English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

OA

name

Abbreviation for the Order of the Arrow, an honor society within the Boy Scouts of America.

oaf

noun

A clumsy, foolish, or unrefined person.

Oahu

name

The third-largest Hawaiian island, home to Honolulu and most of the state's population.

oak

noun

A large deciduous tree with lobed leaves and acorns, valued for its strong wood.

Oakes

name

An English surname, and also the name of towns in England and North Dakota.

Oakland

name

The eighth-largest city in California, seat of Alameda County, and also the name of several smaller towns across the United States and Canada.

Oakley

name

An English surname derived from several English place names meaning a clearing in an oak wood, and the name of numerous villages in England and towns in the United States.

oaks

noun

A famous horse race for three-year-old fillies, run each year at Epsom in England.

oakwood

noun

A wood or forest made up mainly of oak trees.

oar

noun

A long pole with a flat blade used to row or steer a boat.

oasis

noun

A fertile spot with water in the middle of a desert.

oat

noun

A cereal grass grown for its edible grain.

Oates

name

An English and Irish surname, and the name of a small community in Missouri.

oath

noun

A solemn formal promise, often invoking something sacred, to tell the truth or keep a commitment.

oatmeal

noun

Ground or rolled oats, or the porridge made by cooking them.

oats

noun

The grains harvested from the oat plant, used as food or livestock feed.

Oaxaca

noun

A soft, stringy white cheese from the Oaxaca region of Mexico, similar to mozzarella and often used melted.

ob

noun

A short informal way of saying "observation," especially in medical or scientific settings.

Obama

name

A Luo surname, notably borne by Barack Obama, 44th president of the United States, and also the name of a Japanese city and samurai clan.

obedience

noun

The act of following instructions, rules, or authority.

obedient

adjective

Willing to follow instructions or do what someone in authority says.

obediently

adverb

In a way that follows instructions or authority without resistance.

obelisk

noun

A tall, four-sided stone pillar that narrows to a pointed top, often built as a monument.

Oberoi

name

A Punjabi surname.

Oberon

name

The king of the fairies in medieval and Renaissance literature, notably in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream; also the outermost major moon of Uranus.

obese

adjective

Very overweight, to a degree that is unhealthy.

obesity

noun

The condition of carrying an unhealthy amount of body fat.

obey

verb

To do what someone in authority tells you to do.

obi

noun

A wide sash tied around the waist of a kimono.

obit

noun

A short published account of a person's death and life, especially in a newspaper; short for obituary.

obituary

noun

A published notice of someone's death, often with a summary of their life, usually appearing in a newspaper.

object

noun

A physical thing that can be seen or touched.

objection

noun

A statement of disagreement or opposition, often with a reason attached.

objectionable

adjective

Likely to cause disapproval or offence.

objective

adjective

Based on facts rather than personal feelings or opinions.

objectively

adverb

In a way based on facts rather than personal feelings.

objectivity

noun

The quality of being fair and fact-based rather than influenced by personal feelings.

obligated

adjective

Required to do something because of a duty, promise, or rule.

obligation

noun

A duty or requirement to do something, often because of a promise, law, or moral sense.

obligatory

adjective

Required by rule, law, or custom; compulsory.

oblige

verb

To require someone to do something, by law, duty, or circumstance.

obliged

adjective

Required to do something.

obliging

adjective

Willing and ready to help or do favours for others.

oblique

adjective

Slanting; not straight up-and-down or side-to-side.

obliterate

verb

To destroy something completely, leaving no trace.

obliterated

adjective

Destroyed completely or beyond repair.

oblivion

noun

A state of being completely forgotten or no longer existing.

oblivious

adjective

Not aware of something happening around you.

obnoxious

adjective

Extremely unpleasant, rude, or annoying.

oboe

noun

A slender wooden wind instrument with a double reed, played in orchestras and bands.

obscene

adjective

Offensive to accepted standards of decency, often in a sexual way.

obscenity

noun

Language or behaviour that is offensive to standards of decency.

obscure

adjective

Not well known.

obscured

adjective

Hidden from view or made unclear.

obscurity

noun

The state of being unknown or not noticed.

observant

adjective

Quick to notice things; alert and watchful.

observation

noun

The act of watching something carefully.

observational

adjective

Relating to watching and recording, especially in science.

observatory

noun

A building equipped for watching the stars and other astronomical events, usually with a telescope.

observe

verb

To watch someone or something carefully.

observed

adj

Noticed or watched; seen and taken note of.

observer

noun

Someone who watches, notices, or pays close attention to something.

observing

noun

The act of watching something closely, or of noting and recording what happens.

obsess

verb

To think about someone or something constantly, to the point where it takes over your mind.

obsessed

adj

Completely preoccupied with one thing, to an unhealthy or extreme degree.

obsession

noun

A single idea, activity, or interest that dominates someone's thoughts far more than is normal or healthy.

obsessive

adj

Showing an extreme, excessive focus on one thing, often in an unhealthy way.

obsessively

adv

In a way that shows an extreme or unhealthy focus on one thing.

obsidian

noun

A smooth, glassy black rock formed when lava cools very quickly.

obsolete

adj

No longer used because something newer or better has replaced it.

obstacle

noun

Something that blocks progress or makes it harder to move forward, whether physical or figurative.

obstetrician

noun

A doctor who specialises in pregnancy, labour, and childbirth.

obstetrics

noun

The branch of medicine dealing with pregnancy, labour, and the period just after birth.

obstinacy

noun

Stubborn refusal to change one's mind or course of action.

obstinate

adj

Refusing to change one's opinion or course of action, often unreasonably so.

obstruct

verb

To block a path or passage so that things can't get through.

obstruction

noun

Something that blocks a path, passage, or process.

obtain

verb

To get or acquire something, often through effort or a formal process.

obtuse

adj

Slow to understand or notice things that seem obvious to others.

obvious

adj

Easy to see or understand; not needing explanation.

obviously

adv

Clearly; in a way that's easy to see or understand.

OC

adj

Informal shorthand meaning "of color", used to describe people who are not white.

occasion

noun

A particular time when something happens, especially something notable.

occasional

adj

Happening from time to time, but not regularly or often.

occasionally

adv

Now and then; sometimes, but not often.

occipital

adj

Relating to or located at the back of the head.

occult

adj

Relating to magic, mysticism, or supernatural practices.

occupancy

noun

The act of living in or using a place, or the state of being occupied.

occupant

noun

A person who lives in, uses, or is present in a place.

occupation

noun

A person's job or profession.

occupational

adj

Relating to a person's job or work.

occupied

adj

Currently in use or taken, such as a seat, room, or toilet.

occupy

verb

To live in, use, or take up a space.

occur

verb

To happen or take place.

occurrence

noun

Something that happens; an event or instance.

occurring

adj

Happening, especially in a specified way or place.

OCD

adj

Showing obsessive, perfectionistic tendencies, often used loosely to describe someone who likes things a certain way (informally referencing obsessive-compulsive disorder).

ocean

noun

One of the huge bodies of salt water that cover most of the Earth's surface.

oceanic

adj

Relating to, found in, or resembling the ocean.

och

intj

A Scottish and Irish exclamation used to show agreement, mild annoyance, or resignation.

Ochoa

name

A Spanish surname of Basque origin, meaning "wolf."

ock

noun

A slang, and now dated, New York term for a Middle Eastern deli or bodega owner.

octagon

noun

A shape with eight straight sides and eight angles.

octave

noun

The musical distance between one note and another note with double or half its pitch frequency, spanning eight notes of the scale.

Octavia

name

A feminine given name of Latin origin, from the Roman family name Octavius, meaning "eighth."

Octavian

name

A masculine given name of Latin origin, historically borne by Augustus Caesar before he took the name Augustus.

Octavius

name

A masculine given name of Latin origin, meaning "eighth," from a prominent Roman family name.

October

name

The tenth month of the year, between September and November, associated in the northern hemisphere with autumn and falling leaves.

octopus

noun

A soft-bodied sea creature with eight arms lined with suckers and no internal shell.

ocular

adj

Relating to the eye or to eyesight.

od

verb

To take a dangerous excess of a drug; to overdose.

oda

noun

A private room set aside for women within a harem.

odd

adj

Strange, unusual, or not what you would expect.

oddball

noun

A person who behaves in a strange or eccentric way.

oddity

noun

A strange or unusual thing, person, or detail.

oddly

adv

In a strange or unexpected way.

odds

noun

The likelihood of something happening, especially as expressed in betting.

ode

noun

A poem, often meant to be sung, that expresses strong feeling or praise for its subject.

Odell

name

A given name and surname, also the name of a village in England and several small towns in the United States.

Oder

name

A river running through central Europe, forming part of the border between Germany and Poland before reaching the Baltic Sea.

Odessa

name

A major port city in Ukraine on the Black Sea coast.

Odie

name

A diminutive of several given names such as Odell, Odin, or Otis, also used as a formal given name and surname.

Odin

name

In Norse mythology, the chief god, associated with wisdom, war, and poetry.

odious

adj

Deeply unpleasant; causing strong dislike or disgust.

Odo

name

A masculine given name of historical usage, derived from Latin Otho.

odor

noun

A smell, whether pleasant or unpleasant.

odorless

adj

Having no smell at all.

odour

noun

A smell, whether pleasant or unpleasant — the standard British spelling of "odor".

ods

intj

An old-fashioned mild oath, a euphemistic shortening of "God's" used in exclamations like "Ods bodkins!"

odum

noun

Another name for the iroko tree, a large West African hardwood tree valued for its durable timber.

Odysseus

name

A legendary Greek king and hero known for his cunning, famous for devising the Trojan Horse and for his long journey home after the Trojan War.

odyssey

noun

A long, eventful journey, especially one full of challenges.

OE

noun

A small island, especially in Scandinavian place names.

Oedipus

name

A figure from Greek mythology who unknowingly killed his father and married his mother, later the subject of Sophocles's tragedies.

of

prep

Used to show that something belongs to, or is a part of, something else.

off

adv

Away from a place, position, or reference point.

offal

noun

The internal organs of a butchered animal, such as liver or kidney, eaten as food.

offence

noun

British spelling of "offense" — a crime or breach of the law, or a feeling of being hurt or insulted.

offend

verb

To hurt someone's feelings or upset them, often unintentionally.

offender

noun

A person who commits a crime or breaks the law.

offending

adj

Guilty of a wrongdoing; the one responsible for a problem.

offense

noun

A wrongdoing, crime, or breach of a rule.

offensive

adj

Causing anger, disgust, or hurt feelings.

offer

verb

To present something for someone to accept or refuse.

offering

noun

Something given, presented, or put up for consideration, especially as a gift, contribution, or for sale.

offhand

adj

Said or done without preparation or careful thought.

office

noun

A room or building where people do administrative or professional work.

officer

noun

Someone holding a position of authority, especially in the military, police, or government.

official

adj

Approved by, or coming from, a proper authority.

officially

adv

According to official rules, procedures, or authority.