Civilisation/Words
A
Abasia – inability to walk
Abaya – a loose robe covering most of the body, worn in Saudi Arabia
Abecedarius – a special type of acrostic in which the first letter of every word follows the order of the letters in the alphabet
Ablutophobia – fear of washing
Absolution – remission of sins
Abstemious – eating and drinking in moderation
Accolade – an embrace formerly used in conferring knighthood
Achluphobia – fear of darkness
Achromatopsia – the inability to see colour
Acre – the amount of ground an ox could plough in a day
Acrophobia – fear of heights
Acrostic – a poem or other form of writing in an alphabetic script, in which the first letter, syllable or word of each line, paragraph or other recurring feature in the text spells out a word or a message
Acrylic – a clear plastic used as a binder in paint and as a casting material in sculpture
Adjunct – an optional part of a sentence, clause, or phrase that, if removed or discarded, will not otherwise affect the remainder of the sentence
Adobe – a sun-dried, unburned brick of clay and straw
Adonism – a Neopagen religion that reveres Adonis
Adumbrate – to outline
Advertorial – an advertisement written in the form of an objective opinion editorial, and presented in a printed publication
Advocate – a barrister in Scotland
Aedile – an elected official of ancient Rome who was responsible for public works and games and who supervised markets, the grain supply, and the water supply
Aegrotat – an unclassified university degree granted to a candidate who is prevented by illness from attending examinations
Aeolipile – a rocket-like jet engine invented in the first century by Hero of Alexandria. It is considered to be the first recorded steam engine and reaction steam turbine
Aestivation – summer hibernation
Affidavit – a written declaration made under oath
Affinity – related by marriage
Affirmation – taken by people who cannot swear on oath for religious reasons
Affluenza – an extreme form of materialism resulting from the excessive desire for material goods
Afghan – a knitted or crocheted woollen blanket
Afrofuturism – a cultural movement that uses science fiction and fantasy to reimagine the history of the African diaspora
Afterburner – a device for augmenting the thrust of a jet engine by burning additional fuel with the uncombined oxygen in the exhaust gases
Aftermath – a new growth of grass following one or more mowings
Aibohphobia – fear of palindromes
Agister – someone who looks after New Forest ponies. To agist is, in English law, to take cattle to graze, for remuneration
Agitprop – agitation and propaganda used to educate people after 1917 Russian Revolution
Agnosia – the inability to process sensory information
Agnosticism – a denial of knowledge about whether there is or is not a God
Agora – the public open space that formed the heart of ancient Greek cities
Agoraphobia – fear of public places
Ague – fever in which sufferer feels alternately hot and cold
Aichmophobia – fear of needles and other pointed or sharp objects
Ailurophile – a cat-lover
Ailurophobia – fear of cats
Alb – a white vestment worn by clergy and servers in some Christian churches
Alektorophobia – fear of chickens
Alethiometer – device which measures the truth. Featured in The Golden Compass
Algophobia – fear of pain
Algorave – an event where people dance to music generated from algorithms, often using live coding techniques
Alkaloid – a naturally occurring chemical compound
Allegory – word with an alternative symbolic meaning. For example, an eagle can represent the abstract concept of ‘freedom,’ a witch can represent ‘evil’
Allegory – fable: a short moral story (often with animal characters)
Allision – the striking of one ship by another
Alliterate – a person who can read, but chooses not to do so
Alliteration – when a number of words begin with the same letter, e.g. Peter Piper Picked
Allometry – the study of the relationship of body size to shape, anatomy, physiology and behaviour
Alloy – a mixture or solid solution composed of a metal and another element
Allusion – a figure of speech that makes a reference to, or representation of, a place, event, literary work, myth, or work of art, either directly or by implication
Almoner – an official in a hospital who looks after the social and material needs of the patients
Altimetry – the measurement of altitude
Altruism – the belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others; behavior of an animal that benefits another at its own expense
Ambigram – a visually symmetrical word. When flipped, it remains unchanged
Ambit – an extravagant initial demand made in expectation of a counter-offer
Amenuenis – a literary assistant, in particular one who takes dictation or copies manuscripts
Amethyst – purple or violet form of transparent quartz used as a gemstone. Means ‘not intoxicating’
Ammonite – the coiled, flat, chambered fossil shell of an extinct cephalopod mollusc, named after the Egyptian god Ammon
Amortisation – the process of decreasing, or accounting for, an amount over a period
Anamorphosis – a distorted image where the viewer must use special devices or be in a specific place to see the image undistorted, e.g. the skull in the painting The Ambassadors by Hans Holbein
Animadvert – to criticize
Aphonia – loss of voice
Amphora / Ampulla – a two-handled pottery jar with a narrow neck used by the ancient Greeks and Romans to carry liquids, especially wine and oil
Ampoule – a small, sealed glass capsule containing a liquid, especially a measured quantity ready for injecting
Anabasis – a large-scale military advance, specifically the Greek mercenary expedition across Asia Minor in 401 BCE
Anadem – a wreath for the head; a garland
Anadrome – a word which forms a different word when spelled backwards. Portmanteau of anagram and palindrome
Anaglypta – wallpaper designed to be painted over
Analogous – structures which perform similar functions but have different evolutions, e.g the wing (see homologous)
Anaphora – the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses e.g. “every day, every night, in every way, I am getting better”
Anathema – something or someone that is detested or shunned, or a formal excommunication
Andabatae – gladiators who fought with helmets with no eye holes
Angelica – licorice flavored stalks from the Angelica plants are candied and used primarily in pastry making. Angelica is also used to flavor liqueurs
Angelus – a devotional prayer in the Roman Catholic Church at morning, noon, and night to commemorate the Annunciation
Anglish – linguistic purism in the English language. A movement that promotes using words of native (Anglic, West Germanic) origin
Aniline – oil-based solvent (quick drying) used in the preparation process of dyes and inks
Anime – a style of animation characterised by colourful art, futuristic settings, violence and sex
Anisotropy – having properties that differ according to the direction of measurement, e.g. conductivity
Anneal – heat (metal or glass) and allow it to cool slowly, in order to remove internal stresses and toughen it
Annual – a plant that flowers and dies within a period of one year from germination
Annunciation – the revelation to Mary, the mother of Jesus by the archangel Gabriel that she would conceive a child to be born the Son of God
Anodyne – capable of soothing or eliminating pain
Anomie – social disorder. Term coined by Emile Durkheim
Anosmic – relating to an impairment or loss of the sense of smell
Anoxia – a total decrease in the level of oxygen; an extreme form of hypoxia
Anthropoid – resembling a human being in form
Anthropometry – the study of human body measurement for use in anthropological classification and comparison
Anthroponomy – the study of anthroponyms, the proper names of human beings
Anthroposophy – a system of beliefs and practice based on the teachings of Rudolph Steiner and maintaining that by correct training and personal discipline one can attain experience of the spiritual world
Anthropothegy – cannibalism
Antimacassar – a piece of cloth put over the back of a chair to protect it from grease and dirt or as an ornament
Antinomy – contradiction or opposition, especially between two laws or rules. Used in the philosophy of Kant
Antioxidant – a chemical compound or substance that inhibits oxidation
Antipenultimate – last but two
Antipodal – opposite point on a sphere
Antonyms – word pairs that are opposite in meaning, e.g. fast and slow
Apercu – a witty comment
Apocryphal – of questionable authorship or authenticity
Aphonic – having no voice or sound; mute
Aphorism – a tersely phrased statement of a truth or opinion; an adage
Apologue – an allegorical narrative usually intended to convey a moral
Apoplectic – furious
Aposematism – most commonly known in the context of warning colouration, describes a family of antipredator adaptations where a warning signal is associated with the unprofitability of a prey item to potential predators
Apostasy – the state of having rejected your religious beliefs or your political party or a cause (often in favour of opposing beliefs or causes)
Apostle spoon – has an image of an apostle or other Christian religious figure as the termination of the handle
Applique – material is cut out and sewn, embroidered or pasted onto another material
Apse – a semicircular recess in a church covered with a hemispherical vault
Aptonym – (or aptronym) a name aptly suited to its owner, e.g. Chip Beck
Aquafaba – the liquid from canned chickpeas. Used as an egg substitute in vegan recipes
Aquaponics – a sustainable food production system that combines a traditional aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as fish, crayfish or prawns in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment
Arabesque – a form of artistic decoration consisting of plant tendrils, leaves and flowers, common in Islamic art
Arbitrage – the purchase of securities on one market for immediate resale on another market in order to profit from a price discrepancy
Arcadia – an image or idea of life in the countryside that is believed to be perfect
Arctophile – a collector of teddy bears
Argot – the jargon or slang of a particular group or class
Arguido – a named suspect in Portugal
Artwashing – the gentrification of areas by the arrival of art galleries
Aruthophobia – fear of blushing
Aryan – Indo-Iranian. A member of the people who spoke the parent language of the Indo-European languages
Asana – a yoga posture in which a practitioner sits
Asceticism – a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from various worldly pleasures, often with the aim of pursuing spiritual goals
Ashram – a religious hermitage
Assegai – a spear used by Zulu warriors
Assemblage – making three-dimensional or two-dimensional artistic compositions by putting together found objects
Assonance – repetition of similar vowels in the stressed syllables of successive words, e.g. Do you like blue?
Astraphobia – fear of thunder and lightning
Astrolabe – a historical astronomical instrument used by classical astronomers and astrologers. It was the chief navigational instrument until the invention of the sextant in the 18th century
Astrometry – the branch of astronomy that deals with the measurement of the position and motion of celestial bodies
Astrophobia – fear of thunder and lightning. Also known as brontophobia
Astrophysics – the branch of astronomy concerned with the physical and chemical properties of celestial bodies
Astroturfing – political, advertising or public relations campaigns that are designed to mask the sponsors of the message to give the appearance of coming from a disinterested, grassroots participant
Atavism – the tendency to revert to ancestral type
Atrium – a rectangular court
Atropine – alkaloid extracted from Deadly Nightshade, named after Atropos, the Fate who chose how a person was to die
Aubade – a love song or poem performed in the morning
Augury – the practice from ancient Roman religion of interpreting omens from the observed flight of birds
Aumbry – a cabinet in the wall of a Christian church or in the sacristy which was used to store chalices and other vessels
Auscultation – the action of listening to sounds from the heart, lungs, or other organs, typically with a stethoscope
Autarchy – economic independence as a national policy
Auteur – a filmmaker whose individual style and complete control over all elements of production give a film its personal and unique stamp
Autoclave – a pressure chamber used to carry out industrial processes requiring elevated temperature and pressure different from ambient air pressure. Used to sterilize equipment
Autocracy – government by one individual
Autological – a word (also called homological word) is a word expressing a property which it also possesses itself (e.g., the word ‘short’ is short. The opposite is a heterological word; one that does not apply to itself (e.g., ‘long’ is not long)
Autophobia – fear of isolation
Auroch – large, extinct type of cattle, originally prevalent in Europe
Autarky – the quality of being self-sufficient. Usually the term is applied to political states or their economic systems. The latter are called closed economies
Autodidactism – self-directed learning
Avuncular – like an uncle in kindness or indulgence
Axilla – armpit
Axiology – philosophical study of value
Axiom – a self-evident or universally recognized truth; a maxim
B
Backburning – lighting small fires to keep a larger fire under control
Backdraft – situation when a fire that has absorbed all available oxygen explodes suddenly when more oxygen is introduced, e.g. by opening a door
Backronym or bacronym – a phrase constructed after the fact to make an existing word or words into an acronym
Badinage – banter
Bailiwick – the area of jurisdiction of a bailiff. The term survives in administrative usage in the Channel Islands, which for administrative purposes are grouped into the two bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey
Bajans – inhabitants of Barbados
Bakelite – a mouldable plastic invented by Leo Baekeland in 1909. It was used in jewellery extensively during the US Great Depression of the 1930's
Balconing – an activity that involves jumping from a balcony towards a swimming pool
Baldachin – a canopy of state over an altar or throne
Baldric – a belt worn over one shoulder that is typically used to carry a weapon (usually a sword)
Ballista – a device, resembling a large mounted crossbow, used in ancient warfare to hurl heavy stones and similar missiles
Baluster – a single leg, spindle, or post
Balustrade – several balusters connected to form a decorative railing
Banderilla – a decorated barbed dart that is thrust into the bull's neck or shoulder muscles by a banderillero in a bullfight
Bang – a fringe
Banlieue – suburb of a city
Banjolele – a four-stringed musical instrument with a small banjo-type body and a fretted ukulele neck. Played by George Formby
Banquette – a long bench with an upholstered seat
Bard – the winner of a prize for Welsh verse at an Eisteddfod
Banshee – a female spirit in Gaelic folklore whose appearance or wailing warns a family that one of them will soon die
Bantustan – a territory set aside for black inhabitants of South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia), as part of the policy of apartheid
Barette – a hair-slide
Bargello – a type of needlepoint embroidery consisting of upright flat stitches laid in a mathematical pattern to create motifs
Barista – a person who prepares and serves coffee
Barograph – a recording instrument that provides a continuous trace of air pressure variation with time
Bassinet – a helmet, in heraldry
Bast – fibrous material from the phloem of a plant, used as fibre in matting, cord, etc.
Bastinado – beating the soles of the feet
Bathos – a ludicrous descent from the sublime to the ridiculous
Bathymetry – the measurement of depth of water in oceans, seas, or lakes
Batik – a method of printing patterns on cloth, in which wax is put on the cloth before it is put in the dye
Beam – of a ship is its width at the widest point
Beatboxing – a form of vocal percussion primarily involving the art of mimicking drum machines
Beatification – a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven. A stage in the process of canonization
Bedlam – name comes from the lunatic asylum of St Mary of Bethlehem, in London
Beeswax – the yellow to grayish-brown wax secreted by the honeybee for constructing honeycombs
Beguine – popular ballroom dance in St Lucia and Martinique
Bellwether – placing a bell around the neck of a castrated ram (a wether) leading the flock of sheep
Beltway – American word for ring road
Benchmark – surveyor’s mark cut in a rock
Benediction – a short prayer for divine help, blessing and guidance, usually at the end of worship service.
Bey – a Turkish title for chieftain, traditionally applied to the leaders or rulers in the Ottoman Empire
Bezoar – a mass found trapped in the gastrointestinal system
Bhang – an edible preparation of cannabis originating from India
Biannual – occurring twice a year
Bicameralism – the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers
Bicorne – Napoleon hat
Biennial – occurring every two years
Biga – two-horse chariot
Bigot – a prejudiced person who is intolerant of any opinions differing from his own
Bilking – making off without payment
Bimestrial – occurring once every two months
Bijouterie – a collection of trinkets or jewellery
Binge-watching – the practice of watching television for longer time spans than usual, usually of a single television show
Biodiesel – a fuel that is similar to diesel fuel and is derived from usually vegetable sources (as soybean oil)
Bioethanol – a biofuel derived from the fermentation of sugars from cereals or sugar-producing plants. In the European Union, bioethanol can be blended with gasoline in a proportion of up to 5%
Biometrics – the technique of studying physical characteristics of a person such as finger prints, hand geometry, eye structure or voice pattern
Bionics – (also known as biomimicry, biomimetics) is the application of biological methods and systems found in nature to the study and design of engineering systems and modern technology
Biopsy – the removal and examination of a sample of tissue from a living body for diagnostic purposes
Biltong – dried and salted meat in South Africa
Biotope – synonymous with habitat
Bindi – red sticker worn on forehead by Hindu women
Bindle – the bag, sack, or carrying device stereotypically used by American hobos
Biogenesis – the process of life forms producing other life forms, e.g. a spider lays eggs, which develop into spiders
Birching – a corporal punishment with a birch rod, typically applied to the recipient's bare buttocks
Biretta – a square cap with three or four ridges or peaks, sometimes surmounted by a tuft, traditionally worn by Roman Catholic clergy. There are different colours, according to rank
Blackdamp – a noncombustible carbon dioxide mixture occurring as a mine gas
Black Knight – someone who makes a hostile takeover approach for a company
Blanching – putting food items in boiling water for a short time
Blessed – someone who has gone through beatification
Bletting – over-ripening of fruit
Blobject – a design product, often a household object, distinguished by smooth flowing curves, bright colors, and an absence of sharp edges
Blowout – the uncontrolled release of crude oil and/or natural gas from an oil well or gas well after pressure control systems have failed
Blue on Blue – friendly fire
Bocage – a terrain of mixed woodland and pasture, with tortuous side-roads and lanes bounded on both sides by banks surmounted with high thick hedgerows limiting visibility. During the Battle of Normandy bocage made fighting and forward progress against entrenched opposition extremely difficult
Bodega – a small Hispanic shop selling wine and groceries
Bodging – a traditional wood-turning craft, using green (unseasoned) wood to make chair legs
Bodhran – Irish drum
Bogan – Australian slang for an uncouth or unsophisticated person regarded as being of low social status
Bonanza – a rich vein of precious ore
Boreal – of the north or northern regions
Borsalino – a type of felt hat
Boscage – a mass of trees or shrubs; a thicket
Bossa nova – a style of popular Brazilian music derived from the samba but with more melodic and harmonic complexity and less emphasis on percussion
Bothy – a small Scottish cottage
Botnet – a large number of compromised computers that are used to create and send spam or viruses or flood a network with messages as a denial of service attack. Short for ‘robot network’. Also called a ‘zombie army’
Botox – commercial name for botulinum, a powerful toxin that causes botulism
Botryoidal – shaped like a bunch of grapes
Bowdlerise – remove material that is considered improper or offensive. Named after Thomas Bowdler, who published an expurgated version of Shakespeare’s plays
Bower – a place enclosed by overhanging boughs of trees or by vines on a trellis
Bower – heaviest anchor of a ship
Bowline – type of knot used to form a fixed loop at the end of a rope
Bowser – mobile water dispenser
Bowsprit – a spar projecting from the bow of a vessel
Boyar – a member of the highest rank of the feudal Moscovian aristocracies, second only to the ruling princes, from the 10th century through the 17th century
Brachial – of the arm
Brachiate – move by using the arms to swing from branch to branch
Braggadocio – boasting or arrogant behavior
Braising – slow cooking of inexpensive cuts of meat
Brake horsepower – power needed to stop an engine
Brassard – or armlet, is an armband or piece of cloth or other material worn around the upper arm, used as an item of military uniform to which rank badges may be attached instead of being stitched into the actual clothing
Breastsummer – in timber-building, a beam in the outward part of the building, and the middle floors, (not in the garrets or ground floors) into which the girders are framed. In the inner parts of a building, such beams are called ‘summers’
Bridge – a device for supporting the strings on a stringed instrument and transmitting the vibration of those strings to some other structural component of the instrument
Brindisi – drinking songs in operas
Brindled – tawny or greyish with streaks or spots of a different colour
Brocade – a class of richly decorative shuttle-woven fabrics, often made in coloured silks and with or without gold and silver threads
Broch – an Iron Age drystone hollow-walled structure of a type found only in Scotland
Bromatology – the study of food
Broch – an Iron Age drystone hollow-walled structure of a type found only in Scotland
Bronco – an untrained horse or one that habitually bucks
Brony – a male who watches My Little Pony
Brumby – free-roaming feral horse in Australia
Brunoise – vegetables cut into cubes
Brushing – stealing identities to give false reviews
Bruxism – grinding of the teeth
Bryology – the branch of botany concerned with the scientific study of bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, and hornworts)
Buccal – of or relating to the cheeks or the mouth cavity
Buckler – a type of shield
Bucolic – a short poem descriptive of rural or pastoral life
Buckram – coarse cotton fabric heavily sized with glue, used for stiffening garments and in bookbinding
Bulla – papal seal, hence papal documents are called papal bulls
Bumsters – low-cut trousers
Bunnet – a flat cap
Bunraku – a form of traditional Japanese puppet theatre, founded in Osaka in 1684
Bunyip – (usually translated as ‘devil’ or spirit’) is a mythical creature from Australian folklore
Buoyancy – the phenomenon (discovered by Archimedes) that an object less dense than a fluid will float in the fluid
Bureaucracy – government by clerks
Burgee – the name of the distinguishing flag, regardless of its shape, of a recreational boating organization
Burh – Anglo-Saxon name for a fortified town or other defended site, such as a hill fort
Burka – a loose garment (usually with veiled holes for the eyes) worn by Muslim women
Burkini – Muslim swimsuit
Burlesque – a parody
Bustle – a type of framework used to expand the fullness or support the drapery of the back of a woman's dress
Byssus – both the silky filaments by which certain bivalve molluscs attach themselves to hard surfaces, and a rare fabric, also called sea silk made from that fibre source
C
Cabal – a small group of secret plotters, as against a government or person in authority. The term took on its present meaning from a group of ministers of King Charles II
Caballero – Spanish gentleman
Cabana – a cabin, hut, or shelter, especially one at a beach or swimming pool
Cacophony – a harsh discordant mixture of sounds
Cabotage – the right to operate sea, air, or other transport services within a particular territory
Cadency – any systematic way of distinguishing similar coats of arms belonging to members of the same family
Cadre – a key group of officers and enlisted personnel necessary to establish and train a new military unit
Caduceus – a short herald's staff entwined by two serpents in the form of a double helix, and sometimes surmounted by wings. Carried by Hermes
Cakewalk – a dance developed from the ‘Prize Walks’ held in the late 19th century, generally at get-togethers on slave plantations in the Southern United States
Caesura – a complete stop in a line of poetry
Calcography – the art of engraving on copper or brass
Calends – the first days of each month of the Roman calendar
Calico – a plain-woven textile made from unbleached and often not fully processed cotton
Caliph – a leader of Islam; the title literally means the successor to Mohammed
Calisthenics – systematic rhythmic bodily exercises performed usually without apparatus
Callipygous – having well-shaped buttocks
Caloptrics – the science of manipulating light using mirrors
Calumet – a ceremonial smoking pipe used by some Native American Nations. Known as a ‘peace pipe’
Calumny – defamation
Calx – a residual substance, sometimes in the form of a fine powder, that is left when a metal or mineral combusts
Cam – an eccentric or multiply curved wheel mounted on a rotating shaft, used to produce variable or reciprocating motion
Camber – 1. to bend or curve upward in the middle. 2. the angle between the plane of a wheel and the vertical
Campanile – a bell tower not attached to main building
Canard – a small winglike projection attached to an aircraft forward of the main wing to provide extra stability or control
Candlewick – a soft cotton embroidery yarn
Canicross – cross country running with dogs
Cannula – a small tube for insertion into the body to draw off fluid or to introduce medication
Canon – a priest who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule
Canonization – the act of admitting a deceased person into the canon of saints
Canophile – a dog lover
Cant – a secret language used only by members of a group
Canticle – a hymn taken from the bible
Cantor – an ecclesiastical officer leading liturgical music in several branches of the Christian church
Capacitance – an electrical phenomenon whereby an electric charge is stored
Capellmeister – the musical director in royal or ducal chapel; a choir-master
Capon – a rooster or cockerel that has been castrated
Capotain – a tall-crowned, narrow-brimmed, slightly conical hat, usually black. Associated with Puritan costume in England in the years leading up to the Civil War
Carpology – the study of fruits and seeds
Caprine – of, relating to, or characteristic of a goat
Caravel – a small, highly manoeuverable, two or three-masted ship used by the Portuguese and Spanish for long voyages of exploration from the 15th century
Careen – to put (a ship or boat) on a beach especially in order to clean, caulk, or repair the hull
Caricature – a representation of a person that is exaggerated for comic effect
Carolean, Caroline – refers to reign of Charles I and Charles II
Cartogram – a map on which statistical information is shown in diagrammatic form
Cartophilist – a person who collects cigarette cards
Cartouche – an oval which was drawn to contain the hieroglyphs that spelt out a king's or queen's name
Castell – a human tower built traditionally in festivals at many locations within Catalonia
Catafalque – the platform on which a person who has died rests before their funeral, usually while they are lying in a coffin
Catechism – a Christian doctrinal manual often in the form of questions followed by answers to be memorized
Caterwauling – the shrieking and yowling made by a cat, for example when it is on heat or fighting
Catfishing – a type of deceptive activity where a person creates a sockpuppet social networking presence
Catharsis – the process of releasing emotions
Cathedra – a bishop’s chair or throne
Caucus – a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement
Cauterization – sealing wounds by heating or freezing
Caveat – caution: a warning against certain acts
Cay – a small, low-elevation, sandy island formed on the surface of coral reefs
Celadon – a term for ceramics denoting both a type glaze, and a ware of a specific jade-green colour, also called celadon
Celerity – very fast motion
Cereology – study of crop circles
Ceromancy – fortune telling by inspection of dripping wax
Ceroplastics – modelling in wax
Cerulean – a sky-blue colour
Chad – a derogatory slang term referring to a young urban white man, typically single and in his 20s or 30s. Originated in Chicago. The female counterpart is the ‘Trixie’
Chador – loose black robe covering most of the body, worn in Iran
Chandler – a candle maker
Charcoal – a black, porous, carbonaceous material, 85 to 98 % carbon, produced by the destructive distillation of wood
Centuria – consisted of originally 100, later 80, men distributed along 10 contubernia. Each contubernium lived at the same tent
Chamfer – a transitional edge between two faces of an object
Changeling – the offspring of a fairy, troll, elf or legendary creature that has been exchanged for a human child
Chantry – a chapel founded by endowments from a benefactor
Chapters – canons who administer a cathedral
Charivari – a French folk custom in which the community gave a noisy, discordant mock serenade, also pounding on pots and pans, at the home of newlyweds
Chasuble – a long sleeveless vestment worn by a priest when celebrating Mass
Chattel – personal property
Chemtrail – contrail-like cloud that contains toxic chemicals left by aircraft
Chemise – a woman's loose-fitting, shirtlike undergarment
Cheroot – a cylindrical cigar with both ends clipped during manufacture
Chessel – a press used to make cheese
Cheugy – Internet neologism that means ‘the opposite of trendy’ or ‘trying too hard’
Chevauchee – a raiding method of medieval warfare for weakening the enemy, focusing mainly on wreaking havoc, burning and pillaging enemy territory
Chiasmus – the figure of speech in which two or more clauses are related to each other through a reversal of structures in order to make a larger point, e.g. ‘...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country’
Chickenhawk – epithet used in the United States to criticize a politician, bureaucrat, or commentator who strongly supports a war or other military action, but has never personally been in a war
Chignon – a popular type of French bun hairstyle
Chillaxing – a state of ultimate chill and relaxation
Chimenea – a freestanding earthenware or metal fireplace
Chine – a steep-sided river valley where the river flows through coastal cliffs to the sea
Chinoiserie – the imitation or evocation of Chinese motifs and techniques in Western art, furniture, and architecture
Chintz – a cotton fabric, usually glazed and often printed in bright patterns
Chionophobia – fear of snow
Chiromancy – palm reading
Chiroptophobia – fear of bats
Chitin – a tough semitransparent horny substance; the principal component of the exoskeletons of arthropods and the cell walls of certain fungi
Chitting – a method of preparing potatoes or other tubers for planting. Most of the sprouting parts are removed, leaving the strongest growths only
Chorophobia – fear of dancing
Chortle – to chuckle. Coined by Lewis Carroll
Chrometophobia – fear of money
Chryselephantine – the sculptural medium of gold and ivory
Chrysopoeia – turning base metals into gold, in alchemy
Chthonic – pertains to deities or spirits of the underworld
Chugger – a charity street collector
Chullo – an Andean style of hat with earflaps
Chuppah – a canopy under which a Jewish couple stand during their wedding ceremony
Churlish – rude
Cist – a small stone-built coffin-like box or ossuary used to hold the bodies of the dead
Claymore – a broadsword formerly used by Scottish Highlanders, typically double-edged
Cleat – 1. a T-shaped piece of metal or wood on a boat or ship, to which ropes are attached. 2. a protrusion on the sole of a shoe or on an external attachment to a shoe that provides additional traction on a soft or slippery surface
Clemmed – starving
Clepsydra – a water clock
Clerihew – a whimsical, four-line biographical poem invented by Edmund Clerihew Bentley
Cleromancy – divination that produces random numbers
Cliometrics – the systematic application of economic theory, econometric techniques, and other formal or mathematical methods to the study of history
Clough – a type of ravine
Cicerone – an archaic term for a guide
Circumlocution – using many words when only a few are needed
Claque – a group of people hired to applaud a performer or public speaker
Cloisonne – enamelware in which coloured areas are separated by thin metal strips
Cloister – a covered walk with an open colonnade on one side, running along the walls of buildings that face a quadrangle
Cloy – disgust or sicken (someone) with an excess of sweetness, richness, or sentiment
Clue – a ball of yarn etc, used to trace a path through a maze (as in the Greek myth of Theseus in the Labyrinth)
Coasteering – exploring the coast by swimming, jumping and climbing cliffs
Cockatrice – a mythical beast, essentially a two-legged dragon or serpent-like creature with a rooster's head
Cochleate – spiral or twisted like a snail shell
Codex – a manuscript volume, especially of a classic work or of the Scriptures
Cognomen – a nickname
Cohort – 480 infantrymen. Divided into six centuries of 80 men, each commanded by a centurion
Colloquial – characteristic of informal spoken language or conversation
Colonnade – a series of evenly spaced columns
Colophon – a brief statement containing information about the publication of a book. A colophon may also be emblematic or pictorial in nature
Colporteur – old bible seller
Columbarium – a place for the respectful and usually public storage of urns
Compline – the final church service (or Office) of the day in the Christian tradition of canonical hours
Compote – a dessert of stewed fruits
Concordance – an alphabetical list of the principal words used in a book or body of work, with their immediate contexts
Concretion – the act or process of concreting into a mass; coalescence
Condenser – a piece of laboratory glassware used to cool hot vapours or liquids
Condign – (of punishment or retribution) appropriate to the crime or wrongdoing; fitting and deserved
Condominium – rule of a territory by two or more states
Coney – a rabbit
Confabulation – filling in of gaps in memory through the creation of false memories
Consanguinity – related by blood
Consecotaleophobia – fear of chopsticks
Consigliere – member of a Mafia family who serves as an advisor to the boss
Consonance – a harmony, chord, or interval considered stable (at rest), as opposed to a dissonance
Consul – the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. New consuls were elected every year. There were two consuls and they ruled together by mutual consensus
Contemnor – a person who commits contempt of court
Conterminous – sharing a common boundary
Contessa – an Italian countess
Contingent Legacy – in a will, a bequest that takes place only if a specific event takes place
Contranym – a word having two meanings that contradict one another, e.g. finished
Contretemps – an unforeseen event that disrupts the normal course of things; an inopportune occurrence. Term originally used in fencing
Contusion – a bruise
Conurbation – an extended urban area. Coined as a neologism in 1915 by Patrick Geddes in his book Cities In Evolution
Convection – the transfer of heat through a fluid (liquid or gas) caused by molecular motion
Convocation – a large formal assembly of people, also an assembly of the clergy of part of a diocese
Coombe – a steep-sided valley
Cope – a liturgical vestment, more precisely a long mantle or cloak, open in front and fastened at the breast with a band or clasp
Coping – the capping or covering of a wall
Copita – tulip-shaped sherry glass
Copoclephilist – a collector of keyrings
Copra – the kernel of a coconut used to extract coconut oil
Coprolalia – involuntary swearing
Coprolite – fossilized animal dung
Copyleft – putting a program into the public domain and choosing not to enforce any copyright on the program. Formerly known as GPL (general public license)
Corbel – a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any extra weight
Cordilera – an extensive chain of mountains or mountain ranges, especially the principal mountain system of a continent or large island
Cordwainer – a shoemaker
Cordite – a smokeless explosive made from nitrocellulose, nitroglycerine, and petroleum jelly
Corniche – a road on the side of a cliff or mountain, with the ground rising on one side of the road and falling away on the other
Corniculate – horn-shaped
Cornrows – a style of hair braiding in which the hair is braided very close to the scalp
Cornucopia – or horn of plenty, is a symbol of abundance and nourishment, commonly a large horn-shaped container overflowing with produce
Corollary – a proposition that follows with little or no proof required from one already proven
Corpsing – theatrical slang for unintentionally breaking character by laughing
Corsage – a bouquet of flowers worn on a woman's dress or worn around her wrist
Cortege – a funeral procession or a train of attendants
Cortisol – hormone produced principally in response to physical or psychological stress and secreted by the adrenal glands
Corvus – a Roman military boarding device used in naval warfare during the First Punic War against Carthage. Gangplank with a spike that was designed to pierce the enemy ship's deck when the boarding-bridge was lowered
Cosmogeny – any scientific theory concerning the coming into existence (or origin) of either the cosmos (or universe), or the so-called ‘reality’ of sentient beings
Cosset – a lamb reared by hand, which then becomes a family pet
Cotillion – a type of patterned social dance that originated in France in the 18th century. It was originally made up of four couples in a square formation, the forerunner of the quadrille
Cougar – a woman over 40 who pursues younger men
Coulrophobia – fear of clowns
Coulter – a cutting tool attached to a plough
Countersinking – process of making a cone shaped enlargement at the entrance of a hole
Coven – a group of witches
Covenant – a solemn agreement to engage in or refrain from a specified action. It is commonly found in religious contexts, where it refers to sacred agreements between a god and human beings
Coverture – refers to a woman’s legal status during marriage
Cowling – the removable cover of a vehicle engine
Cowrie – type of sea snail. Shells of certain species have historically been used as currency and jewellery in several parts of the world
Craftivism – the activity of using crafts to try to achieve political or social change
Crankshaft – is used in a piston engine to convert linear piston motion into rotational motion
Crannog – Gaelic for a dwelling built on an artificial island
Crapulent – suffering from excessive eating or drinking
Cravat – necktie worn by Croatian mercenaries in the service of France
Craven – cowardly
Creationism – a religious belief that humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe were created in their original form by a deity or deities (often the Abrahamic God of Judaism, Christianity and Islam), whose existence is presupposed
Creel – large wicker basket, used for fish
Creep – the tendency of a solid to undergo gradual deformation under stress
Cremains – the ashes that remain after a dead body has been cremated (portmanteau of ‘cremated remains’)
Creosote – a colourless or yellowish oily liquid obtained by distillation of wood tar
Crepe – a silk, wool, or polyester fabric of a gauzy texture, having a peculiar crisp or crimpy appearance
Crepuscular – twilight
Cretonne – a strong, white French fabric
Crew cut – a haircut named after rowing crews
Crinoline – originally a stiff fabric with a weft of horse-hair and a warp of cotton or linen thread. The fabric first appeared around 1830, but by 1850 the word had come to mean a stiffened petticoat or rigid skirt-shaped structure of steel designed to support the skirts of a woman’s dress into the required shape
Crochet – a quarter note
Crowdfunding – the collective effort of individuals who network and pool their money, usually via the Internet, to support efforts initiated by other people or organizations
Crowdsourcing – the act of sourcing tasks traditionally performed by specific individuals to a group of people or community (crowd) through an open call
Crozier – a staff carried by a bishop
Cruciverbalist – a crossword compiler
Cryogenics – the science that deals with the production of very low temperatures and their effect on the properties of matter
Cryonics – low-temperature freezing (usually at −196°C) of a human corpse, with the hope that resuscitation may be possible in the future
Cryotherapy – the use of low temperatures in medical therapy
Cryptid – a creature or plant whose existence has been suggested but that is unrecognized by a scientific consensus, and whose existence is regarded as highly unlikely
Cryptozoology – the search for animals whose existence has not been proven
Cuckold – a married man with an adulterous wife. Cuckolds have sometimes been written as ‘wearing the horns’
Cud – a portion of food that returns from a ruminant's stomach in the mouth to be chewed for the second time
Cullet – recycled material used in glass
Culverin – a type of cannon
Cultivar – a cultivated plant that has been selected and given a unique name because it has desirable characteristics (decorative or useful) that distinguish it from otherwise similar plants of the same species
Culvert – a tunnel carrying a stream or open drain under a road or railway
Cummerbund – a sash worn around the waist as part of a man’s formal dress
Cuneate – wedge-shaped
Cuneiform – the earliest standardized writing system, first used in ancient Mesopotamia, and later throughout the Ancient Near East. A form of writing on wet clay tablets using a wedge-like writing tool called a stylus
Cupidity – excessive desire
Cupola – a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building
Curia – a governing body and name of the building which housed it. The Curia was a meeting place for the Senate or the town council of a Roman town
Cursive – a style of writing with successive letters joined together
Cryophobia – fear of cold
Cuticle – the dead skin at the base of a fingernail or toenail
Cuvee – contents of a vat
Cyberchondriac – a person who develops extreme anxiety by using the internet to search for medical information
Cyberloafing – employees who surf the net, write e-mail or other Internet-related activities at work that are not related to their job
Cybernetics – the interdisciplinary study of the structure of regulatory systems
Cyberphobia – fear of computers
Cyberpunk – a science fiction genre noted for its focus on ‘high tech and low life’. The name is derived from cybernetics and punk
Cybersquatting – registering an internet domain name that is likely to be wanted by another person or organization
Cyborg – a being with both biological and artificial (e.g. electronic, mechanical or robotic) parts
Cyclorama – a panoramic image on the inside of a cylindrical platform
Cynophobia – fear of dogs
D
Dabbawallah – a tiffin-box carrier in Mumbai
Dactylography – fingerprinting
Dactylology – (or fingerspelling) is the representation of the letters of a writing system, and sometimes numeral systems, using only the hands
Dado – the lower part of an interior wall
Damask – a reversible figured fabric of silk, wool, linen, cotton, or synthetic fibres, with a pattern formed by weaving
Dargason – English folk-tune, used from the 16th century onwards for a country dance or as a ballad tune
Davenport – a writing desk
Deaccession – the official removal of an item from a library, museum, or art gallery in order to sell it
Deadlock – a lock that requires a key to open and close it
Dean – a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy
Debasement – the practice of lowering the value of currency
Decantation – a process for the separation of mixtures, by removing a top layer of liquid from which a precipitate has settled
Decennial – occurring every ten years
Decurved – curved downwards
Deemster – a judge in the Isle of Man
Deepfake – a person in an existing image or video is replaced with someone else's likeness
Defibrillator – an electrical device used to counteract fibrillation of the heart muscle and restore normal heartbeat by applying a brief electric shock
Deglazing – a technique for removing and dissolving browned food residue from a pan to make a sauce
Deltiology – collecting picture postcards
Demagogue – a leader who obtains power by means of impassioned appeals to the emotions and prejudices of the populace
Deme – a political division of Attica in ancient Greece
Demijohn – a large narrow-necked bottle usually enclosed in wickerwork
Demography – statistical study of human populations
Demonym – denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. In English, a demonym is often the same as the name of the people's native language: e.g., the ‘French’
Demurrage – a charge payable to the owner of a chartered ship in respect of failure to load or discharge the ship within the time agreed
Dendrology – the science and study of wooded plants
Denizen – an individual permanently resident in a foreign country where he or she enjoys certain rights of citizenship
Denouement – a series of events that follow the climax of a drama or narrative, and thus serves as the conclusion of the story
Deontic – of, relating to, or concerning duties or obligations
Deontology – the theory or study of moral obligation
Deposition – a painting showing Christ being taken down from the cross
Derby – American name for a bowler hat
Dermatoglyphics – the study of the whorls and loops and arches in the fingertips and on the palms of the hand and the soles of the feet
Desi – people from the Indian subcontinent
Destrier – a war horse in medieval warfare
Dewclaw – a vestigial digit of the foot of many mammals, birds, and reptiles
Dhabihah – ritual slaughter of animals in Islam
Dhol – a two-sided drum, played with two sticks (one held in each hand). Associated with the Punjab
Dhoti – a loin cloth
Dhow – generic name of a number of traditional sailing vessels with one or more masts with lateen sails used in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean region
Diacritic – an ancillary glyph added to a letter, or basic glyph
Diadem – jewelled crown
Diaeresis – diacritic mark used to denote the separation of two consecutive vowels. Consists of consists of two dots placed over the letter, which is the same symbol used for an umlaut
Digestif – a drink, especially an alcoholic one, drunk before or after a meal in order to aid the digestion
Diorama – a model representing a scene with three-dimensional figures
Diarchy – a form of government in which two individuals, the diarchs, are the heads of state
Diastema – a gap or space between teeth
Dibber – a tool that makes holes to plant seedlings
Dicennial – occurring every 10 years
Diffusion – the movement of molecules from a high concentration to a low concentration
Digerati – the elite of the computer industry and online communities
Digraph – a pair of characters used to write one phoneme (distinct sound) or a sequence of phonemes that does not correspond to the normal values of the two characters combined, e.g. Ll in Welsh
Dihedral – the angle between an upwardly inclined aircraft wing and a horizontal line
Dioptre – a unit of measurement of the optical power of a lens or curved mirror, which is equal to the reciprocal of the focal length measured in metres
Dioptrics – the study of the refraction of light, especially by lenses
Diphthong – a vowel that changes quality during its pronunciation, or ‘glides’, with a smooth movement of the tongue from one articulation to another, as in the English words eye, boy, and cow
Dirndl – a type of traditional dress worn in Germany and Austria
Discombobulate – to throw into a state of confusion
Discourse – written or spoken communication
Dissectologist – a jigsaw puzzle enthusiast
Dissonance – lack of harmony among musical notes
Distemper – has a variety of meanings for paints used in decorating and as a historical medium for painting pictures
Distressing – the activity of making a piece of furniture or object appear aged and older, giving it a ‘weathered look’
Dithyramb – an ancient Greek hymn sung and danced in honour of Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility
Ditloid – a type of word puzzle, in which a phrase, quotation, date, or fact must be deduced from the numbers and abbreviated letters in the clue, e.g. 26 L of the A
Djellaba – long loose-fitting unisex outer robe with full sleeves, of middle-eastern origin
Doctrinaire – dogmatist: a stubborn person of arbitrary or arrogant opinions
Doctrine – a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions
Dogaressa – the official title of the spouse of the Doge of Venice
Dolly Varden – hat named after a character in the Charles Dickens novel Barnaby Rudge
Dolmen – a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of two or more vertical megaliths supporting a large flat horizontal capstone
Dorsal – of, on, or near the back
Doublet – a close-fitting jacket, with or without sleeves, worn by European men between the 15th and17th centuries
Doughnuting – surrounding an MP by colleagues to give the impression of a packed House of Commons
Doula – a nonmedical person who assists a woman before, during, and/or after childbirth
Dowager – a widow holding property received from her deceased husband. Usually appears in association with monarchical and aristocratic titles
Dowry – (also known as trousseau or tocher) the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings to her husband in marriage
Dowsing – a form of divination involving a rod or wand, especially the art of finding underground supplies of water
Doxology – a hymn of praise to God
Doxxing – the Internet-based practice of researching and broadcasting personally identifiable information about an individual
Dragoman – an interpreter and guide in the Near East
Dreich – Scottish word for dull or gloomy weather
Drone – a male honey bee that develops from an unfertilized egg
Dross – the scum formed by oxidation at the surface of molten metals
Drumhead – a court-martial held on a battlefield
Drunkorexia – self-imposed starvation or binge eating/purging combined with alcohol abuse
Drupe – a fruit in which an outer fleshy part surrounds a shell of hardened endocarp with a seed (kernel) inside
Dyad – a group of two people
Dryad – a tree nymph, or female tree spirit, in Greek mythology
Dubbin – tallow mixed with oil; used to make leather soft and waterproof
Dumbledore – a bumble bee
Dutch barn – a barn with tall open sides and a curved roof
Dynasty – a succession of rulers who belong to the same family for generations. A dynasty is also often called a house
Dysgraphia – inability to write coherently
Dysphemism – purposefully unpleasant or objectionable language. Opposite of euphemism
Dysphonia – any impairment of the voice or speaking ability
Dystopia – a fictional society where the people lead dehumanised, fearful lives. Opposite of Utopia
E
Earworm – a catchy piece of music that continually repeats through a person's mind after it is no longer playing
Easement – a right that a person has on another person’s land
Ebullism – the formation of gas bubbles in bodily fluids due to reduced environmental pressure, for example at high altitude
Ecdysiast – a stripper
Echolocation – animals sending out a high-pitched sound, and using its echo to locate an object
Eclectic – deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources
Eclogue – a poem in a classical style on a pastoral subject
Ecocide – destruction of the natural environment by deliberate or negligent human action
Ectopic – occurring in an abnormal position. Ectopic pregnancy is a complication of pregnancy in which the embryo attaches outside the uterus
Ectotherm – a cold-blooded animal
Ecumenical – representing a number of different Christian churches
Edacity – greed
Edentulous – without teeth
Edutainment – a portmanteau word of education and entertainment
Egestion – defaecation
Eggcorn – a word or phrase that results from a mishearing or misinterpretation of another
Eggshell – paint with a finish midsheen between matt and gloss
Ekistics – the science or study of human settlements
Ekphrasis – the graphic, often dramatic, description of a visual work of art
Electra complex – female equivalent of Oedipus complex
Elevon – a portmanteau word of elevator and aileron
Elision – refers to when a sound or syllable is lost or omitted e.g. I will to I’ll
Emendation – a correction by emending; a correction resulting from critical editing
Emeritus professor – a professor who has retired, but is allowed to keep the title
Emery – a very hard rock type used to make abrasive powder. It largely consists of the mineral corundum (aluminum oxide)
Emoji – ideograms or smileys used in Japanese electronic messages and web pages
Emoticon – a pictorial representation of a facial expression using characters. Precursor to the emoji
Emolument – payment for work
Empiricism – the idea that all knowledge is derived from experience
Emulsion – a suspension of small globules of one liquid in a second liquid with which the first will not mix
Enamel – a material made by fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing
Enclave – any portion of a state that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state. When an enclave additionally borders a body of water that is not enclosed by a different state, it is termed a pene-enclave or "practical" enclave
Encomium – a poem in praise of a person
Encyclical – a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Christian church
Endemic – of or relating to a disease constantly present to greater or lesser extent in a particular locality, or the ecological state of a species being unique to a defined geographic location
Endogamy – the practice of marrying within a specific ethnic group, class, or social group
Endonym – name given by an ethnic group to its own geographical entity, or the name an ethnic group calls itself
Endoscope – an instrument used to examine the interior of a hollow organ or cavity of the body
Engram – a hypothetical permanent change in the brain accounting for the existence of memory; a memory trace
Enochlophobia – fear of crowds
Ensiform – having sharp edges and tapering to a slender point, having a shape suggesting a sword
Ensign – name given to the boy who carried the regimental colours
Enteric – relating to the intestines
Entomophily – a form of pollination whereby pollen or spores are distributed by insects
Entrepot – a term used for international trade where goods are shipped to a centre for re-export. Hong Kong engages in significant amounts of this form of trade
Envoi – a short stanza at the end of a poem
Ephemera – things that exist or are used or enjoyed for only a short time
Epicene – having characteristics of both sexes or no characteristics of either sex; of indeterminate sex
Epidemiology – the study of the patterns, causes, and control of disease in groups of people
Epiglottis – the flap that covers the trachea during swallowing so that food does not enter the lungs
Epigram – a short, witty poem expressing a single thought or observation. A concise, clever, often paradoxical statement
Epigraph – a phrase, quotation, or poem that is set at the beginning of a document
Epigraphy – study of inscriptions
Epistemology – concerned with knowledge
Epistle – a writing directed or sent to a person or group of people, usually a letter
Epitasis – the middle part of a play that develops the action leading to the catastrophe
Epithalamia – a song celebrating marriage
Epithet – an adjective or descriptive phrase expressing a quality characteristic of the person or thing mentioned
Epitome – a person or thing that is a perfect example of a particular quality or type
Epizeuxis – repetition of a word or phrase in immediate succession, e.g. “Education, education, education”
Eponym – a noun named after a person or town
Equerry – an officer of honour. A personal attendant, usually upon a Sovereign, a member of a Royal Family, or a national representative
Ergometer – a device which measures the amount of energy or work performed
Ergophobia – fear of work
Ertomania – a delusional belief that a person is in love with the affected individual, despite contrary evidence
Eschatology – a branch of theology concerned with the final events in the history of the world or of humankind
Eschew – to avoid something intentionally
Escrotoire – a writing desk
Escrow – safekeeping of money with a third party
Esotericism – the hidden meanings and symbolism of various philosophical, historical, and religious texts
Espagnolette – a locking device, normally mounted on the vertical frame of a French door or casement window
Esquire – an attendant and shield bearer to a knight; a candidate for knighthood
Ethnography – a qualitative research method aimed to learn and understand cultural phenomena which reflect the knowledge and system of meanings guiding the life of a cultural group
Ethnomusicology – the study of the music of a particular region or people from the viewpoint of its social or cultural implication
Ethology – the scientific study of animal behavior, especially as it occurs in a natural environment
Etui – a woman's ornamental case, usually carried in a pocket or purse
Etymology – the origin and history of words
Etymon – a word from which a later word is derived
Eucharist – a Christian sacrament commemorating the Last Supper by consecrating bread and wine
Euphemism – a mild word of phrase which substitutes for another which would be undesirable because it is too direct, unpleasant, or offensive
Euphobia – fear of hearing good news
Euphony – a pleasing sound
Excarnation – the act of removing flesh, especially from a corpse
Exclave – a portion of a state geographically separated from the main part by surrounding alien territory. Many enclaves are also exclaves
Exedra – a semi-circular apse
Exonumismatics – collecting commemorative coins and medals
Exonym – name given to an ethnic group or to a geographical entity by another ethnic group, e.g. Germany is an English exonym corresponding to the endonym Deutschland
Expiation – the act of atoning for sin or wrongdoing
Extrait – a weak perfume
Extremophiles – organisms that live in extreme conditions
Exurbia – the region outside a city and its suburbs where wealthier families live
Eyas – an unfledged hawk
F
Facepalm – the act of covering your face with your hand because you are embarrassed
Facet – the cut surface of a gemstone
Factoid – a spurious statement formed and asserted as a fact, but with no veracity. The word was coined by Norman Mailer in his 1973 biography of Marilyn Monroe
Fado – a music genre which can be traced to the 1820s in Portugal
Faience – tin-glazed pottery on a delicate pale buff body
Fakir – a Muslim or Hindu religious ascetic who lives by begging
Falchion – a type of sword
Fallacy – a misconception resulting from incorrect reasoning
Fanfare – a loud flourish of brass instruments, especially trumpets
Fanlight – window, often semicircular, with radiating glazing bars suggesting a fan that is placed over a door
Farthingale – a term applied to any of several structures used under Western European women's clothing in the late 15th and 16th centuries to support the skirts into the desired shape. Also known as a hoop skirt
Fasces – bundle of rods containing an axe with the blade protruding; in ancient Rome it was a symbol of a magistrate's power
Fatwa – ruling on a point of Islamic law
Fecundity – the potential reproductive capacity of an organism or population
Fedora – a soft felt hat that is creased lengthwise down the crown and pinched in the front on both sides. It was invented in the 1910s. Known as a trilby in Britain. Comes from the title of an 1882 play by Victorien Sardou, Fedora, written for Sarah Bernhardt
Fellahin – a peasant or agricultural laborer in an Arab country
Fellow traveller – name given to a non-card carrying member of the Communist Party in the 1950s. Term was coined by Leon Trotsky
Felt – a fabric of matted, compressed animal fibres, such as wool or fur, sometimes mixed with vegetable or synthetic fibres
Felucca – a Nile sailing boat
Feretory – a portable shrine holding the relics of a saint
Fermentation – a process that converts sugar to acids, gases, and/or alcohol
Ferrule – a metal band or cap strengthening or forming a joint
Fess – a wide horizontal band on a heraldic shield
Fey – the quality of being mysterious and strange
Fiat – decree: a legally binding command or decision entered on the court record
Fibril – a small slender fibre or filament
Fifth column – a clandestine subversive organization working within a country to further an invading enemy's military and political aims
Fiasco – a traditional Italian straw-covered wine bottle
Filigree – fine wires soldered onto a design, often gold or silver
Finial – carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods
Firedamp – a mixture of gases (mostly methane) that form in coal mines and become explosive when mixed with air
Firman – an edict or administrative order issued by or in the name of a Middle Eastern sovereign (formerly by an Ottoman Turkish sultan)
Firth – an estuary
Fixie – a bike without a front brake
Flageolet – a small flute blown at the end, like a recorder but with two thumb holes
Flambe – to pour alcohol over food and set fire to it during cooking
Flaneur – a rich Parisian ‘stroller’ in the 1860s
Flash – a lake caused by excavation of mining works
Flatware – implements that are used for eating or serving food
Fleadh – a festival of Irish or Celtic music, dancing, and culture
Flexitarian – a person who has a primarily vegetarian diet but occasionally eats meat or fish
Flipping – 1. a technique whereby a Member of Parliament switches his second home between several houses, which has the effect of allowing him to maximize his taxpayer funded allowances 2. buying houses off plan and selling at a profit
Flocking – the process of depositing many small fibre particles (called flock) onto a surface
Flocculent – made of wool
Floret – a small flower which is part of a much larger compound flower head
Flotsam – goods which float upon the sea after a ship is sunk (see jetsam and lagan)
Fluke – either of the two horizontally flattened divisions of the tail of a whale
Flywheel – a rotating mechanical device that is used to store rotational energy. Flywheels have a moment of inertia and resist changes in rotational speed
Focimeter – measures the focal length of a lens
Fogle-hunter – a pickpocket
Foliage – the leaf mass of a tree
Foley – the reproduction of everyday sounds for use in filmmaking
Fomite – any nonliving object or substance capable of carrying infectious organisms
Foot – basic unit of a line of poetry. Common types – iamb (a short syllable followed by a long one), trochee (a long syllable followed by a short one), dactyl (a long syllable followed by two short ones), anapest (two short syllables followed by a long one), spondee (two long syllables)
Forcene – heraldic term for rearing
Foreboding – a feeling that something very bad is going to happen
Foreclosure – US equivalent of house repossession
Foreshadowing – an indication of something that will happen in the future, used as a literary device to hint at future plot developments
Formateur – a politician who is appointed by the head of state to lead the formation of a coalition government, after either a general election or the collapse of a previous government
Forthwith – as soon as can be reasonably done
Fortification – adding alcohol to wine, e.g. Madeira, port and sherry
Fossicking – prospecting by sifting, e.g. for gold
Fragging – the act of deliberately assassinating another member, or members of the military, particularly a member of one’s own command or fighting squad
Frangipane – almond-flavoured paste, named after noble Frangipani family of Rome
Fratricide – the killing of one’s own brother
Freecycling – the act of giving away usable unwanted items to others
Freedman – a man who has been freed from slavery
Freeganism – involves choosing to salvage discarded, unspoiled food from supermarket dumpsters. The word ‘freegan’ is a portmanteau of ‘free’ and ‘vegan’
Freemium – a business model that works by offering a game, product or service free of charge while charging a premium for advanced features, functionality, or related products and services. Portmanteau of the two aspects of the business model: ‘free’ and ‘premium’
Fret – a raised portion on the neck of a stringed instrument, that extends generally across the full width of the neck
Fromologist – a collector of cheese labels
Fronting – parents saying they are main driver of children’s cars to cut insurance costs
Frost – ice crystals formed by condensation on surfaces below freezing
Frotteurism – an interest in rubbing, usually one's pelvis or erect penis, against a non-consenting person for sexual gratification
Frugivore – a fruit eater
Fruit – a structure of a plant that contains its seeds
Fulsome – complimentary or flattering to an excessive degree
Funambulist – tightrope walker
Furlough – a temporary leave of absence from work
Fusilatelist – a collector of phone cards
Fustian – a coarse sturdy cloth made of cotton and linen
Fyrd – a type of early Anglo-Saxon army that was mobilized from freemen to defend their shire
G
Gaff – a pole with a sharp hook on the end that is used to stab a large fish
Galette – a type of pastry
Gallimaufry – a hotchpotch
Galvanize – to stimulate or shock with an electric current
Galvanometer – a device that detects and measures electric current
Gamophobia – fear of marriage
Gamp – an umbrella, named after the nurse Sarah Gamp in the Charles Dickens novel Martin Chuzzlewit
Garret – a small room at the top of a house
Gauze – thin, loosely woven cloth used for dressings and swabs
Gazanging – where a seller withdraws the property from the market at the last minute
Gazette – an official journal
Gazumping – where a seller accepts a better offer than a previously accepted offer
Gazundering – homebuyers reducing their offer at the last minute
Gearing – used to describe the relationship between debt and equity and is calculated by dividing the company debt by common shareholders’ equity
Gematria – assigning numeric values to letters of the alphabet in order to find some hidden meaning in them
Genal – of the cheeks
Generalissimo – Commander of a large force, consisting of more than one Army, or both Land and Naval forces with their Air units included
Genericide – the historical process whereby a brand name or trademark is transformed through popular usage into a common noun, e.g. Xerox, Escalator
Genophobia – fear of sex
Gentile – a person who is not Jewish
Gentle – a maggot used as bait in angling
Genuflection – bending on one knee as a sign of reverence, in the Roman Catholic Church
Geoblocking – technology that restricts access to Internet content based upon the user's geographical location
Geocaching – participants use a GPS receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called ‘geocaches’, anywhere in the world
Geocentric – theory that the Earth is at the centre of the Universe
Geoengineering – proposals to deliberately manipulate the Earth’s climate to counteract the effects of global warming from greenhouse gas emissions
Geoglyph – figure or shape produced on the ground by the clearing of stones or the building of stone alignments, e.g. Nazca lines in Peru
Geomancy – handful of dust thrown to ground and read, as a prophecy
Geomatics – the discipline of gathering, storing, processing, and delivering of geographic information, or spatially referenced information
Georgette – a thin silk or crepe dress material
Georgic poem – a poem that describes rural life
Geribanger – a woman who furthers her career by seducing older men
Gerontology – the study of the social, psychological and biological aspects of aging
Gerrymander – political manipulation of electoral boundaries. Portmanteau of Gerry and salamander
Gerund – the usage of a verb as a noun (for example, the verb ‘learning’ in the sentence ‘Learning is an easy process for some’
Gesso – a preparation of plaster of Paris and glue used as a base for low relief or as a surface for painting
Gewgaw – a decorative trinket; a bauble
Ghetto – originally used to refer to the Venetian Ghetto in Venice where Jews were forced to live
Gibbet – gallows on which prisoners were hung
Giclee – fine art digital prints made on inkjet printers
Gig – boat in the Scilly Islands
Gigolo – a man who has a continuing sexual relationship with and receives financial support from a woman
Gigue – a lively piece of music in the style of a dance
Gimbal – an appliance that allows an object (such as a ship's compass) to remain horizontal
Gingham – plain-woven cotton cloth, typically with a check pattern
Glair – egg white
Glaive – a type of sword
Glamping – portmanteau of glamorous and camping
Gleave – a tool used to catch eels
Glengarry – a boat-shaped cap without a peak
Glitterati – the fashionable set of people engaged in show business or some other glamorous activity
Globophobia – fear of balloons
Glottophobia – discrimination against people on the grounds of their accent
Glyph – an element of writing: an individual mark on a written medium that contributes to the meaning of what is written
Glyptotheque – a collection of sculptures
Gnomon – the finger on a sundial
Golem – in Jewish folklore, an animated being created entirely from inanimate matter
Gonfalon – a type of heraldic flag or banner, often pointed, swallow-tailed, or with several streamers, and suspended from a crossbar
Gongoozler – a person who enjoys watching boats and activities on canals
Googleganger – a person with your name who shows up when you Google yourself
Googlewhacking – using two words in a search engine to find fewer results, or exactly one result
Googol – one followed by 100 zeroes
Gorget – a steel or leather collar designed to protect the throat
Gorgon – a female monster with sharp fangs and hair of living, venomous snakes
Gouache – or bodycolour, is a type of paint consisting of pigment suspended in water (see tempera)
Graft – a form of political corruption, the unscrupulous use of a politician's authority for personal gain
Graminivore – a herbivorous animal that feeds primarily on grass
Grammagram – a word (or words) which, when pronounced, consists entirely of letter sounds, e.g. INVU is ‘I envy you’
Granivore – animal or bird that feeds on seeds
Grapeshot – a cluster of small projectiles fired together from a cannon to produce a hail of shot
Grapheme – a fundamental unit in a written language. Examples of graphemes include alphabetic letters, numerical digits, and punctuation marks
Graphesthesia – the ability to recognize writing on the skin
Graphology – the study of handwriting especially for the purpose of analyzing the writer's personality
Gratin – a dish with a light browned crust of breadcrumbs or melted cheese
Greave – a piece of armour that protects the leg
Greenwashing – a form of spin in which green marketing is deceptively used to promote the perception that an organization's products, aims or policies are environmentally friendly
Gregarious – sociable
Griffin – a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle
Grifter – a person who swindles another out of money
Grist – grain that has been separated from its chaff in preparation for grinding
Grok – to intimately and completely share the same reality or line of thinking with another physical or conceptual entity. Robert A. Heinlein coined the term in his book Stranger in a Strange Land
Growler – the smallest type of iceberg
Gubernatorial – relating to a governor
Guidon – a heraldic flag
Guipure – a type of lace
Gunwale – the top edge of the side of a boat
Gustatory – relating to the sense of taste
Guyliner – eyeliner used by men
Gymnophobia – fear of nudity
Gynaecide – killing a woman
Gynophobia – fear of women
Gyre – any large system of rotating ocean currents, particularly those involved with large wind movements. Gyres are caused by the Coriolis Effect
