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The Concise Oxford English Dictionary, twelfth edition, is the current authority for spelling in the United Nations. If more than one spelling is given in the dictionary, use the form listed first unless otherwise indicated below. The online Oxford Dictionary (https://premium.oxforddictionaries.com/english/) (set to British and World English) is an acceptable alternative.

The United Nations spelling list is designed to serve as a quick reference for common words and compounds for which there may be more than one possible spelling. Some words commonly used in United Nations documents that are not in the twelfth edition of the dictionary are included in the list for ease of reference. For further guidance, see also Abbreviations and acronyms and Capitalization in English.

Foreign words listed in the twelfth edition or included in the list below are not italicized in United Nations documents. Foreign words that are not listed in that edition or included in the list, however, are italicized.

Non-English names of organizations, firms, ministries and the like are not italicized.

Fractions expressed in words are not hyphenated (e.g. one third of the total) unless they are used as adjectives (e.g. one-third share).

The abbreviation “adj.” is used to indicate compound adjectives that are hyphenated when they precede a noun (e.g. She had a fixed-term contract). Otherwise they are normally not hyphenated (e.g. The contract was for a fixed term).

Compound adjectives in which the first word ends in –ly are not hyphenated (e.g. environmentally sustainable growth).

Notes:

* Indicates a change from previous practice.

** Indicates an exception to the twelfth edition of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary.

*** Indicates both a change from previous practice and an exception to the twelfth edition.



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 A above-mentioned

abridgement

acknowledgement

addenda

ad hoc

ad infinitum

ad litem

adviser

aeroplane

aesthetic

aforementioned

Afrodescendant (noun) (preferred: person of African descent)

Afrodescendent (adj.) (preferred: of African descent)

after: compound forms are closed except:

after-effect

after-image

age-appropriate (adj.)

ageing

ageism

age-selective (adj.)

age-specific (adj.)

agribusiness

agrifood

agriscience

agritourism

agroecological

agroecosystem

agroforestry

agro-industry

agropastoral

agroprocessing

agroterrorism

aides-memoires

AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome)

airbag

air conditioner, air conditioning (noun)

air-conditioned, air-conditioning (adj.)

aircraft (singular and plural)

aircrew

airdrop

airfare

airfield

airfreight

airlift





air raid

airspace

air strike

air traffic control

AK-47

allot, allotted, allotment

Al-Qaida

aluminium

among (not “amongst”)

anaemia

anaesthetic

analogue (but analog in computer technology)

analyse

antenatal

antennae (insects)

antennas (aerials)

anti-abortion

anti-aircraft

antifertility

anti-inflammatory

antimalarial

antimicrobial

anti-money-laundering (adj.; not to be used as a noun)

antinatalism, antinatalist

anti-poverty

**antisemitism

apartheid

a posteriori

appal, appalled, appalling

appendices

a priori

armoury

artefact

Assistant Secretary-General (plural: Assistant Secretaries-General)

*asylum seeker

asylum-seeking (adj.)

attaché

attorney general

audiobook

*audiovisual

auditor general

avant-garde

awareness-raising (noun and adj.)

ayatollah 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

B Baath party, Baathist

baby boom (noun)

baby-boom (adj.)

back-calculation procedure

backstop (verb and noun)

back up (verb)

backup (noun and adj.)

backward (adj.)

backwards (adv.)

balance of payments (noun)

balance-of-payments (adj.)

balance sheet

bandwidth

baseline

base-year (adj.)

bednet

Bedouin (singular and plural)

beforehand

behaviour

behove

benefited, benefiting

benefit-sharing

bi: compound forms are closed (see also "Ambiguous terms" under Numbers, dates and time):

biannual (twice a year)

biennial (every second year)

**bienniums

bimonthly (every two months)

biweekly (every two weeks)

biased

bio: compound forms are closed

biocoenosis

birth control

birth rate

bis

bitcoin





BlackBerry

blacklist (verb and noun)

blockchain

blood-borne

blood-brain barrier

bond market

bookkeeping

bottleneck

brain drain

break away (verb)

breakaway (noun and adj.)

break down (verb)

breakdown (noun)

breakthrough

break up (verb)

break-up (noun)

breastfeed

bride price

bride wealth

Brigadier General

broad band, broad banding (verb and noun, in ICSC documents)

broad-banded, broad-banding (adj., in ICSC documents)

broadband (telecommunications)

build up (verb)

build-up (noun)

bureaux

burka

burned (not “burnt”)

businessperson

buy-back (noun)

buy-in (noun)

by-catch

by-law

by-product

bystander

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

C calibre

cancelled, cancelling

canvas (cloth)

canvass (to solicit)

capacity-building (noun and adj.)

capital (city, money)

Capitol (building)

caregiver

care provider

caretaker

CarLog

carry over (verb)

carry-over (noun)

carte blanche

case-by-case (adj.)

case-fatality rate

case law

caseload

case study

catalogue

catalyse

cathode ray tube

CD-ROM

ceasefire (noun and adj.)

cellmate

cell phone

cellular phone

centre, centred, centring

centrepiece

chador

Chair-designate

changeover (noun)

channelled, channelling

charge-back

chargé d'affaires (singular invariable;

plural: chargés d’affaires)

chat room

checklist

checkpoint

check-up (noun)

chef de cabinet (plural: chefs de cabinet)

cheque (bank)

chequebook

childbearing

childbirth

childcare

child-rearing

child-sensitive

child spacing

chlorofluorocarbons

classroom

clearing house

closed-end (adj.)

co-chair

coequal

coexist

cofactor

cogeneration

cohort-component projections

cold war

co-locate

colloquiums

colour

combatant

combated, combating

Commissioner-General

common law (noun)

common-law (adj.)

communiqué

compel, compelled

compendiums

confidence-building (noun and adj.)



connection

consensus

**consortiums

contingent-owned equipment

contraceptive-calendar method

cookstove

cooperate, cooperation

coordinate, coordination

co-payment

copy-edit

copy editor

cornerstone

corrigenda

cost accounting

cost-effective

cost-efficient

cost-of-living index

cost recovery (noun)

cost-recovery (adj.)

councillor

counsel (verb and noun, singular and plural)

counselling, counsellor

counteract

*counterargument

counter-attack

counterbalance

countercharge

counterclaim

counterclockwise

counterculture

countercyclical

counterdemonstration

counter-espionage

counter-example

counter-guarantee

counter-insurgency

counter-intelligence

counter-intuitive

countermeasure

counter-narcotics

counteroffensive

counterpoint

counterproductive

counterproliferation

counterproposal

counter-revolution

**counter-terrorism

countertrade

counter-urbanization

countryside

countrywide

coup d'état (plural: coups d'état)

couple-years

co-worker

creditworthiness

cropland

cross-country

cross-cutting

cross-reference (verb)

cross reference (noun)

cross section

cross-sectoral

cross-tabulation

crowdsourced, crowdsourcing

crowdwork, crowdworker, crowdworking

crypto: compound forms are closed

curricula

curriculum vitae (plural: curricula vitae)

cut back (verb)

cutback (noun)

cut off (verb)

cut-off (noun and adj.)

cyber: compound forms are closed

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

D darknet

databank

database

data-collection (adj.)

data processing (noun)

data-processing (adj.)

data processor

data set

day care (noun)

day-care (adj.)

*dead weight

**deafblind

death rate

decies or deciens

decision maker

decision-making (noun and adj.)

de-emphasize

de facto

defence (but United States Department of Defense, Israel Defense Forces)

de jure

delink

*delist

demagogy

démarche

demining

demographic-economic model

dependant (noun)

dependent (adj.)

depositary (person or entity with which a treaty is deposited)

depository (warehouse)

derestricted

desiccate

desktop

détente

diarrhoea

dieback (noun)

digitize

diktat

*Director General (plural: Directors General) (but Director-General of the United Nations Offices at Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi)

disc (but disk in computer technology)

discreet (prudent)

discrete (separate)

dispatch

donor dependence

donor-dependent (adj.)

donor-funded (adj.)

dot-com

dot-org

doubling time

down payment

downstream

downward (adj. and adv.)

draft (text)

draught (air and animal)

draw down (verb)

drawdown (noun)

drift net (noun)

drift-net (adj.)

drinking water

drop out (verb)

dropout (noun and adj.)

drug dealer

drug dealing

drug-taking

drug trafficking

drug user

drug-using (adj.)

dry land (land as opposed to sea)

dryland(s) (type of ecosystem)

**dunum

dwelling unit

dysfunctional

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

E e-: compound forms are hyphenated, except:

*email

and where the second element begins with a capital letter:

eDoc

eLUNa

eMeets

ePAS

eRef

early-initiation (adj.)

early warning system

earmark

east(ern) (a geographical direction or an area within a country)

East(ern) (a major region, e.g. East Africa, Eastern Europe)

east-north-east, east-south-east

eastward

eco-friendly

eco-label, eco-labelling

ecosystem

ecotourism

eco-warrior

ecozone

**Eid al-Adha

**Eid al-Fitr

*email

embargoes

émigré

emir

encyclopedia

endeavour

endogenization

end product

end result *end user

energy-efficient

enquire, enquiry (referring to a request for

information) (cf. inquire)

enrol, enrolled, enrolling, enrolment

en route

enterprise resource planning (not hyphenated)

equalled, equalling

equipped, equipping

euro, euros

Eurobond

*eurozone

ever-married (adj.)

everyday (adj.)

every day (adv.)

exaggerate

Excel

ex gratia

ex officio

exorbitant

expel, expelled, expelling

export-processing zone

exposé

ex post facto

extrabudgetary

***extracurricular

extrajudicial

extralegal

extramarital

extranet

extraregional

extraterritorial

*extrauterine

eyewitness



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

F fact-finding

fait accompli

fall-off (noun)

fall out (verb)

fallout (noun)

family-life (adj.)

family planning (noun and adj.)

farmland

far-reaching

favour

feedback

*fetus, fetal

fibreglass

fibre-optic (adj.)

fibre optics (noun)

field trip

fieldwork, fieldworker

fine-tune

firearm

firebomb

fire-control (adj.)

fire engine

firefight

firefighter

firefighting

firehouse

first-hand (adj. and adv.)

fixed-period (adj.)

fixed-wing (adj.)

flak

flash flood

flavour

flexitime (generic)

Flextime (attendance system)

flow chart

flowsheet

focused, focuses, focusing

follow through (verb)

follow-through (noun)

follow up (verb)

follow-up (noun and adj.)

foodgrain

food-insecure

foodstuff

footnote

force majeure

forcible

foregoing (preceding)

forest lands

forever

foreword (to a book)

forgo (go without)

formulas (but “formulae” in mathematics)

forums

forward (verb, adj. and adv.)

freedom fighter

freelance, freelancer

free trade (noun and adj.)

*fresh water (noun)

freshwater (adj.)

front line (noun)

front-line (adj.)

fuelled, fuelling

fuelwood

fulfil, fulfilled, fulfilling, fulfilment

full-time

fundraiser

*fundraising

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

G gauge

gData

gDoc

gender-diverse

gender-neutral

gender-specific

geo: compound forms are closed

girl child

globalization

globalize

gMeets

good-neighbourly (adj.)

goodwill

gonorrhoea



gram

grant-in-aid (plural: grants-in-aid)

grassland(s)

grass roots (noun)

grass-roots (adj.)

grey

grounds pass

groundwater

groundwork

gText

guerrilla

guidelines

gunfire

gynaecology

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

H haemoglobin

haemorrhage

hajj (note: “hajj pilgrimage” is redundant)

halfway

hand grenade

handheld

Haram al-Sharif

harbour

hard-walled (adj.)

hardwired

hashtag

hawala

headwater

health care (noun)

health-care (adj.)

help desk

helpline

heretofore

herpesvirus

high-mortality-risk (adj.)

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)

HIV-positive

Hizbullah

home care (noun)

home-care (adj.)

home-made

homeowner

homeownership

home page

homeschool

homogeneous

honorariums

honorary

honour

hostage-taking

hot-desking

hotelling

hotspot

human resources (not hyphenated)

Humvee

hydroelectric

hydro-interaction

hydropower

hydrosystem

hygiene

hyper: compound forms are closed

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

I Ibero-American

ibid. (see also Footnotes and other references)

ill: compound adjectives are hyphenated only when preceding a noun

(e.g. an ill-designed project; the project is ill designed)

ill-treatment

imperilled

inasmuch as

income generation (noun)

income-generation (adj.)

in-depth (adj.)

indexes (lists in a book), indices (statistical)

indispensable

information and communications technology

information-sharing

infrared

in-house

initialled, initialling

in-kind (adj.)

in-migration

inpatient

inquire, inquiry (referring to a formal

investigation) (cf. enquire)

in-session (adj.)

in situ

insofar

insourcing

install, installation, instalment

instil

institution-building

interactive

inter-agency

inter alia

inter-American

inter-annual

interbank

inter-birth

intercommunal

intercountry

intercultural

interdenominational

interdepartmental

interdependence



interdisciplinary

interdivisional

inter-ethnic

interfaith

interfamily

intergenerational

intergovernmental

*intergroup

inter-industry

inter-institutional

interlink, interlinkage

*interministerial

inter-mission (between missions)

intermission (between acts)

Internet

inter-office

inter-organizational

interparliamentary

interprovincial

interracial

interregional

interrelate

interreligious

intersectoral

intersession (noun), intersessional

interspace

inter-State (between countries)

interstate (between states)

inter-unit

intifada

in toto

intra: compound forms are closed except:

intra-agency

intra-industry

intra-mission

intra-State (within a country)

intra-urban

in vitro

inward (adj.)

inwards (adv.)

ipso facto

iSeek

IV drug user

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

J jail

jihad, jihadi

Judaize

*judgment (see

also Capitalization in English)

*judgmental

jump-start

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

K

keffiyeh

kick-start

kilogram (kg)

kilometre (km)

kilovolt-ampere (kVA)



kilowatt (kW)

kilowatt-hour (kWh)

*kin group

know-how

knowledge-sharing



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

L labelled, labelling

laborious

labour

labour-force (adj.)

labour-market (adj.)

laissez-faire

laissez-passer (singular and plural)

land-grabbing

landholder

landline

landlocked

landmine

landowner

land use (noun)

land-use (adj.)

laserdisc

lawmaker

law-making

lay off (verb)

layoff (noun)

lead time

lead-up (noun)

learned (not “learnt”)

least developed countries

**lèse-majesté

letter of assist

leukaemia

levelled, levelling liaison

liberalization

liberalize

licence (noun)

license (verb)

Lieutenant General

life cycle

lifelong

life-saving

lifespan

lifestyle

life table (noun)

life-table (adj.)

lifetime

litre

live birth

live-born

living space

local area network

log in, log out (verb)

login, logout (noun)

log on, log off (verb)

logon, logoff (noun)

long-standing (adj.)

long-term (adj.)

loophole

Lotus Notes

lower-case (adj.)

low-level (adj.)

lump-sum (adj.)

lump sum (noun)

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

M machine gun

machine-readable

macro: compound forms are closed except:

macro level (noun), macro-level (adj.)

(note: "macro" in this case is a

stand-alone word, not a prefix)

macro-unit

mainframe

mainland

Major General

mandate holder

man-hour (preferred: person-hour)

man-made (preferred: human-caused,

human-made)

manoeuvre

man-portable air defence system (not MANPADS)

marketplace

market town

mark up (verb)

markup (noun)

marriage timing (noun)

marriage-timing (adj.)

marshal

marshalled, marshalling

master plan

materiel

matrices

meagre

meantime

meanwhile

medium-sized (adj.)

medium-variant (adj.)

meeting place

*megacity

megajoule (MJ)

megavolt (MV)

megavolt-ampere (MVA)

member-days

memorandums

Mesoamerica

**Messrs. (in English)

meter (instrument)

metre (unit of length)

micro: compound forms are closed except:

micro-business

micro-entrepreneur

micro-environment

micro-event

micro level (noun), micro-level (adj.)

(note: "micro" in this case is a

stand-alone word, not a prefix)

mid-1990s

mid-air

midday

middleman

midlife (noun and adj.)

mid-ocean, mid-oceanic

midpoint

mid-range

mid-season

mid-size

midsummer

midterm

midway

midweek

midwife

midwinter

midyear

mileage

milieux

millenniums

mindset

mine clearance (noun)

mine-clearance (adj.)

minefield

minimize

misspelled (not “misspelt”)

misstep

*Mmes. (in English)

modelled, modelling

modus operandi

money-laundering (noun and adj.)

moneylender, moneylending

money market (noun and adj.)

moneys

moratoriums

mores

mould

movable

**Mr.

**Mrs.

**Ms.

Muhammad (the Prophet)

mujahid (plural: ***mujahidin)

multi-access

multi-bilateral

multibillion

multi-cause

multicellular

multi-centred

multichannel

multi-client

multicoloured

multi-country

multicultural

multidimensional

multidisciplinary

multi-donor

multi-ethnic

**multi-faith

multifocal

multifunctional

multigenerational

multigrade

multigrain

multigravida

multi-hazard

multi-jurisdictional

multilateral

multilayer

multilevel

multilingual

multimedia

multimillion

multinational

multipara

multipartite

multi-partner

multiparty

multiphase

multiplatform

multiple-choice (adj.)

multipolar

multiprocessor

*multipurpose

multiracial

multisectoral

multi-skilled

multi-stakeholder

*multistorey

multitalented

multitask, multitasker, multitasking

multitrack

multi-user

multi-utility

multivendor

multi-year

Muslim

mutatis mutandis

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

N nation State

nationwide

neighbour

neonatal

netbook

nevertheless

newborn

newsfeed

newsflash

newsgroup

news stand

newswire

newsworthy

niqab

no-fly zone

no-man’s-land



non-: compound forms are hyphenated except:

nonconforming, nonconformist

nondescript

nonfeasance

nonetheless

non sequitur

no one

north(ern), north-east(ern), north-west(ern) (a geographical

direction or an area within a country)

North(ern) (a continent or major region, e.g. North America,

North Africa, Northern Europe)

northward

note verbale (plural: notes verbales)

novies or noviens

nursing home (noun)

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

O octies or octiens

odour

oedema

oesophagus

offence

offensive

off-gas

offhand

off-hours (noun)

office holder

off-label (adj.)

off-limits (adj.)

offline

offload

off-message (adj.)

off-peak

off-ramp (noun)

off-road

off season (noun)

off-season (adj. and adv.)

offset

offshore

off-site (adj.)

offspring (singular and plural)

oilfield

oil well

old age (noun)

old-age (adj.)

old-growth (adj.)



omega-3 fatty acid

on-board (adj.) (on a ship or aircraft)

onboarding (in human resources)

ongoing

online

on-message (adj.)

on-screen

onshore

on-site (adj.)

onward (adj. and adv.)

op-ed (noun and adj.)

ordinance (law)

ordnance (munitions)

organization

organization chart (not “organigram(me)” or “organizational chart”)

organize

outmigration

out-of-court (adj)

out-of-date (adj.)

outpatient

outsource

out-take (noun)

over: compound forms are closed except:

over-elaborate

over-exercise

over-optimistic

over-refine

*overabundant

**overrepresent

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

P paediatric

paedophile

panellist

paper-smart (adj.)

paralyse

paramedical

paramilitary

part-time

passer-by (plural: passers-by)

payback (noun)

payday

payroll

peacebuilder, peacebuilding

peacekeeper, peacekeeping

peacemaker, peacemaking

peacetime

*penholder

per annum

per capita

per cent

per diem

perinatal

peri-urban

per se

person-day, person-hour

phyto-: combinations are closed

place name

plebiscite

plough

P.O. Box

policyholder

policymaker, policymaking

policy-setting

post-adolescent

post-cold-war

postdoctoral

post-feminist

postglacial

postgraduate

post-industrial

post-marital

postmillennial

postmodern

post-mortem

*postnatal

post-neonatal

postnuptial

post-operative

post-partum

post-session

post-war

power plant

power-sharing

practice (noun)

practise (verb)

pre-adolescent

pre-book

**précis

précis-writer, précis-writing

preconceive

precondition

pre-construction

*predate

predeployment

pre-eclampsia

pre-embryo

pre-eminent

pre-empt

pre-establish

pre-exist

pre-ignition

pre-industrial

pre-initiation countries

pre-inspection

pre-investment

premarital

pre-modern

prenatal

pre-owned

pre-package

pre-plan

pre-position

pre-press

pre-production

pre-qualify

pre-record

pre-register

pre-release

preschool

pre-screen

pre-sell

pre-session

President-elect

pretence

*pretrial (but Pre-Trial Chamber

of the International Criminal Court)

pre-war

prima facie

principal (first in rank) (noun and adj.)

principle (fundamental truth) (noun)

printout

private sector (not hyphenated)

privatization

privatize

procès-verbal (plural: procès-verbaux)

pro-choice

procyclical

program (computing only) (noun and verb)

programme (noun and verb)

pronatalism, pronatalist

proofread, proofreader

pro rata

prorate

pro tempore

psycho: compound forms are closed

public sector (not hyphenated)



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

Q **qadi

quater

quinquies or quinquiens ***Qur'an

**Qur'anic

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

R radioactive

radioisotope

rain-fed

rainforest

rainwater

raison d'être

range area

rangeland(s)

rapprochement

rateable

ratepayer

re-: combinations are closed except:

re-advertise

re-edit

re-educate

re-elect

re-emerge

re-emphasize

re-employ

re-enact

re-enforce

re-engage

re-engineer

re-enrol

re-enter

re-equip

re-erect

re-establish

re-evaluate

re-examine

re-export

read-only memory

readout (noun)

record-breaking (adj.)

referendums

reflection

refoulement

regime

region-wide

*reroute

results-based (adj.)

results-oriented (adj.)

résumé

retro: combinations are closed

reversible

right to life (noun)

right-to-life (adj.)

rigorous

rigour

risk reduction (noun and adj.)

riverbed

river water

roadbed

roadblock

road map

roadwork

rollback (noun)

roll call (noun)

roll-call (adj.)

roll out (verb)

roll-out (noun)

roll over (verb)

rollover (noun)

round table (noun)

round-table (adj.)

routing

RU486

rule of law (not hyphenated)

rumour

run-off (noun and adj.)

run-up (noun)

rural-urban (demographic movement)

rural/urban (comparison)

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

S safe-period method

salary earner

saleable

salt water (noun)

saltwater (adj.)

satphone

savings bank

sceptic, sceptical, scepticism

school-age (adj.)

schoolbook

schoolchild

schoolday

schoolroom

schoolteacher

schoolwork

seabed

sea floor

sea level (not hyphenated)

seaport

seawater

**Secretary-General (plural: Secretaries-General)

sectoral

security sector (not hyphenated)

self-: compound forms are hyphenated

sell off (verb)

sell-off (noun)

semi-annual (twice a year)

semi-automatic

semi-autonomous

semicircle

semicolon

semiconductor

semi-conscious

semi-cylinder

semi-darkness

semi-detached

semi-final

semi-finished

semi-independent

semi-invalid

semi-literate

semi-monthly (twice a month) (see also "Ambiguous terms" under Numbers, dates and time)

semi-official

semi-permanent

semi-precious

semi-professional

semi-retired

semi-rigid

semi-skilled

semi-solid

semi-trailer

semi-weekly (twice a week) (see also "Ambiguous terms" under Numbers, dates and time)

septicaemia

septies or septiens

seroprevalence

serostatus

set back (verb)

setback (noun)

set up (verb)

set-up (noun)

sewage (waste matter)

sewerage (system of drains)

sexies or sexiens

sex-selective (adj.)

shake up (verb)

shake-up (noun)

shanty town

sharia

sheikh

shellfire

Shia

Shiite

shopkeeper

shortcoming

shortfall

shortlist

short-lived

side effect

sine qua non

sizeable

size class

skilful

skill set

slow down (verb)

slowdown (noun)

*slum dweller

smartphone

sociobiology

sociocultural

sociodemographic

***socioeconomic

*sociomedical

sociopolitical

soft-walled (adj.)

solicitor general (plural: solicitors general)

sombre

south(ern), south-east(ern), south-west(ern) (a geographical

direction or an area within a country)

South(ern), South-East(ern), South-West(ern) (a continent

or major region, e.g. South America, Southern Africa, Southern

Europe, South-East Asia; exception: Association of Southeast

Asian Nations)

South-South cooperation

southward

spatial-profile model

specialize

speed-dial (verb)

speed dial (noun)

spelled (not “spelt”)

spillover (noun and adj.)

stabilization

stabilize

staff-day, staff-hour

staff member

stakeholder

stalemate

standby (noun and adj.)

stand-alone (adj.)

stand in (verb)

stand-in (noun)

State-building

stationary (not moving)

stationery (paper)

status-conscious

status-of-forces agreement

status quo

steady-state (adj.)

step: compound forms are closed except:

step-parent

stillbirth

stillborn (adj.)

stockbreeder

stockbroker

stockholder

stock market

stockpile

stocktaking

storefront

storekeeper

storey (of a building)

straightforward

strikebreaker

strike-slip fault

strip-search

*sub: compound forms are closed except:

sub-account

sub-amendment

sub-aquatic

sub-area

sub-assembly

sub-block

sub-body

sub-bottom

sub-branch

sub-bureau

sub-calibre

sub-centre

sub-clan

sub-discipline

sub-element

sub-entry

sub-folder

sub-interval

sub-issue

sub-item

sub-lessee

sub-lessor

**sub-let

sub-munitions

sub-office

sub-prefect

sub-prefecture

sub-prime

sub-province

sub-Saharan

sub-theme

sub-working group

sub-zero

subject matter (noun)

subprogram (computing only)

subprogramme

*subunit

succour

**sulfur (and related words)

summarize

Sunna (traditional Muslim law)

Sunni (adj. and noun, singular and plural)

Sunnite

**super-Power

supersede

superstructure

supervisor

surface water (noun)

surface-water (adj.)

suspense account

symposiums

system-wide

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

T takeover (noun)

takfirism, takfirist

Taliban

targeted, targeting

tariff

task force

taxpayer

tele-health

telemedicine

ter

test-ban (adj.)

text-processing

text processor

therefor (for that purpose)

therefore (consequently)

think tank

time-consuming

time deposit

time frame

time-horizon

timekeeper

time lag

time limit

timeline

time period

time-release (adj.)

timescale

time series

time sheet

timespan

timetable

title page

ton (i.e. metric ton)

topsoil

totalled, totalling

towards

town hall meeting

toxaemia

tradable

trade-off (noun)

traffics, trafficked, trafficking

*training ground

tranquillity

tranquillizer

transalpine

transatlantic

transboundary

transcontinental

trans-fat, trans-fatty acid

transferable, transference

transferred, transferring

transgender

transglobal

transmigrant

trans-Pacific

transracial

transsexual

trans-ship, trans-shipment

travelled, travelling

tripwire

troop contributor

troop-contributing

T-shirt

tsunamis

tunnelled, tunnelling

turn around (verb)

turnaround (noun)

turning point

turnkey (adj.)

turn off (verb)

turn-off (noun)

turn out (verb)

turnout (noun)

turn over (verb)

turnover (noun)

two-faced

twofold

typeset, typesetting, typesetter

tyre

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

U **ulama

ultra: compound forms are closed except:

ultra-high frequency (noun)

ultra-high-frequency (adj.)

**under: compound forms are closed except when modifying a hyphenated compound

undersecretary

**Under-Secretary-General (plural: Under-Secretaries-General)

under way

uni: compound forms are closed

unmistakable

update

upgrade

upper-case (adj.)



uproot

up-to-date (adj.)

upward (adj. and adv.)

*urban dweller

urban-rural (demographic movement)

urban/rural (comparison)

usability

usable

use-by date

use-effectiveness

user-friendly

username

utilize

U-turn

Uzi

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

V vacuum aspiration method

vacuum-pack (verb)

vacuum-packed (adj.)

value added (noun and adj.)

value system

vapour

vari: compound forms are closed

V-chip

venepuncture

versus

vice (tool)

Vice-Chair

Vice-President

Vice-President-elect

vice versa

video camera

videoconference

videodisc

video game videographics

videography

video link

video map

video on demand

videophone

video pirate

video recorder

video recording

viewfinder

viewpoint

vigorous

vigour

vis-à-vis

vitamin A

voicemail

voice-over (noun and adj.)

voiceprint

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

W wage earner

wage-earning

wagon

Wahhabi

walkie-talkie

walk in (verb)

walk-in (adj.)

walkout (noun)

walk-through (noun)

wallboard

wallchart

Walloon

waqf

war chest

war crime

war criminal

war cry

war game

warhead

warlike

warlord

warmonger

warpath

warplane

warship

wartime

war-torn (adj.)

washout (noun)

washtub

wastewater

Washington, D.C.

watch list (noun and adj.)

watchtower

waterbird

water birth

waterboard, waterboarding

waterborne

water cannon

watercourse

watercraft

waterfowl

waterfront

waterhole

water level

waterline

waterlogged

water main

watermark

watermill

water power

waterproof

water-repellant (adj.)

water-resistant (adj.)

watershed

water supply

water table

watertight

water torture

water tower

waterway

waterworks

watt-hour

wattmeter

wavelength

weather-beaten

weatherproof

webcam

webcast

web hosting

webinar

webisode

weblink

weblog

webmail

webmaster

web page

web ring

website

webspace

weekday

weekend

well: compound adjectives are hyphenated only when preceding a noun

(e.g. a well-designed project; the project is well designed)

well-being

well-to-do

well water (noun)

well-wisher

west(ern) (a geographical direction or an area

within a country)

West(ern) (a major region, e.g. West Africa,

Western Europe)

west-north-west, west-south-west

westward

wetland(s)

wet lease

wheelchair

while (not “whilst”)

whistle-blower, whistle-blowing

whiteboard

white list (noun)

white-list (verb)

whitewash

wholegrain

wholehearted

wholewheat

wide area network

wideband

widebody

Wi-Fi

wild card

wildcat

wildfire

wildfowl

wilful

windblown

windborne

windbreak

windburn

wind chill

windfall

windowpane

windowsill

windproof

windscreen

windshield

windstorm

windswept

winegrower

winemaker

wingspan

wingspread

win-win (adj.)

wiretap, wiretapping, wiretapper

witchcraft

witch-hunt

withhold

woman-month, woman-year

woodblock

woodchip

woodpile

woodshed

woodsmoke

woodwork

woodyard

word-processing

word processor

work around (verb)

workaround (noun)

workday

workflow

workforce

**work-hour

workload

workload-sharing

work out (verb)

workout (noun)

work permit

workplace

workplan

workroom

worksheet

workshop

worksite

workspace

workstation

workweek

worldwide

would-be (adj.)

write down (verb)

write-down (noun)

write in (verb)

write-in (noun)

write off (verb)

write-off (noun)

write-protect, write-protected

write up (verb)

write-up (noun)

wrongdoing

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

X X chromosome

xeno: compound forms are closed

X factor

X-ray

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

Y yarmulke

Y chromosome

year-on-year (adj.)

year-round (adj.)

YouTube

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