Dictionary — C

A personal lexicon of unusual, archaic, scientific, and otherwise interesting words encountered in reading. Browse other letters from the Dictionary catalog.

Word	Definition
C clef
cabalistic	having a secret or hidden meaning; occult
caboodle	the whole lot, group or bunch
cad	an unprincipled, ungentlemanly man
cadge	v.t. go about begging; v.t. get by begging or sponging
caisson	a horse-drawn vehicle used to carry coffins at military funerals
cajole	to urge with gentle and repeated appeals, teasing, or flattery; wheedle
calliope	(Music) an instrument fitted with steam whistles, played from a keyboard
Calliope	(Myth) the muse of epic poetry
calumniate	tr.v. to make maliciously or knowingly false statements about
calyx	sepals of flower in cuplike formation considered as a group.
candor	frankness or sincerity of expression, openness; freedom from prejudice, impartiality.
canon	a composition in which the same melody is repeated by one or more voices overlapping in time in the same or a related key.
cantabile	adv., adj. in a smooth, lyrical, flowing style; n.
cantaloupe	variety of melon having a tan rind with netlike ridges and a sweet, fragrant orange flesh.
cantonment	a group of temporary billets for troops; assignment of troops to temporary quarters
cantor	the person who leads a church choir or congregation in singing; a precentor
capital	top part of pillar or column
capitulate	to surrender; come to terms; to give up all resistance; acquiesce
capon	a male chicken castrated when young to improve the quality of its flesh for food
capriccio	instrumental music with an improvisatory style and a free form; a prank, or caper; a whim
caprice	an impulsive change of mind; a sudden, unpredictable action, change, or series of actions or changes
capstone	the top stone of a structure or wall; the crowning achievement or final stroke; the culmination or acme
caracara	large predatory hawk
carafe	a glass or metal bottle, often with a flared lip used for serving water, wine or coffee
carboy	large glass or plastic bottle, usually encased in a protective basket or crate and often used to hold corrosive liquids
careen	v. intr. to lurch or swerve while in motion. To rush headlong or carelessly; career
carom	n. a collision followed by a rebound; intr. to collide and rebound; glance. tr.
carp1	edible fresh water fish.
carp2	to find fault in a disagreeable way; complain fretfully
cartouche	a structure or figure, often in the shape of an oval shield or oblong scroll, used as an architectural or graphic ornament or to bear a design or inscription.
casuistry	1. Specious or excessively subtle reasoning intended to rationalize or mislead. 2. The determination of right and wrong in questions of conduct or conscience by the application of general principles of ethics.
casus belli	an act or event that provokes or is used to justify war
catafalque	a decorated platform or framework on which a coffin rests in state during a funeral
catalepsy	a condition characterized by lack of response to external simuli and by muscular rigidity, so that the limbs remain in whatever position they are placed
cataract	large or high waterfall (prop. large and sheer); downpour, rush of water
catenary	the curve formed by a flexible, uniformly dense, and inextensible cable suspended from its endpoints
caterwaul	intr.v. to cry or screech like a cat in heat; to make a shrill, discordant sound; to have a noisy argument; n.
cathode ray tube	an evacuated glass tube containing at cathode and anode; electrons from the cathode are accelerated through the anode to form a beam that hits a screen.
causa essendi	cause of existence
causa fieri	cause of becoming
causality	the principle of or relationship between cause and effect.
caustic	sharp, incisive.
caveat lector	let the reader beware
cavil	quibble
cavort	caper; romp
cedilla	a mark (,) placed beneath the letter c, to indicate that the letter is to be pronounced (s).
celerity	swiftness of action or motion; speed
celestial sphere	“sphere of heavens” with earth at center
centaur	(Greek mythology) monster having head, arms and trunk of a man and the body and legs of a horse
centrifugal	moving or directed away from a center or axis; tending or directed away from centralization, as of authority
centripetal	moving or directed toward a center or axis; tending or directed toward centralization
Cerberus	(Greek + Roman Mythology) a three-headed dog guarding the entrance to Hades.
chagrin	n. a keen feeling of mental unease, as of annoyance or embarrassment, caused by failure, disappointment or a disconcerting event; tr.v. to mortify or discomfit
chaise	light, open carriages, often with a collapsible hood, esp. a two-wheeled carriage drawn by one horse
chameleon	tropical lizard characterized by its ability to change color; a changeable or inconstant person
chamois	an extremely agile goat antelope of mountainous regions of Europe, having upright horns with backward-hooked tips; a soft leather made from the hide of this animal or other animals such as deer or sheep; a cotton fabric made to resemble it, used as a polishing cloth or in shirts; (color) a moderate to grayish yellow
chaplet	a wreath or garland for the head; a string of beads, rosary
charade	a readily perceived pretense; a travesty
charlatan	a person who makes elaborate, fraudulent, and often voluble claims to skill or knowledge, a quack or fraud
chary	very cautious; wary; not giving or expending freely; sparing
chattel	item of tangible property other than real estate; slave, bondman.
cheneaux
chert	a variety of silica that contains microcrystalline quartz
chickadee	small, plump bird having predominantly gray plumage and a dark-crowned head
chignon	hair roll or knot at back of head.
chivy	pursue, harass
chockablock	squeezed together; jammed; completely filled, stuffed.
choleric	easily angered; bad-tempered; showing or expressing anger
Chopin	1810-1849. Polish-born French composer and pianist of the romantic era
chortle	n. a snorting, joyful laugh or chuckle; intr.+ tr.v.
chrysalis	gold colored pupa
chrysanthemum	composite plant with showy, radiate flower heads.
chryso-	gold, golden
churl	a rude, boorish person; miserly person
chutzpah	shameless audacity
Circe	a goddess who turned Odysseus’s men temporarily into swine but later gave him directions for their journey home.
circinate	ring-shaped
circumflex	a mark (^) used over a vowel to indicate pronunciation.
circumspect	heedful of circumstances and potential consequences; prudent
clade	a group of organisms, such as a species, whose members share homologous features derived from a common ancestor.
claque	n. a group of persons hired to applaud at a performance; a group of fawning admirers
clement	inclined to be lenient or merciful, mild.
clepe	to call; name (archaic)
closet	n. a small private chamber; a toilet; a state of secrecy or cautious privacy; tr.v. to shut up in a private room, as for discussion; adj. private, confidential; being so or engaging only in private, secret; based on theory or speculation rather than practice.
clout	n. a blow, esp. with the fist; influence, pull; power; muscle
cloy	v.tr. to cause distaste or disgust by supplying with too much of something originally pleasant, esp. something rich or sweet; surfeit. intr.
club moss	small vascular plant resembling moss and reproducing by spores.
clutch	n. set of eggs produced or incubated at one time; a brood of chickens; a group; a bunch; tr.v. to hatch (chicks).
cocker spaniel	English dog having long, drooping ears and a variously colored silky coat
cockerel	a young rooster
coda (Music)	a passage at the end of a movement or composition that brings it to a formal close
codicil	a supplement or appendix.
cogent	appealing to the intellect or powers of reasoning; convincing
cogitate	think, ponder.
cogitation	thoughtful consideration; meditation; a serious thought.
cognate	of the same or similar nature; related by descent from the same ancestral language.
cognize
colleen	girl
collimate	to make parallel; to adjust the line of sight of (an optical device)
colloquy	formal conversation or conference.
colobus	large African monkey having a long tail and vestigial thumbs
coma	(astronomy) the nebulous, luminescent cloud containing the nucleus and constituting the major portion of the head of a comet.
comet	a celestial body having a head consisting of a solid nucleus surrounded by a nebulous coma 2.4x106km in diameter and a vapor tail, observed only in part of orbit close to sun, consists chiefly of ammonia, methane, carbon dioxide and water.
commensurable	having a common measure.
commutator	cylindrical arrangement of insulated metal bars connected to the coils of a direct current generator and providing unidirectional current from the generator or a reversal of current into the coils of the generator
concerto	a composition for an orchestra and one or more solo instruments, typically in three movements.
concierge	door-keeper, porter, (esp. of flats, etc)
concupiscible
condign	deserved, appropriate.
confect	to put together into a preserve; to put together by combining materials; n. a sweet confection, such as candy
confection	n. a sweet preparation, such as candy; a sweetened medicinal compound; a piece displaying splendid craft, skill and work. tr.v.
confetti	streamers of colored paper scattered around during festive occasions.
conflate	to bring together, meld, fuse; to combine.
confute	to prove to be wrong or in error; refute decisively
congeal	v.intr. to solidify by or as if by freezing , to coagulate; jell. v. tr. to cause to solidify or coagulate or to undergo a process likened to solidification or coagulation
congress	meeting; sexual intercourse
conjunctive	conjunction, union; a combination of circumstances or events esp. producing a crisis.
conniption	a fit of violent emotion, such as anger or panic
consilience
consummate	adj. complete, perfect; finished, accomplished; vb. to make complete, finish, achieve.
contrail	a visible trail of streaks of condensed water vapor or ice crystals sometimes forming in the wake of an aircraft
contrail	a visible trail of streaks of condensed water vapor or ice crystals sometimes forming in the wake of an aircraft
contrapuntal	of, relating to, or incorporating counterpoint.
contrariety	disagreement, inconsistency
contrebo
contumely	n. rudeness or contempt arising from arrogance; insolence. An insolent or arrogant remark or act.
co-opt	to elect as a fellow member of a group; to appoint summarily; to take or assume for one’s own use; appropriate; to neutralize or win over through assimilation into an established group or culture
copula	linking verb.
coracle	a boat made of hoops covered with horsehide or canvas
coriander	aromatic herb of parsley family.
cormorant	large, dark marine diving bird with webbed feet, large pouch
cornice	outhanging edge along upper edge of wall.
cornucopia	an overflowing store, an abundance; horn-shaped container full of fruits and grain emblematic of abundance.
corolla	the petals of a flower considered as a group.
coronet	a small crown, chaplet, headband decorated with gold or jewels
corpulent	excessively fat
corsage	a small bouquet of flowers worn by a woman
cortege	a train of attendants, as of a distinguished person; a retinue; a ceremonial procession; a funeral procession
corvette	a fast, lightly armed warship, smaller than a destroyer.
corymb	a usually flat-topped flower cluster in which the individual flower stalks grow upward from various points of the main stem to approximately the same height
cosmogony	the origin or creation of this world or universe.
cosmopolis	a large city inhabited by people from many different countries
cosset	pamper.
coterie	an intimate often exclusive group of persons with a common interest.
countermand	tr.v. to cancel or reverse (a previously issued command or order). To recall by a contrary order. n.
counterpoint	melodic material that is added above or below an existing melody; the technique of combining two or more melodic lines in such a way that they establish a harmonic relationship while retaining their linear individuality.
couture	the business of designing, making, and selling highly fashionable, usually custom made clothing for women; fashion designers considered as a group; the high-fashion clothing created by designers
covetous	excessively and culpably desirous of the possessions of another; marked by extreme desire to acquire or possess
cowl	hood
cowrie	marine gastropods having glossy, often brightly marked shells
coy	tending to avoid people and social situations; reserved; affectedly and usually flirtatiously shy or modest; annoyingly unwilling to make a commitment
cozen	cheat, defraud.
cozenage
crag	steep, rugged cliff or rock
craven	adj. characterized by abject fear; cowardly; n. a coward
craw	the crop of a bird or insect; the stomach of an animal.
crème de la crème	something superlative
crepuscular	of or like twilight, dim
crepuscule/crepuscle	twilight
crescendo	(music) n. a gradual increase, esp. in the volume or intensity of sound in a passage; a passage played with a gradual increase in volume or intensity; a steady increase in intensity or force; adj., adv., intr.v.
cri de coeur	an impassioned outcry, as of entreaty or protest
crinkle	intr.v. to form wrinkles or ripples; rustle; tr.v.; n. a wrinkle, ripple or fold
crinoid	echinoderm such as sea lilies and feather stars with cup-shaped bodies and feathery radiating arms, and either a stalk or clawlike structure with which they are able to attach to a surface.
crock	earthenware; broken piece of earthenware
crockery	earthenware
croissant	a rich, crescent-shaped roll of puffy pastry.
crook	bend, curve
crop	n. a group, quantity or supply appearing at one time; a short haircut; tr.v. to cut or bite off the tops or ends of; to harvest, to cause to grow or yield a crop; intr.v. to feed on growing grasses and herbage; to plant, grow, or yield a crop
croupier	an attendant at a gaming table who collects and pays bets
crumple	tr.v. to crush together or press into wrinkles; rumple; intr.v. to collapse; n.
cryptic	having hidden meaning, mystifying; secret or occult
crypto-	hidden, secret
cryptogam	a member of taxonomic group including all seedless plants, such as mosses, algae, fungi, ferns.
cryptography	secret writing
crypto-sapphic	of or relating to secret lesbianism
cuckold	a man whose wife is unfaithful.
cucurbit	any of various mostly climbing or trailing plants, which include the squash, pumpkin, cucumber, gourd, watermelon and cantaloupe.
cudgel	n. a short, heavy stick; a club; tr.v.
culinary	of or relating to a kitchen or to cookery
cull	tr.v. select, gather, collect; to remove rejected members or parts from; n.
cum	together with, plus.
cupidity	excessive desire, esp. for wealth; covetousness or avarice
curlicue	a fancy twist or curl, such as a flourish made with a pen
curmudgeon	an ill-tempered person full of resentment and stubborn notions
cybernetics	the science of communication and control theory; esp. comparative study of automatic control systems.