English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

captive

noun

A person who has been captured and is being held prisoner.

captivity

noun

The state of being held prisoner or kept confined.

captor

noun

A person who has captured or is holding someone prisoner.

capture

verb

To take hold of or seize something or someone by force.

captured

adj

Seized, taken prisoner, or recorded.

capturer

noun

A person or thing that captures something.

Capua

name

A town in the Campania region of southern Italy.

Capulet

noun

A member of one side of a bitter, long-running feud between two families or factions, drawing on the Capulets in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (the other side being the Montagues).

caput

noun

A small rounded lump sticking out on a surface.

Caputo

name

An Italian surname.

capybara

noun

A large South American rodent that spends much of its time in and near water.

car

noun

A road vehicle with an engine, wheels, and seats, used to carry a small number of people.

Cara

name

A female given name.

carabinieri

noun

The Italian national police force, which also has military duties.

caracal

noun

A medium-sized wild cat with a reddish-brown coat and long black-tufted ears, found across parts of Africa and Asia.

Caracas

name

The capital city of Venezuela.

carafe

noun

A bottle, typically glass with a flared lip, for pouring water, wine, or other drinks.

caramba

intj

An exclamation of surprise, frustration, or dismay — similar to "wow" or "darn."

caramel

noun

A chewy candy or sauce made by heating sugar until it turns golden-brown.

carapace

noun

A tough shell made of bone or chitin that covers an animal's back for protection.

carat

noun

A unit of mass used to weigh gemstones, equal to exactly 200 milligrams.

Caravaggio

name

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610), an Italian painter famous for his dramatic use of light and shadow.

caravan

noun

A group of people, often with vehicles or pack animals, travelling together, especially across a desert.

caravanserai

noun

A roadside inn built around a central courtyard, historically used to shelter travellers and their caravans on trade routes across Asia and North Africa.

caravel

noun

A light sailing ship, usually rigged with triangular sails, used by Portuguese and Spanish sailors for trade and exploration from the 15th century onward.

caraway

noun

A biennial plant grown mainly for its seeds, which are used as a spice.

carbide

noun

A chemical compound made of carbon combined with a metal or other element.

carbine

noun

A rifle with a shorter barrel than usual, making it lighter and easier to handle.

carbohydrate

noun

A sugar, starch or cellulose that gives an animal or plant energy.

carbon

noun

A chemical element (symbol C) found in all living things and in materials like coal, diamond, and graphite.

carbonaceous

adj

Containing a lot of carbon, or made up of carbon compounds.

carbonade

noun

A dish of meat stewed slowly in beer.

carbonado

noun

Meat or fish cut with shallow slashes and then grilled.

carbonara

noun

An Italian pasta dish made with egg, cured pork, cheese, and pepper.

carbonari

noun

member or members of the carboneria secret society

carbonate

noun

A salt formed from carbonic acid, such as calcium carbonate.

carbonated

adj

Fizzy, because it has carbon dioxide gas dissolved in it under pressure, as with sparkling water or soft drinks.

carboniferous

adj

Relating to a period of geological time within the Palaeozoic era, made up of the Mississippian and Pennsylvanian epochs (each divided into lower, middle and upper stages), lasting between about 345 and 280 million years ago, the era in which coal was formed.

carbonify

verb

To turn into carbon; to scorch or caramelise.

carboxylic

adjective

Relating to the carboxyl group in organic chemistry.

carbuncle

noun

A dark red gemstone, such as a garnet, especially one polished into a smooth rounded shape rather than cut with facets.

carburetion

noun

The mixing of fuel with air in the right amounts so it can burn, as happens inside a carburettor.

carburetor

noun

A device in an engine that mixes fuel with air before it is burned.

carcajou

noun

Another name for the wolverine, a fierce animal that lives alone and belongs to the weasel family.

carcass

noun

The dead body of an animal.

carcinogen

noun

A substance or agent that can cause cancer.

carcinogenic

adjective

Causing cancer, or likely to cause it.

carcinoma

noun

A malignant tumour that grows from epithelial tissue and tends to spread to other parts of the body.

card

noun

A small, flat piece of stiff paper or plastic, used for games, messages, payments, or identification.

cardamom

noun

A spice made from the seed pods of a plant native to India, with a strong, sweet-spicy flavor.

cardamum

noun

An archaic form of cardamom.

cardboard

noun

A stiff, heavy paper material used to make boxes and packaging.

cardiac

adj

Relating to the heart.

Cardiff

name

The capital and largest city of Wales.

cardigan

noun

A knitted sweater that opens down the front and fastens with buttons or a zipper.

cardinal

adj

Of central or fundamental importance.

cardinality

noun

In set theory, the number of elements contained in a set.

Cardinals

name

Plural of cardinal; also the name of several sports teams, including the St. Louis Cardinals and Arizona Cardinals.

cardio

noun

Exercise that raises the heart rate, such as running or cycling.

cardiogram

noun

A printed or displayed trace produced by a machine that records the heart's activity.

cardiologist

noun

A doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating heart conditions.

cardiology

noun

The branch of medicine dealing with the heart and its diseases.

cardiomyopathy

noun

A disease of the heart muscle that weakens its ability to pump blood.

cardiovascular

adjective

Relating to the heart and blood vessels together.

cardoon

noun

A prickly plant related to the artichoke, grown for its stalks, which are eaten as a vegetable.

cards

noun

Games played with a deck of playing cards.

cardsharp

noun

Someone who cheats at cards as a way of making money.

care

noun

Serious attention or effort put into avoiding mistakes or harm.

careen

verb

To tip a ship onto its side so that the underwater part can be cleaned or repaired.

career

noun

The series of jobs a person has over the course of their working life, especially in one field.

carefree

adjective

Free from worries or responsibilities; relaxed and untroubled.

careful

adjective

Paying close attention to avoid mistakes, danger, or harm.

carefully

adverb

In a way that pays close attention to avoid mistakes or harm.

carefulness

noun

The quality of taking care and paying close attention to avoid mistakes.

caregiver

noun

A person who looks after someone who is ill, elderly, or unable to care for themselves.

caregiving

noun

Looking after someone who needs help with everyday tasks like eating, washing or getting dressed, usually done unpaid by a relative.

careless

adjective

Not paying enough attention, so that mistakes or accidents happen.

carelessly

adverb

Without proper attention or caution.

carelessness

noun

A lack of proper attention or caution.

carer

noun

Someone who regularly looks after a person who is ill, elderly, or disabled, often unpaid.

caress

noun

A gentle, affectionate touch.

caressing

adjective

Gentle and affectionate, like a soft touch.

caret

noun

A mark used by writers and proofreaders to show that something should be inserted at that point in the text.

caretaker

noun

A person employed to look after a building or property.

caretaking

noun

Looking after or being responsible for something.

careworn

adj

Looking tired and drawn from a long period of stress and worry.

Carey

name

An English and Irish surname, and a unisex given name, often derived from Welsh place names or from the Irish surname Ó Ciardha.

Cargill

name

A surname of Scottish Gaelic origin, also the name of a village in Perthshire, Scotland.

cargo

noun

Goods carried by a ship, plane, or truck.

Caribbean

adjective

Relating to the Caribbean Sea and the islands and coasts around it.

caribou

noun

A large North American deer related to the reindeer, known for its long migrations.

caricature

noun

A drawing or description that exaggerates someone's features for comic or critical effect.

carillon

noun

A group of bells, often hung in a tower, sometimes played using a keyboard; the instrument began in the Low Countries.

carillonist

noun

A person who plays this instrument of bells.

Carina

name

A constellation in the southern sky, home to the bright star Canopus.

caring

adjective

Kind, warm, and attentive to others' needs and feelings.

Carissa

name

A female given name.

carjacking

noun

The crime of forcibly stealing a car, often while the driver is still inside.

cark

verb

To feel weighed down by worry or trouble.

carl

noun

An old-fashioned word for a rough or ill-mannered man; a churl.

Carla

name

A female given name, borrowed from Italian or German.

carlee

name

A female given name of Germanic origin.

carleigh

name

A female first name derived from the Germanic languages.

Carlene

name

A female given name formed in the 20th century from "Carl" plus the ending "-lene," as in Marlene and Charlene.

Carleton

name

A surname and male given name, an alternative spelling of Carlton.

carley

name

A girl's forename with Germanic-language origins, a rarer spelling of Carly.

Carli

name

A female given name, a spelling variant of Carly.

carlie

name

A female given name of Germanic origin, an uncommon spelling of Carly.

Carlin

name

A surname, and the name of a small city in Nevada named after William Carlin.

Carlisle

name

A city in Cumbria, northwest England, and a surname derived from it.

carlito

noun

The Philippine tarsier, a tiny nocturnal primate, whose scientific genus name is Carlito.

Carlo

name

A male given name from Italian, equivalent to Charles.

carload

noun

Everything carried in a car, such as passengers or supplies, on a single journey.

Carlos

name

A male given name from Spanish or Portuguese, equivalent to Charles.

carlotta

name

A female first name of Italian origin.

carls

name

A shortened form of the female forename Carly, also used for several of its other variant forms.

carlsen

name

A surname of Danish or Norwegian origin.

Carlson

name

A surname of Scandinavian origin meaning "son of Carl."

Carlton

name

A surname and place name found throughout England, and a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.

Carly

name

A female given name, a feminine form of Carl that became popular in the late 20th century.

Carlyle

name

An English and Scottish surname, also used as a unisex given name; also the name of several small towns in the US, Canada, and Australia.

carmadie

name

A surname of Irish, a rare spelling variant of Carmody origin.

carman

noun

Someone whose job was carrying goods, usually using a horse and cart.

Carmel

name

A feminine given name of Hebrew origin, from Mount Carmel; also a mountain range in Israel and a coastal city in California (Carmel-by-the-Sea).

Carmen

name

A feminine given name of Spanish origin, also used as a masculine given name in Italian, made famous by Bizet's opera Carmen.

carmical

name

A surname of Scottish Gaelic origin.

Carmichael

name

A Scottish surname derived from a place name in South Lanarkshire, Scotland.

carmine

noun

A deep purplish-red pigment or dye, traditionally made from crushed cochineal insects.

Carmody

name

An Irish surname, an anglicized form of Ó Cearmada.

carnage

noun

Widespread death and destruction, especially from violence or disaster.

carnal

adjective

Relating to physical or sexual desires and pleasures rather than the mind or spirit.

carnality

noun

The quality of being concerned with bodily or sexual matters rather than spiritual ones.

carnallite

noun

An evaporite composed of a mixture of potassium chloride and magnesium chloride, with the chemical formula KMgCl₃·6H₂O.

carnaptious

adj

(informal) Easily annoyed and quick to argue.

carnassial

noun

A large, sharp tooth at the back of a meat-eating animal's jaw, used for cutting through flesh.

carnation

noun

A garden plant with fragrant, often frilly-edged flowers, popular as a cut flower.

Carne

name

An English surname, of Cornish origin from a word for "cairn," and also a French surname.

Carnegie

name

A Scottish surname, most famously borne by industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie; also several towns in the US named after him.

carnes

name

The name of a unincorporated community in Sioux County, Iowa, United States.

Carney

noun

A rare disorder marked by unusual skin pigmentation, an increased risk of tumors, and hormone-gland overactivity.

carnify

verb

To turn into flesh, or to take on a fleshy form.

carnival

noun

A festive public celebration, often with parades, music, costumes, and dancing, traditionally held before Lent.

carnivoran

adj

Relating to the order Carnivora.

carnivore

noun

An animal whose diet consists mainly or entirely of meat.

carnivorous

adjective

Feeding mainly or entirely on the flesh of other animals.

carnosity

noun

A small lump of extra flesh growing on the body.

carny

noun

A person who works at a traveling carnival or fair, often running rides or game stalls.

Caro

name

A diminutive of the feminine given name Caroline; also a city in Michigan.

carob

noun

An evergreen tree or shrub, Ceratonia siliqua, native to the Mediterranean region.

carol

noun

A traditional song of joy, especially one sung at Christmas.