| alarmism | (noun) needless warnings | - |
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| alarmist | (noun) a person who alarms others needlessly | - |
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| alastrim | (noun) a mild form of smallpox caused by a less virulent form of the virus | Synonyms: Cuban itch, Kaffir pox, milk pox, pseudosmallpox, pseudovariola, variola minor, West Indian smallpox, white pox |
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| albatross | (noun) large web-footed birds of the Southern Hemisphere having long narrow wings; noted for powerful gliding flight | Synonyms: mollymawk |
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| (noun) (figurative) something that hinders or handicaps | Synonyms: millstone |
| albinism | (noun) the congenital absence of pigmentation in the eyes and skin and hair | - |
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| alcahest | (noun) hypothetical universal solvent once sought by alchemists | Synonyms: alkahest, universal solvent |
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| alchemist | (noun) one who was versed in the practice of alchemy and who sought an elixir of life and a panacea and an alkahest and the philosopher's stone | - |
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| alcoholism | (noun) an intense persistent desire to drink alcoholic beverages to excess | Synonyms: dipsomania, potomania |
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| (noun) habitual intoxication; prolonged and excessive intake of alcoholic drinks leading to a breakdown in health and an addiction to alcohol such that abrupt deprivation leads to severe withdrawal symptoms | Synonyms: alcohol addiction, drunkenness, inebriation |
| aldohexose | (noun) a monosaccharide sugar having six carbon atoms and an aldehyde group | - |
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| aldose | (noun) a monosaccharide sugar that contains the aldehyde group or is hemiacetal | - |
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| aldosterone | (noun) a corticosteroid hormone that is secreted by the cortex of the adrenal gland; regulates salt (sodium and potassium) and water balance | - |
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| aldosteronism | (noun) a condition caused by overproduction of aldosterone | Synonyms: hyperaldosteronism |
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| aldotetrose | (noun) A four-carbon aldose; for example, threose, erythrose. | - |
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| aldotriose | (noun) Any aldose having three carbon atoms; in reality, just glyceraldehyde. | - |
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| alecost | (noun) tansy-scented Eurasian perennial herb with buttonlike yellow flowers; used as potherb or salad green and sometimes for potpourri or tea or flavoring; sometimes placed in genus Chrysanthemum | Synonyms: balsam herb, bible leaf, Chrysanthemum balsamita, costmary, mint geranium, Tanacetum balsamita |
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| alehouse | (noun) a tavern where ale is sold | - |
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| alertness | (noun) lively attentiveness | Synonyms: on the qui vive, sharp-sightedness |
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| (noun) the process of paying close and continuous attention | Synonyms: vigilance, wakefulness, watchfulness |
| (noun) a state of readiness to respond | Synonyms: alerting |
| algebraist | (noun) a mathematician whose specialty is algebra | - |
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| algorism | (noun) computation with Arabic figures | - |
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| (noun) the Arabic (or decimal) system of numeration | - |
| alias | (noun) a name that has been assumed | Synonyms: assumed name, false name |
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| alienism | (noun) the quality of being alien | Synonyms: alienage |
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| (noun) an obsolete term for the study and treatment of mental illness | - |
| alienist | (noun) a psychiatrist and specialist in the legal aspects of mental illness | - |
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| alikeness | (noun) similarity in appearance or character or nature between persons or things | Synonyms: likeness, similitude |
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| aliveness | (noun) the property of being animated; having animal life as distinguished from plant life | Synonyms: animateness, liveness |
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| (noun) the condition of living or the state of being alive | Synonyms: animation, life, living |
| alkahest | (noun) hypothetical universal solvent once sought by alchemists | Synonyms: alcahest, universal solvent |
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| alkaliser | (noun) an agent that counteracts or neutralizes acidity (especially in the stomach) | Synonyms: alkalizer, antacid, antiacid, gastric antacid |
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| alkalosis | (noun) abnormally high alkalinity (low hydrogen-ion concentration) of the blood and other body tissues | - |
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| alkylbenzenesulfonate | (noun) sulfonate of alkyl benzene | - |
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| allantois | (noun) the vascular fetal membrane that lies below the chorion and develops from the hindgut in many embryonic higher vertebrates (reptiles, birds and mammals) | - |
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| allegoresis | (noun) the interpretation of written, oral, or artistic expression as allegory. | - |
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| allegoricalness | (noun) The state or quality of being allegorical. | - |
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| allegoriser | (noun) someone who communicates in allegories | Synonyms: allegorizer |
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| allergist | (noun) a physician skilled in the diagnosis and treatment of allergies | - |
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| allies | (noun) an alliance of nations joining together to fight a common enemy | - |
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| alligatorfish | (noun) small very elongate sea poachers | Synonyms: Aspidophoroides monopterygius |
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| allis | (noun) European shad | Synonyms: allice, allice shad, allis shad, Alosa alosa |
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| allomerism | (noun) (chemistry) variability in chemical composition without variation in crystalline form | - |
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| allosaur | (noun) late Jurassic carnivorous dinosaur; similar to but somewhat smaller than tyrannosaurus | Synonyms: allosaurus |
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| allosaurus | (noun) late Jurassic carnivorous dinosaur; similar to but somewhat smaller than tyrannosaurus | Synonyms: allosaur |
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| allotropism | (noun) the phenomenon of an element existing in two or more physical forms | Synonyms: allotropy |
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| allspice | (noun) ground dried berrylike fruit of a West Indian allspice tree; suggesting combined flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg and cloves | - |
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| (noun) aromatic West Indian tree that produces allspice berries | Synonyms: allspice tree, Pimenta dioica, pimento tree |
| (noun) deciduous shrubs having aromatic bark; eastern China; southwestern and eastern United States | - |
| allusion | (noun) passing reference or indirect mention | - |
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| allusiveness | (noun) a quality characterized by indirect reference | - |
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| alms | (noun) money or goods contributed to the poor | - |
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| almsgiver | (noun) a person who gives alms | - |
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| almsgiving | (noun) making voluntary contributions to aid the poor | Synonyms: alms-giving |
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| alocasia | (noun) any plant of the genus Alocasia having large showy basal leaves and boat-shaped spathe and reddish berries | Synonyms: elephant's ear, elephant ear |
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| aloes | (noun) a purgative made from the leaves of aloe | Synonyms: bitter aloes |
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| aloneness | (noun) a disposition toward being alone | Synonyms: loneliness, lonesomeness, solitariness |
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| aloofness | (noun) a disposition to be distant and unsympathetic in manner | Synonyms: remoteness, standoffishness, withdrawnness |
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| (noun) indifference by personal withdrawal | Synonyms: distance |
| alpenstock | (noun) a stout staff with a metal point; used by mountain climbers | - |
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| alphabetisation | (noun) the act of putting in alphabetical order | Synonyms: alphabetization |
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| alphabetiser | (noun) a literate person who can arrange items in alphabetical order | Synonyms: alphabetizer |
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| alphanumerics | (noun) a character set that includes letters and digits and punctuation | Synonyms: alphanumeric characters |
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| alphavirus | (noun) an arbovirus of the family Togaviridae that can cause a variety of encephalitis in horses | - |
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| alpinist | (noun) a mountain climber who specializes in difficult climbs | - |
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| alsatian | (noun) breed of large shepherd dogs used in police work and as a guide for the blind | Synonyms: German police dog, German shepherd, German shepherd dog |
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| alstroemeria | (noun) any of various South American plants of the genus Alstroemeria valued for their handsome umbels of beautiful flowers | - |
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| altocumulus | (noun) a cumulus cloud at an intermediate altitude of 2 or 3 miles | Synonyms: altocumulus cloud |
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| altoist | (noun) a musician who plays the alto saxophone | Synonyms: alto saxophonist |
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| altostratus | (noun) a stratus cloud at an intermediate altitude of 2 or 3 miles | Synonyms: altostratus cloud |
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| altruism | (noun) the quality of unselfish concern for the welfare of others | Synonyms: selflessness |
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| altruist | (noun) someone who makes charitable donations intended to increase human well-being | Synonyms: philanthropist |
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| alumnus | (noun) a male person who has received a degree from a school (high school or college or university) | - |
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| alveolitis | (noun) inflammation of the alveoli in the lungs caused by inhaling dust; with repeated exposure the condition may become chronic | - |
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| (noun) inflammation in the socket of a tooth; sometimes occurs after a tooth is extracted and a blood clot fails to form | Synonyms: dry socket |
| alveolus | (noun) a tiny sac for holding air in the lungs; formed by the terminal dilation of tiny air passageways | Synonyms: air cell, air sac |
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| (noun) a bony socket in the alveolar ridge that holds a tooth | Synonyms: tooth socket |
| alyssum | (noun) any garden plant of the genus Alyssum having clusters of small yellow or white flowers | Synonyms: madwort |
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| amanuensis | (noun) someone skilled in the transcription of speech (especially dictation) | Synonyms: shorthand typist, stenographer |
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| amaryllis | (noun) bulbous plant having showy white to reddish flowers | - |
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| amastia | (noun) absence of the mammary glands (either through surgery or developmental defect) | - |
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| amateurishness | (noun) something that demonstrates a lack of professional competency | - |
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| amateurism | (noun) the conviction that people should participate in sports as a hobby (for the fun of it) rather than for money | - |
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| amativeness | (noun) the arousal of feelings of sexual desire | Synonyms: amorousness, eroticism, erotism, sexiness |
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| amaurosis | (noun) partial or total loss of sight without pathology of the eye; caused by disease of optic nerve or retina or brain | - |
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| ambages | (noun) (archaic) roundabout or mysterious ways of action | - |
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| ambassador | (noun) a diplomat of the highest rank; accredited as representative from one country to another | Synonyms: embassador |
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| (noun) an informal representative | - |
| ambassadorship | (noun) the post of ambassador | - |
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| ambassadress | (noun) a woman ambassador | - |
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| amberfish | (noun) any of several amber to coppery fork-tailed warm-water carangid fishes | Synonyms: amberjack |
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| ambergris | (noun) waxy substance secreted by the sperm whale and found floating at sea or washed ashore; used in perfume | - |
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| ambidextrousness | (noun) the property of being equally skillful with each hand | Synonyms: ambidexterity |
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| ambitiousness | (noun) a strong drive for success | Synonyms: ambition |
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| ambiversion | (noun) (psychology) a balanced disposition intermediate between extroversion and introversion | - |
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| ambrosia | (noun) (classical mythology) the food and drink of the gods; mortals who ate it became immortal | Synonyms: nectar |
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| (noun) fruit dessert made of oranges and bananas with shredded coconut | - |
| (noun) any of numerous chiefly North American weedy plants constituting the genus Ambrosia that produce highly allergenic pollen responsible for much hay fever and asthma | Synonyms: bitterweed, ragweed |
| (noun) a mixture of nectar and pollen prepared by worker bees and fed to larvae | Synonyms: beebread |
| ambuscade | (noun) the act of concealing yourself and lying in wait to attack by surprise | Synonyms: ambush, lying in wait, trap |
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| ambush | (noun) the act of concealing yourself and lying in wait to attack by surprise | Synonyms: ambuscade, lying in wait, trap |
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| ambusher | (noun) an attacker who waits in a concealed position to launch a surprise attack | - |
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| ambystomid | (noun) small to moderate-sized terrestrial or semiaquatic New World salamander | Synonyms: ambystomid salamander |
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| amebiasis | (noun) infection by a disease-causing ameba | Synonyms: amebiosis, amoebiasis, amoebiosis |
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| amebiosis | (noun) infection by a disease-causing ameba | Synonyms: amebiasis, amoebiasis, amoebiosis |
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| ameloblast | (noun) a cell from which tooth enamel develops | - |
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| amelogenesis | (noun) the developmental process of forming tooth enamel | - |
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| amenableness | (noun) the trait of being cooperative | Synonyms: amenability, cooperativeness |
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| amends | (noun) something done or paid in expiation of a wrong | Synonyms: reparation |
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| (noun) a sum of money paid in compensation for loss or injury | Synonyms: damages, indemnification, indemnity, redress, restitution |
| amenities | (noun) things that make you comfortable and at ease | Synonyms: comforts, conveniences, creature comforts |
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| amethyst | (noun) a transparent purple variety of quartz; used as a gemstone | - |
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| amiableness | (noun) a disposition to be friendly and approachable (easy to talk to) | Synonyms: affability, affableness, amiability, bonhomie, geniality |
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| amicableness | (noun) having a disposition characterized by warmth and friendliness | Synonyms: amicability |
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| (noun) a disinclination to quarrel | Synonyms: amicability |
| aminopherase | (noun) a class of transferases that catalyze transamination (that transfer an amino group from an amino acid to another compound) | Synonyms: aminotransferase, transaminase |
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| aminoplast | (noun) a plastic (synthetic resin) made from amino compounds; used as an adhesive and as a coating for paper and textiles | Synonyms: amino plastic, amino resin |
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