English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

Alejandra

name

A female given name from Spanish, equivalent to Alexandra.

Alejandro

name

A male given name from Spanish, equivalent to Alexander.

Alek

name

A short form of the name Alexander.

Aleksandr

name

The Russian form of the name Alexander.

aleksandra

name

The transliteration of Александра (Aleksandra), a female given name used by Pannonian Rusyns and Russians.

Aleppo

name

A major city in northern Syria, and the region surrounding it.

alert

adj

Watchful and paying close attention; ready to notice or react quickly.

alerted

adj

Having been warned or made aware of something, and now on guard.

alerter

noun

A person or thing that warns others of something.

alertness

noun

The state of being watchful and ready to react quickly.

alesha

name

A female forename originating in the Germanic languages.

Alessandra

name

A female given name from Italian, equivalent to Alexandra.

Alessandro

name

A male given name from Italian, equivalent to Alexander.

Alex

name

A unisex given name, most often used as a short form of Alexander or Alexandra.

alexa

name

A female first name of Ancient Greek origin.

Alexander

noun

A cocktail made with brandy or gin, crème de cacao, and cream.

Alexandra

name

A female given name of Ancient Greek origin, the feminine form of Alexander.

Alexandre

name

A male given name from French or Portuguese, equivalent to Alexander.

alexandria

name

The name of a city and port that was once the capital of Egypt, known for having had an ancient library and lighthouse.

Alexei

name

The Russian male given name equivalent to Alexius.

Alexey

name

An alternative transliteration of the Russian male given name equivalent to Alexis.

Alexis

name

A given name of Ancient Greek origin, used for both men and, since the mid-20th century, women.

alexius

name

A male first name of Ancient Greek origin.

alf

noun

An elf-like supernatural creature in Norse folklore.

alfa

noun

A Muslim religious teacher or cleric in parts of West Africa.

alfalfa

noun

A leafy green plant grown as livestock feed and cover crop, also called lucerne.

Alfie

name

A short form of Alfred or Alfonso, also used as a given name in its own right.

alfilaria

noun

A low-growing flowering plant, also known as storksbill.

Alfonse

name

A male given name, a variant spelling of Alphonse.

Alfonso

name

A male given name of Germanic origin, common in Spanish- and Italian-speaking cultures.

alfonzo

name

A male first name that comes from Spanish, itself derived from the Germanic languages, and is a variant of Alfonso.

Alfred

name

A male given name of Old English origin, historically borne by Alfred the Great.

Alfredo

noun

A creamy pasta sauce made from butter and Parmesan cheese.

alfresco

adj

Done outside in the open air.

alfy

name

A shortened form of the male names Alfred or Alfonso, originating in the Germanic languages.

alga

noun

A simple aquatic organism that makes its own food by photosynthesis, ranging from a single cell to huge seaweeds such as giant kelp.

algae

noun

Simple, mostly aquatic plant-like organisms that photosynthesize, ranging from single-celled forms to seaweed.

algate

adv

Completely; in every way.

algebra

noun

The branch of mathematics that uses letters and symbols to stand for numbers in equations and formulas.

algebraic

adj

Connected with or belonging to algebra.

algebraical

adj

Connected with algebra or the rules of algebra.

algebraist

noun

Someone who studies or works with algebra as their main subject.

Algeria

name

A large country in North Africa, whose capital is Algiers.

Algerian

adj

Relating to Algeria or its people.

Algernon

name

A male given name of French origin.

algid

adj

Unusually cold, especially describing body temperature during certain illnesses such as malaria.

Algiers

name

The capital and largest city of Algeria.

Algonquin

noun

A member of an Indigenous North American people living mainly in Quebec, related to the Odawa and Ojibwe.

algorithm

noun

A precise, step-by-step set of instructions for solving a problem or completing a task, especially in computing.

algorithmic

adj

Connected with or based on a set of step-by-step rules.

algospeak

noun

(informal) Coded language people use online to get past automatic content checks.

Algy

name

A short form of the name Algernon.

Alhambra

name

A historic fortress and palace complex in Granada, Spain.

Ali

name

A male given name of Arabic origin, also a common surname.

Alia

name

A female given name of Arabic origin, the feminine form of Ali.

alias

noun

A false or assumed name used instead of a person's real one.

alibi

noun

A claim or proof that someone was somewhere else when a crime took place.

Alice

name

A female given name of Germanic origin, popular in England since the Middle Ages.

Alicia

name

A female given name, a Latinised form of Alice.

alien

noun

A being from another planet.

alienate

verb

To make someone feel isolated, unwelcome, or estranged.

alienated

adj

Feeling isolated, excluded, or disconnected from others.

alienating

adj

Causing someone to feel isolated or excluded.

alienation

noun

The feeling of being isolated or estranged from other people or society.

alight

verb

To get off a vehicle or dismount from an animal.

alighten

verb

To get down from something, such as a horse or a vehicle.

align

verb

To arrange things in a straight line or so their edges match up.

aligned

adj

Arranged in a straight line, or in agreement with something else.

aligning

noun

The act or process of arranging things into a line or into agreement; an alignment.

alignment

noun

The arrangement of things in a straight line, or the state of being correctly positioned relative to each other.

alike

adj

Similar or resembling one another.

aliment

noun

Food; something that nourishes the body.

alimentary

adj

Relating to food and how the body digests it.

alimentation

noun

The taking in of food that keeps a person or animal alive and healthy, or the food itself.

alimony

noun

Financial support that one former spouse is legally required to pay the other after a divorce or separation.

Alina

name

A female given name of Germanic origin.

aline

name

A female given name of French origin, a variant of Aline/Alina.

aliphatic

adj

Describing a group of carbon compounds whose atoms form an open chain rather than a ring.

Alisa

name

A female given name, a Finnish and Russian equivalent of Alice.

Alisha

name

A female given name, a modern spelling variant of Alicia.

Alison

name

A female given name of Germanic origin, brought into English via Old French as a diminutive related to Alice.

Alissa

name

A female given name, a variant spelling of Alyssa.

Alistair

name

A male given name from Scottish Gaelic, ultimately derived from Alexander.

alive

adjective

Living; not dead.

aliyah

noun

The honour of being called up to read from the Torah in a synagogue.

alkali

noun

A strong chemical base, such as soda or potash, that dissolves easily and reacts with acids to form salts.

alkaline

adjective

Having the chemical properties of an alkali; basic rather than acidic.

alkalinity

noun

How alkaline something is, or the fact of being alkaline.

alkalizer

noun

A substance that makes something else more alkaline.

alkaloid

noun

An organic base that occurs naturally and often has medicinal properties.

alkane

noun

A hydrocarbon with no rings and no double bonds between its carbon atoms, such as methane.

alkyne

noun

A hydrocarbon that contains at least one triple bond between two carbon atoms.

all

determiner

Every one of; the whole amount, quantity, or extent of.

all in all

adverb

Taking everything into account; considering the whole situation.

all-encompassing

adjective

Including or covering everything relevant, leaving nothing out.

Alla

name

A female given name common in Russia and Ukraine.

Allah

name

The Arabic name for God, used in Islamic and Arabic contexts.

Allan

name

A male given name and surname of Celtic origin, a variant spelling of Alan, also a town in Saskatchewan, Canada.

allay

verb

To make a strong feeling, such as fear or worry, calmer or less severe.

allderidge

name

A surname that is a variant of Aldridge.

alldridge

name

A surname that is a variant of Aldridge.

allegation

noun

A claim or accusation made without proof that it is true.

allege

verb

(law) To formally state something as fact in court, especially under oath.

alleged

adjective

Claimed or stated to be true, without yet being proven.

allegedly

adverb

According to what is claimed or reported, without confirmation that it is true.

allegiance

noun

Loyalty or duty owed to a country, leader, cause, or group.

alleging

verb

Claiming that something is true, usually without yet offering proof — especially in a legal or formal accusation.

allegorise

verb

A non-Oxford British spelling of allegorize.

allegorize

verb

To explain a story or picture as standing for a deeper meaning about real life.

allegory

noun

A story, picture, or other work whose characters and events stand for a deeper, often moral or political, meaning.

Allegra

name

A female given name and surname of Italian origin, meaning "cheerful".

allegro

noun

A musical tempo marking meaning fast and lively, or a passage played at that speed.

allele

noun

One of the alternative forms a gene can take at a particular place on a chromosome.

alleluia

interjection

An expression of praise or joy, especially in religious worship; a variant of "hallelujah."

Allen

name

An English and Scottish surname and male given name derived from Alan, also the name of numerous towns in the United States.

Allenby

name

A surname, also a former mining town in British Columbia, Canada.

Allende

name

A Spanish surname, borne notably by Chilean president Salvador Allende and author Isabel Allende.

allergen

noun

An allergen is a substance that causes an allergic reaction in the body.

allergic

adjective

Having an allergy to something; reacting badly to a particular substance.

allergy

noun

A condition in which the immune system overreacts to a normally harmless substance, causing symptoms such as sneezing, rashes, or swelling.

alleviate

verb

To make pain, suffering, or a problem less severe.

alleviation

noun

The act of making a problem, such as pain or hardship, less severe.

alley

noun

A narrow passage or street between or behind buildings.

alleyway

noun

A narrow lane or passage between buildings.

allheal

noun

Any of several plants once believed to cure a wide range of ailments.

alliance

noun

A formal agreement or partnership between countries, groups, or people to work together for a shared goal.

Allie

name

A diminutive of given names beginning with Al-, such as Alison, Alexandra, Alfred, or Alan, used for both sexes.

allied

adjective

United by agreement or common purpose, especially as partners against a common opponent.

Allies

name

The nations allied against the Central Powers in World War I or the Axis Powers in World War II.

alligator

noun

A large reptile with powerful jaws and a broad snout, found mainly in the southeastern United States and China.

Allison

name

A surname and, since the 1940s, a popular female given name, a variant of Alison.

alliteration

noun

The repetition of the same initial consonant sound across nearby words, as in "wild and windy" or "Peter Piper picked".

allmouth

noun

Any anglerfish of the order Lophiiformes, such as the common angler.

allo

adjective

Experiencing sexual and/or romantic attraction toward others, as opposed to being asexual or aromantic.

allocate

verb

To set aside or assign something for a particular purpose.

allocated

adjective

Assigned or set aside for a specific purpose.

allocation

noun

The act of assigning something, especially money or resources, for a particular purpose.

allograph

noun

A different written or printed form of the same letter or symbol.

allosexual

adj

Able to feel sexual attraction to other people; not asexual.

allot

verb

To give out or assign a share of something to each person or purpose.

allotment

noun

A share or portion of something that has been assigned.

allow

verb

To give permission for something to happen.

allowability

noun

The quality of being allowed or acceptable.

allowable

adj

Suitable and acceptable in the circumstances.

allowableness

noun

The condition of being allowed or acceptable.

allowance

noun

A fixed sum of money given regularly, especially to a child or for expenses.

allowed

adj

Permitted; given official or personal approval to happen or be done.

alloy

noun

A metal made by melting and mixing two or more elements together, at least one of which is a metal.

alls

determiner

A nonstandard or dialectal form of "all," used the same way.

allspice

noun

A spice made from the dried, ground berries of a tropical tree, prized for tasting like a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.