Browse by letter

English Words Starting With S

15,552 entries — pick a word to see its definition, pronunciation, and usage.

Filter

Parts of speech

Noun Verb Adjective Adverb Plural noun Combining form Verb (transitive)Verb (intransitive)Verb (ambitransitive)

sexual harassment
nounHigh
/ˌsekʃuəl ˈhærəsmənt/Unwelcome or offensive sexual behaviour, comments, or advances in a professional, educational, or social context.
sexual intercourse
nounC1
/ˌsɛkʃuəl ˈɪntəkɔːs/The physical act involving the insertion of a man's penis into a woman's vagina, typically culminating in orgasm and potentially procreation.
sexual minority
nounMedium
/ˈsekʃuəl maɪˈnɒrəti/A group whose sexual identity, orientation, or practices differ from the majority of the surrounding society.
sexual organ
nounLow-Medium
/ˈsekʃuəl ˈɔːɡən/Any part of the body, especially in an animal or plant, that is directly involved in sexual reproduction.
sexual orientation
nounC1
/ˌsekʃuəl ɔːriənˈteɪʃn/A person's enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attraction to individuals of a particular gender or genders.
sexual predator
nounMedium to High in news/media, legal, and psychological contexts; Low in everyday conversation.
/ˈsɛkʃuəl ˈprɛdətə/A person who commits a sexual offence, typically against strangers, children, or vulnerable individuals, by using force, coercion, manipulation, or grooming.
sexual relations
nounC1
/ˈsekʃuəl rɪˈleɪʃ(ə)nz/Interactions between individuals that involve sexual activity or intercourse.
sexual reproduction
nounLow frequency (specialised term)
/ˈsekʃuəl ˌriːprəˈdʌkʃn/The biological process by which two parent organisms combine genetic material to produce offspring that are genetically different from both parents, typically involving the fusion of male and female gametes.
sexual role-play
nounLow (highly context-specific to adult/sexual content)
/ˈsekʃuəl rəʊl pleɪ/A consensual adult activity where partners adopt specific fictional roles or scenarios for sexual stimulation or exploration.
sexual selection
nounMedium-High (in biological/evolutionary contexts)
/ˈsɛkʃuəl sɪˈlɛkʃən/An evolutionary process where individuals of one sex choose mates based on specific traits, and competition for mates occurs between individuals of the same sex, leading to the development of certain physical or behavioral characteristics.
sexuality
nounB2
/ˌsekʃuˈæləti/The quality of being sexual; capacity for sexual feelings; a person's sexual orientation or preference.
sexualization
nounC1
/ˌsɛkʃuəlaɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/The act or process of making something sexual in character or quality, or of treating something or someone in terms of their sexuality.
sexualize
verbverb-transitiveMedium
/ˈsek.sju.ə.laɪz/To make something sexual in character or to attribute sexual characteristics to something.
sexually transmitted disease
nounMedium
/ˌsekʃuəli trænzˈmɪtɪd dɪˈziːz/An infection passed from one person to another through sexual contact.
sexwale
nounVery Low / Obsolete
/ˈsɛksweɪl/A species of large marine fish, specifically the basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus), known for its enormous size and filter-feeding habits.
seychelles
nounplural-nounB2
/seɪˈʃɛl/A country consisting of an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean off East Africa.
seychellois
adjectivenounC2
/seɪˈʃɛlwɑː/A person from the Seychelles, or relating to the Seychelles.
seyfert galaxy
nounVery low (C2/Technical)
/ˈsaɪfət ˌɡæləksi/A type of active galaxy with a very bright, compact nucleus, characterized by strong, broad emission lines in its spectrum.
seyhan
nounVery Low (Geographical/Linguistic Specific)
/ˈseɪ.hɑːn/A proper noun, primarily the name of a major river in southern Turkey, and also a settlement, district, or personal name.
seymour
nounLow
/ˈsiːmɔː/A proper noun, primarily a British surname of Norman origin, also used as a given name.

Showing 4501–4520 of 15552 words.