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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)

contact paper
nounLow (Specialized)
/ˈkɒn.tækt ˌpeɪ.pə/A type of self-adhesive, decorative or protective paper or plastic film used for covering surfaces like shelves, drawers, or tables.
contact patch
nounC2
/ˈkɒn.tækt ˌpætʃ/The area of a tyre that is in direct contact with the road surface at any given moment.
contact potential
nounC1/C2 (Very Low Frequency)
/ˈkɒn.tækt pə(ʊ)ˈtɛn.ʃəl/In physics and electronics, the inherent electrical potential difference (voltage) that arises when two different materials are brought into physical contact, due to differences in their electron work functions.
contact print
nounLow
/ˈkɒn.tækt ˌprɪnt/A photographic print made by placing a negative directly onto photosensitive paper and exposing it to light, resulting in a same-size positive image.
contact printer
nounC1
/ˈkɒn.tækt ˌprɪn.tər/A device or machine used primarily in photography and film processing to create a photographic print by placing a negative in direct contact with photosensitive paper and exposing it to light.
contact printing
nounC2
/ˈkɒn.tækt ˌprɪn.tɪŋ/A photographic printing technique where the negative is placed directly in contact with the photosensitive paper and exposed to light, producing a same-size positive image.
contact process
nounC2 (Very low frequency; specific technical term)
/ˈkɒn.tækt ˌprəʊ.ses/A modern industrial method for producing sulphuric acid by reacting sulphur dioxide with oxygen in the presence of a vanadium(V) oxide catalyst.
contact sheet
nounC1
/ˈkɒn.tækt ʃiːt/A sheet of photographic paper containing multiple small thumbnail images of all photographs from a roll of film or a digital shoot, used for selection and reference.
contact sport
nounB2
/ˈkɒn.tækt ˌspɔːt/A sport in which participants physically interact with each other, often involving deliberate physical contact as part of normal play.
contact tracing
nounB2
/ˈkɒn.tækt ˌtreɪ.sɪŋ/A public health process of identifying and monitoring individuals who may have had contact with an infected person to prevent the spread of disease.
contactant
nounLow
/ˈkɒntæktənt/A substance (such as an allergen, irritant, or pathogen) that produces a reaction upon direct contact with the body.
contactee
nounLow
/ˌkɒn.tækˈtiː/A person who is contacted, especially by someone from an outer-space or extraterrestrial civilization.
contactor
nounC1/C2
/kənˈtaktə/An electrical device (electromechanical switch) designed to repeatedly make or break an electrical power circuit, typically used to control high-power loads like motors.
contadora
adjectivenounLow
/ˌkɒn.təˈdɔː.rə/A female accountant or bookkeeper (Spanish loanword used in English contexts, primarily in regions with Spanish influence).
contadora group
nounLow
/ˌkɒn.təˈdɔː.rə ɡruːp/A diplomatic initiative formed in the early 1980s by four Latin American countries to promote peace and mediate conflicts in Central America.
contadoran
adjectivenounVery Low / Historical / Niche
/ˌkɒn.təˈdɔːr.ən/An agent noun referring to a person from Contadora Island, Panama; historically, specifically a participant in the Contadora Group or the peace process associated with the island.
contagion
nounC1
/kənˈteɪ.dʒən/The transmission of a disease from one person or organism to another by close contact.
contagious abortion
nounLow/Very Low
/kənˈteɪ.dʒəs əˈbɔː.ʃən/An infectious disease of cattle and other animals, particularly brucellosis, causing spontaneous termination of pregnancy.
contagious ecthyma
nounVery Low
/kənˈteɪdʒəs ˈɛkθɪmə/A highly infectious viral disease affecting sheep and goats, characterised by scabby lesions and pustules, primarily around the mouth and lips.
contagious magic
nounlow
/kənˈteɪdʒəs ˈmadʒɪk/In anthropology, a form of sympathetic magic where objects or persons once in contact continue to influence each other at a distance, even after separation.

Showing 9701–9720 of 13732 words.