English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

fluidity

noun

The state of flowing easily rather than being thick or stiff.

fluidly

adv

In a smooth, flowing way.

fluidness

noun

The state of being liquid rather than solid.

fluke

noun

A lucky, accidental success unlikely to happen again.

flukey

adj

Changeable and hard to predict.

flume

noun

A narrow gorge, often with a stream flowing through it.

fluminous

adj

Flowing steadily and smoothly, of a river.

flummery

noun

A soft, custard-like dish, often made from stewed fruit thickened with oats, cornflour or plain flour.

flummox

verb

To leave someone completely confused or baffled.

flummoxed

adj

Confused, puzzled or flustered.

flump

intj

The dull thud of something heavy falling or landing.

flunk

verb

To fail a class, test, or course.

flunkey

noun

A servant, especially one in uniform, who works in someone's household.

flunky

noun

Someone who always agrees with whoever is in charge of them.

fluorescent

adj

Producing bright light when exposed to ultraviolet or electrical energy, as in certain lamps.

fluoride

noun

A chemical compound containing fluorine, commonly added to water or toothpaste to help prevent tooth decay.

fluorophore

noun

A molecule or part of a molecule that can give off fluorescent light.

fluoxetine

noun

A man-made compound that blocks the brain's uptake of serotonin and is used to treat depression.

flurry

noun

A brief, light snowfall.

flush

verb

To clean by flooding with water, especially a toilet.

flushed

adj

Red in the face from embarrassment, heat, or exertion.

flushing

noun

The act of cleaning something by flooding it with water.

fluster

verb

To make someone flustered, confused, or momentarily panicked.

flustered

adj

Confused and agitated, especially from sudden pressure or embarrassment.

flute

noun

A woodwind instrument played by blowing air across a hole, producing sound through a long tube.

fluted

adj

Marked with long, narrow grooves, either as decoration or to reduce weight.

fluting

noun

A pattern of parallel grooves, usually vertical, cut into a surface for decoration.

flutter

verb

To flap or move quickly and irregularly.

fluttered

adj

Confused and flustered.

fluttering

noun

Rapid, irregular back-and-forth movement.

fluvial

adjective

Relating to, produced by, or living in a river or stream.

flux

noun

A state of continuous change.

fluxive

adj

Flowing and without a fixed, solid form.

fly

noun

A small flying insect, especially the common housefly.

flyboy

noun

An informal term for an aircraft pilot, especially in the military.

flyer

noun

A printed sheet, usually advertising an event or product, handed out or posted publicly.

flying

adj

Able to fly, or moving through the air.

Flynn

name

An Irish surname and given name, an Anglicized form of Ó Floinn, meaning "descendant of the red-haired one."

Flynt

name

A surname, a variant spelling of Flint.

flyover

noun

A road, bridge, or railway built above another so that traffic can cross without stopping (British English; called an overpass in the US).

flypast

noun

A ceremonial flight by aircraft at low altitude, especially as part of a celebration.

flyspeck

noun

A tiny black dot left by a fly's droppings.

flyswatter

noun

A hand-held tool used to kill or drive away flies and other insects.

flywheel

noun

A heavy rotating wheel or mass that keeps a machine running at a steady speed, or stores energy, as the energy supplied or released varies.

fm

symbol

Abbreviation for "fathoms," a unit used to measure water depth.

FML

interjection

Written after describing something that has gone wrong, to express weary frustration or self-pitying despair, usually with a note of humour.

Fo

name

The Chinese term for Buddha, used in the context of Chinese Buddhism; also an Italian surname, notably that of playwright Dario Fo.

Foa

name

An island in the Ha'apai group of Tonga.

foal

noun

A baby horse, or the young of a related animal such as a donkey or zebra, usually under a year old.

foam

noun

A mass of small bubbles formed on or in a liquid, such as sea spray, soapy water, or the head on a drink.

foaming

noun

The process by which a liquid produces or fills with foam.

fob

noun

A small handheld device used to unlock a car or open a secured door remotely, or a decorative attachment on a keychain or watch chain.

focal

adj

Central or most important; forming the main point that everything else relates to.

focus

noun

The main center of attention, activity, or interest.

focused

adj

Giving full, concentrated attention to a particular goal or task.

focusing

noun

The act of directing attention, effort, or a lens toward a particular point.

focussing

adj

A Commonwealth standard spelling of focusing.

fodder

noun

Food, such as hay or grain, given to livestock like cattle and horses.

foe

noun

An enemy, especially one actively opposed to or fighting against someone.

foehn

noun

A warm, dry wind that blows down the northern side of the Alps, mainly in Switzerland.

foeman

noun

An enemy or opponent in battle, whether armed or not, or a demon.

foeship

noun

The state of having enemies.

foetus

noun

An unborn vertebrate animal that already shows the features of the adult form.

fog

noun

A thick cloud of tiny water droplets close to the ground that reduces visibility.

Fogarty

name

An Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Fogartaigh.

fogey

noun

A person, often an older man, whose ideas and attitudes are old-fashioned and very conservative.

Fogg

name

An English surname, notably that of Phileas Fogg, the fictional protagonist of Jules Verne's "Around the World in Eighty Days."

fogginess

noun

The state of being foggy.

foggy

adj

Full of fog; hard to see through because of mist.

foghorn

noun

A loud, low-pitched horn used by ships and lighthouses to warn of their position in fog.

fogy

noun

(military) Extra pay given to an officer for years of service.

foh

name

The code for the Fortress Hill station in Hong Kong.

foible

noun

A small, slightly odd habit or personal quirk.

FOIL

noun

A very thin, flexible sheet of metal, especially aluminum, used for wrapping food.

foiled

adj

Prevented from succeeding; thwarted.

foin

verb

To jab or thrust at someone with a sword.

foison

noun

(literary) A plentiful supply of something.

foist

verb

To sneak something in or add it without permission.

Fok

name

A surname, from Dutch as an occupational or nickname surname, and separately a Cantonese surname (also romanized as Fok/Huo).

fold

verb

To bend something, especially paper or fabric, over on itself.

foldaway

adj

Able to be folded up and put away when not needed.

folded

adj

Bent over on itself; having creases from folding.

folder

noun

A container, physical or digital, used to store and organize documents or files.

folderol

noun

(informal) Silly, meaningless talk or behaviour.

folding

adj

Designed to be folded flat or collapsed for storage.

foley

noun

The art of creating and recording everyday sound effects for film, television, and games.

foliage

noun

The leaves of plants and trees, collectively.

foliate

adj

Relating to leaves.

foliation

noun

The process by which something develops into a leaf or leaves.

folio

noun

A single leaf of paper in a book or manuscript.

folivore

noun

An animal that feeds mainly on leaves.

folk

adj

Belonging to or originating from ordinary people, their traditions, and their culture, rather than experts or elites.

folkish

adj

Relating to the traditions and culture of ordinary people.

folkishness

noun

The state or quality of being folkish.

folklore

noun

The traditional stories, beliefs, customs, and superstitions of a particular culture or community, passed down informally.

folks

noun

Informal term for one's parents or immediate family.

folksiness

noun

How friendly, plain and down-to-earth someone or something seems.

folksy

adj

Friendly, simple, and informal in a way that evokes traditional or rural community life.

folkway

noun

A traditional belief or way of behaving shared by a group of people.

follicle

noun

A tiny pocket or hollow in the body, for example the one a hair grows from.

follow

verb

To move behind someone or something, going in the same direction.

follower

noun

A person who supports, admires, or adheres to the ideas of another person, movement, or belief.

following

adj

Coming next, whether in a sequence, list, or in time.

followingly

adv

Afterwards, or as a result of that.

follows

verb

Third-person singular form of "follow" — to come after, to go in pursuit of, or to obey or act in accordance with.

folly

noun

A foolish act or belief, especially one with serious or costly consequences.

Folsom

name

A surname and place name, notably a city in California known for its state prison.

foment

verb

To stir up trouble or push people towards taking action, often unrest.

fomenter

noun

A person who stirs up trouble or encourages something to happen.

FOMO

noun

Fear of missing out: the uneasy feeling that others are having rewarding experiences you are being left out of, often prompted by seeing them online.

fon

noun

An old-fashioned or dialect word for a foolish person.

fond

adj

Having a liking or affection for someone or something.

fonda

noun

A small inn or informal restaurant found in Spanish-speaking countries.

Fonder

adj

Comparative form of "fond" — feeling greater affection or liking.

fondle

verb

To touch or stroke gently and affectionately.

fondling

noun

A person or animal that is doted on and much loved.

fondly

adv

In an affectionate or tender way.

fondness

noun

A liking or affection for someone or something.

fondu

noun

A gradual blending of one colour into another.

fondue

noun

A dish of melted cheese or chocolate, kept warm in a pot, into which pieces of food are dipped.

fong

noun

Slang for a kick.

font

noun

A set of letters and characters sharing one consistent design, style, and weight, used in printing or on a screen.

Fontaine

name

A French surname meaning "fountain" or "spring."

Fontainebleau

name

A town south of Paris, France, famous for its royal château and surrounding forest.

Fontana

name

An Italian surname meaning "fountain," also the name of a city in California.

fontanelle

noun

A soft area on a baby's head, found where the skull bones have not yet joined up.

foo

intj

An exclamation of disappointment or mild disgust.

foobar

noun

(informal) A bad mistake, or a situation that has gone badly wrong.

food

noun

Any substance eaten or drunk to sustain life and provide energy.

food chain

noun

A sequence of living things in which each one is eaten by the next, showing how energy passes from plants up through animals in an ecosystem.

food for thought

noun

Something that is worth thinking about carefully, especially an idea or piece of information that changes how you see a subject.

foodie

noun

Someone with a strong interest in and knowledge of good food.

foodstuff

noun

Any raw material that serves as food or is used as an ingredient in preparing it.

foofaraw

noun

Showy, over-the-top decoration.

fook

intj

A softened spelling of a common swear word, imitating certain accents.

fool

noun

A person who acts or thinks without good sense or judgment.

foolery

noun

Silly behaviour or talk.

foolhardiness

noun

A tendency to take reckless risks without thinking of the danger.

foolhardy

adj

Recklessly bold, taking risks without any regard for danger.

fooling

noun

Silly, playful behavior; joking around.

foolish

adj

Lacking good sense; unwise or silly.

foolishly

adv

In a way that shows poor judgment.

foolishness

noun

The state or quality of being unwise or silly.

foolproof

adj

Designed so simply or solidly that it can't go wrong, even if misused.

foon

noun

Another word for a spork, a combined spoon and fork.

foosball

noun

A tabletop game in which players spin rods to control miniature figures and hit a small ball into the opponent's goal.

foot

noun

The body part at the end of the leg that a person or animal stands and walks on.

footage

noun

Recorded video or film material.

footbag

noun

A small bag filled with beans or sand, kicked around as a ball in certain games.

football

noun

A sport where two teams try to score by getting a ball into a goal, especially soccer in most of the world or American football in the US.