| catabiosis | (noun) normal aging of cells | - |
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| catabolism | (noun) breakdown in living organisms of more complex substances into simpler ones together with release of energy | Synonyms: destructive metabolism, dissimilation, katabolism |
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| catacaustic | (noun) a caustic curve formed by light reflecting from a curved surface. | - |
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| catachresis | (noun) strained or paradoxical use of words either in error (as `blatant' to mean `flagrant') or deliberately (as in a mixed metaphor: `blind mouths') | - |
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| cataclysm | (noun) an event resulting in great loss and misfortune | Synonyms: calamity, catastrophe, disaster, tragedy |
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| (noun) a sudden violent change in the earth's surface | Synonyms: catastrophe |
| catacomb | (noun) an underground tunnel with recesses where bodies were buried (as in ancient Rome) | - |
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| catafalque | (noun) a decorated bier on which a coffin rests in state during a funeral | - |
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| catalase | (noun) enzyme found in most plant and animal cells that functions as an oxidative catalyst; decomposes hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water | - |
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| catalectic | (noun) (prosody) a line of verse that lacks a syllable in the last metrical foot | - |
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| catalepsy | (noun) a trancelike state with loss of voluntary motion and failure to react to stimuli | - |
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| cataleptic | (noun) a person suffering from catalepsy | - |
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| catalexis | (noun) the absence of a syllable in the last foot of a line or verse | - |
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| catalog | (noun) a book or pamphlet containing an enumeration of things | Synonyms: catalogue |
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| (noun) a complete list of things; usually arranged systematically | Synonyms: catalogue |
| cataloger | (noun) a librarian who classifies publications according to a categorial system | Synonyms: cataloguer |
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| catalogue | (noun) a book or pamphlet containing an enumeration of things | Synonyms: catalog |
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| (noun) a complete list of things; usually arranged systematically | Synonyms: catalog |
| cataloguer | (noun) a librarian who classifies publications according to a categorial system | Synonyms: cataloger |
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| catalpa | (noun) tree of the genus Catalpa with large leaves and white flowers followed by long slender pods | Synonyms: Indian bean |
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| catalufa | (noun) brightly colored carnivorous fish of western Atlantic and West Indies waters | Synonyms: Priacanthus arenatus |
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| catalysis | (noun) acceleration of a chemical reaction induced by the presence of material that is chemically unchanged at the end of the reaction | Synonyms: contact action |
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| catalyst | (noun) something that causes an important event to happen | - |
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| (noun) (chemistry) a substance that initiates or accelerates a chemical reaction without itself being affected | Synonyms: accelerator |
| catamaran | (noun) a boat with two parallel hulls held together by single deck | - |
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| catamenia | (noun) the monthly discharge of blood from the uterus of nonpregnant women from puberty to menopause | Synonyms: flow, menses, menstruation, menstruum, period |
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| catamite | (noun) a boy who submits to a sexual relationship with a man | - |
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| catamount | (noun) large American feline resembling a lion | Synonyms: cougar, Felis concolor, mountain lion, painter, panther, puma |
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| (noun) short-tailed wildcats with usually tufted ears; valued for their fur | Synonyms: lynx |
| catamountain | (noun) bushy-tailed wildcat of Europe that resembles the domestic cat and is regarded as the ancestor of the domestic cat | Synonyms: European wildcat, Felis silvestris |
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| catananche | (noun) any of several plants of the genus Catananche having long-stalked heads of blue or yellow flowers | - |
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| cataphasia | (noun) a speech disorder in which the same word is repeated several times in succession | - |
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| cataphatism | (noun) the religious belief that God has given enough clues to be known to humans positively and affirmatively (e.g., God created Adam `in his own image') | - |
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| cataphoresis | (noun) the motion of charged particles in a colloid under the influence of an electric field; particles with a positive charge go to the cathode and negative to the anode | Synonyms: dielectrolysis, electrophoresis, ionophoresis |
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| cataphract | (noun) armor that protects the wearer's whole body | Synonyms: body armor, body armour, coat of mail, suit of armor, suit of armour |
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| cataphyll | (noun) a reduced or scarcely developed leaf at the start of a plant's life (i.e., cotyledons) or in the early stages of leaf development | - |
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| cataplasia | (noun) (biology) degenerative reversion of cells or tissue to a less differentiated or more primitive form | - |
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| cataplasm | (noun) a medical dressing consisting of a soft heated mass of meal or clay that is spread on a cloth and applied to the skin to treat inflamed areas or improve circulation etc. | Synonyms: plaster, poultice |
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| catapult | (noun) an engine that provided medieval artillery used during sieges; a heavy war engine for hurling large stones and other missiles | - |
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| (noun) a plaything consisting of a Y-shaped stick with elastic between the arms; used to propel small stones | Synonyms: sling, slingshot |
| (noun) a device that launches aircraft from a warship | Synonyms: launcher |
| cataract | (noun) a large waterfall; violent rush of water over a precipice | - |
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| (noun) an eye disease that involves the clouding or opacification of the natural lens of the eye | - |
| catarrh | (noun) inflammation of the nose and throat with increased production of mucus | - |
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| catarrhine | (noun) of Africa or Arabia or Asia; having nonprehensile tails and nostrils close together | Synonyms: Old World monkey |
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| catastrophe | (noun) an event resulting in great loss and misfortune | Synonyms: calamity, cataclysm, disaster, tragedy |
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| (noun) a sudden violent change in the earth's surface | Synonyms: cataclysm |
| (noun) a state of extreme (usually irremediable) ruin and misfortune | Synonyms: disaster |
| catathymia | (noun) A state in which mental processes are under the control of the emotions. | - |
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| catatonia | (noun) a form of schizophrenia characterized by a tendency to remain in a fixed stuporous state for long periods; the catatonia may give way to short periods of extreme excitement | Synonyms: catatonic schizophrenia, catatonic type schizophrenia |
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| (noun) extreme tonus; muscular rigidity; a common symptom in catatonic schizophrenia | - |