(biology) Loss during evolution of the final stages of the ancestral ontogenetic pattern.
(linguistics) A shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase, used to represent the whole, utilizing omission of letters, and sometimes substitution of letters, or duplication of initial letters to signify plurality, including signs such as +, =, @.
(mathematics) Reduction to lower terms, as a fraction.
(music) A notation used in music score to denote a direction, as pp or mf.
(music) One or more dashes through the stem of a note, dividing it respectively into quavers, semiquavers, demisemiquavers, or hemidemisemiquavers.
Any convenient short form used as a substitution for an understood or inferred whole.
The process of abbreviating.
The result of shortening or reducing; abridgment.
aberrational
aberrational
adj
Characterized by aberration.
abirritating
abirritating
verb
present participle of abirritate
abirritation
abirritation
noun
(medicine) A pathological condition opposite to that of irritation; debility; asthenia; atony.
(medicine) Decreased response to stimuli.
abolitionary
abolitionary
adj
Relating to or favoring abolition.
abortionists
abortionists
noun
plural of abortionist
abortiveness
abortiveness
noun
(countable) The result or product of being abortive.
(uncountable) The quality of being abortive.
abrenunciate
abridgements
abridgements
noun
plural of abridgement
absorptional
absorptional
adj
Relating to absorption.
abstractions
abstractions
noun
plural of abstraction
acinotubular
acinotubular
adj
(anatomy) Having both acini and tubules
actinobranch
actinobranch
noun
(biology) An organ, in some anthozoans, that functions as a gill
adumbrations
adumbrations
noun
plural of adumbration
adverbiation
afterburning
afterburning
noun
(aviation) The injection of extra fuel into a jet engine downstream of the turbines in order to achieve extra thrust.
ambisinister
ambisinister
adj
(rare) Awkward or clumsy with both hands.
anabaptistry
anabaptistry
Noun
The doctrine or practices of Anabaptists.
anaerobation
anaerobiotic
anaerobiotic
adj
(anatomy) Resembling or relating to anaerobes.
andabatarian
andabatarian
adj
Of or like an andabata, a gladiator who fought blindfolded; hence, characterized by flailing, random, misdirected, and by implication frantic effort to little or no effect.
antebrachial
antebrachial
adj
(anatomy) relating to the forearm
antebrachium
antebrachium
noun
(anatomy) The forearm
antiabortion
antiabortion
adj
Opposed to the practice or legalization of abortion.
antiabrasion
antiabrasion
adj
Preventing abrasion.
antibrachial
antibrachial
adj
(anatomy) Of or pertaining to the antibrachium, or forearm.
antibreakage
antibreakage
adj
Preventing breakage.
antiburglary
antiburglary
adj
Opposing or countering burglary.
antilaborist
antiliberals
antiliberals
noun
plural of antiliberal
antimicrobic
antimicrobic
adj
antimicrobial
noun
Any antimicrobial agent
antiparabema
antiportable
antirebating
antirebating
adj
Preventing insurance agents from sharing commission money with insured parties.
antithrombic
antithrombic
adj
(biochemistry) Of, pertaining to, or resembling the action of antithrombin
antithrombin
antithrombin
noun
A small molecule that inactivates several enzymes of the coagulation system.
antivibrator
antivibrator
noun
A device attached to a vehicle or machine, etc. to reduce vibrations.
approbations
approbations
noun
plural of approbation
arbitraments
arbitraments
noun
plural of arbitrament
arbitrations
arbitrations
noun
plural of arbitration
arborization
arborization
noun
Any branching, treelike shape or formation.
The formation of such a shape or formation.
archibenthal
archibenthic
archibenthic
adj
Relating to the upper part of the benthic region, from the sublittoral to the abyssal
archibenthos
atrabilarian
atrabilarian
adj
Characterized by melancholy or glum; atrabilarious; atrabilious.
attributions
attributions
noun
plural of attribution
backpointers
backstroking
backstroking
verb
present participle of backstroke
backtracking
backtracking
noun
(aviation) The usage of a runway as a taxiway, especially at private strips and smaller airports.
(computer science) The act of building all possible solutions to a problem incrementally, abandoning any candidate solution if it cannot lead to a valid solution.
(countable, uncountable) The act of one who, or that which, backtracks; a retracing of one's steps.
verb
present participle of backtrack
bactericidin
bactericidin
noun
Any antibody that, together with a complement, can kill bacteria.
bacteriocins
bacteriocins
noun
plural of bacteriocin
bactriticone
bactriticone
noun
(malacology) A shell which has a straight cone shape, like certain primitive Ammonoidea.
bagrationite
bagrationite
noun
(mineralogy) A variety of allanite.
bairnsfather
balustrading
balustrading
noun
(architecture) work including one or more balustrades
bankruptcies
bankruptcies
noun
plural of bankruptcy
bankruptlike
bankruptlike
adj
Resembling or characteristic of a bankrupt.
bankruptship
bariatrician
bariatrician
noun
(medicine) a specialist in bariatrics
barnhardtite
barnstorming
barnstorming
adj
(especially of a performance) Highly theatrical.
noun
The act of one who barnstorms, or travels making political speeches.
verb
present participle of barnstorm
baronetising
baronetizing
barquentines
barquentines
noun
plural of barquentine
barranquitas
barringtonia
bartonsville
bastardising
bastardising
verb
present participle of bastardise
bastardizing
bastardizing
noun
The act or process by which something is bastardized.
verb
present participle of bastardize
batocrinidae
battledoring
baxterianism
bearbaitings
bearbaitings
noun
plural of bearbaiting
befriendment
befriendment
noun
The act of befriending.
belligerents
belligerents
noun
plural of belligerent
bemirrorment
benzonitrile
benzonitrile
noun
(organic chemistry) The aromatic nitrile C₆H₅-CN; it is used as a solvent and has many industrial applications
bepraisement
bertillonage
bertillonage
noun
Originally, a system for the identification of criminals making use of anthropometric measurements — including head size, arm span, scars, distinguishing features and the like. The usage has been extended to encompass a means of identification of racing greyhounds.
berzelianite
berzelianite
noun
(mineralogy) An isometric-hexoctahedral mineral containing copper and selenium.
besmirchment
besmirchment
noun
The act of sullying or besmirching.
bespattering
bespattering
noun
The action or result of something being bespattered.
verb
present participle of bespatter
bestraddling
bestraddling
verb
present participle of bestraddle
betweenbrain
betweenbrain
noun
Alternative form of 'tweenbrain
bewilderment
bewilderment
noun
A confusing or perplexing situation.
The state of being bewildered.
bicarbonates
bicarbonates
noun
plural of bicarbonate
bicentricity
bicrescentic
bicrescentic
adj
Having the form of a double crescent.
bifurcations
bifurcations
noun
plural of bifurcation
binocularity
binocularity
noun
Binocular vision.
bioenergetic
bioenergetic
adj
Of or pertaining to bioenergetics
biometrician
biometrician
noun
One who practices biometrics.
biparentally
biparentally
adv
In a biparental manner
bipartitions
bipartitions
noun
plural of bipartition
bipropellant
bipropellant
noun
A propellant composed of two components (typically a fuel and an oxidizer) that react together in the combustion chamber
biquadrantal
birdcatching
birdcatching
noun
The trapping of birds.
birdwatching
birdwatching
noun
(slang) The hobby of watching rocket launches.
Observing or identifying wild birds in their natural environment.
birefracting
birefraction
birefringent
birefringent
adj
Having two refractive indices (depending on orientation)
Of or pertaining to birefringence
bitternesses
bitternesses
noun
plural of bitterness
blanchimeter
blennenteria
bletheration
blindstories
blindstories
noun
plural of blindstory
blisteringly
blisteringly
adv
In a blistering manner.
blowtorching
blowtorching
verb
present participle of blowtorch
blueprinting
blueprinting
verb
present participle of blueprint
blusteration
blusteration
noun
blustering
blusteringly
blusteringly
adv
in a blustering manner
borotungstic
botherations
botherations
noun
plural of botheration
boulangerite
boulangerite
noun
(mineralogy) A lead antimony sulfide mineral that forms metallic grey monoclinic crystals.
bouleuterion
bouleuterion
noun
(architecture, historical) A building in Ancient Greece, housing the boule (council of citizens), where public affairs were discussed.
bourignonist
boutonnieres
boutonnieres
noun
plural of boutonniere
bowstringing
bowstringing
verb
present participle of bowstring
brachiations
brachiations
noun
plural of brachiation
bradykinetic
bradykinetic
adj
Of, pertaining to, or exhibiting bradykinesia
brahmanistic
brainstormed
brainstormed
verb
simple past tense and past participle of brainstorm
brainstormer
brainstormer
noun
One who brainstorms.
brainteasers
brainteasers
noun
plural of brainteaser
brattinesses
brazilianite
brazilianite
noun
(mineralogy) A typically yellow-green phosphate mineral and precious stone, most commonly found in phosphate-rich pegmatites.
breakfasting
breakfasting
noun
The act of eating breakfast.
verb
present participle of breakfast
breathtaking
breathtaking
adj
Very surprising or shocking; to such a degree as to cause astonishment.
stunningly beautiful; amazing
brecciations
brecciations
noun
plural of brecciation
breviloquent
breviloquent
adj
Exhibiting breviloquence; concise.
brevipennate
brevipennate
adj
(ornithology) short-winged; having short wings.
brickbatting
brickbatting
noun
The act of assailing with criticism.
The act of attacking by throwing brickbats.
verb
present participle of brickbat
brightnesses
brightnesses
noun
plural of brightness
brilliantine
brilliantine
noun
A hair pomade, making the hair shine brilliantly.
A smooth shiny, luxurious fabric, often of alpaca or vicuña.
verb
To apply brilliantine to the hair.
broadcasting
broadcasting
adj
Sending in all directions.
noun
(business) The business or profession of radio and television.
The act by which something is broadcast.
verb
present participle of broadcast
brominations
brominations
noun
plural of bromination
bromogelatin
bromogelatin
noun
(photography) A process for preparing dry plates with an emulsion of bromides and silver nitrate in gelatin.
bromoprotein
bronchitises
bronchitises
noun
plural of bronchitis
brontephobia
brontephobia
noun
Alternative form of brontophobia
brontophobia
brontophobia
noun
The fear of thunder and lightning.
broussonetia
brownistical
bryantsville
burnettizing
burnettizing
verb
present participle of burnettize
burtonsville
butterflying
butterflying
verb
present participle of butterfly
buttermaking
cabinetmaker
cabinetmaker
noun
A skilled woodworker who makes high-quality wooden furniture
cabinetworks
calibrations
calibrations
noun
plural of calibration
cantabrigian
cantabrigian
Adjective
Of, pertaining to or characteristic of Cambridge or its university
Noun
A native or resident of Cambridge
An undergraduate, graduate or fellow of Cambridge University