D A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z INDEX

Word Definition dabchick small grebe daboya large Indian viper dacnomania obsession with killing dacoitage robbery by gang or mob dacryops wateriness of the eyes dactylioglyph engraver of rings or of gems dactyliology study of rings dactyliomancy divination by means of a finger dactylogram fingerprint dactylography the study of fingerprints dactyloid like or resembling a finger dactylology study of sign language dactylomancy divination using rings dactylomegaly condition of having abnormally large digits dactylonomy counting using the fingers and toes dactyloscopy comparing fingerprints for purpose of identification dado large wooden moulding along bottom of wall daedal formed with art; displaying inventive skill daedalist aviator; pilot dag dirty tatted tuft of sheep's wool dageraad brightly coloured South African fish dal a dried legume, such as lentils, beans or peas dalmatic ecclesiastical robe or other outer vestment dalton unit of atomic mass damascene decorate or engrave metal with wavy lines and patterns damask fine lustrous fabric with flat patterns and a satin weave damine having antlers like a fallow deer dammar hard resin used in making varnish damnification causation of injury or loss damoiseau male form of damsel; a young man not yet dubbed a knight damson dark brownish purple dancetté deeply indented danism lending money on usury dap to dip gently into water; to fish with a surface fly dapatical lavish; sumptuous; costly daphnomancy divination using a laurel dapifer one who brings meat to the table dapocaginous mean-spirited; heartless darbies handcuffs darby large trowel for levelling concrete or plaster darcy unit of permeability of rock to various substances darkle to grow or make dark darraign to vindicate; to justify or prove dash non-specific very small unit of measurement used in cooking dashpot shock absorber dasypeltis small African egg-eating snake dasyphyllous having crowded, thick or woolly leaves dasypoedes types of birds having downy-feathered young dasyure flesh-eating marsupial datary papal officer who registers and dates bulls and edicts dation act of giving, conferring or donating dative indicating indirect object of a verb davenport small ornamental writing desk; large sofa davit device for hoisting and lowering a boat daw simpleton; bird of the crow family deaconing act of putting best looking goods on top of pile deadeye rounded wooden block with hole used to set up ship's stays deadhouse mortuary deadstock farm equipment deadwood timbers built into ends of ship when too narrow to permit framing dealate insect divested of its wings dealbation whitening; bleaching deambulatory place for walking around or about in dearticulate to disjoint deasil sunwise motion debarrass to disembarrass; disentangle; free debel to conquer in war debellate to conquer or overcome through battle debouch to issue or emerge; to flow from a confined place debouchure mouth of a river or strait debridement the removal of foreign matter from a wound decadarchy government by ten individuals; decarchy decadist author who writes works in ten parts decalcomania process of transferring a design onto a surface using specially prepared paper decalescence point in heating metal where it appears to cool decalogist exponent of rules such as the Ten Commandments decalvant removing hair; depilatory decamerous having parts in tens decanal located on south side of the choir in a church decanal of, like or pertaining to a dean or deacon decantate to chant or say repeatedly decarchy government by ten individuals decare 1000 square metres decarnate denied or deprived of physical bodily form decastich ten-line poem decatise to uncurl through the use of steam or moisture decaudate to cut off the tail of decelerometer instrument for measuring deceleration decennoval of, like or pertaining to the number nineteen decession departure decimestrial lasting ten months deckle ragged edge of paper declassé below one's social class declinometer instrument for measuring magnetic declination declivity place that slopes downwards; inclination downwards decoct to prepare or extract by boiling; to devise decollate to behead; to disorganize decomplex repeatedly compound decorticate to remove the bark, husk or peel of decoupage the application of paper cutouts to wood surfaces decrassify to make less crass or boorish decrement a gradual decrease in quantity or quality decrepitate to crackle; to roast so as to cause to crackle decrescent becoming gradually less decretal of, like or pertaining to a decree decretal papal decree deciding a point of church law decrudescence diminution or reduction of a disease decuman principle; large; primary decumbent lying down; reclining on the ground decumbiture the time spent by an invalid in bed decurrent extending or running downwards decurtate to curtail, shorten or abbreviate decussate to divide in the form of an X; to cross or intersect dedans spectators at a court tennis match dedition surrender; capitulation deductivism belief in the superiority of deduction over induction deek look at; see deemster judge on the Isle of Man defalcate to embezzle money held on trust defeasible that may be annulled defenestration throwing a person or object out a window deferrise to remove iron from defervescence abatement of heat; coolness; decrease of fever defilade to arrange fortifications against frontal attack defiliation depriving a parent of a child definiens word or words used in a dictionary definition deflexure deviation deflocculate to break down into small pieces defluent running down; decurrent defluvium falling of hair dégagé at rest; untroubled; at ease deglutinate to unglue or unstick deglutition the power or act of swallowing degression gradual decrease; reduction in taxes dégringolade rapid decline or decay; downfall degu rat-like rodent of South America degustation eating in a series of small portions dehisce to gape; to burst open dehors outside of dehort to dissuade deicide destruction or killing of a god deictic directly demonstrating something or some proposition deiform appearing like or shaped like a god deiparous bearing a god deipnosophy learned dinner-conversation deipotent having godlike power deism belief in God but rejection of religion deixis relating to time and place of a linguistic utterance delactation weaning delaine light fabric of wool or mixed wool and cotton delaminate to split into layers delate to pass on; to charge with a crime delative indicating motion downward delectus anthology of useful passages or quotations delenda things to be deleted or destroyed deleterious harmful to body or mind delf drain; ditch; excavation delibate to sip deligation bandaging delignate to remove wood from; to deprive of wood deliquesce to melt into liquid by absorbing moisture deliration madness; aberration delirifacient producing or creating delirium delitescent latent deloo north African antelope delope to fire one's gun into the air in a duel delphically enigmatically; obscurely delphine pertaining to the Dauphin of France delphinine of, like or pertaining to dolphins deltiology the collection and study of picture postcards deltoid shaped like a delta or triangle delubrum a font, a temple or shrine having a font demagogue political agitator appealing to popular prejudices démarche decisive course of action taken in diplomacy demarchy government by the people; popular government demegoric of, like or pertaining to demagogues or demagogic speech démenti official denial or refusal demephitise to purify air demerge to immerse; to plunge demersal subaqueous; living underwater; sinking to the bottom demesne feudal manor-house with adjacent lands demicastor beaver pelt of poor quality; beaver fur mixed with another type of fur demigration change of abode demijohn large bottle having a wicker case demisang half-breed; hybrid demiurge creative spirit or entity demogenic of, like or pertaining to membership by citizenship rather than kinship demology study of human behaviour demonarchy government by a demon demonetise to deprive of monetary value; to withdraw from circulation demonocracy government by demons or evil forces demonography study and description of demons demonolatry worship of or devotion to demons demonology study of demons demonomancy divination using demons demonomania pathological belief that one is possessed by demons demonosopher one who is inspired by a demon or devil demonym name for a resident of a place demotic of, like or pertaining to the common people demulcent emulsifier; something soothing demurrage delay of vessel's departure or loading with cargo denary one of ten; tenfold; of, like or pertaining to group of ten dendriform shaped like a tree dendritiform branched dendrochronology study of tree rings dendroid tree-like; resembling a tree dendrolatry worship of trees dendrology study of trees dendrometer instrument for measuring trees dendrophilous fond of trees denehole vertical shaft having chambers at the base denier unit of yarn fineness dennet light two-wheeled carriage densimeter instrument for measuring closeness of grain of a substance densitometer instrument for measuring optical or photographic density dentagra toothache dentellated having small notches or teeth dentelle lace; lacework denticle small toothlike structure dentiform shaped like a tooth dentigerous toothed; bearing teeth dentiloquent speaking with clenched teeth dentine ivory-like material making up teeth dentiologist one who speaks with closed teeth dentirostral with notched beak deobstruent something that removes an obstacle deodate a gift to or from God deonerate to disburden deontic of or relating to duty or obligation deontology the theory or study of moral obligation deoppilate to free from obstruction deordination abnormality or irregularity deorsumversion turning downwards deosculate to kiss affectionately depascent eating depaysé out of one's element or natural environment depeculation embezzlement of public funds deponent having a passive form but active meaning depotentiate to deprive or divest of power deprehend to catch; to seize depurate to purify deracinate to root up deray to go wild; to derange deric of, like or pertaining to the skin dermatoglyphics the study of skin patterns and fingerprints dermatoid like or resembling skin dermatology study of skin dermographia condition where writing on skin causes red mark to form derodidymus two-headed beast derrick hoisting mechanism using a boom and a central post desacralise to deprive or remove sacred qualities descriptivism doctrine that moral judgements are equivalent to descriptive judgements descrive to describe desideratum something which is greatly desired desiderium longing or yearning desinent terminal; ending desipient playing the fool; trifling desman large European muskrat desmology study of ligaments désobligeante carriage for one passenger despoliation despoiling; despoilment despotocracy government by despots or tyrants despumate to throw off impurities in foam; to skim; to remove scum desquamate to scale or flake off desudation extreme sweating desuetude state of disuse desultory jumping from one thing to another; rambling; unplanned detersion the act of cleaning detinue wrongful seizure of property; action to recover it detort to untwist; to twist the other way détraqué a person who is deranged detritivore animal that eats decomposing organic matter detritus waste or debris detrude to thrust downward or outward detumescence diminution of swelling deuteragonist a person who serves as a foil to another deuterogamy second marriage after the death of the first wife deuteropathy second illness in addition to an initial one deuteroscopy second view or meaning; second sight devall to sink; to decline devisee one to whom property is bequeathed in a will devoir what is due; duty dewlap turkey's wattle; flap of skin under the throat dexiotropic turning to the right dexter relating to the right side of a heraldic shield dexter towards the right side dextroduction shifting the eyes from left to right dextrogyratory turning to the right dhole wild Indian dog diable unglazed earthenware casserole diablerie magic; sorcery; mischief diabolocracy government by the Devil diabology study of devils diabrotic corrosive diacatholicon panacea diachoretic laxative diaclastic refractory diaconal of, like or pertaining to a deacon diaconicon sacristy for sacred vessels in Orthodox churches diacope deep wound or incision diacope rhetorical separation of a compound word by a third word; tmesis diacoustic of, like or pertaining to the refraction of sound diacritic making a distinction; aiding a diagnosis or evaluation diactinal having two pointed ends diadermic of, like or pertaining to the puncturing of the skin diadrom course or passing; vibration diaeresis two dots placed over a vowel to indicate a syllable break (naïve) diagenesis production of rock out of sediment diaglyph figure etched or engraved in surface of gem or stone; intaglio diagometer instrument for measuring electrical conductivity diagraph instrument for enlarging or projecting drawings diagraphics art of making diagrams or drawings dialectology study of dialects diallage device in which many arguments brought upon one point diallelus circular argument dialogism rhetorical discussion in form of an imaginary dialogue diamanté glittering; decoration using glitter diamantiferous bearing diamonds dianoetic capable of, like or pertaining to thought diaphanometer instrument for measuring the transparency of air diaphanous transparent; translucent diaphone low-pitched fog signal consisting of two tones diaphoresis artificially induced sweat diaporesis rhetorical expression of uncertainty of which of two options to adopt diapyesis release or discharge of pus diarchy government by two people diaskeuast reviser; interpolator diaspora dispersion diastema space between teeth diastomatic moving through the pores diastrophe upheaval or drastic modification of the earth's crust diasyrm rhetorical device of condemning through faint praise diatessaron medicine of four ingredients diathermic permeable to or able to conduct radiant heat diathesis particular condition of body or mind; predisposing factor diatyposis rhetorically vivid and clear description of a subject diaulos ancient Greek double flute dibatag Somalian antelope with recurved horns dibble pointed tool for making holes for seeds or plants dicacity raillery; banter dicaeology defending oneself in argument by claiming justification dicephalous two-headed dicephalus conjoined twins with two heads dicerous two-horned; having two antennae dichogamous having males and females maturing at different rates dichord musical instrument with two strings dichroscope instrument for examining crystals for dichroism didact a person given to lecturing or moralizing didapper someone who disappears and bobs up again didascalic didactic; pertaining to education or teaching diddicoy itinerant tinker or scrap-dealer didelphine of, like or pertaining to opossums didelphous marsupial or pouched mammal didgeridoo Australian aboriginal instrument consisting of a long wood or bamboo tube didine of, like or pertaining to dodos didymous twin; twinned; growing in pairs diectasis extending line of verse by adding extra syllable diegesis the narration of facts diesis double dagger sign diestrus period of sexual inactivity diffarreation Roman form of divorce differentia property which distinguishes one from another diffident overly shy or modest diffinity lack of similarity or affinity diffluent readily flowing away diffract to break up into segments or portions diffractometer instrument for determining structure of crystal through light diffraction diffrangible capable of being diffracted or separated diffugient dispersing; diffusing dight disposed, adorned, clothed digitate having or resembling fingers digitiform shaped like a finger digitigrade walking on the toes alone digitorium silent piano for practicing digladiate to fight with swords; to fence digonal figure such that a half-turn gives the same figure digoneutic double brooded digraph two letters expressing a single sound dijudicate to judge; to decide dik-dik small east African antelope dilacerate to rend or tear asunder dilaniate to tear to pieces dilatometer instrument for measuring expansion dilatory slow; given to delay or procrastination dilettante dabbler or lover of fine arts dilogical ambiguous; having two meanings dilogy intentional ambiguousness dilruba Indian stringed instrument like a small sitar diluent diluting diluvial of, like or pertaining to floods; especially mythical ones dimerous consisting of two parts dimidiate divided into halves dimissory sending away or giving leave to depart; dismissing dimity sheer and stout white cotton dinanderie bronze-coloured metal alloy used for decorative vessels dinarchy government by two people; diarchy dinic of, like or pertaining to vertigo or dizziness dinomania mania for dancing dinumeration numbering of rhetorical points one by one dioecious having male and female sexual organs in different individuals diogenic cynical dionym name containing two parts or terms dioptometer instrument for measuring focus or refraction of the eyes dioptre unit of measurement of power of lens or eye dioptric transparent dioptrics study of light refraction diorism distinction; definition diorthosis a critical revision of a text; any correction or adjustment diotic affecting both ears diphyletic descended from two distinct ancestral groups diphyodont having second set of teeth that replaces the first diphysitism belief in the dual nature of Christ diple mark in margin of text to indicate rejected verses or new paragraph dipleidoscope instrument for measuring moment when an object passes a meridian diplocephalus two-headed monster diplogenesis doubling of ordinarily single organ or part diplograph instrument for writing two lines of text at once diplomatics science of deciphering ancient writings and texts diplomatology study of diplomats diplopia double vision dipnoous having both lungs and gills dippydro person who often changes mind diprionidian serrated on both sides diprotodon gigantic prehistoric marsupial with two incisors in lower jaw dipsetic causing to be thirsty dipsomania abnormal craving for alcohol dipsosis pathological great thirst diptote noun taking two grammatical cases only diptych pair of pictures on hinged panels; register of bishops and saints diremption separation into two; disjunction dirigent guiding dirigible able to be directed dirigism state control in economic and social spheres diriment condition of legal nullification disafforest to clear of forest; to disforest disagio fee charged for exchanging foreign or depreciated currency disbosom to make known; to reveal discalced without shoes; barefoot; a religious order wearing no shoes discarnate disembodied; separated from the body discept to dispute; to debate discerptible able to be separated disciform round or oval in shape discigerous bearing a disc or discus discinct ungirded discission open incision or cut discobolus discus thrower discography catalogue or listing of musical recordings discomania obsession for disco music discombobulate to disconcert; to upset discommodious inconvenient discophile one who loves and studies sound recordings discophoran of, like or pertaining to jellyfishes discountenance to abash; to discourage disculpate to free from blame disembogue to discharge or eject into the sea disembrangle to free from dispute diseuse female orator or reciter of verse disgarnish to despoil disgeneric being of a different genus disgregation separation; scattering disillude to free from illusion disimmure to liberate; to release from walls disinure to render unfamiliar disjection scattering or dispersion disomus monster with two bodies disorbed deprived of authority or sovereignty dispendious extravagant; expensive dispiteous pitiless; malicious dispone to set in order; dispose disponge to sprinkle or discharge as if from a sponge disport to play about, frolic or gambol dispread to spread in different ways dispurvey to deprive of provisions disquisition carefully argued examination of a topic disseize to seize or deprive of property wrongfully dissentient one who dissents; dissenter dissepiment partition or separation of tissue dissilient springing apart; bursting open with force dissimulate to pretend; to feign; to fake dissolute of loose morals; debauched distaff of, like or pertaining to the female branch of a family or women's work distichous in or having two rows distraint seizure of goods distrait distracted; inattentive distributary branch of river that flows away from the main stream distributive indicating separate members of a group, one at a time dit poem; words of a song ditheism belief in two equal gods, one good and one evil ditheletism doctrine that Christ had two wills dithyrambic passionate; ecstatic; frenzied ditokous producing two at a birth or in a clutch ditrichotomous divided into either two or three parts dittography unintentional repetition of letters in print dittology double reading or interpretation diurnation hibernating or sleeping during daylight diutiurnal lasting long divagate to digress; wander about divaricate to divide into two branches divellent drawing apart; pulling apart in pieces diversiloquent speaking in different ways; speaking on different subjects diverticulum blind passage or tunnel divisim separately divulsion act of pulling or rendering apart or away dixit individual's uncorroborated statement dizen to dress up; to dress gaudily dobbin workhorse dobhash interpreter dobsonfly soft-bodied insect with large mandibles docimasy scrutiny; assaying; application of tests docimology the art of assaying doctiloquent speaking learnedly doddered decayed with loss of branches dodecafid divisible into twelve parts or regions dodecarchy government by twelve people dodger shield against rain or spray on a ship's bridge dodoism stupid remark dogcart light two-wheeled carriage with seats back-to-back dogwatch a short, evening period of watch duty on a ship doit a trifle or minor thing dol unit for measuring intensity of pain dolabrate of, like or pertaining to axes or hatchets dolabriform resembling a hatchet or cleaver dolee one who receives a government benefit, especially unemployment benefits dolent mourning; doleful dolichocephalic long-headed dolichopodous having long feet dolioform shaped like a barrel dolmen prehistoric structure or tomb of unhewn stones doloriferous bearing grief or pain dolorific causing great sadness or sorrow dolose having evil or malicious intent domal of, like or pertaining to a house or dome domett plain cotton-wool blend dominicide killing or killer of one's master dompteuse female animal trainer donary thing given for a sacred purpose donative benefice presented to church without reference to bishop donné basic assumption or axiom; basic principle of an artwork donnism self-importance donnybrook an uproarious brawl dontopedalogy putting one's foot in one's mouth doomster judge; pessimist dop copper cup for holding a diamond while cutting it doppio double meter Renaissance dance step doramania obsession with owning furs doria striped cotton muslin dormer gabled window dormition falling asleep; death dornick stout linen doromania obsession with giving gifts dorsad towards the back dorsiventral having differentiated opposite faces or surfaces doryphorus sculpture of a spear-bearer dos-a-dos carriage where passengers seated back to back dosimeter instrument for measuring dose of radiation dosimetry measurement of doses of drugs dosiology the study of doses dossal ornamental cloth hung behind and above an altar dossil plug; spigot; wad of lint for wiping a wound dotation endowment or donation douanier customs official doublette copy of own artwork made by an artist douc southern Chinese monkey doucet savory tart baked in sweet dough douceur gentleness or sweetness; a subtly offered bribe doulocracy government by slaves douroucouli small South American nocturnal monkey dowitcher long-billed North American wading bird dowlas coarse linen downhaul rope for holding down or hauling down a sail or spar doxastic of, like or pertaining to opinion doxographer compiler of opinions of philosophers doxology hymn or verse of praise to God drabbet coarse linen drabble to besmear; bedraggle draconiform shaped like a dragon draconites jewel supposedly found inside a dragon's head draffish worthless drageoir box for holding sweetmeats dragoman interpreter dragonism unremitting watchfulness dragonnade persecution by military means dragoon to compel by military bullying; to compel by force drail iron bow of a plough; heavy fishhook dramaturgy art of producing and staging dramatic works drap-de-Berry old woollen cloth drapetomania intense desire to run away from home dreadnought heavy woollen cloth dreamery a place favourable to dreams dree to endure or withstand dreikanter three-faced pebble worn by wind drepaniform shaped like a sickle drepanoid like a sickle drill durable twilled cotton dripstone stone projection used to dispose of rainwater dririmancy divination by observing dripping blood droguet ribbed woollen dress fabric drogulus entity whose existence is unverifiable due to lack of physical effects drollery drollness; comic show; jest dromestoners persons who remove stones from temporary airfields dromic of, like or pertaining to a racecourse dromomania compulsive longing for travel dromometer instrument for measuring speed dromond large single-sailed ship powered by rowers dromophobia fear of crossing streets droskhy low four-wheeled open carriage drosometer instrument for measuring dew drugget coarse durable wool fabric drumlin long hill formed by glacial retreat drung narrow road or path to a pasture drupaceous of, like or pertaining to drupes or stone-fruits druxy having decayed spots concealed by healthy wood drygulch to murder by pushing off a cliff drysalter seller of dry goods and chemicals duarchy government by two people; diarchy duarf fictitious nineteen-toed fish of Erewhon dubiety doubtfulness dubitate to doubt; to hesitate dubitative mood signifying doubt or incertitude ducape plain-woven stout silk fabric ducdame meaningless refrain duck durable closely woven cotton fabric duck amphibious military truck ductia vigorous stamping dance dudgeon resentment; offended resignation duende power to attract through personal charm duenna governess; chaperone duffel fabric of thick, low-quality woolen cloth dugong aquatic herbivorous mammal like the manatee duiker small African antelope dulcian a small early bassoon dulcifluous flowing sweetly dulciloquent speaking sweetly dulia inferior veneration of saints and angels in comparison with God dulocracy government by slaves; doulocracy dulosis slavery practiced by animals; especially ants dumose bushy dump obsolete English dance in 4/4 time dun dull greyish brown duncical stupid; dim-witted dungaree heavy coarse durable twilled cotton, usually coloured duniwassal a Scottish gentleman dunnage wood laid in hold to keep cargo dry and safe dunnart mouse-like marsupial with pointed snout duodenary of, like or pertaining to the number twelve duomachy duel or fight between two people dupion coarse silk duramen heartwood durance stout heavy wool-based fabric durante during durative continuing; not completed; undergoing transformation dure to last; to endure durity hardness durometer instrument for measuring hardness of substances duroy coarse woollen duteous devoted to duty; obedient duumvirate governing council or body of two individuals duvetyn smooth lustrous velvety fabric dwale stupefying drink dwile floorcloth or mop dyarchy government by two people; diarchy dynamogenesis production of increased nerve activity dynamograph instrument for recording mechanical forces dynamometer instrument for measuring mechanical force dyne unit of force to accelerate 1 gram to 1 cm per second per second dyogram ship's chart indicating compass deflection due to ship's iron dyphone double lute with fifty strings dysaesthesia loss of sensation dysania having a hard time waking up in the morning dysbulia loss of willpower dyschroa discoloration of the skin dyschromatopic colour-blind dysgenesis sterility in hybrid creatures dysgenics the study of racial degeneration dyslogia inability to express ideas due to mental incompetence dyslogistic conveying censure; opprobrious dysmorphophobia fear of physical deformities dysphagia pathological difficulty in swallowing dysphemism replacement of an inoffensive by an offensive word dysphonia physical abnormality causing speech impediment dysphoria uneasiness; restlessness; general depression dystectic not easily fused dysteleology study of purposeless organs; doctrine of purposelessness dystocia difficult childbirth dystopia place where all is as bad as possible dziggetai Mongolian wild ass



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