English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

visualise

verb

British spelling of visualize, used outside Oxford-style spelling conventions.

visualization

noun

The act of picturing something in the mind, or the mental image produced.

visualize

verb

To form a clear picture of something in your mind.

visually

adv

By or through sight.

vita

noun

A written account of a saint's life; a hagiography.

vital

adj

Absolutely necessary; essential to success or survival.

vitality

noun

Physical or mental energy and liveliness.

vitally

adv

To a critically important degree; essentially.

vitals

noun

The organs of the body essential for staying alive, such as the heart and lungs.

vitamin

noun

One of a group of natural compounds the body needs in small amounts to grow, function, and stay healthy.

Vite

name

A surname of French or Italian origin.

Vito

name

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

Vittoria

name

An Italian feminine given name meaning "victory."

Viv

noun

A short, informal name for a vivarium, an enclosure for keeping small animals or reptiles.

viva

intj

Used to cheer or celebrate someone or something, meaning roughly "long live!"

vivacious

adj

Full of energy and enthusiasm; lively and animated.

Vivaldi

name

An Italian surname, best known as that of the Baroque composer Antonio Vivaldi.

vive

adj

Lively or animated (a rare, mostly literary usage).

Vivek

name

A South Asian male given name meaning "wisdom" or "discernment" in Sanskrit.

Vivian

name

A given name, used for both men and women, derived from Latin.

Viviane

name

A French female given name related to Vivian.

vivid

adj

Producing sharp, clear, powerful images or impressions.

vividly

adv

In a way that produces a very clear, sharp impression.

Vivien

name

A feminine spelling variant of the given name Vivian.

Vivienne

name

A French-derived female given name, a variant of Vivian.

vixen

noun

A female fox.

Vizag

name

A common short name for Visakhapatnam, a port city in southeastern India.

vizier

noun

A senior minister or official in an Islamic government, especially the Ottoman Empire.

Vlad

name

A male given name, often a short form of Vladimir or Vladislav.

Vladimirovich

name

A Russian patronymic meaning "son of Vladimir," used as a middle name.

Vladivostok

name

A major port city in the far east of Russia, on the Pacific coast.

vlog

noun

A blog where video is the main way content is shared.

Vo

name

A common Vietnamese surname.

vocabulary

noun

All the words someone knows and uses, or all the words belonging to a particular subject or language.

vocal

adj

Relating to, or produced by, the human voice.

vocalist

noun

A singer, especially one performing with a band or group.

vocalizing

noun

The act of singing or making sounds with the voice, often as vocal warm-up or practice.

vocally

adverb

Out loud, using the voice; audibly.

vocals

noun

The sung parts of a piece of music, as opposed to the instruments.

vocation

noun

A job or career that someone feels strongly called or suited to, especially one seen as more than just a way to earn money.

vocational

adjective

Relating to training for a specific trade or skill, rather than general academic study.

VoD

noun

An abbreviation for "video on demand" — video content, such as a TV show or recorded stream, that can be watched whenever the viewer chooses rather than at a fixed broadcast time.

vodka

noun

A strong, clear spirit distilled mainly from grain or potatoes, typically with little flavor of its own.

Vogel

name

A German surname meaning "bird."

Vogler

name

A German surname, an occupational name for a bird catcher.

vogue

noun

The style or fashion that is currently popular.

voice

noun

The sound a person produces when speaking or singing.

voiced

adjective

In phonetics, produced with the vocal cords vibrating, as opposed to a silent or breathy sound.

voicemail

noun

A system that records spoken messages left by callers when a phone isn't answered.

void

adjective

Completely empty; containing nothing.

Voight

name

A German surname, a variant of Vogt, meaning "steward" or "overseer."

volatile

adjective

Likely to change suddenly and unpredictably, especially for the worse.

volcanic

adjective

Relating to or produced by a volcano.

volcano

noun

An opening in the Earth's surface, usually on a mountain, through which molten rock, ash, and gas escape from below.

Voldemort

noun

Informally, a person or thing so feared or reviled that people avoid naming it directly.

vole

noun

A small rodent, similar to a mouse but with a rounder body and shorter tail, common in fields and hedgerows.

Volga

name

The longest river in Europe, flowing through western Russia into the Caspian Sea.

volition

noun

The act of consciously deciding or choosing to do something, using one's own will.

Volkov

name

A common Russian surname derived from "volk," meaning "wolf."

Volkswagen

name

A major German car manufacturer, headquartered in Wolfsburg, known for models such as the Beetle and Golf.

volley

noun

A number of things, especially shots, insults, or questions, released or fired all at once.

volleyball

noun

A team sport in which players hit an inflated ball back and forth over a net without letting it touch the ground on their own side.

Volodya

name

A Russian diminutive form of the name Vladimir.

volt

noun

The standard unit of electrical potential, measuring the "push" that drives an electric current.

volta

noun

In poetry, especially a sonnet, the turning point where the argument or mood shifts.

voltage

noun

The difference in electrical potential between two points, which drives current through a circuit.

Voltaire

name

The pen name of François-Marie Arouet, an influential 18th-century French writer and philosopher known for his wit and criticism of intolerance.

Voltron

noun

A group of separate parts or people that becomes far more powerful once combined into one whole.

volume

noun

How loud a sound is, or the control that adjusts it.

voluntarily

adverb

Done by choice, without being forced or paid to do it.

voluntary

adjective

Done by choice, not because of an obligation or force.

volunteer

noun

Someone who offers to do a task, often unpaid, without being forced to.

volunteering

noun

Unpaid work done to help others or support a cause.

voluptuous

adjective

Curvaceous and sexually attractive, especially describing a woman's figure.

Volvo

name

A Swedish car manufacturer known for an emphasis on safety.

vomit

verb

To bring up the contents of the stomach through the mouth.

vomiting

noun

The act of forcibly bringing up the contents of the stomach through the mouth.

Vonda

name

A feminine given name, likely a variant of Wanda.

voodoo

noun

A religion practiced mainly in Haiti and parts of Louisiana, blending West African spiritual traditions with Catholic elements.

Voorhees

name

A surname of Dutch origin, and the name of the fictional character Jason Voorhees from the "Friday the 13th" films.

voracious

adj

Eating, or wanting to eat, huge amounts of food.

vortex

noun

A spinning mass of air, water, or other matter that pulls things toward its centre, such as a whirlpool or whirlwind.

Vos

name

A Dutch surname meaning "fox."

Voss

name

A German and Dutch surname meaning "fox," and the name of a town in Norway.

vote

noun

A formal choice made as part of an election or decision, usually by ballot.

voted

adj

Decided on or approved through a formal vote.

voter

noun

A person who votes or is entitled to vote.

voting

noun

The process of making a formal choice, especially in an election.

Vou

name

A rare surname of East Asian origin.

vouch

verb

To personally guarantee that someone or something is trustworthy or genuine, often based on your own experience.

voucher

noun

A piece of paper or code that can be exchanged for goods, services, or a discount.

vow

noun

A solemn, formal promise, especially one made as part of a religious or ceremonial commitment.

vowed

adj

Promised solemnly; committed to as a vow.

vowel

noun

A speech sound made with an open vocal tract, without blocking the airflow — the core sound of a syllable.

voyage

noun

A long journey, especially one made by sea, air, or space.

voyager

noun

A person who travels on a long journey, especially to unfamiliar or distant places.

voyeur

noun

A person who gets sexual gratification from secretly watching others undress or engage in intimate acts.

vP

noun

A phrase headed by little v.

VR

adj

Relating to or existing within virtual reality — a computer-generated, immersive simulated environment.

vroom

intj

Used to imitate the roaring sound of a revving engine.

Vs

prep

Abbreviation of "versus," used to show two sides opposing each other in a contest, match, or comparison.

Vu

name

A common Vietnamese surname.

Vue

name

A Hmong surname, one of the traditional Hmong clan names.

Vuitton

name

A French surname, most famously borne by Louis Vuitton, founder of the luxury goods house.

Vuk

name

A masculine given name of Slavic origin, meaning "wolf".

Vulcan

noun

In fiction, a member of a logical, emotionally restrained alien species from the Star Trek universe.

vulgar

adj

Crude, tasteless, or offensive, especially in speech or behaviour.

vulgarity

noun

Crude, offensive, or tasteless behaviour or language.

vulnerability

noun

The state of being open to being hurt, attacked, or emotionally exposed.

vulnerable

adj

Likely to be harmed, attacked, or hurt, physically or emotionally.

vulture

noun

A large bird of prey that feeds mainly on the flesh of dead animals.

vulva

noun

The external part of the female genitalia, including the labia and clitoris.

VX

noun

A highly toxic nerve agent developed as a chemical weapon.

vying

noun

The act of competing eagerly with others for the same thing.

Vyvyan

name

An English given name, a variant spelling of Vivian, of Latin origin meaning "alive".