Pronunciation guide: IPA symbols, stress and word endings
Vowels
| iː | see | ɪ | sit | e / ɛ | bed | æ | cat |
| ɑː | father | ɒ | hot (UK) | ɔː | law | ʊ | put |
| uː | too | ʌ | cup | ɜː | bird | ə | about |
| eɪ | day | aɪ | my | ɔɪ | boy | aʊ | now |
| əʊ / oʊ | go (UK / US) | ɪə | near | eə | hair | ʊə | tour |
Consonants that look unusual
| θ | thin | ð | this | ʃ | she | ʒ | measure |
| tʃ | church | dʒ | judge | ŋ | sing | j | yes |
p b t d k g f v s z h m n l r w sound as in ordinary English spelling.
Marks
- ˈ main stress, before the stressed syllable: /ˈwɔːtə/ water · ˌ lighter (secondary) stress: /ˌʌndəˈstænd/ understand
- ː a long vowel · (r) an r said only in accents that pronounce it (most American, Scottish, Irish)
Common word endings
- -s / -es (plurals; he/she form of verbs): /s/ after voiceless sounds (cats), /z/ after voiced (dogs), /ɪz/ after s, z, sh, ch, j sounds (buses, watches). Spelling: -es after s, x, z, ch, sh; consonant + y → -ies (city → cities).
- -ed (past): /t/ after voiceless sounds (walked), /d/ after voiced (played), /ɪd/ after t or d (wanted). Spelling: love → loved, stop → stopped, carry → carried.
- -ing: make → making, run → running, see → seeing.
- Irregular: go, went, gone · be, was, been · see, saw, seen · man → men · child → children · mouse → mice.
- Older (King James) forms: -eth = -s (he loveth = he loves) · -est with “thou” (thou lovest) · spake = spoke.
English Dictionary · 107,383 entries · Sources & licences
B 6,521 entries
Page 1 of 33: b – backslap
- b numeral, noun, proper nounThe second numeral symbol of the English alphabet, called bee and written in the Latin script.
- B battery noun(dated, electronics) A battery used to provide the plate voltage for a vacuum tube.
- B cell noun(immunology) A lymphocyte, developed in the bursa of birds and the bone marrow of other animals, that produces antibodies and is co-respons…
- B lymphocyte noun(immunology) A B cell.
- B vitamin nounAny of a class of water-soluble vitamins that play important roles in cell metabolism and synthesis of red blood cells.
- B-52 nounA cocktail shooter consisting of three distinct layers of coffee liqueur, Baileys and Grand Marnier.
- b-girl noun(US, slang) A bargirl.
- b-horizon nounimmediately below the A-horizon; contains deposits of organic matter leached from surface soils
- b-meson nounexceedingly short-lived meson
- B.C. adverb, proper nounAlternative form of BC; initialism of Before Christ.
- B.C.E. phrase, nounAlternative form of BCE.
- B.O. nounAlternative form of BO.
- b.t.u. nouna unit of energy equal to the work done by a power of 1000 watts operating for one hour
- b.th.u. nouna unit of heat equal to the amount of heat required to raise one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit at one atmosphere pressure; equivalen…
- ba noun, particle, proper noun(Egyptian mythology) A being's soul or personality, represented as a bird-headed figure, which survives after death but must be sustained w…
- baa noun, interjection, verb, proper noun(onomatopoeia) The characteristic cry or bleating of a sheep or (broader) a sheep or goat.
- baa-lamb noun(childish) A lamb or sheep.
- Baal proper noun, noun(mythology, biblical) A storm and fertility god of the Phoenician and Canaanite pantheons, reckoned as chief of the gods by the 1st millenn…
- baas noun(South Africa) An employer, a boss (frequently used as a form of address).
- baba noun, proper noun(also uncountable) A kind of sponge cake soaked in rum-flavoured syrup.
- baba au rhum nounA yeast cake soaked in a syrup containing rum.
- Babar proper nounA surname.
- babassu nounA tall Brazilian feather palm, Attalea speciosa, having hard-shelled nuts that yield an edible oil.
- babbitt verb, proper noun, noun(transitive) To line (something) with babbitt metal to reduce friction.
- babbitt metal nounA soft white alloy of variable composition (for example, nine parts of tin to one of copper, or fifty parts of tin to five of antimony and …
- babbitting verbpresent participle and gerund of babbitt
- babble verb, noun(intransitive) To utter words indistinctly or unintelligibly; to utter inarticulate sounds
- babbler nounSomeone who babbles.
- babbling noun, adjective(uncountable) a stage in child language acquisition, during which an infant appears to be experimenting with uttering sounds of language, b…
- babe noun, proper noun(now literary or poetic) A baby or infant; a very young human or animal. [from 14th c.]
- babel noun, proper nounA confused noise made by a number of voices.
- babelike adjectiveResembling or characteristic of a babe or infant.
- babesiidae nounpiroplasms and cattle pathogens
- babies'-breath nountall plant with small lance-shaped leaves and numerous tiny white or pink flowers
- Babinski proper nounA surname.
- Babinski reflex noun(medicine) An abnormal plantar reflex in which the hallux moves upwards, indicative of motor neuron damage.
- babiroussa nounAlternative form of babirusa.
- babirusa nounAny mammal in the genus Babyrousa in the pig family Suidae, in which the upper tusk grows upward.
- babirussa nounAlternative form of babiroussa.
- babka nounA Central and Eastern European coffee cake flavored with orange rind, rum, almonds, and raisins; or with some single flavoring, such as cho…
- baboo nounArchaic spelling of babu.
- baboon nounAn Old World monkey of the genus Papio, having dog-like muzzles and large canine teeth, cheek pouches, a short tail, and naked callosities …
- baboonish adjectiveLike a baboon.
- babu noun, proper noun(Hinglish, North India) A Hindu title of respect, equivalent to Mr., usually appended to the surname of a Hindu man.
- babushka nounAn Eastern European old woman.
- baby noun, adjective, verb, proper nounA very young human, particularly from birth to a couple of years old or until walking is fully mastered.
- baby boom noun(demography) A period marked by a signifiant increase in the birth rate.
- baby boomer noun(sometimes capitalized, US, Canada) A person born in the postwar years, generally considered in the United States and other Allied countrie…
- baby buggy nounA wheeled chair for the transport of a baby or infant.
- baby buster nounSomeone born between the baby boom and the baby boomlet; a Gen-Xer.
- baby carriage noun(US) A cart that is designed for moving a baby around in a lying position.
- Baby Doc proper nounNickname for Jean-Claude Duvalier, Haitian politician and 35th President of Haiti
- baby farmer nounOne who keeps a baby farm or does baby farming
- baby grand nounA baby grand piano.
- baby grand piano nounA small grand piano.
- baby oil nounA mineral oil used primarily to moisten the skin of babies after bathing.
- baby powder nounAn astringent powder used for preventing diaper rash, as a deodorant, and for other cosmetic purposes.
- baby rose nounA species of rose, Rosa multiflora, from eastern Asia, noted for its multiple small buds on each stem.
- baby sitting nounAlternative spelling of babysitting.
- baby talk noun(linguistics) The form of speech used by adults in talking to very young children.
- baby tooth nounA tooth which will be replaced as a child ages, as opposed to an adult permanent tooth; a milk tooth.
- baby's breath nounA genus, Gypsophila, of about 100 species of flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae, native to Europe, Asia and north Africa.
- baby's tears nounAny of various plants having parts (such as leaves or spots on leaves, petals, etc.) resembling teardrops; specifically, angel's tears (Sol…
- baby-faced adjectiveHaving a face that appears childlike, innocent, or youthful.
- baby-like adverblike a baby
- baby-sit verbAlternative spelling of babysit.
- baby-sitter nounAlternative spelling of babysitter.
- baby-walker nounAlternative spelling of baby walker.
- baby-wise adverbIn the manner of a baby.
- babyhood nounThe state or period of infancy.
- babyish adjectiveLike or suitable for a baby or a young child; childish
- Babylon proper noun, noun(historical) An ancient city, the ancient capital of Babylonia in modern Iraq, built on the banks of the Euphrates.
- Babylonia proper noun(historical) An ancient empire and geographic region of Mesopotamia, existing from 1850 BCE to 539 BCE, based around the city of Babylon; a…
- Babylonian adjective, noun, proper noun(historical) Pertaining to the city of Babylon, or the Babylonian Empire.
- babyminder nounSomeone who takes care of another person's baby
- babyrousa nouna genus of Suidae
- babysitter nounA person who cares for one or more babies or children for a short period of time in place of their legal guardians.
- babysitting nounThe work of a babysitter; the care of children in the temporary absence of their parents or guardians.
- babytalk verbTo speak in baby talk (form of speech used by adults in talking to very young children).
- bacca nounan indehiscent fruit derived from a single ovary having one or many seeds within a fleshy wall or pericarp: e.g. grape; tomato; cranberry
- baccalaureate nounA bachelor's degree.
- baccarat noun(card games) A card game resembling chemin de fer with many forms, usually entailing the player(s) betting against two or three hands dealt…
- baccate adjective(botany) Pulpy throughout, like a berry; said of fruits.
- bacchanal adjective, nounRelating to Bacchus or his festival.
- bacchanalia nounAny wild, orgiastic party or celebration.
- bacchanalian adjective, noun(Roman mythology, Greek mythology) Of or pertaining to the festival of Bacchus, relating to or given to reveling and drunkenness.
- bacchant noun, adjectiveA priest of Bacchus.
- bacchante nounA priestess of Bacchus.
- bacchantic adjectiveBacchanalian; drunken or frenzied and unrestrained; orgiastic.
- baccharis nounshrubs of western hemisphere often having honey-scented flowers followed by silky thistlelike heads of tiny fruits; often used for erosion …
- bacchic adjectiveOf or relating to Bacchus.
- Bacchus proper noun(Roman mythology) The Greco-Roman god of wine and vivid social gatherings.
- bacciferous adjectiveProducing berries.
- baccivorous adjective(zoology) Eating, or having a diet based on, berries
- baccy noun(slang) Tobacco.
- bach noun, verb, proper noun(US slang, now rare) A bachelor.
- bachelor nounA person, especially a man, who is socially regarded as able to marry but has not yet.
- Bachelor of Arts nounA collegiate degree, usually involving three to four years of study (about 120 semester hours) in liberal arts.
- Bachelor of Divinity nounAn undergraduate orpostgraduate degree in divinity (religious studies).
- Bachelor of Laws noun(law) An undergraduate degree in the study of law.
- Bachelor of Science nounA three- to four-year (about 120 credit hours) undergraduate degree, with a concentration in the sciences or scientific applications.
- bachelor party noun(US, Canada, South Africa) A party held for a man who is about to be married, normally attended only by male friends and relatives.
- bachelor's button noun(usually in the plural) Any one of a number of plants with daisy-like, button-shaped flowers of the genus Centaurea, especially the species…
- bachelor's degree nounThe first or lowest academic degree conferred by universities and colleges.
- bachelor-at-arms nouna knight of the lowest order; could display only a pennon
- bachelorette noun(Canada, US) An unmarried woman.
- bachelorhood nounThe condition of being a bachelor.
- bacillaceae nountypically rod-shaped usually Gram-positive bacteria that produce endospores
- bacillar adjective(biology) Shaped like a rod or staff.
- bacillariophyceae nounmarine and freshwater eukaryotic algae: diatoms
- bacillary adjectiveOf or pertaining to a bacillus
- bacilliform adjective, nounShaped like a bacillus; rod-shaped
- bacillus nounAny of various rod-shaped, spore-forming aerobic bacteria in the genus Bacillus, some of which cause disease.
- bacitracin noun(pharmacology) A nonprescription polypeptide antibiotic isolated from a bacillus (Bacillus subtilis or Bacillus licheniformis), usually pro…
- back adjective, adverb, noun, verb, proper nounAt or near the rear.
- back and forth adverb, adjective, verb, nounFrom one place to another and back again.
- back away verb(intransitive) To move in a direction opposite to that which one is facing, keeping one's attention on the thing in front being avoided.
- back burner noun(countable) A section of a stove used to keep some pots warm while one focuses on others.
- back channel nounThe smaller of two channels in a river that diverge to form an island.
- back country nounAlternative form of backcountry.
- back door noun, adjective, verbA subsidiary entrance to a building or house at its rear, normally away from the street.
- back down verb(idiomatic, intransitive) To take a less aggressive position in a conflict than one previously had, or has planned to have.
- back end nounThe rear, back, or unseen portion (of something).
- back judge noun(American football) a person who stands at the back of the field, behind the defence, and helps to make sure that the rules are followed, e…
- back matter nounThe parts of a book that appear after the main portion of the body text.
- back of beyond noun(chiefly UK, Ireland, Canada and Australia, informal; usually with in, sometimes at or to) A very remote place.
- back off verb(literally) To move backwards away from something.
- back out verb(transitive) To reverse (a vehicle) from a confined space.
- back pack nounAlternative form of backpack.
- back porch nounA porch at the rear of a building.
- back room nounAlternative spelling of backroom.
- back street nounA usually small and narrow street or alley, especially one in inferior or poorer parts of a city, away from the centre.
- back talk nounAlternative form of backtalk.
- back tooth noun(dentistry) A molar.
- back up verb(idiomatic, intransitive) To move backwards, especially for a vehicle to do so.
- back-blast nounbackfire from a recoilless weapon
- back-channel verbAlternative form of backchannel.
- back-formation noun(uncountable, linguistics) The process by which a new word is formed from an older word by interpreting the former as a derivative of the l…
- back-geared adjective(of a lathe) equipped with gearing for reducing the speed of the spindle from that of the driving pulley
- back-number nounsomeone who is no longer popular
- back-to-back adjective, nounSequential or consecutive.
- backache nounAny pain or ache in the back.
- backband noun(historical) A strap that passes over the back of a horse, used to hold up the shafts of a carriage.
- backbeat noun(music) The sharp accent on the second and fourth beats of rock music in 4/4 time.
- backbench adjective, nounrelating to the back benches in parliament
- backbencher noun(politics) A Member of Parliament who does not have cabinet rank, and who therefore sits on one of the backbenches or in one of the back ro…
- backbend noun, verb(gymnastics, dance) A move in which the performer bends backwards until the hands touch the floor or catches him/herself with the hands.
- backbite verb, nounTo make spiteful slanderous or defamatory statements about someone.
- backbiter nounA person who says nasty things about another person behind the second person's back: that is, out of their sight and hearing.
- backbiting noun, adjectiveThe action of slandering a person without that person's knowledge.
- backblast nounA dangerous blast of hot gas behind a rocket or missile when it is fired.
- backboard noun, verb(basketball) The flat vertical surface to which the basket is attached.
- backbone noun(countable) The series of vertebrae, separated by disks, that encloses and protects the spinal cord, and runs down the middle of the back i…
- backbreaking adjective(figuratively) Of work, very physically tiring.
- backchat noun, verb(UK) Cheeky or impertinent responses, especially to criticism.
- backcloth nounThe painted scenery at the back of a stage; the backdrop.
- backcross verb, noun(genetics) To cross a hybrid with one of its parents.
- backdate verb, nounTo give or assign a date to a document that is earlier than the current or true date.
- backdoor noun, verbAlternative form of back door.
- backdown nounAn act of backing down; a retraction or withdrawal.
- backdrop noun, verbA decorated cloth hung at the back of a stage.
- backed adjective(obsolete, slang) Put on one's back; killed; rendered dead.
- backer noun, proper nounOne who, or that which, backs; especially one who backs an entrant in a contest, or who supports an enterprise by funding it.
- backfield noun(baseball, rare) Synonym of outfield.
- backfire noun, verbA premature explosion in the cylinder of a gas or oil engine during the exhaust or the compression stroke, tending to drive the piston in t…
- backflow noun, verbThe flow of a fluid (through a pipe etc.) in a direction opposite to that which is normal or intended.
- backflowing adjectiveFlowing backwards.
- backgammon noun, verbA board game for two players in which each has 15 stones which move between 24 triangular points according to the roll of a pair of dice; t…
- background adjective, noun, verbLess important or less noticeable in a scene or system.
- background noise nounAny sound other than the sound being monitored (the primary sound); a form of noise pollution or interference.
- background processing noun(computing) The execution of a subsidiary operation by a computer while the user works with another application.
- background radiation nounIonizing radiation that is naturally present in the environment.
- backgrounder noun(chiefly US) A briefing or document typically provided prior to a meeting or other event that gives basic details on subjects that are like…
- backgrounding nounThe act by which something is backgrounded, in any sense.
- backhand noun, verb, adjective(tennis and other, racquet sports) A stroke made across the chest from the off-hand side to the racquet hand side; a stroke during which th…
- backhanded adjective, adverbWith the back of the hand.
- backhander nounA glass of wine given out of turn, the bottle having been handed backwards.
- backhoe noun, verbA piece of excavating equipment, either an integral subassembly or an attachment, consisting of a digging bucket or scoop on the end of an …
- backing noun, adjectiveSupport, especially financial.
- backlash noun, verb(literal) A suddenly reversed or backward motion, such as of a rope or elastic band when it snaps under tension.
- backless adjectiveHaving no back, especially where one would be expected, as with a chair or a dress.
- backlighting nounThe illumination of a photographic subject from the rear, causing edges to glow while other areas remain in shadow.
- backlog noun, verbA large log to burn at the back of a fire.
- backmost adjectivefarthest back
- backpack noun, verbA knapsack, sometimes mounted on a light frame, but always supported by straps, worn on a person’s back for the purpose of carrying things,…
- backpacker nounA traveler whose luggage consists of a backpack; especially, such a traveler who uses hostels, public transport, and other inexpensive serv…
- backpacking nounHiking and camping overnight in backcountry with one's gear carried in a backpack.
- backpedal verb, noun(intransitive) To pedal backwards on a bicycle.
- backplate nounA plate protecting a fighting person's back.
- backrest nounThe back piece of a chair, used to support the sitter's back.
- backroom noun(often attributive, often figurative) Especially, one that is only accessible to a privileged few and can be used as an inconspicuous meeti…
- backroom boy noun(chiefly UK) Someone who has an anonymous support role in an organization, especially a technician or scientist; a boffin.
- backsaw noun, verbA handsaw that has a reinforcement along its back edge.
- backscatter noun, verb(physics) The deflection of particles or radiation through angles greater than 90 degrees to the original direction of travel.
- backscratcher nounA long slender rod with a rake-like device on one end, sometimes in the form of a human hand, designed to let a person scratch their own ba…
- backseat verbTo act in the manner of a back-seat driver or a back-seat gamer.
- backseat driver nounAlternative form of back-seat driver.
- backsheesh noun, verbAlternative spelling of baksheesh.
- backside noun, adjectiveThe back side of anything, the part opposite its front, particularly:
- backslap verbTo enthusiastically affirm or congratulate a person, especially by patting them on the back.