English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

priti

name

A female first name of Sanskrit used in India origin.

privacy

noun

The state of being free from observation or intrusion by others.

private

adj

Belonging to a particular person or group, rather than the public or the state.

privateer

noun

A privately owned ship licensed by a government to attack and seize enemy trading vessels.

privately

adv

In a manner not open to the public or shared with others.

privateness

noun

The fact of being private.

privates

noun

A casual, polite term for a person's genitals.

privation

noun

The lack or loss of a quality that something used to have, or should properly have.

privatisation

noun

A non-Oxford British English standard spelling of privatization.

privatization

noun

The process of moving a business, service, or industry from government ownership into private hands.

privatize

verb

To transfer a business or industry from government control into private ownership.

privet

noun

A shrub or small tree belonging to the genus Ligustrum.

privilege

noun

A special right, benefit, or advantage available to some people but not others.

privileged

adj

Enjoying special rights, advantages, or treatment that others lack.

privy

adj

Having private or secret knowledge of something, especially information not shared with everyone.

prix

noun

Another word for a prize, mostly seen in borrowed French phrases.

Priya

name

A female given name of Sanskrit origin, meaning "beloved", common among Hindus and often combined with another name.

Priyanka

name

A female given name of Hindi origin.

prizable

adj

Worth prizing or treasuring; valuable.

prize

noun

An award given to the winner of a competition, contest, or lottery.

prized

adj

Regarded as very valuable or precious.

prizefighting

noun

Professional boxing in which two boxers fight each other for a prize.

pro

noun

A point or reason in favor of something, usually discussed alongside its "cons."

pro bono

adjective

Done free of charge for the public benefit, especially professional work such as legal advice given to people who cannot afford it.

pro rata

adjective

Worked out in proportion to a larger whole, so that each part gets a share matching its size, time or contribution.

pro rated

adjective

Adjusted in proportion to the part of a period or quantity that actually applies, rather than charged or paid in full.

pro-choice

adjective

Supporting the position that a pregnant person, rather than the state, should decide whether to continue a pregnancy, and that abortion should be legally available.

proactive

adj

Taking action ahead of time to prevent or prepare for a problem, rather than just reacting once it happens.

probabilistic

adj

Based on probability or the likelihood of something happening.

probability

noun

How likely something is to happen.

probable

adj

Likely to be true or to happen, based on the evidence available.

probableness

noun

How likely something is to happen.

probably

adv

Very likely, though not completely certain.

probate

verb

To legally validate a will after someone's death, confirming it as authentic before an estate is distributed.

probation

noun

A trial period during which someone's suitability for a job or role is being assessed, and they can be dismissed if they don't meet expectations.

probationary

adj

Relating to or occurring during a trial or testing period.

probationer

noun

Someone who is on probation.

probative

adj

Serving to prove or provide evidence for something, especially in a legal context.

probe

noun

A formal investigation into a matter, often one involving wrongdoing.

Probert

name

A Welsh surname, originally a patronymic meaning "son of Robert".

probie

noun

Informal term for someone still on a probationary or trial period in a job, especially a new firefighter or police officer.

probing

adj

Searching and thorough, especially when asking questions meant to uncover hidden truths.

probiotic

noun

A live micro-organism, usually a bacterium or yeast, taken in food or as a supplement in the expectation that it will have some effect once inside the body. The term is also used for the food or capsule containing such organisms.

probity

noun

Strong honesty and high moral standards.

problem

noun

A difficult situation or matter that needs to be solved or dealt with.

problem solving

noun

The process of working out how to deal with a difficulty: understanding what is wrong, thinking through the options and putting a workable solution into practice.

problema

noun

A question or puzzle posed for scholarly debate, in the tradition of ancient Greek philosophy.

problematic

adj

Causing difficulty, uncertainty, or concern; hard to resolve or accept.

problematical

adj

Not certain, or open to argument.

problematize

verb

To turn something into a problem.

problemo

noun

A jokey, faux-Spanish way of saying "problem," most familiar from the phrase "no problemo."

proboscis

noun

A long tube-like part on an animal's head, near or forming its mouth.

Probst

name

A German surname, originally meaning "provost".

procedural

adjective

Relating to the method or steps used to do something, rather than the result itself.

procedure

noun

An established way of carrying out a task, made up of a series of set steps.

proceed

verb

To move forward or continue on, especially after a pause.

proceedable

adj

That it is possible to move forward from.

proceeding

noun

A formal step or action taken as part of a process, especially a legal one.

proceedings

noun

The formal course of action in a lawsuit or official process.

proceeds

noun

The money made from a sale, event, or activity.

process

noun

A series of steps or actions that lead to a particular result.

processable

adj

Able to be dealt with or worked through by a process.

processed

adjective

Having been treated or altered, especially food that has been refined or manufactured rather than left in its natural state.

processing

noun

The act of handling something through a series of steps, especially data, applications, or materials.

procession

noun

A group of people or vehicles moving forward together in an orderly line, often for a ceremony.

processor

noun

The main chip in a computer that carries out instructions; a CPU.

processual

adj

Relating to a process, especially how social scientists study processes.

proclaim

verb

To announce something publicly and formally.

proclaiming

noun

The act of announcing something publicly and formally; a formal declaration.

proclamation

noun

An official public announcement.

proclivity

noun

A strong natural tendency to behave or think in a certain way.

procott

verb

To decide, whether alone or as a group, to use, buy or engage with a person or organisation as a way of showing support.

procrastinate

verb

To keep putting off something you should be doing, usually because it feels difficult or unpleasant, and to do something easier instead.

procrastination

noun

Putting off something that needs doing, usually in favour of something easier or more pleasant, despite knowing the delay will cost you.

procreate

verb

To produce offspring; to reproduce.

procreation

noun

The process of producing offspring; reproduction.

procreative

adj

Able to produce offspring.

proctologist

noun

A doctor who specializes in disorders of the colon, rectum, and anus.

proctor

noun

A person who supervises students during an exam.

procuracy

noun

The position or role of a procurator.

procuration

noun

The act of obtaining something.

procurator

noun

An agent or attorney who acts on behalf of someone else.

procuratorate

noun

The role or position held by a procurator.

procure

verb

To obtain something, especially through effort or by particular means.

procurement

noun

The process of obtaining goods or services, especially for a business or organization.

procurer

noun

Someone who obtains or gets things.

procuress

noun

A woman who acts as a go-between for other people.

procuring

noun

The act of obtaining or acquiring something.

prod

verb

To poke someone or something, usually with a finger or pointed object.

prodding

noun

The act of poking or urging someone repeatedly.

prodigal

adjective

Spending money or resources wastefully and extravagantly.

prodigality

noun

Spending too much money in a careless way.

prodigious

adjective

Remarkably large, powerful, or impressive in size or degree.

prodigy

noun

A person, especially a child, with exceptional talent or ability.

produce

verb

To make or create something, especially in large quantities.

producer

noun

A person or company that makes goods or oversees the creation of a film, show, album, etc.

product

noun

Something made or manufactured to be sold or used.

production

noun

The process of making or manufacturing something.

productive

adjective

Getting a lot done; generating good results efficiently.

productiveness

noun

The quality of being productive.

productivity

noun

The rate at which work, goods, or results are produced, especially in relation to effort or resources.

prof

noun

A short way of saying 'professor'.

profanate

verb

To treat something sacred with disrespect.

profanation

noun

The act of treating something sacred with disrespect.

profane

adjective

Showing disrespect for sacred or religious things.

profaned

adj

Treated without proper respect.

profanity

noun

Swearing or offensive language.

profess

verb

To claim or declare something, often about oneself, sometimes insincerely.

professed

adjective

Openly stated or claimed, sometimes with doubt about its sincerity.

profession

noun

A job or occupation that requires special training or skill, especially one with a recognized qualification.

professional

adjective

Relating to or meeting the standards of a skilled occupation.

professionalism

noun

The skill, conduct, and standards expected of someone in a profession — reliability, fairness, and good judgment.

professionality

noun

The quality of being professional.

professionally

adv

As part of a paid career, rather than as a hobby.

professor

noun

The highest academic rank at a university, or, more loosely, any university teacher.

professorial

adj

Typical of, or relating to, a professor or a professorship.

professorship

noun

The position held by a professor.

proffer

verb

To offer something for someone to accept.

proficiency

noun

A high level of skill or competence at something.

proficient

adj

Skilled and competent, especially through practice.

profile

noun

The outline or side view of something, especially a person's face.

profiler

noun

A person, often working with police, who builds a psychological picture of an unknown suspect.

profiling

noun

The process of building up a detailed picture of someone's likely characteristics, often used in criminal investigations.

profilist

noun

An artist who creates drawings or paintings of profiles.

profit

noun

The financial gain made after subtracting costs from revenue.

profitable

adj

Producing a financial profit.

profiting

noun

The act of making a profit or gain.

profligate

adj

Spending money or resources in a wasteful, extravagant way.

profluent

adj

Flowing smoothly, like a stream.

proforma

noun

A document sent in advance as a formality rather than as a demand for payment, especially a proforma invoice that sets out what goods or services will cost before they are supplied.

profound

adj

Showing great depth of thought, understanding, or feeling.

profoundly

adv

To a very great or deep degree.

profoundness

noun

The quality of being profound or deeply thoughtful.

profundity

noun

The quality of being profound, or the seriousness and weight of something.

profuse

adj

Produced or given in very large amounts, sometimes more than is needed, and, of speech, poured out freely.

profusely

adv

In great abundance; freely and generously.

profuseness

noun

The habit of giving or producing something in large, generous amounts.

profusion

noun

A very large quantity of something.

progenitive

adj

Able to produce young.

progenitor

noun

A direct ancestor of a person, such as a parent or grandparent.

progeny

noun

Offspring or descendants, considered together.

prognosis

noun

A prediction of how a disease or medical condition is likely to develop.

prognostic

adj

Relating to, or marked by, prognosis or prediction.

prognosticable

adj

Able to be predicted in advance.

prognosticate

verb

To say what will happen in the future, using knowledge or skill.

prognostication

noun

A statement that says what will happen in the future.

prognosticator

noun

A person who makes predictions or guesses about what is to come.

prograde

adj

Moving in the same direction as other objects around it, such as planets circling the sun.

program

noun

A planned set of activities or a course of action with a goal.

programme

noun

The standard British spelling of "program," used for broadcasts, plans, and schedules.