English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

colleague

noun

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

collect

verb

To gather things together, often systematically.

collectable

noun

An item that people like to collect.

collected

adj

Calm and composed, especially under pressure.

collectedness

noun

The quality of staying calm and in control of oneself.

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.

collectivism

noun

An economic system in which industry and resources are owned and run jointly by everyone in society.

collectivist

adj

Relating to collectivism.

collectivization

noun

The process of putting privately owned land, businesses or resources under collective or state control, especially in communist countries.

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.

collegial

adj

Relating to, or governed by, a group of colleagues working together.

collegian

noun

Someone who studies, or once studied, at a college.

collegiate

adj

Relating to a college or college students.

collet

noun

A ring or collar, often made of springy metal, that grips a tool or a piece of work firmly in place.

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.

collie

noun

A breed of dog, originally bred in Scotland and England to herd sheep, known for its long coat and intelligence.

collier

noun

Someone who mines or sells coal for a living.

colliery

noun

A coal mine underground, together with the buildings above it.

Collins

noun

A tall mixed drink made with a spirit, lemon juice, sugar, and soda water, served over ice.

collision

noun

A single instance of two things colliding.

collocate

verb

Describes words that are often found together, such as strong and tea.

collocation

noun

A pair or group of words that habitually occur together and sound natural to native speakers, such as heavy rain or make a decision.

collogue

verb

(dated) To gently persuade someone, or to flatter them.

colloid

noun

A stable mixture in which very tiny particles of one substance are spread through another.

collop

noun

A cut or slice of meat.

colloquial

adjective

Belonging to ordinary conversation rather than to formal or written language.

colloquialism

noun

An informal word or phrase used in everyday talk.

colloquium

noun

A meeting held so that people can discuss a subject together.

colloquy

noun

A formal conversation or dialogue.

collude

verb

To work together with someone in secret, usually to do something dishonest.

colluding

adjective

Secretly cooperating with someone else, typically for a dishonest purpose.

collum

noun

A neck-like part or structure, as in anatomy.

collusion

noun

A secret agreement between people or groups to work together dishonestly, often while pretending to be rivals.

Colm

name

A masculine given name of Irish origin, an Anglicized form of Colm meaning "dove."

Cologne

noun

A light, fragrant liquid, weaker than perfume, used to give a pleasant scent to the skin.

Colombia

name

A country in northwestern South America, named after Christopher Columbus.

Colombian

noun

A person from Colombia, the country in South America.

Colombo

name

The largest city and former capital of Sri Lanka.

colon

noun

The punctuation mark ":", used to introduce a list, explanation, or quotation.

colonel

noun

A senior military officer rank, typically just below a general.

colonelcy

noun

The rank or position held by a colonel.

colonial

adjective

Relating to a colony, or to the era when a territory was ruled as one.

colonialism

noun

The practice of one country controlling another territory and its people, typically to extract resources or labor for its own benefit.

colonialist

adj

Relating to colonialism.

colonialistic

adj

Connected with colonialism.

colonic

adjective

Relating to the colon, the main section of the large intestine.

colonise

verb

A non-Oxford British standard spelling of colonize.

colonist

noun

A person who sets up a colony.

colonization

noun

The act of settling and taking control of a territory, especially one already inhabited by another people.

colonize

verb

To settle in and take control of a territory, typically one that already has its own inhabitants.

Colonna

name

An Italian surname, historically belonging to a powerful noble Roman family.

colonnade

noun

A row of columns set at even distances apart.

colonoscopy

noun

A medical exam that uses a thin, flexible camera to look inside the colon.

colony

noun

A territory controlled by another, usually distant, country.

coloplasty

noun

(medicine) An operation on the colon, often to remove part of it.

color

noun

The visual quality of light that lets us tell red from blue, green from yellow, and so on.

Colorado

name

A state in the western United States, known for the Rocky Mountains; its capital is Denver.

coloration

noun

The act or skill of adding colour to something.

colored

adjective

Having a particular color, especially a color other than plain black, white, or gray.

colorful

adjective

Full of bright or varied colors.

coloring

noun

The act of adding color to something, such as a picture.

colorise

verb

An uncommon spelling of colorize.

colorize

verb

To add colour to something.

colorless

adj

A US standard spelling of colourless.

colossal

adjective

Extremely large in size or scale.

Colosseum

noun

A large ancient Roman amphitheater in Rome used for gladiator fights and public spectacles; more broadly, any large stadium built in a similar style.

colossus

noun

A statue of enormous size, especially referring to famous ancient examples like the Colossus of Rhodes.

colostomy

noun

A surgical procedure that creates an opening from the colon to the surface of the abdomen, allowing waste to leave the body without passing through the rectum.

colostrum

noun

A thick, nutrient-rich milk made by the mammary glands in the later stages of pregnancy and during the days right after giving birth.

colotomy

noun

A surgical cut made into the colon.

colour

noun

British spelling of color: the visual quality that separates red from blue, green from yellow, and so on.

coloured

adjective

British spelling of colored.

colourful

adjective

British spelling of colorful.

colouring

noun

British spelling of coloring.

colourise

verb

A non-Oxford British standard spelling of colorize.

colourize

verb

A standard spelling of colourise.

colourless

adj

Having almost no colour at all.

colours

noun

A flag representing a ship, nation, or team, often flown or worn as a symbol of identity.

colourwash

noun

A distemper-based paint that has been tinted with colour.

Colson

name

An English surname and masculine given name, originally meaning "son of Nicholas."

colt

noun

A young male horse.

Colter

name

An English surname and masculine given name, originally an occupational name for a colt herder.

Colton

name

A masculine given name and English surname, originally meaning "coal town" or "dark town."

Coltrane

name

An English surname, most famously associated with jazz musician John Coltrane.

coltsfoot

noun

A plant with yellow flowers, Tussilago farfara, that grows in Europe and the Middle East.

columba

name

Saint Columba of Iona, a Gaelic missionary monk who brought Christianity back to Scotland in the Dark Ages.

columbarium

noun

A large, grand building built to house many pigeons or doves.

columbary

noun

A building or shelter for keeping pigeons.

columbian

adj

Relating to Christopher Columbus or to his time.

columbine

noun

A garden plant of the genus Aquilegia, known for its delicate, bell-shaped flowers with backward-pointing spurs.

Columbo

name

A surname of Italian origin, popularly known from the fictional television detective Columbo.

Columbus

name

Christopher Columbus, the Italian explorer whose 1492 voyage across the Atlantic opened up European contact with the Americas.

column

noun

An upright supporting structure, often cylindrical, that holds up part of a building.

columnist

noun

A writer who regularly contributes a signed opinion or feature piece to a newspaper or magazine.

Colvin

name

An English surname, derived from a personal name meaning "friend of the ship" or a place name.

colza

noun

Oilseed rape, a plant grown for its seeds, which produce an oil used for lighting and lubrication.

coma

noun

A deep, prolonged state of unconsciousness from which a person cannot be woken, usually caused by severe illness or injury.

Comanche

noun

A member of a Native American nation historically based in Texas and Oklahoma, known for their skill as horseback warriors and buffalo hunters.

comandante

noun

A commanding officer, especially in a Spanish-speaking military or revolutionary context.

comatose

adj

In a coma; deeply and completely unconscious.

comb

noun

A flat toothed tool used for untangling, styling, or holding hair in place.

combat

noun

Fighting between armed opponents, especially as part of a war.

combatant

noun

A person who takes part in fighting, especially as an armed member of a military force.

combative

adj

Eager to fight or argue; aggressively confrontational.

combativeness

noun

A readiness to argue or fight.

combe

noun

A valley, usually with trees and no river running through it.

combed

adj

Neatly arranged or groomed with a comb.

comber

noun

Someone whose job is combing wool or similar fibres.

combination

noun

The act of joining two or more things together, or the result of doing so.

combinative

adj

Relating to or produced by joining things together.

combinatorics

noun

The branch of mathematics concerned with counting, arranging and combining objects that meet particular rules, usually within a finite collection.

combinatory

adj

Relating to or made up of a combination of things.

combine

verb

To bring two or more things together so they form or work as one.

combined

adj

Formed by joining several parts, sources, or elements together.

combing

noun

The act of running a comb through hair, fur, or fiber to untangle or arrange it.

combining

noun

The act of bringing separate things together into one.

combo

noun

A small group of musicians, especially in jazz.

combs

noun

Plural of comb: multiple toothed grooming tools, crests, or honeycomb structures.

combust

verb

To be completely destroyed by fire.

combustibility

noun

How easily something catches fire and burns.

combustible

adj

Capable of catching fire and burning easily.

combustion

noun

The chemical process of burning, in which a substance reacts with oxygen to release heat and light.

come

verb

To move toward the speaker, a particular place, or a point of reference.

comeback

noun

A return to success or popularity after a period of decline or absence.

comedial

adj

Connected with comedy.

comedian

noun

A performer who entertains audiences with jokes and humor.

comedic

adj

Relating to comedy or intended to be funny.

comedy

noun

A form of entertainment, especially a play, film, or performance, meant to amuse and often ending happily.

comeliness

noun

A pleasant or attractive appearance.

comely

adj

Pleasant to look at; attractive, especially in a wholesome or modest way.

comer

noun

A person or competitor who is quickly gaining ground and shows real promise.

comes

noun

In a fugue, the melodic answer that responds to the opening theme (the "dux"), usually entering in a different voice a few beats later.

comestible

adj

Safe or fit to eat.

comet

noun

A small body of ice, dust, and rock that orbits the Sun and develops a glowing tail when it passes close enough for its ice to vaporize.

comeuppance

noun

A fair punishment or result that someone has brought on themselves.

comfort

noun

A state of physical ease and freedom from pain or worry.

comfortable

adj

Providing physical ease; free from pain, stress, or awkwardness.

comfortably

adv

In a way that provides physical or emotional ease.

comforted

adj

Having been soothed, reassured, or given relief from distress.

comforter

noun

Someone who offers comfort or consolation to a person who is suffering.