English dictionary — definitions & meanings

cumhole

noun

An orifice where semen is deposited, especially the anus of a homosexual man.

cumin

noun

A flowering plant grown for its aromatic seeds.

cumming

name

A city, the county seat of Forsyth County, Georgia, United States.

Cummings

name

A surname of Scottish Gaelic origin.

cummingsesque

adj

Reminiscent or characteristic of Edward Estlin Cummings (1894–1962), American writer and painter noted for his syntactically idiosyncratic poetry.

cumrag

noun

A person who engages in sex frequently and receives semen inside or on them.

cumstain

noun

A stain from ejaculate.

cumulate

verb

To accumulate; to amass.

cumulative

adjective

Increasing or building up in stages, with each addition adding to what came before.

cunette

noun

A trench dug in a moat to allow for drainage, or as an extra obstacle for attackers.

cuniculate

adj

Having the form of a cave

cunnilingus

noun

Oral stimulation of a woman's vulva, clitoris or vagina with the mouth and tongue.

cunning

adjective

Clever in a sly or deceptive way, skilled at getting what you want through trickery.

Cunningham

name

A Scottish surname, originally from a district in Ayrshire.

cunny

noun

A cunt; a vulva.

cunt

noun

A crude, highly offensive term for the vulva or female genitals.

cup

noun

A small open container, usually with a handle, used for drinking.

cupboard

noun

A cabinet or small closet with doors and shelves, used to store dishes, food, or other household items.

cupcake

noun

A small individual cake, usually baked in a paper or foil cup and topped with icing.

cupful

noun

The amount necessary to fill a cup.

Cupid

noun

The Roman god of love and desire, usually shown as a winged boy with a bow and arrows; the counterpart of the Greek Eros.

cupidity

noun

Extreme greed, especially for wealth.

cupola

noun

A dome-shaped ornamental structure located on top of a larger roof or dome.

cur

noun

A mongrel or low-quality dog, especially one seen as vicious or worthless.

curable

adjective

Able to be treated and cured.

curacy

noun

The office or position of a curate.

curare

noun

A toxic plant extract traditionally used by South American peoples to poison arrows and darts.

curarization

noun

Treatment with curare

curate

noun

A member of the clergy who assists a parish priest or vicar.

curative

adjective

Able to cure a disease or heal an injury, rather than merely relieve its symptoms.

curator

noun

Someone who manages, organizes, and oversees a collection, such as at a museum, gallery, or archive.

curb

noun

The raised edge of a sidewalk or pavement bordering a street.

curbing

noun

A row of curbstones; the material used to construct such a curb.

curcuma

noun

Any plant of the genus Curcuma.

curcumin

noun

A polyphenol (1E,6E)-1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)hepta-1,6-diene-3,5-dione; a major constituent of the spice turmeric.

curd

noun

The thickened part of milk that separates out when it sours or is treated with enzymes, used to make cheese.

curdle

verb

To form curds so that it no longer flows smoothly; to cause to form such curds. (usually said of milk)

curdling

noun

The act by which something is curdled.

cure

noun

A treatment or remedy that restores health or solves a problem.

curfew

noun

An official rule requiring people to be indoors by a set time.

curia

noun

A subdivision of the ancient Roman people, or the senate of Rome during the republic.

curial

adj

Pertaining to a court; courtly.

curiate

adj

Of or relating to a curia.

curie

noun

A unit of radioactivity, equal to 37 billion decays per second.

curing

noun

The process of treating or preserving something, especially food, or of healing.

curio

noun

A strange and interesting object; something that evokes curiosity.

curiosity

noun

A strong desire to learn, know, or explore something.

curious

adjective

Eager to learn or know more about something.

curiously

adverb

In a way that shows curiosity or interest.

curiousness

noun

Curiosity; inquisitiveness.

curl

noun

A spiral or ring-shaped lock of hair.

curled

adjective

Twisted into curls or a spiral shape.

curler

noun

One of a set of small cylindrical tubes used to curl hair.

Curley

name

A surname of Irish origin.

curlicue

noun

A fancy twisting or curling shape usually made from a series of spirals and loops.

curling

noun

A winter sport in which players slide heavy stones across ice toward a circular target.

curls

noun

Ringlets or spirals of hair.

curly

adjective

Formed into curls or ringlets; not straight.

Curran

name

A surname of Irish origin.

currant

noun

A small dried grape, usually the Black Corinth grape.

currency

noun

The system of money used in a particular country.

current

adjective

Happening or existing right now.

currently

adverb

At this moment; now.

curriculum

noun

The full set of courses and material taught at a school or university.

curry

noun

A dish, originally from South Asian cooking, made with a spiced sauce.

curse

noun

A spell or supernatural force believed to bring harm or bad luck.

cursed

adj

Affected by a curse; suffering from bad luck believed to be supernatural.

curses

intj

An old-fashioned exclamation of frustration or annoyance.

cursing

noun

The act of using swear words or calling down a curse.

cursive

adj

Running; flowing.

cursor

noun

A part of any of several scientific or measuring instruments that moves back and forth to indicate a position.

cursory

adj

Done quickly and without much attention to detail; hasty.

curt

adj

Speaking briefly to the point of seeming rude; short and blunt.

curtail

verb

To cut something short or reduce it, especially something that would otherwise have continued at its full extent.

curtailing

noun

A cutting short; truncation.

curtain

noun

A hanging piece of fabric used to cover a window or separate spaces.

curtains

noun

Informal: the end, especially death or ruin.

curtilage

noun

A small piece of land, such as a garth or yard with the buildings and structures on it, immediately surrounding a dwelling house and legally regarded as part of its property; originally, such areas were enclosed by a fence or wall.

Curtis

name

An English surname and later a given name, originally a nickname for someone considered courteous or refined.

curtly

adv

In a curt manner; tersely, almost rudely.

curvaceous

adj

Having shapely and voluptuous curves; curvy.

curvature

noun

The degree or amount to which something curves or bends.

curve

noun

A smoothly bending line, with no sharp corners.

curveball

noun

In baseball, a pitch thrown with spin that makes it swerve as it approaches the batter.

curved

adj

Having a smooth bend rather than straight lines or sharp angles.

curvet

verb

Of a horse or, by extension, another animal: to leap about, to frolic.

curving

noun

A shape or motion that curves.

curvy

adj

Having noticeable curves; full of bends.

Curzon

name

An English surname.

CuSe

noun

A rare mineral name for a copper-selenium compound (klockmannite); not used in everyday English.

Cushing

name

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

cushion

noun

A soft fabric pad used for comfort when sitting or leaning.

cushioning

noun

Material used to cushion something.

cushiony

adj

Like a cushion: comfortable, soft, yielding.

cushy

adj

Informal: comfortable and undemanding, especially of a job.

cusp

noun

A critical point where something is about to change or begin.

cusper

noun

A person considered to have been born on a cusp between significant generations.

cuspid

noun

A pointed tooth between the incisors and premolars in heterodont mammals.

cuss

verb

Informal: to swear or use bad language.

cussed

adj

Ill-tempered, nasty, obstinate.

cussing

noun

Informal: the act of swearing.

custard

noun

A sweet sauce or dessert made from milk, eggs, and sugar, thickened with heat.

Custer

name

A surname, most notably associated with U.S. Army officer George Armstrong Custer; also the name of several small U.S. towns.

custodial

adj

Relating to the legal care and guardianship of someone, especially a child.

custodian

noun

A person responsible for looking after or protecting something.

custodianship

noun

The office, or the duty of a custodian.

custody

noun

The legal right and responsibility to care for someone, especially a child.

custom

noun

A long-established practice or tradition within a group or society.

customarily

adv

In the customary manner; as is custom

customary

adj

Usual, in keeping with normal practice or habit.

customer

noun

A person or business that buys goods or services from a seller.

customer service

noun

The help and support a business gives to people who buy from it, before, during and after a purchase.

customization

noun

The act of customizing something.

customize

verb

To change something so that it suits a particular person, purpose or taste, usually by adjusting settings, features or appearance.

customs

noun

Taxes charged on goods brought into or out of a country, or the government department that collects them.

cut

verb

To divide or open something using a sharp tool such as a knife or scissors.

cutback

noun

A reduction of some sort in an existing program or service.

cute

adj

Attractive in a charming, often small or youthful way.

cuteness

noun

The quality of being cute.

cutesiness

noun

The state or property of being cutesy.

cutesy

adj

Deliberately and excessively cute, to the point of seeming insincere.

Cuthbert

name

An English given name and surname, from Old English meaning "famous" or "brightly known" — associated with several early English saints.

cutie

noun

Informal: a cute or attractive person.

cutie pie

noun

An affectionate name for someone regarded as sweet and endearing, most often a small child, a pet or a romantic partner.

cutlass

noun

A short sword with a curved blade, historically used by sailors.

cutler

noun

A person whose trade is making or selling knives and other cutting tools.

cutlery

noun

Knives, forks, spoons, and other tools used for eating or serving food.

cutlet

noun

A small, thin cut of meat, often coated and fried.

cutline

noun

In production, a hypothetical line that separates items that will be executed and publicized, versus items that will be cut.

cutoff

noun

The point at which something ends or is limited; a deadline or threshold.

cutpurse

noun

A thief who steals from others' purses or pockets in public.

cuts

noun

Corporal punishment given at school, historically by striking with a cane or strap.

cutter

noun

A person, tool, or machine that cuts something.

cutthroat

adj

Ruthlessly competitive, with no regard for fairness or the interests of others.

cutting

noun

A piece cut from a plant — a stem, leaf, or root — used to grow a new plant.

cutting edge

adjective

So new and advanced that nothing else has gone further; at the front of what is currently possible in a field. Usually written with a hyphen before a noun.

cuttlefish

noun

A squid-like sea creature with eight arms, two long tentacles, and an internal shell, known for squirting dark ink when threatened.

cuttoe

noun

A large knife or small sword.

cutty

adj

Short or cut off; used especially in Scottish and dialect English.

cutup

noun

Someone who cuts up; someone who acts boisterously or clownishly, for example, by playing practical jokes.

cuz

noun

An informal shortening of "cousin."

Cuzco

name

A city in Peru, the former capital of the Inca Empire.

CVS

noun

A large American chain of pharmacies and convenience stores, also operating as a pharmacy benefits and health services company.

cwm

noun

A valley head created through glacial erosion and with a shape similar to an amphitheatre.

cwtch

noun

A cubbyhole or similar hiding place.

CX

noun

Customer experience: the whole of how a customer feels about dealing with a company, across every interaction from advertising and buying to support and returns.

cxo

noun

“chief X officer”, with X as functional placeholder (finance, operating etc.)

Cy

name

A diminutive of the male given names Cyril or Cyrus.

cyan

noun

An additive secondary colour midway between green and blue, evoked by wavelengths between ~490 and ~520 nm.

cyanide

noun

Any of a group of highly toxic chemical compounds containing a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom.