English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

Cornwall

name

A county and peninsula forming the southwestern tip of England.

corny

adj

Overly sentimental, old-fashioned, or unoriginal, especially in humor or storytelling.

corolla

noun

The petals of a flower considered together, especially when distinct in color from the outer sepals.

corona

noun

The glowing outer atmosphere of the sun, visible as a bright ring during a total solar eclipse.

Coronado

name

A Spanish surname and place name, meaning "crowned," associated with explorer Francisco Vázquez de Coronado.

coronal

adj

Relating to a crown or coronation.

coronary

adj

Relating to the arteries or veins that supply blood to the heart.

coronation

noun

The ceremony in which a monarch is formally crowned and given the other symbols of royal authority.

coroner

noun

An official who investigates and rules on the cause of unexplained or violent deaths.

Corp

name

A surname of uncertain origin, occasionally used as a short form or abbreviation-derived name.

corporal

adj

Relating to the physical body rather than the mind or spirit.

corporate

adj

Relating to a large company or business organization as a whole.

corporation

noun

A company or organization recognized by law as a single legal entity, separate from its owners.

corps

noun

A large military unit made up of two or more divisions.

corpse

noun

A dead body, usually of a person.

corpsman

noun

An enlisted medic, especially in the US Navy, trained to give emergency medical care.

corpus

noun

A large collection of written or spoken material, especially one used for language study.

Corrado

name

A masculine given name of Italian and German origin, meaning "bold counsel," related to Conrad.

corral

noun

A fenced enclosure for keeping livestock, especially horses or cattle.

correct

adj

Free from mistakes; accurate or true.

correcting

noun

The process of fixing errors or mistakes.

correction

noun

The act of fixing a mistake, or the fix itself.

correctional

adj

Relating to the imprisonment or rehabilitation of convicted offenders.

corrective

adj

Meant to fix a problem or put something right.

correctly

adv

In an accurate or proper way; without error.

correctness

noun

The quality of being accurate or free from error.

correlation

noun

A relationship in which two or more things tend to change together.

correspond

verb

To match or be equivalent to something else.

correspondence

noun

Letters or messages exchanged between people.

correspondent

noun

A journalist who reports from a particular place, often abroad, for a news outlet.

corresponding

adj

Matching or equivalent in some way.

corridor

noun

A long narrow passage inside a building, with rooms opening off it.

corrie

noun

A steep, bowl-shaped hollow carved into a mountainside by a glacier.

Corrigan

name

An Irish surname, an Anglicized form of a Gaelic name meaning "spear."

Corrine

name

A feminine given name, a variant spelling of Corinne, of Greek origin meaning "maiden."

corroborate

verb

To support or confirm a claim with additional evidence.

corroborated

adj

Confirmed or backed up by additional evidence.

corroborating

adj

Providing supporting evidence for a claim.

corroboration

noun

Additional evidence or support that confirms something.

corroded

adj

Worn away or damaged by a gradual chemical process, such as rust.

corrosion

noun

The gradual wearing away of a material, especially metal, through chemical reaction such as rusting.

corrosive

adj

Capable of gradually destroying material through chemical action.

corrupt

adj

Willing to act dishonestly, especially by taking bribes, in exchange for personal gain.

corrupted

adj

Made dishonest, damaged, or unusable.

corruption

noun

Dishonest or illegal behavior, especially by people in power, such as bribery.

corsage

noun

A small bouquet of flowers worn pinned to clothing, especially at a formal event.

corset

noun

A tight, structured undergarment worn to shape the waist and torso.

Corsica

name

A French island in the Mediterranean Sea, birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Corsican

adj

From or relating to Corsica, the French island in the Mediterranean, or its language.

Corso

name

An Italian surname, also a given name, derived from a word meaning "course" or "run."

Cort

name

A masculine given name and surname, a short form of Cortland or a Dutch surname meaning "short."

Cortes

name

A Spanish and Portuguese surname, meaning "courts," notably borne by conquistador Hernán Cortés.

cortex

noun

The outer layer of an organ or body part, especially the brain or a kidney.

Cortez

name

A Spanish surname, an alternate spelling of Cortes.

cortical

adj

Relating to the outer layer (cortex) of an organ, especially the brain.

cortina

noun

A cobweb-like ring of fine threads found around the stem of certain mushrooms.

cortisone

noun

A steroid hormone made by the adrenal glands, also produced synthetically as an anti-inflammatory drug.

corvette

noun

A small, fast warship, historically ranked just below a frigate.

Corwin

name

A masculine given name and English surname, possibly derived from Old French meaning "heart-friend."

Cory

noun

A small South American freshwater catfish popular in home aquariums.

cos

noun

A long-leaved variety of lettuce, also called romaine.

Cosby

name

An English surname, derived from a place name of Old Norse origin.

Cosgrove

name

An Irish surname, an Anglicized form of a Gaelic name meaning "champion" or "valiant."

Cosima

name

A feminine given name of Italian and Greek origin, related to Cosimo, meaning "order" or "harmony."

cosmetic

adj

Relating to improving or enhancing appearance, especially of the skin or face.

cosmetics

noun

Makeup and other products applied to the skin, hair, or nails to enhance appearance.

cosmic

adj

Relating to the universe as a whole, especially outer space.

cosmo

noun

Short for cosmopolitan, a cocktail made with vodka, triple sec, lime juice, and cranberry juice.

cosmological

adj

Relating to cosmology, the study of the universe's structure and origins.

cosmology

noun

The scientific study of the origin, structure, and future of the universe.

cosmonaut

noun

An astronaut, especially one from Russia or the former Soviet Union.

cosmopolitan

adj

Familiar and comfortable with many different countries and cultures.

cosmos

noun

The universe seen as an ordered, unified whole.

cosplay

noun

The hobby of dressing up as a character from a game, anime, comic, or other fiction.

Cossack

noun

A member of a historically semi-independent warrior community from Eastern Europe, especially southern Russia and Ukraine.

cost

verb

To require the payment of a certain amount of money.

costa

noun

A rib, or a riblike structure such as the thickened leading edge of a leaf or insect wing.

Costello

name

An Irish surname, an Anglicized form of a Gaelic name, also notably a musician's stage surname.

costing

noun

The process of working out how much a project, product, or process will cost.

costly

adj

Expensive, or requiring a heavy price to be paid.

Costner

name

An English surname, most notably associated with actor Kevin Costner.

costume

noun

An outfit worn to represent a particular character, period, or culture.

costumed

adj

Wearing a costume.

cosy

adj

Warm, snug, and comfortable.

cot

noun

A small bed for an infant, usually with high slatted sides.

cotillion

noun

A formal social dance, historically French, often performed by young debutantes.

cotta

noun

A short, loose white garment worn by clergy over a cassock, similar to but shorter than a surplice.

cottage

noun

A small house, typically simple and often found in the countryside.

cotton

noun

A soft white fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant, used to make thread and fabric.

couch

noun

An upholstered piece of furniture for sitting, usually seating more than one person; a sofa.

cougar

noun

A large wild cat native to the Americas, also called a puma or mountain lion.

cough

verb

To force air out of the lungs suddenly and noisily, often to clear the throat or airway.

coughing

noun

The act of forcing air from the lungs repeatedly, usually due to irritation or illness.

Coughlin

name

An Irish surname, an Anglicized form of a Gaelic name meaning "little wolf."

could

verb

Used to express ability, possibility, or permission in the past, or politely in the present.

Coulson

name

An English surname, meaning "son of Coll" or "son of Nicholas."

coulter

noun

A blade fixed in front of a plough that slices through the soil ahead of the main share.

Council

noun

A group of people formally chosen to manage, advise on, or make decisions about local or organizational affairs.

councillor

noun

A member of a council, especially someone elected to serve on a local government body.

councilman

noun

A man who is an elected member of a city or town council.

councilwoman

noun

A woman who is an elected member of a city or town council.

counsel

noun

Advice or guidance, especially on an important or serious matter.

counseling

noun

Professional guidance or therapy given to help someone work through personal problems.

counselor

noun

A trained professional who helps people work through personal, emotional, or career problems.

count

verb

To say numbers in order, or to work out the total number of something.

countdown

noun

A count backward toward a set moment, especially a launch or the start of an event.

countenance

noun

A person's face or facial expression, especially as it reveals their mood.

counter

noun

A flat surface for serving customers, preparing food, or conducting business.

counteract

verb

To reduce or cancel out the effect of something by acting in an opposing way.

counterclockwise

adj

Moving in the direction opposite to the way clock hands turn.

counterfeit

adj

Made to imitate something genuine in order to deceive; fake.

counterfeiter

noun

A person who makes fake money or fake copies of goods.

counterfeiting

noun

The act of making fake copies of money or goods to pass off as genuine.

counterintelligence

noun

Activities aimed at detecting and stopping enemy spying or intelligence operations.

countermeasure

noun

An action or device designed to counteract a threat or problem.

counterpart

noun

A person or thing that corresponds to or matches another, often in a different place or organization.

counterpoint

noun

In music, a melody combined with another to create harmony while each remains distinct.

counterproductive

adj

Having the opposite effect of what was intended; causing more harm than good.

countess

noun

The wife of a count or earl, or a woman who holds that rank in her own right.

counting

noun

The act of determining the number of something by counting.

countless

adj

Too many to count; a very large, unspecified number.

country

noun

A nation with its own government and defined territory.

countryman

noun

A person from the same country as the speaker; a fellow national.

countryside

noun

Rural land and scenery away from towns and cities.

counts

verb

To be recorded or measured as a whole unit rather than as a share of something bigger.

county

noun

An administrative or geographic division within a country or state.

coup

noun

A sudden, illegal seizure of power from a government, often by the military.

coupe

noun

A stemmed glass or dish used for serving sparkling wine, champagne cocktails, or desserts like ice cream sundaes.

couple

noun

Two people who are in a romantic relationship or married.

coupling

noun

A mechanical device or fitting that joins two parts together, such as two pipes, train cars, or machine components.

coupon

noun

A printed or digital voucher that gives the holder a discount on a purchase.

courage

noun

The ability to face danger, pain, or difficulty without being overcome by fear.

courageous

adj

Brave; willing to face danger, pain, or difficulty.

courageously

adv

In a brave manner; without giving in to fear.

courier

noun

A person or company that delivers messages, documents, or packages, often quickly or directly.

course

noun

A structured series of lessons or lectures on a subject, often part of a qualification.

courses

noun

A somewhat dated or clinical way of referring to a woman's menstrual period.

coursing

noun

A sport in which dogs chase wild animals, especially hares, by sight rather than by scent.

court

noun

A place where legal cases are heard and judged, or the judge and officials who preside over such cases.

courted

adj

Pursued romantically; wooed.

courteous

adj

Polite and considerate toward others.

courtesan

noun

Historically, a woman — often glamorous and educated — who had wealthy or high-status men as lovers or clients, sometimes at a royal court.

courtesy

noun

Polite, respectful behavior toward others.

courthouse

noun

A building where court cases are heard, and often where local government offices are based.

courtier

noun

A person who attends a royal court, often trying to gain favor with the monarch.

courting

noun

The act of romantically pursuing someone, typically with the aim of marriage; old-fashioned dating.

Courtland

name

A masculine given name and surname, derived from a place name meaning "court land" or "short land."

Courtney

name

A given name and surname of French origin, derived from a place name meaning "domain of Curtius."

courtroom

noun

The room in which a judge hears and decides legal cases, often with a jury present.

Courts

noun

Plural of court: legal tribunals, sports playing areas, or enclosed yards.