Words Starting with "V"

VS Naipaul is a proper name formed from the initials “V.S.” followed by the surname Naipaul. It’s pronounced as a two-part citation: the initials said as letters, then the surname Naipaul. The overall pronunciation emphasizes the first name-initials element, with stress patterns typical of proper names in English. It’s a recognizable, formalized English name used in academic and literary contexts.

Vacancy is a noun referring to an unoccupied position or space available for occupation, such as a job opening or a hotel room not currently taken. It can also denote any empty space or gap. In business or real estate contexts, vacancy rates indicate the proportion of unfilled units. It is stressed on the first syllable: VA-can-cy.

Vacant is an adjective describing a space or position that is unoccupied or empty, or a person’s expression or demeanor showing a lack of attention or awareness. It implies absence of occupants or activity and can convey emptiness, availability, or disuse in various contexts.

Vacate is a verb meaning to leave a place, especially to end occupancy or residence. It implies a deliberate action of exiting or relinquishing a space, often by a required deadline. The term is commonly used in legal, housing, or formal contexts and can also mean to abandon a position or task.

Vacation is a noun meaning a period of time away from work or regular duties for rest or travel. It typically refers to a planned, extended break, or a specific trip taken during that break. The word emphasizes leisure, relaxation, and time off, often linked to travel or recreational activities.

Vaccination is the act or process of administering a vaccine to stimulate an immune response and provide protection against specific diseases. It is a medical intervention designed to prevent illness by exposing the body to a harmless form of a pathogen or its components. Vaccination programs aim to achieve herd immunity and reduce the spread of infectious diseases.

Vaccine is a noun referring to a substance that stimulates the body's immune response to fight diseases, typically containing an antigen or weakened pathogen. It can be administered to prevent illness or, in some cases, to provide targeted immunological protection. The term is used in medical, public health, and everyday conversations about immunization and vaccines.

Vacherin is a noun referring to a soft, creamy cheese of Swiss or French origin, made in various regional styles. It can also denote a dessert cheese produced in some regions. The term is used in culinary contexts and often appears in French-speaking recipes and cheese menus.

Vacheron Constantin is a high-end Swiss luxury watchmaker name, used as a proper noun for the brand. It denotes prestige and craftsmanship, with roots in 18th-century horology. The pronunciation should reflect its French origin and distinctive brand stress, often uttered in luxury contexts and media coverage.

Vacillate means to waver between different opinions or actions, often due to indecision or fluctuating emotions. It describes hesitating between choices and alternating between possibilities, sometimes shifting back and forth. The term is commonly used in formal or academic contexts to characterize a lack of firm course of action.

Vacillating is an adjective describing wavering between opinions, choices, or actions, often indecisive or uncertain. It conveys a repeated, reluctant shift in direction rather than a firm stance. The term implies variability over time, suggesting hesitancy or inconsistency in judgment or behavior.

Vaclav Havel was a Czech playwright, dissident, and statesman who led the Velvet Revolution and served as president of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic. His name is typically pronounced with a Czech-leaning affricate in the surname and a stressed given name, often anglicized in English contexts. Accurate pronunciation respects Czech phonology and diacritics while allowing for common English adaptations in international media.

Vacuole is a membrane-bound organelle found in most plant and fungal cells, as well as in some protists, bacteria, and algae. It serves primarily in storage and regulation of metabolites, waste products, and turgor pressure. In animal cells, vacuoles are generally small and transient, while in plant cells they may occupy a large central space.

Vacuous is an adjective meaning empty of content or devoid of meaningful thought or intelligence. It describes something that is lacking substance, relevance, or seriousness, often used to characterize expressions, remarks, or actions that are silly or thoughtless. In context, it signals a hollow or vacated quality, whether literal or figurative, conveying a sense of superficial emptiness.

Vacuum (noun) refers to a space devoid of matter, or a device that creates such a space by removing air. In everyday use, it also denotes a clean-suction appliance. The term combines notions of emptiness and suction, and appears across scientific, mechanical, and household contexts. Proper pronunciation is essential for clear communication in technical and domestic settings.

A household appliance used to remove dust and debris by drawing air through a filter and suction nozzle. Commonly powered by electricity, it combines a suction motor with a bag or bin to collect material, typically with attachments for floors, upholstery, and crevices. The term refers to the device itself and its cleaning function in domestic settings.

Vade Retro Satana is a Latin exorcism phrase historically used in medieval Catholic rites, literally meaning “Depart, Satan.” It is invoked to command Satan to withdraw and is often used in literature and film to evoke demonic possession or ritualistic dramatic tension. As a proper noun in modern contexts, it may appear as a title or quoted line rather than everyday speech.

A vademecum is a concise, portable handbook or reference guide, especially for a particular field or area of study. It serves as a practical, quick-access resource for essential information, rules, and procedures. It’s typically used as a personal, on-the-go reference rather than a comprehensive textbook.

Vadodara is a major city in the Indian state of Gujarat. As a proper noun, it refers to the place formerly known as Baroda and is commonly used in travel, business, and cultural contexts. The pronunciation follows Indian phonotactics with emphasis on the middle syllable, yielding a three-beat rhythm. In casual speech you may hear slight vowel reduction in unstressed syllables, but the spelling clearly signals its syllabic structure.

Vaduz is the capital of Liechtenstein, a small Alpine principality. In everyday reference it’s pronounced as a proper noun, with emphasis on the first syllable and a rounded, back-end vowel that reflects German influence. It functions as a political and geographic proper noun, used in news, travel, and cultural contexts.

Vae Victis is a Latin tag meaning 'woe to the conquered,' historically invoked to warn of reprisals or unequal terms after defeat. As a proper noun, it is used in historical or literary contexts to denote the idea that the weak suffer at the hands of the strong. It is typically cited in discussions of warfare, diplomacy, or ancient Rome, and may appear in titles or quotational phrases.

A vagabond is a person who wanders from place to place without a fixed home or steady employment; often living by travel, labor, or begging. The term carries a slightly romantic or historical connotation, and can imply itinerant lifestyle rather than any criminal behavior. In everyday usage, it can describe someone who travels aimlessly or lives a nomadic, unsettled life.

Vagabonds is a plural noun referring to people who wander from place to place without a settled home, often living by traveling or roaming. The term can carry a slightly pejorative or romantic edge, depending on context, and is used in literary and academic discussions as well as journalism. It implies itinerant lifestyle and a sense of restlessness rather than mere homelessness.

Vagal is an adjective relating to the vagus nerve, or that part of physiology connected to the vagus system. In medical contexts it describes tissues, reflexes, or actions mediated by the vagus nerve. The term is often used in neuroscience, anatomy, and physiology to indicate parasympathetic influence or neural pathways involving cranial nerve X.