English dictionary — definitions & meanings

duplex

noun

A house divided into two separate living units, or a single home with two floors.

duplicate

adj

Exactly the same as something else, especially because it was copied from it.

duplication

noun

The act of duplicating.

duplicitous

adj

Deliberately dishonest, saying one thing while meaning or doing another.

duplicity

noun

Deliberate deceitfulness, especially by saying different things to different people.

Dupont

name

A French surname, notably borne by the American chemical company DuPont.

duppy

noun

A ghost or spirit, often appearing in the form of a dog barking or howling through the night.

Dupree

name

A French surname, and the county seat of Ziebach County, South Dakota.

Duque

name

A surname, common in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries.

Duquesne

name

A French surname, and a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

durability

noun

The ability to last a long time by virtue of the power to resist stress or force.

durable

adj

Able to withstand wear, damage, or long use.

Duran

name

A Spanish surname, notably borne by the boxer Roberto Duran; also a commune in France.

Durand

name

A surname, and the county seat of Pepin County, Wisconsin.

Durango

name

A state and city in Mexico, and a city in La Plata County, Colorado.

Durant

name

A surname, and the county seat of Bryan County, Oklahoma.

Duras

noun

A traditional French red wine grape grown mainly near the river Tarn, used to add colour and tannin to blends.

duration

noun

The length of time something lasts.

durative

adj

Of or pertaining to duration.

Durban

name

A major port city in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

duress

noun

Pressure or threats used to force someone into doing something against their will.

Durga

name

A Hindu goddess of war, strength, and protection, and a feminine given name in India derived from her name.

Durham

name

A county and cathedral city in northeast England.

durian

noun

A large tropical fruit from Southeast Asia, covered in a thick, spiky husk, prized by fans for its rich, custard-like flesh but notorious for its overpowering smell.

during

prep

Throughout the whole of a period of time.

durity

noun

hardness; firmness

Durrell

name

A surname of Old French origin, notably borne by the writers Lawrence and Gerald Durrell.

Durst

name

A German surname, notably borne by musician Fred Durst.

dusk

noun

The dim period between sunset and full darkness.

dusky

adj

Dimly lit, as things appear at dusk.

dust

noun

Fine, dry particles of dirt, skin, pollen, and other matter that settle on surfaces or float in the air.

dustbin

noun

A container, usually kept outside, for household rubbish awaiting collection.

dustcloth

noun

A cloth used for dusting; a duster.

duster

noun

A cloth or soft implement used for wiping dust off surfaces.

Dustin

name

A male given name of Germanic origin, notably borne by actor Dustin Hoffman.

dusting

noun

A light, thin covering of something, especially snow or powder.

dustman

noun

A person employed to collect refuse from people's homes and take it to be processed.

dustpan

noun

A flat, handled scoop used with a brush to collect swept-up dirt.

dustpanful

noun

Enough to fill a dustpan.

dustup

noun

A scuffle or fight.

dusty

adj

Covered with or full of dust.

Dutch

adj

Relating to the Netherlands, its people, or its language.

dutchie

noun

A cannabis blunt rolled inside a Dutch Masters cigar.

dutchland

name

Pennsylvania Dutchland

Dutchman

name

A term for a native or inhabitant of the Netherlands, and historically a nickname for U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

dutchy

adj

Spoken in a way that is hard to make out, mumbled or slurred.

duteous

adj

Obsequious; submissively obedient.

duties

noun

Plural of duty: the specific tasks and responsibilities a person is required to carry out as part of a job or role.

dutiful

adj

Careful to do what duty, obligation, or respect requires, without complaint.

Dutta

name

A surname common among Assamese and Bengali people.

Dutton

name

A habitational surname of Old English origin, and the name of several villages in England.

duty

noun

Something a person is morally or legally obligated to do.

Duvall

name

A surname, notably borne by the actor Robert Duvall.

duvet

noun

A thick, soft quilt filled with down, feathers or synthetic fibre, used on a bed instead of a top sheet and blankets and normally slipped inside a washable cover.

duwayne

name

A male given name, variant of Duane.

Dvorak

adj

Describing an alternative keyboard layout designed so the most commonly used letters sit on the home row, aimed at faster and more comfortable typing than the standard QWERTY layout.

DVR

verb

To record a television broadcast using a digital video recorder, for watching later.

dw

abbreviation

Don't worry: used in texting and chat to reassure someone that a problem is not important or that no apology is needed.

dwane

name

A male given name, variant of Dwayne.

dwarf

noun

A person, animal, or plant much smaller than typical for its kind.

dwarfish

adj

Like a dwarf; being especially small or stunted.

Dwayne

name

A male given name, a variant of Duane.

dweeb

noun

An unfashionable, overly studious, or socially awkward person.

dwell

verb

To live or reside in a place.

dweller

noun

A person or animal that lives in a particular kind of place.

dwelling

noun

A house or other place where someone lives.

dweomercraft

noun

Magic; magical arts; jugglery.

Dwight

name

A surname and male given name transferred from it, notably borne by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

dwimmer

noun

Magic, magic arts; sorcery; spell; occult art.

dwimmercraft

noun

The art of illusion; the art of magic; sorcery; magic.

dwindle

verb

To become steadily smaller, fewer or weaker over time.

dwindling

adj

Steadily becoming smaller or less.

Dwyer

name

An Irish surname.

dy

adv

Already (informal, chiefly Southeast Asian English usage).

dyad

noun

A pair of two closely connected people or things treated as a single unit.

dye

noun

A substance used to change the colour of something, especially fabric or hair.

dyed

adj

Coloured using dye.

dyeing

noun

The process of adding colour to fabric, hair, or other material using dye.

dyer

noun

A person whose job is dyeing cloth or other material.

Dyes

noun

Plural of dye: substances used to colour materials such as fabric, hair, or paper.

dying

adj

Close to death; in the final stage of life.

dyke

noun

A raised bank of earth or stone built to hold back water and prevent flooding.

dykes

noun

Plural of dyke: earthen or stone banks built to prevent flooding.

Dylan

name

A male given name of Welsh origin, also used as a female given name and surname, notably borne by the musician Bob Dylan.

Dyle

name

A river in Belgium, flowing through Leuven and Mechelen.

dynamic

adj

Full of energy and always changing or moving forward.

dynamically

adv

In a dynamic way: variably, changingly.

dynamics

noun

The branch of physics dealing with forces and how they cause motion.

dynamism

noun

Great energy, drive, force, or power; vigour of body, mind, or personality; oomph or pizzazz.

dynamite

noun

A powerful explosive made from nitroglycerin absorbed into a stabilising material, used for blasting and demolition.

dynamiting

noun

The act of blowing something up with dynamite.

dynamo

noun

A machine that converts mechanical motion into electrical current.

dynasty

noun

A sequence of rulers from the same family, one following another.

dyon

noun

A hypothetical particle with both electric and magnetic charges.

dysentery

noun

A serious intestinal infection causing severe diarrhoea, often with blood, along with fever and abdominal pain.

dysergy

noun

The opposite of synergy: bad effects resulting from some combination of factors.

dysfunction

noun

A failure to work properly, especially in an organ, relationship, or system.

dysfunctional

adj

Not working properly; unable to function in a normal or healthy way.

dysgerminoma

noun

A kind of germ cell tumor, usually malignant and usually occurring in the ovary.

dyshygienic

adj

Lacking hygiene; unclean.

dysjunction

noun

Separation of structures that are normally joined.

dyslexia

noun

A learning difficulty that makes reading, spelling, and writing more difficult, despite normal intelligence.

dyslexic

adj

Having, or relating to, dyslexia.

dyslogy

noun

censure; disapproval; dispraise

Dyson

noun

A vacuum cleaner that uses cyclonic suction instead of a bag, named after the brand that popularised the design.

dyspepsia

noun

Any mild disorder of digestion characterised by stomach pain, discomfort, heartburn, and nausea, often following a meal.

dyspeptic

adj

Of, relating to, or having dyspepsia or indigestion.

dysphemism

noun

The use of a word or phrase carrying negative connotations or imagery (especially one that is derogatory, offensive or vulgar) to replace a (more) neutral original.

dysphoria

noun

A persistent state of unease, dissatisfaction or low mood, in which a person feels profoundly uncomfortable in themselves.

dyspnea

noun

Difficult or laboured breathing; the distressing sensation of not being able to get enough air.

dyspneal

adj

Pertaining to, or of the nature of dyspnea; in connexion with dyspnea.

dyspneic

adj

Afflicted with dyspnea; possessing unhealthy breathing.

dysrhythmia

noun

A disturbance to an otherwise normal biological rhythm, especially that of the heart.

dystopia

noun

An imagined society in which life is deliberately made bad — typically through oppression, surveillance, environmental ruin or total state control.

dystopian

adjective

Relating to or resembling a dystopia — an imagined society made deliberately grim through oppression, surveillance or collapse.