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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)

compotation
nounVery rare / Obsolete / Archaic
/ˌkɒmpə(ʊ)ˈteɪʃ(ə)n/A drinking or tippling together; a drinking party or feast.
compotator
nounExtremely Rare / Archaic
/ˈkɒmpəˌteɪtə/ or /kəmˈpɒtətə/A fellow drinker; someone with whom one shares a drink, especially of alcoholic beverage.
compote
nounLow
/ˈkɒmpɒt/A dessert of fruit stewed or cooked in a sugar syrup, often served cold.
compotier
nounC2 / Very Low Frequency
/ˈkɒmpətɪeɪ/A shallow, often decorative, bowl or dish specifically designed for serving compote (stewed fruit) or similar desserts.
compound
adjectivenounverb+2B2
/ˈkɒmpaʊnd/a thing composed of two or more separate elements
compound annual return
nounC1/C2
/ˌkɒmpaʊnd ˈænjuəl rɪˈtɜːn/The average yearly growth rate of an investment over a specified period, assuming profits are reinvested each year.
compound engine
nounLow Frequency
/ˈkɒmpaʊnd ˈɛndʒɪn/A steam engine with two or more cylinders in which steam expands successively from high to low pressure, increasing efficiency.
compound eye
nounC1/C2
/ˈkɒmpaʊnd aɪ/An eye consisting of numerous small visual units (ommatidia) that combine to form a single composite image, common in arthropods like insects and crustaceans.
compound fault
nounLow
/ˌkɒmpaʊnd ˈfɔːlt/A single, observable event that is the result of two or more independent failures occurring simultaneously.
compound flower
nounC1 (Specialised/Low Frequency)
/ˌkɒmpaʊnd ˈflaʊə/A flower head composed of many small individual flowers (florets) arranged together, characteristic of plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae).
compound fraction
nounLow
/ˈkɒmpaʊnd ˈfræk.ʃən/A fraction in which the numerator or denominator, or both, themselves contain fractions.
compound fracture
nounC1/C2
/ˌkɒmpaʊnd ˈfræk.tʃər/A fracture in which a broken bone pierces through the skin, creating an open wound and high risk of infection.
compound interest
nounB2
/ˌkɒmpaʊnd ˈɪntrəst/Interest calculated on the initial principal, which also includes all of the accumulated interest from previous periods on a deposit or loan.
compound interval
nounLow
/ˌkɒmpaʊnd ˈɪntəv(ə)l/In music theory, an interval larger than an octave.
compound leaf
nounC2 (Advanced)
/ˈkɒmpaʊnd liːf/A leaf whose blade is divided into multiple distinct leaflets, all attached to a single leaf stalk (petiole).
compound lens
nounC1
/ˌkɒm.paʊnd ˈlɛnz/A lens system composed of two or more simple lenses (elements) mounted together to correct optical aberrations and improve image quality.
compound magnet
nounC1
/ˈkɒmpaʊnd ˈmæɡnət/A magnet composed of two or more individual magnetic elements joined together.
compound microscope
nounC1
/ˌkɒmpaʊnd ˈmaɪkrəskəʊp/A microscope that uses two or more lenses to produce a magnified image of a small object.
compound number
nounTechnical / C2
/ˌkɒmpaʊnd ˈnʌmbə/A number that is not prime; a number that can be formed by multiplying two smaller whole numbers greater than one.
compound ovary
nounC2
/ˌkɒmpaʊnd ˈəʊvəri/A type of plant ovary composed of two or more fused carpels, each forming a separate locule or chamber.

Showing 8821–8840 of 13732 words.