English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

officiate

verb

To perform the official duties of a position, especially presiding over a ceremony.

offing

noun

The near future, especially something expected soon. Chiefly used in the phrase "in the offing".

offline

adj

Not connected to a network, especially the internet.

offload

verb

To remove a load or cargo from a vehicle.

offscreen

adj

Happening outside the visible frame of a film or television screen.

offset

noun

Something that balances out or compensates for something else.

offshore

adj

Located in the sea some distance from the coast.

offside

adj

In an illegal position ahead of the ball or play, according to the rules of a sport such as soccer or hockey.

offspring

noun

A person's child, or an animal's or plant's young.

offstage

adj

Happening in the part of a theater not visible to the audience.

oft

adv

Often; frequently. Now mostly literary or used in compound words.

often

adv

Frequently; many times.

oftentimes

adv

Often; frequently. A slightly old-fashioned or formal variant of "often".

OG

adj

Original, authentic, or old-school; the real or first version of something.

Ogata

name

A Japanese surname.

Ogawa

name

A Japanese surname, literally "small river."

Ogden

name

An English habitational surname and given name, and the name of a city in Utah and several other places in the United States and Canada.

ogle

verb

To stare at someone or something in an obvious, often lustful or admiring way.

ogling

noun

The act of staring at someone in an obvious, often lustful way.

ogre

noun

A large, ugly, monstrous creature in folklore, known for its brutish strength and appetite for humans.

OH

intj

Used to express surprise, realization, understanding, or emotion.

ohm

noun

The standard unit of electrical resistance.

oho

intj

Used to express surprise or a triumphant realization, similar to "aha".

oi

intj

Used to get someone's attention, often sharply, or to express annoyance or surprise.

oil

noun

A thick, greasy liquid, either from plants, animals, or petroleum, used for cooking, fuel, or lubrication.

oiled

adj

Coated or treated with oil.

oily

adj

Covered with, containing, or resembling oil.

oink

noun

The grunting sound a pig makes.

ointment

noun

A thick, oily paste, often medicated, applied to the skin to treat or soothe it.

Oishi

name

A Japanese surname, literally "big stone."

Ojai

name

A small city in Ventura County, California, known for its arts community.

OK

adj

All right; acceptable, permitted, or satisfactory.

oka

noun

An old unit of weight used historically in Turkey, Egypt, Hungary, and Romania, equal to a little more than a kilogram.

Okada

noun

A motorcycle used as a taxi, especially common in West African cities such as Lagos, Nigeria.

Okamoto

name

A Japanese surname.

okey

noun

A Turkish tile game similar to rummy, played with numbered tiles.

Oki

name

A Japanese surname.

Okie

noun

Someone from Oklahoma, especially used historically for Dust Bowl-era migrants who left the state for California.

Okinawa

name

A prefecture and island chain of Japan, and the main island within it, notable as the site of a major World War II battle.

Oklahoma

name

A state in the south-central United States; its capital is Oklahoma City.

okra

noun

A green, ridged vegetable pod eaten cooked, known for its sticky texture when cut and used to thicken stews.

Oksana

name

A feminine given name, a transliteration of the Russian or Ukrainian Оксана.

Oktoberfest

noun

A large beer festival held in Munich, Germany, each year in late September and early October, famous for its beer tents and traditional food.

Okuda

name

A Japanese surname.

OL

adj

Informal spelling of "old", used to imitate casual speech.

Ola

name

A given name of Yoruba or Scandinavian origin, also used as a surname.

Olaf

name

A masculine given name of Old Norse origin.

old

adj

Having existed for a long time; not new or young.

olden

adj

Belonging to an earlier, often romanticized, era; used mainly in the phrase "olden days".

older

adj

Comparative form of "old"; greater in age or having existed longer.

oldest

noun

The person or thing that has existed longest among a group, especially the eldest child in a family.

oldie

noun

A song, film, or other piece of media from an earlier era, especially one still fondly remembered.

Oldman

name

An English surname.

Olds

noun

Informal, plural term for one's parents.

ole

intj

An exclamation shouted to cheer on a performer, bullfighter, or sports team.

Oleg

name

A masculine given name common among Slavic-speaking peoples, derived ultimately from a Norse name meaning "holy."

olfactory

adj

Relating to the sense of smell.

Olga

name

A feminine given name common in Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian, derived from a Norse word meaning "holy."

Oli

name

A diminutive of the masculine given name Oliver.

Olin

name

A masculine given name, and the name of a city in Iowa and a village in Poland.

olive

noun

A small oval fruit, usually eaten pickled or pressed for its oil, that grows on a Mediterranean tree.

Oliver

noun

A given name, historically also used as a common English male first name and surname.

Olivia

noun

A female given name, ultimately from Latin, and one of the most popular girls' names in English-speaking countries today.

Olivier

name

A French surname and given name, equivalent to the English Oliver.

ollie

noun

A skateboarding trick where the rider and board leap into the air together without using the hands.

Olly

name

A diminutive of the given names Oliver or Olivia.

Olmedo

name

A Spanish surname.

Olsen

name

A Scandinavian patronymic surname meaning "son of Ole."

Olson

name

A Swedish patronymic surname meaning "son of Olaf," common among Scandinavian-Americans.

Olsson

name

A Swedish surname meaning "son of Olaf."

Olya

name

A feminine given name, a diminutive transliteration of the Russian or Ukrainian Оля, from Olga.

Olympia

name

An ancient Greek city that hosted the original Olympic Games; also the capital of Washington state and a feminine given name.

Olympiad

noun

The four-year period between one Olympic Games and the next, or, loosely, the Games themselves.

Olympian

adj

Godlike, majestic, or far above ordinary human concerns — originally describing the gods said to live on Mount Olympus.

Olympic

adj

Relating to the Olympic Games, or of a scale and standard associated with them.

Olympics

name

The Olympic Games, the major international multi-sport competition held every four years.

Olympus

name

The highest mountain in Greece, regarded in Greek mythology as the home of the gods.

om

noun

A sacred syllable chanted in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain meditation and prayer.

Oma

noun

An informal word for grandmother, used especially in German-influenced English.

Omaha

name

The largest city in Nebraska, United States.

Oman

name

A country on the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia, whose capital is Muscat.

Omar

name

A male given name of Arabic origin, historically borne by the second caliph of Islam.

ome

noun

The complete set of a particular kind of biological molecule or feature in an organism, as in "genome" or "proteome."

omega

noun

The final letter of the Greek alphabet, symbolizing an ending or the last in a series.

omelette

noun

A dish of beaten eggs cooked flat in a pan, often folded over a filling like cheese or vegetables.

omen

noun

A sign believed to foretell a future event, whether good or bad.

omer

noun

An ancient Hebrew unit of dry measure, roughly equal to 2.3 liters, historically used for grain.

OMG

intj

An exclamation of surprise, shock, or excitement — short for "oh my God."

omi

noun

A man (informal/slang term, historically used in Polari and some British underworld slang).

omicron

noun

The 15th letter of the Greek alphabet.

ominous

adj

Suggesting that something bad is about to happen; threatening or foreboding.

omission

noun

The act of leaving something out, or something that has been left out.

omit

verb

To leave something out or exclude it.

omitted

adj

Left out; not included, whether by accident or on purpose.

omni

noun

Informal shorthand for "omnivore" — someone who eats both plant and animal foods, as opposed to a vegan or vegetarian.

omnibus

noun

A large public bus, especially historically.

omnipotent

adj

Having unlimited power or authority; all-powerful.

omnipresent

adj

Present everywhere at the same time.

omniscient

adj

Knowing everything; having complete or unlimited knowledge.

on

prep

Positioned at, upon, or touching the surface of something.

Ona

name

A Spanish surname; also the name of an indigenous language spoken in Tierra del Fuego.

onboard

adv

On or inside a ship, aircraft, train, or other vehicle.

once

adv

On one occasion only; a single time.

oncologist

noun

A doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer.

oncology

noun

The branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis, treatment, and study of cancer.

oncoming

adj

Approaching or coming closer, especially traffic moving toward you.

one

num

The number 1; the first positive whole number.

oneness

noun

The state of being unified or whole; a sense of complete togetherness.

ones

noun

A team's first-choice or senior squad, as opposed to reserves.

onesie

noun

A one-piece garment, especially a snap-up outfit for a baby worn over a diaper.

Ong

name

A Chinese surname common among Hokkien, Taishanese, and Vietnamese speakers.

ongoing

adj

Currently happening or still in progress; not yet finished.

oni

noun

A demon or ogre-like spirit from Japanese folklore, often shown with horns and a fearsome face.

Onion

noun

An informal term for someone from Bermuda, referencing the island's once-famous onion crop.

Onions

name

A Welsh surname originating as a patronymic form of the given name Einion.

online

adj

Connected to the internet or another network, and actively available or in use.

only

adj

Being the single one of its kind; sole.

ono

adj

Hawaiian slang for delicious or great-tasting.

Ons

name

A feminine given name of Arabic origin.

onscreen

adj

Appearing on a screen, such as film, television, or a computer display, as opposed to in real life.

onset

noun

The point at which something, especially an illness or a change, first begins.

onslaught

noun

A fierce, forceful attack.

Onslow

name

A surname and given name originating as a patronymic, also the name of an English earldom.

onstage

adj

Taking place on the visible part of a stage, in front of an audience.

onto

prep

Moving to a position on top of or upon something.

onward

adj

Moving or directed forward, or further ahead in time.

onwards

adv

British spelling variant of onward, meaning continuing forward or from a point in time.

onyx

noun

A banded gemstone form of quartz, often black and white, used in jewelry and carvings.

oo

noun

The Greek letter omega (Ω, ω), sometimes written this way to show its long "o" sound.

oodles

noun

An informal word for a very large, unspecified amount of something.

oof

intj

An exclamation imitating the sound of air being forced out, as if someone has been struck or startled.

ooh

intj

An exclamation expressing surprise, delight, or awe.

ook

intj

Used to represent the sound of an ape or monkey's cry.

oolong

noun

A partially fermented Chinese tea that sits between green and black tea in flavor and processing.

oom

noun

A respectful South African term for an older man, especially an uncle.

oomph

noun

Energy, force, or appeal that makes something impressive or effective.

Oona

name

A feminine given name of Irish origin, a variant of Una.

ooo

phrase

A written stand-in for "hugs," typically added at the end of a text message or letter, often paired with "xxx" for kisses.

oooh

intj

A stretched-out version of "ooh," used to show strong surprise, admiration, or interest.

ooooh

intj

An even longer, more emphatic stretch of "ooh" or "oh," used for heightened surprise, teasing, or excitement.

OOP

verb

To write code using an object-oriented programming approach.

oops

intj

Used to acknowledge a small mistake or accident.

oot

pron

Anything at all (used in older or dialectal English, roughly like modern "aught" or "anything").

Ooty

name

A common nickname for Udhagamandalam, a hill city in Tamil Nadu, India.

ooze

verb

To leak or flow out slowly, especially a thick or sticky substance.

oozing

noun

A slow leak or seepage of liquid.

op

verb

Informal term meaning to promote someone to administrator or operator status in an online chat or game.

opa

noun

An informal, affectionate word for grandfather.

opal

noun

A gemstone form of silica that often displays a shifting play of rainbow colors within it.

opaque

adj

Not allowing light to pass through; not transparent or translucent.