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English Words Starting With B

10,030 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)

besti
nounA1 (Extremely High)
/bɛst/Of the highest quality, excellence, or standing; most desirable, suitable, or effective.
bestiality
nounC2
/ˌbes.tiˈæl.ə.ti/Behavior or qualities characteristic of a beast, especially savagery and lack of humanity.
bestialize
verbverb-transitiveC2 (Very Low)
/ˈbɛstɪəlaɪz/To make something or someone behave like a beast; to degrade or dehumanize, reducing to a brutal, animalistic state.
bestiary
nounC2
/ˈbestɪəri/A medieval book describing real or imaginary animals, often with symbolic or moralizing interpretations.
bestie
nounHigh (in informal contexts)
/ˈbɛsti/A person's closest and most trusted friend.
bestir
verbverb-transitiveLow
/bɪˈstɜː/To rouse oneself to action; to make an effort.
bestow
verbverb-transitiveC1/C2
/bɪˈstəʊ/To give something of value or significance to someone, often as an honour or a gift.
bestowed
adjectiveverbC1
/bɪˈstəʊd/To give or present something as an honour, gift, or responsibility.
bestraddle
verb-transitiveVery Low / Archaic / Literary
/bɪˈstrad(ə)l/To stand or sit with a leg on either side of something; to straddle something fully or imposingly.
bestrew
verbverb-transitiveVery Rare / Archaic / Literary
/bɪˈstruː/To scatter or spread something (often small objects) loosely over a surface.
bestride
verbverb-transitiveC2 / Very Low Frequency
/bɪˈstraɪd/To stand or sit with one leg on each side of something; to straddle.
bestrow
verb-transitiveObsolete / Archaic / Poetic
/bɪˈstrəʊ/To scatter, strew, or spread over a surface; to sprinkle or litter, often with flowers or other decorative items.
bestseller
nounB2
/ˌbestˈsel.ər/A product, especially a book, that sells in very large numbers.
bestud
verb-transitiveVery Low (Archaic/Literary)
/bɪˈstʌd/To set or adorn with studs or similar small, prominent objects; to dot or sprinkle thickly.
bet
nounverbverb-intransitive+1B1
/bɛt/To risk money on the outcome of an event, typically a game or contest, with the chance of winning more money if your prediction is correct.
beta
adjectivenounB2
/ˈbiːtə/The second letter of the Greek alphabet; used to denote the second or secondary version of something, often in technology or testing phases.
beta brass
nounC2
/ˈbiːtə ˌbrɑːs/A type of brass alloy with a specific crystal structure that is stable at higher temperatures.
beta carotene
nounLow
/ˈbiː.tə ˈkær.ə.tiːn/An orange-red pigment found in plants, particularly carrots and some other vegetables, which the human body converts into vitamin A.
beta cell
nounC1/C2 (specialized technical/medical term)
/ˈbiːtə ˌsel/a type of cell found in the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas that produces and secretes the hormone insulin
beta coefficient
nounC2
/ˈbiːtə ˌkəʊ.ɪˈfɪʃ.ənt/A measure of a stock's volatility relative to the overall market.

Showing 3661–3680 of 10030 words.