English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

ba

noun

In ancient Egyptian belief, a part of the soul, often shown as a bird with a human head, that lived on after death.

baa

noun

The bleating sound a sheep or goat makes.

Baal

name

A storm and fertility god worshipped in ancient Phoenicia and Canaan.

bab

noun

An informal or dialect word for a baby.

baba

noun

A small, rich cake soaked in rum or other flavored syrup.

babbitt

noun

A soft metal alloy used to line bearings and reduce friction.

babble

verb

To talk quickly and continuously in a way that is unclear, meaningless, or hard to follow.

babbling

noun

The stage in early childhood when infants experiment with speech-like sounds before forming real words.

Babcock

name

An English surname; also a place name for small communities in the United States.

babe

noun

A baby or very young child.

Babel

noun

A confused, noisy mixture of voices or languages.

Baber

name

A surname.

Babette

name

A feminine given name, a French diminutive form.

Babineaux

name

A surname of French origin, common in Louisiana Cajun communities.

baboon

noun

A large Old World monkey with a dog-like snout, big canine teeth, cheek pouches, and a short tail.

Babs

name

A diminutive of the feminine given name Barbara.

babu

noun

A respectful title for a Hindu man, similar to "Mr.", traditionally placed after the surname.

babuji

noun

A respectful South Asian term of address for a man, roughly equivalent to "sir" or "mister" but warmer and more personal.

baby

noun

A very young child, from birth until walking and talking begin.

Babylon

name

The ancient Mesopotamian city on the Euphrates, capital of the Babylonian Empire.

Babylonian

adj

Relating to the ancient city of Babylon or its empire.

babysit

verb

To look after someone else's child temporarily, often in exchange for pay.

babysitter

noun

A person hired or asked to look after children while their parents or guardians are away.

babysitting

noun

The job of looking after children while their parents are out.

bac

noun

A flat-bottomed ferry, traditionally pulled across a river by rope.

Bacall

name

A surname, notably borne by actress Lauren Bacall.

baccarat

noun

A card game, popular in casinos, where players bet on which of two hands will score closer to nine.

Bacchus

name

The Roman (and Greek, as Dionysus) god of wine, revelry, and festivity.

bach

noun

A bachelor.

bachelor

noun

A man who has never married.

bachelorette

noun

An unmarried woman, especially one celebrated before her wedding.

Bachman

name

A surname.

back

noun

The rear surface of the human or animal body, from the shoulders to the hips.

backache

noun

A dull, persistent pain in the back.

backboard

noun

The flat vertical panel behind a basketball hoop that the ball can bounce off.

backbone

noun

The column of connected vertebrae running down the back that protects the spinal cord.

backdrop

noun

A large painted cloth or screen hung behind a stage set.

backed

adj

Having financial or other support behind it.

backer

noun

Someone who provides financial or other support for a person, project, or cause.

backfire

verb

Of an engine or gun, to ignite or explode unexpectedly in the wrong direction, often with a loud pop.

backfiring

noun

An instance of something going wrong and producing the opposite of the intended effect.

backgammon

noun

A board game for two players who race fifteen pieces each around the board according to dice rolls, aiming to bear them all off first.

background

noun

The part of a scene or image that lies behind the main subject.

backhand

noun

In tennis and similar sports, a stroke played across the body with the back of the hand facing the direction of the shot.

backhoe

noun

A piece of excavating machinery with a digging bucket on a hinged arm, mounted on a tractor.

backing

noun

Support, especially financial support, given to a person or project.

backlash

noun

A strong, usually negative, public reaction against a decision, action, or trend.

backlog

noun

An accumulation of unfinished work, unfilled orders, or unresolved tasks.

backpack

noun

A bag with straps worn on the back, used for carrying books, gear, or supplies.

backpacking

noun

Hiking and camping overnight while carrying all one's gear in a backpack.

backroom

noun

A room toward the rear of a building, often used for private or discreet activity.

backseat

noun

The row of seats behind the front seat in a vehicle.

backside

noun

A person's buttocks.

backstabber

noun

Someone who betrays a friend or colleague who trusted them, usually behind their back.

backstabbing

noun

Betraying someone's trust, especially through secretive scheming against a friend or colleague.

backstage

adj/adv

Behind or toward the area of a theatre out of the audience's view, where performers wait and prepare.

backstory

noun

The background history of a person or character that explains who they are and why they act as they do, even though it isn't shown directly.

backstreet

adj

Relating to the smaller, less prominent streets of a neighborhood, often poorer or less well-kept.

Backstrom

name

A Swedish surname.

backtrack

verb

To go back the way you came, retracing your own steps or route.

backup

noun

A person, plan, or system kept in reserve in case the main one fails.

backward

adj/adv

Directed or moving toward the rear, or in the opposite direction to normal or expected.

backwards

adv

Toward the back, or in reverse of the usual direction or order.

backwater

noun

A place seen as remote, quiet, and untouched by modern trends or major events.

backwoods

noun

Remote, thickly forested, or sparsely populated country, far from towns and cities.

backyard

noun

An outdoor area behind a house, often used for gardens, play, or relaxing.

bacon

noun

Cured, often smoked meat cut from the back or belly of a pig, typically sliced thin and fried crisp.

bacteria

noun

Microscopic single-celled organisms, some helpful and some capable of causing disease.

bacterial

adj

Caused by, related to, or involving bacteria.

bacterium

noun

A single microscopic organism made of one cell, lacking a nucleus, that belongs to the bacteria group.

bad

adj

Of low quality, unpleasant, or unsatisfactory.

badass

noun/adj

Someone impressively tough, skilled, or fearless, often used admiringly.

Bade

name

A West Chadic language spoken in Nigeria.

Bader

name

A surname.

badge

noun

A small emblem, pin, or card worn to show rank, identity, membership, or achievement.

badger

noun

A burrowing, mostly nocturnal mammal known for its black-and-white striped face and stocky build.

badgering

noun/adj

Persistent nagging or pestering meant to wear someone down until they comply.

badlands

noun

Dry, heavily eroded terrain, often marked by jagged rock formations and little vegetation.

badly

adv

In a poor, unsatisfactory, or incorrect way.

badminton

noun

A racquet sport in which players hit a shuttlecock back and forth over a net, played as singles or doubles.

badmouth

verb

To criticize or speak ill of someone, often unfairly or behind their back.

badness

noun

The quality or state of being bad.

BAE

noun

A term of endearment for a romantic partner or someone very close to you.

Baek

name

A Korean surname.

Baekje

name

An ancient Korean kingdom, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, that existed from 18 BCE to 660 CE.

Baer

name

A German surname.

Baez

name

A surname, notably borne by folk singer Joan Baez.

baffled

adj

Completely confused or unable to understand something.

baffling

adj

So confusing or puzzling that it's hard to understand or explain.

bag

noun

A flexible container, often with an opening at the top, used to hold or carry items.

bagel

noun

A dense, ring-shaped bread roll that's boiled briefly before being baked.

baggage

noun

Suitcases, bags, and other belongings carried while traveling.

bagged

adj

Placed inside a bag, or successfully caught, obtained, or secured.

bagger

noun

A retail worker who packs a customer's shopping into bags at the checkout.

Baggie

noun

A small plastic bag, especially one used to hold food, small items, or (informally) drugs.

baggies

noun

Loose-fitting shorts, especially the kind worn by surfers.

bagging

noun

The act of putting things into bags, especially in packing or retail.

baggy

adj

Loose-fitting, hanging away from the body rather than close to it.

Baghdad

name

The capital and largest city of Iraq, on the banks of the Tigris River.

bagi

noun

A sacred room or shrine used in Vodou (voodoo) worship for housing spirits and ritual objects.

Bagley

name

A surname, and a place name for several villages and towns in England and the United States.

bagman

noun

Someone who secretly collects or delivers money for bribery or other illicit payments.

bagpipe

verb

To play the bagpipes.

bagpipes

noun

A wind instrument with an inflatable bag, a melody pipe, and one or more drone pipes that sound continuously as the bag is squeezed.

bags

verb

To claim something for oneself before anyone else can.

baguette

noun

A long, narrow loaf of French bread with a crisp crust.

Bagwell

name

A surname, also used as a place name in Texas.

bah

intj

Used to express contempt, disgust, or irritation.

bahadur

noun

A brave warrior, historically used especially of Turko-Mongol fighters.

Bahamas

name

A chain of islands and independent country in the Caribbean, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

bahar

noun

A historical unit of weight once used across the Middle East and East Indies, whose exact size varied by region.

Bahia

name

A state in northeastern Brazil, with Salvador as its capital.

Bahrain

name

An island country in the Persian Gulf, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, with its capital at Manama.

baht

noun

The official currency of Thailand, divided into 100 satang.

bai

noun

A waterlogged, open meadow found in forested parts of sub-Saharan Africa, often visited by large wildlife.

bail

noun

A sum of money paid to secure someone's release from custody while they await trial.

bailey

noun

The outer wall of a castle, or the open courtyard enclosed within it.

bailiff

noun

A court officer responsible for keeping order in the courtroom and enforcing the judge's orders.

bailing

noun

The act of scooping water out of a boat, or more generally, removing something unwanted bit by bit.

bailout

noun

A rescue, especially money provided to save a struggling company, bank, or economy from collapse.

bain

adjective

Archaic: willing or ready to act; also, flexible or supple.

Bainbridge

name

An English surname, and a place name used for towns in England, the United States, and Canada.

Baines

name

An English surname.

Baird

name

A Scottish surname, also used as a place name in the United States.

bairn

noun

A child, especially in Scottish and northern English usage.

bait

noun

Food or a lure used to attract fish or other animals so they can be caught.

baiting

noun

A bloodsport in which a chained or confined animal is tormented by dogs.

Baja

name

A city in Bács-Kiskun County, Hungary; also informally used to refer to the Baja California peninsula in Mexico.

bak

noun

A wooden clapper instrument used in traditional Korean court music and ceremonies to mark the start and end of a piece.

bake

verb

To cook food using dry heat in an oven.

baked

adj

Cooked in an oven.

baker

noun

A person whose job is to bake and sell bread, cakes, and similar goods.

Bakers

name

A neighbourhood of Nashville, Tennessee, named after the surname Baker.

Bakersfield

name

A major city in Kern County, California.

bakery

noun

A shop or business that bakes and sells bread, cakes, and similar goods.

Bakes

name

A nickname derived from the surname Baker.

baking

noun

The activity of cooking food, especially bread, cakes, or pastries, using dry heat in an oven.

baklava

noun

A rich, sweet pastry made of thin layers of dough filled with chopped nuts and soaked in syrup or honey, popular across the Middle East and the Balkans.

Bakshi

name

A surname of South Asian origin.

Baku

noun

In folklore, a supernatural creature said to eat bad dreams.

bal

noun

In mining, the exposed working surface of a mine or quarry face.

Bala

name

A town in Gwynedd, Wales, and several places named after it in Canada and the United States.

balaclava

noun

A close-fitting knitted covering for the head and neck, often with an opening for the face, worn for warmth or as a disguise.

Balaji

name

A surname of Tamil and Telugu origin, particularly common in Andhra Pradesh, India.

Balan

name

A surname.

balance

noun

A state in which opposing weights, forces, or elements are evenly matched; stability.

balanced

adj

Made up of parts that are properly proportioned or weighted, so nothing is excessive or lacking.

Balances

name

An alternative English name for the constellation and zodiac sign Libra.

balancing

noun

The act of keeping something steady or bringing opposing elements into equilibrium.

balboa

noun

Panama's official currency, split into 100 centésimos and pegged 1:1 with the US dollar.

balcony

noun

A platform enclosed by a rail or wall that projects from the outside wall of a building, usually accessible from an upper-floor room.

bald

adj

Having little or no hair on the head.

Balder

noun

In Norse mythology, the god of light and beauty, son of Odin and Frigg.

balderdash

noun

Nonsense; foolish or meaningless talk.

baldie

noun

Informal: someone who is bald.

balding

adj

Becoming bald; gradually losing hair, especially on the top of the head.

baldness

noun

The state of having little or no hair on the head.

Baldur

name

In Norse mythology, the god of light and purity, son of Odin and Frigg.

Baldwin

noun

A variety of apple that is reddish and slightly tart, traditionally popular for winter storage.

baldy

noun

Informal: a bald person.

bale

noun

A large, tightly bound bundle of material such as hay, straw, cotton, or paper, prepared for storage or transport.

Balfour

name

A Scottish surname, notably borne by British Prime Minister Arthur Balfour, and a place name in Scotland and elsewhere.

Bali

name

An island and province of Indonesia, known for its beaches and Hindu culture.

Balkan

adj

Relating to the Balkan Peninsula, its mountains, or the countries and people of that region of southeastern Europe.

Balkans

noun

The peninsula and cultural region of southeastern Europe encompassing countries such as Albania, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, and Greece.

ball

noun

A round or roughly spherical object, especially one used in sports and games.

ballad

noun

A simple narrative song or poem, often telling a romantic or dramatic story, typically slow and sentimental.

Ballantine

name

A Scottish surname, also used as a brand name and a place name in Montana.

ballast

noun

Heavy material carried in a ship, balloon, or vehicle to provide stability.

Balle

name

A surname of Dutch, Danish, or Catalan origin.

balled

adj

Formed into the shape of a ball, or having a specified number or type of balls.

baller

noun

Informal: someone who plays basketball, especially skilfully.

ballet

noun

A classical style of formal, expressive dance, or a theatrical performance of it, usually set to music.

Balli

name

A surname.

Ballin

name

A surname.

balling

noun

The act of forming something into a ball or clump.

Ballinger

name

A surname, and a place name for a city in Texas and a hamlet in England.

ballistic

adj

Relating to projectiles that travel under their own momentum and gravity rather than powered flight.

ballistics

noun

The scientific study of how projectiles like bullets or rockets move through the air.

balloon

noun

A flexible bag that inflates with air or gas, used as a toy, decoration, or for flight.

ballot

noun

A paper or card used to cast a vote, or the act of voting itself.

ballpark

noun

A stadium where baseball is played.

ballroom

noun

A large room used for formal dances and receptions.

balls

noun

Courage and boldness; nerve.

ballsy

adj

Bold and daring; showing a lot of nerve.

bally

adj

A dated, mild British slang intensifier meaning "bloody" — used to add emphasis without swearing outright.

balm

noun

A soothing ointment or lotion applied to the skin.

balmy

adj

Of weather, pleasantly warm and mild.

baloney

noun

Nonsense; foolish or dishonest talk.

balsamic

adj

Having a soothing, fragrant quality like balsam.

Balthazar

noun

An oversized wine bottle holding about 12 liters, equal to 16 standard bottles.

Baltic

adj

Relating to the Baltic Sea or the countries surrounding it.

Baltimore

name

An independent city in Maryland, the largest in the state.

Balzac

name

A surname, most famously belonging to the French novelist Honoré de Balzac.

bam

intj

Used to represent a sudden loud noise, impact, or abrupt event.

Bama

name

A Yao autonomous county in Guangxi, China; also an informal nickname for the U.S. state of Alabama.

Bamba

name

A surname found in several West African cultures.

Bambi

noun

A young deer, especially a fawn (from the famous cartoon character).

bambino

noun

A baby or young child, especially in art depicting the infant Christ.

bamboo

noun

A fast-growing woody grass with hollow, jointed stems, used for building and furniture.

ban

verb

To officially forbid something.

Bana

noun

A member of a subgroup of the Fali people living in northern Nigeria.

banal

adj

So common and unoriginal that it is boring.

banality

noun

The quality of being dull, unoriginal, and overly familiar.

banana

noun

A long curved tropical fruit with soft flesh and a peelable yellow skin.

bananas

adj

Crazy, wild, or out of control (informal).

banco

noun

In card games like baccarat, a bet that matches the entire bank.

Bancroft

name

A surname of English origin, also used as a place name in several English-speaking countries.

band

noun

A group of musicians who perform together.

bandage

noun

A strip of material wrapped around a wound to protect or support it.

bandaged

adj

Covered or wrapped in a bandage.

bandana

noun

A large, often colorful square of cloth worn on the head or around the neck.

banded

adj

Marked with stripes or bands of color.

bandit

noun

An armed robber, especially one operating with a gang in a remote or lawless area.

bando

noun

A traditional Welsh stick-and-ball team sport related to hockey and shinty.

Bandra

name

A coastal suburb of Mumbai, India.

bandstand

noun

A roofed, open-sided platform built for a band to perform on, usually outdoors in a park.

bandwagon

noun

A popular trend or cause that people join simply because it is already popular.

bandwidth

noun

The range of frequencies a signal or channel can carry, often used to describe internet or network speed.

bandy

verb

To pass something back and forth between people, especially words, rumors, or ideas.

bane

noun

A person or thing that causes constant trouble or ruin.

Banerjee

name

A Bengali surname.

bang

noun

A sudden loud noise, such as an explosion or a hard impact.

Bangalore

verb

To outsource a job or business function to India, particularly to the tech hub of Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore).

banged

adj

Wearing a hairstyle with bangs — a fringe cut straight across the forehead.

banging

adj

Informal British slang for excellent or highly enjoyable, often describing music or food.

Bangkok

name

The capital city of Thailand.

Bangladesh

name

A country in South Asia, bordered mostly by India, with its capital at Dhaka.

bangle

noun

A rigid, usually round bracelet worn on the wrist or ankle, typically without a clasp.

Bangor

name

A city in Gwynedd, Wales, and another in County Down, Northern Ireland, both giving their name to towns elsewhere, including in Maine.

bangs

noun

Bang's disease, a bacterial infection (brucellosis) that mainly affects cattle and can spread to humans.

banish

verb

To officially force someone to leave a place, usually as punishment, and forbid their return.

banished

adj

Forced to leave and forbidden from returning; exiled.

banishment

noun

The act of forcing someone to leave a place, or the state of being exiled.

banister

noun

The handrail running along the side of a staircase, or one of the upright posts supporting it.

banjo

noun

A stringed instrument with a round, drum-like body and a long fretted neck, played by plucking or strumming.

bank

noun

A financial institution that holds deposits, lends money, and manages other financial services.

banked

adj

Piled up steeply, or (of a track or road) built with a slope for turning at speed.

banker

noun

A person who works in or manages a bank, especially in a senior or professional capacity.

banking

noun

The business or industry of running banks and providing financial services.

bankroll

noun

The total money a person or organization has available to spend.

bankrupt

adj

Legally unable to pay one's debts.

bankruptcy

noun

The legally recognized state of being unable to pay one's debts.

Banks

name

An English surname originally describing someone who lived near a hillside or riverbank; also used as a place name.

banku

noun

A Ghanaian dish made from a fermented corn and cassava dough, steamed into a soft paste.

banned

adj

Officially forbidden or prohibited.

banner

noun

A long strip of fabric or sign, often bearing a message, slogan, or emblem.

bannerman

noun

A person, especially a soldier, responsible for carrying a flag or standard.

banning

noun

The act of officially prohibiting something.

Bannister

name

A surname originally denoting a maker of baskets, notably borne by runner Roger Bannister.

Bannon

name

A surname of Irish origin.

banquet

noun

A large, formal meal held to celebrate a special occasion.

Banquo

name

A character in Shakespeare's play Macbeth, based on a semi-legendary Scottish nobleman.

banshee

noun

In Irish folklore, a female spirit whose mournful wailing is said to warn a household that a death is coming.

Banta

name

A surname.

banter

noun

Light, good-humoured teasing conversation exchanged between people who know each other well.

Banu

name

A surname found in South Asian, Bengali, and Romanian traditions, in the first case ultimately from a Persian word for "lady".

banyan

noun

A large Indian fig tree (Ficus benghalensis) whose branches send down aerial roots that grow into new trunks, letting a single tree spread over a huge area.

banzai

intj

A Japanese cheer or war cry, roughly meaning "long live," shouted to express enthusiasm, celebrate a victory, or (historically) launch an attack.

bao

noun

A soft, steamed Chinese bun, often filled with meat, vegetables, or sweet paste.

bap

noun

A soft, flattish bread roll, a term used mainly in the UK (originally Scotland).

baptised

adj

Having undergone the Christian rite of baptism.

baptism

noun

A Christian ceremony of initiation in which a person is sprinkled with or immersed in water, symbolically welcoming them into the church.

Baptist

noun

A member of a Protestant denomination that practices baptism of believers old enough to choose it, rather than baptizing infants.

Baptiste

name

A French surname, most common in Haiti, meaning "baptist".

baptize

verb

To perform the Christian rite of baptism on someone, using water to admit them into the church.

baptized

adj

Having undergone the Christian rite of baptism.

bapu

noun

An affectionate term for "father," used in Hindi and several other South Asian languages.

bar

noun

A place that sells alcoholic drinks to be consumed on the premises, or the counter inside it.

bara

noun

A genre of homoerotic art and comics from Japan, made by and for gay men, typically depicting muscular, masculine men.

Barabbas

name

In the New Testament, a prisoner released by Pontius Pilate instead of Jesus at the Passover feast.

barack

noun

A Hungarian brandy distilled from apricots.

Barak

name

In the Old Testament, the military commander who led Israel's army under the prophetess Deborah.

Baran

name

A city in Belarus, and a district of Rajasthan, India.

barb

noun

A sharp point angled backward on an arrow, hook, or wire, designed to make it hard to pull out.

Barbados

name

An island nation in the Caribbean, formerly a British colony.

Barbara

name

A female given name, originally from the Latin word barbarus ("foreign").

barbarian

noun

Historically, someone from outside Greek or Roman civilization, viewed by the Greeks and Romans as uncivilized.

barbaric

adj

Extremely cruel, brutal, or uncivilized.

barbarism

noun

An act of extreme cruelty or savagery.

barbarous

adj

Extremely cruel or savage.

Barbary

name

A historical name for the coastal regions of North Africa, once notorious as a base for pirates.

barbecue

noun

A grill or fireplace used for cooking food, usually outdoors over hot coals or gas flame.

barbecued

adj

Cooked on a barbecue, typically over an open flame or hot coals.

barbed

adj

Fitted with sharp backward-pointing points, like on a fish hook or barbed wire.

barber

noun

A person whose job is cutting hair and trimming beards, usually for male customers.

barbershop

noun

A shop where people go to get their hair cut.

barbie

noun

Informal Australian/British term for a barbecue, either the grill or the event.

Barbosa

name

A surname common in Portuguese-speaking countries, also used as a place name in Brazil and Colombia.

Barbra

name

A feminine given name, a nonstandard spelling of Barbara associated with singer Barbra Streisand.

Barbs

name

A diminutive of the feminine given name Barbara.

Barca

name

A shortened nickname for FC Barcelona, the Spanish football club.

Barcelona

name

The capital city of Catalonia in northeastern Spain, known for its architecture and football club.

Barclay

name

A Scottish surname and given name, derived from a place name meaning "birch wood".

bard

noun

A poet, especially one who composes and performs verse celebrating heroes and great deeds.

Barden

name

An English surname, historically derived from a place name meaning "valley of the boar".

bardo

noun

In Tibetan Buddhism, the transitional state a consciousness passes through between death and rebirth.

bare

adj

Not covered by clothing, decoration, or any other covering; exposed.

bareback

adj

Riding a horse without a saddle.

barefoot

adj

Not wearing shoes or socks.