the leg
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Putto – figure of a small boy or cherub
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Pyrography – the art of decorating wood or other materials with burn marks resulting from the controlled application of a heated object such as a poker
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Pyromancy – divination by fire
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Pyrometer – device which measures high temperatures
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Pyx – a small container holding the consecrated bread in church
| |
| − |
| |
| − | == Q ==
| |
| − | Quadriga – four-horse chariot
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Quadrille – a historic dance performed by four couples in a rectangular formation, and a precursor to traditional square dancing
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Quadroon – has one black and three white grandparents (see octoroon)
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Quaestor – any of several public officials of ancient Rome (usually in charge of finance and administration
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Quant – a pole used to propel a barge or punt through water
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Quarrel – crossbow bolt
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Quatrain – a poem or a stanza within a poem that consists of four lines
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Quaver – an eighth note
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Quenching – the rapid cooling of a workpiece to obtain certain material properties
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Quincunx – tactical formation for a Roman legion. The pattern corresponds to the five-spot on dice
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Quinquagesimal period – 50 days
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Quintain – used by medieval knights for jousting practice, commonly using a shield on a pole as the target
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Quipu – recording devices used by Incas. Consists of coloured threads with numeric and other values encoded by knots
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Quixotism – impracticality in pursuit of ideals. Named after Don Quixote
| |
| | | | |
| | == R == | | == R == |
| − | Radiometry – the science of measurement of light in terms of absolute power
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Raga – Indian music, from Sanskrit word meaning ‘colour’
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Rampant – standing on left hind foot, other feet raised to fight
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Rational number – a real number that can be expressed as a ratio of two integers
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Rawhide – a hide or animal skin that has not been exposed to tanning
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Realpolitik – politics or diplomacy based primarily on practical considerations, rather than ideological notions, e.g. Nixon’s dealings with China
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Rebec – forerunner of the violin
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Recess – legislative bodies – such as parliaments, assemblies and juries – that are released to reassemble at a later time
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Recidivist – habitual criminal
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Rector – an Anglican cleric who has charge of a parish and owns the tithes from it
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Redaction – a form of editing in which multiple source texts are combined (redacted) and altered slightly to make a single document
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Redemption – the deliverance of Christians from sin
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Red letter day – originates from medieval church calendars. Illuminated manuscripts often marked initial capitals and highlighted words in red ink, known as rubrics
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Red tops – tabloid newspapers
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Reduplicative – words that repeat themselves, e.g. bye bye
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Reed – vegetable tissue that vibrates, in a musical instrument
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Reflux – the flowing back of a liquid, especially that of a fluid in the body
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Regicide – killing a monarch
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Rehook – a film which is so powerful and appealing that cinema goers go back for repeat viewings
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Reification – making something real, bringing it into being, or making something concrete
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Renegade – someone who rebels and becomes an outlaw
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Reredos – a screen or decoration behind the altar in a church, usually depicting religious iconography or images and also called an altarpiece
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Resinite – technical term for amber
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Restitution – the restoration of something lost or stolen to its proper owner
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Retiarius – a gladiator armed with a piece of netting and a trident
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Reticulated – net-like
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Reticule –a drawstring handbag
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Revolvers – don’t pay off debts (see convenience users)
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Rheology – the study of the flow of matter, primarily in the liquid state
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Rhetoric – the art or study of using language effectively and persuasively
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Rider – list of requirements demanded by celebrities before they appear on a TV show
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Riff – a repeated chord progression, pattern, refrain or melodic figure
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Rifling – the process of making spiral grooves in the barrel of a gun or firearm, which imparts a spin to a projectile. Hence – rifle
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Rolling – dog fights
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Rondeau – a short, lyrical poem of usually fifteen lines (three stanzas)
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Ronin – a roving, mercenary samurai who serves no master or warlord
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Rostrum – platform for public speakers in ancient Rome, adorned with beaks of captured ships
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Rowel – wheel on a spur
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Rubenesque – plump ladies, derived from ‘in the style of Rubens’
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Ruminant – a mammal that digests plant-based food by initially softening it within the animal's first compartment of the stomach, then regurgitating the semi-digested mass, now known as cud, and chewing it again
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Runcible spoon – has two sharp prongs and a curved prong
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Rupophobia – fear of rubbish or dirt
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Rutabaga – American name for swede
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Rutilant – glowing red
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Ryokan – a type of traditional Japanese inn that originated in the Edo period (1603–1868), when such inns served travelers along Japan's highways
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Ryu – a school of Japanese martial art
| |
| − |
| |
| − | == S ==
| |
| − | Sable – a small carnivorous mammal, closely related to the martens. It has historically been harvested for its highly valued fur
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sabra – slang term that refers to Israeli Jews born in Israel
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sabrage – opening a champagne bottle with a sabre
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sacrament – a religious ceremony or act of the Christian Church that is regarded as an outward and visible sign of divine grace, in particular
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Safranin – any of a class of chiefly red organic dyes
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Saga – ancient Icelandic literature
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sakoku – the foreign relations policy of Japan under which no foreigner or Japanese could enter or leave the country on penalty of death
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Salient – a battlefield feature that projects into enemy territory
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Samovar – Russian tea urn
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Saponification – process used to make soap
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sarabande – a dance in triple metre
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sardonic – grimly mocking, or cynical
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sarisa – five metre long spear used in the ancient Greek and Hellenistic warfare. It was introduced by Philip II of Macedon and was used in the traditional Greek phalanx formation
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Satrap – the name given to the governors of the provinces of ancient Median and Persian Achaemenid empires and in several of their heirs, the Sassanid and later Hellenistic empires
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Satsuma – type of Japanese pottery
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Scale – a sequence of musical notes in ascending and descending order
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Scallywag – a Southern white who joined the Republican Party in the ex-Confederate South during Reconstruction
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Scapular – a short monastic cloak covering the shoulders
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Scarab – a dung beetle worshipped by the ancient Egyptians as an embodiment of the god Khepri. Also, an amulet modeled upon the dung beetle
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Schadenfreude – malicious enjoyment at the expense of others
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Schlock – cheap or inferior goods or material
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Scholasticism – the system of theological and philosophical teaching predominant in the Middle Ages
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sciagraphy – the art or science of projecting or delineating shadows as they fall in nature
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Scion – a descendant (of a notable family), a son or daughter
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sciophobia – fear of shadows
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Scotopic – night vision
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Scotophobia – fear of darkness
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Scrag-end – a cut of mutton from the neck
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Screever – artist who draws chalk pictures on pavements
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Scripophilist – collects stocks and paper money
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Scrivener – a person who could read and write or wrote letters to court and legal documents
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Scrunchie – a fabric-covered elastic hair tie, commonly used to fasten long hair
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Scutorium – room for copying manuscripts
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Secession – the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Securitization – a structured finance process, which involves pooling and repackaging of cash flow producing financial assets into securities that are then sold to investors
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sedilia – seats, usually made of stone, found on the liturgical south side of an altar, often in the chancel, for use during Mass
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Seersucker – a thin, all-cotton fabric, commonly striped or checkered, used to make clothing for spring and summer wear
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Seigneur – hereditary ruler of Sark
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Selachophobia – fear of sharks
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Semantics – the branch of linguistics and logic concerned with meaning
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Semiotics – the study of signs and symbols
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Semisomnia – low grade exhaustion caused by inadequate rest
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sendal – a thin light silk used in the Middle Ages for fine garments, church vestments, and banners
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sepoy – an indigenous soldier serving in the army of a foreign conqueror, especially an
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Indian soldier serving under British command in India
| |
| − |
| |
| − | S''eraglio'' – the sequestered living quarters used by wives and concubines in a Turkish household
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sestina – a structured 39-line poetic form
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sexting – the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photos electronically, primarily between mobile phones
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Serendipity – the faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident. Coined by Horace Walpole in 1754
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sericulture – production of silk. Named after the Chinese people called the Seres, who produced silk in ancient times
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Shagreen – a type of roughened untanned leather, formerly made from a horse's back, or that of an onager (wild ass), and typically dyed green. Shagreen is now commonly made of the skins of sharks and rays
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Shaman '''–''' a member of certain tribal societies who acts as a medium between the visible world and an invisible spirit world and who practices magic
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Shambles – an obsolete term for an open-air slaughterhouse and meat market
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Shamisen – three-stringed fretless lute used in Japanese traditional music
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Shantung – a heavy fabric made with raw silk or with cotton substitutes
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Shebeen – an illicit bar or club where excisable alcoholic beverages were sold without a licence
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Shellac – a purified lac in the form of thin yellow or orange flakes
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Shill – a person who is paid to help another person or organization to sell goods or services. The shill pretends to have no association with the seller/group and gives onlookers the impression that he or she is an enthusiastic customer. Shills are used in auctions to place phony bids
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Shire – old word for a county
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Shiv – a slang term for any sharp or pointed implement used as a knife-like weapon
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Shtetl – a small town with a large Jewish population
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Shoddy – woollen yarn made from scraps or used clothing, with some new wool added
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Shofar – a horn, traditionally that of a ram, used for Jewish religious purposes
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Shogun – ,a military rank and historical title in Japan. The rank is equivalent to general
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Shoji – a door, window or room divider consisting of translucent paper over a frame of wood which holds together a lattice of wood or bamboo
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Shotcrete – concrete conveyed through a hose and pneumatically projected at high velocity onto a surface
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Showrooming – the practice of examining merchandise in a traditional brick and mortar retail store without purchasing it, but then shopping online to find a lower price for the same item
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sibyl – prophetic woman resident at shrines or temples throughout the Classical World
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sidewinder – snake, and surface-to-air missile
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sienna – a form of limonite clay most famous in the production of oil paint pigments. Its yellow-brown colour comes from ferric oxides contained within
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sigillography – study of wax seals
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Simile – a figure of speech that expresses itself as a comparison, e.g., dead as a dodo
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Simony – the buying or selling of ecclesiastical pardons, offices, or emoluments
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Simulcast – shorthand for ‘simultaneous broadcast’, refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sindoor – a red powder usually worn by married Indian women on the parting of the hair on the head
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sinus – cavity without a bone
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sirloin – between rump and fore-rib
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Size – thin, weak glue
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Skeuomorph – a physical ornament or design on an object made to resemble another material or technique, e.g. pottery embellished with imitation rivets reminiscent of similar pots made of metal
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Skirt – a cut of beef
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Slamming – moving a customer from one phone company to another without them knowing
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Slip – a suspension in water of clay and/or other materials used in the production of ceramic ware
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Snowclone – a type of cliche which uses an old idiom formulaically in a new context, e.g. ‘grey is the new black’
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sockpuppet – an online identity used for purposes of deception
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Softwood – the wood of a coniferous tree
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Solenoid – a magnetic switch that closes a circuit, often used as a relay
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Solidus – gold coin issued by the Romans, and a weight measure for gold more generally, corresponding to 4.5 grams
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Solidus – forward slash (/) punctuation mark
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Soliloquy – actor’s speech only heard by the audience, and not by other actors
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Solitaire – the mounting of a single gemstone on jewellery
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sonar – a measuring instrument that sends out an acoustic pulse in water and measures distances in terms of the time for the echo of the pulse to return; sonar is an acronym for ‘sound navigation ranging’ (see asdic)
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sonnet – poem of 14 lines
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sophism – can mean two very different things: In the modern definition, a sophism is a confusing or illogical argument used for deceiving someone. In Ancient Greece, the sophists were a group of teachers of philosophy and rhetoric
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Sophistry – a deliberately invalid argument displaying ingenuity in reasoning in the hope of deceiving someone
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| − | Soring – the practice of applying irritants (including objects such as nails) or blistering agents to the front feet or forelegs of a horse, making it pick its feet up higher in an exaggerated manner
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| − | Sororicide – the act of killing one’s own sister
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| − | Soundtrack – can refer to the physical area of a film that contains the synchronized recorded sound
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| − | Souq – (also souk) is a commercial quarter in an Arab, Berber, and increasingly European city. The term is often used to designate the market in any Arabized or Muslim city
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| − | Spacionaut – French astronaut
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| − | Spall – flakes of a material that are broken off a larger solid body and can be produced by a variety of mechanisms, including as a result of projectile impact, corrosion, or weathering''',''' Spalling and spallation both describe the process of surface failure in which spall is shed
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| − | Spandex – a synthetic fibre or fabric made from a polymer containing polyurethane, used in the manufacture of elastic clothing
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| − | Speakeasy – drinking den in prohibition era
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| − | Spectrometer – an instrument used to measure properties of light over a specific portion of the electromagnetic spectrum
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| − | Spelter – zinc treated to look like bronze and used as an inexpensive substitute in Art Nouveau applique ornament and Art Deco figures
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| − | Spermophile – collector of trivia
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| − | Spillway – the channel around or over a dam through which excess water is released or ‘spilled’ past the dam without going through the turbines
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| − | Spindrift – spray, particularly the spray blown from cresting waves
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| − | Spinneret – a silk-spinning organ of a spider
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| − | Splicing – joining two ropes by interweaving of strands
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| − | Spokeshave – a tool used to shape and smooth wooden rods and shafts
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| − | Spraints – otter droppings
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| − | Sprites – bolts of positive lightning from the upper atmosphere
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| − | Spurtle – wooden dowel used for stirring porridge
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| − | Squamous – covered with or formed of scales
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| − | Stabile – an abstract sculpture, usually of sheet metal, resembling a mobile but having no moving parts
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| − | Staycation – vacation at home and day trips, rather than going away
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| − | Steelbook – a casing in steel for either a DVD or a Blu-ray movie
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| − | Steer – castrated bull. Also known as a bullock
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| − | Stele – a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected for funerals or commemorative purposes
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| − | Stepwell – well in which the water can be reached by descending a set of steps. Common in the west of India
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| − | Stetson – Philadelphia hat maker
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| − | Stevedore – docker who loads and unloads ships
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| − | Stigmata – marks on the body, like those on Christ’s body
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| − | Stimpmeter – measures speed of a golf green
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| − | Stipend – settled pay or compensation for services. Salary paid to a vicar
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| − | Stipendiary – salaried magistrates
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| − | Stockman – person who drives stock, in Australia
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| − | Stola – female toga
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| − | Stoop – the high-speed attack dive of a bird of prey
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| − | Strand – sandy beach or shoreline in Ireland
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| − | Stratocracy – government by the armed forces (see autocracy, oligarchy, plutocracy, theocracy)
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| − | Stridulation – to produce a shrill grating, chirping, or hissing sound by rubbing body parts together
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| − | Stromatolite – a sedimentological and biological ‘fossil’ representing colonies of bacteria alternating with layers of sediments
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| − | Stupa – earliest Buddhist religious monument
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| − | Subclavian – below the clavicle
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| − | Subwoofer – a woofer that is dedicated to the reproduction of low-pitched audio frequencies known as bass
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| − | Sucker – a shoot or cane which grows from a bud at the base of a tree or shrub or from its roots
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| − | Subduction – the process that takes place at convergent boundaries by which one tectonic plate moves under another tectonic plate, sinking into the Earth's mantle, as the plates converge
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| − | Sublime – of high spiritual, moral, or intellectual worth
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| − | Sufism – Islamic mysticism
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| − | Sulky – used in harness racing
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| − | Supercilia – eyebrows
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| − | Superfluid – a fluid, such as a liquid form of helium, exhibiting a frictionless flow at temperatures close to absolute zero
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| − | Super-injunction – stops journalists writing about legal proceedings, and forbids them mentioning the injunction as well
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| − | Supine – lying down with the face up
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| − | Surd – irrational root of an integer
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| − | Swami – an ascetic or yogi who has been initiated into the religious monastic order founded by some religious teacher
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| − | Swatch – a textile sample
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| − | Swazzle (swatchel) – a device made of two strips of metal bound around a cotton tape reed. The device is used to produce the distinctive harsh, rasping voice of Punch and is held in the mouth by the Professor (performer) in a Punch and Judy show
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| − | Sweepstake – a form of gambling where the entire prize may be awarded to the winner
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| − | Swishing – swapping items of clothing or shoes or an accessory with friends or acquaintances
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| − | Switch – a flexible rod which is typically used for corporal punishment, similar to birching
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| − | Syllabub – a beverage made from a mixture of sweetened milk/cream, wine and spices
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| − | Syllogism – a kind of logical argument in which one proposition (the conclusion) is inferred from two others (the premises) of a certain form, i.e. categorical proposition
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| − | Syncretism – the attempt to reconcile contrary beliefs, often while melding practices of various schools of thought
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| − | Synecdoche – a form of metonymy, but specifically ‘a whole for the part of a part for the whole’, e.g. describing a complete vehicle as ‘wheels’
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| − | Synesthesia – a neurological condition in which two or more bodily senses are coupled. In a form of synesthesia known as grapheme color synesthesia, letters or numbers may be perceived as inherently coloured, while in ordinal linguistic personification, numbers, days of the week and months of the year evoke personalities
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| − | Synonyms – word pairs that have a similar meaning, e.g. spooky and scary
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| | | | |
| | == T == | | == T == |
Template:Horizontal TOC
A
B
C
D
E
G
I
M
N
R
T
Tabard – a short coat, either sleeveless, or with short sleeves or shoulder pieces, which was a common item of men's clothing in the Middle Ages, usually for outdoors
Tabloid – comes from the name given by the London based pharmaceutical company Burroughs Wellcome & Co. to the compressed tablets they marketed as ‘Tabloid’ pills in the late 1880s
Tachograph – a device fitted to a vehicle that automatically records its speed and distance
Tachometer – an instrument measuring the rotation speed of a shaft or disk, as in a motor or other machine. Rev counter
Tachycardia – a heart rate that exceeds the normal range for a resting heart rate
Tacking – sailing into the wind with a zig-zag movement
Tajine – a type of North African dish (Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia) as well as the special pot to cook them in. Tajine dishes are slow cooked at low temperatures, resulting in tender, falling-off-the-bone meat with aromatic vegetables and sauce
Talkbox – an effects unit that allows musicians to modify the sound of a musical instrument
Tallit – a Jewish prayer shawl
Tallow – hard fat obtained from parts of the bodies of cattle, sheep, or horses, and used in foodstuffs or to make candles, leather dressing, soap, and lubricants
Tankini – a two piece bathing suit with the upper portion resembling a tank top
Tannoy – abbreviation of tantalum alloy
Tantalize – to tease, after Tantalus, a son of Zeus who was punished by being ‘tantalized’ with hunger and thirst in Tartarus
Tantalus – wooden display cabinet that holds decanters of spirits
Tantra – any of a comparatively recent class of Hindu or Buddhist religious literature written in Sanskrit and concerned with powerful ritual acts of body, speech, and mind
Taphophilia – a passion for and enjoyment of cemeteries
Taphophobia – fear of being buried alive
Tarantass – a four-wheeled horse-drawn vehicle on a long longitudinal frame. It was widely used in Russia in the first half of the 19th century
Tatami – a type of mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms
Tatting – a decorative form of lace, usually made by hand with a small shuttle
Tautology – needless repetition of the same sense in different words
Taxol – a chemical substance derived from a yew tree of the Pacific Coast: used experimentally as a drug in the treatment of cancer
Technosexual – an individual who has a strong aesthetic sense and a love of gadgets. Also used to refer to robot fetishism
Tegestologist – collector of beer mats
Telesphobia – fear of coming last
Telly Novella – term used for a soap opera
Tempera – a water-based paint that uses egg, egg yolk, glue, or casein as a binder. Many commercially made paints identified as tempera are actually gouache
Tempering – a process of heat treating, which is used to increase the toughness of iron-based alloys. It is also a technique used to increase the toughness of glass
Temple – either of the flat surfaces alongside the forehead, in front of each ear
Tempura – Japanese deep fried batter-dipped seafood and vegetables
Tenderfoot – first rank US scout
Tendon – a tough band of fibrous connective tissue that usually connects muscle to bone. Also known as sinew (see ligament)
Teratology – the study of abnormalities of physiological development
Teratophobia – fear of monsters
Termagant – scalding woman
Tercentenary – 300 years
Terry towelling – a fabric with loops that can absorb large amounts of water. Also known as terrycloth
Terylene – a synthetic polyester fibre or fabric based on terephthalic acid, characterized by lightness and crease resistance
Tessellation – a repeated geometric design that covers a plane without gaps or overlaps
Tessera – an individual tile, usually formed in the shape of a cube, used in creating a mosaic
Tester – canopy above a four poster bed
Thalassophobia – fear of the sea
Thane – between a Freeman and a Noble
Theocracy – government by religious law (see autocracy, oligarchy, plutocracy, stratocracy)
Theodicy – a vindication of God's goodness and justice in the face of the existence of evil
Theremin – musical instrument played by moving the hands around antennae
Thinning – a term used in agricultural sciences to mean the removal of some plants, or parts of plants, to make room for the growth of others
Three-line whip – compulsory note to an MP to attend a vote
Threshold – the sill of a door
Tines – parallel or branching spikes forming parts of various tools, e.g. forks. Tines also form the branched bony antlers of deer
Tipstaff – arrests people in contempt of court
Tithe – a tenth part of one's annual income contributed voluntarily or due as a tax, especially for the support of the clergy or church
Titian – shade of brownish orange named after the artist
Titration – a procedure which is used to determine the concentration of an acid or base
Tittle – a small distinguishing mark, such as a diacritic or the dot on a lowercase i or j
Tocsin – an alarm bell or signal
Tog – Measure of thermal insulation
Tog – Terry Wogan fan (Terry’s old geezers)
Toilette – cloth cover for a ladies’ dressing table
Tombstoning – jumping into the sea off cliffs
Tom Swifty (or Tom Swiftie) – a phrase in which a quoted sentence is linked by a pun to the manner in which it is represented as having been said, e.g. ‘Pass me the shellfish,’ said Tom crabbily
Tonga – a kind of horse-drawn taxi formerly used in northern India
Tonitrophobia – fear of thunder
Tonsure – the traditional practice of Christian churches of cutting or shaving the hair from the scalp of clerics
Toponymy – the scientific study of toponyms (place-names)
Toque – chef’s hat
Torero – a bullfighter in Spain
Torii – a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine
Torpor – is a state of decreased physiological activity in an animal, usually by a reduced body temperature and metabolic rate
Torquetum or turquet – a medieval astronomical instrument designed to take and convert measurements made in three sets of coordinates: Horizon, equatorial, and ecliptic. In a sense, the torquetum is an analog computer
Toxiphobia – fear of poison
Tracery – an architectural term used primarily to describe the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window
Transept – either of the two parts forming the arms of the cross shape, projecting at right angles from the nave
Transfiguration – a marked change in form or appearance; a metamorphosis
Transliteration – the conversion of a text from one script to another
Transpiration – loss of water by evaporation in terrestrial plants
Transom – the horizontal member which is framed across a window, dividing it into stages or heights
Trebuchet – large catapult
Treen – small objects made of wood
Trefah or treif – opposite of kosher. Means ‘torn’
Trepanation – surgical operation involving the removal of a disc of bone from the skull
Triangulation – the process of determining the location of a point by measuring angles to it from known points at either end of a fixed baseline
Tribadism – commonly known by its scissoring position, is a form of non-penetrative sex in which a woman rubs her vulva against her partner's body for sexual stimulation
Tribology – the science and engineering of interacting surfaces in relative motion. It includes the study and application of the principles of friction, lubrication and wear
Tribune – an official in ancient Rome chosen by the plebeians to protect their interests
Triclinium – a formal dining room in a Roman building with three couches
Tricolon – a sentence with three clearly defined parts (cola) of equal length, usually independent clauses and of increasing power
Triforium – a gallery of arches above the side-aisle vaulting in the nave of a church
Triga – three-horse chariot
Triglyph – an architectural term for the vertically channeled tablets of the Doric frieze
Trimmer – politician who changes allegiances
Tripoint – (also known as tri-border area) is a geographical point at which the borders of three countries or subnational entities meet
Trireme – an ancient Greek or Roman galley or warship, having three tiers of oars on each side
Triumvirate – a political regime dominated by three powerful political and/or military leaders
Triskaidekaphobia – fear of the number 13
Troika – a committee consisting of three members (Russian)
Troika – a Russian carriage pulled by three horses abreast
Troll – a commenter whose sole purpose is to attack the views expressed on a blog and incite a flamewar
Trope – a figurative or metaphorical use of a word or expression
Troubadour – one of a class of 12th century and 13th century lyric poets in southern France, northern Italy, and northern Spain, who composed songs about courtly love
Trousseau – clothes collected by a woman for her marriage
Trug – a shallow oblong basket made of strips of wood, traditionally used for carrying garden flowers and produce
Truthiness – the quality of knowing something in your gut, or your heart, as opposed to in your head
Trypanophobia – fear of needles
Trypophobia – fear of objects with small holes
Tsarevich (czarevich) – the title of the heir apparent or heir presumptive to the emperors of Russia
Tubercle – a wart-like projection
Tulle – a lightweight, very fine netting, which is often starched. Tulle is most commonly used for veils, gowns (particularly wedding gowns), and ballet tutus
Tumbi – a traditional high pitched, single string plucking instrument from the Punjab region
Tumbril – cart that took prisoners to the guillotine at the time of the French Revolution
Tup – male sheep
Tuque – Canadian knitted woolen cap
Turpentine – a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin obtained from trees, mainly pine trees
Tweeter – a speaker driver designed to reproduce high frequencies (see woofer)
Twerking – to dance to popular music in a sexually provocative manner involving thrusting hip movements and a low, squatting stance
Twilight – the time of day immediately following sunset
Twine – a light string or strong thread composed of two or more smaller strands or yarns twisted together
Twinsie – has three legs, four arms, two hoods. Onesie for two people
Tyrant – one who illegally seized and controlled a governmental power in a polis
U
Ultrasound – cyclic sound pressure with a frequency greater than the upper limit of human hearing. It is approximately 20 kilohertz
Umbilicus – navel or belly button
Unciform – hook-shaped
Undercroft – church crypt
Ulama – group of scholars in Islam
Ululation – a long, wavering, high-pitched vocal sound resembling a howl with a trilling quality. It is produced by emitting a high pitched loud voice accompanied with a rapid movement of the tongue and the uvula
Umami – a savory taste which is one of the five basic tastes, together with sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. Umami is a loanword from Japanese
Umrah – a pilgrimage to Mecca
Unicameralism – the practice of having only one legislative or parliamentary chamber
Unitarianism – a religious theological movement named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism, which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one being
Urtication – flogging with nettles
Ushanka – a Russian fur cap with ear flaps
Uxoricide – killing one’s wife
Uxorious – excessive devotion to the wife
V
Valentines – love notes
Vaporetto – a motorboat for transporting people along the canals in Venice
Vascular – in zoology and medicine means ‘relating to blood vessels’. In botany, plants with a dedicated transport system for water and nutrients are called vascular plants
Vector – an organism that transmits diseases or infections
Vedette – a mounted sentry or outpost, who has the function of bringing information, giving signals or warnings of danger, etc., to a main body of troops
Vedic – the language of the Vedas, an early form of Sanskrit
Veduta – a highly detailed, usually large-scale painting or, actually more often print, of a cityscape or some other vista
Veilkini – an Islamic swimsuit similar in style to the Burkini
Veldt – open grassland in South Africa
Venal – open to bribery; mercenary
Verbosity – speech or writing which is deemed to use an excess of words. Adjectival forms are verbose, wordy, prolix and garrulous
Verecund – modest
Vermeil – a combination of sterling silver, gold, and other precious metals, commonly used as a component in jewellery
Vermicide – pesticide for worms
Vernacular – the everyday language spoken by a people
Vernissage – preview of art exhibition
Verso – even pages, Recto – odd pages of a book
Vespers – evening church service
Vestibule – a lobby, entrance hall, or passage between the entrance and the interior of a building
Vexilology – study of flags
Vicarious – felt or undergone as if one were taking part in the experience or feelings of another
Vicenarian – a person aged 20 to 29
Vintitulist – collects wine labels
Virion – a complete virus particle
Visceral – coming from strong emotions and not from logic or reason
Vishing – voice phishing, the criminal practice of using social engineering over the telephone system to gain access to private personal and financial information from the public
Viscosity – the thickness or resistance to flow of a liquid
Vitrine – a glass-paneled cabinet or case for displaying articles
Vizier – a high-ranking political advisor or minister
Volar – palms of the hands, or soles of the feet
Volkskammer – was East German parliament
Vomitorium – a passage situated below or behind a tier of seats in an amphitheatre, through which crowds can ‘spew out’ at the end of a performance
Vuvuzela – horns blown at African football matches
W
Wackaging – portmanteau of wacky and packaging
Wain – a usually large and heavy vehicle for farm use; a hay wain
Wainscoting – wood panelling
Wainwright – wagon maker
Wampum – beads of shells strung in strands and used by American Indians as money
Wanderlust – a strong desire for or impulse to wander or travel and explore the world
Warp – threads that run lengthwise along a cloth (see weft)
Wassailing – carol singing
Watermen – river workers who transfer passengers across and along city centre rivers and estuaries
Wattle – a mat of woven (willow) sticks and weeds; used in wall and dike construction
Wayland – a supernatural blacksmith and king of the elves
Webcast – a broadcast of an event or a recording of an event over the World Wide Web
Webinar – portmanteau of web and seminar
Webisode – an episode of a TV programme that is shown first on the Internet
Weft – horizontal threads interlaced through the warp in a woven fabric
Wheelbase – the distance from the centre of the front wheel to that of the rear wheel in a motor vehicle
Wherry – type of boat particularly associated with the River Thames
Whey – watery part of milk that is separated from the curd in making cheese
Whitebait – the young of various fishes, especially the herring
Wicker – hard woven fibre formed into a rigid material, usually used for baskets or furniture
Wiki – a website or similar online resource which allows users to add and edit content collectively
Winnowing – the act of separating grain from chaff
Woad – blue dye used by ancient Britons to colour clothes and skin
Wonk – an overly studious person, particularly student; a nerd
Woofer – a speaker driver designed to reproduce low frequencies (see tweeter)
Wrangler – a student who gains first-class honours in the third year of Cambridge University’s undergraduate degree in mathematics
X
Xenia – the ancient Greek concept of hospitality
Xiphoid – sword-shaped
Y
Yakuza – members of traditional organized crime groups in Japan
Yarmulke – Jewish skullcap. Also known as a kippah
Yashmak – double veil worn in public, only the eyes are uncovered
Yazidi – primarily ethnic Kurds, mostly living in the Mosul region of northern Iraq
Yodeling – a form of singing that involves singing an extended note which rapidly and repeatedly changes in pitch
Z
Zambo – an individual in the Americas who is of mixed African and Amerindian ancestry
Zealot – a member of an ancient Jewish sect in Judea in the 1st century who fought to the death against the Romans
Zeugma – a figure of speech describing the joining of two or more parts of a sentence with a single common verb or noun
Zucchetto – small skullcap. The Pope's zucchetto is white, those worn by cardinals are red, bishops wear violet, and priests and deacons wear black
