English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

salamander

noun

A slender, moist-skinned amphibian that looks a bit like a lizard, typically living in damp or wet habitats.

salamandrian

adj

Relating to, or like, a salamander.

salamandric

adj

Like the legendary salamander, especially in being able to live in or withstand fire.

salamandrid

noun

An animal belonging to the salamander family.

salamandriform

adj

Shaped like a salamander.

salamandrine

noun

A salamander belonging to the genus Salamandrina.

salamandroid

noun

A salamander belonging to the suborder Salamandroidea.

salamandrous

adj

Having the characteristics of a salamandroid.

salami

noun

A type of seasoned, cured sausage of Italian origin, usually sliced thin and served cold.

salaried

adj

Earning a fixed regular salary rather than being paid by the hour or working unpaid, often as a professional or manager.

salary

noun

A fixed regular payment, usually calculated yearly or monthly rather than by the hour, paid to an employee.

Salas

name

A Spanish surname derived from "sala," meaning hall, referring to a large house.

Salazar

name

A Spanish and Portuguese surname, likely meaning "old hall" or "manor."

sale

noun

The act of exchanging goods or services for money.

Saleem

name

A masculine given name of Arabic origin, meaning "safe" or "unharmed," a variant of Salim.

saleh

name

A male first name of Arabic, variant of Salih origin.

Salem

name

A place name of Hebrew origin meaning "peace," notably a city in Massachusetts known for the 1692 witch trials.

Salerno

name

A coastal city in southern Italy, and a surname derived from it.

saleroom

noun

A room where goods for sale are put on display.

salesgirl

noun

A young woman who works selling goods in a shop.

saleslady

noun

A woman who works as a shop assistant selling goods.

salesman

noun

A man whose job is to sell products, either in a store or by visiting customers.

salesperson

noun

A person, of any gender, whose job is to sell products or services.

salesroom

noun

A room used for selling goods.

saleswoman

noun

A woman whose job is to sell products or services.

Salford

name

A city in Greater Manchester, England, historically known for its industrial docks.

salfords

name

The name of a village in Salfords and Sidlow parish, Reigate and Banstead borough, Surrey, England (OS grid ref TQ2846).

Salgado

name

A Portuguese surname, notably that of Sebastião Salgado, the acclaimed Brazilian photographer.

salicylic acid

noun

A beta hydroxy acid used in skincare and in medicines applied to the skin. It dissolves in oil, which allows it to work inside pores, and it loosens dead cells so they shed from the surface. It appears in cleansers, spot treatments, wart and verruca preparations and dandruff shampoos.

salience

noun

The state of standing out or being noticeable.

saliency

noun

The quality of standing out or being noticeable; salience.

salient

adj

Most noticeable or important; standing out as especially relevant.

salientian

noun

An amphibian belonging to the frog and toad group, including living and extinct relatives.

Salih

name

A masculine given name of Arabic origin, meaning "righteous" or "virtuous."

Salim

name

A masculine given name of Arabic origin, meaning "safe" or "peaceful."

Salinas

name

A Spanish surname and place name meaning "salt marshes" or "salt works."

saline

adj

Containing salt, or tasting of it.

Salinger

name

A surname of German Jewish origin, notably that of J.D. Salinger, author of "The Catcher in the Rye."

Salisbury

name

A cathedral city in Wiltshire, England, known for its medieval cathedral and proximity to Stonehenge.

saliva

noun

The watery fluid produced in the mouth that keeps it moist, helps you chew and swallow, and starts breaking down food.

salivate

verb

To make saliva in the mouth.

salle

noun

A hall or room used for practising fencing.

Sallie

name

A feminine given name, a variant of Sally, itself derived from Sarah.

sallow

adj

Pale in an unhealthy-looking way.

sally

noun

A sudden dash out from a defended position to attack, or a similar sudden burst of activity.

Salma

name

A feminine given name of Arabic origin, meaning "peaceful" or "safe."

salmagundi

noun

A food consisting of chopped meat and pickled herring, with oil, vinegar, pepper, and onions.

Salman

name

A masculine given name of Arabic origin, meaning "safe" or "secure."

salmon

noun

A large fish with silvery sides and pink flesh that swims from the sea into rivers to spawn.

salmonella

noun

A type of bacteria that causes food poisoning and typhoid-like illness.

Salome

name

A feminine given name of Hebrew origin, meaning "peace," known from the biblical figure associated with the death of John the Baptist.

Salomon

name

A surname and given name, a variant of Solomon, of Hebrew origin meaning "peace."

salon

noun

A business offering beauty treatments such as hair styling, manicures, or skincare.

saloon

noun

A bar, especially the kind found in the Old West of America.

salsa

noun

A spicy sauce, usually tomato-based, often used as a dip or topping in Mexican cooking.

salt

noun

A white crystalline substance used to season and preserve food, made mainly of sodium chloride.

salt of the earth

noun phrase

An ordinary, decent, dependable person who does good without fuss and can be counted on; used of people considered thoroughly worthy.

saltation

noun

A jump, leap or dance.

saltbush

noun

Any plant of the genus Atriplex, a group of shrubs found in dry or salty habitats that have edible, spinach-like leaves.

salted

adj

Having had salt added, especially as a seasoning or preservative.

salter

noun

Someone whose trade is making, selling, or applying salt.

saltie

noun

(informal) A crocodile that lives in salt water.

Salts

name

An English surname, likely an occupational name for someone who produced or traded salt.

saltwater

adj

Consisting of or living in water that contains salt, such as the sea, as opposed to fresh water.

salty

adj

Tasting of or containing salt.

salubrious

adjective

Good for health, especially in relation to air, climate or food.

Salud

name

A feminine given name of Spanish origin, meaning "health" or "salvation."

salumi

noun

Cured or cooked meat, also known as salume.

salutary

adj

Having a good, improving effect on a problem.

salutation

noun

A greeting, or the opening words of a letter or message.

salutations

intj

A formal or playful way of saying hello.

salutatorian

noun

(US) The student with the second-best grades in their year, who gives a welcome speech at graduation.

salutatory

adj

Relating to a greeting or a welcome.

salute

noun

A formal gesture of greeting or respect, such as raising a hand to the forehead.

saluting

noun

The act of giving a formal salute.

salvage

noun

The rescue of a ship, its cargo, or other property from damage or loss, or the property recovered this way.

salvation

noun

The act of saving someone or something from danger, loss, or harm; deliverance.

Salvatore

name

A masculine given name of Italian origin, meaning "savior."

salve

noun

A soothing or healing ointment applied to the skin.

salver

noun

A person who heals or treats illness.

salvo

noun

A number of guns fired together or in quick succession, or a burst of applause, criticism, or argument delivered all at once.

salyut

noun

Any of the space stations built under the Soviet Union's Salyut programme, launched between 1971 and 1986.

Salzburg

name

A city in Austria known as the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Sam

verb

(dialectal) To gather or bring together; to assemble.

Sama

name

A surname and given name found across several cultures, including as a respectful Japanese honorific.

Samantha

name

A feminine given name, possibly a blend of Samuel and Anthea, meaning "listener" or "told by God."

Samar

name

A given name of Arabic origin, meaning "evening conversation," and also an island province in the Philippines.

samara

noun

A dry, winged fruit that does not split open, found on trees such as the ash, elm, and maple.

Samaritan

noun

A kind person who helps someone in trouble, especially a stranger (from the biblical parable of the Good Samaritan).

Samaritans

noun

A charity helpline that offers confidential emotional support to people in distress, including those considering suicide.

samarium

noun

A moderately hard, silvery metallic chemical element with the symbol Sm and atomic number 62.

samba

noun

A lively Brazilian ballroom dance, or the style of dancing it.

sambar

noun

A large deer native to South and Southeast Asia.

sambo

noun

(offensive, dated) A black person seen as too eager to please white people.

sambuca

noun

An Italian liqueur produced from elderberries with a flavouring of liquorice, traditionally served alongside three coffee beans representing health, wealth and fortune — or, in another telling, past, present and future.

same

adj

Identical; not different from another thing or from itself at an earlier point.

Sameer

name

A masculine given name of Arabic origin, meaning "companion in evening talk," a variant of Samir.

Sameera

name

A feminine given name of Arabic origin, meaning "companion in conversation."

sameishness

noun

The quality of being fairly similar or uniform.

samely

adj

Boringly alike, with little change or variety.

sameness

noun

The fact of being exactly the same as something else.

Sami

noun

A member of the indigenous people of the far north of Scandinavia and Russia, traditionally associated with reindeer herding.

Samira

name

A feminine given name of Arabic origin, meaning "companion in evening talk."

Sammi

name

A feminine given name, a diminutive of Samantha or Samuel.

sammich

noun

A pronunciation spelling of sandwich.

Sammie

noun

Informal word for a sandwich.

Sammy

noun

Informal name for a Samoyed dog.

Samoa

name

An island nation in the South Pacific, made up of the western Samoan islands, with its capital at Apia.

Samoan

noun

A person from Samoa, or someone of Samoan descent.

samovar

noun

A decorative metal urn, traditionally Russian, used to heat water for tea and keep it hot for hours.

sample

noun

A small portion of something given or shown to represent the whole.

sampler

noun

A piece of decorative needlework stitched to show off different patterns or skills, often framed as a keepsake.

sampling

noun

The process of selecting a smaller group from a larger population to study or measure.

Sampson

name

A surname and given name, a variant of Samson, of Hebrew origin meaning "sun" or "man of the sun."

Samson

name

A masculine given name of Hebrew origin, known from the biblical judge famed for his great strength.

Samuel

name

A masculine given name of Hebrew origin, meaning "God has heard," known from the biblical prophet.

Samuels

name

An English surname meaning "son of Samuel."

samurai

noun

A member of the warrior class in feudal Japan who served and fought for a local lord (daimyo), bound by a strict code of loyalty and honor.

san

noun

Informal short form of sanatorium.

Sana

name

A feminine given name of Arabic origin, meaning "brilliance" or "splendor."

sanatorium

noun

A medical institution for treating long-term illnesses, historically tuberculosis, where patients rest and recover under supervision.

Sanchez

name

A Spanish surname meaning "son of Sancho."

Sancho

name

A masculine given name of Spanish origin, possibly derived from the Latin "sanctus," meaning holy.

sanctified

adj

Made holy or set apart for a sacred purpose.

sanctify

verb

To make something holy or set it apart for religious use.

sanctimonious

adj

Acting as though one is morally superior to others, especially in a smug or hypocritical way.

sanctimony

noun

A hypocritical form of excessive piety, considered to be an affectation merely for public show.

sanction

noun

Official approval or permission for an action.

sanctioning

noun

The action performed by a person who sanctions something.

sanctitude

noun

The quality of being holy or sacred.

sanctity

noun

The quality of being holy or sacred.

sanctuary

noun

A place of safety or refuge from danger or persecution.

sanctum

noun

A private or sacred place that others rarely enter.

sand

noun

Loose grains of rock, finer than gravel but coarser than silt, found on beaches and in deserts.

sandal

noun

An open shoe held onto the foot with straps, leaving the toes or much of the foot exposed.

sandalwood

noun

A tropical tree valued for its fragrant, fine-grained heartwood.

sandbag

noun

A sturdy bag filled with sand, used to build barriers against flooding or as protection from bullets and debris.

sandbank

noun

A ridge of sand near a shore that is partly or fully covered by water and can be a hazard to boats.

sandbar

noun

A raised strip of sand built up by waves near a shore.

sandblasting

noun

The process of treating a surface with a forceful blast of sand.

sandblind

adj

Only partly able to see; not fully blind.

sandbox

noun

A shallow box filled with sand for children to play in.

sander

noun

A power tool used to smooth surfaces, especially wood, with an abrasive.

sanders

noun

Another name for red sandalwood.

Sanderson

name

An English surname meaning "son of Sander," a form of Alexander.

sandhi

noun

(linguistics) A change in sound that happens where words or parts of words meet, caused by neighbouring sounds or by grammar.

Sandhu

name

A surname common among Punjabi Jat and Sikh families in India and Pakistan.

Sandhya

noun

The daily morning or evening prayer ritual in Hindu practice, often performed at twilight.

Sandi

name

A feminine given name, a diminutive of Sandra or Alexandra.

sandie

name

A diminutive of the female given names Sandra, Alexandra, or Cassandra.