English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

atrocious

adjective

Extremely cruel, brutal, or shocking.

atrocity

noun

An extremely cruel or brutal act, especially against people.

atrophy

noun

The wasting away or weakening of a body part, usually a muscle or organ, from disease, injury, or lack of use.

atropine

noun

A powerful drug extracted from deadly nightshade and related plants, used in medicine to relax muscles, dry secretions, or widen the pupils.

Atsuko

name

A feminine Japanese given name.

att

noun

A small unit of Laotian currency, worth one hundredth of a kip.

Atta

noun

A finely ground wholegrain wheat flour used across South Asia, especially for making flatbreads like chapati and roti.

attaboy

intj

An informal exclamation of praise or encouragement, typically said to a boy, man, or male animal.

attach

verb

To fasten or connect one thing to another, physically or figuratively.

attached

adj

Fastened or joined to something else.

attachment

noun

A file sent along with an email or message.

attack

verb

To use violent force against a person or place.

attacker

noun

A person who attacks someone or something.

attacking

adj

Carrying out or relating to an attack; aggressive and offense-focused.

attagirl

intj

An informal exclamation of praise or encouragement, typically said to a girl, woman, or female animal.

attain

verb

To succeed in reaching or achieving something through effort.

attained

adj

Successfully reached or achieved.

attempt

verb

To try to do something, especially something difficult, without guaranteed success.

attempted

adj

Tried but not necessarily completed successfully — often used before crime terms to show the act was tried but failed.

Attenborough

name

An English surname, notably borne by the broadcaster David Attenborough; also a village in Nottinghamshire, England.

attend

verb

To be present at an event, class, or place.

attendance

noun

The act of being present at an event, or the number of people present.

attendant

noun

A person whose job is to help or serve people in a particular place, such as a parking lot or flight.

attended

adj

Having people present, or being looked after by someone.

attending

adj

Being present at, or accompanying, an event or situation.

attention

noun

The mental effort or focus given to something.

attentive

adj

Paying close attention; alert and observant.

attentively

adv

In a way that shows close attention or focus.

attest

verb

To confirm or declare that something is true or genuine.

attic

noun

The space, often sloped and unfinished, directly under the roof of a house, typically used for storage.

Attica

name

The region of Greece surrounding Athens; also used as a place name in the United States, notably the site of the Attica Prison riots.

Atticus

name

A masculine given name of Latin origin, meaning "of Attica" or "Athenian".

Attila

noun

A short, fringed ceremonial cape traditionally worn as part of Hungarian formal dress.

attire

noun

Clothing, especially of a particular style appropriate to an occasion.

attitude

noun

A settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something.

attorney

noun

A lawyer, especially one licensed to represent clients in legal matters.

attract

verb

To pull something toward oneself, especially by a physical or magnetic force.

attracted

adj

Drawn toward someone or something, especially with interest or liking.

attraction

noun

A place, event, or thing that draws visitors or interest.

attractive

adj

Pleasing to look at; physically appealing.

attractiveness

noun

The quality of being pleasing, appealing, or desirable.

attribute

noun

A quality or characteristic that belongs to a person or thing.

attributed

adj

Said to be the work, quality, or possession of a particular person, cause, or source.

attrition

noun

A gradual wearing down or reduction, especially of staff or resources over time rather than through direct cuts.

attuned

adj

Sensitive to and aware of something, especially another person's needs or feelings.

Atwater

name

An English surname, and a place name for towns in California, Minnesota, and elsewhere in the United States.

Atwood

name

An English surname, originally a topographic name for someone who lived near a wood.

atypical

adj

Not typical; different from what is usual or expected.

au

noun

A vowel found in Indic abugidas.

Aubrey

name

A given name, historically masculine but now used for both sexes, and an English surname.

auburn

noun

A reddish-brown colour, most often used to describe hair.

Auckland

name

The largest city in New Zealand, on the North Island, and the surrounding region.

auction

noun

A public sale in which goods or property are sold to whoever bids the highest price.

auctioneer

noun

A person who runs an auction, taking bids on behalf of the seller.

audacious

adj

Bold and daring, often to the point of taking real risks.

audacity

noun

Shocking boldness or nerve, especially when it disregards normal limits or manners.

Audi

noun

A car made by the German manufacturer Audi.

audible

adj

Loud or clear enough to be heard.

audience

noun

The group of people watching or listening to a performance, speech, or broadcast.

audio

noun

Sound, especially recorded or transmitted sound.

audit

noun

An official, careful check of financial records or of a system to make sure everything is accurate and follows the rules.

auditing

noun

The practice or process of carrying out audits.

audition

noun

A short performance given to show a director or panel that you're suitable for a role or job.

auditor

noun

A person who officially examines financial records or accounts.

auditorium

noun

A large room built to hold an audience for speeches, performances, or meetings.

auditory

adj

Relating to hearing or to the ears.

Audra

name

A feminine given name.

Audrey

name

A given name of Old English origin, now chiefly feminine, notably borne by actress Audrey Hepburn.

Auerbach

name

A German surname, historically a Jewish Ashkenazi family name.

Augello

name

An Italian surname.

aught

pron

Anything at all (an old-fashioned or literary word).

Augie

name

A diminutive of the masculine given name Augustus.

augment

verb

To make something larger or stronger by adding to it.

augmented

adj

Made larger, stronger, or more complete by adding something.

augur

noun

A person in ancient Rome who interpreted omens and signs, especially from the behaviour of birds, to predict the future.

august

adj

Deeply respected and impressive; dignified and grand.

Augusta

name

A feminine given name of Latin origin, and a place name for several cities, including the capital of Maine.

auguste

noun

A type of clumsy, red-nosed circus clown who plays the troublemaker against the more composed whiteface clown.

Augustin

noun

A traditional 14-point printing type size, especially in French typography.

Augustine

noun

A member of a religious order that follows the rule attributed to Saint Augustine of Hippo; an Augustinian.

Augustus

name

The first Roman emperor, born Gaius Octavius; also a masculine given name derived from his title.

auld

adj

Old (a Scots and Northern English word).

aunt

noun

The sister of one's mother or father, or the wife of one's uncle.

auntie

noun

An affectionate, informal way of saying "aunt."

aura

noun

A distinctive feeling or atmosphere that seems to surround a person or place.

Aurelia

name

A feminine given name of Latin origin, related to the word for "golden."

Aurelius

name

A masculine given name of Latin origin, historically linked to Roman nobility.

aurora

noun

A natural display of shifting coloured lights in the night sky near the polar regions, caused by charged particles from the sun.

Auschwitz

name

The site in occupied Poland of the largest Nazi concentration and extermination camp during World War II, now used as shorthand for the Holocaust itself.

auspicious

adj

Suggesting a good outcome; promising or favourable.

Aussie

noun

(informal) An Australian person.

Austen

name

An English surname, most famously associated with the novelist Jane Austen.

austere

adj

Plain, strict, and without luxury or decoration.

austerity

noun

Extreme plainness and self-discipline, with no luxuries.

Austin

name

A masculine given name and surname, ultimately from "Augustine."

Australia

name

The country and continent occupying the Australian mainland, Tasmania, and nearby islands, with its capital at Canberra.

Australian

adj

Relating to Australia, its people, or its languages.

Austria

name

A landlocked country in Central Europe, with its capital at Vienna.

Austrian

adj

Relating to Austria or its people and culture.

authentic

adj

Genuine and exactly what it claims to be, not fake or copied.

authenticate

verb

To prove that something is genuine or real.

authentication

noun

The process of proving that something is genuine.

authenticity

noun

The quality of being genuine, real, and true to its origin.

author

noun

A person who writes a book, article, or other original work.

authoritarian

adj

Demanding strict obedience and control, at the expense of individual freedom.

authoritative

adj

Recognised as reliable, accurate, and worth trusting because of its expertise.

authorities

noun

The official organisations or officials with power to govern or enforce rules in a given area.

authority

noun

The power or right to give orders, make decisions, or enforce obedience.

authorization

noun

Official permission to do something.

authorize

verb

To give someone official permission or power to do something.

authorized

adj

Officially permitted or approved.

autistic

adj

Having autism, a developmental condition affecting communication, social interaction, and behaviour.

auto

noun

(informal, especially US) A car; short for automobile.

autobahn

noun

A German or Austrian motorway, some sections of which have no general speed limit.

autobiographical

adj

Based on or relating to the story of one's own life.

autobiography

noun

An account of a person's life written by that person.

autograph

noun

A famous person's signature, especially one given to a fan as a keepsake.

autographed

adj

Signed with someone's autograph, especially a celebrity's.

autoimmune

adj

Relating to a condition in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy cells.

Autolycus

name

In Greek mythology, a cunning thief and son of Hermes, said to be able to change shape and disguise stolen goods.

automated

adj

Operated by machines or computer systems rather than by people.

automatic

adj

Operating by itself, without a person directly controlling it.

automatically

adverb

In a way that happens by itself, without a person having to control or think about it.

automation

noun

Using machines, computers, or other technology to do tasks that people used to do by hand.

automaton

noun

A mechanical device built to carry out a fixed set of movements or instructions on its own.

automobile

noun

A wheeled motor vehicle built to carry a driver and a few passengers under its own power.

automotive

adjective

Relating to cars, trucks, and other motor vehicles.

autonomous

adjective

Governing or managing itself without outside control.

autonomy

noun

The freedom to govern or manage oneself independently, without control from others.

autopilot

noun

A system that automatically steers a vehicle, aircraft, or ship without a person actively controlling it.

autopsy

noun

A medical examination of a dead body to determine the cause of death.

autumn

noun

The season between summer and winter, when leaves fall and temperatures start to drop.

aux

noun

An auxiliary input on a sound system, used to plug in an external audio device.

auxiliary

adjective

Providing extra help or support to something else, rather than being the main part.

av

verb

A dialectal or informal way of saying "have," as in some regional English speech.

Ava

name

A popular female given name, used as a variant of Eva or as an independent name in its own right.

avail

verb

To make use of an opportunity or resource, usually for one's own benefit.

availability

noun

The state of being available or obtainable, or the times someone is free.

available

adjective

Able to be obtained, used, or accessed.

avalanche

noun

A large mass of snow and ice that suddenly breaks loose and slides down a mountainside.

Avalon

name

A legendary island paradise in Arthurian legend where King Arthur was taken after his death; also used as a real place name.

avant

noun

The leading or front section of an army; the vanguard.

Avanti

name

An ancient Indian realm roughly corresponding to the present-day Malwa region.

avarice

noun

An excessive, greedy desire for wealth or possessions.

avast

interjection

A command meaning "stop" or "hold on," traditionally associated with sailors and pirates.

avatar

noun

A small picture or digital figure that represents a person online, such as on a forum or social media profile.

ave

noun

Short for "Ave Maria," the Catholic prayer to the Virgin Mary.

avenge

verb

To get retribution for a wrong or injury done to oneself or someone else.

avenger

noun

Someone who avenges a wrong, especially by punishing the person responsible.

avenging

noun

The act of getting revenge for a wrong done to someone.