English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

tween

noun

A child roughly between eight and thirteen years old — older than a young kid but not yet a teenager.

tweet

noun

A short, high-pitched chirp, such as one a small bird makes.

tweeting

noun

The activity of posting messages on Twitter/X.

tweety

adj

Full of, or characteristic of, tweets or chirping.

tweezers

noun

A small, pincer-like hand tool used to grip or pull out tiny objects, such as splinters or hairs.

twelfth

adj

Coming after eleventh and before thirteenth in a sequence; number 12 in an ordered list.

twelve

num

The number after eleven and before thirteen; 12.

Twelvetrees

name

An English surname, originally a place name denoting a location marked by twelve trees.

twenties

noun

The years of a decade numbered in the 20s, such as the 1920s or 2020s.

twentieth

adj

Coming after nineteenth and before twenty-first in a sequence; number 20 in an ordered list.

twenty

num

The number after nineteen and before twenty-one; 20.

twerk

noun

A sexually suggestive dance move in which the dancer thrusts and shakes their hips and buttocks from a low squatting position.

twerp

noun

A foolish, annoying, or insignificant person.

twice

adv

Two times.

twiddle

verb

To fidget with or turn something idly with the fingers.

twiddling

noun

The act of fidgeting or idly playing with something.

twig

noun

A small, thin branch growing off a larger branch of a tree or bush.

twiggy

adj

Covered with or full of twigs.

Twila

name

A feminine given name, likely derived from "twilight," popular in the early 20th century United States.

twilight

noun

The soft, dim light in the sky just before sunrise or, more commonly, just after sunset.

twin

noun

One of two children born to the same mother at the same time.

twine

noun

A strong string or cord made from two or more threads twisted together.

twinge

noun

A sudden, brief sharp pain in part of the body.

twink

noun

(slang) A young, slim, attractive gay man, typically without much body hair.

twinkle

verb

To shine with a flickering, sparkling light.

twinkling

noun

A very brief moment, notionally as short as the blink of an eye.

twins

noun

Two children born to the same mother at the same birth.

twirl

verb

To spin or rotate quickly and gracefully.

twist

verb

To turn or bend something, often forcefully, so it becomes distorted or wound.

twisted

adj

Bent, wound, or contorted out of its natural shape.

twister

noun

(chiefly US, informal) A tornado.

twisting

adj

Having many bends or turns; winding.

twisty

adj

Full of twists and turns.

twit

noun

A silly or foolish person.

twitch

noun

A small, sudden, often involuntary movement of a muscle.

Twitchell

name

An English surname, derived from a place name for a narrow passage or alley.

twitching

noun

A series of small, involuntary muscle movements.

twitchy

adj

Prone to twitching; jumpy or nervous.

twitter

noun

A series of short chirping sounds made by birds.

twittering

noun

A continuous series of chirping sounds.

Twix

noun

A candy bar made of two crunchy biscuit fingers coated in caramel and chocolate.

twixt

prep

A shortened, poetic form of "betwixt," meaning between.

two

num

The number after one; the quantity written as 2.

twos

noun

The plural of "two," used for groups or multiples of two.

twosome

noun

Two people or things considered together, as a pair.

Twyla

name

A feminine given name, a variant spelling of Twila, notably borne by choreographer Twyla Tharp.

Ty

name

A masculine given name, often a short form of Tyler or Tyrone.

Tybalt

name

A masculine given name best known as the hot-tempered character in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

Tycho

name

A masculine given name, notably borne by astronomer Tycho Brahe, and the name of a prominent lunar crater named after him.

tycoon

noun

A very wealthy and powerful businessperson, especially the head of a large company or industry.

tye

noun

A trough or tank used for washing crushed ore to separate out valuable minerals.

tying

noun

The action of fastening something with string, rope, or a knot.

tyke

noun

A small child, especially a lively or mischievous one.

Tylenol

noun

A brand name for the painkiller acetaminophen (known as paracetamol outside the US).

Tyler

name

A given name, originally an English surname meaning "one who lays tiles," now common for boys and, more recently, girls.

Tyne

name

A river in northeast England that flows through Newcastle.

type

noun

A category or class of things that share particular features.

typed

adj

Written or produced using a keyboard rather than by hand.

typewriter

noun

A mechanical or electric machine that prints letters onto paper when its keys are pressed.

typhoid

noun

A serious bacterial infection causing high fever, weakness, and stomach problems, spread through contaminated food or water.

typhoon

noun

A powerful tropical storm that forms over the northwestern Pacific Ocean, equivalent to a hurricane elsewhere.

typhus

noun

A serious bacterial disease spread by lice or fleas, causing high fever, rash, and confusion.

typical

adj

Having the usual features of a particular type or group; representative.

typically

adv

In a way that is usual or expected; normally.

typing

noun

The act of entering text using a keyboard.

typist

noun

A person whose job is to type documents, especially quickly and accurately.

typo

noun

A small mistake made while typing, such as a misspelled word.

Tyr

name

The Norse god of war, law, and justice, after whom Tuesday is named.

Tyra

name

A feminine given name of Scandinavian origin, related to the god Tyr, notably borne by model Tyra Banks.

tyrannical

adj

Acting like a tyrant; harshly and unfairly controlling.

tyrannosaurus

noun

A large meat-eating dinosaur, best known through the species Tyrannosaurus rex, that lived in North America near the end of the age of dinosaurs.

tyranny

noun

Cruel and unjust rule by a single powerful leader or small group.

tyrant

noun

A ruler who governs cruelly and unfairly, often having seized power illegally.

tyre

noun

British spelling: the rubber ring fitted around a wheel that grips the road.

Tyree

name

A masculine given name and surname, possibly derived from a Scottish place name or as a variant of Tyrie.

Tyrell

name

A masculine given name and surname, an English variant of the Norman name Tirel.

Tyrol

name

A historic region in the Alps, spanning parts of Austria and Italy, known for its mountain scenery.

Tyrone

noun

Slang for a Black man regarded as charming or successful with women.

Tyson

name

An English surname and given name, notably borne by boxer Mike Tyson.