English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

appointment

noun

A prearranged meeting at a specific time.

appraisal

noun

A formal assessment of the value, quality, or performance of something or someone.

appraise

verb

To assess the value or worth of something, often officially.

appraiser

noun

A person whose job is to officially assess the value of something, such as property or antiques.

appreciate

verb

To be grateful for something.

appreciated

adjective

Recognized and valued, especially with gratitude.

appreciating

verb

Being grateful for something, or recognizing its true value; the present participle of appreciate.

appreciation

noun

A feeling of gratitude or recognition of something's value.

appreciative

adjective

Feeling or showing gratitude and recognition of value.

apprehend

verb

To arrest someone, especially a suspected criminal.

apprehended

adjective

Caught or arrested.

apprehending

verb

Arresting someone, or grasping something mentally; the present participle of apprehend.

apprehension

noun

A worried feeling that something bad might happen; anxiety about the future.

apprehensive

adj

Nervous or worried about something that might happen.

apprentice

noun

Someone learning a skilled trade by working under an experienced person.

apprenticeship

noun

A period of time spent training in a trade under an experienced worker, often combining paid work with study.

apprised

adj

Told or informed about something, usually kept up to date.

approach

verb

To move closer to something or someone.

approachable

adj

Friendly and easy to talk to.

approaches

noun

Different methods or ways of handling something (plural of approach).

approaching

adj

Coming closer in time or place; happening soon.

appropriate

adj

Suitable or correct for a particular situation.

appropriated

adj

Set aside or claimed for a specific purpose or use.

appropriately

adv

In a fitting or suitable way.

appropriation

noun

Money or resources officially set aside for a particular purpose, especially by a government.

approval

noun

Official permission or agreement that something is acceptable.

approve

verb

To officially agree to or accept something as satisfactory.

approved

adj

Officially accepted or given permission.

approving

adj

Showing that you think something is good or acceptable.

approximate

adj

Close to the exact number or amount, but not precise.

approximately

adv

Roughly; close to a particular amount or figure, but not exact.

approximation

noun

A rough estimate or figure that is close to, but not exactly, correct.

Apps

name

An English surname, a variant of Abbs, derived from the given name Abel.

appy

noun

A small dish served before the main course; a casual short form of "appetizer."

apricot

noun

A small round fruit with soft orange skin and flesh, related to the peach and plum.

April

noun

The fourth month of the year, between March and May.

apron

noun

A piece of clothing worn over the front of the body to protect clothes, especially while cooking.

apropos

adj

Fitting or relevant to the situation at hand.

apt

adj

Suitable or fitting for the situation.

aptitude

noun

A natural talent or ability for learning or doing something.

aptly

adv

In a fitting or suitable way.

aqua

noun

A greenish-blue colour, similar to turquoise.

aquarium

noun

A glass tank for keeping fish or other water animals.

Aquarius

noun

A constellation and zodiac sign, symbolised by a person pouring water, covering roughly late January to mid-February.

aquatic

adj

Living in, related to, or taking place in water.

aqueduct

noun

A channel or structure, often a bridge-like construction, built to carry water over long distances.

ar

noun

The name of the letter R.

ara

noun

The great blue and yellow macaw (Ara ararauna).

Arab

noun

A member of an ethnic group native to the Arabian Peninsula and the wider Arabic-speaking world.

Arabela

name

A feminine given name, a variant spelling of Arabella.

Arabella

name

A feminine given name, likely derived from Latin meaning "yielding to prayer".

Arabia

name

A peninsula in southwest Asia, home to Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries.

Arabian

adj

Relating to Arabia or its people and culture.

Arabic

name

A major Semitic language spoken across the Middle East and North Africa, with many regional dialects and a shared formal written form.

Arafat

name

An Arabic surname, notably borne by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, and the name of a hill near Mecca.

Aragon

name

An autonomous region in northeastern Spain, whose capital is Zaragoza; historically an independent medieval kingdom.

Arai

name

A Japanese surname meaning "new well".

Araki

name

A Japanese surname.

Aram

name

An ancient region roughly corresponding to modern Syria, home to the Aramean people, mentioned repeatedly in the Bible.

Aramaic

name

An ancient family of Semitic languages once used across the Near East, including the everyday language spoken by Jesus of Nazareth.

Aramis

name

One of the title characters in Alexandre Dumas's "The Three Musketeers", alongside Athos and Porthos.

Arapaho

noun

A member of a Native American people historically associated with the Great Plains, now living mainly in Wyoming and Oklahoma.

arbiter

noun

Someone chosen by two sides to settle a dispute between them.

arbitrarily

adv

In a way that is based on random choice or personal whim rather than any clear reason or system.

arbitrary

adj

Based on personal choice or chance rather than any clear reason, rule, or system.

arbitration

noun

A process for settling a dispute in which both sides agree to accept the decision of a neutral third party, instead of going to court.

arbor

noun

A shaded garden structure covered with climbing plants, used as a place to sit.

arc

noun

A curved line, especially part of the edge of a circle.

arcade

noun

A covered passage or row of shops, often lined with arches, or a venue with coin-operated games.

Arcadia

name

A mountainous region of ancient Greece, later used in literature as a symbol of unspoiled rural happiness.

arcane

adj

Understood by very few people; mysterious and difficult to grasp because of how obscure or specialized it is.

arch

noun

A curved structure that spans an opening, typically supporting the weight above it.

archaeological

adj

Relating to the study of past human life through excavated remains and artifacts.

archaeologist

noun

Someone who studies past human life by excavating and analyzing physical remains such as buildings, tools, and bones.

archaeology

noun

The study of past human societies through the excavation and analysis of buildings, tools, and other physical remains.

archaic

adj

Old-fashioned or belonging to an earlier time; no longer in common use.

Archana

name

A female given name of Sanskrit origin, popular in India, meaning roughly "worship" or "homage".

archangel

noun

An angel of high rank believed to lead other angels, such as Gabriel or Michael in Judeo-Christian tradition.

archbishop

noun

A senior bishop who leads an archdiocese and oversees several other dioceses.

archdeacon

noun

A senior church official ranking just below a bishop, usually responsible for administering part of a diocese.

archdiocese

noun

A diocese, or church district, that is led by an archbishop.

archduke

noun

A prince of the former Austrian imperial family, ranking above an ordinary duke.

archenemy

noun

Someone's main or most powerful enemy.

archer

noun

A person who shoots arrows from a bow.

archery

noun

The sport or skill of shooting arrows with a bow.

Arches

name

Arches National Park, a U.S. national park in Utah famous for its natural rock arches.

archetype

noun

An original pattern or model that other similar things are based on or compared to.

Archibald

name

A male given name of Germanic origin, often shortened to "Archie".

Archie

name

A shortened, informal form of the given name Archibald, also used on its own.

Archimedes

name

An ancient Greek mathematician, physicist, and engineer, famous for his work on levers, buoyancy, and geometry.

archipelago

noun

A group or chain of many islands scattered across a stretch of water.

architect

noun

A professional who designs buildings and oversees their construction.

architectural

adjective

Relating to architecture or the design of buildings.

architecture

noun

The art and practice of designing and constructing buildings.

archive

noun

A place or collection where historical documents or records are stored.

archived

adjective

Having been moved into storage for future reference rather than active use.

archivist

noun

A person whose job is to collect, organise, and look after archived records.

Arctic

adjective

Relating to the region around the North Pole.

ard

noun

A simple early plough made from a spike dragged through soil to break it up.

Arden

name

A given name and surname of English origin, from a forest region in Warwickshire; also a unisex first name.

ardent

adjective

Full of strong feeling, enthusiasm, or devotion.

ardor

noun

Intense warmth of feeling, enthusiasm, or passion.

arduous

adjective

Requiring great effort or endurance; difficult and tiring.

are

noun

A metric unit of area equal to 100 square metres, rarely used today.

area

noun

The size of a surface, measured in square units.

arena

noun

A large enclosed space used for sports, concerts, or other public events.

Arenas

name

A Spanish surname meaning "sands", common in Spain and Latin America.

arent

adjective

Dried out or withered; parched by heat.

Ares

name

The ancient Greek god of war.

arf

interjection

Used to represent the sound of a dog barking.

argent

noun

Silver, or the silver-white colour used in heraldry.

Argentina

name

A country in South America, the second-largest by area on the continent.

argentine

adjective

Made of, coated with, or resembling silver.

Argentinean

adjective

Relating to Argentina or its people.

Argentinian

adjective

Relating to Argentina or its people.

argh

interjection

Used to express frustration, annoyance, or dismay.

Argo

name

The name of the ship sailed by Jason and the Argonauts in Greek mythology.

argon

noun

A colourless, odourless chemical element (symbol Ar) that is an inert noble gas found in the atmosphere.

arguably

adverb

Based on reasonable evidence or argument, though not beyond dispute.

argue

verb

To exchange differing opinions, often heatedly.

arguing

noun

The act of disagreeing with someone, often heatedly, or of putting forward reasons to support a position.

argument

noun

A reason or set of reasons given to support a conclusion.

argumentative

adjective

Tending to argue or disagree, often over small things.

Argus

noun

A watchful guardian who misses nothing.

argyle

noun

A knitted pattern of overlapping diamond shapes, often in multiple colours.

aria

noun

An elaborate melody sung by a single voice, typically in an opera.

Ariadne

name

A feminine given name from Greek mythology, borne by the princess who helped Theseus escape the labyrinth.

Ariana

name

A feminine given name of Latin origin, related to Ariadne, meaning "most holy".

Ariane

name

A feminine given name, the French form of Ariadne; also the name of a European rocket program.

Arianna

name

A feminine given name, an Italian variant of Ariadne.

Arias

name

A Spanish surname of uncertain origin, common throughout Latin America and Spain.

arid

adjective

Very dry, especially describing land or climate with little rainfall.

Ariel

noun

A male or female given name of Hebrew origin, literally meaning "lion of God."

Aries

noun

The first sign of the zodiac, represented by a ram and covering roughly late March to late April.

arigato

interjection

"Thank you" — used in English to evoke or reference Japanese, often informally or humorously.

aright

adverb

Correctly, properly, or in the right way.

aris

noun

Cockney rhyming slang for the buttocks.

arise

verb

To come into being, appear, or start happening.

arising

noun

The act or process of something coming into being or occurring.

Aristide

name

A masculine given name of Greek origin, meaning "best" or "excellent", notably borne by Haitian leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

aristocracy

noun

The hereditary upper class of a society, typically holding titles and inherited privilege.

aristocrat

noun

A member of the aristocracy or nobility.

aristocratic

adjective

Belonging to, or typical of, the aristocracy — noble, refined, or privileged in bearing.

Aristotle

name

A male given name, most famously borne by the ancient Greek philosopher (384-322 BCE) who was a student of Plato and tutor to Alexander the Great.

arithmetic

noun

The branch of mathematics dealing with basic operations on numbers: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Arjun

name

A male given name of Sanskrit origin, popular in India.

Arjuna

name

A major hero of the Sanskrit epic the Mahabharata, and a male given name derived from him.

ark

noun

The large boat built by Noah in the Bible story, used to save his family and pairs of animals from a great flood.

Arkansas

name

A state in the south-central United States, capital Little Rock.

arkwright

noun

Historically, a person who made chests or cabinets (an "ark-wright").