Roderick

A dictionary for exploring words — wander from one to the next.

Word of the day

🎲 Surprise me
Vibrograph

An instrument to observe and record vibrations.

Browse all 104,239 words

-arch

A suffix meaning a ruler, as in monarch (a sole ruler).

-derm

A suffix or terminal formative, much used in anatomical terms, and signifying skin, integument, covering; as, blastoderm, ectoderm, etc.

-footer

a suffix designating something with a length of (so many) feet; -- used only in combinations with a numerical prefix; as, he is a six-footer; the golfer sank a 40-footer; his yacht is a 60-footer.

-form

A suffix used to denote in the form or shape of, resembling, etc.; as, valiform; oviform.

-ful

A suffix signifying full of, abounding with; as, boastful, harmful, woeful.

-handled

having a usually specified type of handle; as, a pearl-handled revolver; a long-handled shovel.

-in Tetrazine

A hypothetical compound, C2H2N4 which may be regarded as benzene with four CH groups replaced by nitrogen atoms; also, any of various derivatives of the same. There are three isomeric varieties.

-in-law

A suffix meaning through marriage. See in-law.

-ive

An adjective suffix signifying relating or belonging to, of the nature of, tending to; as, affirmative, active, conclusive, corrective, diminutive.

-ize

A verb suffix signifying to make, to do, to practice; as, apologize, baptize, theorize, tyrannize.

-kin

A diminutive suffix; as, manikin; lambkin.

-let

A noun suffix having a diminutive force; as in streamlet, wavelet, armlet.

-lin Arecoline

An oily liquid substance, C8H13O2N, the chief alkaloid of the betel nut, to which the latter owes its anthelmintic action.

-ling

A noun suffix, commonly having a diminutive or a depreciatory force; as in duckling, gosling, hireling, fosterling, firstling, underling.

-lite -lith

Combining forms fr. Gr. li`qos a stone; -- used chiefly in naming minerals and rocks.

-logy

A combining form denoting a discourse, treatise, doctrine, theory, science; as, theology, geology, biology, mineralogy.

-ly

A suffix forming adjectives and adverbs, and denoting likeness or resemblance; as, housewifely duties.

-meister

A suffix denoting master or professional practitioner, as in spinmeister or hypemeister.

-min Argentamine

A solution of silver phosphate in an aqueous solution of ethylene diamine, used as an antiseptic astringent and as a disinfectant.

-nik

A suffix attached to other words indicating a person with certain characteristics or associated with a certain group or behavior; as, beatnik, kibbutznik; it is sometimes used derogatorily; as in no-goodnik, peacenik.

-oid

A suffix or combining form meaning like, resembling, in the form of; as in anthropoid, asteroid, spheroid.

-ol

A suffix denoting that the substance in the name of which it appears belongs to the series of alcohols or hydroxyl derivatives, as ethanol, carbinol, phenol, glycerol, etc. Such compounds contain the hydroxy radical (-OH).

-oma

A suffix used in medical terms to denote a morbid condition of some part, usually some kind of tumor; as in fibroma, glaucoma.

-one

A termination indicating that the hydrocarbon to the name of which it is affixed belongs to the fourth series of hydrocarbons, or the third series of unsaturated hydrocarbons; as, nonone.

-or

A noun suffix denoting an act; a state or quality; as in error, fervor, pallor, candor, etc.

-ory

An adjective suffix meaning of or pertaining to, serving for; as in auditory, pertaining to or serving for hearing; prohibitory, amendatory, etc.

-ous

An adjective suffix meaning full of, abounding in, having, possessing the qualities of, like; as in gracious, abounding in grace; arduous, full of ardor; bulbous, having bulbs, bulblike; riotous, poisonous, piteous, joyous, etc.

-phobia

A combining form used as a suffix to designate specific phobias, such as agoraphobia (fear of public places), acrophobia (fear of heights). The first part of the combining form is usually derived from Greek.

-phore

Combining form meaning bearer of the element preceding; as, ionophore; semaphore.

-rid Monosaccharide

A simple sugar; any of a number of sugars (including the trioses, tetroses, pentoses, hexoses, etc.), not decomposable into simpler sugars by hydrolysis. Specif., as used by some, a hexose. The monosaccharides are all open-chain compounds containing hydroxyl groups and either an aldehyde group or a ketone group.

-rid Trisaccharide

A complex sugar, as raffinose, yielding by hydrolysis three simple sugar molecules.

-sane Pentosan

One of a class of substances (complex carbohydrates widely distributed in plants, as in fruits, gums, woods, hay, etc.) which yield pentoses on hydrolysis.

-ship

A suffix denoting state, office, dignity, profession, or art; as in lordship, friendship, chancellorship, stewardship, horsemanship.

-some

An adjective suffix having primarily the sense of like or same, and indicating a considerable degree of the thing or quality denoted in the first part of the compound; as in mettlesome, full of mettle or spirit; gladsome, full of gladness; winsome, blithesome, etc.

-taxis

combining form for taxis{3}.

-tin Azotine

An explosive consisting of sodium nitrate, charcoal, sulphur, and petroleum.

-type

A combining form signifying impressed form; stamp; print; type; typical form; representative; as in stereotype phototype, ferrotype, monotype.

-wards -ward

Suffixes denoting course or direction to; motion or tendency toward; as in backward, or backwards; toward, or towards, etc.

-zin Piperazine

A crystalline substance, (C2H4NH)2, formed by action of ammonia on ethylene bromide, by reduction of pyrazine, etc. It is a strong base, and is used as a remedy for gout.

-zin Pyrazine

A feebly basic solid, C4H4N2, obtained by distilling piperazine with zinc dust, and in other ways. Also, by extension, any of various derivatives of the same.

'Neath

An abbreviation of Beneath.

'Sblood

An abbreviation of God's blood; -- used as an oath.

'Sdeath

An exclamation expressive of impatience or anger.

'Snails

God's nails, or His nails, that is, the nails with which the Savior was fastened to the cross; -- an ancient form of oath, corresponding to 'Od's bodikins (dim. of body, i.e., God's dear body).

'Swounds

An exclamation contracted from God's wounds; -- used as an oath.

'zine zine

A publication similar to a magazine{4} but in electronic rather than printed form, maintained as data files on a computer and accessible via the world wide web; sometimes called e-zine (/e/ standing for electronic, as in e-mail.

\'d8Apophasis

A figure by which a speaker formally declines to take notice of a favorable point, but in such a manner as to produce the effect desired. [For example, see Mark Antony's oration. Shak., Julius C/sar, iii. 2.]

0

indicating the absence of any or all units under consideration; -- representing the number zero as an Arabic numeral

1

used of a single unit or thing; not two or more; -- representing the number one as an Arabic numeral

1-dodecanol

An insoluble solid alcohol (C12H25OH) with an unbranched paraffin chain, used to make detergents, such as sodium lauryl sulfate.

1-hitter

a baseball game in which one team's pitchers allow the opposing team only one hit.

10

denoting a quantity consisting of one more than nine and one less than eleven; -- representing the number ten as Arabic numerals

100

the Arabic numerals representing the number one hundred; denoting a quantity consisting of one more than ninety nine and one less than one hundred and one; ten times ten

1000

denoting a quantity consisting of one more than nine hundred ninety nine and one less than one thousand and one; -- representing the number one thousand as Arabic numerals

1000th

coming next after the nine hundred ninety-ninth in a series

100th

coming next after the ninety-ninth in a series

10th

coming next after the ninth in a series

11

denoting a quantity consisting of one more than ten and one less than twelve; -- representing the number eleven as Arabic numerals

11-plus

an examination taken by 11 and 12 year old students to select suitable candidates for grammar school.

11th

coming next after the tenth in a series

12

denoting a quantity consisting of 12 items or units; -- representing the number twelve as Arabic numerals

12th

coming next after the eleventh in a series

13

denoting a quantity consisting of one more than twelve and one less than fourteen; -- representing the number thirteen as Arabic numerals

13th

coming next after the twelfth in a series

14

denoting a quantity consisting of one more than thirteen and one less than fifteen; -- representing the number fourteen as Arabic numerals

14th

coming next after the thirteenth in a series

15

denoting a quantity consisting of one more than fourteen and one less than sixteen; -- representing the number fifteen as Arabic numerals

15th

Coming next after the fourteenth in a series

16

Denoting a quantity consisting of one more than fifteen and one less than seventeen; -- representing the number sixteen as Arabic numerals

16th

coming next after the fifteenth in a series

17

denoting a quantity consisting of one more than sixteen and one less than eighteen; -- representing the number seventeen as Arabic numerals

17th

coming next after the sixteenth in a series

18

one more than seventeen; denoting a quantity consisting of one more than seventeen and one less than nineteen; -- representing the number eighteen as Arabic numerals

18th

coming next after the seventeenth in a series

19

one more than eighteen; denoting a quantity consisting of one more than eighteen and one less than twenty; -- representing the number nineteen as Arabic numerals

19th

coming next after the eighteenth in a series

1st

preceding all other objects or events in order, time, or importance; occurring before all other members of a series.

1st-class

a class mail comprising letters, postcards, and other mail sealed against inspection, having a higher priority than second, third, or fourth-class mail; -- it is the highest class of mail not handled in a special manner, as is registered or priority mail.

2

Denoting a quantity consisting of one more than one; one plus one more; -- representing the number two as an Arabic numeral

2-hitter

a game in which a pitcher allows the opposing team only 2 hits.

20

one more than nineteen; denoting a quantity consisting of twenty items or units; -- representing the number twenty as Arabic numerals

20th

coming next after the nineteenth in a series

21

one more than twenty; twenty plus one more; denoting a quantity consisting of twenty-one items or units; -- representing the number twenty-one as Arabic numerals

21st

coming next after the twentieth in a series

22

one more than twenty-one; denoting a quantity consisting of twenty-two items or units; -- representing the number twenty-two as Arabic numerals

22nd

coming next after the twenty-first in a series

23

one more than twenty-two; denoting a quantity consisting of twenty-three items or units; -- representing the number twenty-three as Arabic numerals

23rd

coming next after the twenty-second in a series

24

one more than twenty-three; denoting a quantity consisting of twenty-four items or units; -- representing the number twenty-four as Arabic numerals

24/7

Without interruption; non-stop; continuous; as, the computer manufacturer provides 24/7 technical help.

24th

coming next after the twenty-third in a series

Loading more…