English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

specially

adv

For a particular purpose, person, or occasion.

specialty

noun

A particular area of skill, work, or interest that someone focuses on.

species

noun

A group of living things that can breed with one another and produce fertile offspring; the basic unit of biological classification.

specific

adj

Clearly defined or particular, rather than general or vague.

specifically

adv

In a way that names or applies to one particular thing; explicitly.

specifications

noun

A detailed set of requirements describing exactly how something must be built or how it should perform.

specified

adj

Stated clearly and exactly.

specify

verb

To state something precisely or in detail.

specimen

noun

A single example of something, used to represent or study the wider group it belongs to.

speck

noun

A very small spot, mark, or particle.

speckled

adj

Covered with small spots or marks of a different color.

spectacles

noun

A pair of glasses worn to correct or aid eyesight.

spectacular

adj

Extremely impressive or striking to watch.

spectacularly

adv

In a way that is extremely impressive or striking.

spectator

noun

Someone who watches an event without taking part in it.

specter

noun

A ghostly figure or apparition; a phantom.

Spector

name

A surname of Ashkenazi Jewish origin, an occupational name related to inspecting or overseeing.

spectral

adj

Relating to ghosts or spirits; ghostly.

spectre

noun

A ghost or ghostly apparition; also, a looming threat or worry that haunts a situation.

spectrometer

noun

A scientific instrument that measures how a substance absorbs or emits light across different wavelengths, used to identify what the substance is made of.

spectrum

noun

A continuous range between two extremes.

speculate

verb

To guess or form a theory about something without having solid proof.

speculating

verb

Forming a guess or theory about something without having all the facts.

speculation

noun

A guess or theory formed without firm evidence.

speculative

adj

Based on guesswork or unproven theory rather than solid fact.

sped

verb

Past tense of "speed": moved quickly, or increased in speed.

speech

noun

The ability to speak, or spoken language in general.

speechless

adj

Unable to speak, especially because of shock, surprise, or strong emotion.

speed

noun

How fast something moves, or the rate at which something happens.

speedboat

noun

A small, fast motorboat.

speeded

adj

Rated or measured according to how fast it goes.

speeding

noun

Driving faster than the legal speed limit.

speedo

noun

An informal, shortened term for a speedometer, the dial that shows how fast a vehicle is going.

speedometer

noun

A dashboard instrument that shows how fast a vehicle is currently traveling.

speedster

noun

Someone (or something) known for being very fast, especially a fast driver or racing vehicle.

speedway

noun

A racetrack built for motor sports, or a form of motorcycle racing on flat dirt oval tracks.

speedy

adj

Happening or moving quickly.

Speer

verb

A dialect word, mainly Scottish and northern English, meaning to ask or inquire.

spell

noun

Words believed to have magical power, or the magical effect they produce.

spellbound

adj

So fascinated or captivated that you can't look away, as if under a magic spell.

spelling

noun

The act or skill of putting letters in the correct order to form words.

Spellman

name

An English surname, likely an occupational name related to preaching or storytelling.

spelt

noun

An ancient variety of wheat, sometimes used as a health-conscious alternative in bread and flour.

Spence

noun

A small pantry or storeroom used for keeping food and household supplies, chiefly in older British homes.

spencer

noun

A short, close-fitting jacket, historically worn by men in the 18th century and later by women and children in the early 19th century.

spend

verb

To pay out money in exchange for something.

spender

noun

A person who spends money, especially in a described way (e.g., freely or carefully).

Spenser

name

An English surname and occasional given name, an occupational name for a dispenser of provisions, notably borne by the poet Edmund Spenser.

spent

adj

Used up completely; exhausted or depleted.

sperm

noun

The male reproductive cell.

spew

verb

To eject or gush out forcefully in a stream.

spewing

verb

Forcefully discharging or gushing something out, often in large or messy quantities.

sphere

noun

A perfectly round, three-dimensional shape, like a ball.

spherical

adj

Shaped like a sphere; round in three dimensions.

sphincter

noun

A ring of muscle around a body opening that tightens or relaxes to control what passes through it.

sphinx

noun

A mythical creature with a human head and a lion's body, most famously the giant statue near Egypt's Great Pyramids.

spic

noun

Synonym of Latino, an inhabitant of Latin America or person of Latin American descent.

spice

noun

A dried plant substance, such as pepper or cinnamon, used to flavor food.

spiced

adjective

Seasoned with spice; having a spicy flavor.

spicer

noun

Someone who deals in or sells spices, or something that adds excitement to a situation.

spicy

adjective

Containing spices, or producing a hot, burning sensation on the tongue (usually from chili).

spider

noun

An eight-legged creature, many of which spin webs to catch insects.

spiderman

noun

Informally, someone who climbs buildings, towers, or structures without safety equipment.

Spidey

noun

An informal nickname for Spider-Man, or casually, a spider.

spiel

noun

A long, often rehearsed talk meant to persuade someone, especially in sales.

Spielberg

name

A German-origin surname, also the name of a town in Austria.

spiffy

adjective

Smart, neat, and stylish in appearance.

spike

noun

A large, pointed piece of metal, or anything shaped like one.

spiked

adjective

Containing added alcohol or drugs, usually without the drinker's knowledge.

spikes

noun

Athletic shoes fitted with small metal points on the sole for extra grip, especially in track events.

spiking

noun

The act of secretly adding alcohol or drugs to someone's drink.

spiky

adjective

Covered with sharp points; having spikes.

spill

verb

To let liquid or loose material fall out of a container by accident.

spiller

noun

Someone or something that spills, especially a party legally responsible for a spill of oil or waste.

spilling

noun

The act of liquid or loose material falling out of a container.

spilt

adjective

Poured out accidentally; that has been spilled.

spin

verb

To turn around quickly on an axis.

spinach

noun

A leafy green vegetable eaten cooked or raw in salads.

spinal

adjective

Relating to the spine or spinal cord.

spindle

noun

A slender rod used for spinning fiber into thread, or more generally, any rod or axis that something turns on.

spineless

adjective

Lacking courage or willpower; unable to stand up for oneself.

spinning

noun

The act or process of something rotating, or of turning fiber into thread.

Spinoza

name

A surname of Portuguese Jewish origin, most famously borne by the philosopher Baruch Spinoza.

spins

noun

A dizzy, spinning sensation, often after drinking too much alcohol.

spinster

noun

An older, unmarried woman, especially one past the age when marriage was traditionally expected.

spiny

adjective

Covered with spines or sharp points.

spiral

noun

A curve that winds around a center point while moving steadily outward or inward.

spire

noun

A tall, tapering structure that rises to a point, especially on top of a church tower.

Spires

name

An English surname, possibly derived from residence near a church spire.

spirit

noun

The non-physical part of a person believed to hold their character, emotions, or soul.

spirited

adjective

Full of energy, courage, or enthusiasm.

spirits

noun

Strong distilled alcoholic drinks, such as whisky, vodka, or rum.

spiritual

adjective

Relating to the soul, religion, or matters beyond the physical world.

spiritualist

noun

Someone who believes it's possible to communicate with the spirits of the dead.

spirituality

noun

The quality of being concerned with the soul or with religious and inner life rather than material things.

spiritually

adverb

In a way related to the spirit, soul, or inner life rather than the physical world.

spiritus

noun

The Latin word for breath or breathing, occasionally used in English discussions of etymology or Slavic/Greek linguistics for a breathing mark.

spiro

noun

In chemistry, a compound made of two rings that share only a single connecting atom.

spit

noun

A thin rod used to skewer and rotate meat while it cooks over a fire.

spite

noun

A petty desire to annoy, hurt, or upset someone.

spiteful

adjective

Full of spite; deliberately unkind or vindictive.

spitfire

noun

Someone with a fiery, quick temper, especially a strong-willed woman or girl.

spitter

noun

Someone who spits.

spitting

noun

The act of ejecting saliva from the mouth.

spittle

noun

Saliva, especially when it collects visibly, often frothy.

spitz

noun

Any of several Nordic dog breeds with pointed muzzles and ears, such as the Pomeranian or Samoyed.

spitzer

noun

A bullet with a pointed tip, designed to cut through air more efficiently.

Spivey

name

An English surname of uncertain origin.

splash

noun

The sound or spray made when something hits liquid.

splashed

adjective

Slang: extremely drunk.

splashing

noun

The action or sound of liquid being scattered.

splat

noun

The sharp sound, or the resulting messy shape, made when something soft or wet hits a surface.

splatter

noun

A messy, scattered pattern left by something striking a surface.

splattering

noun

The mess left behind when something splatters.

spleen

noun

An organ in the upper left abdomen that filters blood, recycles old red blood cells, and supports the immune system.

splendid

adjective

Magnificent, impressively beautiful, or of very high quality.

splendidly

adverb

In a magnificent or excellent way.

splendor

noun

Great brightness, beauty, or magnificence.

splendour

noun

British spelling of splendor: great brightness, beauty, or magnificence.

splice

noun

A join made by weaving or overlapping two ends of rope, cable, or similar material.

splicing

noun

The act or process of joining two things together, as with rope, film, or genetic material.

spliff

noun

A hand-rolled cannabis cigarette, often mixed with tobacco.

splint

noun

A rigid support used to hold an injured body part, like a broken bone, in place.

splinter

noun

A thin, sharp fragment broken off from a larger piece, often wood.

split

verb

To divide something into parts, often along a line.

splits

noun

A gymnastic or dance position where the legs are extended straight out in opposite directions, flat to the floor.

splitting

adjective

Extremely painful, especially describing a headache.

splurge

verb

To spend money freely and extravagantly.

Spock

noun

Someone who resembles or acts like the logical, unemotional Star Trek character Spock.

spoil

verb

To ruin something, making it unusable, unpleasant, or less enjoyable.

spoiled

adjective

No longer fit to eat or use; gone bad.

spoiler

noun

A piece of information that reveals a plot twist or ending before someone experiences it themselves.

spoiling

noun

The act of plundering or ruining something.

spoils

noun

Goods or benefits taken by force, especially after a victory.

spoilsport

noun

Someone who ruins other people's enjoyment or fun.

spoilt

adj

Ruined or damaged in a way that reduces its value or quality.

Spokane

noun

A Native American people traditionally living in what is now eastern Washington and parts of northern Idaho.

spoke

noun

One of the thin rods that run from the hub of a wheel out to its rim.

spoken

adj

Said out loud rather than written.

spokesman

noun

A man who speaks officially on behalf of a person, group, or organization.

spokesperson

noun

A person, regardless of gender, who speaks officially for a person, group, or organization.

sponge

noun

A simple sea creature with a soft, porous skeleton, or the absorbent material made from it (or a synthetic equivalent) used for washing.

sponging

noun

The act of wiping, cleaning, or applying something with a sponge.

spongy

adj

Soft, absorbent, and full of tiny holes, like a sponge.

sponsor

noun

A person or organization that provides money to support an event, program, or activity, usually in return for publicity.

sponsored

adj

Funded or supported by a sponsor.

sponsorship

noun

The financial support, or the arrangement of support, provided by a sponsor.

spontaneity

noun

The quality of doing things on impulse, without planning ahead.

spontaneous

adj

Happening or done without planning, on impulse.

spontaneously

adv

In an unplanned, natural way; on impulse.