| Words | Parts of Speech | Meaning/Definition/Similar Words |
|---|---|---|
| arabesque | noun | A style of ornamentation either painted, inlaid, or carved in low relief. It consists of a pattern in which plants, fruits, foliage, etc., as well as figures of men and animals, real or imaginary, are fantastically interlaced or put together., Arabian., Relating to, or exhibiting, the style of ornament called arabesque; as, arabesque frescoes. |
| arabinose | noun | A sugar of the composition C5H10O5, obtained from cherry gum by boiling it with dilute sulphuric acid. |
| aracanese | adjective | Of or pertaining to Aracan, a province of British Burmah., A native or natives of Aracan. |
| arachnida | noun pl. | One of the classes of Arthropoda. See Illustration in Appendix. |
| arachnoid | adjective | Resembling a spider’s web; cobweblike., Pertaining to a thin membrane of the brain and spinal cord, between the dura mater and pia mater., Covered with, or composed of, soft, loose hairs or fibers, so as to resemble a cobweb; cobwebby., The arachnoid membrane., One of the Arachnoidea. |
| aragonese | adjective | Of or pertaining to Aragon, in Spain, or to its inhabitants., A native or natives of Aragon, in Spain. |
| aragonite | noun | A mineral identical in composition with calcite or carbonate of lime, but differing from it in its crystalline form and some of its physical characters. |
| araneidan | adjective | Of or pertaining to the Araneina or spiders., One of the Araneina; a spider. |
| araucaria | noun | A genus of tall conifers of the pine family. The species are confined mostly to South America and Australia. The wood cells differ from those of other in having the dots in their lateral surfaces in two or three rows, and the dots of contiguous rows alternating. The seeds are edible. |
| arbitrage | noun | Judgment by an arbiter; authoritative determination., A traffic in bills of exchange (see Arbitration of Exchange); also, a traffic in stocks which bear differing values at the same time in different markets. |
| arbitrary | adjective | Depending on will or discretion; not governed by any fixed rules; as, an arbitrary decision; an arbitrary punishment., Exercised according to one’s own will or caprice, and therefore conveying a notion of a tendency to abuse the possession of power., Despotic; absolute in power; bound by no law; harsh and unforbearing; tyrannical; as, an arbitrary prince or government. |
| arbitrate | verb t. | To hear and decide, as arbitrators; as, to choose to arbitrate a disputed case., To decide, or determine generally., To decide; to determine., To act as arbitrator or judge; as, to arbitrate upon several reports; to arbitrate in disputes among neighbors; to arbitrate between parties to a suit. |
| arbitress | noun | A female arbiter; an arbitratrix. |
| arborator | noun | One who plants or who prunes trees. |
| arboreous | adjective | Having the form, constitution, or habits, of a proper tree, in distinction from a shrub., Pertaining to, or growing on, trees; as, arboreous moss. |
| arboretum | noun | A place in which a collection of rare trees and shrubs is cultivated for scientific or educational purposes. |
| arborical | adjective | Relating to trees. |
| arborized | adjective | Having a treelike appearance. |
| arbustive | adjective | Containing copses of trees or shrubs; covered with shrubs. |
| archaical | adjective | Archaic. |
| archaized | imp. & past participle | of Archaize |
| archangel | noun | A chief angel; one high in the celestial hierarchy., A term applied to several different species of plants (Angelica archangelica, Lamium album, etc.). |
| archducal | adjective | Of or pertaining to an archduke or archduchy. |
| archduchy | noun | The territory of an archduke or archduchess. |
| archegony | noun | Spontaneous generation; abiogenesis. |
| archelogy | noun | The science of, or a treatise on, first principles. |
| archenemy | noun | A principal enemy. Specifically, Satan, the grand adversary of mankind. |
| archeress | noun | A female archer. |
| archetype | noun | The original pattern or model of a work; or the model from which a thing is made or formed., The standard weight or coin by which others are adjusted., The plan or fundamental structure on which a natural group of animals or plants or their systems of organs are assumed to have been constructed; as, the vertebrate archetype. |
| archiater | noun | Chief physician; — a term applied, on the continent of Europe, to the first or body physician of princes and to the first physician of some cities. |
| archierey | noun | The higher order of clergy in Russia, including metropolitans, archbishops, and bishops. |
| archimage | noun | Alt. of Archimagus |
| architect | noun | A person skilled in the art of building; one who understands architecture, or makes it his occupation to form plans and designs of buildings, and to superintend the artificers employed., A contriver, designer, or maker. |
| archivist | noun | A keeper of archives or records. |
| archivolt | noun | The architectural member surrounding the curved opening of an arch, corresponding to the architrave in the case of a square opening., More commonly, the molding or other ornaments with which the wall face of the voussoirs of an arch is charged. |
| archilute | noun | A large theorbo, or double-necked lute, formerly in use, having the bass strings doubled with an octave, and the higher strings with a unison. |
| arcograph | noun | An instrument for drawing a circular arc without the use of a central point; a cyclograph. |
| arctation | noun | Constriction or contraction of some natural passage, as in constipation from inflammation. |
| arctogeal | adjective | Of or pertaining to arctic lands; as, the arctogeal fauna. |
| arctoidea | noun pl. | A group of the Carnivora, that includes the bears, weasels, etc. |
| arcuately | adverb | In the form of a bow. |
| arcuation | noun | The act of bending or curving; incurvation; the state of being bent; crookedness., A mode of propagating trees by bending branches to the ground, and covering the small shoots with earth; layering. |
| ardassine | noun | A very fine sort of Persian silk. |
| arduously | adverb | In an arduous manner; with difficulty or laboriousness. |
| arenation | noun | A sand bath; application of hot sand to the body. |
| arendator | noun | In some provinces of Russia, one who farms the rents or revenues. |
| arenulous | adjective | Full of fine sand; like sand. |
| areolated | adjective | Divided into small spaces or areolations, as the wings of insects, the leaves of plants, or the receptacle of compound flowers. |
| areometer | noun | An instrument for measuring the specific gravity of fluids; a form hydrometer. |
| areometry | noun | The art or process of measuring the specific gravity of fluids. |
| areopagus | noun | The highest judicial court at Athens. Its sessions were held on Mars’ Hill. Hence, any high court or tribunal |
| areostyle | adjective & noun | See Intercolumniation, and Araeostyle. |
| aretology | noun | That part of moral philosophy which treats of virtue, its nature, and the means of attaining to it. |
| argentate | adjective | Silvery white. |
| argentine | adjective | Pertaining to, or resembling, silver; made of, or sounding like, silver; silvery., Of or pertaining to the Argentine Republic in South America., A siliceous variety of calcite, or carbonate of lime, having a silvery-white, pearly luster, and a waving or curved lamellar structure., White metal coated with silver., A fish of Europe (Maurolicus Pennantii) with silvery scales. The name is also applied to various fishes of the genus Argentina., A citizen of the Argentine Republic. |
| argentite | noun | Sulphide of silver; — also called vitreous silver, or silver glance. It has a metallic luster, a lead-gray color, and is sectile like lead. |
| argentous | adjective | Of, pertaining to, or containing, silver; — said of certain silver compounds in which silver has a higher proportion than in argentic compounds; as, argentous chloride. |
| argillite | noun | Argillaceous schist or slate; clay slate. Its colors is bluish or blackish gray, sometimes greenish gray, brownish red, etc. |
| argillous | adjective | Argillaceous; clayey. |
| argonauta | noun | A genus of Cephalopoda. The shell is called paper nautilus or paper sailor. |
| arhythmic | adjective | Alt. of Arhythmous |
| aridities | plural | of Aridity |
| aristarch | noun | A severe critic. |
| ark shell | A marine bivalve shell belonging to the genus Arca and its allies. | |
| armadillo | noun | Any edentate animal if the family Dasypidae, peculiar to America. The body and head are incased in an armor composed of small bony plates. The armadillos burrow in the earth, seldom going abroad except at night. When attacked, they curl up into a ball, presenting the armor on all sides. Their flesh is good food. There are several species, one of which (the peba) is found as far north as Texas. See Peba, Poyou, Tatouay., A genus of small isopod Crustacea that can roll themselves into a ball. |
| armillary | noun | Pertaining to, or resembling, a bracelet or ring; consisting of rings or circles. |
| armistice | noun | A cessation of arms for a short time, by convention; a temporary suspension of hostilities by agreement; a truce. |
| armorican | adjective | Of or pertaining to the northwestern part of France (formerly called Armorica, now Bretagne or Brittany), or to its people., The language of the Armoricans, a Celtic dialect which has remained to the present times., A native of Armorica. |
| army worm | A lepidopterous insect, which in the larval state often travels in great multitudes from field to field, destroying grass, grain, and other crops. The common army worm of the northern United States is Leucania unipuncta. The name is often applied to other related species, as the cotton worm., The larva of a small two-winged fly (Sciara), which marches in large companies, in regular order. See Cotton worm, under Cotton. | |
| aroideous | adjective | Belonging to, or resembling, the Arum family of plants. |
| aromatize | verb t. | To impregnate with aroma; to render aromatic; to give a spicy scent or taste to; to perfume. |
| aromatous | adjective | Aromatic. |
| arquebuse | noun | A sort of hand gun or firearm a contrivance answering to a trigger, by which the burning match was applied. The musket was a later invention. |
| arquifoux | noun | Same as Alquifou. |
| arraigned | imp. & past participle | of Arraign |
| arraigner | noun | One who arraigns. |
| arraiment | verb t. | Alt. of Arrayment |
| arrayment | verb t. | Clothes; raiment. |
| arranging | present participle & vb. noun | of Arrange |
| arraswise | adverb | Alt. of Arrasways |
| arrasways | adverb | Placed in such a position as to exhibit the top and two sides, the corner being in front; — said of a rectangular form. |
| arrearage | noun | That which remains unpaid and overdue, after payment of a part; arrears. |
| arrectary | noun | An upright beam. |
| arreption | noun | The act of taking away. |
| arresting | present participle & vb. noun | of Arrest, Striking; attracting attention; impressive. |
| arrestive | adjective | Tending to arrest. |
| arrhizous | adjective | Destitute of a true root, as a parasitical plant. |
| arriswise | adverb | Diagonally laid, as tiles; ridgewise. |
| arrivance | noun | Arrival. |
| arrogance | noun | The act or habit of arrogating, or making undue claims in an overbearing manner; that species of pride which consists in exorbitant claims of rank, dignity, estimation, or power, or which exalts the worth or importance of the person to an undue degree; proud contempt of others; lordliness; haughtiness; self-assumption; presumption. |
| arrogancy | noun | Arrogance. |
| arrogated | imp. & past participle | of Arrogate |
| arrowhead | noun | The head of an arrow., An aquatic plant of the genus Sagittaria, esp. S. sagittifolia, — named from the shape of the leaves. |
| arrowroot | noun | A west Indian plant of the genus Maranta, esp. M. arundinacea, now cultivated in many hot countries. It said that the Indians used the roots to neutralize the venom in wounds made by poisoned arrows., A nutritive starch obtained from the rootstocks of Maranta arundinacea, and used as food, esp. for children an invalids; also, a similar starch obtained from other plants, as various species of Maranta and Curcuma. |
| arrowwood | noun | A shrub (Viburnum dentatum) growing in damp woods and thickets; — so called from the long, straight, slender shoots. |
| arrowworm | noun | A peculiar transparent worm of the genus Sagitta, living at the surface of the sea. See Sagitta. |
| arseniate | noun | See Arsenate. |
| arsenical | adjective | Of or pertaining to, or containing, arsenic; as, arsenical vapor; arsenical wall papers. |
| arsenious | adjective | Pertaining to, consisting of, or containing, arsenic; as, arsenious powder or glass., Pertaining to, or derived from, arsenic, when having an equivalence next lower than the highest; as, arsenious acid. |
| arsesmart | noun | Smartweed; water pepper. |
| artemisia | noun | A genus of plants including the plants called mugwort, southernwood, and wormwood. Of these A. absinthium, or common wormwood, is well known, and A. tridentata is the sage brush of the Rocky Mountain region. |
| arteriole | noun | A small artery. |
| arteritis | noun | Inflammation of an artery or arteries. |
| arthritic | adjective | Alt. of Arthritical |
| arthritis | noun | Any inflammation of the joints, particularly the gout. |
| arthrodia | noun | A form of diarthrodial articulation in which the articular surfaces are nearly flat, so that they form only an imperfect ball and socket. |
| arthrodic | adjective | Of or pertaining to arthrodia. |
| arthropod | noun | One of the Arthropoda. |
| arthrosis | noun | Articulation. |
| artichoke | noun | The Cynara scolymus, a plant somewhat resembling a thistle, with a dilated, imbricated, and prickly involucre. The head (to which the name is also applied) is composed of numerous oval scales, inclosing the florets, sitting on a broad receptacle, which, with the fleshy base of the scales, is much esteemed as an article of food., See Jerusalem artichoke. |
| articling | present participle & vb. noun | of Article |
| articular | noun | Of or pertaining to the joints; as, an articular disease; an articular process., Alt. of Articulary |
| articulus | noun | A joint of the cirri of the Crinoidea; a joint or segment of an arthropod appendage. |
| artificer | noun | An artistic worker; a mechanic or manufacturer; one whose occupation requires skill or knowledge of a particular kind, as a silversmith., One who makes or contrives; a deviser, inventor, or framer., A cunning or artful fellow., A military mechanic, as a blacksmith, carpenter, etc.; also, one who prepares the shells, fuses, grenades, etc., in a military laboratory. |
| artillery | noun | Munitions of war; implements for warfare, as slings, bows, and arrows., Cannon; great guns; ordnance, including guns, mortars, howitzers, etc., with their equipment of carriages, balls, bombs, and shot of all kinds., The men and officers of that branch of the army to which the care and management of artillery are confided., The science of artillery or gunnery. |
| artlessly | adverb | In an artless manner; without art, skill, or guile; unaffectedly. |
| art union | An association for promoting art (esp. the arts of design), and giving encouragement to artists. | |
| aruspices | plural | of Aruspex |
| arytenoid | adjective | Ladle-shaped; — applied to two small cartilages of the larynx, and also to the glands, muscles, etc., connected with them. The cartilages are attached to the cricoid cartilage and connected with the vocal cords. |