31782 words found
A Bientot is a French noun meaning 'an upcoming event or moment' used idiomatically to refer to something anticipated in the near future. It can convey a sense of looking forward to a forthcoming occasion or meeting. In English contexts, it’s read as a phrase borrowed from French, often signaling a refined or formal tone when used in conversation or writing.
A Fortiori is an adjective used in logical or rhetorical argument to indicate that if a claim is true in a weaker or more general case, it is even more true in a stronger or more specific case. It signals a stronger inference than a priori reasoning, often translating to “more so” or “all the more.” It’s commonly used in formal discourse, philosophy, and law.
A Hundred is a two-word adjective meaning consisting of or equivalent to the number 100; used to emphasize abundance or completeness in informal speech. It often functions as a scalar intensifier in phrases like “a hundred percent” and in contexts implying near-totality or completeness. In quick speech, it can be realized as a single unit with reduced vowel sounds.
A La Carte (as a noun) refers to dining or ordering items individually from a menu, rather than as part of a set meal. It conveys the option to choose distinct dishes with separate prices. The term is borrowed from French and is commonly used in hospitality to describe customizable meals or offerings.
A La Mode is a French loan phrase used in English to describe a dessert served with ice cream or in a style associated with French fashion. It functions adjectivally to mean fashionable, stylish, or served with ice cream, depending on context. In culinary use it typically describes a topping or presentation, while in fashion or culture it connotes French-influenced elegance.
A Million is an adjectival phrase meaning a very large quantity, typically used to stress exaggeration or emphasis in informal speech. It denotes the number one million, and as a modifier it often signals approximation or hyperbole rather than an exact figure. In usage, it conveys scale, impact, or significance beyond ordinary counts.
A moot point is a matter that is debatable or of no definitive practical importance in a given context. The phrase often signals that further discussion may be unnecessary because the issue is hypothetical or not central to the decision at hand. It is commonly used in formal and informal discourse to politely acknowledge a point while refraining from further debate.
A Posteriori is a Latin phrase used in philosophy and logic to denote knowledge derived from or dependent on experience. It contrasts with a priori knowledge, which is independent of experience. In English usage it often functions as an adjective or noun referring to conclusions based on empirical evidence rather than pure deduction.
A Priori is a scholarly noun referring to knowledge or justification that exists independently of experience. In philosophy, it denotes reasoning that proceeds from theoretical deduction rather than empirical observation. The term is used to describe claims deemed true by logic alone, and it often appears in debates about the sources of knowledge and justification.
A Propos is a French noun used in English to mean a relevant point or matter; it often appears in mathematical or logical contexts as a proposition. The term is adopted from French, retaining its French pronunciation and accent, and is used chiefly in formal or technical discourse. In English writing and speech you may encounter it as a borrowed term with a French-influenced pronunciation.
A Thousand is an adjective meaning a large, indefinite number, used to emphasize vastness. It implies roughly ten hundred rather than a precise count and commonly appears in expressions like ‘a thousand excuses’ or ‘a thousand miles away.’ It conveys magnitude, gradually used in everyday speech and formal writing to stress quantity.
A.D. is used as an abbreviation for the Latin anno Domini, referring to the years after the traditional birth of Christ. In modern usage it prefixes dates (e.g., A.D. 2025). As a noun in scholarly contexts, it denotes the era itself rather than a specific year. The term is formal, typically appearing in historical writing and archival labels.
A.I.D.S. is an acronym used to identify the disease AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). In medical and public health contexts it refers to the condition caused by HIV infection, typically discussed as a noun in clinical and educational discourse. In speech, it is treated as the spoken letters A-I-D-S, pronounced letter by letter rather than as a single word.
A.K.A. stands for 'also known as' and is used to introduce an alternative name or identity for a person or thing. In speech, it is typically spoken as letter-by-letter abbreviation or as a phrase depending on context, functioning as a noun when referring to the label itself. The term is common in informal and formal writing and dialogue when clarifying identity or aliasing someone or something.
ALS Disease is a neurodegenerative disorder also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The term combines the clinical acronym ALS with the word disease, referring to a progressive motor-neuron condition. In clinical contexts it is treated as a proper noun phrase, commonly used in medical discussions and patient communications.
AMD is a verb meaning to diminish or reduce something in size, amount, or intensity, often informally used to indicate a desire to reduce or modify a severity or priority. In computing contexts, the acronym is less common as a verb, but can appear in discussions about reducing or altering hardware/driver settings. The term is more frequently seen as an acronym (e.g.,
ASMR is an acronym used to describe a sensory phenomenon— Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response—where certain sounds, visuals, or textures provoke a calming, tingling sensation. In practice, it denotes a genre of videos and audio designed to elicit relaxation, often featuring whispering, tapping, and close-up sounds. As a noun, it refers to both the phenomenon and the related media content.
Aa is a noun referring to a rough, jagged volcanic lava flow characterized by a sharp, clinking surface and chunky texture. It also describes the rough, broken surface of such lava as seen on coastal or volcanic landscapes. In geology and volcanology contexts, aa contrasts with smooth pahoehoe lava, highlighting texture and formation processes.
Aachen is a German city name, often used in English when referring to the historic spa and university town near the Belgian and Dutch borders. It is also used for the Aachen Cathedral and as a proper noun in various contexts. The pronunciation centers on a fronted, non-rhotic vowel followed by a velar fricative and a final schwa, producing a compact, two-syllable rhythm.
Aaliyah is a feminine given name of Arabic origin that gained cultural prominence in modern times. It is pronounced with a soft, elongated middle vowel and a final voiced syllable, often rendered as a melodic, two-to-three syllable name in English. The name is associated with a specific phonetic rhythm and stress pattern that sets it apart from common phoneme blends in many languages.
Aarhus is a Danish city name used as a noun for the urban area. It is pronounced with a distinctive Danish vowel quality and a final syllable that can resemble a light “HOO” or “HOS” sound depending on the speaker, making it a challenge for non-Danish speakers to reproduce accurately. The word carries cultural and geographic meaning as a major Baltic Sea port and university town in central Jutland.
Aaron Tveit is a contemporary American actor and singer best known for his work on Broadway and in film/television. The name combines a common given name with a Scandinavian surname, and pronounced with emphasis on the first name and a clear, American pronunciation of the surname. The overall pronunciation is straightforward for English speakers, but attention to the vowel qualities in Tveit helps preserve the correct identity.
Ab initio is a Latin-adopted adverb meaning 'from the beginning' or 'from the start.' It is used in academic and legal contexts to denote actions taken from the outset, often in contrast to those done later. In linguistics and science, it signals a starting point for analysis or construction, typically preceded by a defining description of initial conditions. The pronunciation preserves the classic Latin stress pattern and is borrowed intact into modern technical English usage.
