English Words Starting With S

• sanction mark

  nounC1
  /ˈsæŋkʃ(ə)n/An official permission, approval, or authorization; OR an official penalty or punishment.
• sanctioned

  adjectiveverbC1
  /ˈsæŋkʃənd/Officially approved or authorized; given permission or endorsement by an authority.
• sanctitude

  nounVery Rare / Archaic
  /ˈsæŋktɪtjuːd/The state or quality of being holy, sacred, or saintly; sanctity.
• sanctity

  nounC1
  /ˈsæŋk.tə.ti/The state or quality of being holy, sacred, or inviolable.
• sanctuary

  nounB2
  /ˈsæŋktʃuəri/A safe place, especially one offering protection from danger, persecution, or law enforcement; originally, a sacred or holy place.
• sanctuary city

  nounC1/C2 (Low frequency in general discourse, medium-high in political, legal, and news contexts)
  /ˈsæŋk.tʃu.ə.ri ˈsɪt.i/A city or other local jurisdiction that limits its cooperation with federal immigration enforcement authorities in order to protect undocumented immigrants residing there.
• sanctuary lamp

  nounLow
  /ˈsæŋktʃuəri læmp/A lamp, typically an oil lamp or candle, kept perpetually burning in a place of worship, especially in Christian churches, to indicate the presence of the consecrated elements (the Eucharist) in the tabernacle.
• sanctum

  nounC1/C2
  /ˈsæŋk.təm/A sacred or holy place, especially the holiest part of a religious building.
• sanctum sanctorum

  nounLow
  /ˌsæŋk.təm sæŋkˈtɔː.rəm/A sacred or holy place, originally referring to the inner chamber of a temple (especially the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem) that only high priests could enter.
• sanctus

  nounC2
  /ˈsæŋktəs/A hymn or prayer from the Latin Mass beginning with the word 'Sanctus' (Holy).
• sanctus bell

  nounLow (Specialised/Historical/Religious)
  /ˈsæŋktəs ˌbel/A bell rung during the celebration of the Mass at specific moments, most notably during the Sanctus hymn.
• sanctus turret

  nounExtremely rare/technical historical
  /ˈsæŋk.təs ˈtʌr.ɪt/A defensive gun turret on a warship or fortress, named using the Latin 'sanctus' (holy/sacred), possibly for religious protection or honorific naming.
• sand

  nounverbverb-transitiveB1
  /sænd/A loose, granular material consisting of very small rock and mineral particles, typically found on beaches, deserts, and riverbeds.
• sand bar

  nounC1
  /ˈsænd ˌbɑː/A ridge or bank of sand built up by currents, especially in a river, lake, or sea.
• sand bluestem

  nounSpecialized
  /sænd ˈbluːstɛm/A perennial grass species (Andropogon hallii) native to sandy regions of North America.
• sand castle

  nounB1
  /ˈsænd ˌkɑːs(ə)l/A small structure, typically resembling a castle, built from wet sand, usually by children at the beach.
• sand chair

  nounLow
  /ˈsænd ˌtʃeə/A portable, lightweight chair designed for use on a beach or sandy surface, often featuring wide legs or a frame to prevent sinking into the sand.
• sand cherry

  nounLow
  /ˈsænd ˌtʃɛri/A small shrub or dwarf tree, typically of the genus Prunus, producing small cherries and often found in sandy or well-drained soils.
• sand colic

  nounVery Low
  /ˈsænd ˌkɒl.ɪk/A specific type of severe abdominal pain in horses (and occasionally other grazing animals) caused by the accumulation of sand or dirt in the intestines.
• sand crab

  nounlow
  /sænd kræb/A small crab commonly found on sandy beaches, known for burrowing in the sand.

Showing 921–940 of 15552 words.