Skip to content Word origins
All derived from 9,053 borrowed from 5,710 learned borrowing from 1,127 calque of 209 semantic loan from 2 ansate cross Synonym of ankh. ansated Synonym of ansate. anserine Silly, foolish, stupid. ansiform Having the form of a loop antecedence The relationship of preceding something in time or order. antecursor A forerunner; a precursor. antefix The vertical blocks which terminate the covering tiles of the roof of a Roman, Etruscan, or Greek temple. ante litteram Before the term existed; before the term was coined. antelucan Pertaining to or occurring in the hours just before dawn. antemural An outwork of a strong, high wall, with turrets, in front of the gateway (as of an old castle), for defending the entrance. antenniform Having the shape of an antenna antependium The hangings or screen in front of the altar; an altar cloth; the frontal. antepenult The third-to-last syllable of a word. antepenultima The last syllable of a word except two antepenultimate Two before the last, i.e., the one immediately before the penultimate, in a series. antepenultime Synonym of antepenult. anteposition The placing of something in front of something else, especially of words in a sentence. anterior deltoid The largest of the muscles of each of the front shoulder. antevenient Coming before; preceding. antevert To prevent, to avert. antevolate To fly before or in front of. anthropophagus A man-eater; a cannibal. antiae The frontal points. anticipant Expectant. anticor A dangerous inflammatory swelling of a horse's breast, just opposite the heart, caused by the friction of a harness. anticous Facing toward the axis, or central part, of the flower antigraph A manuscript from which a copy (apograph) is made. Antinoan Of or pertaining to Antinous. Antiochena A historical region of West Asia. Capital: Antioch. Antiochene Synonym of Antiochian (of or pertaining to ancient Antioch) Antiochia Synonym of Antioch: various former cities in Southwest Asia. antipathetic Having or showing a strong aversion or repugnance. antiputrescent Counteracting, or preserving from, putrefaction; antiseptic. antiquate To cause to become old or obsolete. antistes The chief minister of the Swiss Reformed Church in a given canton, from the sixteenth to the nineteeth centuries. Antisthenes A transliteration of the Ancient Greek male given name Ἀντισθένης (Antisthénēs), notably borne by Antisthenes of Athens (445–365 B.C.), a Greek philosopher, founder of the school of Cynicism and a pupil of Socrates. antistrophe In Greek choruses and dances, the returning of the chorus, exactly answering to a previous strophe or movement from right to left. antithet An antithetical or contrasted statement; a statement containing antithesis antivenene Synonym of antivenom. antlia The spiral tubular proboscis of butterflies. antoeci The inhabitants at two points on the globe that share a longitude and for which the sum of their degrees of latitude equals zero. antonomasia The substitution of an epithet or title in place of a proper noun. antonomastic Relating to, or characterized by, antonomasia. antrorse Curved or pointed forward or upward. antrustion A vassal or bodyguard of Merovingian kings. anxietude The state or condition of being troubled, worried, or anxious; anxiety. aortico- Of or pertaining to the aorta. Apamena A historical region of Syria. Capital: Apamea. Apamene Synonym of Apamean. aperient Having a gentle laxative effect. apertive Causing the body to open; dissolving blockages or having a purgative or diuretic effect. aphelium Synonym of aphelion. aphidivorous Feeding on aphids. aphorismus A figure of speech that questions whether a word is properly used, as in "How can you call yourself a man?". Aphrodisium Any of various ancient cities associated with Aphrodite. api- Forming terms related to bees or honeybees. apian Relating to bees. apiarian Pertaining to bees or beekeeping. Apician Of or pertaining to Marcus Gavius Apicius, a notorious Roman epicure. apicitis Inflammation of the apex of an anatomical part. apicular Situated at, or near, the apex; apical. apiculate Having a short, sharply pointed tip. apiculum A short, slender, flexible point apiculus The part of a spore which attaches to the sterigmata at the end of a basidium. apioglucoside A glucoside of apiose apiose A branched-chain sugar, 3-C-(hydroxymethyl)-D-glycerotetrose, that occurs in parsley and many other plants aplustre An ornamental appendage of wood at the stern of a Roman ship, usually spreading like a fan and curved like a bird's feather. apocatastasis An apocalypse leading to the remaking of the world rather than a Final Judgment, (Christianity) an Origenist doctrine condemned by the 543 C.E. Synod of Constantinople. apocopate Shortened by apocope; lacking a final sound or syllable apocrisiarius A high diplomatic representative, approximately equivalent to a papal nuncio. apodictic Incontrovertible; demonstrably true or certain. apogeal Connected with the apogee; apogeic. Apolline Of or relating to the god Apollo. apolune The point of an elliptical lunar orbit where the distance between the satellite and the Moon is at its maximum. aposiopesis An abrupt breaking-off in speech, often indicated in print using an ellipsis (…) or an em dash (—). apostatic Apostate. apostemation The formation of an aposteme; the process of suppuration. apostrophus The omission of a vowel or syllable from a word, usually indicated by the apostrophe symbol ( ' ). examples: 'til, can't a potiori from the stronger or more important; according to the majority apozem A decoction or infusion. apparation A preparation. apparitor An officer who attended magistrates and judges to execute their orders. appellatory Containing or pertaining to a legal appeal. appendical Of, relating to, or of the nature of an appendix or appendices (chiefly of books). appendices epiploicae The epiploic appendices. appendicle A small appendage. appendiculate Having the nature of an appendage, such as the leg or antenna of an insect. apperil peril appetent Eagerly desirous; greedy. appetible Desirable; capable or worthy of being the object of desire. appetition A desire, longing for, or seeking after of something. applausive Conveying applause. Apple Isle Avalon. applicate An applied material; an application appose To interrogate; to question. appositio Addition of an element not syntactically required for purpose of description or explanation. apprecation Earnest prayer; devout wish. appress To press close to. approbate Approved. approbator A person who gives formal approval.