English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

ponce

noun

British slang, often derogatory, for a man who lives off someone else's earnings, especially a pimp.

poncho

noun

A simple cloak made from a piece of cloth with a hole for the head, worn over the shoulders.

pond

noun

A small body of still water, smaller than a lake, whether natural or artificial.

ponder

verb

To think about something carefully and for a long time.

ponderable

adj

Able to be weighed, because it has real mass.

ponderer

noun

Someone who thinks deeply about things.

pondering

noun

A period of deep or careful thought.

ponderosa

noun

A very large pine tree native to western North America, prized for its timber.

ponderous

adj

Very heavy in weight.

ponderousness

noun

The trait of being ponderous.

ponent

noun

West, the direction where the sun sets.

pong

noun

A strong, unpleasant smell.

pongo

noun

Any large ape, such as an orangutan or gorilla.

poniard

noun

A dagger that usually has a narrow blade, square or triangular in cross-section.

ponies

noun

Units of horsepower, especially in describing a car or engine's output.

pont

verb

To pose or hold a stiff, awkward position for a long time, as if freezing in place.

Ponte

name

A surname of Italian, Portuguese, and Galician origin, meaning "bridge".

Pontiac

noun

A car made by the former Pontiac brand, an American automaker owned by General Motors from 1926 until it was discontinued in 2010.

pontiff

noun

The Pope, as head of the Roman Catholic Church.

pontifical

adj

Relating to a pontiff.

pontificate

noun

The status or term of office of a pontiff or pontifex.

pontoon

noun

A flat-bottomed float used to support a temporary bridge, dock, or platform on water.

Pontus

name

An ancient region on the southern coast of the Black Sea, also a masculine given name in Scandinavia.

pony

noun

A small breed of horse, typically under about 14 hands high.

ponytail

noun

A hairstyle in which hair is gathered and tied so it hangs down at the back of the head.

Ponzi

noun

A fraudulent investment scheme that pays existing investors with money from new investors, rather than real profit.

poo

noun

Solid waste from the body; excrement (a mild, informal word often used with children).

pooch

noun

Informal word for a dog, especially a mongrel or family pet.

poochie

noun

An affectionate, informal word for a dog.

poodle

noun

A breed of dog with a thick, curly coat, bred originally for hunting and known for its intelligence.

poof

intj

Used to represent a sudden small explosion or a magical vanishing.

poofter

noun

A derogatory slang term (chiefly British and Australian) for a gay man, especially one perceived as effeminate.

pooh

name

A shortening of Winnie the Pooh.

Pooja

noun

A Hindu ritual act of worship, typically involving offerings, prayers, and devotional rites in front of a deity or shrine.

Pookie

noun

An affectionate pet name used for a partner, child, or loved one.

pool

noun

A small body of still water, or a purpose-built structure for swimming.

Poole

name

An English surname and the name of a coastal town in Dorset, England.

pooling

noun

The act of combining resources, money, or people into a shared supply.

poolside

adj

Located next to a swimming pool.

poon

noun

Vulgar slang for the vagina, or for sex with a woman.

poonah

name

An old form of Pune.

Poonam

name

A Hindu female given name derived from a Hindi word for "full moon."

poontang

noun

Vulgar slang for female genitalia, for sex with a woman, or (in a demeaning sense) for a woman viewed purely as a sexual object.

poop

verb

To defecate (informal, especially used with or by children).

pooped

adj

Exhausted; very tired.

pooper

noun

(informal) The anus.

pooping

noun

On a ship, the event of a large wave breaking over the stern (the "poop deck") of the vessel.

poopy

adj

Covered in or resembling feces (informal, often used with children).

poor

adj

Having little money or few possessions.

poorhouse

noun

Historically, an institution that housed and supported people who could not support themselves.

poorliness

noun

The state of feeling unwell.

poorly

adv

In a way that lacks skill, quality, or success.

pootie

noun

An informal, chiefly regional American word for a baby's pacifier.

pop

verb

To make a sudden sharp sound, especially from bursting.

popcorn

noun

A snack made from corn kernels heated until they burst open and puff up.

pope

noun

The bishop of Rome, head of the Roman Catholic Church.

Popeye

name

A classic cartoon sailor known for his bulging forearms, squinting eye, and love of spinach.

popinjay

noun

A picture of a parrot shown on cloth or a tapestry.

popishness

noun

The state of being popish.

poplar

noun

A tall, fast-growing deciduous tree of the genus Populus, often planted in rows as a windbreak.

Popov

name

A common Russian and Bulgarian surname meaning "priest's son".

poppa

noun

An informal, affectionate word for father.

popper

noun

A snap fastener used on clothing instead of a button, which clicks shut with a light pop.

poppers

noun

A class of recreational alkyl nitrite drugs, inhaled for a brief, intense head rush.

poppet

noun

An affectionate British term for a sweet or endearing child.

popping

noun

The act or sound of something bursting or making short, sharp cracks.

poppy

noun

A plant with delicate, often bright red petals, some varieties of which are the source of opium.

poppycock

noun

Nonsense; ridiculous or foolish talk.

pops

noun

An informal term for one's father, or an older man addressed familiarly.

Popsicle

noun

Flavoured ice frozen on a stick, eaten as a treat, especially in hot weather.

populace

noun

The ordinary people of a country or region as a whole.

popular

adj

Liked, enjoyed, or supported by a large number of people.

popular sovereignty

noun

The political principle that the authority of a government comes from the consent of the people it governs, and that the people are the ultimate source of power.

popularity

noun

The state of being widely liked, admired, or supported.

populate

verb

To live in a place and make up its inhabitants.

populated

adj

Having inhabitants, especially to a stated degree.

population

noun

The total number of people living in a particular place.

populism

noun

Populism is a political doctrine holding that a privileged elite takes advantage of ordinary people, and backs their fight to change that.

populist

adjective

Appealing to ordinary people by presenting politics as a struggle between the honest public and a corrupt or out-of-touch elite.

populous

adj

Home to a lot of people.

POR

noun

Abbreviation for "price on request," used in listings where the cost is negotiated privately rather than advertised.

por favor

interjection

Please: a Spanish phrase used when making a request or accepting an offer politely.

porcelain

noun

A hard, translucent white ceramic made by firing fine clay at high heat, or objects made from it.

porch

noun

A covered structure at the entrance of a building, sometimes with its own roof.

porcini

noun

Porcini is an edible mushroom, Boletus edulis, valued for its flavour.

porcupine

noun

A large rodent covered in sharp defensive spines called quills.

pore

noun

A tiny opening in the skin, or a similarly small opening in another surface.

porgy

noun

Any of several sea bream fish of the family Sparidae, commonly eaten as food.

pork

noun

Meat from a pig.

porker

noun

A pig, especially a castrated male, being fattened and raised for slaughter.

porkish

adj

Like pork, or having its qualities.

porky

adj

Rather fat or chubby.

porn

noun

Pornography, or material depicting sexual acts explicitly.

porno

adj

Pornographic.

pornographer

noun

A person who creates or distributes pornography.

pornographic

adj

Explicitly depicting sexual acts or nudity for arousal.

pornography

noun

Written, visual, or filmed material that explicitly depicts sexual activity, mainly intended to arouse.

porosity

noun

The quality of a material having many small holes or gaps that let liquid or air pass through.

porous

adj

Having many tiny holes that let liquid or gas pass through.

porpoise

noun

A small whale-like marine mammal related to dolphins, with a blunt snout.

porridge

noun

A soft, thick breakfast dish made by cooking oats or other grain in milk or water.

Porsche

noun

A make of German sports car known for speed, style, and a high price tag.

port

noun

A town or harbour where ships load, unload, or shelter.

porta

noun

In anatomy, the point where an organ's blood vessels and nerves enter, such as the porta hepatis of the liver; also called the hilum.

portability

noun

The quality of being easy to carry or move.

portable

adj

Light and compact enough to be carried or moved easily.

portal

noun

A grand or notable entrance or doorway.

portative

adj

Able to support or carry something.

Porte

noun

A historical name for the government of the Ottoman Empire (usually "the Porte").

portend

verb

To be a warning sign that something bad is going to happen.

portent

noun

A sign that something, often bad, is about to happen.

portentous

adj

Carrying great or worrying importance.

portentousness

noun

The trait of being portentous.

porter

noun

A person employed to carry luggage or goods, especially at a station, airport, or hotel.

porterhouse

noun

A thick, T-bone-shaped cut of beef from the wide end of the short loin, prized for its large piece of tenderloin.

portfolio

noun

A flat case for carrying documents, drawings, or photographs.

porthole

noun

A small round window set into the side of a ship.

Portia

noun

A female given name.

portico

noun

A roofed structure supported by columns, forming a porch at the entrance of a building.

portion

noun

A part or share of something larger.

Portland

noun

A city name used for several places, most famously Portland, Oregon and Portland, Maine, in the United States.

portly

adj

Rather plump or heavily built.

Portman

noun

Historically, a burgess or official of a port town, especially one of England's Cinque Ports.

portmanteau

noun

A word formed by blending the sounds and meanings of two others, such as brunch from breakfast and lunch, or smog from smoke and fog.

porto

noun

Port wine, a sweet fortified wine, or a similar wine made in that style.

portobello

noun

A large, mature mushroom variety, actually the fully grown form of the common button mushroom.

portrait

noun

A painting, drawing, or photograph of a person, usually focused on the face and shoulders.

portray

verb

To represent someone or something in a picture, film, or performance.

portrayal

noun

The way someone or something is represented or depicted, especially in a performance or artwork.

portrayed

verb

Past tense and past participle of portray: to show or describe someone or something in a particular way, in words, pictures or performance.

Ports

noun

Plural of port: harbors, or connection points on a device.

Portsmouth

noun

A port city in southern England, and the name shared by several cities in the United States and elsewhere.

Portugal

noun

A country in southwestern Europe, on the Iberian Peninsula, with Lisbon as its capital.

Portuguese

adj

Relating to Portugal, its people, or its culture.

pose

verb

To hold a particular position of the body, often for a photo or painting.

posed

adj

Arranged in a deliberate, often stiff or unnatural position, as opposed to caught naturally.

Poseidon

noun

The Greek god of the sea, earthquakes, and horses.

poser

noun

A difficult or puzzling question.

poseur

noun

A person who puts on a particular manner, look or attitude, usually to impress others or sway their opinion.

posey

adj

Pretentious or affectedly showy in manner.

posh

adj

Associated with wealth or the upper classes; stylish and expensive.

posho

noun

A food made from ground maize.

posigrade

noun

A small rocket used to give extra push forwards.

posing

noun

The act of holding a body position, especially for a photo or artwork.

posit

noun

An idea or statement put forward as true, without proof.

position

noun

A place or location where something or someone is.

positional

adj

Connected with where something is placed.

positioned

adj

Placed or arranged in a particular spot, especially one that gives an advantage.

positioning

noun

The act or process of placing something, or the strategy behind how a brand or product is presented to its market.

positive

adj

Optimistic, constructive, or good in effect.