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English Words Starting With S

15,552 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)

selby
nounVery Low (proper noun)
/ˈsɛlbi/A proper noun referring to a surname, a town in North Yorkshire, England, or a given name. It is not a standard lexical item in the English language but functions primarily as a proper noun.
selden
nounC1
/ˈsel.dəm/not often; rarely.
select
adjectiveverbverb-intransitive+1B1
/sɪˈlɛkt/To choose carefully from a group of options or possibilities.
select committee
nounC1
/sɪˌlɛkt kəˈmɪti/A small group of members of a legislative body (e.g., parliament or congress) appointed to investigate, examine, or report on a specific matter.
selecta
nounLow
/sɪˈlɛktə/A disc jockey or someone who chooses and plays music, especially in a Jamaican or UK sound system culture context.
selectance
nounExtremely Rare / Technical
/sɪˈlɛktəns/A measure or degree of selectivity; the quality of being highly selective.
selectee
nounC2
/sɪˌlɛkˈtiː/A person who has been chosen for a specific role, program, or task, often through a formal process.
selection
nounC1
/sɪˈlɛkʃ(ə)n/the process or action of choosing one or more items from a larger group; the items chosen
selection rule
nounLow frequency (academic/technical jargon)
/sɪˈlɛkʃ(ə)n ruːl/A specific condition or criterion used to choose between alternatives in a formalized process.
selective attention
nounMedium-High (B2-C1 level). Common in academic, professional, and educational contexts; less frequent in casual conversation.
/sɪˈlɛktɪv əˈtɛnʃən/The cognitive process of focusing on specific stimuli while ignoring others; the brain's ability to concentrate on relevant information.
selective mutism
nounLow
/sɪˌlɛktɪv ˈmjuːtɪz(ə)m/An anxiety disorder in which a person, typically a child, is consistently unable to speak in specific social situations where there is an expectation for speech (e.g., school), despite speaking comfortably in other settings (e.g., at home).
selective service
nounC1
/sɪˌlɛktɪv ˈsɜːvɪs/A system of compulsory military service in which only certain individuals are conscripted, typically based on criteria like age, health, or lottery.
selective service system
nounLow
/sɪˌlɛktɪv ˈsɜːvɪs ˈsɪstəm/A U.S. government agency responsible for maintaining information on those potentially subject to military conscription (the draft).
selective synchronization
nounC1/C2
/sɪˌlɛktɪv ˌsɪŋkrənaɪˈzeɪʃən/The process of choosing specific items, files, or data to be kept identical across multiple devices or platforms, while excluding others.
selective transmission
nounC1
/sɪˈlɛktɪv trænzˈmɪʃən/The deliberate, controlled, or partial passing on of something (information, disease, traits, power, etc.), involving choice or filtering.
selectivity
nounC1
/sɪˌlɛkˈtɪvɪti/The quality of being selective; the ability or tendency to choose carefully from among a range of options.
selectman
nounLow
/sɪˈlɛktmən/An elected town official in New England, typically serving on a board that manages local government affairs.
selectorate
nounVery Low / Specialised (C2+)
/sɪˈlɛktərɪt/The group of individuals within a larger population who have a formal role in selecting or electing a leader or representatives.
selenate
nounVery low frequency (C2 Level/Specialist)
/ˈsɛlɪneɪt/A salt or ester of selenic acid (H₂SeO₄), containing the anion SeO₄²⁻.
selene
nounLow
/sɪˈliːni/The proper name for the Greek goddess of the moon.

Showing 3421–3440 of 15552 words.