Words: Definitions

See also Meanings and Adjectives.

Q: Which word (means / describes / is used for) (a / an / the)		A:
Word that is to summer, as hibernation is to winter		Aestivation
Cover to protect the back of a chair – literally from hair oil		Antimacassar
Botanic garden specifically dedicated to the cultivation of trees		Arboretum
One who avoids referring to himself (or herself)		Autophobe
Cap worn by a Roman Catholic priest – black, red or purple depending on seniority		Biretta
Throwing weapon, used in pre–Columbian South America and also by gauchos (of European descent): made of weights on the ends of interconnected cords, used to capture animals by entangling their legs (Spanish word)		Bolas (or bolases)
A type of antelope and a type of drum		Bongo
A drug made from part of a plant, as from roots, leaves, bark, or berries; or a similar substance used in the production of gin		Botanical
Physical strength, or a jellied loaf made from a pig's head		Brawn
A discordant and meaningless mixture of sounds – in music, literature or speech (from the Greek meaning 'bad sound')		Cacophony
The art of fine (decorative) handwriting; comes from the Greek words for 'beauty' and 'writing'		Calligraphy
Northern politicians or businessmen going South to exploit conditions after the American Civil War		Carpetbaggers
(Area surrounding a) castle or fortified area in a North African town		Casbah
Teach or examine by means of questions and answers		Catechise
Machine designed to separate two substances of differing densities, by rapid rotation		Centrifuge
The small disk or square of paper or card, formed by a hole punch – also a lake and a country in Africa!		Chad
Branch of a printing or journalists' trade union		Chapel
Someone who accompanies and looks after another person (particularly an older woman with a younger one, or an adult with children)		Chaperone
Device that measures time by the rate of flow of liquid through an aperture		Clepsydra
English word for a master of ceremonies; also the French word for a godfather		Compère
A private or secret meeting – especially that of the cardinals who meet to elect a new Pope (and the place where they do so)		Conclave
Joint sovereignty of two or more countries over another		Condominium
Term used in geography for a build–up of hard snow on the leeward side of a mountain or ridge, often overhanging cliffs and other steep slopes below, and in architecture for a projecting moulding around the top of a building, or a plaster moulding around a ceiling		Cornice
Pursuit of game by sight rather than scent		Coursing
An assembly of witches		Coven
Bishop's staff		Crosier or crozier
A substance that attracts water and is used to dry something out or keep it dry		Desiccant
Originally an honorary title applied to a Byzantine emperor or his heir apparent; used nowadays (and in more recent history) to refer to a tyrant or oppressor		Despot
Jews who don't live in Israel (collectively)		Diaspora
A piece of turf, dislodged (typically) by a golf club or a horse's hoof		Divot
Female line of descent – after a tool used in spinning (click here for the male equivalent)		Distaff (side)
A belief that's held definitively and without the possibility of reform; hence, pejoratively, a strong belief whose adherents are not willing to discuss it rationally		Dogma
Wheeled platform on which a film crew is moved		Dolly
A moderately large house on an estate, available for use by the widow of the estate–owner (as in Downton Abbey)		Dower house
The movement for co–operation and unity between (Christian) churches		Ecumenical
(the technique of) shaping the mouth in order to play a wind instrument		Embouchure
Territory of one country, entirely surrounded by that of another		Enclave
Letter sent by the Pope to all his bishops		Encyclical
Word used to describe a novel written in the form of a series of letters		Epistolatory
Used to mean to loathe, detest or abhor, but literally means to curse		Execrate
Female executor		Executrix
Obstructing legislation by long speeches and other delaying tactics		Filibustering
To strip blubber from a whale		Flense
The indentation in a brick (possibly after a similar indentation in a horse's hoof); also a type of fastening, which uses a button and a loop of fabric		Frog
Short–napped cloth with a twill weave – e.g. corduroy		Fustian
To irritate or annoy – originally a sore on the skin caused by chafing		Gall
Small ceremonial mallet used by an auctioneer, or (in the USA) a judge		Gavel
Geographical dictionary (a dictionary of place names)		Gazetteer
A type of penguin, and also a Hindu as distinct from a Muslim		Gentoo
'Earth measurement' (branch of science – literally, from the Greek)		Geometry
Rearranging constituency boundaries to suit the party in power		Gerrymandering
(In Scotland) a servant who acts as a guide for hunting and/or fishing		Gillie
Land used to support a parish priest – a.k.a. church furlong, rectory manor or parson's close		Glebe (land)
The upright pin on a sundial, which casts the shadow		Gnomon
A structure (of wood, concrete or stone) built into the sea from a shore, to interrupt water flow and limit the movement of sediment		Groyne
The cabin beneath an airship		Gondola
Literature about the lives of saints		Hagiography
Political dominance by one member of a supposedly equal group (derived from the Greek word for a leader)		Hegemony
Term generally used in England for German wine, or the lower, less succulent end of a joint of ham; also used colloquially to refer to pawning goods		Hock
Three–dimensional image created by lasers		Hologram
An excess of ambition, pride etc., which leads ultimately to the transgressor's ruin (word originating in Greek tragedy)		Hubris
Place for keeping things (typically cigars) moist		Humidor
An event where one or more political candidates speak or debate – from the name for a governing assembly in early Germanic society; known in the USA as a 'stump'		Husting(s)
Book published before the year 1500		Incunabulum
In falconry, the name given to the short leather strap used to tether the bird to a leash		Jess
Someone who is versed in the law, as a judge, lawyer or scholar		Jurist
A collective agriculture–based community, in Israel		Kibbutz
A surgical instrument, or a type of arch or window		Lancet
The side (of a ship, island, etc.) sheltered from the wind		Lee(ward)
A harmless drudge (according to Dr. Johnson)		Lexicographer
A syrupy medicinal formulation taken to relieve coughs and sore throats (from the past participle of the Latin verb meaning to lick)		Linctus
House inhabited by a non–conformist minister, especially in Scotland		Manse
A word or phrase chanted repeatedly during meditation		Mantra
In poetry, the regular linguistic sound patterns of a verse; the regular underlying temporal grid of music; or the syllable patterns in hymn stanzas; also a unit of measurement		Metre
Dislike of men, as misogyny is a dislike of women		Misandry
A ledge fitted to the underside of a tip–seat (particularly in a church), allowing the user to rest on it when standing for long periods; also known as a mercy seat		Misericord
A device to aid memory, such as "Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain" for the colours of the rainbow		Mnemonic
Can be a type of footwear or a type of snake		Moccasin
Resin, mentioned in the Nativity: name derived from the Latin word for 'bitter'		Myrrh
Tendency to fall asleep at random times, especially in the daytime		Narcolepsy
Originally meant foolish; from a French word meaning simple or silly, which in turn comes from a Latin word meaning ignorant		Nice
Informal alternative name for a gill (particularly in southern England), in reference to alcoholic drinks; alternatively two gills (particularly in northern England)		Noggin
Kiln for drying hops		Oast (house)
Form of censure originating in ancient Greece, when victims would be nominated by members of the public on pieces of broken pottery		Ostracism
Ancient manuscript with writing effaced to allow new writing		Palimpsest
Bag, box or basket fitted to either side of a beast of burden, or the rear wheel of a bicycle		Pannier
A towed underwater device used in minesweeping and anti-submarine warfare, in sport, or commercial fishing; also the code name of the British air raid of World War II that inflicted heavy damage on the German battleship Tirpitz		Paravane
Burlesque imitation of another work (in art)		Parody
Artistic work made up of bits of various other works or in imitation of the style of another		Pastiche
Book, list or collection of drugs (book defines uses, preparation etc.)		Pharmacopoeia
A printer's measurement, or an abnormal craving to eat unusual things		Pica
Scissors with saw–toothed blades, for cutting zigzag edges – used to cut cloth, to reduce fraying		Pinking shears
Distance between threads on a screw		Pitch
Periodic mob attacks on Jews in Russia, from 1881		Pogroms
Came into popular usage in the 1960s; derived from the Greek words for 'soul' and 'visible'		Psychedelic
Shade of red, defined as purplish–brown or reddish–brown; name is French for a flea		Puce
The dimple in the bottom of a wine bottle		Punt
Arrangement of five things, four in a square and one in the middle (as on a die)		Quincunx
A small fireproof dish, traditionally circular with a fluted exterior: given the French name of a dish, based on cheese or meat, that was cooked in it		Ramekin
The right hand page of a book		Recto
Map using three–dimensional shapes or colours to indicate height		Relief map
Nonsense word coined by Edward Lear for a type of spoon – since applied to a pickle fork with three broad prongs and a cutting edge, shaped like a spoon		Runcible
Can mean a dark brown colour with a reddish–orange tinge, or a type of apple or potato		Russet
Furry grip on a bell rope		Sally
Can be a type of sailing vessel or a type of drinking glass		Schooner
A board used to level and/or smooth the surface of concrete or sand (e.g. in long jump events)		Screed
Seats (usually three) on the South side of a chancel, for use of clergy		Sedilia
The ability to make remarkable discoveries by accident		Serendipity
The shell of an oyster or clam; to remove such a creature from its shell; also (plural noun) a mild (euphemistic) expression of frustration or exasperation		Shuck
A flock of geese in flight		Skein
Female equivalent of a fraternity		Sorority
Illegal drinking club during prohibition		Speakeasy
Male line of descent (click here for the female equivalent)		Spear or sword (side)
Clergyman's salary		Stipend
Hand–operated water pump used in fighting fires		Stirrup pump
Leather strap or abrasive strip for sharpening razors		Strop
Lightweight two–wheeled cart, used in harness racing		Sulky
Case where drink decanters are visible but locked up so that they can't be removed (by servants, etc.) – named after a character in Greek mythology		Tantalus
Uncut loops in pile of towelling or similar fabric		Terries
Violent followers of the Hindu goddess Kali		Thuggee
Solution of a drug in alcohol		Tincture
A single prong of a fork		Tine
Bell rung in times of danger		Tocsin
A name derived from a place name (or just a place name)		Toponym
A rigid metal neck ring, found in various European Iron Age cultures		Torc or torque
A low bed on wheels, kept under a main bed; or a barrel–shaped cheese		Truckle
Hi–fi loudspeaker for reproducing high–frequency sound (click here for the low–frequency equivalent)		Tweeter
Corruption of a Japanese word for a military leader		Tycoon
Early name for a bicycle – derived from the Latin words for 'speed' and 'foot'		Velocipede
The left hand page of a book		Verso
Adam's ale or Adam's wine		Water
A building material, a flap of skin on a bird or an animal, or a tree of the acacia family		Wattle
Hi–fi loudspeaker for reproducing low–frequency sound (click here for the high–frequency equivalent)		Woofer
Pyramidal temple tower in Babylon or Sumer		Ziggurat

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Words: Definitions