English dictionary — definitions & meanings

consummate

adj

Extremely skilled or accomplished; perfect of its kind.

consummation

noun

The completion or fulfillment of something, bringing it to its final, perfect state.

consumption

noun

The act of eating, drinking, or using something up.

contact

noun

Physical touching, or close communication between people.

contactless

adj

That does not use or require contact in order to happen or operate.

contagion

noun

A disease that spreads by contact, or the process of it spreading.

contagious

adj

Capable of being passed from one person to another through contact.

contain

verb

To hold something inside, or to have something as one of its parts.

contained

adj

Kept within set limits; not spreading beyond a defined space.

container

noun

An object, such as a box, jar, or bottle, used for holding or storing something.

containing

noun

The contents or ingredients held within something (used mainly as a describing form of "contain").

containment

noun

The act or state of keeping something within limits, or the thing that has been kept in check.

contaminable

adj

Capable of being contaminated.

contaminate

verb

To make something impure, dirty, or unsafe by introducing a harmful substance.

contaminated

adj

Made impure or unsafe by the presence of a harmful or unwanted substance.

contamination

noun

The act of making something impure or unsafe, or the harmful substance responsible for it.

conte

noun

An Italian nobleman holding the title of count.

contemn

verb

To disdain; to value at little or nothing; to treat or regard with contempt.

contemplate

verb

To think about something carefully and at length; to consider deeply.

contemplation

noun

The act of thinking deeply and quietly about something.

contemplational

adj

Relating to contemplation.

contemplative

adj

Inclined to contemplate; introspective and thoughtful; meditative.

contemporaneous

adj

Existing or created in the same period of time.

contemporary

adj

Belonging to or happening in the present time; modern.

contemporize

verb

To bring up to date; often specifically to set a historical narrative in a modern context

contempt

noun

A feeling that someone or something is beneath consideration, worthless or deserving of scorn.

contemptible

adj

Deserving scorn or disrespect; despicable.

contemptuous

adj

Showing or feeling contempt; scornful and disrespectful.

contend

verb

To compete or struggle against someone or something.

contender

noun

A person who competes against others, especially one with a real chance of winning.

content

adj

Satisfied and at ease; not wanting more than what one has.

contented

adj

Happy and satisfied with one's situation.

contentedness

noun

The state of being contented

contention

noun

A claim or position put forward and argued for, especially in a debate.

contentious

adj

Likely to cause disagreement or heated argument.

contentment

noun

A feeling of calm satisfaction and ease with one's life or situation.

contentness

noun

The state of being content; contentedness.

contents

noun

The things held or contained within something.

contessa

noun

An Italian countess.

contest

noun

A competition in which people try to win or achieve the best result.

contestable

adj

That can be contested; debatable.

contestant

noun

A person who takes part in a competition.

contested

adj

Disputed or challenged; not settled or agreed upon.

contesting

noun

The act of formally challenging or disputing something.

context

noun

The circumstances or background information that helps explain or clarify something.

contiguity

noun

A state in which two or more physical objects are physically touching one another or in which sections of a plane border on one another.

contiguous

adjective

Sharing a common border, or touching along an edge, so that there is no gap in between.

continence

noun

The voluntary control of urination and defecation.

continent

noun

One of the large landmasses of the Earth, such as Africa, Asia, or Europe.

continental

adj

Relating to a continent, especially mainland Europe as distinct from Britain.

contingence

noun

Contact; touching.

contingency

noun

An event or circumstance that might happen but is not certain; a possible future situation planned for in advance.

contingent

adj

Dependent on something else that is uncertain; conditional.

contingently

adv

In a contingent manner; without foresight

continual

adj

Happening again and again over time, often with brief pauses in between.

continually

adv

Happening frequently or repeatedly over a period of time.

continuance

noun

The act of continuing, or the length of time something lasts.

continuate

verb

To make continuous, to give continuity to.

continuation

noun

The act of carrying something on, or a part that extends or follows something already begun.

continue

verb

To keep doing something without stopping, or to start again after a pause.

continued

adj

Ongoing or extended without stopping; carried on further.

continuedly

adv

In a continued manner; ongoingly.

continuing

adj

Ongoing; still in progress or effect.

continuity

noun

An unbroken, consistent flow or connection over time, without gaps or interruption.

continuous

adjective

Going on without any break or interruption.

continuously

adverb

Without any pause or break.

continuousness

noun

The state or quality of being continuous.

continuum

noun

A continuous range or scale in which nearby points are barely different, but the far ends are very different from each other.

contort

verb

To twist in a violent manner.

contortion

noun

The act or result of contorting; the state of being contorted: the twisting of something, especially oneself.

contortionist

noun

A performer who can bend and twist their body into extreme positions.

contour

noun

The outline or shape of something, especially a curved edge.

contra

preposition

Against or in opposition to.

contraband

noun

Goods that are illegal to own, trade, or smuggle.

contrabander

noun

A smuggler; a contrabandist.

contraception

noun

The deliberate use of a method or device to prevent pregnancy.

contraceptive

noun

A device, drug, or method used to prevent pregnancy.

contract

noun

A written or spoken agreement, especially one intended to be enforceable by law.

contractable

adj

Capable of being contracted (in various senses).

contractant

noun

A contracting party; one that contracts.

contractation

noun

The purchase of agricultural produce by the Soviet government from an individual farmer or collective.

contracted

adjective

Set up through a formal agreement.

contractedness

noun

The state of being contracted.

contractee

noun

A party to a contract.

contractible

adj

Capable of contraction

contractile

adj

Capable of contracting, or of being contracted.

contractility

noun

The condition of being able to contract or shrink (used especially of muscles).

contracting

adjective

Becoming smaller; drawing inward.

contraction

noun

A shortened form of a word or words, often marked with an apostrophe.

contractive

adj

Able to contract; contractile

contractor

noun

A person or company hired to carry out building or construction work.

contractual

adjective

Relating to, required by, or set out in a contract.

contradict

verb

To say something that is the opposite of, or inconsistent with, another statement.

contradictable

adj

Capable of being contradicted.

contradicted

adjective

Shown to be inconsistent or disputed.

contradicting

noun

The act of saying something that opposes or conflicts with another statement.

contradiction

noun

A statement or idea that is inconsistent with another, or that clashes with itself.

contradictory

adjective

Saying or implying the opposite of something else, so both can't be true.

contralto

noun

The lowest female voice or voice part, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. The terms contralto and alto refer to the same musical pitch range, but among singers, the term contralto is reserved for female singers; the equivalent male form is counter-tenor. Originally the contratenor altus was a high countermelody sung against the tenor or main melody.

contranatural

adj

Opposed to or against nature; unnatural.

contraplex

adj

Of message signals, passing in opposite directions at the same time.

contraption

noun

A machine or device that looks complicated, unusual, or unreliable.

contrarian

noun

A person who likes or tends to express a contradicting viewpoint, especially from one held by a majority of people, usually because of nonconformity or spite.

contrariant

adj

Contrary or antagonistic.

contrariety

noun

Opposition or contrariness; cross-purposes, marked contrast.

contrarily

adv

In a contrary manner; in opposite ways or directions.

contrarious

adj

Tending to counter, oppose, resist, argue.

contrariwise

adj

In the contrary or opposite way, order, or direction.

contrary

adjective

Completely opposite in nature or direction.

contrast

noun

A clear difference between two things when they are compared.

contrasted

adj

Set in contrast (of two or more things).

contrasting

adjective

Strikingly different from one another when set side by side, in a way that makes the difference stand out.

contrastingly

adv

In a contrasting manner; by way of contrast.

contrastive

adj

Contrasting: tending to contrast; being in contrast.

contravene

verb

To act contrary to an order; to fail to conform to a regulation or obligation.

contravention

noun

The act of contravening (a rule, regulation, law, or order) or of not fulfilling (an obligation, promise, or agreement).

contribute

verb

To give something, such as money, effort, or ideas, that becomes part of a larger effort or whole.

contribution

noun

Something given, such as money, time, or effort, that adds to a bigger effort.

contributor

noun

A person who gives money, time, or support to a cause.

contributory

adj

Of, pertaining to, or involving a contribution.

contrite

adjective

Genuinely sorry and remorseful about something one has done wrong.

contriteness

noun

The state of being contrite.

contrition

noun

Deep and sincere regret for having done something wrong.

contrivance

noun

A (mechanical) device to perform a certain task.

contrive

verb

To invent by an exercise of ingeniosity; to devise

contrived

adjective

Planned or created in an artificial, forced way rather than arising naturally.

control

verb

To direct or influence the behavior of someone or something.

control group

noun

In an experiment, the group of participants or samples that does not receive the treatment being tested, used as a baseline against which the treated group is compared.

controllable

adj

Able to be controlled; subject to regulation or command.

controllably

adv

In a controllable manner.

controlled

adjective

Kept in check; restrained rather than let loose.

controller

noun

A handheld device used to operate a video game or machine.

controlling

adjective

Trying to dominate or dictate other people's behavior.

controversial

adjective

Causing or likely to cause strong disagreement or public debate.

controversy

noun

Public disagreement or debate, often heated, about a particular issue.

controvert

verb

To dispute, to argue about (something).

contumacious

adj

Contemptuous of authority; willfully disobedient; rebellious.

contumely

noun

Offensive and abusive language or behaviour; scorn, insult.

contuse

verb

To injure without breaking the skin; to bruise.

contusion

noun

A bruise; an injury that discolors the skin without breaking it.

conundrum

noun

A confusing or difficult problem, often one without a clear solution.

conurbation

noun

A continuous aggregation of built-up urban communities created as a result of urban sprawl.

convalesce

verb

To recover health and strength gradually after sickness or weakness.

convalescence

noun

A gradual healing after illness or injury.

convalescent

adjective

Recovering gradually from an illness.

convection

noun

The transfer of heat through a liquid or gas by the movement of the fluid itself, as warmer, less dense parts rise and cooler parts sink to replace them.

convene

verb

To come together, or to call people together, for a meeting.

convener

noun

One who convenes or calls a meeting

convenience

noun

The quality of being easy, useful, or suitable for one's needs.

convenient

adj

Easy to use or reach; not causing extra trouble or effort.