English dictionary — definitions & meanings

e.g.

abbreviation

Used before one or more examples of the thing just mentioned, meaning "for example".

ea

noun

An old or dialectal word for a river or watercourse.

each

det

Used to refer to every individual member of a group, considered one at a time.

each other

pronoun

Used to show that each of two or more people or things does something to the other and receives the same thing back.

eager

adj

Keen and enthusiastic to do or have something.

eagerly

adv

In a way that shows keen enthusiasm or desire.

eagerness

noun

A strong, enthusiastic desire to do or have something.

eagle

noun

A large, powerful bird of prey with a hooked beak and excellent eyesight.

eagleback

noun

The back of an eagle (for riding upon).

Eagles

name

A surname, and a common nickname for sports teams such as the Philadelphia Eagles.

Eagleton

name

A surname, and a suburb of Newcastle, Australia.

Eames

name

A surname of Old English origin, notably borne by designers Charles and Ray Eames.

Eamon

name

A male given name of Irish origin, a variant of Edmund.

ear

noun

The organ used for hearing, including the visible outer part and the internal structures that detect sound.

earball

noun

The act or an instance of listening.

eardrum

noun

The thin membrane inside the ear that vibrates in response to sound and passes the vibration on to the inner ear bones.

earful

noun

A sharp scolding or telling-off.

Earhart

name

A German surname, notably borne by aviator Amelia Earhart.

earl

noun

A British nobleman ranking above a viscount and below a marquess.

Earle

name

A surname and given name, a variant of Earl, originating as an occupational name.

earlier

adverb

At a time before the present moment or before the time being talked about.

earliness

noun

The condition of being early.

early

adj

Happening or arriving before the expected or usual time.

earlycomer

noun

One who arrived early, or earlier than others.

earmark

noun

A mark made or tag attached to the ear of an animal (chiefly a livestock animal), generally to identify or indicate something about the animal, such as ownership, health or gestation status, etc.

earmarked

adjective

Set aside for one specific purpose and not available for anything else, especially of money.

earn

verb

To receive money in return for work done.

earned

adj

Gained through one's own effort or merit, rather than given freely.

earner

noun

A person who earns money, especially through employment.

earnest

adj

Serious and sincere in intention or feeling.

earnestly

adv

In a sincere, serious way, with real effort or feeling behind it.

earnestness

noun

The quality of being earnest; sincerity; seriousness.

earnings

noun

Money made from work, such as wages or salary.

Earp

name

A surname, notably borne by lawman Wyatt Earp of the American Old West.

earphone

noun

A transducer that converts electric signals into sound and is held near the ear, especially as part of a telephone; an earpiece or headphone.

earphones

noun

Small speakers worn in or over the ears for listening privately to audio.

earpiece

noun

A small speaker that fits in or against the ear, often part of a headset or hearing aid.

earring

noun

A piece of jewelry worn on or through the ear.

earshot

noun

The distance within which a sound can be heard.

earsore

noun

Something which is displeasing to the ear- for instance, loud noises or bad music.

earsplitting

adj

Extremely loud, painfully loud.

earth

name

The planet we live on, third from the Sun.

earthberry

noun

A berry whose fruit lies upon the ground, in particular the strawberry (plant and fruit)

earthbound

adj

Stuck on or tied to the Earth, unable to leave it.

earthenware

noun

An opaque, semi-porous ceramic made from clay and other compounds.

earthhole

noun

A hole or cavern in the earth; a cave.

earthing

noun

The act or process of placing (something) in the earth; planting; burying

earthish

adj

Made of or pertaining to earth; earthly, earthy.

Earthling

noun

A person from Earth, especially as imagined from the perspective of aliens.

earthly

adj

Belonging to this world or life, rather than to heaven or the afterlife.

earthman

noun

A male inhabitant of Earth.

earthnut

noun

Any of various roots, tubers, or pods that grow underground:

earthquake

noun

A sudden shaking of the ground caused by movement in the Earth's crust.

earthscraper

noun

A building that is built underground; a subterranean skyscraper.

earthshine

noun

Alternative letter-case form of earthshine.

earthwork

noun

Any structure made from earth, especially an embankment used for fortification or flood control.

earthworm

noun

A long, segmented worm that lives in soil and helps aerate it.

earthy

adj

Resembling soil in smell, taste, or appearance.

earwaxy

adj

Resembling or characteristic of earwax.

earwig

noun

A small insect with pincers at the end of its abdomen.

ease

noun

The quality of being simple or effortless.

eased

adj

Made less difficult, painful, or intense.

easel

noun

A stand, usually with three legs, used to hold up a canvas or board for painting or display.

easement

noun

An interest in land which grants the legal right to use another person's real property (real estate), generally in order to cross a part of the property or to gain access to something on the property (right of way).

easily

adv

Without difficulty or effort.

easing

noun

The process of making something less severe, tight, or difficult.

east

noun

The direction toward which the Earth rotates, where the sun rises.

eastbound

adj

Traveling or heading toward the east.

Easter

name

The Christian festival celebrating the resurrection of Jesus, held in spring.

eastern

adj

Located in, facing, or relating to the east.

eastertide

noun

The season from Easter Day to Whitsun, inclusive thereof.

easting

noun

The distance east of a standard reference meridian.

eastlake

name

Former name of Kingston, Australian Capital Territory: a suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.

Eastman

name

A surname, notably borne by George Eastman, founder of Kodak; also a city in Georgia.

Easton

name

A habitational surname of Old English origin, and the name of numerous towns and villages in England and the United States.

eastside

noun

The eastern part or district of a city or area.

eastward

adv

Toward the east.

Eastwood

noun

A brave, tough, hardy man (an informal, jocular usage referencing actor Clint Eastwood).

easy

adj

Requiring little effort or skill; not difficult.

easy to understand

adjective phrase

Clear enough that a reader or listener can grasp the meaning without effort or special knowledge.

easygoing

adj

Relaxed, tolerant, and not easily upset or worried.

eat

verb

To take food into the mouth and swallow it.

eatable

adj

Able to be eaten; edible.

eatage

noun

Edible growth of grass for horses and cattle, especially that of lattermath.

eaten

adj

Consumed as food; the past participle of eat.

eater

noun

A person or animal that eats, especially in a described way.

eatery

noun

A casual restaurant or place to buy and eat food.

eating

noun

The act of consuming food.

Eaton

name

An English habitational surname, and the name of many villages in England and towns in North America.

eats

noun

Food, especially in a casual sense (informal).

eatworthy

adj

Worthy of being eaten; suitable for consumption; edible.

eau

noun

Water — used in English mainly in borrowed French phrases.

eaved

adj

Having eaves (of a specified number or kind).

eaves

noun

The edge of a roof that overhangs the walls of a building.

eavesdrip

noun

Synonym of eavesdrop (“dripping of rain from the eaves of a house”).

eavesdrop

verb

To secretly listen in on a conversation you were not meant to hear.

eavesdropper

noun

One who eavesdrops.

eavesdropping

noun

The act of secretly listening to a conversation that isn't meant for you.

eavesread

verb

To surreptitiously read something.

eavestrough

noun

A trough under the eaves of a building for draining water from the roof; gutter.

eBay

noun

A well-known online marketplace where people buy and sell items, often through auctions.

ebb

noun

The falling back of the tide as it moves away from the shore.

ebbetts

name

A surname originating as a matronymic.

ebbing

noun

The action of something that ebbs.

Eben

name

A male given name, shortened from Ebenezer.

Ebenezer

name

A male given name from Hebrew, popularised by English Puritans in the 1600s and meaning "stone of help."

Ebert

name

A German surname, notably borne by film critic Roger Ebert.

ebionite

noun

A member of an early Jewish Christian sect that lived in and around Judea and Palestine from the 1st to the 4th century.

Ebola

noun

A severe, often fatal viral disease causing fever and internal bleeding, first identified near the Ebola River in Central Africa.

ebon

adj

Made of ebony.

ebonics

name

African-American Vernacular English (AAVE).

ebonite

noun

The relatively hard product of vulcanizing natural rubber with sulfur.

ebony

noun

A hard, dense, nearly black wood from certain tropical trees, prized for furniture and instruments.

ebrahim

name

A surname from Arabic [in turn originating as a patronymic].

ebullience

noun

A boiling or bubbling up; an ebullition.

ebullient

adjective

Cheerful, lively and openly full of energy and enthusiasm.

ebullition

noun

The act of boiling.

Eby

name

A surname of German origin.

ecce

intj

an interjection used to draw attention to something or someone; behold!

eccedentesiast

noun

Someone who hides pain or sadness behind a smile.

eccentric

adj

Behaving in an unconventional or slightly odd way; not following normal habits.

eccentricity

noun

The quality of being eccentric or odd; any eccentric behaviour.

ecclesiastic

adj

Of or pertaining to the church; ecclesiastical.

ecclesiastical

adj

Relating to a church or its organisation and clergy.

ecdemic

adj

Originating from outside the area in which it occurs.

ecdysiast

noun

An erotic dancer who removes their clothes as a form of entertainment; a stripper.

ecesis

noun

The process of the successful establishment of a plant or animal species in a habitat that was barren previously or was left barren due to some catastrophe.

echelon

noun

A level or rank within an organisation, especially one of importance or seniority.

echidna

noun

A small, spiny, egg-laying mammal native to Australia and New Guinea, related to the platypus.

echo

verb

Of a sound, to bounce off a surface and be heard again; to reverberate.

echography

noun

The use of ultrasound as a diagnostic aid.

echoing

noun

The repeated sound of something reverberating.

eclectic

adj

Drawing from many different sources, styles, or ideas rather than sticking to one.

eclipse

noun

An event where one astronomical body passes in front of another, blocking it from view, such as the Moon passing in front of the Sun.

eclipsed

adj

Overshadowed or surpassed by something greater in importance, achievement, or attention.

ecliptic

noun

The great circle on the celestial sphere that is the mean apparent path of the sun as viewed from the earth.

ecmascript

name

A standardised specification of JavaScript, developed by Ecma International.

eco

noun

A shortened, informal form used to mean anything relating to ecology or the environment, often used as a prefix (eco-friendly, eco-tourism).

eco friendly

adjective

Designed or made so as to do as little harm to the natural environment as possible, for example by using less energy, avoiding toxic materials or being recyclable.

ecoduct

noun

A type of wildlife crossing in the form of a bridge or tunnel, usually covered with foliage and turf, which animals may use to cross roads without the risk of being hit by vehicles; a wildlife viaduct.

ecological

adj

Relating to ecology — the study of how living things interact with their environment.

ecology

noun

The branch of biology that studies how living things relate to each other and to their environment.

economic

adj

Relating to money, trade, industry, or the management of an economy.

economical

adj

Careful with money or resources; not wasteful.

economically

adv

In a way that avoids waste; thriftily or efficiently.

economics

noun

The academic and social science studying how resources, wealth, goods, and money are produced, distributed, and consumed.

economise

verb

Non-Oxford British English standard spelling of economize.

economist

noun

A person who studies or is an expert in economics.

economize

verb

To practice being economical (by using things sparingly or in moderation, and by avoiding waste or extravagance).

economy

noun

The system of production, trade, and consumption within a country, region, or community.