English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

Cluny

name

A commune in eastern France, also the name of places in Scotland and Canada.

cluster

noun

A small group of things growing, gathered, or occurring closely together.

clutch

verb

To grip or hold onto something tightly.

clutching

noun

The act of gripping something tightly.

clutter

verb

To fill a space with an untidy mass of objects.

cluttered

adj

Filled with an untidy scatter of objects; messy.

Clyde

name

A major river in Scotland flowing through Glasgow, also used as a male given name.

co

pron

A gender-neutral pronoun used instead of "he" or "she".

coach

noun

A person who trains and instructs athletes or performers.

Coachella

name

A city in California, and the large annual music festival held there.

coaching

noun

The activity of training or instructing someone.

coachman

noun

A man employed to drive a horse-drawn coach.

coal

noun

A black or dark brown rock, formed from ancient plant matter, burned as fuel.

coalition

noun

A temporary alliance of groups or parties formed for a shared goal.

coarse

adj

Rough in texture rather than smooth.

coast

noun

The land bordering the sea.

coastal

adj

Located on or relating to the coast.

coasting

noun

The act of moving or gliding along without using power.

coastline

noun

The outline or shape of a coast, especially as seen on a map.

coat

noun

An outer garment worn over other clothes, typically with sleeves.

coated

adj

Covered with a thin layer of something.

Coates

name

A surname, and the name of several small towns and villages in England.

coating

noun

A thin layer of a substance applied to a surface.

Coats

noun

Plural of coat — more than one outer garment or layer.

coax

verb

To gently persuade someone to do something through patience or flattery.

coaxing

noun

The act of gently persuading someone.

cob

noun

The central core of an ear of corn, left over once the kernels are removed.

Cobain

name

A surname.

cobalt

noun

A hard, silvery-grey metallic chemical element (symbol Co, atomic number 27), used to make alloys and pigments.

Cobb

name

An English surname, also the name of several small communities in the United States.

cobble

noun

A rounded stone, roughly fist-sized, traditionally used to pave streets.

cobbler

noun

A person who repairs or makes shoes.

cobra

noun

A venomous snake, especially of the genus Naja, known for flaring the skin of its neck into a hood when threatened.

Coburn

name

A surname, a variant of Cockburn, also a place in Pennsylvania.

cobweb

noun

A spider's web, especially an old, dusty, or abandoned one.

coca

noun

A South American shrub whose leaves are chewed or brewed as a mild stimulant and are the source of cocaine.

cocaine

noun

A powerful, addictive stimulant drug extracted from the coca plant, used illegally as a recreational drug and occasionally in medicine as a local anaesthetic.

coccyx

noun

The small, triangular bone at the very bottom of the spine, formed from fused vertebrae; the tailbone.

Cochin

noun

A large, fluffy breed of domestic chicken with feathered legs.

Cochran

name

A Scottish surname, a variant of Cochrane, also the name of a city in Georgia.

Cochrane

name

A Scottish habitational surname, also the name of towns in Canada and Chile.

cock

noun

An adult male chicken; a rooster.

cockamamie

adj

Ridiculous, implausible, or poorly thought out.

cockatoo

noun

A crested parrot of the family Cacatuidae, native mainly to Australia and Indonesia.

cocked

adj

Tilted or set at an angle, especially describing a hat, head, or firearm ready to fire.

cocker

noun

Short for cocker spaniel, a breed of dog originally bred to hunt woodcock.

cockerel

noun

A young male chicken.

cockeyed

adj

Crooked, askew, or not aligned properly.

cocking

noun

The practice of raising and pitting gamecocks against each other; cockfighting.

Cockney

noun

A person from the East End of London, traditionally one born within hearing of the Bow Bells; also, more loosely, any working-class Londoner.

cockpit

noun

The compartment in an aircraft, spacecraft, or racing car where the pilot or driver sits and controls it.

cockroach

noun

A flat-bodied, fast-moving insect of the order Blattodea, notorious as a household pest.

Cocks

name

An English surname, a variant of Cox, also a hamlet in Cornwall.

cocksucker

noun

A highly offensive term for a despicable or contemptible person.

cocksucking

adj

Used as a vulgar intensifier before a noun to express strong anger or contempt.

cocktail

noun

A mixed alcoholic drink, typically combining spirits with other ingredients like juice, syrup, or bitters.

cocky

adj

Overly self-confident, boastful, or arrogant.

coco

noun

Informal short form of coconut, or the coconut palm tree.

cocoa

noun

A brown powder made from roasted, ground cacao beans, used to make chocolate and in baking.

coconut

noun

The large seed of the coconut palm, with a hard brown husk, white flesh, and clear liquid inside.

cocoon

noun

A silky protective case spun by insect larvae, in which they transform into their adult form.

cod

noun

A large sea fish, especially Atlantic cod, widely eaten and central to many fisheries.

coddle

verb

To treat someone with excessive care, protection, or indulgence.

coddled

adj

Overprotected or overindulged.

code

noun

Instructions written in a programming language that a computer can run.

coded

adj

Written in a code or cipher, or expressed indirectly so the real meaning is disguised.

codeine

noun

A mild opioid painkiller derived from opium, also used to suppress coughs and help people sleep.

codename

verb

To give something or someone a secret or informal working name.

Codes

name

A diminutive of the male given name Cody.

codex

noun

A manuscript book, especially an old one, made of bound pages rather than a scroll.

codfish

noun

Another name for cod, a family of cold-water fish including the Atlantic cod.

coding

noun

The activity of writing computer programs.

Cody

name

An Irish surname and unisex given name, also the name of a city in Wyoming named for showman Buffalo Bill Cody.

Coe

name

An English surname, also the name of several small communities in the United States.

coefficient

noun

A number placed in front of a variable that multiplies it, in an algebraic expression.

coerce

verb

To force someone into doing something, using pressure, threats, or intimidation.

coercion

noun

The use of force or threats to make someone act against their will.

coexist

verb

To exist together at the same time or in the same place, often peacefully despite differences.

coexistence

noun

The state of two or more things existing together at the same time or place.

coffee

noun

A hot drink made by brewing the roasted, ground seeds of the coffee plant.

coffeehouse

noun

A café or establishment that serves coffee to customers.

coffeemaker

noun

A kitchen appliance used to brew coffee.

Coffey

name

An Irish surname meaning "victorious," also the name of a city in Missouri.

coffin

noun

A box in which a dead body is placed for burial.

cog

noun

A tooth on a gear wheel, or the wheel itself.

cognac

noun

A type of brandy distilled from white wine, traditionally made in the Cognac region of France.

cognitive

adj

Relating to mental processes like thinking, learning, memory, and reasoning.

Cohen

noun

In Judaism, a member of the hereditary priestly class said to descend directly from Aaron, brother of Moses.

coherent

adj

Logical, clear, and easy to follow; making sense as a whole.

cohesion

noun

The act or state of sticking together or working together as a unit.

cohesive

adj

Sticking together well and forming a unified whole.

Cohn

name

A Jewish surname of German origin.

coil

noun

Something wound into a spiral or helix shape.

coiled

adj

Wound into a spiral or loop shape.

Coimbatore

name

A large city in Tamil Nadu, India, known as a major industrial and textile hub.

coin

noun

A small, flat piece of metal issued by a government as money.

coincide

verb

To happen at the same time as something else.

coincidence

noun

A remarkable occurrence of two or more events happening at the same time by chance, without any real connection.

coincidental

adj

Happening by chance at the same time, rather than through planning or connection.

coincidentally

adv

By chance, without any planned connection.

coitus

noun

Sexual intercourse.

cojones

noun

Courage and boldness; nerve. (Informal, from a word for testicles.)

coke

noun

A solid fuel made by roasting coal, used mainly in steelmaking.

coker

noun

A plant or facility where coke (a fuel derived from coal or petroleum) is produced.

cokes

noun

An old-fashioned informal word for a foolish or easily-fooled person.

col

noun

A low dip or saddle-shaped pass in a mountain ridge between two peaks.

cola

noun

A sweet, dark, fizzy soft drink originally flavored with kola nut extract and caramel.

colada

noun

Short for piña colada, a sweet cocktail made with rum, coconut cream, and pineapple juice.

Colby

noun

A mild, soft American cheese similar to cheddar but moister, made using a washed-curd technique.

cold

adj

Having a low temperature; not warm.

coldly

adv

In an unfriendly, unemotional, or distant manner.

coldness

noun

A low temperature; the state of lacking heat.

cole

noun

An old word for cabbage or related plants of the Brassica family.

Coleman

name

An English surname, originating either as a patronymic from Colman or as an occupational name for a charcoal burner, also used as a given name.

coleslaw

noun

A salad of shredded raw cabbage, often with carrots, mixed with a creamy or vinegar-based dressing.

Colette

name

A feminine given name of French origin, a diminutive of Nicole, meaning "victory of the people."

coley

noun

A common food fish, also called coalfish or pollock, found in North Atlantic waters.

coli

noun

Short for Escherichia coli (E. coli), a bacterium normally living in the gut, some strains of which cause food poisoning.

colic

noun

Severe, cramping pain in the abdomen, often linked to the digestive system.

Colin

noun

The bobwhite quail, a small North American game bird, or a related species.

coliseum

noun

A large arena, stadium, or theatre used for sports, concerts, or big public events.

collaborate

verb

To work together with someone else toward a shared goal.

collaboration

noun

The act of working together with others on a shared task.

collaborative

adj

Involving people working together rather than alone.

collaborator

noun

Someone who works with others on a shared project.

collage

noun

A picture made by gluing or arranging different pieces of paper, photos, or fabric onto a surface.

collagen

noun

A tough, fibrous protein that gives structure to skin, bones, tendons, and other connective tissue in animals.

collapse

verb

To fall down or cave in suddenly.

collar

noun

The part of a shirt, jacket, or coat that fits around the neck.

collarbone

noun

The long bone connecting the shoulder blade to the breastbone; the clavicle.

collard

noun

A leafy variety of cabbage grown for its edible dark green leaves, usually called collard greens.

collared

adj

Fitted with a collar.

collateral

noun

An asset pledged as security for a loan, which the lender can claim if the borrower fails to repay.

colleague

noun

A person one works with, especially in the same profession or organization.

collect

verb

To gather things together, often systematically.

collected

adj

Calm and composed, especially under pressure.

collectible

adj

Worth collecting because of rarity, historical interest, or value.

collecting

noun

The hobby of seeking, acquiring, and organizing items of personal interest.

collection

noun

A group of things gathered together, often assembled with care or over time.

collective

adj

Shared by, or done by, a group as a whole rather than by individuals separately.

collectively

adv

As a group; treated or acting together rather than individually.

collector

noun

A person who collects items, often as a hobby.

Colleen

noun

Informal term for a girl or young woman, especially of Irish background.

college

noun

An institution of higher education, often part of a larger university.

collegiate

adj

Relating to a college or college students.

Collette

name

A feminine given name, an alternate spelling of Colette.

Colley

name

An English surname, originally a nickname for a swarthy or dark-haired person.

collide

verb

To crash into something else with force, usually by accident.

collider

noun

A machine that accelerates particles and smashes them together so physicists can study what comes out.

colliding

verb

Present participle of collide: crashing forcefully into something while moving.