English dictionary — definitions & meanings

puerile

adj

Childish; trifling; silly.

puerilism

noun

Childlike behavior by an adult, especially as indicating a mental disorder.

puerility

noun

The state, quality, or condition of being childish or puerile.

Puerta

name

A Spanish surname, from the Spanish word for "door" or "gate".

Puerto

name

A Spanish surname, from the Spanish word for "port" or "harbour".

puff

noun

A short burst of breath, air, or smoke.

puffed

adjective

Swollen or inflated, often with air or steam.

puffer

noun

Any of several fish that inflate their bodies with water or air when threatened.

pufferfish

noun

Any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe several times their normal size by swallowing water or air when threatened; puffer, blowfish, swellfish, balloonfish, globefish.

puffery

noun

An act of puffing.

puffin

noun

A small black-and-white seabird with a large, brightly coloured beak, found around northern coastlines.

puffiness

noun

The state or quality of being puffy.

puffing

noun

The act of breathing heavily or emitting puffs of smoke or air.

puffy

adjective

Swollen or rounded in shape, as if filled with air.

pug

noun

A small breed of dog with a flat, wrinkled face, a stocky body, and a curled tail.

puggled

adj

Fatigued, drained, exhausted.

puggy

adj

Resembling or characteristic of a pug dog.

Pugh

name

A surname of Welsh origin.

pugilist

noun

One who fights with their fists, especially a professional prize fighter; a boxer.

pugnacity

noun

The act or characteristic of being aggressive or combative.

Pugsley

name

A surname.

puh

noun

Filter-avoidance spelling of pussy.

puisne

adj

Younger; junior.

puissant

adj

Powerful, mighty, having authority.

puja

noun

A ritual act of worship performed in Hindu and other South Asian religious traditions, often involving offerings, prayers, and rituals before an image or deity.

puke

verb

To vomit.

puking

noun

The act of vomiting.

pukka

adj

Genuine or authentic; hence of behaviour: correct, socially acceptable or proper.

pulaski

noun

A firefighting hand tool combining an axe blade on one side and a mattock (digging) blade on the other, used to fight wildfires.

pulchritudinous

adj

Having great physical beauty.

pule

noun

A plaintive melancholy whine.

Pulitzer

name

A surname, most famously borne by the newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer, after whom the Pulitzer Prize is named.

pull

verb

To apply force to something so it moves toward you.

pulled

adjective

Describing cooked meat that has been shredded into fine strands, usually after slow cooking.

puller

noun

A tool or device used to pull something free, especially in mechanical work.

pullet

noun

A young hen, especially one less than a year old.

pulley

noun

A simple machine consisting of a wheel with a grooved rim over which a rope or chain runs, used to lift or move loads.

pullin

name

A surname.

pulling

noun

The act of applying force to draw something toward oneself.

Pullman

noun

A luxurious railroad passenger car, especially one with sleeping compartments, named after its manufacturer.

pullout

noun

A withdrawal, especially of armed forces.

pullover

noun

A sweater that is put on by pulling it over the head, without buttons or a zipper.

pullulate

verb

To multiply rapidly.

pulmonary

adj

Relating to or affecting the lungs.

pulmonic

adj

Of, pertaining to, or produced by the lungs.

pulmonologist

noun

A doctor who specialises in the lungs and airways, treating conditions such as asthma, COPD, pneumonia, lung cancer and sleep apnoea.

pulp

noun

A soft, wet, shapeless mass, especially the fleshy inner part of a fruit or the mashed fibers used to make paper.

pulpit

noun

A raised platform in a church where a preacher stands to deliver a sermon.

pulpy

adj

Having the characteristics of pulp.

pulsar

noun

A spinning neutron star that sends out regular bursts of radio waves, detected on Earth as rapid pulses.

pulsate

verb

To expand and contract rhythmically; to throb or to beat, exhibit a pulse.

pulsating

adj

Beating or throbbing rhythmically; also used loosely to mean thrilling or exciting.

pulsation

noun

The regular throbbing of the heart, an artery etc. in a living body; the pulse.

pulse

noun

The regular beat you feel in an artery, caused by the heart pumping blood.

pulsing

noun

The act of beating or sending out something in rhythmic bursts.

pulverise

verb

To render into dust or powder.

pulverize

verb

To crush something into fine powder or dust.

puma

noun

A large wild cat native to the Americas, also called a mountain lion or cougar.

pumice

noun

A light, full of tiny holes volcanic rock, often used to scrub away dead skin.

pumiceous

adj

Of or pertaining to pumice; resembling pumice.

pummel

verb

To hit someone or something repeatedly with the fists or in a heavy, battering way.

pump

noun

A device that moves or pushes liquid or gas from one place to another.

pumped

adj

Very excited or enthusiastic.

pumpernickel

noun

A dense, dark German bread made from rye.

pumping

noun

The action of moving liquid, gas, or blood using a pump or pump-like motion.

pumpkin

noun

A large round orange fruit that grows on a vine, often used for cooking or carved for Halloween.

pumpkinseed

noun

A North American sunfish; Lepomis gibbosus.

pun

noun

A joke that plays on a word's different meanings or on words that sound alike.

pun intended

phrase

Said or written immediately after a remark to flag that a word in it also works as a play on words, and that the speaker noticed and meant it.

punani

noun

The vulva or vagina.

punch

noun

A hit made with a closed fist.

puncher

noun

A person who punches (in a specified manner).

punching

noun

The act of hitting with the fist or making holes with a punch.

punchline

noun

The final line of a joke or story, which delivers the twist that makes it funny.

punchy

adj

Forceful, direct, and effective, especially in writing or speech.

punctilious

adj

Strictly attentive to detail; meticulous or fastidious, particularly to codes or conventions.

punctual

adj

Arriving or acting exactly at the expected or agreed time.

punctuality

noun

The quality of arriving or doing things at the correct, expected time.

punctually

adv

In a punctual manner; on time.

punctuate

verb

To add punctuation to.

punctuation

noun

The marks and symbols, such as commas, full stops, and question marks, used in writing to organize and clarify meaning.

puncture

noun

A small hole made by something sharp, especially in a tyre.

pundit

noun

A person regarded as an expert who offers opinions or commentary, especially in the media.

Pune

name

A major city in Maharashtra, India.

pung

noun

A low box-like sleigh designed to be pulled by one horse.

pungency

noun

The state of being pungent.

pungent

adj

Having a sharp, strong smell or taste that stings the nose or tongue.

punic

adj

Of or relating to ancient Carthage, its inhabitants, or their language.

punim

noun

The face (front part of the head).

punish

verb

To make someone suffer a penalty for wrongdoing or misconduct.

punishable

adj

Deserving or liable to be punished, especially by law.

punished

adj

Having received a penalty or harsh treatment for wrongdoing.

punisher

noun

A person or thing that punishes.

punishing

adj

Extremely harsh, demanding, or exhausting.

punishment

noun

A penalty given for wrongdoing, or the act of imposing one.

punitive

adj

Intended as a punishment, or inflicting one.

punitory

adj

punitive; serving to punish

Punjab

name

A region of South Asia split between India and Pakistan, known for its fertile farmland and five major rivers.

Punjabi

noun

The main language of the Punjab region, spoken in parts of India and Pakistan.

punk

noun

A loud, rebellious style of rock music, or the subculture built around it, marked by aggressive guitars and anti-establishment attitude.

punky

adj

Having the style, attitude, or look associated with punk music and culture.

punnet

noun

A small basket or receptacle for collecting and selling fruit, particularly strawberries.

punt

noun

A long, flat-bottomed boat that is pushed along with a pole, often used on rivers for leisure.

punta

noun

A lively style of music and dance originating with the Garifuna people of Central America.

punter

noun

A person who bets or gambles, especially against the house.

puny

adj

Small, weak, or unimpressive; lacking strength or significance.

pup

noun

A young dog, or the young of certain other animals such as wolves, seals, or sharks.

pupil

noun

A student, especially a younger one being taught under a teacher's supervision.

puppet

noun

A doll-like figure of a person or animal moved by strings, rods, or a hand inside it.

puppeteer

noun

A person who operates puppets, especially as a performer.

puppy

noun

A young dog, usually under a year or so old.

puppysitter

noun

One who puppysits; one who looks after someone's puppy.

purblind

adj

Of a person: having impaired vision; partially blind; dim-sighted.

purblindness

noun

The state or condition of being purblind.

Purcell

name

An English surname, most famously borne by the Baroque composer Henry Purcell.

purchase

verb

To buy something by paying money for it.

purchasing

noun

The activity or process of buying goods or services, especially within a business.

purdy

adj

A dialect spelling of "pretty," representing a Southern US pronunciation.

pure

adj

Not mixed with anything else; free from impurities or contamination.

pureblood

noun

A person or animal of unmixed ancestry.

purebred

adj

Bred from parents of the same breed, without crossbreeding.

puree

noun

Food that has been mashed or blended into a smooth, thick paste or liquid.

purely

adv

Entirely or solely; nothing more than.

pureness

noun

The quality of being pure; purity

purgation

noun

The process or act of purging, such as by the use of a purgative.

purgative

noun

something, such as a substance or medicine, that purges; laxative

purgatory

noun

In Catholic belief, a temporary state after death in which souls are purified before entering Heaven.

purge

verb

To rid something of unwanted elements; to cleanse or clear out completely.

purging

noun

The act of cleansing or removing something unwanted, including forcibly removing people.

puri

noun

A small, round, deep-fried bread from South Asia that puffs up when cooked.

purification

noun

The process of removing impurities or contaminants from something.

purificational

adj

Of or relating to purification.

purificative

adj

Having power to purify or cleanse.

purificatory

adj

That purifies; purificative

purified

adj

Made free of impurities.

purifier

noun

A person or device that purifies (by removing impurities).

purify

verb

To remove impurities from something, making it clean or pure.

purifying

noun

The act or process of making something pure.

Purim

name

A Jewish holiday celebrating the rescue of the Persian Jews from a planned massacre, as told in the Book of Esther.

purist

noun

Someone who insists on strict adherence to traditional rules, standards, or forms.

puritan

noun

A person who is extremely strict about morals, especially concerning pleasure or sex.

puritanical

adj

Excessively strict about morality, especially regarding pleasure, sex, or entertainment.

purity

noun

The state of being pure — free from contamination, mixture, or moral fault.

purl

noun

A particular stitch in knitting in which the working yarn is pulled through an existing stitch from front to back.

purloin

verb

To take the property of another, often in breach of trust; to appropriate wrongfully; to steal.

purnell

name

A neighbourhood in west Baltimore, Maryland, United States.

purple

adj

Having the color between red and blue, like violet or lavender.

Purple Heart

noun

A United States military decoration awarded to any member of the armed forces who is wounded or killed as a result of enemy action.

purport

verb

To convey, imply, or profess (often falsely or inaccurately).

purported

adj

Supposed, or assumed to be.