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| Within [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s works, there are many '''uncommon''', archaic, obsolete and dialectal words (especially from the dialects of the United Kingdom) which might cause confusion to readers and may make a passage of text appear unwieldy. | | Within [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s works, there are many '''uncommon''', archaic, obsolete and dialectal words (especially from the dialects of the United Kingdom) which might cause confusion to readers and may make a passage of text appear unwieldy. |
| {{CompactTOC}} | | {{CompactTOC}} |
| Word Definition
| | ==A== |
| aba garment of camel or goat hair; camel or goat-hair fabric
| | * '''abide''' - put up with, tolerate; await; |
| abacinate to blind by putting red-hot copper basin near the eyes
| | * '''abjure''' - renounce, turn away from |
| abactor cattle thief
| | * '''abroad''' - in the open, at large |
| abaculus small tile for mosaic
| | * '''adamant''' - diamond, or (more generally) any very hard substance |
| abaft toward or at the stern of a ship; further aft
| | * '''afield''' - away, especially from home |
| abampere unit equivalent to 10 amperes
| | * '''aforetime''' - in earlier times |
| abapical at the lowest point
| | * '''aghast''' - terrified, amazed |
| abarticular not connected with the joint
| | * '''agin''' - a dialect word meaning "against", "next to" |
| abasement action of humbling or degrading
| | * '''aloof''' - hanging over ones head |
| abasia inability to walk due to lack of muscular coordination
| | * '''amiss''' - not as things should be |
| abask in genial warmth
| | * '''an''' - if |
| abatis rampart of felled trees and branches
| | * '''anon''' - soon; ever and anon often |
| abatjour skylight or device to direct light into a room
| | * '''apace''' - quickly |
| abattoir public slaughterhouse
| | * '''argent''' - silver |
| abature trail through wood beaten down by a stag
| | * '''arrassed''' - covered with arras (rich figured tapestry) |
| abb yarn used for warp
| | * '''assuage''' - soften, lessen, soothe |
| abba Syriac or Coptic bishop
| | * '''astonied''' - stunned, astonished |
| abbatial of, like or pertaining to abbots or an abbey
| | * '''aught''' - anything |
| abbozzo preliminary sketch
| |
| abditive remote; secret; hidden
| |
| abdominous having a paunch or big belly
| |
| abducent turning away; bearing away from
| |
| abeam in a line at right angles to the length of a vessel, on the beam
| |
| abear to bear; to comport; to behave
| |
| abecedarian of, like or pertaining to the order of the alphabet; rudimentary
| |
| abecedism word created from the initials of words in a phrase
| |
| abele white poplar tree
| |
| aberdevine alternate name for the siskin
| |
| aberuncators long tool for pruning tall branches
| |
| abessive indicating absence or lack
| |
| abiectic of, like or pertaining to fir trees or fir sap
| |
| abigail a lady's maid
| |
| abigeus cattle rustler
| |
| abiogenesis spontaneous generation of living matter
| |
| abiotrophy degeneration; loss of physical vitality or ability
| |
| abirritate to alleviate irritation; to reduce sensitivity
| |
| abiturient pupil leaving school for university
| |
| abject humble; miserable; craven
| |
| ablactation weaning of a child from its mother's milk
| |
| ablative indicating direction from or time when
| |
| ablator thermal protection on outside of spacecraft
| |
| ablaut variation in root vowel of words to change meaning
| |
| ablegate papal envoy or legate
| |
| ablepsia blindness
| |
| ablow in a blowing state
| |
| abluent cleanser or cleansing product
| |
| ablutomania mania for washing oneself
| |
| abnegate to renounce or repudiate
| |
| abodement an omen; a foretelling
| |
| aboideau tide gate
| |
| abolla Roman military cloak
| |
| abomasum ruminant's fourth stomach
| |
| aboral away from the mouth
| |
| abord to accost; to approach
| |
| aborning during birth; while being born
| |
| aborticide killing of a fetus; abortion
| |
| abortuary anti-abortion term for an abortion clinic
| |
| aboulia loss of ability to make decisions
| |
| aboulomania pathological indecisiveness
| |
| aboutsledge largest blacksmith's hammer
| |
| abra narrow mountain pass
| |
| abradant a substance that abrades
| |
| abraid to awaken or rouse
| |
| abraxas gem engraved with mystical word and bearing human-animal figure
| |
| abreuvoir joint or gap between two stones in masonry
| |
| abroach in a condition to allow liquor to run out
| |
| abrosia fasting
| |
| abscind to pare, reduce, cut off or away
| |
| abscissa horizontal distance from a fixed line to a point
| |
| abscission cutting off; cutting away
| |
| absconce lantern used in monasteries and night offices
| |
| abseil to descend a rock face using a double rope
| |
| absentaneous done in absence; pertaining to absence
| |
| absinthial of, like or pertaining to wormwood; bitter
| |
| absinthism disease resembling alcoholism
| |
| absit leave to pass one night away from college
| |
| absolutism doctrine of government by a single absolute ruler; autocracy
| |
| absolutive indicating subject or object of intransitive verb
| |
| absolutory forgiving or absolving
| |
| absonant discordant; abhorrent
| |
| absorbefacient causing or promoting absorption
| |
| absorptiometer instrument for measuring solubility of gases in liquids
| |
| absquatulate to decamp; to leave quickly; to flee
| |
| absterge wipe clean; expunge; purge; purify
| |
| absurdism doctrine that we live in an irrational universe
| |
| abterminal going from the end inwards
| |
| abthane monastic region of the old Irish church
| |
| abulia lack of ability to make decisions; aboulia
| |
| abuna Ethiopian patriarch
| |
| abusion misuse; outrage; deception
| |
| abutment masonry on a wall that supports an arch
| |
| abvolt unit of electrical potential equal to one hundred millionth of a volt
| |
| aby to make amends; atone; pay a penalty
| |
| abyssopelagic of, like or pertaining to the depths of the ocean
| |
| academicism doctrine that nothing can be known
| |
| acanaceous bearing prickles or thistles; prickly
| |
| acantha prickle
| |
| acanthous spiny; prickly
| |
| acapnia lack or deficiency of carbon dioxide
| |
| acapnotic non-smoker; non-smoking
| |
| acariasis irritating itching insect infestation
| |
| acaricide killer of mites and ticks
| |
| acarine of, like or pertaining to ticks or mites
| |
| acarology study of mites
| |
| acarophobia fear of itching or of insects causing itching
| |
| acarpous sterile; not bearing fruit
| |
| acatalectic having complete or full number of syllables in a poetic line
| |
| acatalepsy the unknowableness of all things to a certainty
| |
| acatamathesia inability to understand data presented to the senses
| |
| acates provisions that have been purchased
| |
| acatour provisioner; quartermaster
| |
| acaudate tailless
| |
| acaulescent having a very short stem
| |
| accelerometer instrument for measuring acceleration or vibrations
| |
| accend to kindle
| |
| accensor acolyte
| |
| accentor songbird
| |
| acceptilation remission of debt or liability through fictitious repayment
| |
| accessit prize for students in second place; honourable mention
| |
| acciaccatura very short note played before a longer one
| |
| accidence grammar book; science of inflections in grammar
| |
| accidentalism theory that events do not have causes
| |
| accidie sloth; physical torpor
| |
| accinge to gird
| |
| accipiter bandage worn around the nose
| |
| accipitral like a bird of prey; rapacious
| |
| accipitrine of, like or pertaining to falcons and hawks
| |
| accismus in rhetoric, pretending to refuse something
| |
| accite to cite; to summon
| |
| acclinate sloping upwards
| |
| acclivity upward slope
| |
| accloy to hobble with a horseshoe nail
| |
| accolade curved architectural moulding; vertical line joining two musical staves
| |
| accolent neighbouring
| |
| accosted in heraldry, two figures placed side by side
| |
| accoucheur male midwife
| |
| accoucheuse female midwife
| |
| accourage to encourage
| |
| accourt to entertain
| |
| accoy to subdue; to pacify; to soothe
| |
| accrementition increase or growth by adding similar material
| |
| accretion accumulation; addition of parts to form a whole
| |
| accubation reclining as on a couch
| |
| accubitum crescent-shaped couch
| |
| accusative indicating direct object of a verb
| |
| acedia listlessness; sloth
| |
| aceldama site or scene of violence or bloodshed
| |
| aceology therapeutics
| |
| acequia irrigation ditch
| |
| acerate of, like or resembling a needle
| |
| acerbate to embitter; to irritate
| |
| acerous lacking horns or antennae
| |
| acersecomic one whose hair has never been cut
| |
| acervate heaped; clustered
| |
| acervuline like or in small mounds or heaps
| |
| acescence becoming sour; souring; turning of milk
| |
| acetabulum small anatomical cup or hollow, such as a sucker
| |
| acetarious referring to plants that are used in salads
| |
| acetimeter instrument for measuring strength of vinegar
| |
| achaenocarp any dry indehiscent fruit
| |
| acharné furious or desperate (of a battle)
| |
| achene small one-seeded fruit or naked seed of plant
| |
| achloropsia colour-blindness with respect to green
| |
| achor eruption or scab on the head
| |
| achromatopsia colour-blindness
| |
| achroous colourless
| |
| acicular needle-shaped
| |
| acidaemia undue acidity of blood
| |
| acidimeter instrument for measuring concentration of acids
| |
| acidulous sharp or bitter-tasting
| |
| acierate to turn into steel
| |
| acinaceous full of kernels
| |
| acinaciform scimitar-shaped
| |
| aciniform shaped like a berry
| |
| acinus berry which grows in clusters
| |
| acipenser sturgeon
| |
| aclinic having no inclination or magnetic dip
| |
| acock defiantly
| |
| acoemeti ancient monastic order who maintained eternal choir service
| |
| acology study of medical remedies
| |
| acolous limbless
| |
| acolouthic of, like or pertaining to an after-image or other after-sensation
| |
| acopic curing or relieving fatigue
| |
| acoria pathologically great appetite
| |
| acosmism disbelief in existence of eternal universe distinct from God
| |
| acouasm ringing noise in head
| |
| acquest object which is acquired
| |
| acracy government by none; anarchy
| |
| acratia impotence
| |
| acre-breadth old unit of length of 22 yards
| |
| acritochromacy colour-blindness
| |
| acroamatic esoteric
| |
| acrocephalous having a pointed or peaked skull
| |
| acrography the art of making wood blocks in relief
| |
| acrolith wooden statue with stone extremities
| |
| acrologic of, like or pertaining to initials
| |
| acromegaly glandular disorder causing gigantism of extremities
| |
| acronical occurring at nightfall or sunset
| |
| acronym word formed from initial letters of another word
| |
| acronyx ingrown nail
| |
| acropathy disease or illness of the extremities
| |
| acrophobia fear of heights
| |
| acrophonic using a symbol for the initial sound of a thing
| |
| acropodium pedestal upon which a statue rests
| |
| acroscopic looking or moving towards the apex
| |
| acroteleutic phrase or words at the end of a psalm
| |
| acroterion pedestal or ornament at the angle of a pediment
| |
| acrotism absence of pulsing
| |
| actinism action of solar radiation causing chemical change
| |
| actinograph instrument used to calculate time of photographic exposure
| |
| actinometer instrument for measuring incident radiation
| |
| actinotherapy use of ultraviolet rays as medical therapy
| |
| actuate communicate motion to; cause
| |
| aculeate prickly; pointed; stinging; a stinging insect
| |
| aculeiform shaped like a thorn
| |
| acultomancy divination using needles
| |
| acuminate tapered; pointed; to sharpen
| |
| acutiator sharpener of weapons
| |
| acutorsion twisting artery with needle to stop bleeding
| |
| acyanopsia colour-blindness with respect to blue
| |
| acyesis female sterility
| |
| acyrology incorrect diction or pronunciation
| |
| adactylous lacking fingers or claws
| |
| adamantine unbreakable; impenetrable
| |
| adamitism nakedness for religious reasons
| |
| adaxial next to or towards the axis
| |
| addax large African antelope
| |
| additament thing added or appended; heraldic ornament
| |
| addititious of, pertaining to or resulting from addition
| |
| addle putrid; barren; muddled
| |
| addorsed turned back to back in heraldry
| |
| adduce cite as proof or instance
| |
| adeciduate evergreen; coniferous
| |
| adeem to cancel a bequest by destruction of the object
| |
| adelaster provisional name for a plant whose flowers are unknown
| |
| adelphogamy sharing of a wife by two or more brothers
| |
| ademption revocation of donation by donor
| |
| adenalgia painful swelling of a gland
| |
| adenia glandular swelling
| |
| adeniform shaped like a gland
| |
| adenography descriptive work on the glandular system
| |
| adenoid of, like or pertaining to or like a gland
| |
| adenology study of glands
| |
| adenotomy removal or excision of gland
| |
| adespota anonymous works
| |
| adessive indicating place where or proximity to
| |
| adevism denial of gods of mythology and legend
| |
| adharma unrighteousness
| |
| adhibit to attach; to admit; to administer
| |
| adhocracy government in an unstructured fashion; an unstructured organization
| |
| adiabatic without transference of heat
| |
| adiaphoresis absence of perspiration; inability to perspire
| |
| adiaphorism doctrine of theological indifference or latitudinarianism
| |
| adiaphoron tenet or belief on which a theological system is indifferent
| |
| adiapneustia defective perspiration
| |
| adiathermancy impermeability to radiant energy
| |
| adipescent becoming fat or fatty
| |
| adipic of, like or pertaining to fatty substances
| |
| adipocere fatty substance occurring in corpses left in moist areas
| |
| adipsia absence or lack of thirst
| |
| adit opening or passage into a mine
| |
| adjudge to decide; to award
| |
| adjutage nozzle
| |
| adjutor helper; assistant
| |
| adjuvant substance added to make vaccine more effective
| |
| admanuensis one who takes an oath on a religious book
| |
| admaxillary connected to or near the jaw
| |
| admeasurement the act of measuring or apportioning
| |
| adminicle that which supports or aids, especially evidence
| |
| adnascent growing on some other thing
| |
| adnominal indicating adjective used as a noun
| |
| adnomination punning
| |
| adnoun adjective serving or used as a noun
| |
| adonise to adorn oneself
| |
| adoptionism belief that Christ was the adopted and not natural son of God
| |
| adoral near the mouth
| |
| adosculation impregnation by contact alone or by wind
| |
| adoxography good writing on a trivial subject
| |
| adoxy beliefs that are neither orthodox nor heterodox
| |
| adpress to press together
| |
| adrogation adoption of a boy or girl before adolescence
| |
| adscititious added; additional
| |
| adscript attached or feudally bound to the soil or earth
| |
| adsorb to attract and stick to the surface
| |
| adumbrate indicate faintly; foreshadow
| |
| adunc hooked
| |
| aduncate shaped like a hook or crook
| |
| adust burnt; scorched
| |
| advection horizontal movement of air
| |
| advehent bringing inwards
| |
| advenient due to outside causes
| |
| adventitious accidental; casual
| |
| adventive a thing or person coming from outside
| |
| adversaria miscellaneous notes; commonplace books
| |
| adversative word or phrase expressing opposition
| |
| advert refer to in speech or writing
| |
| advertorial advertisement presented as if it were editorial material
| |
| advesperate darken; become late
| |
| advocaat liqueur containing rum and raw eggs
| |
| advowson right of presentation to church living
| |
| adynamia helplessness; lack of strength
| |
| adytum sacred part of a temple or church; church chancel
| |
| aedile magistrate in charge of games, markets or buildings
| |
| aedoeology science of generative organs
| |
| aegilops stye in inner corner of eye
| |
| aegis protection; support
| |
| aegrotat medical certificate of illness excusing student's sickness
| |
| aeneous shining bronze colour
| |
| aeolian giving forth a tone as if produced by the wind
| |
| aeolipyle hollow ball that turns through steam escaping through valves
| |
| aeolistic long-winded
| |
| aeolotropy variation in physical properties on basis of position
| |
| aeonian lasting for an immeasurably long period of time
| |
| aerenchyma respiratory tissue
| |
| aeriform of the form or shape of gas; gaseous
| |
| aerious of the nature of air; airy
| |
| aerobe organism requiring oxygen to survive
| |
| aerobiology study of airborne organisms
| |
| aerodonetics science or study of gliding
| |
| aerogenesis forming or generating gas or air
| |
| aerography descriptive work on the atmosphere
| |
| aerolite meteorite
| |
| aerolith stone that falls from the sky; meteorite
| |
| aerolithology study of aerolites; meteorites
| |
| aerology study of the atmosphere
| |
| aeromancy divination by means of the weather
| |
| aerometer instrument for measuring weight or density of gas
| |
| aerophane thin crinkled semi-transparent fabric
| |
| aerophilately collecting of air-mail stamps
| |
| aerophobia fear of flying or draughts
| |
| aerophore instrument used to inflate stillborn child's lungs
| |
| aeropleustic of, like or pertaining to aerial navigation
| |
| aerostat any lighter-than air craft; balloon
| |
| aerostatics science of air pressure; art of ballooning
| |
| aeruginous of, like or pertaining to copper-rust or verdigris
| |
| aerugo rust of any metal
| |
| aesc letter used in Old English for 'ae'
| |
| aesopian conveying meaning only to those in a secret movement
| |
| aesthesia sensibility
| |
| aesthesiogenic producing or causing a sensation
| |
| aestheticism doctrine that beauty is central to other moral principles
| |
| aestival of, like or pertaining to summer
| |
| aethrioscope instrument for measuring temperature variations due to sky conditions
| |
| aeviternal everlasting; endless
| |
| aeviternity eternal existence
| |
| afebrile not suffering from fever
| |
| affabulation moral of a fable
| |
| affeer to assess; to reduce to a fixed sum
| |
| afferent bearing, bringing or carrying towards
| |
| affiance to trust; to betroth
| |
| affine a relation by marriage
| |
| afflated inspired
| |
| afflatus inspiration; divine impetus
| |
| afforce to strengthen a jury by adding skilled people
| |
| afforest to cover with forest; to convert into hunting grounds
| |
| affranchise to free from slavery or similar obligation
| |
| affray an attack or assault; an alarm or fright
| |
| affrayer disturber of the peace
| |
| affreightment hiring of a vessel
| |
| affreux frightening
| |
| affricate consonant that begins as a plosive and ends as a fricative
| |
| affronté of two heraldic animals, facing one another
| |
| affusion pouring on; as of baptismal water
| |
| afore before
| |
| afterclap unexpected damaging or unsettling after-effect
| |
| afterdeck deck behind a ship's bridge
| |
| aftergame rematch; means employed after first turn of affairs
| |
| afterguard men who work the aft sails on the quarterdeck and poop deck
| |
| afterings last milk drawn when milking a cow
| |
| afterpiece minor piece after a play
| |
| aftershaft second shaft coming out of the quill of a feather
| |
| afterwil locking of the barn after the cows have been let out
| |
| agacerie allurement; coquetry
| |
| agalactia failure or inability to produce milk
| |
| agalloch eaglewood
| |
| agamist one who opposes marriage
| |
| agamogenesis reproduction by non-sexual means
| |
| agape selfless Christian love; a feast in celebration of such love
| |
| agapeistic characterized by Christian love
| |
| agapet lover of women
| |
| agapetae churchwomen who live platonically with celibate men
| |
| agapism ethics of love
| |
| agastopia admiration of part of another's body
| |
| agatewear type of ceramic resembling agate stone
| |
| agathism belief in ultimate triumph of good despite evil means
| |
| agathodaimon one's good genius; the good part of one's conscience
| |
| agelast one who never laughs
| |
| agennesic sterile; impotent
| |
| agenocratia opposition to birth control
| |
| agentive indicating agent performing an action
| |
| ageotropic moving or turning away from the earth
| |
| agersia quality of not growing old
| |
| ageusia damage to the sense of taste
| |
| agger artificial mound or elevation for military use
| |
| aggerose in heaps; piled up
| |
| aggiornamento modernization of ideas of the Catholic church
| |
| aggrade to raise level of a surface through depositing detritus
| |
| aggrandize increase power or rank of; make greater
| |
| aggrate to gratify or please
| |
| aggry type of West African glass beads
| |
| agio premium paid on foreign currency exchange
| |
| agiotage playing the stock market; speculation
| |
| agist to charge with a public burden; to take in to graze for payment
| |
| agistment land tax assessed for cattle pasturing
| |
| aglet metal point attached to a lace or string
| |
| agma symbol or sound for a velar nasal consonant "ng"
| |
| agminate grouped
| |
| agnail sore, corn or hangnail on the toe or foot
| |
| agname name over and above the ordinary name and surname
| |
| agnation kinship
| |
| agnize to acknowledge or confess
| |
| agnomen additional name; surname; nickname
| |
| agnosic unable to recognize familiar objects due to brain damage
| |
| agnosticism doctrine that we can know nothing beyond material phenomena
| |
| agnosy ignorance
| |
| agoge tempo or sequence in melody in ancient Greek music
| |
| agogic accenting a musical note by slightly dwelling on it
| |
| agomphosis looseness in the teeth
| |
| agone ago
| |
| agonic making no angle
| |
| agonism competition; effort; striving
| |
| agonistes someone in the grip of inner conflict
| |
| agonistic of, like or pertaining to or being aggressive or argumentative
| |
| agonistics art and theory of prize-fighting
| |
| agoraphobia fear of open spaces
| |
| agowilt sudden sickening and unnecessary fear
| |
| agraffe hooked clasp used by masons to hold blocks together
| |
| agrapha sayings of Jesus not found in the canonical gospels
| |
| agraphia inability to write
| |
| agravic having no gravity; pertaining to the condition of zero-gravity
| |
| agrestic of the fields; rural; unpolished
| |
| agriology the comparative study of primitive peoples
| |
| agrize to horrify; to disfigure
| |
| agrizoiatry medicine specializing in wild animals
| |
| agrobiology study of plant nutrition; soil yields
| |
| agrology study of agricultural soils
| |
| agromania intense desire to be in open spaces
| |
| agronomics study of productivity of land
| |
| agrostography writing about grasses
| |
| agrostology science or study of grasses
| |
| agrypnia insomnia
| |
| agrypnotic anything taken to aid wakefulness
| |
| aguardiente Spanish or Portuguese brandy
| |
| agyiophobia fear of crossing busy streets
| |
| agynary lacking female genitals
| |
| ahimsa the duty of sparing animal life; non-violence
| |
| ahull with sails furled and helm lashed to the lee-side
| |
| ai three-toed sloth
| |
| aichmophobia fear of sharp or pointed objects
| |
| aiger tidal wave occurring in rivers
| |
| aigrette a spray of jewels; ornamental feather plume; an egret
| |
| aiguille sharp; needle-like peak of rock
| |
| aileron flap on airplane wing for lateral balance
| |
| ailette plate of armour worn on shoulder
| |
| ailuromancy divination by watching cats' movements
| |
| ailurophilia love of cats
| |
| ailurophobia fear of cats
| |
| aioli garlic-flavoured mayonnaise
| |
| airscrew aircraft propeller
| |
| aischrolatry worship of filth, dirt, or smut
| |
| aisling a vision or dream
| |
| ait small island in lake or river
| |
| aitchbone rump bone of cattle; rump cut of beef
| |
| aiué elderly; senior
| |
| akeratophorous not horned
| |
| akinesia loss of ability to move
| |
| ala membranous outgrowth on a plant or animal
| |
| alabamine alternate name for the element astatine
| |
| alack expression of sorrow or regret
| |
| alalia loss of ability to speak
| |
| alameda public walkway between rows of poplar trees
| |
| alamort half-dead; dejected
| |
| alannah term of endearment used with one's child
| |
| alar of, like or pertaining to the wing or shoulder
| |
| alastrim mild form of smallpox
| |
| alate lately
| |
| alation state of having wings; position of wings on a creature
| |
| alaudine of, like or pertaining to skylarks
| |
| alb long white robe worn by priests
| |
| albarello cylindrical jar used to hold drugs
| |
| albata variety of German silver
| |
| albedo whiteness, as of a celestial object
| |
| albescent becoming white; whiteness
| |
| albicant whitish; becoming white
| |
| albificative able to whiten or be whitened
| |
| albion medieval astronomical device for finding positions of planets
| |
| albocracy government by white people
| |
| albolith white cement formed from magnesia and silica
| |
| albugineous like the white of an eye or an egg; white-coloured
| |
| alcahest alchemical universal solvent
| |
| alcatote silly elf
| |
| alcine of, like or pertaining to elks; of, like or pertaining to auks
| |
| alcoholometer instrument for measuring proportion of alcohol in solutions
| |
| alcovinometer instrument to measure strength of wine
| |
| aleatoric depending on contingencies or chance
| |
| aleberry beverage made from ale, spices, and dried bread
| |
| alecost costmary, an herb used in flavouring ale
| |
| alectormancy divination by sacrificing a rooster
| |
| alectryomachy cock-fighting
| |
| alectryomancy divination by watching a rooster gather corn kernels
| |
| alee on or toward the lee
| |
| alegar vinegar made by turning ale sour
| |
| alembicated over-refined
| |
| alepine mixed wool and silk or mohair and cotton fabric
| |
| alethiology study of truth
| |
| aleuromancy divination using flour or meal
| |
| alexia inability to read
| |
| alexipharmic antidote
| |
| alfet cauldron of boiling water used during trials by ordeal
| |
| alforge wallet or leather bag
| |
| algedonics science of pleasure and pain
| |
| algefacient cooling
| |
| algetic causing or producing pain
| |
| algicide killer of algae
| |
| algid cold; chilly
| |
| alginuresis painful urination
| |
| algolagnia sexual pleasure derived from inflicting pain
| |
| algology study of algae
| |
| algophobia fear of pain
| |
| algor coldness; shivering fit
| |
| algraphy art of printing from aluminum plates
| |
| alible nourishing
| |
| alidade revolving index on astrolabe or other instrument for reading gradations
| |
| aliform wing-shaped
| |
| aligerous winged
| |
| aliped having wings on the feet
| |
| aliphatic of, like or pertaining to fat or fats in general
| |
| aliquant number dividing into another with a remainder
| |
| aliquot number dividing into another without leaving a remainder
| |
| aliter requiring a different law or rule to be applied
| |
| alk sap or resin from turpentine trees
| |
| alkalimeter instrument for measuring strength of alkalines
| |
| alkanet reddish plant-based dye
| |
| allantiasis food poisoning resulting from inadequate preservation
| |
| allantoid shaped like a sausage
| |
| allative indicating movement towards
| |
| allemain enormous pudding out of which acrobats leap
| |
| allemande courtly baroque dance in which the arms are interlaced
| |
| alliaceous of, like or pertaining to garlic; garlicky
| |
| allicient attracting something else
| |
| allision intentional collision of two ships
| |
| allocatur amount allowed for costs
| |
| allochthonous formed or produced elsewhere or externally
| |
| allodic not subject to a superior
| |
| allogamy cross-fertilization
| |
| allogeneous different
| |
| allography writing another individual's signature
| |
| allolalia speech disorder featuring randomly spoken words
| |
| allonge paper attached to commercial bill requiring signatures
| |
| allonym other person's name used by an author
| |
| allotheism belief in or worship of strange gods
| |
| allotriophagy craving for strange foods
| |
| allotropy of an element, having more than one form
| |
| alluvion effect of water impacting on shoreline
| |
| almacantar circle of altitude, parallel to the horizon
| |
| almagest textbook or handbook, especially dealing with astronomy
| |
| almandine violet-coloured garnet
| |
| almoner giver of alms; social worker in a hospital
| |
| almuce cloth or fur hood
| |
| alnager inspector of cloth
| |
| alogism illogical statement
| |
| alomancy divination using salt
| |
| alopecia baldness; hair loss
| |
| alopecoid of or resembling a fox
| |
| alow below
| |
| alpaca fine wool made from alpaca hair
| |
| alpenglow reddish glow appearing at sunrise or sunset in mountains
| |
| alpenstocker mountain climber
| |
| alpestrine of, like or pertaining to alpine regions
| |
| alphenic sugary candy used in medicine
| |
| alphitomancy divination using loaves of barley
| |
| alphonsin instrument used to extract bullets from bodies
| |
| alt high musical tone
| |
| altarage payment to priest for mass; offerings at altar
| |
| alterity state of being different
| |
| alternatim alternately
| |
| altiloquence pompous or high speech
| |
| altisonant high-sounding
| |
| altitonant thundering on high or loudly
| |
| altricial having young requiring care for a lengthy period
| |
| aludel pear-shaped pot used in sublimation
| |
| aluminiferous bearing aluminum
| |
| alveary beehive; area of the ear where wax collects; word-list
| |
| alveolate of or like a honeycomb
| |
| alveromancy divination using sounds
| |
| alviducous purgative
| |
| alvine of the belly
| |
| ama a Japanese pearl-diver
| |
| amadelphous outgoing; gregarious
| |
| amain to a high degree; exceedingly; at full speed
| |
| amanous lacking hands
| |
| amanuensis one employed to write from dictation
| |
| amaranth imaginary flower reputed never to fade
| |
| amaranthine immortal; undying; deep purple-red colour
| |
| amasesis inability to chew
| |
| amasthenic focusing light rays to a single point
| |
| amathophobia fear of dust
| |
| amaxophobia fear of riding in a car
| |
| ambages windings; roundabout ways; delays
| |
| ambeer juice from chewing tobacco
| |
| ambisinistrous awkward in the use of both hands
| |
| ambit circuit; scope; compass; confines
| |
| ambo early Christian raised reading desk or pulpit
| |
| ambry recess for church vessels; cupboard or niche
| |
| ambsace bad luck; a low score
| |
| ambulatory aisle down the east end of a church
| |
| ambulomancy divination by taking a walk
| |
| ambulophobia fear of walking
| |
| ambustion burn or scald
| |
| amende fine or reparation paid
| |
| ament a person who fails to develop mentally
| |
| amerce to fine; to deprive; to punish
| |
| ametropia abnormal optical refraction
| |
| amice strip of fine linen worn as cloak or wrap by priest at mass
| |
| amicicide murder of a friend
| |
| amidships midway between the bow and stern of a ship
| |
| ammeter instrument for measuring electrical current
| |
| ammophilous sand-loving; preferring to dwell in sand
| |
| amnicolist one who lives near a river
| |
| amniomancy divination by examining afterbirth
| |
| amorce percussion cap for a toy pistol
| |
| amoret love sonnet or song
| |
| amoretto a cherub or spirit of love
| |
| ampelidious of, like or pertaining to vines
| |
| ampelography scientific description of the vine
| |
| ampere unit for measuring amount of electrical current
| |
| amphibiolith fossilized amphibian
| |
| amphibolic able to turn both backwards and forwards; double-jointed
| |
| amphibology ambiguity in language; dual grammatical meaning
| |
| amphigean occurring in both hemispheres of the brain or body
| |
| amphigory a nonsense verse
| |
| amphimixis interbreeding; intermixing of two individuals' genetic matter
| |
| amphipneust animal with both lungs and gills
| |
| amphisbaena mythical two-headed serpent or lizard
| |
| amphiscian of, like or pertaining to torrid regions
| |
| amplexus rutting of frogs and toads
| |
| ampliative supplemental; additional
| |
| amplivagant stretching far; having a great scope
| |
| ampulla vessel for holy oil or wine for coronations or rituals
| |
| amrita Hindu ambrosia bestowing immortality
| |
| amygdaloid almond-shaped; of, like or pertaining to tonsils
| |
| amyloid containing or pertaining to starch; starchy
| |
| amyous lacking muscle
| |
| an if
| |
| ana in equal quantities
| |
| anabasis journey leading upwards; first phase of an illness
| |
| anabiosis return to life after apparent death
| |
| anacampserote something which can bring back a lost love
| |
| anacamptic reflecting or reflected light; sound or water
| |
| anacardic of, like or pertaining to cashews
| |
| anacathartic causing vomiting or expectoration
| |
| anachoric foreign or geographically absurd relating to a country
| |
| anaclastic refractive; of, like or pertaining to refraction
| |
| anaclitic dependent on other phenomenon or ability
| |
| anacoluthon moving to new topic of discussion before finishing current one
| |
| anacrisis interrogation accompanied by torture
| |
| anacrusis syllable prior to the normal rhythm of a verse
| |
| anacusic completely deaf
| |
| anadem wreath, fillet or band
| |
| anadiplosis repeating last word of clause at beginning of next clause
| |
| anadromous fish which ascend rivers to spawn
| |
| anaerectic destructive
| |
| anaesthesiology study of anaesthetics
| |
| anagalactic coming from or existing beyond our own galaxy
| |
| anaglyph ornament in low relief
| |
| anaglyptics art of carving in bas-relief
| |
| anaglyptography art of engraving so as to give the subject an embossed appearance
| |
| anagnorisis recognition leading to denouement of a play
| |
| anagogy mystical interpretation
| |
| anagraphy art of constructing catalogues
| |
| analects crumbs that fall from the table
| |
| analemma sundial
| |
| analgia inability to feel pain
| |
| anamnesis reminiscence; prayer recalling death and resurrection of Jesus
| |
| anamorphic changing to a more complex form
| |
| anandrious impotent
| |
| ananym name written backward; often used as synonym
| |
| anapeiratic caused by excessive use
| |
| anapest two short metrical syllables followed by one long one
| |
| anaphalantiasis falling out of the eyebrows
| |
| anaphia loss of sense of touch
| |
| anaphora repetition of a word at beginning of successive phrases for emphasis
| |
| anapnea recovery of one's breath; restoration of breath
| |
| anastasic convalescent
| |
| anastrophe reversing or inverting word order as rhetorical device
| |
| anatine of, like or pertaining to ducks
| |
| anatocism compound interest
| |
| anatreptic overcoming; overturning
| |
| anaudia loss of voice
| |
| anbury soft fleshy tumour in horses
| |
| anchorite one withdrawn from the world for religious reasons
| |
| ancillary auxiliary; secondary
| |
| ancipitous two-edged and flattened
| |
| ancistroid hook-shaped
| |
| ancon elbow
| |
| anconoid of, like or pertaining to the elbow
| |
| ancoral of, shaped like or resembling an anchor
| |
| ancress female religious recluse
| |
| andiron iron bar used to support the end of a log in a fire
| |
| andragogy science of teaching adults
| |
| androcracy government by men
| |
| androlepsia governmental kidnapping for political purposes
| |
| andromania nymphomania
| |
| androphagy cannibalism
| |
| aneabil single; unmarried
| |
| anele to administer extreme unction to
| |
| anemocracy government by the wind or by whim
| |
| anemograph instrument for measuring pressure and velocity of wind
| |
| anemography treatise on the winds
| |
| anemology study of winds
| |
| anemometer instrument for measuring wind velocity
| |
| anemophilous pollinated by wind
| |
| anencephalic lacking a brain
| |
| anent about; concerning
| |
| anergia failure of immune system; loss of energy
| |
| anesis tuning to a lower musical pitch
| |
| aneuria lack of nervous energy
| |
| anfractuous full of windings and intricate turnings
| |
| angary the right of a belligerent to seize neutral property
| |
| angelocracy government by angels
| |
| angelolatry worship of or belief in angels
| |
| angelology study of angels
| |
| angelus prayer said in morning, at noon and at sunset
| |
| angiogenesis production of blood vessels
| |
| angiology study of blood flow and lymphatic system
| |
| anglomania craze or obsession with England and the English
| |
| anglophilia love or fondness for England or the English
| |
| anglophobia fear of England or the English
| |
| angora silk-like fabric made from wool of angora goats
| |
| angstrom unit of one ten-billionth of a meter
| |
| anguiform shaped like a snake
| |
| anguilliform shaped like an eel
| |
| anguine of, like or pertaining to snakes
| |
| anguine of, like or pertaining to snakes
| |
| anhedonia an unresponsiveness to pleasure
| |
| anhelation shortness of breath
| |
| anhidrosis absence of perspiration
| |
| aniconic symbolizing without aiming at resemblance
| |
| anicular like an old woman
| |
| anile imbecilic; senile; like a very old woman
| |
| animadvert to comment critically on; to censure
| |
| animastic spiritual; animate
| |
| animism attribution of soul to inanimate objects
| |
| anion positively charged ion
| |
| anisothenic being of unequal strength
| |
| anker liquid measure of 8 1/2 gallons
| |
| ankus spiked elephant goad
| |
| ankyroid hook-shaped
| |
| anlace short two-edged dagger
| |
| anneal to heat and cool metal gradually to temper
| |
| annectent having intermediate features between two taxa
| |
| annihilationism doctrine that the wicked are utterly destroyed after death
| |
| annodated shaped like the letter S
| |
| annomination pun; play on words
| |
| annuent nodding or moving of the head
| |
| annulet small ring around a classical column
| |
| annulose ringed; composed of rings
| |
| anocathartic emetic; causing vomiting or expectoration
| |
| anodontia toothlessness
| |
| anodyne something that relieves pain or suffering
| |
| anoesis sensation not accompanied by understanding of it
| |
| anogenic formed from below or beneath
| |
| anomia inability to remember names
| |
| anomic in a state lacking social order and norms
| |
| anomie condition of lacking accepted social values or standards
| |
| anomphalous without a navel
| |
| anon at once; immediately
| |
| anonym person whose name is not given; pseudonym
| |
| anopheline of, like or pertaining to malarial mosquitoes
| |
| anopisthographic bearing writing or inscription only on one side
| |
| anopsia blindness
| |
| anorchous lacking testicles
| |
| anosmia lack or loss of sense of smell
| |
| anotic lacking ears
| |
| ansate having a handle or hand-like shape
| |
| anserine of, like or pertaining to geese
| |
| anta pier produced by thickening wall at one end
| |
| antalgic alleviating or relieving pain
| |
| antanaclasis repetition of key word of phrase as a play on words
| |
| antapology response to an apology
| |
| antarchy opposition to government; anarchy
| |
| anteambulo usher
| |
| antechapel anteroom to a chapel or church
| |
| antejentacular before breakfast
| |
| anteloquy a preface
| |
| antelucan before dawn or daylight
| |
| antemundane before one's own birth; before the creation of the world
| |
| antenniferous bearing antennae
| |
| antepast foretaste
| |
| antependium covering or cloth over pulpit or altar
| |
| antephialtic preventing nightmares
| |
| antepone to put before; to prefer
| |
| anteprandial before dinner
| |
| antevenient preceding
| |
| anthelion luminous ring seen on a cloud opposite the sun
| |
| anthelminthic destroying or expelling worms
| |
| anthesis full bloom
| |
| anthomancy divination using flowers
| |
| anthomania obsession with flowers
| |
| anthophilous loving or frequenting flowers
| |
| anthorism counter-definition
| |
| anthracomancy divination using burning coals
| |
| anthrophobia fear of humans
| |
| anthropobiology study of human biology
| |
| anthropogenesis origin of human beings
| |
| anthropoglot animal with human tongue; animal capable of speech
| |
| anthropolatry worship of human beings
| |
| anthropolith fossilized human skeleton
| |
| anthropomancy divination using human entrails
| |
| anthropopathy ascription of human feelings to inanimate object
| |
| anthropophaginian cannibal
| |
| anthropophagous eating humans
| |
| anthroposophy knowledge of the nature of humanity; human wisdom
| |
| anthropotheism belief that gods are only deified men
| |
| antibasilican opposed to monarchic principle
| |
| antiblastic providing natural immunity against harmful substances
| |
| antibromic eliminating offensive odours
| |
| antichresis enjoyment of mortgaged property in lieu of interest payments
| |
| antichthon hypothetical second Earth on the opposite side of the sun
| |
| anticryptic camouflaged; having protective resemblance to environment
| |
| antidisestablishmentarianism doctrine opposed to removing Church of England's official religion status
| |
| antigalactic preventing the secretion of milk
| |
| antigropelos waterproof leggings
| |
| antilapsarianism denial of doctrine of the fall of humanity
| |
| antilegomena books of the New Testament not part of early Christian Bible
| |
| antilogarithm number of which a given number is the logarithm
| |
| antilogism statement of three propositions containing contradiction
| |
| antilogy contradiction
| |
| antimnemonic damaging the memory; eliminating memories
| |
| antimony brittle, bluish-white metallic element
| |
| antinomianism doctrine of the rejection of moral law
| |
| antinomy contradiction between two logical conclusions
| |
| antipedobaptism denial of validity of infant baptism
| |
| antiperistasis opposition or resistance
| |
| antiphon anthem sung as a response during church service
| |
| antiphrasis use of words in a sense opposite to literal
| |
| antipudic concealing private parts of the body
| |
| antiscian dweller on the exact opposite side of the world
| |
| antistrophe repetition of words in reverse order
| |
| antithalian opposed to mirth or fun
| |
| antithesis contrast of ideas by means of parallel arrangement of words or clauses
| |
| antitypy resistance to being penetrated
| |
| antonomasia use of descriptive phrase or epithet instead of proper name
| |
| antre cave
| |
| antrorse turned upward and forward
| |
| anuptaphobia fear of staying single
| |
| anuresis inability to urinate
| |
| anurous tailless
| |
| anzactile army biscuit
| |
| aorist expressing simple past time with no continuance
| |
| apaesthesia numbness or loss of sensation in a limb
| |
| apagoge proof by showing the falsehood of the opposite
| |
| apanage privilege of office; especially one given to younger offspring
| |
| apantomancy divination using objects at hand
| |
| apatetic of an animal's coloration or markings
| |
| apay to satisfy
| |
| apercu brief outline; glimpse; intuitive insight
| |
| aperient laxative
| |
| aphagia inability to eat or swallow
| |
| aphemia loss of ability to produce articulate speech
| |
| apheresis taking away a sound or syllable at the beginning of a word
| |
| aphesis loss of initial unaccented vowel from beginning of a word
| |
| aphicide killer of aphids
| |
| aphidicide killer of aphids
| |
| aphnology science of wealth
| |
| aphologistic flameless
| |
| aphotic lightless
| |
| aphrasia inability to speak
| |
| aphrodisiomania abnormal sexual interest
| |
| aphthong silent letter
| |
| apian of, like or pertaining to bees
| |
| apiarian of, like or pertaining to bees or beekeeping
| |
| apical of or at the apex
| |
| apiculture beekeeping
| |
| apiology study of bees
| |
| apistia faithlessness in marriage
| |
| apivorous eating bees
| |
| aplanatic a lens free of spherical aberration
| |
| apocalypticism doctrine of the imminent end of the world
| |
| apocarteresis suicide by starvation
| |
| apocatastasis final restitution of all things at the appearance of the Messiah
| |
| apocatastisis reversion or restoration to original position
| |
| apocope cutting off the last sound of a word
| |
| apocrisiary papal secretary
| |
| apodal lacking feet
| |
| apodictic necessarily true beyond contradiction
| |
| apodosis main clause in a conditional sentence
| |
| apodysophilia feverish desire to undress
| |
| apograph exact copy; facsimile
| |
| apolaustic dedicated to the search for enjoyment
| |
| apologetics defense and proof of Christianity or other doctrine
| |
| aponia painlessness
| |
| apopemptic valedictory
| |
| apophasis saying something by stating that you will not mention it
| |
| apophoret a gift given to celebrate a new year
| |
| apophthegm brief saying; proverb; epigram
| |
| aporia professed but false doubt of what to say or choose
| |
| aposiopesis suddenly stopping in the middle of a speech for emphasis
| |
| apositia dislike of or distaste for food
| |
| apostasy renunciation of former beliefs
| |
| apostil marginal note
| |
| apostrophe addressing of a personified thing rhetorically
| |
| apotelesm casting of a horoscope
| |
| apothegm a short, instructive saying or formula
| |
| apotheosis elevation to divine status; a perfect example
| |
| apotropaic designed to turn away evil
| |
| apparitor officer in court who attends to execute orders; harbinger
| |
| appendant attached to; hanging from; adjunct
| |
| apperception mind's perception of itself as a conscious agent
| |
| appersonation irrational belief that one is another person
| |
| appetence strong craving or powerful desire
| |
| applanate flat; flattened; compressed
| |
| apport to transport objects without material agency
| |
| appose to place in juxtaposition or proximity
| |
| apposite appropriate
| |
| approbation approval; consent
| |
| apprompt to borrow
| |
| appropinquity nearness
| |
| appui to support militarily
| |
| appulse a striking against something
| |
| appurtenance a subordinate or adjunct part of
| |
| apricate to bask in the sun
| |
| aprique sunny
| |
| apse rounded extension of church or other building
| |
| apselophesia loss of sense of touch
| |
| apsidal shaped like an apse
| |
| apterygial wingless; finless
| |
| aptotic uninflected; indeclinable
| |
| aptronym name that suits its owner
| |
| apyrexy period of intermission in a fever
| |
| aquamanile ewer in the form of a human or animal figure for ceremonial handwashing
| |
| aquaphobia fear of water
| |
| aquarelle watercolour painting
| |
| aquifer a rock formation containing water
| |
| aquiform watery; liquid
| |
| aquiline of, like or pertaining to eagles; hooked like an eagle's beak
| |
| araba wheeled Middle Eastern carriage
| |
| arachibutyrophobia fear of peanut butter sticking to roof of mouth
| |
| arachnivorous feeding on spiders
| |
| arachnology study of spiders
| |
| arachnophobia fear of spiders
| |
| araneidan of, like or pertaining to spiders
| |
| araneiform shaped like a spider
| |
| araneous transparent; delicate; like a spider's web
| |
| araphorostic seamless
| |
| aration ploughing
| |
| arbalest type of crossbow
| |
| arborescent branched; branching; tree-shaped
| |
| arboricolous growing on or living in trees
| |
| arboriform shaped like a tree
| |
| arbrolatry worship of start
| |
| arbuscle dwarf or shrub-like tree
| |
| arbustum orchard; copse of trees
| |
| arcanna red chalk used to mark trees
| |
| arcate bow-shaped
| |
| archaeolatry worship of archaic things or old customs
| |
| archelogy the study of first principles
| |
| archet violin box
| |
| archididascalian of, like or pertaining to headmasters
| |
| archididascalos school principal
| |
| archimandrite head of a monastery or convent
| |
| archimime chief buffoon or mimic
| |
| architectonics of, like or pertaining to the arrangement of knowledge
| |
| architrave parts surrounding a door or window, especially the top
| |
| archology science of the origins of government
| |
| arciform shaped like a bow
| |
| arctician one skilled in navigating arctic regions
| |
| arctogaeal of the arctic regions of the earth
| |
| arctoid bear-like
| |
| arctophile collector of teddy bears
| |
| arctophily study of teddy bears
| |
| arcuate arched; bow-shaped
| |
| ard plough used to scratch top surface of soil
| |
| ardass fine silk
| |
| arefy to dry up; to wither
| |
| arenaceous like, growing in or consisting of sand
| |
| arenoid sandy; like sand
| |
| areology study of Mars
| |
| areometer instrument used for measuring specific gravity
| |
| areopagitic of, like or pertaining to tribunals or courts
| |
| aret to assign or allot
| |
| aretaics the science of virtue
| |
| arete sharp mountain ridge
| |
| argand gas or oil lamp
| |
| argent the heraldic colour silver or white
| |
| argentiferous bearing silver
| |
| argentocracy government by money
| |
| argil clay used in making pottery
| |
| argillaceous clayey; of or resembling clay
| |
| argol crust formed on wine kept too long or improperly
| |
| argol dried cow dung used as fuel
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| argosy a large merchant ship; a rich supply
| |
| arguria silver poisoning
| |
| argute shrill; keen; shrewd
| |
| argyll silver gravy dish
| |
| arietine of, like or pertaining to rams
| |
| arietinous shaped like a ram's head
| |
| aright right; correctly
| |
| ariolation divination in general
| |
| aristarch a severe critic
| |
| aristarchy government by the best
| |
| aristology the science or art of dining
| |
| arithmancy divination using numbers
| |
| arithmocracy government by simple majority
| |
| arithmogram number composed of numerical values of letters in a word
| |
| arithmomania obsessive preoccupation with numbers
| |
| armamentarium collective equipment available to a doctor
| |
| armigerous entitled to bear arms
| |
| armillary like or composed of rings
| |
| armipotent having strong weapons; militarily potent
| |
| armisonant resounding with noises of battle or weapons
| |
| armomancy divination by examining one's shoulders
| |
| armure twilled woollen or silk fabric
| |
| aroint begone
| |
| arpent unit of land area slightly smaller than an acre
| |
| arpenteur land surveyor
| |
| arrant downright; unmitigated
| |
| arras tapestry covering a wall
| |
| arrasene embroidery fabric of wool and silk
| |
| arrect attentive; erect; raised up
| |
| arrendator one who rents or farms at a yearly rent
| |
| arreptitious ecstatic; frantic; hasty or hurried
| |
| arrestant substance causing an insect to stop moving
| |
| arrhizal lacking roots
| |
| arris sharp edge on stone; meeting of two surfaces
| |
| arrogate to claim unduly as one's own; to ascribe
| |
| arrosive gnawing; chewing; corroding
| |
| arthrology study of joints
| |
| arthroscope instrument for examining interior of a joint
| |
| arundiferous bearing or producing reeds
| |
| arundinaceous like or having the properties of a reed
| |
| arval of, like or pertaining to ploughed land
| |
| ascesis the practice of disciplining oneself; asceticism
| |
| asceticism doctrine that self-denial of the body permits spiritual enlightenment
| |
| ascham box for keeping bows and arrows dry
| |
| ascian inhabitant of the equatorial zone
| |
| aseity self-origination
| |
| ashlar squared stone used in building walls
| |
| ashplant walking stick
| |
| asinine of, like or pertaining to asses; stupid
| |
| asitia lack of appetite
| |
| askefise one who blows on ashes to bring them to flame
| |
| asomatous lacking a body; incorporeal
| |
| asonia deafness to specific pitches of sound
| |
| asperge to sprinkle
| |
| aspergilliform shaped like a brush
| |
| aspergillum vessel for sprinkling holy water
| |
| asperity roughness of surface or sound
| |
| asperse slander; disparage
| |
| aspersory vessel for holding holy water
| |
| aspheterism denial of the right to private property
| |
| aspidate shield-shaped
| |
| aspidomancy divination by sitting and chanting within a circle
| |
| asportation to carry property away wrongfully
| |
| assart to reclaim for agriculture by clearing away trees
| |
| assecuration marine insurance
| |
| assentation insincere or glib assent
| |
| asseveration positive or earnest affirmation
| |
| assibilate to pronounce with a hiss or sibilant
| |
| assiduity persevering application to a pursuit
| |
| assizer officer or judge in charge of weights and measures
| |
| assocative indicating association with or accompaniment by
| |
| assoil to absolve; to acquit
| |
| assot to befool; to besot
| |
| assuefaction habituation
| |
| assuetude accustomedness; habit
| |
| assurgent ascending; rising; curving upward
| |
| astacology the science of crayfish
| |
| astatic in equilibrium
| |
| asteism refined irony
| |
| asterism three asterisks used to direct attention to a passage
| |
| astern at the stern of a ship
| |
| astheniology study of diseases of weakening and aging
| |
| asthenopia muscular weakening of the eyes
| |
| astichous not in rows
| |
| astragal small semicircular moulding; dice
| |
| astragalomancy divination using dice or knucklebones
| |
| astraphobia fear of being struck by lightning
| |
| astrapophobia fear of thunder and lightning
| |
| astriction binding obligation
| |
| astringe to draw together; to tighten
| |
| astrionics electronics as applied to space flight
| |
| astrobleme scar on the earth's surface from meteorite impact
| |
| astrobolism sun-stroke
| |
| astrogeology study of extraterrestrial geology
| |
| astrognosy knowledge of fixed stars
| |
| astrogony theory of the origin of stars
| |
| astrolatry worship of stars
| |
| astrologaster a foolish or petty astrologer
| |
| astromancy divination using stars
| |
| astrometeorology study of effect of stars on climate
| |
| astronomical unit unit of distance equal to the distance from the earth to the sun
| |
| astrophile person interested in astronomy
| |
| astroseismology study of star oscillations
| |
| astrut protrudingly; distendedly
| |
| asynartetic having two members with different rhythms
| |
| asyndeton rhetorical device of omitting conjunctions
| |
| atactic irregular
| |
| ataraxia tranquility; freedom from anxiety; stoicism
| |
| atavism reversion to early or ancestral type
| |
| ateknia childlessness
| |
| atelier artist's studio or workshop
| |
| ateliosis imperfect development; developmental irregularity
| |
| athanasy deathlessness
| |
| athanor alchemist's self-feeding digesting furnace
| |
| atheling Anglo-Saxon prince or nobleman
| |
| athenaeum literary or scientific association
| |
| athermic lacking heat
| |
| athetesis rejection of a passage as spurious
| |
| athetosis nervous twitching of digits and extremities
| |
| athwart across; in opposition to; sideways; transversely
| |
| athymia melancholy
| |
| atimy loss of honour; disgrace
| |
| atlantes male figures used as columns
| |
| atlas rich satin fabric
| |
| atmatertera great-grandfather's grandmother's sister
| |
| atmology the science of aqueous vapour
| |
| atmometer instrument for measuring evaporating capacity of air
| |
| atocia female sterility
| |
| atokous lacking offspring
| |
| atomism belief that the universe consists of small indivisible particles
| |
| atony muscular weakness
| |
| atpatruus great-grandfather's grandfather's brother
| |
| atrabiliary melancholy; hypochondriac
| |
| atrabilious melancholy; splenetic; acrimonious
| |
| atrament blacking; ink; black dye
| |
| atresia absence or irregular closure of a passage in the body
| |
| atrichia baldness
| |
| atrous jet black
| |
| attainder the loss of civil rights for high treason
| |
| attaint disgrace; sully; infect; taint
| |
| attemper to adapt or alter quality by adding to something
| |
| attenuate make thin; reduce in value
| |
| atticism expression characterized by conciseness and elegance
| |
| attingent touching
| |
| attollent lifting up; raising
| |
| attorn to transfer to another
| |
| attrahent attracting or drawing
| |
| attrist to sadden
| |
| attrite repentant through fear of punishment
| |
| attuition operation between sensation and perception
| |
| aubade musical announcement of dawn; sunrise song
| |
| aubergine eggplant
| |
| aubin horse's gait between an amble and a gallop
| |
| auceps hawker or bird-tender
| |
| aucupate to hunt birds; to pursue prey with vigilance
| |
| audile person more attuned to sound than the other senses
| |
| audiology study of hearing
| |
| audiometer instrument for measuring acuity of hearing
| |
| audiophile one who loves accurately reproduced recorded sound
| |
| augean filthy; difficult
| |
| augend number to which another number is added
| |
| aught at all
| |
| aularian of, like or pertaining to a hall in a university
| |
| aulete flautist
| |
| aulic courtly; ceremonious; genteel
| |
| auncel crude balance for weighing
| |
| aurantiaceous of, like or pertaining or pertaining to oranges or orange trees
| |
| aureity property of being golden in colour or substance
| |
| aureole radiant light around head or body of holy personage
| |
| auricomous having golden or blond hair
| |
| auricular of, like or pertaining to the ear; spoken secretly
| |
| auriferous bearing gold
| |
| aurifex goldsmith
| |
| auriform shaped like an ear
| |
| aurigation charioteering
| |
| aurilave instrument for cleaning the ear
| |
| auriphrygia gold embroidery
| |
| auriscope instrument for examining the ear
| |
| aurochs extinct wild ox
| |
| aurulent gold-coloured
| |
| auscultation listening to sounds arising within organs
| |
| auslaut final sound of a word or syllable
| |
| austringer keeper of goshawks
| |
| austromancy divination using wind
| |
| autarchy government by an absolute ruler
| |
| autarkic self-sufficient; independent
| |
| autecology study of ecology of one species
| |
| autocephality ecclesiastical self-government
| |
| autocoprophagy eating one's own feces
| |
| autocracy government by one individual
| |
| auto-da-fe burning of a heretic
| |
| autodidact self-taught person
| |
| autogenesis spontaneous generation
| |
| autognosis knowledge of or about oneself
| |
| autolatry self-worship
| |
| autology scientific study of oneself
| |
| automorphism ascription to others of one's own characteristics
| |
| automysophobia fear of being dirty
| |
| autonym a writer's real name; work published under writer's own name
| |
| autophagy feeding on body's own tissues
| |
| autophanous self-luminous
| |
| autophobia fear of solitude
| |
| autoschediasm anything extemporized
| |
| autosoterism belief that one can obtain salvation through oneself
| |
| autotelic being an end in itself
| |
| autothaumaturgist person pretending to be mystical or mysterious
| |
| autotheism belief that one is God incarnate or that one is Christ
| |
| autotropic growing in a straight line
| |
| auxanometer instrument for measuring growth of plants
| |
| auxesis increase in size; hyperbole
| |
| auxology science of growth
| |
| auxometer instrument for measuring magnifying power
| |
| aval of, like or pertaining to a grandparent
| |
| avalement allowing knees to flex while skiing
| |
| avaunt away; hence
| |
| avaunt to boast
| |
| aveniform shaped like oats
| |
| averruncate to ward off; to uproot
| |
| averruncator pole for pruning trees
| |
| avicide killing of birds
| |
| avicular of, like or pertaining to birds
| |
| avinosis air sickness
| |
| avionics the science of electronic devices for aircraft
| |
| avital ancestral
| |
| avizandum private consideration of a case by a judge
| |
| avolitional involuntary
| |
| avulse to pluck or tear away by force
| |
| avuncular like an uncle; of, like or pertaining to uncles
| |
| awn beard or similar bristly growth on stalk of grain
| |
| axilla armpit
| |
| axiniform shaped like an axe-head
| |
| axinomancy divination using an axe or hatchet
| |
| axiology the science of the ultimate nature of values
| |
| azimuth arc of the horizon
| |
| azoth alchemical name for mercury
| |
| azuline blue
| |
| azure light or sky blue; the heraldic colour blue
| |
| azymous unleavened
| |
| | |
| ==B== | | ==B== |
| * '''bade''' - old past tense of "bid", pronounced "bad" | | * '''bade''' - old past tense of "bid", pronounced "bad" |
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| * '''hundredweight''' - the pun in Tolkien's description of Bilbo's 112th birthday as a "Hundredweight Feast" is based on the fact that in Britain a hundredweight is 112 pounds. <ref>[[Wayne G. Hammond]], [[Christina Scull]], ''[[The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion]]'', p. 74.</ref><ref>[[Mark T. Hooker]], ''[[The Hobbitonian Anthology]]'', pp. 160-164.</ref> | | * '''hundredweight''' - the pun in Tolkien's description of Bilbo's 112th birthday as a "Hundredweight Feast" is based on the fact that in Britain a hundredweight is 112 pounds. <ref>[[Wayne G. Hammond]], [[Christina Scull]], ''[[The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion]]'', p. 74.</ref><ref>[[Mark T. Hooker]], ''[[The Hobbitonian Anthology]]'', pp. 160-164.</ref> |
| * '''hunter's moon''' - the full moon of mid- to late October | | * '''hunter's moon''' - the full moon of mid- to late October |
| * '''hythe''' - a small harbour or haven, especially on a river | | * '''hythe''' - a small harbour or haven, especially on a river, "low place on a river bank for landing a boat"<ref>{{webcite|author=[[Andreas Möhn]]|articleurl=http://lalaith.vpsurf.de/Tolkien/Bombadil_in_the_Shire.html|articlename=Bombadil in the Shire|dated=|website=Lalaith |accessed=16 May 2012}}</ref> |
| | |
| ==I== | | ==I== |
| * '''ill''' - evil, wrong | | * '''ill''' - evil, wrong |
Line 1,505: |
Line 294: |
| * '''noisome''' - foul-smelling, poisonous | | * '''noisome''' - foul-smelling, poisonous |
| * '''nook''' - corner, recess | | * '''nook''' - corner, recess |
| | * '''[[Wiktionary:nuncle|nuncle]]'''<ref>{{FR|I12}}</ref><ref>{{AB|7}}</ref> - uncle (from "an uncle")<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nuncle|articlename="nuncle"|dated=|website=[http://www.merriam-webster.com/ Merriam-Webster]|accessed=9 March 2012}}</ref> |
| ==O== | | ==O== |
| * '''obeisance''' - bowing or kneeling in submission | | * '''obeisance''' - bowing or kneeling in submission |
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| {{references}} | | {{references}} |
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| ==External Links== | | ==External links== |
| *[http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/words.html Old and Rare Words] at the [http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/default.asp Encyclopedia of Arda], from where many of the words on this list have originated.
| |
| *[http://www.tolkienenglishglossary.com/ A Tolkien English Glossary (web edition)] | | *[http://www.tolkienenglishglossary.com/ A Tolkien English Glossary (web edition)] |
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