English dictionary — definitions & meanings

incursive

adj

Characterized by incursion; invasive.

incurvate

adj

bending inwards.

Ind

name

An archaic English name for India or "the East."

indebt

verb

To bring into debt; to place under obligation.

indebted

adj

Owing money to someone.

indebtedness

noun

State of owing money; being in debt.

indecency

noun

The quality of being indecent or offensive to accepted standards.

indecent

adj

Offensive to accepted standards of modesty or good taste.

indecision

noun

The inability to make a decision, especially when there are multiple options.

indecisive

adj

Unable or unwilling to make a decision quickly.

indecisiveness

noun

The condition of being indecisive.

indecorous

adj

Improper, immodest, or indecent.

indecorum

noun

Indecorous behavior, or the state of being indecorous

indeed

adv

Used to confirm or emphasize a statement; truly, in fact.

indeedy

adv

A jokey, old-fashioned way of saying "indeed," used for emphasis.

indefatigable

adj

Extremely persistent and untiring.

indefatigably

adv

In an extremely persistent and untiring manner; in an indefatigable manner

indefective

adj

Not defective; perfect; complete.

indefensible

adj

Not defensible; not capable of being defended.

indefinable

adj

That which cannot be precisely defined or put into words.

indefinite

adj

Without a fixed end point or limit in time.

indefinitely

adv

For an unspecified length of time, with no planned end.

indelibility

noun

The property of being indelible.

indelible

adj

Impossible to remove, erase, or wash away.

indelicate

adj

Lacking tact or good taste; improper or embarrassing to mention.

indemnification

noun

The act or process of indemnifying, preserving, or securing against loss, damage, or penalty.

indemnify

verb

To secure against loss or damage; to insure.

indemnity

noun

Protection against loss or damage, or compensation paid for such loss.

indent

noun

A cut or notch in the margin of anything, or a recess like a notch.

indentation

noun

A dent, notch, or inward curve in a surface or edge.

indention

noun

Senses related to indent (verb):

indenture

noun

A contract which binds a person to work for another, under specified conditions, for a specified time (often as an apprentice).

indentured

adj

Bound by a legal contract to work for someone for a set period, typically in exchange for passage, training, or debt repayment.

independence

noun

Freedom from control, influence, or support by others.

independency

noun

Independence.

independent

adj

Not controlled or influenced by others; self-governing or self-sufficient.

independently

adv

In a way that does not depend on or is not influenced by someone or something else.

indescribable

adj

So extreme, unusual, or overwhelming that it is very hard to put into words.

indestructible

adj

Impossible to destroy or break; extremely durable.

indeterminant

adj

Not accurately determined or determinable.

indeterminate

adj

Not precisely known, fixed, or decided.

index

noun

An alphabetical list at the back of a book showing where topics can be found.

index fund

noun

An investment fund that holds the same things as a published market index, in the same proportions, so that its value rises and falls roughly in step with that index instead of relying on a manager to choose individual investments.

India

name

A country in South Asia, officially the Republic of India, with New Delhi as its capital.

Indian

adj

Relating to India or its people, languages, or culture.

Indianapolis

name

The capital city of Indiana, United States, and the county seat of Marion County.

indican

noun

A glycoside obtained from plants of genus Indigofera, the source of natural indigo dye.

indicant

adj

indicative; that points out.

indicate

verb

To point out or show; to make something known.

indication

noun

A sign or piece of evidence that shows something exists or is likely.

indicative

adj

Serving as a sign or suggestion of something.

indicator

noun

Something that shows or points to a condition, trend, or measurement.

indicia

noun

Indications or signs.

indicolite

noun

An indigo-blue variety of tourmaline.

indict

verb

To formally charge someone with a crime.

indictive

adj

proclaimed or declared by authority

indictment

noun

A formal accusation charging someone with a crime.

indie

adj

Independent of major commercial studios, labels, or publishers.

Indies

name

The East Indies, referring to India, Southeast Asia, and the surrounding islands.

indifference

noun

A lack of interest, concern, or sympathy.

indifferency

noun

Impartiality, fairness, disinterestedness.

indifferent

adj

Having no particular interest, concern, or preference.

indifferentism

noun

The doctrine that all religions are equally valid.

indifferently

adv

In an indifferent manner.

indigen

noun

An indigene or native.

indigence

noun

Extreme poverty or destitution.

indigene

noun

An indigenous person; a native.

indigenous

adj

Originating naturally in a particular place; native, especially before colonization or outside influence.

indigent

adj

Very poor; lacking the basic resources needed to live.

indigestion

noun

Discomfort in the stomach, such as pain, bloating, or heartburn, often caused by eating too much or too fast.

indignant

adj

Feeling or showing anger because of something seen as unfair or wrong.

indignation

noun

Anger provoked by something felt to be unjust, insulting, or wrong.

indignity

noun

An act or situation that causes humiliation or a loss of dignity.

indigo

noun

A deep blue-purple color, or the dye of that color traditionally extracted from certain plants.

indigotin

noun

A dark blue compound that is the principal dye found in indigo.

indio

noun

A term, now often considered dated or sensitive, historically used for an indigenous person in Latin America or the Philippines.

Indira

name

A female given name of Sanskrit origin, common in India, and another name for the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.

indirect

adj

Not going straight to a point or goal; roundabout.

indirectly

adverb

In a roundabout way rather than straight or directly.

indiscreet

adjective

Careless about what one says or reveals; lacking good judgment about privacy or tact.

indiscretion

noun

A lack of good judgment or tact, especially about private matters.

indiscriminate

adjective

Done without care to distinguish between different people, things, or situations; random or unselective.

indiscriminately

adverb

Without making careful distinctions; randomly or without selection.

indispensable

adjective

So necessary that it cannot be done without.

indispose

verb

To render unfit or unsuited; to disqualify.

indisposed

adjective

Slightly unwell.

indisposition

noun

A mild illness, the state of being indisposed.

indisputable

adjective

So clearly true that it cannot reasonably be questioned.

indisputably

adv

In a manner that is incapable of being disputed or argued against.

indistinct

adjective

Not clear or sharply defined; faint or blurred.

indistinctly

adverb

In a blurred or unclear way.

indistinctness

noun

The property of being indistinct.

indistinguishable

adjective

So similar to something else that it cannot be told apart from it.

indite

verb

To physically make (letters and words) on a writing surface; to inscribe.

indited

verb

Past tense and past participle of indite: to compose or write down something such as a letter, poem or speech.

indium

noun

A chemical element (symbol In) with an atomic number of 49: a soft silvery-white metal.

individual

noun

A single person, considered on their own rather than as part of a group.

individualism

noun

The tendency to think and act independently rather than following the group.

individualist

noun

Someone who believes in individualism as a sociopolitical system.

individualistic

adj

More interested in individual people than in society as a whole.

individuality

noun

The qualities that make a person or thing distinct from others in the same group.

individualize

verb

To give something its own individuality; to characterize or differentiate.

individually

adverb

One at a time, separately, rather than as a group.

individuation

noun

The process of individuating or individualizing.

indivisible

adjective

Not able to be split into separate parts.

Indochina

noun

The mainland peninsula of Southeast Asia, covering countries such as Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar.

indocile

adj

Unwilling to be taught or instructed; intractable or recalcitrant.

indoctrinate

verb

To teach (a person) with a biased, one-sided or uncritical ideology; to brainwash.

indoctrination

noun

The process of teaching someone to accept a set of beliefs uncritically, often repeatedly and without allowing for other viewpoints.

indolence

noun

Habitual laziness or sloth.

indolent

adjective

Avoiding effort or activity; lazy in a relaxed, unhurried way.

indomitable

adjective

Impossible to defeat, discourage, or bring under control.

Indonesia

noun

A large island nation in Southeast Asia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, with its capital at Jakarta.

Indonesian

adjective

Relating to Indonesia, its people, or its language.

indoor

adjective

Located, used, or done inside a building.

indoors

adverb

Inside a building, rather than outside.

indorse

verb

Archaic spelling of endorse.

indorsement

noun

Archaic spelling of endorsement.

indorser

noun

Archaic spelling of endorser.

indoxyl

noun

A hydroxyl derivative of indole produced by bacterial degradation of indoleacetic acid

Indra

noun

In Hindu mythology, the king of the gods and the deity associated with weather, thunder, and war.

indubitably

adv

In a manner that leaves no possibility of doubt.

induce

verb

To persuade or influence someone to do something.

induced

adjective

Brought about or triggered by some outside cause, rather than happening naturally on its own.

inducement

noun

An incentive that helps bring about a desired state.

inducing

adjective

Causing or bringing about a particular effect or state.

induct

verb

To bring in as a member; to make a part of.

inductee

noun

One who, or that which, is inducted.

induction

noun

A formal process of introducing someone into a new role, organization, or position.

indulge

verb

To allow oneself to enjoy something desired, often without restraint.

indulged

adjective

Given everything one wants, often to an excessive degree.

indulgence

noun

The act of allowing oneself or someone else a pleasure, often more than is wise.

indulgent

adjective

Willing to allow, satisfy, or go along with someone's wishes, often too readily.

induline

noun

Any of a series of blue, bluish-red and black dyestuffs, formed by the interaction of para-amino azo compounds with primary monoamines in the presence of a small quantity of a mineral acid.

indurate

verb

To harden or to grow hard.

induration

noun

An enduring presence; fixity.

industrial

adjective

Relating to industry, especially manufacturing.

industrialised

adj

having undergone industrialisation.

industrialism

noun

The socioeconomic system based upon the industrial production of manufactured goods, rather than on agriculture.

industrialist

noun

A person who owns or manages a large manufacturing business.

industrialized

adjective

Having developed large-scale manufacturing and mechanized production.

industrious

adjective

Working hard and steadily; diligent.

industriousness

noun

The quality of being industrious.

industry

noun

A particular branch of economic or commercial activity, such as manufacturing or a specific trade.

Indy

adjective

Independent, especially not affiliated with a major company or organization; often used of music, films, or games.

inebriant

adj

Intoxicating; inebriating.

inebriate

noun

A person who is intoxicated, especially one who is habitually drunk.

inebriated

adjective

Drunk; affected by alcohol to the point of impaired behavior.

inebriation

noun

The state or characteristic of drunkenness.

inebriety

noun

The state of being inebriated; inebriation, drunkenness.