English Words Starting With O

• oreopithecus

  nounVery Low
  /ˌɒriːə(ʊ)ˈpɪθɪkəs/An extinct genus of primate from the Miocene epoch, known from fossil discoveries in Europe.
• oreshoot

  nounVery Rare / Technical
  /ˈɔː.ʃuːt/A geological term referring to a concentrated, linear accumulation or 'shoot' of valuable ore within a larger mineral deposit or vein.
• oresme

  nounExtremely Rare
  /ɒˈrɛm/A proper noun, historically referring to Nicole Oresme, a 14th-century French philosopher, bishop, and influential economist, mathematician, and translator.
• oresteia

  nounC2
  /ˌɒrɪˈstaɪə/A trilogy of ancient Greek tragedies by Aeschylus, consisting of Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, and The Eumenides, dealing with the curse on the House of Atreus.
• orestes

  nounVery Low
  /ɒˈrɛs.tiːz/A masculine given name of Greek origin, most famously associated with a tragic hero in Greek mythology.
• orestes complex

  nounVery Low
  /ɒˈrɛstiːz ˈkɒmplɛks/In psychoanalytic theory, a male's repressed urge to kill his mother, originating from feelings of vengeance for her unfaithfulness or betrayal of the father.
• orexis

  nounVery Rare
  /ɒˈrɛk.sɪs/Appetite or desire, especially for food; the physical urge to eat.
• orf

  nounExtremely Low
  /ɔːf/A viral disease of sheep and goats, causing contagious pustular dermatitis, especially around the mouth and udders.
• orfe

  nounC1 (very low frequency, specialist/hobbyist term)
  /ɔːf/A slender European freshwater fish (Leuciscus idus) of the carp family, often kept as an ornamental pond fish.
• orfeo ed euridice

  nounC2
  /ɔːˌfeɪ.əʊ ɛd jʊˈrɪd.ɪ.tʃeɪ/The title of an opera by Christoph Willibald Gluck, first performed in 1762. It is based on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice.
• orff

  nounVery Low / Non-standard
  /ɒf/A short, common misspelling of the conjunction 'off'.
• orfray

  nounRare/Obsolete
  /ˈɔːfrei/A historical term for decorative trimming or ornamental edging on ecclesiastical vestments.
• org.

  abbreviationnounHigh (written), Medium (spoken)
  /ɔːɡ/ (when pronounced as abbreviation), /ˈɔː.ɡən.aɪˌzeɪ.ʃən/ (full form)Abbreviation for 'organization' or 'organized'.
• organ

  nounB1
  /ˈɔː.ɡən/A distinct part of an organism (typically in animals and plants) that performs a specific function, such as the heart or a leaf.
• organ grinder

  nounLow
  /ˌɔːɡən ˈɡraɪndə(r)/A street musician who operates a barrel organ (a mechanical musical instrument) by turning a crank, often with a trained monkey performing alongside to collect money from spectators.
• organ meat

  nounLow-to-medium
  /ˈɔː.ɡən ˌmiːt/The internal organs and entrails of an animal used as food.
• organ of corti

  nounC1+
  /ˌɔːɡən əv ˈkɔːti/The sensory organ within the cochlea of the inner ear that contains hair cells responsible for converting sound vibrations into nerve impulses.
• organ pipe

  nounB2
  /ˈɔː.ɡən ˌpaɪp/A hollow, tubular component in a pipe organ, typically made of wood or metal, that produces sound when air is forced through it.
• organ point

  nounC2
  /ˈɔːɡən pɔɪnt/A long-held note (usually in the bass) that persists while harmonies change above it, creating tension and resolution; a specific type of pedal point in music.
• organ screen

  nounLow
  /ˈɔːɡən skriːn/A decorative partition or panel, often in a church, used to conceal the organ pipes or the organist.

Showing 1841–1860 of 3187 words.