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English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

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i
pronoun
Used by a speaker or writer to refer to themself as the subject of a sentence.
IA
interjection
Short for "inshallah," meaning "God willing," used to express hope that something will happen.
Iad
name
A river in Romania.
Iago
name
A male given name, best known as the villainous character in Shakespeare's Othello.
Iain
name
A male given name from Scottish Gaelic, equivalent to English John.
Ian
name
A male given name from Scottish Gaelic Eòin, equivalent to English John.
ibis
noun
A long-legged wading bird with a slender, downward-curving bill, found near water in warm climates.
Ibiza
name
An island of the Balearic Islands, Spain, known for its nightlife and beaches.
ibn
noun
An Arabic word meaning "son of," used before a father's name in traditional naming patterns.
Ibrahim
name
The Arabic form of the name Abraham, used both as the Islamic prophet's name and as a common male given name.
Ibsen
name
A Scandinavian surname, most famously borne by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen.
ibuprofen
noun
A common over-the-counter drug used to relieve pain, reduce fever, and calm inflammation.
IC
phrase
Informal shorthand for "I see," used in texting or chat to acknowledge something.
Icarus
noun
In Greek myth, the youth who flew too close to the sun on wings of feathers and wax, causing them to melt, and fell into the sea; used to describe someone whose overreaching ambition leads to their downfall.
ice
noun
Water that has frozen solid.
iceberg
noun
A huge chunk of freshwater ice that has broken off a glacier or ice shelf and floats in the ocean.
icebox
noun
An old-fashioned insulated box or cabinet that used blocks of ice to keep food cool, before electric refrigerators were common.
icebreaker
noun
A ship built with a reinforced hull to smash through frozen sea ice, clearing a path for other vessels.
iced
adj
Served cold, with ice added.
Iceland
name
An island country in the North Atlantic, known for volcanoes, glaciers, and geothermal activity.
Icelandic
adj
Relating to Iceland, its people, or its language.
iceman
noun
Someone who delivers or sells block ice, especially from the days before home refrigerators.
ich
pronoun
Dialectal or archaic form of "I," found in some regional English dialects.
Ichabod
interjection
Used to express sorrow that something has lost its former glory or standards.
Ichikawa
name
A Japanese surname.
Ichiro
name
A Japanese male given name, borne by the famous baseball player Ichiro Suzuki.
icicle
noun
A thin, tapering spike of ice formed when dripping water freezes as it falls.
icing
noun
A sweet coating, usually made from sugar and often butter or egg white, spread or piped onto cakes and other baked goods.
ick
interjection
Used to express disgust or revulsion.
icky
adjective
Unpleasantly sticky, slimy, or disgusting.
icon
noun
A small picture or symbol on a screen that represents a program, file, or action.
iconic
adjective
Widely recognised as a symbol or perfect representative example of something.
icy
adjective
Covered with ice, or extremely cold.
ID
noun
In Freudian psychology, the part of the mind driven by basic, unconscious instincts and desires.
Ida
name
A female given name of Germanic origin, also the name of sacred mountains in Turkey and Crete.
Idaho
noun
A large baking potato variety, especially the Russet Burbank, associated with the U.S. state of Idaho where it is widely grown.
ide
noun
A freshwater fish related to minnows and carp, native to rivers and lakes across northern Europe and Asia.
idea
noun
A thought, plan, or mental impression formed in the mind.
ideal
adjective
Perfect or the best possible for a given purpose.
idealism
noun
The tendency to hold high, sometimes unrealistic, principles or hopes about how things should be.
idealist
noun
Someone who holds onto high principles or a vision of how things ought to be, sometimes at the expense of practicality.
idealistic
adj
Driven by high ideals or an image of perfection rather than by practical concerns.
idealized
adj
Made to look better, purer, or more perfect than the real thing actually is.
ideally
adv
In the best or most perfect way possible.
ident
noun
A short audio or video clip a TV or radio station uses to identify itself, often between programs.
identical
adj
Exactly the same in every detail; impossible to tell apart.
identifiable
adj
Able to be recognized or named as a specific thing or person.
identification
noun
A document that proves who someone is.
identify
verb
To work out or state exactly who or what someone or something is.
identifying
adj
Serving to show clearly who or what something is.
identity
noun
Who a person is, including their name, background, and sense of self.
ideological
adj
Relating to a system of ideas or beliefs, especially political or social ones.
ideology
noun
A connected set of beliefs, values, or principles held by a person, group, or movement, especially a political one.
ides
noun
In the ancient Roman calendar, the middle day of the month — the 15th in March, May, July, and October, the 13th in other months.
idiocy
noun
Extremely foolish behavior or thinking; a stupid act.
idiom
noun
A phrase whose meaning can't be worked out just from the words in it, such as "kick the bucket."
idiot
noun
A foolish or stupid person, or someone who makes a very poor decision.
idiotic
adj
Extremely foolish or senseless.
idle
adj
Not working, active, or in use.
idleness
noun
The state of not working or doing anything; laziness or inactivity.
idling
noun
The act of running an engine while it is not in gear or doing any work.
idly
adv
Without any real purpose or effort.
Ido
name
A constructed international language created as a reform of Esperanto.
idol
noun
An object, often a statue or image, worshipped as a god or believed to hold spiritual power.
idolize
verb
To admire someone so much that you treat them as close to perfect.
Idris
name
A male given name of Welsh and Arabic origin, popularized in English by actor Idris Elba; also a prophet in Islam identified with the biblical Enoch.
idyllic
adj
Extremely peaceful, beautiful, or happy, like something out of a perfect picture.
if
conj
Used to introduce a condition: supposing that something is or were true.
Ife
name
The largest city in Osun State, Nigeria, considered a sacred center of Yoruba culture and religion.
iffy
adj
Uncertain, doubtful, or of questionable quality.
Ifield
name
A suburb in the borough of Crawley, West Sussex, England.
IfS
name
A German policy institute, the Institut für Staatspolitik.
Iga
name
An ancient province of Japan and a city in Mie Prefecture, central Japan.
iggy
verb
To ignore or block someone on a chat program or social platform.
ight
noun
Archaic word for possessions or property.
Iglesias
name
A Spanish surname, and also a commune in Sardinia, Italy.
igloo
noun
A dome-shaped shelter built from blocks of packed snow, traditionally used by Inuit people.
Ignacio
name
A Spanish male given name and surname.
Ignatius
name
A male given name of Latin origin, historically borne by Saint Ignatius of Antioch and Saint Ignatius of Loyola.
ignite
verb
To set something on fire, or to begin burning.
ignition
noun
The act or process of setting something on fire, or the point at which combustion begins.
ignoble
adjective
Lacking honour or moral worth; shameful or unworthy of respect.
ignoramus
noun
A person who is strikingly uninformed or unwilling to learn; a fool.
ignorance
noun
A lack of knowledge, information, or education about something.
ignorant
adjective
Lacking knowledge or education, generally or about a particular subject.
ignore
verb
To deliberately pay no attention to someone or something.
ignoring
noun
The act of deliberately paying no attention to someone or something.
Igor
noun
A stock character depicting a hunched, loyal lab assistant to a mad scientist or vampire, popularized by horror and monster films.
iguana
noun
A large tropical lizard, often green, native to the Americas and sometimes kept as an exotic pet.
Ii
name
A Japanese surname.
Ik
name
An ethnic group in northeastern Uganda near the Kenyan border, and the language they speak.
Ike
noun
A nickname for a man named Isaac, or a familiar name for U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
IKEA
name
A Swedish multinational retailer known for flat-pack, self-assembled furniture.
Ikebukuro
name
A district of Toshima, Tokyo, Japan, known for its shopping and entertainment.
Ikeda
name
A Japanese surname.
Ilan
name
A male given name of Hebrew origin, meaning "tree" or "oak tree."
Ilana
name
A female given name, a variant of Alana.
Ilene
name
A female given name.
Iliad
noun
Homer's ancient Greek epic poem about the final weeks of the Trojan War, centred on the rage of Achilles.
ilk
noun
A type or category of people or things sharing similar characteristics, often used slightly dismissively.
ill
adjective
Unwell or in poor health; sick.
illegal
adjective
Against the law; not authorised or permitted by legislation.
illegally
adverb
In a way that breaks the law.
illegitimate
adjective
Not legally or officially sanctioned; not proper or authorised.
illicit
adjective
Not permitted by law or social convention; forbidden.
Illinois
adj
Relating to the Illinois Confederacy, an alliance of Algonquian-speaking Native American peoples, or to their language and culture.
illiterate
adjective
Unable to read or write.
illness
noun
A disease or period of poor health.
illogical
adjective
Not following the rules of logic; lacking sound reasoning.
illuminate
verb
To light up or shine light onto something.
illuminated
adjective
Lit up, or having light shone on it.
illuminating
adjective
Providing light.
illumination
noun
Light, or the act of providing light.
illusion
noun
A false or misleading impression created by something that appears real.
illusionist
noun
A performer who specialises in tricks that appear to defy the laws of reality; a magician.
illustrate
verb
To explain or clarify something by using an example or comparison.
illustrated
adjective
Containing pictures or diagrams.
illustration
noun
A picture or diagram used to decorate or explain a text.
illustrator
noun
A person who creates pictures for books, magazines, or other publications.
illustrious
adjective
Widely admired and respected, especially for great achievements.
Ilona
name
A female given name, a Hungarian variant of Helen.
Ilsa
name
A female given name.
Ilya
name
A male given name of Russian origin, a doublet of Elijah.
Ilyich
name
A Russian surname, used as a patronymic meaning "son of Ilya."
Im
noun
A type of galaxy that has no clear spiral or elliptical structure; an irregular galaxy.
Ima
name
A formerly common Anglo-American female given name, also a colloquial word for "mom."
image
noun
A visual representation of something, such as a picture, photo, or drawing.
imagery
noun
Pictures or visual representations considered as a group, especially photos or scans.
imaginable
adj
Capable of being pictured or thought of; conceivable.
imaginary
adj
Not real; existing only in the mind or imagination.
imagination
noun
The mental ability to form new ideas, images, or concepts not currently perceived by the senses.
imaginative
adj
Showing creativity or a strong ability to invent new ideas.
imagine
verb
To form a mental picture of something, especially something not present or not real.
imagined
adj
Existing only in someone's mind rather than in reality.
imaging
noun
The process or technology of producing images of things that can't normally be seen, especially inside the body.
imagining
noun
Something pictured in the mind; a product of the imagination.
Imai
name
A Japanese surname.
imam
noun
A person who leads prayers in a mosque.
iman
noun
Devoted faith and belief within Islam.
imbalance
noun
A lack of balance or proportion between things.
imbecile
noun
An insulting term for a stupid or foolish person.
Imelda
name
A female given name of Germanic origin via Italian and Spanish, notably borne by former Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos.
imitate
verb
To copy the actions, style, or appearance of someone or something.
imitated
adj
Made to look or seem like the real thing; simulated.
imitating
noun
An act of copying someone else's behavior, style, or voice.
imitation
noun
The act of copying someone or something.
immaculate
adj
Perfectly clean, tidy, or free of any flaw.
immaterial
adj
Not important or relevant to the matter at hand.
immature
adj
Behaving in a childish or emotionally undeveloped way.
immeasurable
adj
So great in size or amount that it cannot be measured.
immediate
adj
Happening or done right away, without delay.
immediately
adv
Right away, without any delay.
immemorial
adj
So old that it goes back further than anyone can remember or record.
immense
adj
Extremely large in size, degree, or amount.
immensely
adv
To a very great degree; hugely.
immensity
noun
The quality of being extremely large or vast.
immerse
verb
To put something completely under the surface of a liquid.
immersed
adj
Completely covered by or submerged in a liquid.
immersion
noun
The act of putting something, or oneself, completely into a liquid.
immigrant
noun
A person who moves from one country to live permanently in another.
immigration
noun
The act of moving into a country you were not born in, in order to live there permanently.
imminent
adj
About to happen very soon.
immobile
adj
Not able to move or be moved.
immobilize
verb
To stop something moving, or make it unable to move.
immobilized
adj
Made unable to move.
immoral
adj
Going against accepted standards of right and wrong; morally wrong.
immorality
noun
The quality of being immoral; wickedness.
immortal
adj
Living forever; never dying.
immortality
noun
The state of living forever, never dying.
immovable
adj
Not able to be physically moved; fixed in place.
immune
adj
Protected against a disease, usually through vaccination or prior infection.
immunity
noun
The body's ability to resist a particular disease.
immutable
adj
Unable to be changed.
Imogen
name
A female given name popularized by Shakespeare in his play Cymbeline.
imp
noun
A small, mischievous supernatural creature, like a minor demon.
impact
noun
The force of one object striking another; a collision.
impacted
adj
Having been struck by, or affected by, an impact.
impaired
adj
Weakened or made less effective.
impairment
noun
A weakening or reduction in how well something functions.
impala
noun
A slender African antelope known for its powerful leaps and the male's curved horns.
impale
verb
To pierce something through with a long, pointed object.
impaled
adj
Pierced through by something sharp.
impart
verb
To pass on knowledge, advice, or a quality to someone.
impartial
adj
Treating everyone fairly and equally, without favoring one side.
impassable
adj
Impossible to travel through or across.
impasse
noun
A situation where no further progress can be made; a deadlock.
impassioned
adj
Full of strong feeling; delivered with intense emotion.
impatience
noun
A lack of patience; restlessness or irritation at delay.
impatient
adj
Not willing to wait calmly; easily irritated by delay.
impatiently
adv
In an impatient way.
impeach
verb
To formally charge a public official with misconduct, often as a step toward removing them from office.
impeachment
noun
The formal process of charging a public official with serious misconduct.
impeccable
adj
Flawless; without any mistakes or faults.
impeccably
adv
In a flawless, perfect manner.
impede
verb
To slow down or get in the way of progress.
impediment
noun
Something that blocks or slows progress.
impending
adj
About to happen soon, often something unwelcome.
impenetrable
adj
Impossible to pass through or enter.
imperative
adj
Extremely important; essential.
imperfect
adj
Not perfect; having flaws.
imperfection
noun
The state or quality of being imperfect or flawed.
imperial
adj
Relating to an empire, or to an emperor or empress.
imperialism
noun
A policy of extending a country's power over other nations through conquest, control, or economic dominance.
imperialist
adj
Relating to or supporting imperialism.
impersonal
adj
Not personal or individual; without warmth, feeling, or a personal connection.
impersonate
verb
To pretend to be someone else, often to deceive or entertain.
impersonation
noun
The act of pretending to be another person, or a performance imitating someone.
impersonator
noun
A performer who imitates other people, especially celebrities, for entertainment.
impertinence
noun
Rudeness or disrespect, especially from someone speaking out of turn.
impertinent
adj
Rude or disrespectful, especially in a way that oversteps one's place.
impervious
adj
Not affected or bothered by something, such as criticism or emotion.
impetuous
adj
Acting suddenly and without careful thought, often forcefully.
impetus
noun
Something that drives or encourages an action to happen; a driving force.
implacable
adj
Unable to be calmed or satisfied; unrelenting in hostility or determination.
implant
verb
To fix something firmly and deeply in place, often figuratively.
implausible
adj
Hard to believe; unlikely to be true.
implement
verb
To put a plan, decision, or system into actual practice.
implementation
noun
The process of putting a plan or idea into practice.
implicate
verb
To show that someone is involved in something wrong or criminal.
implication
noun
A possible or likely consequence of an action or decision.
implicit
adj
Suggested or understood without being directly stated.
implicitly
adv
In a way that is understood without being stated directly.
implied
adj
Suggested or hinted at rather than clearly stated.
implode
verb
To collapse violently inward.
imploded
adj
Having collapsed violently inward.
implore
verb
To beg someone earnestly to do something.
implosion
noun
The act of collapsing violently inward.
imply
verb
To suggest something indirectly without stating it outright.
implying
noun
The act of suggesting something without stating it directly.
impolite
adj
Not polite; rude or lacking in good manners.
import
noun
A product or good brought into a country from abroad for sale.
importance
noun
The quality of being significant, valuable, or worthy of attention.
important
adj
Having real significance, value, or influence.
importantly
adv
Used to highlight a point as especially significant.
importer
noun
A person or company that brings goods into a country for sale.
impose
verb
To officially establish or enforce a rule, tax, or penalty.
imposing
adj
Impressive in size, appearance, or manner; commanding respect.
imposition
noun
An unwelcome demand or burden placed on someone.
impossibility
noun
Something that cannot happen or be done.
impossible
adj
Not able to happen or be done.
impossibly
adv
To an extreme or unbelievable degree; used to emphasise how extraordinary something is.
impostor
noun
Someone who pretends to be another person in order to deceive people.
impotence
noun
A complete lack of power or ability to act or influence events.
impotent
adj
Unable to take effective action; powerless.
impound
verb
To seize and hold something officially, often as a penalty or for legal reasons.
impoverished
adj
Made poor; reduced to poverty.
impractical
adj
Not sensible or realistic to do; unworkable in practice.
impregnable
adj
Too strong or well-defended to be captured, broken into, or defeated.
impregnate
verb
To make a woman or female animal pregnant.
impresario
noun
A person who organises and manages public entertainment, especially concerts, opera, or theatre.
impress
verb
To have a strong, often admiring, effect on someone.
impressed
adj
Feeling admiration or approval because of something.
impression
noun
A feeling or opinion formed about something, often quickly and without deep analysis.
impressionable
adj
Easily influenced or shaped by other people or ideas, especially used of young people.
impressionism
noun
A 19th-century art movement focused on capturing light, colour, and fleeting moments using visible, loose brushstrokes.
impressionist
noun
An artist, composer, or writer who works in the style of impressionism.
impressive
adj
Causing admiration because of size, skill, quality, or achievement.
imprint
noun
A mark left by pressing something onto a surface, or a lasting effect on someone's mind or life.
imprinted
adj
Marked, stamped, or fixed permanently, whether physically or in memory.
imprison
verb
To put someone in prison, or to confine them against their will.
imprisonment
noun
The state of being confined in prison, or a sentence involving such confinement.
improbable
adj
Unlikely to be true or to happen.
impromptu
adj
Done without any preparation or planning; spontaneous.
improper
adj
Not suitable, appropriate, or correct for the situation.
improperly
adv
In a manner that is not suitable, correct, or appropriate.
impropriety
noun
Behaviour or an action that is unsuitable or improper, especially by breaking a social or moral standard.
improv
noun
Unscripted comedy or theatre performed spontaneously, often based on audience suggestions.
improve
verb
To make something better in quality, value, or condition.
improved
adj
Made better than before; enhanced.
improvement
noun
A change that makes something better, or the process of becoming better.
improving
adj
Intended to make someone better, especially morally, mentally, or in health.
improvisation
noun
The act of creating or performing something spontaneously, without preparation.
improvise
verb
To create or perform something on the spot without preparation, often using whatever is available.
improvised
adj
Made or done on the spot, without planning or rehearsal.
improvising
noun
The act of making or doing something spontaneously, without preparation.
imprudent
adj
Not careful or sensible; failing to think through the consequences of an action.
impudence
noun
Bold, disrespectful behaviour or speech that shows no shame.
impudent
adj
Bold and disrespectful in a way that shows no shame or embarrassment.
impulse
noun
A sudden strong urge to act, often without thinking it through.
impulsive
adj
Acting suddenly on urges or feelings, without thinking things through first.
impulsively
adverb
Acting or done suddenly, without stopping to think it through.
impunity
noun
Freedom from punishment or consequences for something wrong you've done.
impure
adjective
Mixed with substances that shouldn't be there; not clean or refined.
impurity
noun
A substance mixed into something that makes it less pure or of lower quality.
Imran
name
A male given name and surname of Arabic origin.
in
prep
Contained by, inside, or within the limits of something — spatially, in time, or in a more abstract sense.
Ina
name
A female given name, a short form of names ending in -ina, such as Georgina or Christina.
inability
noun
Not having the skill, power, or resources needed to do something.
inaccessible
adjective
Hard or impossible to reach or get to.
inaccurate
adjective
Wrong or not exact; containing errors.
inaction
noun
A failure to act; doing nothing when something should be done.
inactive
adjective
Not currently active or in use, whether for a short time or permanently.
inadequacy
noun
The state of not being good enough or sufficient for what's needed.
inadequate
adjective
Not enough, or not good enough, for what is required.
inadmissible
adjective
Not allowed to be accepted, especially evidence in a court case.
inadvertently
adverb
By accident; without meaning to; as a result of not paying attention.
inane
adjective
Silly, pointless, or lacking any real substance — often to an annoying degree.
inanimate
adjective
Not alive and incapable of movement on its own, like a rock or a chair.
inappropriate
adjective
Not suitable or fitting for the particular situation, time, or place.
inappropriately
adverb
In a way that is not suitable for the situation.