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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)

semidesert
nounLow
/ˌsemiˈdɛzət/A region that has some characteristics of a desert but receives slightly more precipitation and may support more vegetation.
semidetached binary
nounC2
/ˌsɛmɪdɪˈtætʃt ˈbaɪnəri/A type of binary star system in which one star has filled its Roche lobe, transferring material onto its companion, but the mass transfer isn't completely engulfing.
semidiameter
nounC1
/ˌsɛmɪdʌɪˈamɪtə/Half of a diameter, the radius of a circle or sphere.
semidome
nounVery Low
/ˈsɛmɪˌdəʊm/A half-dome or a dome forming a half-vault, typically over a semicircular apse or niche in architecture.
semidominance
nounVery Low (Specialist/Lexical Gap)
/ˌsɛmɪˈdɒmɪnəns/In genetics, an incomplete form of dominance where the heterozygous genotype expresses a phenotype that is intermediate between the two homozygous phenotypes.
semidurables
plural-nounC2
/ˌsɛmɪˈdjʊərəb(ə)lz/A category of consumer goods that are not perishable but have a limited useful life, typically lasting between one and three years.
semiellipse
nounRare
/ˌsɛm.i.ɪˈlɪps/half of an ellipse, formed by a straight line cutting an ellipse into two equal parts.
semifinal
adjectivenounB1
/ˌsemiˈfaɪnl/A match or round in a competition that comes just before the final, determining which competitors will reach the final.
semifinalist
nounC1
/ˌsemiˈfaɪnəlɪst/A competitor who has reached the semifinal stage of a contest or tournament.
semifluid
adjectivenounC1-C2 / Very Low Frequency
/ˌsɛmɪˈfluːɪd/A substance with properties between those of a solid and a liquid; having a thick, viscous consistency that flows slowly.
semifreddo
nounLow
/ˌsɛmɪˈfrɛdəʊ/An Italian dessert, a semi-frozen mousse or custard, typically made with eggs, sugar, cream, and flavourings.
semigloss
adjectivenounC2
/ˈsɛmɪˌɡlɒs/A type of paint or finish that has a moderate shine or luster, between matt/flat and full gloss.
semigroup
nounVery Low
/ˈsɛmɪɡruːp/A set equipped with a binary associative operation but not necessarily possessing an identity element or inverses.
semiliterate
adjectivenounC1
/ˌsemiˈlɪt(ə)rət/Having limited literacy; able to read and write but at a basic level, often with difficulty and inaccuracies.
semillon
nounLow
/ˈsɛmɪjɒ̃/A white wine grape variety, originally from France, used to produce dry and sweet wines.
semilunar bone
nounLow
/ˌsɛmɪˈluːnə bəʊn/A small, crescent-shaped bone in the human wrist, specifically one of the carpal bones.
semilunar valve
nounVery Low
/ˌsɛm.iˈluː.nə vælv/A crescent-shaped heart valve situated at the exits of the ventricles, specifically the aortic and pulmonary valves, preventing backflow of blood.
semimajor axis
nounSpecialized
/ˌsɛmiˈmeɪdʒər ˈæksɪs/The longer radius of an ellipse, measured from its center to its farthest edge along the major axis. In astronomy, it often refers specifically to the average distance between an orbiting body and the focus of its elliptical orbit.
semimicroanalysis
nounVery Low
/ˌsɛmɪˌmaɪkrəʊəˈnælɪsɪs/A chemical analysis technique using small sample sizes, typically between 1 and 10 milligrams.
semiminor axis
nounLow
/ˌsɛmɪˈmaɪnə ˈæksɪs/The shorter radius of an ellipse, equal to half the length of the minor axis.

Showing 3721–3740 of 15552 words.