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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)

shift
nounverbverb-intransitive+1High
/ʃɪft/To move or change something from one position, state, or form to another.
shift bid
nounLow
/ˈʃɪft ˌbɪd/A formal process, typically within a workplace like a hospital, factory, or call centre, where employees submit preferences for their upcoming work schedules, often based on seniority or a points system.
shift key
nounLow (technical/domain-specific)
/ˈʃɪft kiː/A key on a keyboard, typically marked with an upward arrow, used to type uppercase letters and other symbols accessed via the number and punctuation keys.
shift lever
nounMedium
/ˈʃɪft ˌliː.vər/A mechanical control device, typically a rod or handle, used to change gears in a vehicle with a manual transmission.
shift lock
nounMedium
/ˈʃɪft ˌlɒk/A key on a keyboard that locks the shift function, allowing capital letters or upper symbols to be typed continuously without holding down the shift key.
shifter
nounmedium
/ˈʃɪftə/A person or thing that shifts or changes something, especially a device for changing gears in a vehicle.
shifting cultivation
nounLow (specialist term)
/ˈʃɪftɪŋ ˌkʌltɪˈveɪʃ(ə)n/An agricultural system in which plots of land are cultivated temporarily, then abandoned as fertility declines, allowing natural vegetation to regenerate.
shifting spanner
nounB1
/ˈʃɪftɪŋ ˈspanə/A hand tool with a movable jaw that can be adjusted to fit different sizes of nuts or bolts.
shiftwork
nounB2
/ˈʃɪft wɜːk/A system of employment where different groups of workers work at different times throughout the day and night, ensuring continuous operation.
shigella
nounLow
/ʃɪˈɡɛlə/A genus of bacteria that causes the infectious disease dysentery.
shigellosis
nounC2
/ˌʃɪɡəˈləʊsɪs/An infectious disease caused by bacteria of the genus Shigella, resulting in severe diarrhoea, fever, and stomach cramps.
shih ching
nounVery Low
/ˌʃiː ˈtʃɪŋ/The classic compilation of ancient Chinese poetry; the "Book of Songs" or "Classic of Poetry."
shih huang ti
nounLow
/ʃiː hwɑːŋ tiː/The first emperor of China, who unified the country and founded the Qin dynasty.
shih-tzu
nounC1
/ˌʃiːˈtsuː/A small toy dog breed of Tibetan origin, characterized by a long, silky coat, a short muzzle, and a tail carried curled over the back.
shiism
nounC1/C2
/ˈʃiːɪz(ə)m/The branch of Islam that believes that Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad, was his rightful successor and that religious authority is vested in a line of his descendants (Imams).
shiitake
nounLow-medium
/ʃɪˈtɑːki/An edible, dark brown mushroom native to East Asia, with a rich, savory, umami flavor, widely cultivated and used in cooking.
shiite
adjectivenounLow-medium
/ˈʃiːaɪt/An adherent of Shia Islam, the second largest branch of Islam, which holds that Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, was his rightful successor.
shijiazhuang
nounLow
/ʃiːdʒiːˈædʒwæŋ/The capital city of Hebei Province in China.
shikar
nounverbverb-ambitransitiveVery Low
/ˈʃiː.kɑː/The sport of hunting game, especially large game, on the Indian subcontinent.
shikari
nounC2 (Very Low Frequency)
/ʃɪˈkɑːri/A hunter, especially in South Asia.

Showing 5161–5180 of 15552 words.