English dictionary — definitions & meanings

ba

noun

In ancient Egyptian belief, a part of the soul, often shown as a bird with a human head, that lived on after death.

baa

noun

The bleating sound a sheep or goat makes.

Baal

name

A storm and fertility god worshipped in ancient Phoenicia and Canaan.

bab

noun

An informal or dialect word for a baby.

baba

noun

A small, rich cake soaked in rum or other flavored syrup.

babber

noun

A fisherman using babs (“baits consisting of bundles of live worms”) to catch eels.

babbitt

noun

A soft metal alloy used to line bearings and reduce friction.

babble

verb

To talk quickly and continuously in a way that is unclear, meaningless, or hard to follow.

babblemouth

noun

One who babbles.

babbling

noun

The stage in early childhood when infants experiment with speech-like sounds before forming real words.

babby

name

A diminutive of the female given name Barbara.

babcia

noun

A Polish grandmother.

Babcock

name

An English surname; also a place name for small communities in the United States.

babe

noun

A baby or very young child.

Babel

noun

A confused, noisy mixture of voices or languages.

Baber

name

A surname.

Babette

name

A feminine given name, a French diminutive form.

Babineaux

name

A surname of French origin, common in Louisiana Cajun communities.

babish

adj

Like a babe; childish; babyish.

baboo

noun

Archaic spelling of babu.

baboon

noun

A large Old World monkey with a dog-like snout, big canine teeth, cheek pouches, and a short tail.

Babs

name

A diminutive of the feminine given name Barbara.

babu

noun

A respectful title for a Hindu man, similar to "Mr.", traditionally placed after the surname.

babuji

noun

A respectful South Asian term of address for a man, roughly equivalent to "sir" or "mister" but warmer and more personal.

babushka

noun

A Russian grandmother, or an elderly Russian woman.

baby

noun

A very young child, from birth until walking and talking begin.

babycakes

noun

A term of endearment for a young woman.

babygirl

noun

A male fictional character or celebrity of whom one is extremely fond, especially a "bad boy" type reinterpreted as adorable, quirky, or secretly soft-hearted.

babyhood

noun

The state or period of infancy.

babyish

adj

Like or suitable for a baby or a young child; childish

Babylon

name

The ancient Mesopotamian city on the Euphrates, capital of the Babylonian Empire.

Babylonian

adj

Relating to the ancient city of Babylon or its empire.

babyship

noun

The quality of being a baby; the personality of an infant.

babysit

verb

To look after someone else's child temporarily, often in exchange for pay.

babysitter

noun

A person hired or asked to look after children while their parents or guardians are away.

babysitting

noun

The job of looking after children while their parents are out.

bac

noun

A flat-bottomed ferry, traditionally pulled across a river by rope.

Bacall

name

A surname, notably borne by actress Lauren Bacall.

baccarat

noun

A card game, popular in casinos, where players bet on which of two hands will score closer to nine.

bacchanal

adj

Relating to Bacchus or his festival.

bacchanalia

noun

A feast or an orgy in honor of Bacchus.

Bacchus

name

The Roman (and Greek, as Dionysus) god of wine, revelry, and festivity.

bach

noun

A bachelor.

bachelor

noun

A man who has never married.

bachelorette

noun

An unmarried woman, especially one celebrated before her wedding.

Bachman

name

A surname.

back

noun

The rear surface of the human or animal body, from the shoulders to the hips.

back end

noun

The part of a website or application that runs on a server rather than on the user's device, handling stored data, accounts, calculations and the rules of the business.

back order

noun

An order for goods that a seller has accepted but cannot ship yet because the item is out of stock, and which will be sent once new stock arrives.

backache

noun

A dull, persistent pain in the back.

backal

adj

Of or involving a person's back (rather than the front or side).

backbite

verb

To make spiteful slanderous or defamatory statements about someone.

backblock

noun

A remote tract of land in the interior; hence (in plural) sparsely populated country far from major cities and lacking conveniences common in urban areas.

backboard

noun

The flat vertical panel behind a basketball hoop that the ball can bounce off.

backbone

noun

The column of connected vertebrae running down the back that protects the spinal cord.

backchat

noun

Cheeky or impertinent responses, especially to criticism.

backcloth

noun

The painted scenery at the back of a stage; the backdrop.

backcountry

noun

A remote region; countryside that is relatively inaccessible.

backdrop

noun

A large painted cloth or screen hung behind a stage set.

backed

adj

Having financial or other support behind it.

backer

noun

Someone who provides financial or other support for a person, project, or cause.

backfield

noun

The rear part of the field of play, particularly

backfire

verb

Of an engine or gun, to ignite or explode unexpectedly in the wrong direction, often with a loud pop.

backfiring

noun

An instance of something going wrong and producing the opposite of the intended effect.

backflop

noun

A diving error that results in the diver's back making an impact on the surface of the water.

backfriend

noun

A friend who supports someone; a person who has someone's back; a backer, a supporter.

backgammon

noun

A board game for two players who race fifteen pieces each around the board according to dice rolls, aiming to bear them all off first.

background

noun

The part of a scene or image that lies behind the main subject.

backhand

noun

In tennis and similar sports, a stroke played across the body with the back of the hand facing the direction of the shot.

backhanded

adj

With the back of the hand.

backhander

noun

A glass of wine given out of turn, the bottle having been handed backwards.

backhoe

noun

A piece of excavating machinery with a digging bucket on a hinged arm, mounted on a tractor.

backhouse

noun

An outbuilding behind the main building, or an annex attached to the rear of it; especially, a scullery or washhouse.

backing

noun

Support, especially financial support, given to a person or project.

backlash

noun

A strong, usually negative, public reaction against a decision, action, or trend.

backlog

noun

An accumulation of unfinished work, unfilled orders, or unresolved tasks.

backpack

noun

A bag with straps worn on the back, used for carrying books, gear, or supplies.

backpacker

noun

A traveler whose luggage consists of a backpack; especially, such a traveler who uses hostels, public transport, and other inexpensive services.

backpacking

noun

Hiking and camping overnight while carrying all one's gear in a backpack.

backpedal

verb

To pedal backwards on a bicycle.

backrest

noun

The back piece of a chair, used to support the sitter's back.

backroom

noun

A room toward the rear of a building, often used for private or discreet activity.

backs

noun

The backyard of the University.

backseat

noun

The row of seats behind the front seat in a vehicle.

backside

noun

A person's buttocks.

backslash

noun

The punctuation mark \ (a left-leaning diagonal line). (Common uses include (1) use as a delimiter in filepaths and (2) use as an escape character to mark literals.)

backslide

verb

To regress; to slip backwards or revert to a previous, worse state.

backsliding

noun

An occasion on which one backslides, especially in a moral sense.

backstabbee

noun

One who has been backstabbed.

backstabber

noun

Someone who betrays a friend or colleague who trusted them, usually behind their back.

backstabbing

noun

Betraying someone's trust, especially through secretive scheming against a friend or colleague.

backstage

adj/adv

Behind or toward the area of a theatre out of the audience's view, where performers wait and prepare.

backstory

noun

The background history of a person or character that explains who they are and why they act as they do, even though it isn't shown directly.

backstreet

adj

Relating to the smaller, less prominent streets of a neighborhood, often poorer or less well-kept.

Backstrom

name

A Swedish surname.

backtalk

noun

Verbal impudence or argumentative discourse, given in response.

backtrack

verb

To go back the way you came, retracing your own steps or route.

backup

noun

A person, plan, or system kept in reserve in case the main one fails.

backward

adj/adv

Directed or moving toward the rear, or in the opposite direction to normal or expected.

backwards

adv

Toward the back, or in reverse of the usual direction or order.

backwash

noun

A backward flow of water, as from oars, a propeller, breaking waves, etc.

backwater

noun

A place seen as remote, quiet, and untouched by modern trends or major events.

backwood

adj

Native to or located in a remote rural location.

backwoods

noun

Remote, thickly forested, or sparsely populated country, far from towns and cities.

backwoodsman

noun

A person who is acclimated to living in a forest area that is far removed from civilization or modern conveniences.

backyard

noun

An outdoor area behind a house, often used for gardens, play, or relaxing.

bacon

noun

Cured, often smoked meat cut from the back or belly of a pig, typically sliced thin and fried crisp.

bacteria

noun

Microscopic single-celled organisms, some helpful and some capable of causing disease.

bacterial

adj

Caused by, related to, or involving bacteria.

bacteriology

noun

The scientific study of bacteria, especially in relation to disease and agriculture.

bacterium

noun

A single microscopic organism made of one cell, lacking a nucleus, that belongs to the bacteria group.

bad

adj

Of low quality, unpleasant, or unsatisfactory.

badass

noun/adj

Someone impressively tough, skilled, or fearless, often used admiringly.

Bade

name

A West Chadic language spoken in Nigeria.

Bader

name

A surname.

badge

noun

A small emblem, pin, or card worn to show rank, identity, membership, or achievement.

badger

noun

A burrowing, mostly nocturnal mammal known for its black-and-white striped face and stocky build.

badgering

noun/adj

Persistent nagging or pestering meant to wear someone down until they comply.

badinage

noun

Playful raillery; banter.

badlands

noun

Dry, heavily eroded terrain, often marked by jagged rock formations and little vegetation.

badly

adv

In a poor, unsatisfactory, or incorrect way.

badminton

noun

A racquet sport in which players hit a shuttlecock back and forth over a net, played as singles or doubles.

badmouth

verb

To criticize or speak ill of someone, often unfairly or behind their back.

badness

noun

The quality or state of being bad.

BAE

noun

A term of endearment for a romantic partner or someone very close to you.

Baek

name

A Korean surname.

Baekje

name

An ancient Korean kingdom, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, that existed from 18 BCE to 660 CE.

Baer

name

A German surname.

Baez

name

A surname, notably borne by folk singer Joan Baez.

baffle

verb

To confuse or perplex (someone) completely; to bewilder, to confound, to puzzle.

baffled

adj

Completely confused or unable to understand something.

bafflegab

noun

Pretentious, incomprehensible, or overly technical language, especially legal or bureaucratic jargon.

bafflement

noun

The result or state of being baffled, confused, or puzzled; a shocked feeling of perplexed bewilderment, caused by being utterly unable to understand something or to move on from one's incomprehension.

baffling

adj

So confusing or puzzling that it's hard to understand or explain.

bag

noun

A flexible container, often with an opening at the top, used to hold or carry items.

bagatelle

noun

A trifle; an insubstantial thing.

bagdad

name

Dated spelling of Baghdad: the capital city of Iraq.

bagel

noun

A dense, ring-shaped bread roll that's boiled briefly before being baked.

bagful

noun

The amount that fills a bag.

baggage

noun

Suitcases, bags, and other belongings carried while traveling.

bagged

adj

Placed inside a bag, or successfully caught, obtained, or secured.

bagger

noun

A retail worker who packs a customer's shopping into bags at the checkout.

Baggie

noun

A small plastic bag, especially one used to hold food, small items, or (informally) drugs.

baggies

noun

Loose-fitting shorts, especially the kind worn by surfers.

bagging

noun

The act of putting things into bags, especially in packing or retail.

baggy

adj

Loose-fitting, hanging away from the body rather than close to it.

Baghdad

name

The capital and largest city of Iraq, on the banks of the Tigris River.

bagi

noun

A sacred room or shrine used in Vodou (voodoo) worship for housing spirits and ritual objects.

Bagley

name

A surname, and a place name for several villages and towns in England and the United States.

bagman

noun

Someone who secretly collects or delivers money for bribery or other illicit payments.