nandhakumarms/qualc-wiktionary-en huggingface dataset:
Word: C15 Part of Speech: symbol 1. the 1400s or 15th century; the quattrocento
Word: C16 Part of Speech: symbol 1. the 1500s or 16th century.
Word: catmab Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Contraction of catalytic monoclonal antibody (ab is an abbreviation of antibody). 1. An abzyme.
Word: C17 Part of Speech: symbol 1. the 1600s or 17th century.
Word: C18 Part of Speech: symbol 1. the 1700s or 18th century.
Word: safebreaker Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From safe (“secure container”) + breaker. 1. A person, usually criminal, who breaks into safes; a safecracker.
Word: dioristic Part of Speech: adj 1. that distinguishes or defines something; distinctive Labels: dated
Word: Lammastide Part of Speech: name Etymology: From Lammas + -tide. 1. The religious festival of Lammas.
Word: renate Part of Speech: adj Etymology: From Latin renātus (“reborn”). Equivalent to Latin renāscor (“to reborn”, renā- in compounds) + -ate (adjective-forming suffix). 1. Reborn or reincarnated. Labels: dated, not-comparable
Word: renate Part of Speech: verb Etymology: From the adjective. Equivalent to Latin renāscor (“to reborn”, renā- in compounds) + -ate (verb-forming suffix). 1. To be reborn or reincarnated. Labels: dated
Word: renate Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Etymology tree Latin rēnbor. English reno- English -ate English renate From reno- + -ate (noun-forming suffix). 1. Any animal with a kidney. Example: It is the coextension problem, the problem of the renates and the cordates, the creatures with kidneys and the creatures with hearts.
Word: harvest festival Part of Speech: noun 1. Any of various festivals, usually in autumn, celebrating a harvest. 2. Alternative letter-case form of Harvest Festival, a British harvest festival. Labels: alt-of
Word: C sharp Part of Speech: noun 1. Alternative spelling of C-sharp. Labels: alt-of, alternative
Word: C sharp Part of Speech: name 1. Synonym of C#.
Word: Harvest Festival Part of Speech: noun 1. church festival celebrating the harvest, held at the end of September or the beginning of October Labels: UK
Word: Sukkot Part of Speech: name Etymology: From Hebrew סוכות / סֻכּוֹת (sukót). Pronunciation: /suːˈkoʊt/ 1. An ancient biblical / Israelite / Jewish festival lasting seven days, celebrating the autumn harvest and commemorating the passage through the wilderness: observed from the 15th day to the 21st day of the month of Tishrei (Tishri). Labels: Judaism
Word: Sukkoth Part of Speech: noun 1. Alternative spelling of Sukkot. Labels: alt-of, alternative
Word: trekker Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From trek + -er. Pronunciation: /ˈtɹɛk.ə/, [ˈtɹ̝̊ɛk.ə], /ˈtɹɛk.ɚ/, [ˈtɹ̝̊ɛk.ɚ] ~ [ˈtɹ̝̊ɛk.ɹ̩] 1. One who treks; a hiker. 2. A person who spent the night in a rural area, rather than his home, during bombing raids. Labels: UK, historical
Word: septicaemia Part of Speech: noun 1. Alternative spelling of septicemia. Labels: alt-of, alternative, countable, uncountable
Word: abioseston Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From abio- + seston. 1. The non-living particulate matter in lakes and oceans.
Word: Succot Part of Speech: noun 1. Alternative spelling of Sukkot. Labels: alt-of, alternative
Word: Succoth Part of Speech: noun 1. Alternative spelling of Sukkot. Labels: alt-of, alternative
Word: Succoth Part of Speech: name 1. A village near Arrochar in Argyll and Bute council area, Scotland (OS grid ref NN2905).
Word: seston Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From German Seston, by surface analysis, Ancient Greek σηστός (sēstós, “sifter”, verbal adjective of σήθω (sḗthō, “I strain, filter”)) + -on. Compare plankton. 1. All particulate matter suspended in bodies of water such as lakes and seas, including plankton, organic detritus, and inorganic material. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Depending on mesh size and the area of investigation, net samples contain a variable mixture called seston. […] Nowadays plankton stands for the living part of seston, detritus for dead organic and inorganic particles.
Word: Septuagesima Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From Latin septuagesima dies (“70th day”). 1. A Sunday in the Christian calendar nine weeks before Easter Sunday.
Word: Sexagesima Part of Speech: noun Etymology: from Latin sexagesima dies, from the feminine of sexagesimus '60th' + dies 'day' 1. In the Christian calendar the Sunday two weeks before Lent, eight before Easter Sunday.
Word: Quinquagesima Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Borrowed from Medieval Latin quinquagesima dies (“50th day”). 1. A moveable feast in the Christian calendar on the Sunday 49 days before Easter Sunday (50 days counting inclusively).
Word: instanton Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From instant + -on. 1. A solution to the imaginary time nonlinear field equation of Yang-Mills theory; carries information about quantum tunnelling.
Word: vizier Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From Ottoman Turkish وزیر (vezir) (Turkish vezir) (via French vizir), from Arabic وَزِير (wazīr, “helper, aide, minister”, literally “one who bears (the burden of office)”). Doublet of wazir. Pronunciation: /ˈvɪzɪə/, /vɪˈzɪə/, /vɪˈzɪɹ/ 1. A high-ranking official or minister in an Islamic government, especially in the Ottoman Empire. Example: Today, Jews celebrate the holiday of Purim, a festival of revelry that commemorates their deliverance from an ancient genocidal plot. […] Traditionally, a scroll containing that book is read twice over the holiday, with listeners making noise to drown out the name of the story’s villain, Haman, a vizier who manipulated the Persian king into nearly eradicating the Jews. 2. The highest-ranking official or minister in ancient Egypt or Ebla; a chief administrator or a chancellor. 3. An ancient Mesopotamian civil servant, the sukkal (𒈛 (sukkal)). Example: As Inanna prepares to descend she fastens the seven divine laws to her side, and as she walks toward the netherworld she speaks to her vizier, Ninshubur. 4. A vicegerent, viceroy. 5. A fairy chess piece that can only be moved one space up, down, left or right.
Word: low blow Part of Speech: noun 1. An unfair or illegal blow that lands below the opponent’s waist. 2. Any attack that is considered unfair or unscrupulous. Labels: broadly, figuratively
Word: infrared astronomy Part of Speech: noun 1. The astronomical observation and study of objects, cooler than most stars, using the infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Labels: uncountable
Word: infrared lamp Part of Speech: noun 1. An incandescent lamp designed to produce radiant thermal energy in the infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Word: tons Part of Speech: noun Pronunciation: /tʌnz/ 1. plural of ton Labels: form-of, plural
Word: tons Part of Speech: noun Pronunciation: /tʌnz/ 1. Lots; large quantities or numbers (of people or things). Labels: colloquial, plural, plural-only Example: I have tons of pens, but none of them work. Example: Tons of people attended the game.
Word: ropes Part of Speech: noun Etymology: In the sense of skills, a now figurative use that originally referred to literal ropes. The phrase “he knows the ropes” written on a seaman’s discharge meant that he was inexperienced and only familiar with a ship’s principal ropes. Pronunciation: /ɹoʊps/, /ɹəʊps/ 1. plural of rope Labels: form-of, plural 2. Basic skills of a job. Labels: in-plural Example: show the ropes, learn the ropes
Word: ropes Part of Speech: verb Etymology: In the sense of skills, a now figurative use that originally referred to literal ropes. The phrase “he knows the ropes” written on a seaman’s discharge meant that he was inexperienced and only familiar with a ship’s principal ropes. Pronunciation: /ɹoʊps/, /ɹəʊps/ 1. third-person singular simple present indicative of rope Labels: form-of, indicative, present, singular, third-person
Word: seasons Part of Speech: noun Pronunciation: /ˈsiːzn̩z/ 1. plural of season Labels: form-of, plural
Word: seasons Part of Speech: verb Pronunciation: /ˈsiːzn̩z/ 1. third-person singular simple present indicative of season Labels: form-of, indicative, present, singular, third-person
Word: tools Part of Speech: noun Pronunciation: /tuːlz/ 1. plural of tool Labels: form-of, plural
Word: tools Part of Speech: verb Pronunciation: /tuːlz/ 1. third-person singular simple present indicative of tool Labels: form-of, indicative, present, singular, third-person
Word: below the belt Part of Speech: prep_phrase Pronunciation: /bɪˈləʊ ðiː bɛlt/, /bəˈloʊ ðə bɛlt/ 1. Of a punch, landing illegally, below the opponent's waist. 2. Unfair; dirty; not according to the generally accepted rules. Labels: broadly, idiomatic Example: Commenting on his bachelorhood in a debate on marital ethics was a bit below the belt, don't you think? Example: Mr. Nixon attacked Mr. [Hubert] Humphrey with gusto, sounding to an unusual degree like Mr. Humphrey attacking Mr. Nixon. He said he knew his opponents were in trouble because “you know politicians are behind when they start to name call, when they start to panic, to hit below the belt.” 3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see below, the, belt. Example: For quotations using this term, see Citations:below the belt.
Word: infrared spectroscopy Part of Speech: noun 1. The spectroscopic study of the interaction of matter with infrared radiation; used as an analytical tool to identify (mostly organic) compounds. Labels: uncountable
Word: debonair Part of Speech: adj Etymology: Via Middle English debonaire from Old French de bon aire (“of good stock; noble”). Pronunciation: /ˌdɛbəˈneə(ɹ)/, /ˌdɛbəˈnɛɹ/, /ˌdebəˈneː/, /ˌdebəˈneə̯/, /ˌdebəˈniə̯/ 1. Gracious, courteous. Labels: obsolete Example: Let be that Ladie debonaire, / Thou recreant knight, and soone thy selfe prepaire / To battell […]. 2. Suave, urbane and sophisticated. Example: “He's doing it wrong! I am much more suave, debonair, and sophisticated than that!” “Yes, Dan, that's a very debonair stain you have on your shirt.” “I'll have you know I have sophistication coming out the wazoo!” Example: She was a New York City person. Sacco is nervy and sassy and sort of debonair. 3. Charming, confident, and carefully dressed. Labels: especially Example: The hard launch of what appeared to be the hottest new relationship in town – Billanna? Winty? – at the 2023 Met Gala saw Vogue supremo Wintour, who has hosted the Met Gala for 30 years, walk the red carpet arm in arm with the dashing and debonair Love Actually star, a man Clive James named “the nation’s leading male sexpot”.
Word: debonair Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Via Middle English debonaire from Old French de bon aire (“of good stock; noble”). Pronunciation: /ˌdɛbəˈneə(ɹ)/, /ˌdɛbəˈnɛɹ/, /ˌdebəˈneː/, /ˌdebəˈneə̯/, /ˌdebəˈniə̯/ 1. Debonaire behaviour; graciousness. Labels: obsolete Example: But yet, shall my vanity extend only to personals, such as the gracefulness of dress, my debonnaire, and my assurance—Self-taught, self-acquired, these!
Word: spectroscopic Part of Speech: adj Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti Proto-Italic *spekjō Latin speciō Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-trom Proto-Italic *-trom Latin -trum Latin spectrumbor. English spectrum English spectro- ▲ Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti Proto-Hellenic *sképťomai Ancient Greek σκέπτομαι (sképtomai) Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Hellenic *-ós ▲ Ancient Greek -ος (-os)influ. Ancient Greek -ός (-ós) Ancient Greek σκοπός (skopós) Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *-eyéti Proto-Indo-European *-esyéti Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁ti Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁yeti Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Ancient Greek -έω (-éō) Ancient Greek σκοπέω (skopéō)der. English -scope Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ik English -ic English -scopic ▲ Latin spectrumder. French spectro- ▲ Ancient Greek σκοπέω (skopéō)der. French -scopie French spectroscopie ▲ Old French -ique Middle French -ique French -ique French spectroscopiquebor. English spectroscopic From spectro- + -scopic, or borrowed from French spectroscopique. 1. Of or relating to spectroscopy or to a spectroscope. Labels: not-comparable Example: The station, with its vast array of telescopes and some of the most sensitive spectroscopic equipment ever made has detected more planets orbiting nearby stars.
Word: slippery slope Part of Speech: noun Pronunciation: /ˌslɪ.pə.ɹiˈsləʊp/, /ˌslɪ.pɹiˈsləʊp/ 1. A chain of events that, once initiated, cannot be halted; especially one in which the final outcome is undesirable or precarious. Labels: figuratively Example: I think basing your actions off an assumption like that is a slippery slope that is going to get you in trouble. Example: She's gotten herself on a slippery slope to being dismissed. 2. A logical fallacy in which a party asserts that a particular result will probably follow from a given decision or circumstance, without necessarily providing any rational argument for the likelihood of the assumed consequence. Labels: broadly
Word: infrasound Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Etymology tree Latin īnfrābor. English infra- English sound English infrasound From infra- + sound. 1. Sound waves having a frequency below the human audible range (below about 20 Hz). Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Elcor speech is ponderous and monotone. Among themselves, scent, slight movements, and subvocalized infrasound convey shades of meaning that make a human smile seem as subtle as a fireworks display. Since their subtlety can lead to misunderstandings with other species, the elcor often go out of their way to clarify when they are being sarcastic, amused, or angry.
Word: infrasonic Part of Speech: adj Etymology: Etymology tree Latin īnfrābor. English infra- Proto-Indo-European *swenh₂- Proto-Indo-European *swónh₂os Latin sonus Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ik English -ic English sonic English infrasonic From infra- + sonic. 1. Having frequencies below the human audible range 2. Generating or employing such sound waves
Word: infrasonics Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Etymology tree Latin īnfrābor. English infra- English sonics English infrasonics From infra- + sonics. 1. The study and the application of infrasound. Labels: uncountable
Word: sound wave Part of Speech: noun Pronunciation: /ˈsaʊnd ˌweɪv/ 1. The longitudinal wave of pressure that is transmitted through any plastic material; audible sound.
Word: Plinko Part of Speech: name Etymology: From the plink of the chips, + -o. Pronunciation: /ˈplɪŋk.oʊ/ 1. A pricing game played on the game show The Price Is Right.
Word: blood bank Part of Speech: noun 1. A place where human blood or blood plasma is typed and stored for use in transfusions. 2. The range of such blood products stored.
Word: sperm bank Part of Speech: noun 1. A place where sperm from donors is stored for future use in artificial insemination. Example: Use of sperm banks would avoid mutations induced by radiation, Dr. Muller said. Example: Frozen sperm banks make it possible to improve the breed of cattle, goats, chicken, even herring. Why not man? 2. The vagina. Labels: vulgar
Word: apartment complex Part of Speech: noun 1. a set of buildings containing many apartments and ancillary functions Labels: US
Word: speed chess Part of Speech: noun 1. Synonym of blitz chess. Labels: uncountable
Word: slickers Part of Speech: noun 1. plural of slicker Labels: form-of, plural
Word: beer bottle Part of Speech: noun 1. A bottle, commonly made of brown or green glass, designed as a container for beer.
Word: clunk Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Onomatopoeic Pronunciation: /klʌŋk/ 1. A dull, metallic sound, especially one made by two bodies coming into contact. 2. The sound of liquid coming out of a bottle, etc.; a glucking sound. Labels: dated 3. dull; foolish; stupid or silly person. Labels: derogatory, offensive
Word: clunk Part of Speech: verb Etymology: Onomatopoeic Pronunciation: /klʌŋk/ 1. To make such a sound. Example: Her old bicycle was clunking along the road.
Word: Rios Part of Speech: name 1. A surname from Spanish. An Anglicisation of a Spanish habitational surname from Riós in Galicia
Word: plateresque Part of Speech: adj Etymology: From Spanish plateresco (“in the manner of a silversmith”), from platero (“silversmith”), from plata (“silver”). 1. Pertaining to an ornate style of architecture of 16th-century Spain suggestive of silver plate.
Word: scrofulide Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Latin diminutive of scrōfa (“a breeding sow”), because swine were supposed to be subject to the complaint; or by fanciful comparison of the glandular swellings to little pigs. 1. Any affliction of the skin dependent on scrofula. Labels: rare Example: 1870: Title American Journal of Syphilography and Dermatology: Publisher F.W. Christern: "After recovery from tinea tonsurans...crusts and epidermic exfoliations form on the scalp. It is a benign scrofulide induced by the trycophyton."
Word: intangibility Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Compare French intangibilité. 1. The quality or state of being intangible; intangibleness. Labels: countable, uncountable
Word: astrophysicist Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂eHs- Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *h₂stḗr Proto-Hellenic *astḗr Ancient Greek ἀστήρ (astḗr) Ancient Greek ᾰ̓́στρον (ắstron)der. English astro- English physicist English astrophysicist From astro- + physicist. Pronunciation: /ˌæstɹəʊˈfɪzɪsɪst/ 1. One who studies astrophysics.
Word: diffusion-barrier Part of Speech: noun 1. A thin layer (usually micrometres thick) of metal usually placed between two other metals. It is done to act as a barrier to protect either one of the metals from corrupting the other.
Word: dirimens copulatio Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From Latin dirimēns cōpulātiō (“separating connection”). 1. Mentioning a balancing or opposing fact to prevent the argument from being one-sided or unqualified. Labels: rhetoric
Word: DOSRI Part of Speech: noun 1. Acronym of Directors, Officers, Stakeholders, and other Related Interests. Labels: Philippines, abbreviation, acronym, alt-of
Word: ringworm Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From Middle English ringworm (“ringworm; intestinal worm”), from Old English rengwyrm (“maw-worm, intestinal worm”), equivalent to ring + worm. Pronunciation: /ˈɹɪŋˌwɝm/ 1. A contagious fungal infection of the skin, characterized by ring-shaped discolored patches, covered by vesicles or scales. Labels: uncountable, usually Example: In superficial mycoses infection is localised to the skin, the hair, and the nails. An example is ringworm or tinea, an infection of the skin by a dermatophyte. Example: Many of these natives, especially the lower classes, and fishermen, have their skins disfigured in a singular manner, by a sort of scurfy disease, similar to the ring-worm, or rather to a person whose skin was peeling off from the effects of the sun.
Word: dermatophyte Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From dermato- (“skin”) + -phyte (“plant”). Pronunciation: /dɚˈmæt.oʊˌfaɪt/, [dɚˈmæɾ.oʊˌfaɪt], [dɚˈmæɾ.oʊˌfɐɪt], /dɚˈmæt.əˌfaɪt/, [dɚˈmæɾ.əˌfaɪt] 1. Any parasitic fungus (mycosis) that infects the skin (tinea, ringworm, jock itch, athlete's foot). 2. Any parasitic fungus (mycosis) that infects the skin (tinea, ringworm, jock itch, athlete's foot). 3. Any parasitic fungus (mycosis) that infects the skin (tinea, ringworm, jock itch, athlete's foot). 4. Any parasitic fungus (mycosis) that infects the skin (tinea, ringworm, jock itch, athlete's foot).
Word: doula Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Borrowed from Greek δούλα (doúla, “servant-woman”), from Ancient Greek δούλη (doúlē, “female slave”). Popularized by the American anthropologist Dana Raphael in the book The Tender Gift: Breastfeeding (1973), where the word is credited to Eleni Rassias. Pronunciation: /ˈduːlə/ 1. A trained support person who provides emotional, physical and practical assistance to a pregnant woman or couple before, during or after childbirth. Example: The function of the doula varies in different cultures from a little help here and there to complete succoring, including bathing, cooking, carrying, and feeding. Whatever the doula does, however, is less important than the fact that she is there. Example: Rebekah Rosler, a therapist and doula, decided to leave, even though her family history in New York goes back to the 1870s, she said. 2. A trained person who provides similar support to someone who is diagnosed with an incurable condition and is receiving end-of-life care.
Word: lusk Part of Speech: adj Etymology: From Middle English *lusk, from Old Norse lǫskr (“weak, idle”), from Proto-Germanic *laskwaz (“sluggish, dull, lazy”), from Proto-Indo-European *lēyd- (“to let, subside”). Cognate with Middle Dutch lasch (“flabby, loose”), Middle Low German lasch, las (“tired, dull”). Doublet of lush. Pronunciation: /lʌsk/, /lʊsk/ 1. Lazy or slothful. 2. Full; ripe. Labels: UK, dialectal
Word: lusk Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From Middle English *lusk, from Old Norse lǫskr (“weak, idle”), from Proto-Germanic *laskwaz (“sluggish, dull, lazy”), from Proto-Indo-European *lēyd- (“to let, subside”). Cognate with Middle Dutch lasch (“flabby, loose”), Middle Low German lasch, las (“tired, dull”). Doublet of lush. Pronunciation: /lʌsk/, /lʊsk/ 1. A lazy or slothful person. Example: But whom he sees to labor prest, theim lets he still alone: He labor lothes, and loues the luske, to ease and pleasure prone
Word: lusk Part of Speech: verb Etymology: From Middle English *lusk, from Old Norse lǫskr (“weak, idle”), from Proto-Germanic *laskwaz (“sluggish, dull, lazy”), from Proto-Indo-European *lēyd- (“to let, subside”). Cognate with Middle Dutch lasch (“flabby, loose”), Middle Low German lasch, las (“tired, dull”). Doublet of lush. Pronunciation: /lʌsk/, /lʊsk/ 1. To be idle or unemployed. Labels: obsolete
Word: awkwardly Part of Speech: adv Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó Proto-Indo-European *h₃ekʷ- Proto-Indo-European *h₂époh₃kʷos Proto-Germanic *abuhaz Old Norse ǫfugrder. Middle English awke English awk Proto-Indo-European *wert-der. Proto-Germanic *wardaz Old English -weard English -ward English awkward Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly English -ly English awkwardly From awkward + -ly. 1. In an awkward manner; with discomfort or lack of coordination. Example: A poorly finished trunk has an awkwardly high liftover and no useful handhold on its lid.
Word: gerrymandering Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰey- Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰeys- Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰoysós Proto-Germanic *gaizaz Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- Proto-Indo-European *h₂wl̥h₁-t- Proto-Germanic *wulþǭder.? Proto-Indo-European *welH-der. Proto-Indo-European *wélH-dʰe-tider. Proto-Indo-European *we-wólH-dʰe-ti? Proto-Germanic *waldanąder. Proto-Germanic *waldaz Proto-Germanic *Gaizawaldaz Frankish *Gaiʀawaldbor. Old French Geraldbor. English Gerald ▲ Proto-Germanic *gaizaz Proto-West Germanic *gaiʀ Proto-Indo-European *kret-der.? Proto-Germanic *harduz Proto-Germanic *-jaz Proto-West Germanic *-ī Proto-West Germanic *hard(ī) Frankish *Gaiʀahardbor. Old French Gerartder. Middle English Gerard English Gerard Proto-Germanic *-j-, *-ij- Proto-West Germanic *-i, *-ī Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English Gerry Ancient Greek σαλαμάνδρα (salamándra)bor. Latin salamandra Anglo-Norman salamandrebor. Middle English salamandre English salamander blend English gerrymander English -ing English gerrymandering From gerrymander + -ing. Pronunciation: /ˈdʒɛ.ɹiˌmæn.də.ɹɪŋ/, /ˈɡɛ-/ 1. The practice of redrawing electoral districts to gain an electoral advantage for a political party. Labels: uncountable, usually Example: "I joined the Congressman in fighting back against the Tennessee General Assembly's racist gerrymandering that will erase the voices of Black and brown voters in Nashville. […] Kent Syler, a professor of political science at Middle Tennessee State University, told Newsweek in an interview Tuesday evening that the "aggressive" gerrymandering will make it "very, very difficult" for Democrats to hold the seat in the 2022 midterms.
Word: gerrymandering Part of Speech: verb Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰey- Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰeys- Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰoysós Proto-Germanic *gaizaz Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- Proto-Indo-European *h₂wl̥h₁-t- Proto-Germanic *wulþǭder.? Proto-Indo-European *welH-der. Proto-Indo-European *wélH-dʰe-tider. Proto-Indo-European *we-wólH-dʰe-ti? Proto-Germanic *waldanąder. Proto-Germanic *waldaz Proto-Germanic *Gaizawaldaz Frankish *Gaiʀawaldbor. Old French Geraldbor. English Gerald ▲ Proto-Germanic *gaizaz Proto-West Germanic *gaiʀ Proto-Indo-European *kret-der.? Proto-Germanic *harduz Proto-Germanic *-jaz Proto-West Germanic *-ī Proto-West Germanic *hard(ī) Frankish *Gaiʀahardbor. Old French Gerartder. Middle English Gerard English Gerard Proto-Germanic *-j-, *-ij- Proto-West Germanic *-i, *-ī Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English Gerry Ancient Greek σαλαμάνδρα (salamándra)bor. Latin salamandra Anglo-Norman salamandrebor. Middle English salamandre English salamander blend English gerrymander English -ing English gerrymandering From gerrymander + -ing. Pronunciation: /ˈdʒɛ.ɹiˌmæn.də.ɹɪŋ/, /ˈɡɛ-/ 1. present participle and gerund of gerrymander Labels: form-of, gerund, participle, present
Word: single transferable vote Part of Speech: noun 1. A multi-winner electoral system in which each voter casts a single vote in the form of a ranked ballot.
Word: technopoly Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From techno- + -poly, coined by American writer and academic Neil Postman in Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology (1992). Pronunciation: /tɛkˈnɒpəli/ 1. The cultural state of mind that assumes technology is always positive and of value. Example: In formulating such questions, Graham builds on an earlier critique of ‘technopoly’ by Neil Postman, who suggested that we should always ask of any new technology the following question: what is the problem to which it is a solution? Postman defined technopoly as ‘a state of culture’.
Word: cumulative voting Part of Speech: noun 1. A voting system based on voters awarding their allocation of points to candidates. Labels: uncountable
Word: state of mind Part of Speech: noun 1. The psychological state of someone's cognitive processes at a certain time; the condition or character of a person's thoughts or feelings. Example: Near-synonym: headspace Example: I know what I'm needing / And I don't want to waste more time / I'm in a New York state of mind
Word: STV Part of Speech: noun 1. Initialism of single transferable vote. Labels: abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable 2. Initialism of subscription television. Labels: abbreviation, alt-of, initialism, uncountable
Word: STV Part of Speech: adj 1. Initialism of straight to video. Labels: abbreviation, alt-of, initialism, not-comparable
Word: STV Part of Speech: name 1. Initialism of Scottish Television. Labels: abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
Word: inhibitor Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Etymology tree English inhibit Proto-Indo-European *-tōr Proto-Italic *-tōr Latin -tor Latin -ātor Old French -eorbor. Middle English -our ▲ Latin -torlbor. English -or English inhibitor From inhibit + -or. Pronunciation: /ɪnˈhɪbɪtɚ/ 1. One who, or that which, inhibits. Example: I found daily meditation to be a useful inhibitor of negative thoughts. 2. Any substance capable of stopping or slowing a specific chemical reaction. Example: The class of antidepressants most commonly associated with sexual dysfunction is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, which treat depression by ultimately increasing levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. […] A common solution is switching to bupropion, which is a norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor, or NDRI. 3. Any substance capable of stopping or slowing a specific biological process.
Word: inhibitory Part of Speech: adj Etymology: From late 15th century (early modern English). Formed as inhibit + -ory or adapted from Medieval Latin inhibitōrius and Middle French inhibitoire. 1. That inhibits. Example: the inhibitory action of the pneumogastric on the respiratory center Example: Numerous experiments show that the brain exercises an inhibitory action over the reflex movements, and that the more active that organ, the more they are under control. 2. Of, or relating to an inhibitor.
Word: IRV Part of Speech: noun 1. Initialism of instant runoff voting. Labels: abbreviation, alt-of, initialism, uncountable
Word: culture medium Part of Speech: noun 1. A liquid or gel, containing nutrients, that is used to cultivate microorganisms.
Word: growth medium Part of Speech: noun 1. A culture medium.
Word: hooley Part of Speech: noun Etymology: The etymology of sense 1 (“noisy celebration or party”) is unknown. Sense 2 (“strong wind”) is possibly from one of the following: * Borrowed from Orkney Scots hool(an) (“strong wind”) + English -ie (diminutive suffix). Hoolan is derived from Norn (unattested), from Old Norse ýlun (“howling, wailing”), from ýla (“to howl”) (ultimately onomatopoeic) + -un (suffix forming nouns). * From sense 1. Pronunciation: /ˈhuːli/, /ˈhuli/ 1. A noisy celebration or party; also, an evening of traditional music and dance. Labels: Ireland Example: At a family gathering, a wake or a Christmas hooley, other children would step forward to sing a rhyme or dance a hornpipe. Example: The celebratory ceilidh at the Culag Hotel in Lochinver is still talked about. 'Oh, it was a fine evening,' one discreet woman said to me. 'A right damn wild hoolie!' a well-oiled friend enthused. 2. Chiefly in the form to blow a hooley: a strong wind; a gale. Labels: Scotland Example: It’s blowing a hooley out there. Example: The wind blew so hard during the service itself that it seemed as though the whole of Oban bay was trying to get into the cathedral. Either that or it was the Holy Spirit blowing up a hooley in celebration.
Word: 4-H Club Part of Speech: noun Etymology: The H's stand for hands, heart, head and health. 1. A youth organization supported and sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture, offering courses and lessons in agriculture and home economics.
Word: give cry Part of Speech: verb 1. To cry out. Example: The journalists gave cry after the Prince, like a pack of hounds when they strike the trail of a fox. Example: It is, in my belief, an artificial, man-made development in hounds, since it exists only in rudimentary form in other dogs, foxes, and wolves, which are said sometimes to give cry when hunting their game.
Word: chi-ike Part of Speech: intj 1. Used as a salute or word of praise.
Word: chi-ike Part of Speech: noun 1. A hearty, often light-heartedly sarcastic, greeting. Labels: UK, obsolete Example: I lifted my lamps and saw BILLY. We did a good chi-ike, you bet! “Watcher, BILLY, old buster!” says I,[…] 2. A noisy hubbub Labels: Australia, New-Zealand, obsolete, slang
Word: chi-ike Part of Speech: verb 1. To mock or jeer; to chiack. Labels: UK Example: Uncle Frank wouldn′t have liked it, and I knew how the chaps would laugh and chi-ike me for chumming up with a silly old Chinky. Example: Round about us windows began to bang upwards; a policeman on the corner looked away, pretending not to hear; a couple of tarts started to chi-ike us and then shut up suddenly.
Word: brine shrimp Part of Speech: noun 1. An aquatic crustacean of the taxonomic genus Artemia, one species of which is often marketed under the name Sea-Monkeys as a novelty gift.
Word: gonopoietic Part of Speech: adj Etymology: From gono- + -poietic. 1. Producing germ cells. Labels: not-comparable
Word: gon Part of Speech: contraction Etymology: Clipping of gonna. Compare Middle English gon, dialectal gan, Dutch gaan. Pronunciation: /ɡən/, /ɡoʊn/, /ɡɔn/, [ɡõ(ʊ)] 1. Alternative form of gonna. Labels: alt-of, alternative, contraction, informal Example: I’m gon be there around four.
Word: gon Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From Ancient Greek γωνία (gōnía, “angle”). More in Wikipedia at gradian § History and name. 1. One hundredth of a right angle: a gradian.
Word: gon Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Clipping. 1. Abbreviation of gondola car. Labels: abbreviation, alt-of
Word: gonotheca Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From gono- + theca. 1. The protective covering of a gonangium.
Word: good-fellowship Part of Speech: noun 1. The spirit of goodwill that exists among friends; comradeship. Labels: uncountable Example: Boys do hate each other: I remember it, and see it again. They can make strong isolated friendships, but of general good-fellowship they haven’t a notion.
Word: good-king-henry Part of Speech: noun 1. Alternative spelling of Good King Henry. Labels: alt-of, alternative, uncountable
Word: good-lookingness Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Etymology tree English good-looking Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English good-lookingness From good-looking + -ness. 1. The quality or state of being good-looking; attractiveness, beauty. Labels: uncountable Example: According to the criteria of good-lookingness, Uncle Pete deserved an A. Example: Last, in acknowledgment of his even better good-lookingness, I remember that I can't claim the same.
Word: good-neighborliness Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ-der. Proto-Germanic *gadanąvṛd. Proto-Germanic *gōdaz Proto-West Germanic *gōd Old English gōd Middle English good English good English neighbor Proto-Germanic *-in- Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English good-neighborliness From good + neighbor + -ness. 1. the state of being good neighbors Labels: US, uncountable 2. friendship and cooperation with, and noninterference in the internal affairs of another country Labels: US, uncountable
Word: good-time Charlie Part of Speech: noun 1. An affable or happy-go-lucky carefree convivial man. Labels: idiomatic, informal Example: just a good-time Charlie, borrowing two bucks here and five bucks there Example: I couldn't be a good-time Charlie ... when I was a kid I was taught not to talk or joke or laugh at the table
Word: Goodyear welt Part of Speech: noun Etymology: After Charles Goodyear Jr., who was involved in making shoes of this kind. 1. A welt used in a method of shoe construction in which the insole, upper, and welt are sewn together and the welt is then stitched to the outsole so as to leave the upper surface of the insole free of tacks and stitches.
Word: goofer Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From goof + -er. Pronunciation: /ˈɡuːfə/, /ˈɡufɚ/ 1. A person who goofs. Example: had a considerable understanding of goofers because ... he was a little goofy himself
Word: goofer dust Part of Speech: noun 1. A powder used to cast a spell in hoodoo practices. Labels: US, uncountable
Word: goofy-foot Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From goofy (“riding on a snowboard or surfboard with one’s right foot forward”, adjective) + foot (noun), referring to the way Goofy, a Walt Disney character in the form of an anthropomorphic dog, was depicted surfing in the cartoon Hawaiian Holiday (1937). Pronunciation: /ˈɡuːfiˌfʊt/, /ˈɡufiˌfʊt/ 1. Synonym of goofy (“a snowboarder or surfer who rides their board with the right foot forward”).
Word: organoid Part of Speech: adj Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *werǵ-der. Ancient Greek ὄργανον (órganon)bor. Latin organumder. Old French organebor. Middle English organe English organ Ancient Greek -ο- (-o-)der. Latin -o- Proto-Indo-European *weyd- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *wéydos Proto-Hellenic *wéidos Ancient Greek εἶδος (eîdos) Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *-ēs Ancient Greek -ης (-ēs) Ancient Greek -ειδής (-eidḗs) Latin -oīdēslbor. English -oid English organoid From organ + -oid. 1. Resembling an organ of the body.
Word: organoid Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *werǵ-der. Ancient Greek ὄργανον (órganon)bor. Latin organumder. Old French organebor. Middle English organe English organ Ancient Greek -ο- (-o-)der. Latin -o- Proto-Indo-European *weyd- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *wéydos Proto-Hellenic *wéidos Ancient Greek εἶδος (eîdos) Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *-ēs Ancient Greek -ης (-ēs) Ancient Greek -ειδής (-eidḗs) Latin -oīdēslbor. English -oid English organoid From organ + -oid. 1. An organelle. 2. A mass of cells, either artificially grown in vitro to simulate an organ or an abnormal mass that resembles an organ in structural appearance or qualities, such as a tumour.
Word: gooney Part of Speech: noun 1. Any of several albatrosses, especially the black-footed albatross (Diomedea nigripes) and the Laysan albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis), that dwell primarily on islands in the Pacific Ocean, often near naval bases. 2. a foolish, silly or awkward person or thing; a goon. Labels: slang
Word: goral Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From an eastern Indian word for the Himalayan goral. Likely an early borrowing from Nepali घोरल (ghoral, “Himalayan goral”) or a related language. 1. A type of Asian ungulate ruminant, now defined as any of the four species of the genus Naemorhedus. Example: The goral has a wide distribution, from the Indus Kohistan region in the western Himalaya in Pakistan, across the eastern Himalaya, Myanmar, Thailand, China and in a few scattered areas in South Korea, North Korea, eastern Russia and the adjoining regions of China. Example: The gorals of Shanxi, sometimes separated as a taxon vidianus, fall into the range of N. griseus.
Word: gooranut Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Uncertain. Compare Hausa gōr̃ò, Bambara goro, Mandinka guro (“kola nut”). 1. The kola nut, Cola acuminata
Word: gooseberry rust Part of Speech: noun 1. any of several parasitic fungi that grow on gooseberry bushes Labels: uncountable
Word: pelican flower Part of Speech: noun 1. Any of several tropical vines of the genus Aristolochia (especially Aristolochia grandiflora) the shape of whose flowers suggests a pelican
Word: goose-rumped Part of Speech: adj 1. having a steep, sloping croup, a narrow rump, and a low set to the tail
Word: gopher ball Part of Speech: noun 1. A pitched ball hit for a home run.
Word: gopher wood Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From גפר, found in Genesis 6:14. Unrelated to the North American animal. Sometimes hypothesized to be ultimately cognate to English cypress, the wood itself being such or related to the tree. 1. The unidentified wood used in the construction of Noah's Ark. Labels: uncountable Example: Make thee an ark of gopher wood.
Word: gopura Part of Speech: noun 1. Alternative form of gopuram. Labels: alt-of, alternative
Word: grody Part of Speech: adj Etymology: From groady, apparently a clipping of grotesque + -y (intervocalic /t/ and /d/ are similar in American English). Compare British grotty, of the same origin, and gro. Popularized by Moon Unit Zappa in song "Valley Girl" (1982) in phrase "grody to the max", as archetypal Southern California Valleyspeak; song also popularized "gag me with a spoon". Pronunciation: /ˈɡɹoʊdi/ 1. Nasty, dirty, disgusting, foul, revolting, yucky, grotesque. Labels: US, informal Example: I wouldn't set foot in that bar; the floor looks grody. Example: And the lady, like, goes / "Oh, my god, your toenails are, like, so grody" / […] / It’s like grody / Grody to the max / […] / Gross!
Word: exonumia Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰ Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h₁eǵʰs Proto-Hellenic *eks Ancient Greek ἐκ (ek) Ancient Greek ἔξω (éxō)der. English exo- Latin nummus English exonumia From exo- (“out of”) + Latin nummus (“coin”). 1. Coinlike objects. 2. Study and/or collection of such.
Word: Deep Throat Part of Speech: noun Etymology: First used as the secret identity of W. Mark Felt, who used this alias to supply reporters with valuable information about the Watergate scandal. 1. A secret informant possessing valuable information, especially one who stays secret long after the incident in question is concluded.
Word: numismatically Part of Speech: adv Etymology: Etymology tree English numismatic Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al Middle English -ly Middle English -ally English -ally English numismatically From numismatic + -ally. 1. In terms of coins or currency. Labels: not-comparable
Word: gorli oil Part of Speech: noun 1. An oil, produced from the seeds of the gorli shrub, Caloncoba echinata, that has been used in the treatment of leprosy. Labels: uncountable
Word: X-chair Part of Speech: noun 1. A folding chair with an X-shaped frame.
Word: xenogenesis Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From xeno- + -genesis. Pronunciation: /zɛnəʊˈd͡ʒɛnəsɪs/ 1. A foreign origin or source. 2. The production of an offspring that is unlike either of its parents.
Word: xenodochium Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From Latin, from Ancient Greek ξενοδοχεῖον (xenodokheîon, “place for strangers, inn”) from ξένος (xénos, “guest, stranger, foreigner”) + δέχομαι (dékhomai, “receive, accept”). Pronunciation: /ˌzɛn.əʊˈdəʊ.ki.əm/, /ˌzɛn.əˈdəʊ.ki.əm/, /ˌzɛn.oʊˈdoʊ.ki.əm/, /ˌzɛn.əˈdoʊ.ki.əm/ 1. A room (or separate guesthouse) in a monastery for the temporary accommodation of guests or pilgrims. Example: Gregory the Great orders that the accounts of xenodochia should be audited by the bishop (Epist. iv. 27). Example: There is, first, the xenodochium, to provide lodging for passing strangers, pilgrims, travellers, refugees, exiles of all kinds, like the one founded at Ostia by Pammachius and Fabiola for all who were embarking or landing.
Word: affaire Part of Speech: noun 1. Obsolete spelling of affair. Labels: alt-of, obsolete Example: M. Secretarie hath this accustomed maner, though his head be neuer so full of most weightie affaires of the Realme, yet, at diner time he doth seeme to lay them alwaies aside
Word: infidelity Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From Middle English infidelite, from Middle French infidelité (modern French infidélité) and its etymon Latin īnfidēlitās. Equivalent to infidel + -ity. Pronunciation: /ˌɪnfɪˈdɛlɪti/ 1. Unfaithfulness in a marriage or an intimate (sexual or romantic) relationship: practice or instance of having a sexual or romantic affair with someone other than one's spouse, without the consent of the spouse. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Your friends tell you rumors about your girlfriend's infidelity or you remember being broken up around the time the baby was conceived. 2. Unfaithfulness in some other moral obligation. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: It was disastrous that England's infidelity towards Frederick the Great — which no one, not even a German, condemned more strongly than did William Pitt — had to affect one of the most popular heroes of our national history. 3. Lack of religious belief. Labels: archaic, countable, uncountable Example: The means used to this purpose are partly didactical, and partly protreptical; demonstrating the truth of the gospel, and then urging the professors of those truths to be stedfast^([sic]) in the faith, and to beware of infidelity. Example: The Churchman remarked that such incidents arose from the growing infidelity, while the Freethinker saw in them a reversion to superstition.
Word: polemical Part of Speech: adj Etymology: From polemic + -al. By surface analysis, polem- + -ic + -al. Pronunciation: /pəˈlɛmɪkəl/, /pəˈlemɪkəl/ 1. Related to argument or controversy; containing polemic, being polemic. Example: […] in order to give a comprehensive critical and polemical analysis of the Dictionary in question, a whole book would be needed. Example: Bachelard has given a clear analysis of the "Atlas complex", a polemical complex and schema of verticalising effort or elevation, accompanied by a feeling of monarchical contemplation which diminishes the world so as better to glorify the gigantic, and the ambition inherent in ascensional reveries. 2. Related to argument or controversy; containing polemic, being polemic. Labels: derogatory Example: And though the annals of the period do not show us that there was less ale drawn, or less canary called for; men got dry with the heat of polemical discussion, and drunk with a text, not the fag end of a ballad, in their mouths; and people made a sort of morality of straight hair, long faces, and sad-coloured garments. Example: Not only are all these allegations worded in an unnecessarily polemical style, they are also simply false
Word: polemical Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From polemic + -al. By surface analysis, polem- + -ic + -al. Pronunciation: /pəˈlɛmɪkəl/, /pəˈlemɪkəl/ 1. A diatribe or polemic.
Word: think of England Part of Speech: verb 1. Clipping of close one's eyes and think of England, and its variants. Labels: abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, euphemistic, idiomatic Example: He inspected the ridged tips, spotted a piece of dirt, and spat on the instrument, wiping it dry on his sleeve. ‘Right! Hold still, think of England!’ He pushed the forceps into the wound, following the track of the probe, […] Example: A strange white-faced man with wild eyes, toupee at a rakish tilt, twisted by cramp, armed with a Lee Enfield. I sloped arms stiffly and marched out of his life; shouting as I left, ‘Don't do it, whatever it is! Lie down, and think of England!’
Word: xiphiplastron Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Ancient Greek ξίφος (xíphos, “sword”) + plastron 1. The posterior, or fourth lateral plate in the plastron of a turtle.
Word: Boötes Part of Speech: name Etymology: From Latin Boōtēs, the constellation, from Ancient Greek Βοώτης (Boṓtēs). Pronunciation: /boʊˈoʊtiːz/ 1. A circumpolar constellation of the northern sky, called the “bear-guard” or the “herdsman”. It includes the fourth-brightest star in the night sky, Arcturus. Example: when my name and honor ſhall be ſpread, As far as Boreas claps his braſen wings, Or faire Botëes ſends his cheerefull light. Example: These fringes of lamplight, struggling up through smoke and thousandfold exhalation, some fathoms into the ancient reign of Night, what thinks Boötes of them, as he leads his Hunting-Dogs over the Zenith in their leash of sidereal fire?
Word: napa Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From the regional and colloquial Japanese term 菜っ葉 (nappa, “leaves of any vegetable”). 1. Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis, a kind of Chinese cabbage. Labels: countable, uncountable
Word: napa Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From Napa, California, where the process of making napa leather was created. 1. napa leather Labels: countable, uncountable
Word: Ceto Part of Speech: name Etymology: From Ancient Greek Κητώ (Kētṓ); see also κῆτος (kêtos, “sea monster”). Compare Cetus. Pronunciation: /ˈsiːtoʊ/ 1. A primordial sea goddess, wife of Phorcys and mother of numerous monsters including Echidna and the gorgons. Labels: Greek 2. The trans-Neptunian object 65489 Ceto.
Word: Mira Part of Speech: name Etymology: Named by the astronomer Johannes Hevelius in 1662, from Latin mīrus (“wonderful, surprising”). 1. A binary star in the constellation Cetus, Omicron (ο) Ceti. The system contains a variable red giant and a white dwarf. Its brightness varies from a magnitude 2 at its brightest to a magnitude 10 at its dimmest. Example: The favoured explanation, adopted by Maraldi, was based on the assumption that the star was rotating and composed of two different parts, a bright and a dark region; if so, it might only be visible when the bright region turned towards Earth. Whatever the explanation, Mira had puzzled the astronomers because of its random character and the irregular periods between its observations.