English dictionary — definitions & meanings

infrared

noun

Light energy just beyond the red end of the visible spectrum, felt as heat but invisible to the eye.

infrasonic

adj

Having frequencies below the human audible range

infrastructure

noun

The basic physical systems — roads, power, water, networks — that a place or organization needs to function.

infrequency

noun

The characteristic of being infrequent.

infrequent

adj

Not frequent; not happening frequently.

infrigidation

noun

The act of chilling or making cold; freezing.

infringe

verb

To break or violate a treaty, a law, a right, etc.

infringed

adj

Of a treaty, law, right, etc., broken or violated.

infringement

noun

A violation of a law or someone's legal rights.

infuriate

verb

To make furious or mad with anger; to fill with fury.

infuriated

adj

Made extremely angry.

infuriating

adj

Extremely annoying; making someone very angry.

infuriation

noun

Extreme anger.

infuscate

verb

To darken; to make black or obscure.

infuse

verb

To fill something with a quality or feeling.

infuser

noun

A small device used to steep loose tea or herbs in hot water.

infusion

noun

A drink made by steeping something like tea, herbs, or fruit in hot water.

ing

noun

A low meadow, especially one near a river; a water meadow (a dialect and historical term).

inga

noun

Any tree or shrub of the tropical genus Inga, common in Central and South America and often grown for shade or edible pods.

ingathering

noun

The gathering in of a literal or metaphorical harvest

Inge

name

A surname, also used as a Scandinavian given name.

ingeniosity

noun

The quality of being ingenious.

ingenious

adj

Clever and inventive; showing a smart, original way of solving a problem.

ingeniously

adv

In an ingenious manner; using ingenuity.

ingeniousness

noun

The condition of being ingenious.

ingenue

noun

An innocent, unsophisticated, naïve, wholesome girl or young woman.

ingenuine

adj

false, not genuine or unauthentic.

ingenuity

noun

Skill at inventing clever solutions to problems.

ingenuous

adjective

Innocent and trusting to the point of seeming naive, particularly about people's motives.

Inger

name

A surname, also used as a Scandinavian female given name.

ingest

verb

To take something, especially food or drink, into the body, usually by swallowing.

ingestion

noun

The act of taking something into the body, such as food, drink, or medicine.

ingle

verb

To cajole or coax; to wheedle.

inglenook

noun

A nook or corner beside an open fireplace; a chimney corner.

Inglewood

name

A city in Los Angeles County, California, home to major sports and entertainment venues.

ingo

noun

The frame of a door, window, fireplace, or similar structure.

ingrain

verb

To dye with a fast or lasting colour.

ingrained

adj

Deeply fixed or established, especially a habit, belief, or attitude.

Ingram

name

A surname and male given name of Germanic origin, also the name of several towns in the United States and England.

ingrate

noun

An ungrateful person.

ingratiate

verb

To bring oneself into favour with someone by flattering or trying to please them; to insinuate oneself; to worm one's way in.

ingratiating

adj

Which ingratiates; which attempts to bring oneself into the favour of another, often with flattery or insincerity; smarmy; unctuous; oily.

ingratiation

noun

The state of being ingratiating.

ingratitude

noun

A lack of gratitude; failing to be thankful.

ingredient

noun

One of the items that make up a mixture, especially in cooking.

ingress

noun

The act of entering.

Ingrid

name

A female given name of Old Norse origin, popular in Scandinavia.

ingroup

noun

The social group that one belongs to.

inguinal

adj

Of or pertaining to the groin.

ingurgitate

verb

To swallow greedily or in large amounts.

inhabit

verb

To live in a place.

inhabitable

adj

Fit to live in; habitable.

inhabitancy

noun

The condition of inhabiting or of being inhabited; occupancy

inhabitant

noun

A person or animal that lives in a particular place.

inhabitantless

adj

Lacking inhabitants; uninhabited.

inhabitation

noun

The act of inhabiting, or the state of being inhabited; indwelling.

inhabited

adj

Having inhabitants; lived in.

inhalant

noun

Something, especially a medication, that is inhaled.

inhalation

noun

The act of breathing something in.

inhale

verb

To breathe air or another substance into the lungs.

inhaler

noun

A small handheld device that delivers medicine directly into the lungs by breathing it in, commonly used for asthma.

inhaling

noun

The act of breathing something in; inhalation.

inharmonious

adj

Not in harmony.

inherent

adj

Existing as a natural or essential part of something, rather than added on.

inherently

adv

In a way that is a natural, built-in part of something; naturally.

inherit

verb

To receive money, property, or a title from someone after they die.

inheritance

noun

Money, property, or possessions passed to someone after a person's death.

inherited

adj

Received from a parent or ancestor, either as property or as a genetic trait.

inheritor

noun

Someone who inherits something; an heir.

inheritress

noun

A female inheritor; an heiress.

inhibit

verb

To slow down, restrain, or prevent something from happening freely.

inhibited

adj

Holding back your natural feelings or behavior; reserved and self-conscious.

inhibition

noun

A feeling of self-consciousness or fear that stops someone acting freely.

inhibitor

noun

A substance that slows down or stops a chemical or biological process.

inhibitory

adj

That inhibits.

inhospitable

adj

Unwelcoming to visitors or guests.

inhuman

adj

Shockingly cruel or brutal, lacking normal human kindness.

inhumane

adjective

Cruel, brutal, or lacking any compassion for the suffering of people or animals.

inhumaneness

noun

The condition of being inhumane

inhumanity

noun

A total lack of compassion or kindness toward others.

inhumation

noun

The act of burial.

Inigo

name

A male given name of Spanish origin.

inimical

adjective

Tending to harm something or make it impossible; working against it.

iniquitous

adj

Characterized by iniquity (“deviation from what is right”).

iniquity

noun

Deep moral wrongdoing; wickedness or gross injustice.

initial

adj

Happening at the very start; first.

initialize

verb

To assign initial values to something.

initially

adv

At first, before anything changed.

initials

noun

The first letters of a person's names, used as a short form of their full name.

initiate

verb

To start something, especially a formal process.

initiation

noun

The act or process of starting something.

initiationism

noun

A rite or act of initiation.

initiative

noun

A new plan or effort aimed at solving a problem or achieving a goal.

initiator

noun

One who initiates.

inject

verb

To force a liquid, especially medicine or a drug, into the body using a needle.

injectable

adj

Capable of being (or designed to be) injected.

injection

noun

The act of putting a liquid, especially medicine, into the body with a needle, or the dose given that way.

injector

noun

A device that forces a substance, such as fuel, into something under pressure.

injudicial

adj

Not according to the forms of law

injudicious

adj

Showing poor judgement; not well judged.

injudiciousness

noun

The state or condition of being injudicious.

injun

noun

An old-fashioned and now offensive term for a Native American.

injunction

noun

A court order that requires someone to do something or, more often, to stop doing something.

injunctive

noun

A verbal mood in Sanskrit characterized by secondary endings but no augment, and usually resembling an augmentless aorist or imperfect.

injure

verb

To physically hurt a person or animal.

injured

adj

Hurt, having suffered physical damage.

injurious

adj

Causing physical harm.

injury

noun

Physical damage or harm done to the body.

injustice

noun

Unfair treatment; the absence of justice.

ink

noun

A colored liquid used for writing, drawing, or printing.

inkiness

noun

The condition of or an instance of being inky.

inkling

noun

A slight hint or vague idea about something.

inky

adj

As dark or black as ink.

inland

adj

Located away from the coast, in the interior of a country.

inlay

verb

To place (pieces of a foreign material) within another material to form a decorative design.

inlet

noun

A narrow strip of water leading from a larger body of water into the land.

inlighted

adj

Lit up or lighted; illuminated.

inly

adj

Inward; interior; secret.

Inman

name

A surname, also the name of several small towns in the United States.

inmate

noun

A person held in a prison.

inmigration

noun

A migration inwards; especially, synonym of immigration.

inn

noun

A small hotel or pub, especially one in the countryside, offering food, drink, and lodging.

innards

noun

The internal organs of a person or animal.

innate

adj

Present from birth; natural rather than learned.

innately

adv

In an innate manner, referring to a property that is possessed merely by its nature.

inner

adj

Located on the inside; closer to the center.

innermost

adj

Furthest inside; most private or deeply held.

innerstanding

noun

The comprehension of one's own purported innate knowledge.

innervation

noun

The act of innervating or stimulating.

innie

noun

Anything concave; especially:

inning

noun

In baseball, one round in which each team gets a turn to bat, ending after three outs on each side.

innings

noun

In cricket, a team's or player's turn at batting, or the runs scored during it.

innkeeper

noun

A person who owns or manages an inn.

innocence

noun

The state of not being guilty of a crime or wrongdoing.

innocency

noun

Synonym of innocence:

innocent

adj

Free of guilt or wrongdoing; not responsible for a crime or bad act.

innocently

adv

In a way that shows no guilt or harmful intent.

innocuous

adj

Not harmful; unlikely to cause damage or upset.

innominate

adj

Having no name, nameless, unnamed; anonymous.

innovate

verb

To introduce new ideas, methods, or products.

innovation

noun

The act of creating or introducing something new.

innovative

adj

Introducing new ideas or methods; creative and original.

innovator

noun

A person who introduces new ideas, methods, or products.

innovatory

adj

Producing new ideas or products.

innoxious

adj

Having no harmful effect; harmless, innocuous.

innuendo

noun

An indirect or hinted remark, often with a sexual or critical meaning, that is not stated outright.

innumerable

adj

Too many to be counted; extremely numerous.

Ino

name

A queen of Boeotia in Greek mythology who became the sea goddess Leucothea after her death.

inobedient

adj

Not obedient; disobedient.

inobtrusive

adj

inconspicuous; unobtrusive