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English Words Starting With A

8,734 entries — pick a word to see its definition, pronunciation, and usage.

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Noun Verb Adjective Adverb Plural noun Combining form Verb (transitive)Verb (intransitive)Verb (ambitransitive)

anangu
adjectivenounVery Low
/ˈænəŋɡuː/A term used by some Aboriginal peoples of central Australia to refer to themselves, meaning 'person', 'human being', or 'Aboriginal person'.
ananias
nounLow
/ˌanəˈnaɪəs/A name famously associated with a liar, especially a hypocritical or deceitful person, due to a Biblical character.
anankastic personality
nounC2/Proficient
/ˌænənˈkæstɪk ˌpɜːsəˈnælɪti/A personality trait characterized by excessive perfectionism, inflexibility, and stubbornness, often linked to obsessive-compulsive disorder.
ananke
nounC2
/əˈnæŋ.kiː/Personification of inescapable necessity, constraint, or fate in ancient Greek thought.
anansi
nounLow
/əˈnænsi/A spider, a trickster god and central character in West African and Caribbean folklore, known for using intelligence and cunning to overcome stronger opponents.
anapaest
nounRare
/ˈæ.nə.piːst/A metrical foot in poetry consisting of two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable (   / ).
anapest
nounC2
/ˈæn.ə.pest/A metrical foot in poetry consisting of two short or unstressed syllables followed by one long or stressed syllable (˘ ˘ ¯).
anaphase
nounC2
/ˈænəˌfeɪz/The stage of cell division (mitosis or meiosis) in which chromosomes separate and move toward opposite poles of the dividing cell.
anaphora
nounC2
/əˈnæf.ər.ə/The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences for rhetorical effect.
anaphoresis
nounVery Low
/ˌænəfəˈriːsɪs/The movement of charged particles (especially colloidal particles) toward the anode under the influence of an electric field.
anaphrodisia
nounRare
/ˌænəfrəˈdɪziə/A condition characterised by a loss or absence of sexual desire.
anaphrodisiac
adjectivenounLow-frequency, specialized
/ˌæn.ə.frəˈdɪz.i.æk/a substance that reduces or suppresses sexual desire
anaphylactic shock
nounLow
/ˌænəfɪˈlæktɪk ʃɒk/A severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs rapidly after exposure to an allergen.
anaphylaxis
nounC2
/ˌænəfɪˈlæksɪs/A severe, rapid, and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction to a substance (allergen), often causing difficulty breathing, a sudden drop in blood pressure, and loss of consciousness.
anaplasia
nounVery low
/ˌæn.əˈpleɪ.ʒə/The loss of structural and functional differentiation in cells, a hallmark of malignant tumours.
anaplasmosis
nounC2
/ˌænəplæzˈməʊsɪs/A tick-borne infectious disease of animals, primarily cattle, caused by rickettsial bacteria of the genus Anaplasma, which infect red blood cells and cause fever, anemia, and sometimes death.
anaplasty
nounVery Low
/ˈanəˌplasti/A surgical operation to reconstruct or repair a part of the body.
anapolis
nounN/A
/əˈnæp.əl.ɪs/Not a standard English word. Likely a misspelling, proper noun, or nonce word.
anapophysis
nounVery low (technical/scientific term)
/ˌænəˈpɒfɪsɪs/A projecting part, accessory process, or secondary outgrowth of a vertebra.
anapsid
adjectivenounC2
/əˈnapsɪd/A reptile of the subclass Anapsida, characterized by a skull lacking temporal openings behind the eyes, like turtles and extinct relatives.

Showing 4481–4500 of 8734 words.