Word origins

• devowTo give up; to devote.
• dextrochereA right arm, typically holding a sword.
• DezalyA surname from French.
• diableriewitchcraft, sorcery
• diablerysorcery
• diabolizeto represent as diabolical
• DiakiteA surname from Fula.
• dialecticianSomeone skilled in dialectics: someone able to arrive at logical conclusions through reasoned argument.
• diamantaireAn expert in the cutting of diamonds into gems.
• diamantiferousYielding diamonds.
• DiamniadioA town in Rufisque department, Dakar, Senegal.
• diaphanieThe art of imitating stained glass with translucent paper.
• diathermaneityThe condition of being diathermanous.
• Dien BienA province of Northern Vietnam, North Vietnam, Vietnam.
• Dien Bien PhuA city in Dien Bien Phu prefecture, Dien Bien, Northern Vietnam, North Vietnam, Vietnam.
• DieujusteA surname from French.
• différanceThe endless deferral of any ultimate meaning in a word or sentence, owing to the necessity of recourse to a potentially infinite series of other, equally uncertain words or signs.
• DifferdangeA municipality with city status of Esch-sur-Alzette canton, in southwestern Luxembourg.
• diffixA discontinuous affix, which occurs at more than one position in a word.
• digestifAn alcoholic beverage consumed after eating, so called because it is presumed to aid digestion.
• digitigradeOf an animal: walking on the toes, putting the weight of the body mainly on the ball of the foot, with the back of the foot, or heel, raised.
• dinanderiebrassware
• diploteneThe fourth stage of prophase of meiosis, during which homologous chromosome pairs begin to separate and chiasmata become visible
• directeur sportifThe manager of a cycle racing team.
• director generalThe highest executive officer within a governmental, statutory, NGO, third sector or not-for-profit institution. In reference to government, the executive officer below the minister of the department.
• dirigismeA policy of strong state control over the economy and related social matters.
• dirigisteControlled or guided by a central authority, as in an economy.
• disboscationDeforestation for the purpose of creating cleared arable land for farming.
• disculpTo disculpate.
• diseurA male storyteller or reciter of monologues.
• diseuseA female artiste who is a skilled and professional reciter of monologues.
• disgraciousLacking grace; ungraceful
• dishabilleExtreme casual or disorderly dress, for example, with the shirttail out, sleeves unbuttoned, etc.
• disobeisancedisobedience
• disorganiseTo make less organised; to reduce to chaos.
• disorganizeTo make less organized; to reduce to chaos.
• disparitionThe act of disappearing; disappearance.
• disquaireA disc jockey, especially one in a French-speaking country.
• dissertatorSomeone who writes or performs a dissertation or speech.
• distingueFashionably distinguished or elegant; having an air of superiority.
• distraitabsent-minded, troubled, distracted
• disyllabicComprising two syllables.
• divertiseto entertain, to cheer up.
• divertisementfun; amusement; recreation
• divorcéA divorced man.
• divorcéeA divorced woman.
• dizaindecastich
• DizangueA village in Sanaga-Maritime department, Cameroon.
• djellabaA loose-fitting, ankle-length hooded robe worn by men in North Africa.
• doloireA medieval war and utility axe with a long wooden haft of 1.5 metres in length set with a blade shaped as a tear drop.
• domanialOf or pertaining to a domain.
• DominguoisSynonym of Dominguan.
• dominotierwallpaper maker
• domptTo bring (something) under control; to overcome, to subdue.
• DomrémyThe former name of the commune Domrémy-la-Pucelle in northeastern France. The commune is known for being the birthplace of Joan of Arc.
• DoncheryA commune of Ardenne Métropole, Sedan-1 canton, Sedan, Ardennes department, Grand Est, France.
• donnéeA given; in a literary work, that which is assumed as to characters, situation, etc., as a basis for the plot or story.
• DonzeA surname from French.
• DorceA surname from French.
• DorcelyA surname from French.
• dormitiveCausing sleep.
• doryphoreA petty pedant, a person who complains about minor mistakes.
• dos a dosA move in square dancing in which two dancers face each other, then step forward and left until they have right shoulders adjacent, then move to a position where they are back to back, then move to have left shoulders adjacent, then return to facing each other.
• DoshierA surname from French.
• dossardA bib attached to the back of a cyclist's shirt that carries the cyclist's race number.
• dosseretA cubical block of stone above the capitals in a Byzantine church.
• dossièreThe backplate of a cuirass; an item of plate armor covering the back.
• douaneA custom house.
• douanierA French customs officer.
• doubléA compound attack that deceives the opponent's attempted circular parry.
• double entendreA phrase that has two meanings, especially where one is innocent and literal, the other risqué, bawdy, or ironic; an innuendo.
• doubletteA kind of organ stop.
• doublureAn elaborately decorated leather flyleaf in a book.
• doucineA cyma or ogee.
• DoumbouyaA surname.
• douzaineA parish council, consisting of a dean and twelve douzeniers.
• dragéeA sweet or confection with a hard outer shell, originally used to administer drugs, medicine, etc.
• drageoirA box for sweets.
• dragonnadeA policy by Louis XIV to intimidate Huguenots to reconvert to Roman Catholicism.
• dragonneA sword knot.
• dragonnéLike a dragon in the hinder part, and a lion or other creature in the fore part.
• draisiennedandy-horse, hobby horse
• dramaturgeSomeone who writes or adapts theater plays; a playwright or dramatist, especially one connected with a specific theater or company.
• drap de BerryA kind of woollen cloth imported from Berry in France.
• DreyfusardA supporter of Alfred Dreyfus (1859–1935) in the Dreyfus affair (1894–1906).
• droguetA ribbed woollen dress fabric, a variety of rep.
• droit de seigneurThe supposed right of the feudal lord to deflower the maiden bride of one of his subjects.
• droit of admiraltyAny of certain customary rights or perquisites relating to enemy ships and property found at sea, including flotsam, jetsam, lagan, deodand, etc.
• DrômeA department of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France. Capital: Valence (INSEE code 26).
• dromologyThe science or logic of speed.
• dronteThe dodo (†Raphus cucullatus).
• druggetAn inexpensive coarse woolen cloth, used mainly for clothing.
• DuchaineA surname from French.
• DuchesneauA surname from French.
• DucoinA surname from French.
• ducoingA surname from French.
• DucreA surname from French.
• DucuingA surname from French.
• DufaurA surname from French.
• DufortA surname from French.