English dictionary — definitions & meanings

egghead

noun

An intellectual or highly educated person, especially one seen as impractical or out of touch.

egging

noun

The act of throwing eggs at someone or something, often as vandalism or a prank.

eggman

noun

A person whose job is delivering eggs.

eggnog

noun

A rich, chilled drink made from milk or cream, beaten eggs, sugar, and spices like nutmeg, often spiked with rum, brandy, or whisky.

eggplant

noun

A vegetable with smooth, glossy purple (or sometimes white) skin, also called an aubergine.

eggshell

noun

The thin, hard outer covering of an egg.

eggy

adj

Tasting, smelling, or looking of egg, or coated in egg.

eglantine

noun

A Eurasian rose (Rosa rubiginosa, syn. Rosa eglanteria), having prickly stems, fragrant leaves, pink flowers and red hips.

ego

noun

A person's sense of their own importance and self-worth.

egocentric

adj

Focused on oneself, one's own needs, or one's own point of view; self-centered.

egocentrism

noun

The constant following of one's egotistical desires to an extreme.

egoism

noun

The tendency to think selfishly with exclusive self-interest in mind.

egoist

noun

Someone who believes that self-interest is, or should be, the basis of moral action.

egoistical

adj

Caring about oneself and the gratification of one's own desires rather than others; selfish.

egomaniac

noun

Someone with an extreme, obsessive sense of their own importance.

egotism

noun

A tendency to talk excessively about oneself.

egotist

noun

A person who talks excessively about themself.

egotistical

adj

Excessively self-important, boastful, or preoccupied with oneself.

egregious

adj

Shockingly bad or blatant; standing out in a negative way.

egress

noun

A way out, or the act of leaving a place.

egression

noun

The act of going; egress.

egret

noun

A long-legged wading bird of the heron family, usually with white plumage and a dagger-shaped bill, which feeds on fish and insects in shallow water.

egritude

noun

Distress or sorrow.

Egypt

name

A country in northeastern Africa, home to one of the world's oldest civilizations, with its capital at Cairo.

Egyptian

adj

Relating to Egypt, its people, or its language.

eh

intj

Added to the end of a statement to invite agreement or a reaction, similar to "right?" or "isn't it?"

ehm

intj

A filler sound used when hesitating or pausing while speaking, similar to "um" or "er."

Ehrlich

name

A German and Jewish surname meaning "honest" or "honorable," notably borne by bacteriologist Paul Ehrlich.

Eichmann

noun

A person who carries out immoral or destructive orders without objection because society or their institution accepts them.

Eid

noun

Any of several major Islamic religious festivals, especially Eid al-Fitr (marking the end of Ramadan) and Eid al-Adha.

Eiffel

name

A French surname, most associated with engineer Gustave Eiffel, designer of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

eight

num

The number 8, one more than seven.

eighteen

num

The number 18, one more than seventeen.

eighteenth

adj

Coming after seventeen others in a sequence; number 18 in an ordered list.

eightfold

adj

Eight times as much; multiplied by eight.

eighth

adj

Coming after seven others in a sequence; number 8 in an ordered list.

eighties

noun

The decade running from 80 to 89 in a century, especially the 1980s.

eights

noun

The plural of eight; also used loosely for a group or set of eight things, such as a rowing crew of eight.

eighty

num

The number 80, one more than seventy-nine.

Eiko

name

A feminine given name of Japanese origin, often meaning "long-lived child" or "radiant child" depending on the characters used.

eilan

name

A male given name from Hebrew, variant of Elon.

Eileen

name

A feminine given name, the Irish English form of Eibhlín, related to Evelyn or Helen.

eilon

name

A male given name from Hebrew, variant of Elon.

Eine

name

A surname and pseudonym, notably used by British street artist Ben Flynn, known professionally as Eine.

Einstein

noun

A very intelligent or brilliant person, used as an admiring or sarcastic comparison to Albert Einstein.

einsteinium

noun

A transuranic chemical element (symbol Es) with atomic number 99: a soft, silvery, paramagnetic metal.

eire

name

The Republic of Ireland.

Eisenhower

name

A German-derived surname, famously borne by Dwight D. Eisenhower, U.S. general and 34th president.

Eisenstein

name

A German and Jewish surname meaning "iron stone," notably borne by Soviet filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein.

eitan

name

A male given name from Hebrew.

either

det

One or the other of two options; whichever of two.

ejaculate

verb

To release semen or vaginal fluid from the body during sexual climax.

ejaculation

noun

The release of semen or vaginal fluid from the body at sexual climax.

eject

verb

To force someone to leave a place.

ejection

noun

The act of forcing something or someone out.

ejector

noun

A device or mechanism that forcefully pushes something out.

Ek

name

A surname found in Swedish and other Scandinavian families, and a common surname element in South and Southeast Asia.

eke

noun

An addition.

EKG

noun

An electrocardiogram — a test that records the electrical activity of the heart; also written ECG.

el

noun

The letter L or l, as used in the Latin alphabet.

Ela

name

A feminine given name used in several European languages, often as a short form of names like Elizabeth or Eleanor.

elaborate

adjective

Worked out with great care and detail; intricate or highly developed.

elaborateness

noun

The state of being elaborate

elaboration

noun

The act or process of producing or refining with labor; improvement by successive operations; refinement.

elaina

name

A female given name from Ancient Greek, of modern usage, variant of Elaine.

Elaine

noun

A female given name of Old French origin, related to the name Helen.

Elam

noun

An ancient civilization and kingdom located in what is now southwestern Iran, with its capital at Susa.

elan

noun

Uncommon spelling of élan.

eland

noun

A genus of large South African antelope (Taurotragus), valued both for its hide and flesh.

elastic

adjective

Able to stretch and then spring back to its original shape.

elasticity

noun

The ability of a material to return to its original shape after being stretched or compressed.

elastomer

noun

Any polymer having the elastic properties of rubber.

elate

verb

To make joyful or proud.

elated

adjective

Extremely happy and excited.

elation

noun

A feeling of great happiness, pride, and excitement.

Elba

noun

An Italian island off the coast of Tuscany, known historically as the place where Napoleon was first exiled.

Elbe

noun

A major river running through the Czech Republic and Germany into the North Sea.

elbow

noun

The joint connecting the upper arm to the forearm.

eld

noun

One's age, age in years, period of life.

elden

verb

To advance in eld or old age; to grow older; to age.

elder

noun

A respected older member of a community, often looked to for guidance or leadership.

elderdom

noun

Authority; dominion.

elderidge

name

A surname, variant of Aldridge.

elderly

adjective

Old, especially having reached an advanced age.

elderly person

noun

Someone who is old, usually taken to mean a person past retirement age, roughly 65 or over.

elderman

noun

A male elder or senior leader within a tribe or community.

eldern

adj

Elder; elderly; aged; old.

eldest

adjective

Oldest, especially among siblings or a group.

eldfather

noun

One's grandfather or forefather.

eldmother

noun

One's grandmother or other female ancestor, or one's mother-in-law.

Eldon

noun

A place name, including a village in County Durham, England.

Eldorado

noun

A place name used for several towns across different countries, related to the legendary golden city El Dorado.

Eldridge

noun

An English surname.

eldritch

adj

Unearthly, supernatural, eerie, preternatural.

ele

noun

Informal shortening of "elephant."

Eleanor

noun

A female given name, made famous historically by Eleanor of Aquitaine.

elect

verb

To choose someone for a position through a vote.

elected

adjective

Chosen for a position through a vote.

election

noun

A formal process in which people vote to choose leaders or representatives.

electioneering

noun

Campaigning for elective office on behalf of oneself or another candidate.

elective

adjective

Chosen voluntarily rather than required.

elector

noun

A person eligible to vote in an election; a member of an electorate, a voter.

electoral

adjective

Relating to elections or to the people who vote in them.

electorate

noun

The body of people in a country or district who are entitled to vote.

Electra

noun

A figure from Greek mythology, daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, known for avenging her father's death.

electric

adjective

Powered by or relating to electricity.

electric current

noun

The flow of electric charge through a conductor such as a wire, measured in amperes.

electrical

adjective

Relating to electricity or its use in devices and systems.

electrically

adverb

By means of electricity.

electrician

noun

A skilled tradesperson who installs and repairs electrical wiring and equipment.

electricity

noun

A form of energy caused by the movement of charged particles, used to power lights, appliances, and machines.

electrics

noun

The electrical wiring and components of a machine, vehicle, or building.

electrified

adjective

Converted to run on electricity, especially referring to rail lines.

electrify

verb

To supply electricity to; to charge with electricity.

electrifying

adjective

Extremely exciting or thrilling.

electro

noun

A genre of electronic dance music with strong bass and synthesized beats.

electrocute

verb

To kill someone using an electric shock.

electrocution

noun

Death caused by electric shock, whether by accident or execution.

electrode

noun

A conductor through which electricity enters or leaves a device, battery, or circuit.

electromagnetic

adj

Relating to the combined force of electricity and magnetism, or to the fields they produce.

electromagnetism

noun

The fundamental force that combines electricity and magnetism into a single phenomenon.

electron

noun

A tiny particle with a negative electric charge that orbits the nucleus of an atom; the flow of electrons through a conductor is what we call electricity.

electronic

adj

Relating to electrons or the devices that control their flow, such as computers, phones, and circuit boards.

electronica

noun

Any of a wide range of electronic music genres.

electronically

adv

Using electronic devices, circuits, or digital technology.

electronics

noun

The branch of science and engineering concerned with devices that control the flow of electrons, such as circuits and semiconductors.

electroshock

noun

An electric shock delivered to the body, or more specifically, a controlled medical treatment (electroconvulsive therapy) that passes current through the brain to treat severe depression.

eleemosynary

adj

Relating to charity, alms, or almsgiving.

elegance

noun

Graceful, refined beauty in appearance, movement, or manner.

elegant

adj

Graceful and stylish in appearance or manner.

elegantly

adv

In a graceful, stylish, or refined way.

elegiac

adj

Of or relating to an elegy.

elegious

adj

Melancholy, miserable, plaintive.

elegize

verb

To compose an elegy for.

elegy

noun

A poem or piece of music written in mourning for someone who has died, or in a serious, reflective, sorrowful tone.

element

noun

A basic or essential part of something larger.

elemental

adj

Basic and fundamental, related to a core building block rather than something complex or refined.

elementary

adj

Simple and basic; easy to understand.

elements

noun

The weather, especially rough conditions like wind, rain, or cold, viewed as something a person is exposed to.

Elena

name

A female given name, common in Italian, Spanish, and other European languages, related to the English name Helen.

Eleni

name

A Greek female given name, equivalent to Helen.

Eleonora

name

A female given name, a variant of Eleanor.

elephant

noun

A very large mammal with a long trunk, big ears, and tusks, native to Africa and Asia.

elephantic

adj

Of or relating to elephants

elephantine

adj

Of, relating to, resembling, or characteristic of elephants.

Elephants

noun

The plural of "elephant," large plant-eating mammals with a trunk and tusks, native to Africa and Asia.

elevatable

adj

Capable of being mechanically elevated.

elevate

verb

To physically raise something to a higher position.

elevated

adj

Raised above the surrounding area or the ground.

elevation

noun

The height of a place above sea level.