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English Words Starting With C

13,732 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)

catering
nounB1-B2
/ˈkeɪ.tər.ɪŋ/The business or activity of providing food and drink at events such as parties, conferences, or weddings.
caterpillar
nounB2
/ˈkætəpɪlə(r)/The larval stage of a butterfly or moth, characterized by a segmented, worm-like body and multiple pairs of legs.
caterpillar hunter
nounlow
/ˈkæt.ə.pɪl.ə ˌhʌn.tə/A ground beetle, especially of the genus Calosoma, that preys on caterpillars and other larvae.
caterwaul
nounverbverb-intransitiveC2
/ˈkæt.ə.wɔːl/To make a shrill, wailing noise, like that of a cat in heat or fighting.
cates
plural-nounRare
/keɪts/(Archaic) Delicacies or choice provisions of food, especially dainty dishes.
catesby
nounExtremely Low
/ˈkeɪtsbi/A proper noun referring to a surname, most famously associated with Robert Catesby, leader of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.
catfall
nounVery Low / Obscure
/ˈkætfɔːl/A fall or tumble taken by a person, typically in a clumsy or awkward manner, often resulting in minor injury or embarrassment.
catfight
nounC2
/ˈkætfaɪt/A fierce, aggressive argument or fight, especially between women.
catfish
nounverb-ambitransitiveMedium
/ˈkatfɪʃ/A freshwater or marine fish, typically with whisker-like barbels around the mouth, from the order Siluriformes.
catgut
nounC2
/ˈkatɡʌt/A tough cord made from the dried and twisted intestines of animals (especially sheep or horses), historically used for surgical sutures and the strings of musical instruments.
cathar
nounC2
/ˈkaθɑː/A member of a medieval Christian dualist sect, originating in the 12th century, which was declared heretical by the Roman Catholic Church and persecuted in the Albigensian Crusade.
catharine wheel
nounC1
/ˈkæθ.ər.ɪn ˌwiːl/A type of rotating firework or sparkler, often shaped like a wheel with radiating spokes, designed to spin rapidly when lit.
catharsis
nounC1
/kəˈθɑːsɪs/The process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.
cathartic
adjectivenounC1
/kəˈθɑːtɪk/providing psychological relief through the open expression of strong emotions; purgative
cathay
nounC1-C2 (Low Frequency)
/kæˈθeɪ/An archaic or poetic name for China, particularly used in historical and literary contexts.
cathead
nounRare / Technical
/ˈkatˌhɛd/A heavy, horizontal beam extending forward over the side of a ship, used to support and secure an anchor when not in use.
cathect
verb-transitiveVery Low (C2+)
/kəˈθɛkt/(in psychoanalysis) to invest mental or emotional energy in a person, object, or idea, often with significant intensity.
cathedra
nounC2
/kəˈθiːdrə/The official throne of a bishop in his cathedral church, symbolic of his teaching authority.
cathedral
adjectivenounB1
/kəˈθiːdrəl/The principal church of a diocese, containing the bishop's throne (cathedra) and serving as the central church of the region.
cathedral ceiling
nounLow-medium
/kəˈθiːdrəl ˈsiːlɪŋ/A very high, steeply sloping interior ceiling, open to the roof structure, creating a spacious, dramatic effect reminiscent of a cathedral's interior.

Showing 2661–2680 of 13732 words.