| specificity | (noun) the quality of being specific rather than general | - |
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| (noun) the quality of being specific to a particular organism | - |
| specifier | (noun) someone who draws up specifications giving details (as for obtaining a patent) | - |
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| specimen | (noun) a bit of tissue or blood or urine that is taken for diagnostic purposes | - |
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| (noun) an example regarded as typical of its class | - |
| speciousness | (noun) an appearance of truth that is false or deceptive; seeming plausibility | Synonyms: meretriciousness |
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| speck | (noun) a very small spot | Synonyms: pinpoint |
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| (noun) a slight but appreciable amount | Synonyms: hint, jot, mite, pinch, soupcon, tinge, touch |
| (noun) (nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything | Synonyms: atom, corpuscle, molecule, mote, particle |
| speckle | (noun) a small contrasting part of something | Synonyms: dapple, fleck, maculation, patch, spot |
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| specs | (noun) (plural) optical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision | Synonyms: eyeglasses, glasses, spectacles |
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| spectacle | (noun) a blunder that makes you look ridiculous; used in the phrase `make a spectacle of' yourself | - |
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| (noun) an elaborate and remarkable display on a lavish scale | - |
| (noun) something or someone seen (especially a notable or unusual sight) | - |
| spectacles | (noun) (plural) optical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision | Synonyms: eyeglasses, glasses, specs |
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| spectacular | (noun) a lavishly produced performance | - |
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| spectator | (noun) a woman's pump with medium heel; usually in contrasting colors for toe and heel | Synonyms: spectator pump |
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| (noun) a close observer; someone who looks at something (such as an exhibition of some kind) | Synonyms: looker, viewer, watcher, witness |
| specter | (noun) a mental representation of some haunting experience | Synonyms: ghost, shade, spectre, spook, wraith |
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| (noun) a ghostly appearing figure | Synonyms: apparition, fantasm, phantasm, phantasma, phantom, spectre |
| spectinomycin | (noun) an antibiotic used to treat gonorrhea | - |
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| spectrality | (noun) Quality of being spectral or ghostly. | - |
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| spectre | (noun) a mental representation of some haunting experience | Synonyms: ghost, shade, specter, spook, wraith |
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| (noun) a ghostly appearing figure | Synonyms: apparition, fantasm, phantasm, phantasma, phantom, specter |
| spectrogram | (noun) a photographic record of a spectrum | Synonyms: spectrograph |
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| spectrograph | (noun) a spectroscope by which spectra can be photographed | - |
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| (noun) a photographic record of a spectrum | Synonyms: spectrogram |
| spectrometer | (noun) spectroscope for obtaining a mass spectrum by deflecting ions into a thin slit and measuring the ion current with an electrometer | Synonyms: mass spectrometer |
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| spectrometry | (noun) the use of spectroscopes to analyze spectra | Synonyms: spectrographic analysis, spectroscopic analysis, spectroscopy, spectrum analysis |
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| spectrophotometer | (noun) a photometer for comparing two light radiations wavelength by wavelength | - |
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| spectroscope | (noun) an optical instrument for spectrographic analysis | Synonyms: prism spectroscope |
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| spectroscopy | (noun) the use of spectroscopes to analyze spectra | Synonyms: spectrographic analysis, spectrometry, spectroscopic analysis, spectrum analysis |
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| spectrum | (noun) a broad range of related objects or values or qualities or ideas or activities | - |
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| (noun) an ordered array of the components of an emission or wave | - |
| speculation | (noun) a hypothesis that has been formed by speculating or conjecturing (usually with little hard evidence) | Synonyms: conjecture |
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| (noun) continuous and profound contemplation or musing on a subject or series of subjects of a deep or abstruse nature | Synonyms: meditation |
| (noun) a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence | Synonyms: conjecture, guess, hypothesis, supposition, surmisal, surmise |
| (noun) an investment that is very risky but could yield great profits | Synonyms: venture |
| speculativeness | (noun) the quality of being a conclusion or opinion based on supposition and conjecture rather than on fact or investigation | - |
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| (noun) financial risk | - |
| speculator | (noun) someone who risks losses for the possibility of considerable gains | Synonyms: plunger |
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| (noun) someone who makes conjectures without knowing the facts | - |
| speculum | (noun) a medical instrument for dilating a bodily passage or cavity in order to examine the interior | - |
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| (noun) a mirror (especially one made of polished metal) for use in an optical instrument | - |
| speech | (noun) the mental faculty or power of vocal communication | Synonyms: language |
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| (noun) (language) communication by word of mouth | Synonyms: language, oral communication, speech communication, spoken communication, spoken language, voice communication |
| (noun) the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience | Synonyms: address |
| (noun) words making up the dialogue of a play | Synonyms: actor's line, words |
| (noun) a lengthy rebuke | Synonyms: lecture, talking to |
| (noun) the exchange of spoken words | - |
| (noun) your characteristic style or manner of expressing yourself orally | Synonyms: delivery, manner of speaking |
| (noun) something spoken | - |
| speechifier | (noun) a person who delivers a speech or oration | Synonyms: orator, public speaker, rhetorician, speechmaker |
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| speechlessness | (noun) the property of being speechless | - |
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| speechmaker | (noun) a person who delivers a speech or oration | Synonyms: orator, public speaker, rhetorician, speechifier |
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| speechmaking | (noun) delivering an address to a public audience | Synonyms: oral presentation, public speaking, speaking |
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| speechwriter | (noun) a writer who composes speeches for others to deliver | - |
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| speed | (noun) changing location rapidly | Synonyms: hurrying, speeding |
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| (noun) a central nervous system stimulant that increases energy and decreases appetite; used to treat narcolepsy and some forms of depression | Synonyms: amphetamine, pep pill, upper |
| (noun) a rate (usually rapid) at which something happens | Synonyms: fastness, swiftness |
| (noun) the ratio of the focal length to the diameter of a (camera) lens system | Synonyms: f number, focal ratio, stop number |
| (noun) distance travelled per unit time | Synonyms: velocity |
| speedboat | (noun) a fast motorboat | - |
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| speeder | (noun) a driver who exceeds the safe speed limit | Synonyms: speed demon |
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| speediness | (noun) a rate that is rapid | Synonyms: celerity, quickness, rapidity, rapidness |
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| speeding | (noun) changing location rapidly | Synonyms: hurrying, speed |
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| speedometer | (noun) a meter fixed to a vehicle that measures and displays its speed | Synonyms: speed indicator |
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| speedpaint | (noun) Painting a picture in a very short amount of time | - |
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| speedskater | (noun) an ice-skater who races competitively; usually around an oval course | Synonyms: speed skater |
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| speedup | (noun) the act of accelerating; increasing the speed | Synonyms: acceleration, quickening |
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| speedway | (noun) a racetrack for racing automobiles or motorcycles | - |
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| (noun) road where high speed driving is allowed | - |
| speedwell | (noun) any plant of the genus Veronica | Synonyms: veronica |
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| spelaeologist | (noun) a person who explores caves | Synonyms: potholer, speleologist, spelunker |
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| spelaeology | (noun) the pastime of exploring caves | Synonyms: speleology |
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| (noun) the scientific study of caves | Synonyms: speleology |
| speleologist | (noun) a person who explores caves | Synonyms: potholer, spelaeologist, spelunker |
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| speleology | (noun) the pastime of exploring caves | Synonyms: spelaeology |
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| (noun) the scientific study of caves | Synonyms: spelaeology |
| spell | (noun) a verbal formula believed to have magical force | Synonyms: charm, magic spell, magical spell |
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| (noun) a psychological state induced by (or as if induced by) a magical incantation | Synonyms: enchantment, trance |
| (noun) a time period for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else) | Synonyms: go, tour, turn |
| (noun) a period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by some action or condition | Synonyms: patch, piece, while |
| spellbinder | (noun) an orator who can hold his listeners spellbound | - |
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| spelldown | (noun) a contest in which you are eliminated if you fail to spell a word correctly | Synonyms: spelling bee, spelling contest |
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| speller | (noun) an introductory textbook to teach spelling | - |
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| (noun) someone who spells words | Synonyms: good speller, poor speller |
| spelling | (noun) forming words with letters according to the principles underlying accepted usage | - |
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| spelt | (noun) hardy wheat grown mostly in Europe for livestock feed | Synonyms: Triticum aestivum spelta, Triticum spelta |
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| spelter | (noun) impure zinc containing about three percent lead and other impurities (especially in the form of ingots) | - |
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| spelunker | (noun) a person who explores caves | Synonyms: potholer, spelaeologist, speleologist |
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| spender | (noun) someone who spends money to purchase goods or services | Synonyms: disburser, expender |
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| (noun) someone who spends money prodigally | Synonyms: scattergood, spend-all, spendthrift |
| spending | (noun) the act of spending or disbursing money | Synonyms: disbursal, disbursement, outlay |
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| (noun) money paid out; an amount spent | Synonyms: expenditure, outgo, outlay |
| spendthrift | (noun) someone who spends money prodigally | Synonyms: scattergood, spend-all, spender |
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| sperm | (noun) the male reproductive cell; the male gamete | Synonyms: sperm cell, spermatozoan, spermatozoon |
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| spermaceti | (noun) a white waxy substance from oil of the sperm whale | - |
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| spermatid | (noun) an immature gamete produced by a spermatocyte; develops into a spermatozoon | - |
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| spermatocele | (noun) a swelling on the epididymis or the testis; usually contains spermatozoa | - |
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| spermatocide | (noun) a contraceptive agent that kills spermatozoa | Synonyms: spermicide |
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| spermatocyte | (noun) a male gametocyte that develops into four spermatids | - |
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| spermatogenesis | (noun) development of spermatozoa | - |
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| spermatophyte | (noun) plant that reproduces by means of seeds not spores | Synonyms: phanerogam, seed plant |
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| spermatozoan | (noun) the male reproductive cell; the male gamete | Synonyms: sperm, sperm cell, spermatozoon |
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| spermatozoid | (noun) a motile male gamete of a plant such as an alga or fern or gymnosperm | Synonyms: antherozoid |
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| spermatozoon | (noun) the male reproductive cell; the male gamete | Synonyms: sperm, sperm cell, spermatozoan |
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| spermicide | (noun) a contraceptive agent that kills spermatozoa | Synonyms: spermatocide |
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| spermophile | (noun) any of various terrestrial burrowing rodents of Old and New Worlds; often destroy crops | Synonyms: gopher, ground squirrel |
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| spewer | (noun) a person who vomits | Synonyms: vomiter |
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| sphacelus | (noun) the localized death of living cells (as from infection or the interruption of blood supply) | Synonyms: gangrene, mortification, necrosis |
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| (noun) necrotic tissue; a mortified or gangrenous part or mass | Synonyms: gangrene, slough |
| sphagnum | (noun) any of various pale or ashy mosses of the genus Sphagnum whose decomposed remains form peat | Synonyms: bog moss, peat moss, sphagnum moss |
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| sphalerite | (noun) an ore that is the chief source of zinc; consists largely of zinc sulfide in crystalline form | Synonyms: blende, zinc blende |
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| sphecoid | (noun) any of various solitary wasps | Synonyms: sphecoid wasp |
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| sphenion | (noun) the anterior tip of the parietal bone | - |
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| sphenoid | (noun) butterfly-shaped bone at the base of the skull | Synonyms: os sphenoidale, sphenoid bone |
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| sphere | (noun) any spherically shaped artifact | - |
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| (noun) a particular aspect of life or activity | Synonyms: sector |
| (noun) the geographical area in which one nation is very influential | Synonyms: sphere of influence |
| (noun) the apparent surface of the imaginary sphere on which celestial bodies appear to be projected | Synonyms: celestial sphere, empyrean, firmament, heavens, vault of heaven, welkin |
| (noun) a solid figure bounded by a spherical surface (including the space it encloses) | - |
| (noun) a three-dimensional closed surface such that every point on the surface is equidistant from the center | - |
| (noun) a particular environment or walk of life | Synonyms: area, arena, domain, field, orbit |
| sphericalness | (noun) the roundness of a 3-dimensional object | Synonyms: globosity, globularness, rotundity, rotundness, sphericity |
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| sphericity | (noun) the roundness of a 3-dimensional object | Synonyms: globosity, globularness, rotundity, rotundness, sphericalness |
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| spherocyte | (noun) an abnormal spherical red blood cell | - |
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| spheroid | (noun) a shape that is generated by rotating an ellipse around one of its axes | Synonyms: ellipsoid of revolution |
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| spherometer | (noun) a measuring instrument for measuring the curvature of a surface | - |
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| spherule | (noun) a small sphere | - |
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| sphincter | (noun) a ring of muscle that contracts to close an opening | Synonyms: anatomical sphincter, sphincter muscle |
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| sphingid | (noun) any of various moths with long narrow forewings capable of powerful flight and hovering over flowers to feed | Synonyms: hawk moth, hawkmoth, hummingbird moth, sphinx moth |
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| sphinx | (noun) one of a number of large stone statues with the body of a lion and the head of a man that were built by the ancient Egyptians | - |
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| (noun) an inscrutable person who keeps his thoughts and intentions secret | - |
| sphygmomanometer | (noun) a pressure gauge for measuring blood pressure | - |
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| spic | (noun) (ethnic slur) offensive term for persons of Latin American descent | Synonyms: spick, spik |
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| spiccato | (noun) bowing in such a way that the bow bounces lightly off the strings | Synonyms: spiccato bowing |
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| spice | (noun) the property of being seasoned with spice and so highly flavored | Synonyms: spicery, spiciness |
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| (noun) any of a variety of pungent aromatic vegetable substances used for flavoring food | - |
| (noun) aromatic substances of vegetable origin used as a preservative | - |
| spiceberry | (noun) spicy red berrylike fruit; source of wintergreen oil | Synonyms: boxberry, checkerberry, teaberry, wintergreen |
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| (noun) shrub with coral-red berries; Japan to northern India | Synonyms: Ardisia crenata, coralberry |
| spicebush | (noun) deciduous shrub of the eastern United States having highly aromatic leaves and bark and yellow flowers followed by scarlet or yellow berries | Synonyms: American spicebush, Benjamin bush, Benzoin odoriferum, Lindera benzoin, spice bush |
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| (noun) straggling aromatic shrub of southwestern United States having fragrant brown flowers | Synonyms: California allspice, Calycanthus occidentalis |
| spicemill | (noun) a mill for grinding spices | - |
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| spicery | (noun) the property of being seasoned with spice and so highly flavored | Synonyms: spice, spiciness |
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| spiciness | (noun) the property of being seasoned with spice and so highly flavored | Synonyms: spice, spicery |
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| (noun) behavior or language bordering on indelicacy | Synonyms: gaminess, raciness, ribaldry |
| spick | (noun) (ethnic slur) offensive term for persons of Latin American descent | Synonyms: spic, spik |
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| spicule | (noun) small pointed structure serving as a skeletal element in various marine and freshwater invertebrates e.g. sponges and corals | Synonyms: spiculum |
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