Dictionary — I

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

Word	Definition
ibis	storklike wading bird having long, slender downward curving bill.
iconoclast	one who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions.
iconoclastic	one who attacks and seeks to overthrow traditional or popular ideas or institutions
igneous	of, relating to, or characteristic of fire; rock formed by solidification from a molten state.
ilk	type or kind
illation	the act of inferring or drawing conclusions, a conclusion drawn, a deduction.
illicit	unlawful
imbroglio	a difficult or intricate situation; an entanglement; a confused or complicated disagreement; a confused heap, a tangle
immanent	having existence only in the mind.
immutable	unchangeable, unchanging
impassible	unfeeling; impassive.
impassive	expressionless, indifferent; stoic, phlegmatic, apathetic, stolid
impious	adj. Lacking reverence; not pious. Lacking due respect or dutifulness
impish	mischievous
imprecate	curse
impresario	manager, producer, conductor.
imprimatur	official approval or license to print or publish
improvident	not providing for the future; thriftless; rash, incautious
impudent	shamelessly presumptuous; unblushing; insolently disrespectful
inane	empty, insubstantial; shallow, silly.
inchoate	being only partly in existence or operation; incomplete, incipient.
incommensurate	inadequate.
incontinent	lacking self-restraint
incorrigible	adj. incapable of being corrected or reformed. Firmly rooted; ineradicable. Difficult or impossible to control or manage, n.
incubus	nightmare; oppressive and nightmarish burden
indefeasible	adj. that cannot be annulled or made void
individuate	to give individuality to; form into an individual.
indolent	disinclined to exert oneself; habitually lazy; conducive to inactivity or laziness; lethargic. Causing little or no pain. Slow to heal, grow or develop; inactive
indomitable	unconquerable.
indubitable	too apparent to be doubted; unquestionable
induction1	inference of a generalized conclusion from particular instances.
induction2	the phenomenon in which an electric field is generated in an electric circuit when the number of magnetic field lines passing through it changes.
ineffable	incapable of being expressed in words, indescribable, unspeakable.
ineluctable	not to be avoided, changed or resisted.
inertia	the resistance of matter to change in its state of motion.
infangthief
infidel	n. an unbeliever with respect to a particular religion. One who has no religious beliefs. One who doubts or rejects a particular doctrine, system, or principle
inflection	case, gender, number, tense, person, mood, voice.
inflorescence	a characteristic arrangement of flowers on a stem; a flower cluster; a flowering
ingratitude	ungratefulness
iniquity	wickedness; wicked act.
injunction	n. the act or an instance of enjoining; a command, a directive, or an order
innards	viscera; the inner parts, as of a machine.
inscrutable	difficult to fathom or understand; impenetrable; syn. mysterious, esoteric, occult
insouciance	blithe lack of concern; nonchalance
insouciant	marked by blithe unconcern; nonchalant
instantiate	to represent by a concrete example.
integrated circuit	a single structure in which a large number of electronic components are assembled.
inter alia	among other things
interferometer	an instrument employing interference effects, used for measuring wavelengths or for detecting the direction of a radio source.
internecine	of or relating to struggle within a nation, an organization, or a group; mutually destructive; ruinous or fatal to both sides; characterized by bloodshed or carnage.
interregnum	a period of temporary suspension of the usual functions of government or control; a gap in continuity
interval	difference in pitch between two tones.
intrepid	resolutely courageous; fearless
introit	the beginning of the Mass, usually consisting of a psalm verse, an antiphon, and the Gloria Patri
inure	accustom, habituate (to, esp. unpleasant thing, to do)
inveigle	to beguile or deceive
invidious	tending to cause discontent, animosity, or envy; envious, injurious.
irascible	choleric
ironclad	rigid; fixed.
isochronism	recurrence at regular intervals of time.
isomers	chemical compounds of identical composition but differing in the arrangement of atoms within the molecule, and having different properties.
isotopes	atoms of a chemical element with the same number of protons but different number of neutrons.