English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

cheerleading

noun

An activity combining dance, gymnastics, and chants, performed to support a sports team or compete in its own right.

cheers

intj

Said as a toast before drinking together.

cheery

adj

Happy and cheerful in a light, easygoing way.

cheese

noun

A solid food made from curdled milk, typically aged and eaten in slices, blocks, or grated.

cheeseburger

noun

A hamburger with a slice of cheese melted on the patty.

cheesecake

noun

A sweet dessert made from a mix of cream cheese or cottage cheese, eggs, and sugar, usually on a crumb base.

cheeses

noun

The plural of cheese, the dairy food made by curdling and aging milk.

cheesy

adj

Tasting or smelling of cheese.

cheetah

noun

A large, spotted wild cat known for being the fastest land animal, native mainly to Africa.

Cheetos

noun

A brand of crunchy, cheese-flavored cornmeal snack.

chef

noun

A trained, professional cook, especially one who leads a kitchen.

Chekhov

name

A Russian surname, most famously borne by playwright and author Anton Chekhov.

Chels

name

A diminutive of the female given name Chelsea.

Chelsea

name

An affluent district in west London, on the north bank of the Thames.

Cheltenham

name

A spa town in Gloucestershire, England, well known for its horse-racing festival.

chemical

adj

Relating to chemistry or to substances and their reactions.

chemically

adv

By means of a chemical reaction or process.

chemicals

noun

Substances used or produced in chemistry, especially manufactured compounds rather than natural ones.

chemist

noun

A scientist who studies or works in chemistry.

chemistry

noun

The branch of science concerned with the composition, properties, and reactions of substances.

chemo

noun

Short for chemotherapy, a medical treatment that uses drugs to destroy cancer cells.

chemotherapy

noun

Medical treatment using drugs, especially to destroy or slow cancer cells.

Chen

name

A common Chinese surname.

Cheney

name

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

Cheng

name

A Chinese surname, romanized from Mandarin, Cantonese, or Hokkien depending on the family.

Chennai

name

The capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, formerly known as Madras.

Cheon

name

A Korean surname.

Cheong

noun

Any of several sweet Korean syrups or fruit preserves, often used to sweeten tea or dressings.

cheque

noun

A written instruction to a bank to pay a specific sum from your account to a named person or business.

Cher

name

A short form of the female given name Cherilyn, made famous as a stage name by the American singer Cher.

Cherbourg

name

A coastal town in Normandy, France, historically an important naval port.

Cheri

name

A female given name, a coinage related to the word "cherished" or the French chérie ("darling").

Cherie

name

A female given name, a variant spelling of Cheri.

cherish

verb

To care for someone or something deeply and protect it tenderly.

cherished

adj

Held dear; treated as precious because of deep personal meaning.

Chernobyl

name

A city in northern Ukraine, largely abandoned since the 1986 nuclear disaster there.

Chernov

name

A Russian surname.

Cherokee

noun

A member of the Cherokee Nation, an Indigenous people originally from the southeastern United States.

cherries

noun

The plural of cherry, the small round stone fruit.

cherry

noun

A small, round stone fruit, usually deep red, that grows on a tree of the genus Prunus.

cherub

noun

In art, a chubby winged child or baby's head with wings, often used to represent an angel.

Cheryl

name

A female given name, coined in the early 20th century, possibly blending Cherie and Beryl.

Chesapeake

name

The Chesapeake Bay, a large estuary on the east coast of the United States, bordering Maryland and Virginia.

Cheshire

name

A county in north-west England, bordered by the Rivers Mersey and Dee.

Chesney

noun

In some regional dialects, a dent or groove in the slate bed of a table (such as a billiard or shuffleboard table) that alters how a ball rolls.

chess

noun

A strategy board game for two players, played on a chequered board with sixteen pieces per side, aiming to trap (checkmate) the opponent's king.

chessboard

noun

The square board of 64 alternating light and dark squares used to play chess.

chest

noun

The front part of the body between the neck and the stomach, containing the ribs, heart, and lungs.

Chester

noun

Vulgar slang for a man who sexually abuses children.

chesterfield

noun

A sofa with padded arms and a back of the same height, often with buttoned leather upholstery.

Chesterton

name

An English surname, most famously associated with the writer G. K. Chesterton.

chestnut

noun

A tree that produces glossy brown edible nuts, or the nut itself.

Chet

name

A short form of the male given name Chester.

Cheung

name

A Cantonese surname.

chevalier

noun

A knight, or a member of certain French orders of chivalry or merit.

Cheveley

name

A village and civil parish in Cambridgeshire, England.

Chevrolet

noun

An American car brand owned by General Motors, or a vehicle made by it.

chevron

noun

A V-shaped stripe or pattern, often used as a badge of military or police rank.

chevy

noun

Informal short form of "Chevrolet," or a car made by that brand.

chew

verb

To repeatedly bite and grind food with the teeth before swallowing.

chewed

adj

Having been bitten and ground up with the teeth; gnawed.

chewie

noun

Informal word for chewing gum.

chewing

noun

The action of biting and grinding something with the teeth.

chewy

adj

Needing a lot of chewing; having a tough, elastic texture.

Cheyenne

noun

A member of the Cheyenne, an Indigenous people of the Great Plains in North America.

chez

prep

At the home or place of.

chi

noun

The 22nd letter of the Greek alphabet, written Χ, χ.

chia

noun

A flowering plant grown for its small, edible seeds, popular as a health food.

Chiang

name

A Chinese surname, romanized from Mandarin, a variant of Jiang.

Chianti

noun

A dry red wine traditionally made in the Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy.

Chiara

name

An Italian female given name and surname, meaning "clear" or "bright."

Chiba

name

A prefecture in Japan, east of Tokyo, and also the name of its capital city.

chic

adj

Elegant and fashionable in a stylish, effortless way.

chica

noun

A young Latin-American woman or girl (used especially in Spanish-influenced English).

Chicago

name

A major city in Illinois, USA, on the shore of Lake Michigan.

chichi

adj

Fashionable or fancy in a showy, try-hard way.

chick

noun

A young, newly hatched bird, especially a baby chicken.

chicken

noun

A common domesticated bird raised for its eggs and meat.

chickenshit

adj

(vulgar slang) Cowardly, or pettily unfair.

chickie

noun

(informal, affectionate) A baby chick or small chicken.

chicky

noun

(informal, especially child-directed) A chicken or baby chick.

chico

noun

(informal) A young Latin-American man or boy.

chicory

noun

A blue-flowered plant whose leaves are eaten as a salad green and whose root is used to make a coffee substitute.

chide

verb

To scold or express disapproval of someone, usually mildly.

chief

noun

The leader or head of a group, organization, or tribe.

chiefly

adv

Mainly or for the most part.

chieftain

noun

The leader of a clan, tribe, or group, especially in traditional or historical contexts.

Chieko

name

A Japanese female given name.

Chien

name

A Chinese surname or given name.

chiffon

noun

A light, sheer, delicate fabric, often made of silk or polyester.

Chihiro

name

A Japanese unisex given name.

Chihuahua

noun

The smallest breed of dog in the world, known for its tiny size and large ears.

Chika

name

A Japanese female given name.

child

noun

A young human being, from birth up to the start of the teenage years.

childbirth

noun

The process of giving birth to a baby.

childcare

noun

The supervision and care of young children, especially while their parents are working.

childhood

noun

The period of a person's life from birth to the onset of adolescence.

childish

adj

Behaving in an immature way, typically expected only of a child.

childishness

noun

Immature behavior or an immature way of acting.

childless

adj

Having no children.

childlike

adj

Having the innocent, trusting, or curious qualities typical of a child.

Children

noun

The plural of child — more than one young person, or more than one son or daughter.

Childress

name

An English surname, also the name of a city in Texas.

Childs

name

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

Chile

name

A long, narrow country on the western coast of South America.

Chilean

adj

Relating to Chile or its people and culture.

chili

noun

A hot-tasting pepper (fresh or dried) used to add spice to food.

chill

noun

An uncomfortable feeling of coldness.

chillax

verb

To relax completely and stop worrying about something.

chilled

adj

Made cold, especially food or drink.

chilling

adj

Causing fear or horror.

chills

noun

A feeling of coldness in the body, often a symptom of illness or a reaction to fear or excitement.

chilly

adj

Cold enough to be uncomfortable.

chime

noun

A bell-like instrument, or set of them, that rings out a musical note.

Chimera

noun

An organism, plan, or idea made up of very different or clashing parts, especially one that is unrealistic.

chiming

noun

The act or sound of a bell or bell-like device ringing.

chimney

noun

A vertical structure that carries smoke and fumes up and out of a building.

chimpanzee

noun

A highly intelligent great ape native to Africa, one of humanity's closest living relatives.

chin

noun

The part of the face below the mouth, forming the bottom of the jaw.

China

name

A large country in East Asia, the People's Republic of China.

chinaman

noun

In cricket, a type of spin delivery bowled by a left-handed bowler that turns unexpectedly toward a right-handed batter.

Chinatown

noun

A neighborhood outside China with a large concentration of Chinese residents, shops, and restaurants.

chinchilla

noun

A small rodent from the Andes mountains, prized for its extremely soft, dense fur and often kept as a pet.

Chinese

adj

Relating to China, its people, or their culture.

ching

intj

A word imitating the ringing sound of metal or glass being struck.

chink

noun

A narrow crack or opening, often letting through a beam of light.

chino

noun

A sturdy cotton fabric, or trousers made from it.

chinook

noun

A warm, dry wind that blows down the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains, quickly raising the temperature.

chip

noun

A small piece broken off a larger object, or the mark left where it broke off.

chipmunk

noun

A small striped rodent found mostly in North America.

chipotle

noun

A ripe jalapeño pepper that has been dried and smoked, used to add a smoky heat to food.

chipped

adj

Having a small piece broken off.

chipper

adj

Cheerful and full of energy.

chipping

noun

A small fragment broken off something, or the act of breaking such pieces off.

chippy

noun

British informal term for a fish-and-chip shop.

chips

noun

Plural of chip: broken pieces, fried potato slices, or tokens used in gambling.

Chirag

name

A male given name of Persian origin, often used in India, meaning "lamp" or "light."

chiropractor

noun

A healthcare practitioner who treats problems of the spine and joints through manual adjustment.

chirp

noun

A short, high-pitched sound made by a bird or insect.

chirping

noun

The sound made by birds or insects chirping.

chirpy

adj

Cheerful and lively, especially in a way that seems a bit much early in the day.

chisel

noun

A hand tool with a sharp flat edge, used to cut or shape wood, stone, or metal.

chiseled

adj

Having sharply defined facial features.

Chisholm

name

A Scottish surname, also the name of several towns in Australia, Canada, and the United States.

chit

noun

A short, informal written note, often used to record a small debt or purchase.

chitra

noun

A type of small biting midge or sandfly.

chittering

noun

A rapid series of short, high-pitched sounds, like the noise small birds or squirrels make.

chitty

noun

A short written note, voucher, or slip used to record a small debt or authorize a purchase.

Chiu

name

A Chinese surname, romanized from Cantonese, Hokkien, or Mandarin.

chivalrous

adj

Showing old-fashioned courtesy and gallantry, especially in the way a man treats women.