English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

satisfactory

adj

Good enough to meet a need or requirement; acceptable.

satisfied

adj

Pleased because a need, desire, or expectation has been met.

satisfy

verb

To meet the needs, wishes, or requirements of someone or something.

satisfying

adj

Giving pleasure or a sense of fulfillment; pleasing.

Sato

name

A surname of Japanese origin, one of the most common surnames in Japan.

Satoko

name

A female given name of Japanese origin.

Satomi

name

A female given name of Japanese origin.

satori

noun

A sudden feeling of deep spiritual understanding, often reached through meditation.

Satoru

name

A male given name of Japanese origin.

Satoshi

noun

The smallest unit of bitcoin, equal to one hundred-millionth (0.00000001) of a single bitcoin.

satrap

noun

A governor who ruled a province of the ancient Persian empire.

satsuma

noun

A small, sweet, seedless citrus fruit related to the mandarin orange, easy to peel by hand.

satsumaimo

noun

A Japanese form of sweet potato.

saturate

verb

To soak something completely, usually with a liquid, so it can hold no more.

saturated

adj

Completely soaked with liquid; unable to absorb any more.

saturation

noun

The state or process of being completely filled or soaked, with no room for more.

Saturday

noun

The day of the week between Friday and Sunday, widely treated as part of the weekend.

Saturdays

adv

On Saturdays, as a regular habit or pattern.

Saturn

noun

The sixth planet from the sun, famous for its large, bright ring system.

saturnalia

name

A holiday of ancient Rome held in honour of the deity Saturn.

saturnine

adj

Describes someone who tends to be cold, distant and gloomy by nature.

Satya

name

A unisex given name of Sanskrit origin, meaning "truth."

satyr

noun

In Greek mythology, a woodland spirit shown as part man and part goat, known for revelry and lust, often a companion of Dionysus.

satyriasis

noun

An unusually strong sexual desire in a man.

sauce

noun

A liquid or semi-liquid mixture served with food to add flavor or moisture.

saucepan

noun

A deep cooking pot with a long handle, used on a stovetop for boiling or simmering food.

saucer

noun

A small, shallow dish that a cup sits on, often used to catch drips.

sauciness

noun

The quality of being cheeky or bold in a playful way.

saucy

adj

Cheeky or disrespectful in a way that comes across as playful or amusing rather than genuinely rude.

saudade

noun

A deep, bittersweet longing for someone or something absent, coloured by the knowledge that it may never come back and by pleasure at having known it at all.

Saudi

noun

A person from Saudi Arabia.

sauerkraut

noun

Finely shredded cabbage that has been fermented in salt, giving it a sour, tangy flavour.

Saul

name

The first king of Israel in the Old Testament.

sauna

noun

A small room or building heated to a high temperature, used for relaxation or to induce sweating.

Saunders

name

An English and Scottish surname, originally derived from a form of the name Alexander.

saunter

verb

To walk slowly and without hurry.

Sauron

name

The main villain of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, the dark ruler of Mordor.

sausage

verb

To squeeze or pack something tightly into a long, rolled shape, like a sausage in its casing.

sauté

verb

To cook food quickly in a shallow pan over fairly high heat in a small amount of fat, tossing or stirring it so it browns without stewing.

Sauvage

name

A French surname.

sav

noun

Informal short form of "saveloy," a type of seasoned, smoked sausage.

Sava

name

A river in southeastern Europe that flows into the Danube near Belgrade.

savage

adj

Extremely fierce, violent, or brutal.

savagely

adv

In a fierce, brutal, or uncontrolled way.

savageness

noun

The quality of being fierce, wild or violent.

savagery

noun

Extreme cruelty or violent, brutal behaviour.

savanna

noun

A grassy plain with scattered trees, typical of tropical and subtropical regions, where the trees are spaced too far apart to form a closed canopy.

Savannah

name

A major city in Georgia, USA, and the name shared by several other American towns and rivers.

savant

noun

A highly learned or knowledgeable person, especially in science or literature.

save

verb

To rescue someone or something from harm or danger.

saved

adj

Rescued, especially spiritually, from sin or condemnation.

saver

noun

A person who puts money aside rather than spending it.

Savile

name

An English surname.

savin

noun

A low evergreen shrub (Juniperus sabina) native to Europe, historically used to produce a medicinal oil.

saving

noun

A reduction in the amount of money, time, or effort spent.

Savino

name

An Italian surname.

savior

noun

Someone who rescues another person from harm or danger.

saviour

noun

British and Canadian spelling of "savior" — someone who rescues another from harm.

Savitri

name

A female given name of Sanskrit origin, widely used in India.

savorless

adj

Having no taste at all.

savory

adj

Having a rich, appetizing flavour that is salty or spicy rather than sweet.

savour

noun

A distinctive taste, smell, or quality that something has.

savourily

adv

In a way that is tasty and enjoyable to eat.

Savoy

noun

A variety of cabbage with crinkled, dark green leaves.

savvy

adj

Shrewd and well-informed, especially about practical matters.

saw

noun

A hand or power tool with a toothed or abrasive blade, used for cutting hard materials like wood or metal.

sawa

noun

Another name for Japanese millet, a grain crop.

Sawako

name

A Japanese female given name.

Sawant

name

A surname of Marathi origin, common in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

sawdust

noun

The fine, powdery particles produced when wood is cut with a saw.

sawfish

noun

A sawfish is any ray of the family Pristidae, a flat-bodied marine fish with a long snout edged like a saw.

sawhorse

noun

A frame with legs and a crosspiece used to hold wood or other material steady while it is being cut or worked on.

sawing

noun

The act of cutting something with a saw.

sawmill

noun

A facility or machine where logs are cut into planks or boards.

sawyer

noun

A person whose job is sawing timber.

sax

noun

Informal short form of "saxophone."

saxe

name

Another name for Saxony, once a duchy and historical region in the north-centre of Germany.

Saxena

name

A surname used by the Kayastha community of Hindus in India.

Saxon

noun

A member of an ancient Germanic people who lived near the North Sea coast of what is now northern Germany, some of whom later settled in Britain.

Saxony

noun

A state in eastern Germany, home to cities such as Dresden and Leipzig.

saxophone

noun

A brass wind instrument with a single reed, curved body, and upturned bell, common in jazz and marching bands.

saxophonist

noun

A person who plays the saxophone.

say

verb

To speak words; to express something out loud or in writing.

saya

noun

A traditional wraparound skirt worn in parts of Southeast Asia and Latin America.

sayer

noun

Someone who says or announces something, especially habitually.

Sayers

name

An English surname, originally denoting an occupation, common in Sussex.

saying

noun

A well-known short phrase that expresses a piece of wisdom or common belief; a proverb.

sayonara

intj

Goodbye — a farewell, borrowed from Japanese.

Sayuri

name

A female given name of Japanese origin, meaning "small lily."

saz

noun

A long-necked stringed instrument from Central Asia and the Middle East, similar to a lute.

scab

noun

A dry, hard crust that forms over a wound as it heals.

scabbard

noun

A protective sheath for a sword or similar blade.

scabby

adj

Covered in scabs, or affected by a skin condition that causes them.

scabies

noun

A contagious skin condition caused by tiny mites burrowing under the skin, causing intense itching.

scabrous

adj

Rough and coarse to the touch, as if covered in scabs or scales.

scaffold

noun

A temporary framework of poles or tubes that workers stand on to reach high parts of a building.

scaffolder

noun

Someone whose job is to put up and take down scaffolding.

scaffolding

noun

A temporary structure of poles and platforms used to support workers during construction or repairs.

scag

noun

(offensive, dated) A woman considered to be sexually promiscuous.

scala

noun

A ladder-like structure, especially one of the fluid-filled channels inside the inner ear.

scalability

noun

The ability of a system or process to grow and cope with increasing demand.

scalawag

noun

A dishonest or worthless man who cannot be trusted.

scald

verb

To injure the skin by contact with very hot liquid or steam.

scalding

adj

Hot enough to burn the skin.

scale

noun

The size, extent, or proportion of something, especially compared to something else.

scaled

adj

Covered with scales, or having a scale-like surface.

scaleless

adj

Giving no clue as to actual size, because nothing shows how big or small it is.

scales

noun

A device with two pans used to measure and compare weight.

scaling

noun

The act of climbing something, especially a steep surface.

scallion

noun

A slender green onion with a mild flavour, also called a spring onion, from the species Allium fistulosum.

scallop

noun

An edible marine shellfish with a distinctive fan-shaped, ridged shell.

scallywag

noun

A dishonest, worthless person who cannot be relied on.

scalp

noun

The skin on top of the head, where hair grows.

scalped

adjective

Having had the scalp (the skin and hair on top of the head) cut or torn off.

scalpel

noun

A small, extremely sharp knife used by surgeons for precise cutting.

scalping

noun

The practice of reselling tickets or goods at a marked-up price, often illegally.

scaly

adj

Covered with scales, or having a rough, flaky surface like scales.

scam

noun

A dishonest scheme designed to trick people out of money.

scamcoin

noun

(informal) A cryptocurrency made mainly to enrich the people who created it.

scammer

noun

Someone who tricks people out of money through dishonest schemes.

scamp

noun

A mischievous but likeable person, especially a playful child.

scamper

verb

To run quickly with short, light steps, often playfully.

scampi

noun

Large prawns or langoustines, especially served breaded and fried.

scampishness

noun

The quality of being mischievous in a light-hearted, roguish way.

scan

verb

To look over something quickly, often searching for particular information.

scandal

noun

A public event or revelation that causes outrage and damages the reputation of those involved.

scandalise

verb

A non-Oxford British English standard spelling of scandalize.

scandalize

verb

To upset or offend someone badly by doing something shocking.

scandalous

adj

Shocking or disgraceful enough to cause public outrage.

scandaroon

name

Former name of Iskenderun: a city in southern Turkey.

scandent

adj

Able to climb, but without any special body parts built for it.

Scandinavia

name

A region of Northern Europe consisting of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, sometimes extended to include Finland and Iceland.

Scandinavian

adj

Relating to Scandinavia, its people, or its languages.

scandium

noun

A metallic chemical element with the symbol Sc and atomic number 21, which is classed as a transition element.

scanger

noun

(informal) Someone linked to minor crime who is very keen on expensive brands of clothes, music and cars.

Scanlan

name

A surname of Irish origin.

Scanlon

name

A surname of Irish origin.

scanned

adjective

Converted into digital form by a scanner.

scanner

noun

A device that converts paper documents or images into digital files.

scanning

noun

The act of passing something through a scanner or examining it closely.

scant

adjective

Barely enough; in short supply.

scantily

adv

In an amount that is too small, or not fully.

scantiness

noun

The state of not having enough of something.

scantling

noun

The fixed size that a piece of wood, stone or building material must be cut to.

scanty

adj

Not as large or as much as is really needed.

scape

noun

A bare stem that grows straight up from a root or bulb, with no leaves on it.

scapegoat

noun

A person blamed for a problem or failure that was not really their fault, often to protect others.

scapegrace

noun

(informal) A person, often a boy, who behaves in a wild and careless way.

scapula

noun

Either of the two flat, triangular bones that form the back of the shoulder; the shoulder blade.

scar

noun

A mark left on the skin after a wound has healed.