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
E 3,825 entries
Page 1 of 20: e – eat up
- e numeral, noun, pronoun, proper nounThe fifth numeral symbol of the English alphabet, called e and written in the Latin script.
- E region proper nounThe Kennelly-Heaviside layer.
- e'en adjective, verb, adverb(poetic, archaic) Contraction of even.
- e'er adverb(dialectal or poetic, otherwise archaic) Contraction of ever.
- e-bomb nouna bomb that explodes in midair and releases a massive burst of electromagnetic energy sufficient to disable computers and telecommunication…
- e-commerce noun(Internet, business) Commercial activity conducted via the Internet.
- e-mail noun, verbAlternative form of email.
- e-mycin nounan antibiotic (trade name Erythrocin or E-Mycin or Ethril or Ilosone or Pediamycin) obtained from the actinomycete Streptomyces erythreus; …
- E. coli nounEscherichia coli, a species of bacteria.
- e.g. adverb, nounAn initialism used to introduce an illustrative example or short list of examples: for the sake of an example; for example.
- e.s.p. nounapparent power to perceive things that are not present to the senses
- ea noun, proper noun(UK dialect or archaic) A river or watercourse.
- each determiner, adverb, pronoun, nounAll; every; qualifying a singular noun, indicating all examples of the thing so named seen as individual or separate items (compare every).
- eacles nounimperial moths
- eadwig nounKing of England who was renounced by Northumbria in favor of his brother Edgar (died in 959)
- eager adjective, verb, proper nounDesirous; keen to do or obtain something.
- eager beaver noun(idiomatic, colloquial) One (especially a child) who is very excited or enthusiastic to begin a task; a person who is exceedingly assiduous…
- eagerly adverbIn an eager manner.
- eagerness nounThe state or quality of being eager; ardent desire.
- eagle noun, verb, proper nounAny of several large carnivorous and carrion-eating birds in the family Accipitridae, having a powerful hooked bill and keen vision.
- eagle ray nounAny of a group of cartilaginous fishes in the family Myliobatidae, consisting mostly of large species living in the open ocean rather than …
- Eagle Scout noun(scouting) A person who has attained the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America.
- eagle-eyed adjectiveHaving great visual acuity, especially the ability to see at a distance.
- eaglet nounThe immature young of an eagle; an eagle chick.
- eagre nouna tidal bore
- eames proper nounA surname from Old English.
- Eames chair nounAn iconic easy chair of the 1950s, made from plywood and leather.
- ear noun, verb(countable) The organ of hearing, consisting of the pinna or auricle, auditory canal, eardrum, malleus, incus, stapes and cochlea.
- ear canal noun(anatomy) The tube or meatus running from the outer ear to the eardrum through which sound enters.
- ear lobe nounThe lower, exterior, fleshy, bulbous part of the human ear.
- ear trumpet nounA conical device designed to channel sound to the apex, placed in the ear to serve as a hearing aid.
- ear-like adjectivehaving a shape resembling an ear
- ear-shaped adjectivehaving a shape resembling an ear
- ear-shell nounAlternative spelling of ear shell.
- earache noun(medicine) A pain in the middle or inner ear.
- eardrop nounA plant of the genus Ehrendorferia in the family Papaveraceae, native to California.
- eardrum noun(anatomy) A thin membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear and transmits sound from the air to the malleus.
- eared adjective(chiefly in combination) Having ears (of a specified type).
- eared grebe nounSynonym of black-necked grebe.
- eared seal nounA seal belonging in the Otariidae family; a fur seal or a sea lion, differing from the true seals in having small, visible ears and the abi…
- earflap nouneither of two flaps attached to a cap that cover the ears
- earful noun(informal) an angry reprimand, castigation or telling off
- Earhart proper nounA surname from German.
- earl noun, proper noun(nobility) A British or Irish nobleman next in rank above a viscount and below a marquess; equivalent to a European count. A female using t…
- earl marshal noun(UK) A hereditary royal officeholder and chivalric title under the sovereign of the United Kingdom, responsible for state funerals and coro…
- earlap noun(archaic) The ear lobe.
- earldom nounThe rank of being an earl.
- earless adjective, nounLacking ears.
- earless seal nounSynonym of true seal.
- earlier adjective, adverboccurring previously
- earliest adjective, adverbsuperlative form of early: most early
- earliness nounThe condition of being early.
- earlobe nounAlternative form of ear lobe.
- early adjective, noun, adverb, proper nounAt a time in advance of the usual or expected event.
- early bird noun(idiomatic) A person who wakes early or arrives early, typically before most others.
- early childhood noun(chiefly uncountable, psychiatry, sociology) A stage in human development, generally including toddlerhood and some time afterwards.
- early days nounA time too soon to make a decision or come to a conclusion.
- early on adjective, adverbEarly in a process.
- early spider orchid nounAn orchid of species Ophrys sphegodes, found in Europe and the Middle East.
- early warning system nounA warning system that comprises sensors, event detection and decision subsystems for early identification of hazards.
- early-blooming adjectiveof plants that bloom during the spring
- early-flowering adjectiveof plants that bloom during the spring
- earlyish adjectiveSomewhat early
- earmark noun, verb(chiefly agriculture) A mark made or tag attached to the ear of an animal (chiefly a livestock animal), generally to identify or indicate s…
- earmuff nounA garment to keep the ears warm.
- earn verb, proper noun(transitive) To gain (success, reward, recognition) through applied effort or work.
- earned adjective(marketing) Not paid for; appearing in media on its own merits.
- earned run noun(baseball) A run that was recorded without the benefit of an error.
- earned run average noun(baseball) A statistic in baseball which equals the number of earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched.
- earner nounOne who earns money.
- earnest noun, verb, adjective, proper nounGravity; serious purpose; earnestness.
- earnest money noun(chiefly US) Money paid as a deposit to show intent to buy or to reserve an item to be purchased; especially, money accompanying an offer t…
- earnestly adverbIn an earnest manner; being very sincere; putting forth genuine effort.
- earnestness nounThe quality of being earnest; sincerity; seriousness.
- earnings nounWages, money earned, income.
- earphone nounA transducer that converts electric signals into sound and is held near the ear, especially as part of a telephone; an earpiece or headphon…
- earpiece nounA speaker placed inside or held near to the ear.
- earplug noun, verbA piece of protective gear meant to be inserted in the ear canal to protect the wearer's hearing from loud noises or the intrusion of water.
- earreach nounearshot
- earring nounA piece of jewelry worn on the ear.
- earshot noun(idiomatic) A distance from which sound is still audible.
- earsplitting adjectiveExtremely loud, painfully loud.
- earth noun, verb, proper noun(uncountable) Soil.
- earth almond nounThe chufa
- earth mother nounA particularly caring/nurturing woman.
- earth science nounAny of the sciences dealing with the planet Earth, such as geology and meteorology.
- earth tremor noun(geology) A small earthquake, or seismic event.
- earth up verb(horticulture, transitive) To cover the stem or leaves of plants with soil, as to encourage root growth or protect from cold.
- earth-ball nounany of various highly prized edible subterranean fungi of the genus Tuber; grow naturally in southwestern Europe
- earth-closet nouna small outbuilding with a bench having holes through which a user can defecate
- earth-god nouna god of fertility and vegetation
- earth-goddess nouna goddess of fertility and vegetation
- earth-tongue nounAlternative form of earth tongue.
- earthball nounA fungus of the genus Scleroderma within the family Sclerodermataceae.
- earthborn adjectiveBorn or produced on the planet Earth.
- earthbound adjectiveConfined to the Earth; unable to leave Earth, either physically or spiritually.
- earthen adjective, verbMade of earth or mud.
- earthenware noun(ceramics, often attributive) An opaque, semi-porous ceramic made from clay and other compounds.
- earthing nounThe act or process of placing (something) in the earth; planting; burying
- earthlike adjective(of a planet) Resembling the Earth
- earthling noun(obsolete except historical) One who tills the earth; a farmer, a husbandman, a ploughman.
- earthly adjective, noun, adverbRelating to the earth or this world, as opposed to heaven or the heavens.
- earthman noun(usually science fiction) A male inhabitant of Earth.
- earthnut nounA tuber belonging to the species Conopodium majus (syns. Bunium flexuosum, Conopodium denudatum), Bunium bulbocastanum (syn. Carum bulbocas…
- earthquake noun, verbA shaking of the ground, caused by volcanic activity or movement around geologic faults.
- earthshaking adjectiveCausing the earth to vibrate; very loud.
- earthstar nounA type of puffball mushroom, of genus Geastrum, whose surface splits open in a star-shaped form.
- earthtongue nounAlternative form of earth tongue.
- earthwork nounAny structure made from earth, especially an embankment used for fortification or flood control.
- earthworm nounA worm that lives in the ground.
- earthy adjectiveResembling dirt or soil (i.e. earth).
- earwax noun(medicine, pathology) A waxy substance secreted by the ear.
- earwig noun, verbAny of various insects of the order Dermaptera that have elongated bodies, large membranous wings folded underneath short leathery forewing…
- eas noun, proper nounplural of ea
- ease noun, verbLack of difficulty; the ability to do something easily.
- ease off verb(ambitransitive) to reduce pressure; to become less serious
- ease up verb(informal, intransitive) To become more relaxed or less demanding.
- eased adjectiveMade easier, more relaxed, or less stressed.
- easel nounAn upright frame, typically on three legs, for displaying or supporting something, such as an artist's canvas.
- easement noun(law, property law) An interest in land which grants the legal right to use another person's real property (real estate), generally in orde…
- easier adverbmore easily
- easily adverbComfortably, without discomfort or anxiety.
- easiness nounLack of difficulty; quality of not being frustrating, difficult, or dense (compact).
- easing nounThe act by which something is eased.
- east noun, adjective, adverb, proper nounThe direction of the earth's rotation, specifically 90°.
- East Africa proper nounA geographic region encompassing the eastern part of Africa, generally stretching from Ethiopia and Eritrea in the north to Mozambique and …
- East African adjective, nounOf, from, or pertaining to East Africa, its people, or its culture.
- East African cedar nounA tree of species Juniperus procera.
- East Anglia proper nounThe area of eastern England occupied by the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk and, depending on whose definitions of the precise boundaries a…
- east by north nounThe compass point halfway between east and east-northeast, specifically 78.75°.
- east by south nounThe compass point halfway between east and east-southeast, specifically 101.25°, abbreviated as EbS.
- East China Sea proper nounA marginal sea east of China, south of the Korean Peninsula, west of the Ryukyu Islands, and north of Taiwan.
- East Coast adjective, proper nounOf or relating to the eastern seaboard of the United States.
- East German adjective, nounOf, from, or pertaining to East Germany, its people, or its culture.
- East Germanic adjectiveOf or relating to the East Germanic languages, a subdivision of the Germanic languages.
- East Germany proper noun(historical, 1949–1990) A former Communist country of Central Europe, existing between 1949 and 1990. Official name: German Democratic Repu…
- East India Company proper nounAlternative form of British East India Company.
- East Indian adjective, nounOf or pertaining to the people, products, or culture of Southeast Asia, particularly the Malay Archipelago, Sri Lanka, or India.
- East Indian rosebay nounSynonym of pinwheel flower
- East Indies proper nounSoutheast Asia, especially Island Southeast Asia or Indonesia, but also including India, Indochina, Malaya and the Malay Archipelago, from …
- East Malaysia proper nounThe eastern half of the country of Malaysia on the island of Borneo, consisting of Sarawak, Sabah and Labuan.
- east northeast noun, adjective, adverbAlternative form of east-northeast.
- East Pakistan proper noun(historical) Former eastern wing of Pakistan, previously was known to East Bengal currently the sovereign nation of Bangladesh.
- East River proper nounA channel in New York City, New York Harbor, at the narrow end of Long Island Sound, separating Manhattan, from Long Island.
- East Saint Louis proper nounAlternative form of East St. Louis.
- East Sea proper noun(biblical) The Dead Sea.
- east side nounAlternative form of eastside.
- east southeast noun, adjective, adverbAlternative form of east-southeast.
- East Sussex proper nounA county in south east England bordered by Kent, Surrey, West Sussex and the English Channel.
- East Timor proper nounA country in Southeast Asia occupying half the island of Timor. Official name: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. Capital: Dili.
- East Tocharian proper nounSynonym of Tocharian A.
- east wind nounA wind blowing from the east.
- east-central adjectiveof a region of the United States generally including Kentucky, West Virginia
- east-sider nouna resident of the east side of Manhattan in New York City
- eastbound adjective, adverbMoving or heading towards the east.
- Easter noun, proper noun, verb, adjectiveA Christian feast commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated on the first Sunday (and Monday) following the full moon…
- Easter Bunny proper nounA symbolic rabbit sometimes depicted delivering Easter eggs to children.
- Easter cactus nounA type of cactus grown as an ornamental plant, Schlumbergera gaertneri.
- Easter daisy nounA perennial flowering plant of species Townsendia hookeri.
- Easter Day proper nounEaster Sunday, the Christian holiday commemorating the Resurrection.
- Easter egg nounA dyed or decorated egg, traditionally associated with Easter and, in the Western European tradition, sometimes hidden for children to find.
- Easter lily nounLilium longiflorum, a species of flowering plant in the lily family associated with Easter.
- Easter Sunday proper noun(Christianity) A Christian religious moveable holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
- easterly noun, adjective, adverb, proper noun(meteorology) Any persistent wind from the east (usually a broad current or belt of easterly winds).
- eastern adjectiveOf, facing, situated in, or related to the east.
- Eastern Catholicism proper nounThe faith, practices, etc. of the Eastern Catholic Churches.
- eastern cottonwood nounThe North American poplar Populus deltoides.
- Eastern Desert proper nounThe part of the Sahara desert that is located east of the Nile river.
- eastern gray squirrel nounThe typical squirrel of eastern North America, of the species Sciurus carolinensis, invasive elsewhere.
- eastern hemisphere noun, proper nounUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: see eastern, hemisphere.
- eastern hemlock nounTsuga canadensis, native to the northeastern United States, adjoining areas of Canada, extending to Minnesota and Northern Michigan, and th…
- eastern indigo snake nounDrymarchon couperi, a large non-venomous colubrid snake native to the eastern United States.
- Eastern Orthodox adjectivePertaining to the faith, practices, etc. of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
- Eastern Orthodox Church proper nounOne of the major branches of Christianity; it comprises the Greek Orthodox Church, the Russian Orthodox Church and other patriarchates.
- eastern red cedar nounA species of juniper, Juniperus virginiana, of eastern North America.
- Eastern Roman Empire proper noun(historical) The eastern provinces of the Roman Empire when they were administered by a separate independent Imperial court, especially the…
- Eastern Standard Time proper nounThe time of day in the time zone that encompasses the eastern part of the Midwest and the East Coast of the United States, most of Ontario …
- Eastern Time proper nounEither Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-5) or Eastern Standard Time (UTC-4), depending on the observance of daylight saving time
- eastern white pine nounA large pine tree native to eastern North America (Pinus strobus).
- easterner nounA native or inhabitant of the east of a region (or of the world as a whole), such as one of the eastern United States.
- easternmost adjectiveFarthest east.
- Eastertide nounThe season from Easter Day to Whitsun, inclusive thereof.
- Eastman proper noun(countable) A surname.
- eastmost adjectiveFurthest to the east; most eastern.
- eastside noun, proper noun(US) The east side of a district or city.
- eastward noun, adjective, adverbThe direction or area lying to the east.
- eastwards adverbeastward.
- easy adjective, adverb, noun, verb, interjection(now rare except in certain expressions) Comfortable; at ease.
- easy chair nounA comfortable chair, often well upholstered; a lounge chair.
- easy mark noun(informal, idiomatic) Someone who is easily fooled or victimized.
- easy money noun(informal, idiomatic) Money that is easily acquired.
- easy street noun(originally US, idiomatic, colloquial) Chiefly preceded by on: a carefree lifestyle, especially as a result of becoming wealthy, or an easy…
- easygoing adjective(of a person) Calm, relaxed, casual and informal.
- easygoingness nounThe quality of being easygoing.
- eat verb, noun(ambitransitive) To consume (something solid or semi-solid, usually food) by putting it into the mouth and swallowing it.
- eat away verbTo physically corrode or erode (something) gradually.
- eat in verbTo eat a meal at home.
- eat into verbTo consume gradually, especially by erosion.
- eat out verb(intransitive) To dine at a restaurant or such public place.
- eat up verb(ambitransitive) To consume completely.