C-Word Definitions
| cabbala. | Exotic medieval rabbinical theosophy |
| caber. | Heavy wooden heaving pole (Sc.) |
| cabezon. | Large edible NW fish |
| cablet. | cable-laid rope less than 3" across |
| cabochon. | Highly polished, uncut gem |
| cabotage. | coastal navigation (Gr.: caboter, (to coast) |
| cabretta. | Soft sheepskin |
| cabrilla. | Sea bass |
| cabriole. | Queen Anne table leg |
| cachalot. | sperm whale |
| cachepot. | ornamental flowerpot container |
| cachou. | pastille to brush teeth |
| cachinnate. | laugh |
| cacodyl. | The arsenic group |
| cacoethes. | compulsion, pernicious habit |
| cacography. | Bad handwriting (the antithesis of calligraphy) or orthography |
| cacomistle. | A small carnivorous N. A. mammal. |
| cacuminal. | Articulated with tongue turned up and back |
| cadaverine. | A deadly ptomaine |
| caddis. | Coarse woolen cloth (See "baize"). |
| cade. | Left by its mother and reared by hand./ Mediterranean medicinal shrub. |
| cadelle. | small black beetle |
| cadge. | beg |
| Cadmus. | Sowed the dragon’s teeth |
| caducity. | senility, perishable |
| caducous. | Dropping off or shedding |
| caecilian. | Tropical burrowing, worm-like amphibians |
| caerphilly. | A white Welsh cheese |
| caftan. | tunic |
| cesura. | A pause in a poem or a song |
| cahier. | Loose-leafed notebook; report |
| cainotophobia. | Fear of newness |
| caique. | long, narrow Middle-Eastern rowboat |
| caird. | Itinerant tinkerer or handyman |
| caitiff. | Despicable and cowardly |
| Calabar bean. | source of physiostigmine |
| calabash. | Vine or tree, Gourd. Dish made from gourd |
| caladium. | Like croton. |
| calamanco. | A glossy woolen fabric with a checked pattern on one side. |
| calamander. | Hard Asiatic wood. |
| calamari. | Squid |
| calamite. | Extinct ancestor of horsetails |
| calamondin. | A Phillippine orange. |
| calamus. | The sweet flag/rattan palm |
| calando. | Gradually diminishing in tempo and volume. |
| calash. | Carriage with low wheels and collapsible top. |
| calathus. | Vase-shaped ancient Gr. Basket |
| calcanocubold .ligament | Connects calcaneous and cuboid bones |
| calcar. | A bone spur |
| calcarine sulcus. | Occipital sulcus |
| calceiform. | Slipper-shaped |
| calciferol. | Vitamin D |
| calcifuge. | Doesn’t grow well in lime. |
| calcicole. | Does grow well in lime. |
| calcspar. | calcite |
| calc tuff. | spongy deposits at hot springs |
| calends. | Day of new moon and first day of month (Roman) |
| calendula. | Marigold family |
| calenture. | A mild tropical fever |
| caliche. | Sodium nitrate/Hard desert soil layer |
| caliginous. | Dark, shadowy |
| calipash. | Edible, beneath turtle’s upper shell |
| calipee. | Lower shell |
| calisaya. | Cinchona bark |
| calix. | Cup |
| calk. | Pointed extension to prevent slipping. |
| Calliope. | Muse of epic poetry |
| callipygian. | shapely fundament |
| caliopsis. | coriopsis |
| callose. | complex branched plant carbohydrate |
| callosity. | calloused |
| calotte. | Catholic skullcap |
| caloyer. | Eastern monk |
| calpac. | Turkish sheepskin hat |
| calque. | Semantic borrowing. Word given special meaning by analogy with word in another language. |
| calumet. | Indian pipe |
| calvados. | French apple brandy |
| calvarium. | Upper skull |
| calx. | Left after calcination |
| calycle. | An epicalyx |
| calyculus. | A small cup-shaped structure. |
| Calypso. | Delayed Ulysses for seven years |
| calyptra. | Spore cover in mosses |
| calyx. | Green flower cover (sepals) |
| camber. | Slightly arched surface |
| camas. | White flowers |
| camarilla. | Secret advisors to the Spanish kings. |
| Cambium. | gives rise to phloem and xylem |
| cambist. | Currency exchange manuals/dealers |
| cambric tea. | sweet tea for children |
| Camelopardalis. | Constellation near the Big Dipper |
| cameral. | Judge’s chamber/council |
| camerlingo. | The cardinal who manages the Pope’s affairs |
| camion. | Low sturdy wagon, truck |
| camisa. | Shirt or chemise |
| camisado. | Night attack (wore camisas) |
| camise. | House shirt or tunic |
| camlet. | Rich cloth of camel’s hair and silk |
| Camlan. | Legendary battlefield where King Arthur was mortally wounded. |
| Camorra. | Neopolitan secret society. |
| campanile. | Bell tower |
| campanula. | Bellflowers |
| campanulate. | Bell-shaped |
| campestral. | Pertaining to growing in open fields |
| campestrian. | Great Northern plains |
| campion. | Red, pink, or white flowers |
| campylotropous. | Ovule partly inverted and curved |
| canaliculus. | A small bodily channel, like a tear duct. |
| cancellous. | (To make a lattice) Netlike structure (bone) |
| cancroid. | Like a cancer or crab. |
| candent. | White-hot |
| candleberry. | Wax myrtle |
| candlepin. | Slender bowling pin. |
| canescent. | Turning white or grayish |
| canicular. | Pertaining to Dog Star |
| canna. | Tropical plant, showy red or yellow flowers. |
| cannula. | Tubular bodily-fluid drain |
| canopic. | Egyptian |
| canorous. | Melodious |
| cant. | Argot; also, whining, affected or sententious speech; tilted |
| Cantabrigian. | Cambridge |
| cantabile. | Smooth flowing style |
| cantillate. | To sing or recite in a musical monotone. |
| cantle. | Rear part of saddle; A cut-off corner. |
| canto. | principal division of a long poem |
| cantrip. | witch’s spell; trick |
| cantus firmus. | plainsong base for polyphony |
| caoutchouc. | rubber |
| capelin. | Edible fish |
| caper. | A spiny, trailing shrub |
| capias. | warrant authorizing arrest |
| capitate. | enlarged or globular (tentacles), afflorescence of flowers |
| capitellum. | Where the humerus plugs into the acetabulum |
| capitular. | belonging to a chapter |
| capitulary. | chapter member; ecclesiastic ordinance |
| capitulum. | see above |
| capo. | guitar fret |
| caporal. | strong, dark tobacco |
| capote. | long coat |
| capreolate. | having tendrils |
| caprification. | wasps pollinate figs |
| capriole. | standing horse jumps completely off ground |
| Capsian. | Paleolithic culture of Southern Europe |
| capsicum. | gastric stimulant and counterirritant |
| capsid. | proteinaceous viral cover |
| capuche. | cloak hood |
| capybara. | S. A. rodent. can get 3 to 4 feet long. Wow! It’s Mighty Mouse! |
| carabao. | water buffalo |
| carabid. | black carnivorous beetle |
| caracal. | wild cat |
| cara-cara. | large S. A. hawks |
| caracole. | half turn |
| caracul. | loosely curled fur of Karakul lamb |
| carangid. | jacks and pompanos |
| caravel. | small, light 15th century sailing ship |
| carbineer. | guy with carbine |
| carbonado. | black diamond; broiled fish |
| carborane. | boron compound |
| carbuncle. | infection; deep-red garnet |
| carburize. | treat with carbon |
| carcajou. | wolverine |
| carcanet. | jeweled necklace, collar, or headband |
| carcinoma. | epithelioma |
| cardialgia. | heartburn |
| cardinalate. | College of Cardinals |
| cardoon. | like artichoke |
| caribe. | piranha |
| carina. | keel-shaped breastbone (birds) |
| carinate. | keel-shaped |
| carl. | peasant; serf |
| cariole. | two-wheeled cart |
| carline. | (old) woman |
| carling. | short fore and aft timbers that support the deck |
| carminitive. | gets rid of gas |
| carnellite. | potash rock |
| carnassial. | carnivorous teeth |
| carnauba palm. | |
| carnelion. | Red or reddish-brown chalcedony |
| carnet. | international pass; book of postage stamps |
| carnitine. | a betaine in meat |
| carnotite. | yellow uranium ore |
| caroche. | stately carriage |
| Carolean. | Charles II |
| Caroline. | Carlus Magnus |
| Carolingean. | Pepin the Short |
| carotenoid. | carotenes |
| carpal. | pertaining to wrist |
| carpus. | wrist, wrist bones |
| carpe diem. | "Seize the day!" |
| carpel. | part of pistil |
| carpogonium. | produces seed cells in red algae |
| carpology. | concerned with fruits and seeds |
| carpophagous. | fruit eating |
| carrack. | 14th century galleon |
| carrageen. | Irish moss |
| carrefour. | crossroads, plaza (See also "chiasma", "decussate" |
| carrick bend. | knot tying two ropes together |
| carrick bits. | two posts that support the ship’s windlass |
| carrion flower. | smells like decaying flesh |
| Carthusian. | 11th century contemplative order |
| chartulary. | collection of deeds and titles to estate or monastery |
| caruncle. | fowl’s wattles (fleshy protuberance) |
| carvacrol. | liquid phenol |
| caryatid. | column carved into woman’s shape |
| caryopsis. | dry seed (wheat) fused to its husk |
| Casbah. | native quarter; sovereign’s citadel |
| cascara buckthorn. | shrub or tree. Source of cascara sagrada |
| cascarilla. | aromatic shrub (oil) |
| caseation. | necrotic degradation of tissue to cheesy state |
| caseous. | cheesy |
| casern. | military barracks |
| cassia. | like cinnamon |
| casimere. | twilled woolen cloth (See "caddis") |
| cassis. | current bush |
| cassiterite. | tin ore |
| castelan. | chatelain |
| castellany. | castle land |
| castor. | bottle or cruet |
| casuarina. | includes beefwoods |
| casuistry. | application of general principles of ethics |
| catachresis. | a deliberately paradoxical figure of speech; the use of a wrong word in a context |
| catadromous. | opposite of anadromous |
| catalectic. | dropping part of last foot |
| catamenia. | menses |
| catamite. | boy kept by pedarast |
| cataphoresis. | electrophoresis |
| cataphyll. | rudimentary leaf |
| cataplasia. | Degenerative de-differentiation. |
| cataplexy. | poultice |
| catastasis. | drama - intensified action immediately preceding the catastrophe |
| catchfly. | pitcher plant |
| catchpole. | sheriff’s officer arresting debtors |
| cate. | choice or dainty food |
| catachresis. | Q&A instruction |
| catechism. | book |
| catechu. | tanning and dyeing extract (See "gambier") |
| catechumen. | one who is being catechized |
| catena | closely linked series |
| catenulate. | chainlike links |
| cateran. | former robber of Scottish highlands |
| catercousin. | very close friend |
| catholicon. | panacea |
| cathexis. | concentration of emotional energy on something |
| catkin. | dense cluster of small, scale-like flowers (birch) |
| catoptric. | pertaining to mirrors |
| cattleya. | Orchid |
| caudad. | tail-ward |
| caudate nucleus. | motor control in brain’s lateral ventricle |
| caudex. | pulvinate base or woody stem (of ferns) |
| caudle. | wine, sugar, eggs, bread, for the ailing. |
| caul. | covers fetal head at birth |
| caulescent. | stem above ground |
| caulicle. | small stem |
| cauline. | growing on a stem |
| causerie. | short, conversational writing |
| cavalla. | king mackerel |
| cavernicolous. | trogdolyte |
| cavetto. | concave quarter-round |
| cecropia moth. | Red, white, and black wings. |
| cecum. | cavity with only one opening (blind opening of large intestine) |
| cedilla. | mark under French ç |
| ceiba. | kapok tree |
| ceil. | ship’s interior planking |
| celadon. | very pale green or blue |
| celadonite. | very pale green mica |
| celandine. | has yellow-orange juice |
| celeriac. | celery with turnip-like root |
| celesta. | keyboard, bell-like tones |
| celestite. | strontium ore |
| celiac. | relating to abdomen |
| cella. | inner room of Greek or Roman temple |
| cembalo. | harpsichord |
| cemnetium. | covers tooth root |
| cenacle. | small upper-floor dining room |
| cenogenesis. | environmentally-moderated developmental aspects |
| cenospecies. | can interbreed |
| cental. | hundredweight |
| centesimal. | a hundredth |
| centesis. | surgical puncture, usually diagnostically |
| centrism. | philosophy of avoiding extremes |
| centrobaric. | center of gravity. |
| centrum. | major part of vertebra |
| ceorl. | lowest-class freeman in Anglo-Saxon England |
| cephald. | toward the head |
| cephalalgia. | head pain |
| cephalin. | cattle-derived hemostatic agent |
| cephalization. | evolution - gradually increasing concentration of brain in head |
| cephalothorax. | fused head and thorax |
| ceraceous. | waxy |
| cerastes. | horned viper |
| cerate. | hard fat applied to skin |
| ceratodus. | extinct lungfish |
| cercaria. | trematode worm |
| cercopithecoid. | baboons, mandrills, macaques and langurs |
| cerise. | Deep to vivid purplish-red |
| cereus. | cactus ("night-blooming cereus"). |
| cernuous. | drooping ("A cernuous flower") |
| cero. | edible Atlantic fish |
| cerotype. | preparing an electrotyping surface |
| certiorari. | writ from higher court to lower court requesting a transcript |
| ceruse. | white lead |
| cerussite. | lead ore |
| cervine. | deer |
| cespitose. | matted, clumped |
| cessionary. | assignee |
| cestode. | tapeworm |
| cestus. | belt or girdle |
| cestus. | weighted Roman boxing "glove" |
| cesura. | pause |
| cerumen. | Earwax |
| chacma. | baboon |
| chaconne. | slow and stately 18th century dance |
| chaeta. | A bristle or seta of sea-worms |
| chaetognath. | sea-worms |
| chafer. | beetle |
| chaffer. | haggle, bargain with |
| chaffinch. | small reddish-brown European songbird |
| Chagas Disease. | typtansomiasis |
| chaise. | two-wheeled carriage |
| chakra. | One of the 7 centers of spiritual energy |
| chalcid. | wasp (coppery-colored) |
| chalcosis. | copper poisoning |
| chalicothere. | extinct three-toed ungulates |
| challah. | braided Jewish bread |
| challis. | light fabric of wool, cotton, or synthetics |
| chalone. | inhibitory hormone |
| chalybeate. | iron-bearing |
| cham. | Tarter or Mongol khan (See "atman") |
| chamaephyte. | winter plant ("pansy"). |
| chambray. | gingham with white threads across a colored warp |
| chamfer. | bevel; furrow or groove |
| chamfron | armor for front of horse’s head |
| chamiso. | white flowers, dense thickets, California |
| champaign. | level and open country |
| champak. | tree. camphor-like substance and oil |
| champerty. | illegal sharing of lawsuit proceeds by an outside party who promoted the lawsuit |
| champignon. | edible mushroom (like a chanterelle) |
| chancel. | Space around the base of an altar. |
| chancery. | Court dealing with property |
| chancre. | Syphilitic lesion. |
| chancroid. | cancerous |
| Chandler Wobble. | 14-month wobble in Earth’s axis |
| channel . | sail spreader that sticks out on the sides |
| chanson de geste. | cycles of epic poem |
| chanterelle. | champignon |
| chantry. | endowment to cover cost of prayers and masses |
| chararejos. | chaps |
| chapiter. | capital of a column |
| chaplet. | head circlet; mini-string of rosary beads |
| chapman. | peddler |
| char. | chore or odd job; charwoman |
| charabanc. | large sightseeing bus |
| characid. | aquarium fish |
| Charcot’s disease. | Multiple sclerosis |
| charge d’affairs. | temporary |
| charivari. | Chivaree – for newlyweds |
| charkha. | spinning wheel ("An antique charka.") |
| charlock. | weedy plant |
| charlotte. | sponge cake filled with fruits, whipped cream, or custard. |
| charlotte russe | . Bavarian cream with lady fingers |
| charmonium. | charm quark and anti-quark |
| charqui. | jerky |
| Chartism. | 1838-48 social reformers |
| chasse. | dance movement |
| chassepot. | breech-loading 1866 rifle |
| chausse. | shin guard |
| chateubriand. | Steak |
| chausseur. | A uniformed footman. Light infantry |
| Chassid | 1750 Jewish mystics |
| chasuble. | Sleeveless vestment |
| chatelain. | castellan |
| chatelaine. | castellaine |
| chatoyent. | cats-eye |
| chaudfroid. | aspic |
| chausses. | armor for legs and feet |
| chayote. | squash-like vine |
| chazan. | cantor ("He sang like a chazan.") |
| checkerbloom. | California |
| cheeseparing. | amsace |
| chef d’ouvre. | masterpiece |
| chelosis. | cracking of lip (lack of riboflavin) |
| chiroplasty. | plastic surgery of hand |
| chela. | pincer-like crustacean claw |
| chelicera. | spider hands |
| cheliform. | pincer-like |
| Chellean. | Abbevillian |
| chelonian. | turtles and tortoises |
| chelated. | Clawed. |
| chemin de fer. | baccarat takeoff |
| chemisette. | short, sleeveless bodice, dickey ("chemise-ette") |
| chemoautotroph. | tube worms |
| chemotaxis. | orientation of an animalcule relative to a chemical substance |
| cherimoya. | tropical fruit tree |
| chersonese. | a peninsula |
| chervil. | soup-herb plant |
| cheval de frise. | horse barriers |
| chevalet. | bridge of a stringed instrument |
| cheval glass. | framed, mounted mirror |
| chevalure. | A head of hair. |
| Cheviot. | sheep |
| chevrotain. | African-Asian goats |
| chewink. | towhee |
| chiasma. | crossing of nerves or ligaments ("decussate", "carrefour") |
| chiasmus. | "He went to the store but home she went." |
| chiastolite. | form of andalusite |
| chiaus. | official Turkish messenger |
| Chibouk. | Turkish water pipe |
| chicolote. | prickly poppy |
| chico. | greasewood |
| chignon. | roll of hair at nape of neck |
| chigoe. | tropical flea (chiggers?) |
| chiliad. | contains a thousand |
| chiliasm. | Christ will reign for 1,000 years |
| chilopods. | millipedes |
| chimera. | genetic chimera |
| chinch. | bedbug |
| chinch bug. | very destructive to grains |
| chincherinchee. | African flower |
| chine | backbone, spine |
| chinoiserie. | Chinese influence |
| chinquapin. | evergreen tree |
| chippy. | chipping sparrow |
| chirography. | penmanship |
| chiromancy. | palmistry |
| chiropterean. | bats |
| chirurgeon. | surgeon |
| chiton. | Greek tunic |
| chittamwood. | smoke tree |
| chitterlings. | pigs’ intestines |
| chivy. | chase or harass; a hunting cry |
| chlamys. | Greek cloak |
| chlorenchyma. | plant stem tissue containing chlorophyll |
| chlorosis. | pale from lack of sunlight |
| chokebore. | narrows toward muzzle |
| chokedamp. | blackdamp |
| cholangiography. | bile duct x-rays |
| cholecyst. | gall bladder |
| cholera morbus. | bad stomach upset |
| cholinergic. | Is or acts like acetylcholine. |
| cholla, | cactus |
| condroitin. | in cartilage |
| condroma. | cartilaginous growth |
| chondromalacia. | abnormal softening of cartilage |
| chop. | swerve (ship) |
| chop. | official stamp in Far East ("Fix you up chop-chop!") |
| choragus. | leader of a Greek chorus |
| chorana. | funnel-shaped opening into internal nares |
| choriamb. | trochee followed by iamb (iambic) |
| choric. | pertaining to a chorus |
| chorioallantois. | highly vascularized fetal membrane |
| chorion. | fetal outer membrane |
| chorizo. | spicy pork sausage |
| choroid. | dark brown vascular coat of the eye |
| chott. | depression surrounding/dried salt marsh (See also "schott", "salina"). |
| chough. | crow-like bird |
| chow-chow. | chopped vegetables in mustard |
| chresard. | water table |
| chrestomathy. | selection of literary passages used in studying literature |
| chrisom. | baptismal robe |
| chromatid. | daughter chromosomal strands still joined by a centromere |
| chromatopore. | chameleon cell |
| chromodynamics. | strong interaction, color, and exchange of gluons |
| chromophore. | light absorber |
| chronaxy. | nerve/muscle relaxation time constant "chron-axion". |
| chrysalis. | pupa (3rd stage) |
| chrysarobin. | araroba.. treats chronic skin disease |
| chryselephantine. | gold and ivory |
| chrysoberal. | green to yellow gem |
| chhrysolite. | olivene |
| chrysoprace. | apple-green chalcedony gemstone |
| chrysotherapy. | treatment with gold compounds |
| chrysolite. | fibrous serpentine (asbestos) |
| chuck-a-luck. | combinations of three throws of dice |
| chuckwalla. | lizard (cousin to iguana) |
| chuck-wills’ widow. | like whippoorwill |
| chufa. | sedge ("Riders of the Purple Chufa"). |
| chuff. | rude, insensitive person |
| chukar. | Old World partridge |
| chyle. | emulsified fat |
| chyme. | goes from stomach to small intestine |
| chymotrypsin. | rennin |
| ciborium. | vaulted canopy over alter; covered receptacle for Eucharist wafers |
| cicerone. | guide |
| cilantro. | fresh coriander leaves |
| cillary body. | thickened part of vascular tunic of eye connecting choroid with iris |
| cilice. | hair-cloth (from Sicilian goat) |
| cimex. | bedbugs |
| Cimmeria. | land of perpetual darkness |
| cinchonism. | from overdose of cinchona |
| cineraria. | house plant |
| cinerous. | consisting of ashes |
| cinema verite. | realistic films |
| cingulum. | girdle-like band or marking |
| cinquain. | 5-line stanza |
| cinquecento. | 16th century |
| circinate. | ring-shaped; rolled up from the tip like a fern |
| circumduction. | swinging your arm in a circle |
| circumflex. | 1. A punctuation mark indicating the quality of pronunciation. ô. 2. To curve around. |
| circumnutate. | spiral motion |
| circumscissile. | splitting along a transverse circular line |
| circumvallate. | circular defensive barrier |
| cirque. | Hollow with a small lake |
| cisterna. | fluid-containing sac in an organism |
| cistron. | genetic sub-unit that is complementary to another sub-unit so that they act in concert |
| cirriped. | barnacles |
| Cistercian. | contemplative Benedictine order from 1100 |
| cisco. | whitefish |
| cithara. | like a lyre |
| citrine. | pale yellow quartz (citrus). |
| cittern. | pear-shaped |
| 16th century guitar | |
| clabber. | curdle |
| Cladonism. | lower Paleolithic |
| cladoceran. | water fleas |
| cladophyll. | twig that functions as leaf (See "phyllome") |
| cladode. | cladophyll (See "phyllode") |
| clamant. | clamorous |
| clapperclaw. | berate, revile |
| clarence. | 4-wheeled closed carriage |
| Claretian. | Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary |
| clary. | herb |
| clasmatocyte. | histiocyte |
| classis. | pastors and elders having jurisdiction over local churches |
| clathrate. | lattice-like (See "cancellous") |
| claudication. | A limp caused by impairment of circulation. |
| clavate. | claviform (club-shaped) |
| claver. | gossip, talk idly (to haver and claver). |
| clavicorn. | beetle |
| claviform. | Club-shaped |
| claymore mine. | focussed blast (Monroe effect?) |
| claytonia. | spring beauty |
| clearweed. | translucent stems and leaves |
| clearwing. | moth |
| cleavers. | prickly plants |
| cleek. | golf #1 iron |
| clew. | Lower corners of fore and aft sail. To clew (with clew lines) |
| cleistothecium. | closed, spherical ascocarp |
| cleome. | flower |
| clerestory. | Church balcony. Upper part of nave, transepts, and choir loft. |
| clerihew. | humorous quatrain |
| clerisy. | literati |
| climbing fumitory. | vine |
| clinandrium. | part of orchid |
| cline. | series of differing characteristics resulting from gradual changes in the environment |
| clingfish. | adheres to rocks |
| clinkstone. | phonolite volcanic rock |
| clinquant. | tinseled. adorned with gold and silver (like chryselephantine) |
| clintonia. | blue berries |
| Clia. | Muse of history |
| cliometrics. | mathematical history |
| clitellum. | swollen area found in earthworms |
| cloche. | bell glass covering cake dish |
| cloisonne. | enamel separated by metal strips |
| clomophone. | ovulation-stimulating drug |
| close hauled. | sails trimmed flat for sailing into the wind |
| Clotho. | spinner of the thread of destiny |
| cloze. | reading test—missing words |
| clupeid. | herring and menhaden |
| clypeate. | scutate |
| clypeus. | shield on head |
| clyster. | enema |
| cnidoblast. | modified interstitial cell in coelenterates that produces a nematocyst |
| coacervate. | cluster of droplets separating out of a lyophilic colloid |
| coacervate. | densely clustered, heaped up |
| coadunate. | grown together |
| coaming. | raised ridge around opening in ship’s deck (to keep water out) |
| coarctate. | constricted separation between thorax and abdomen |
| coati-mundi. | like a raccoon but longer tail and snout |
| cobia. | big game fish |
| cobie. | flat-bottomed boat with a lugsail on a raking mast (Cobies sailing out in the bay.") |
| coccid. | scale insects and mealy bugs |
| coccygeal. | pertaining to the coccyx |
| Cochin china. | feathered-leg chicken |
| cockade. | ribbon badge on hat |
| cock. | haycock |
| cockahoop. | boastful. excited askew |
| Cockaigne. | Beulah |
| cockaleekle. | cream soup w. leeks and chicken (cock, leek) |
| cockalorum. | little man with unduly high opinion of himself; braggadocio |
| cockatrice. | like basilisk: mythical serpent kills with glance |
| cockboat. | ship-board tender |
| cockchafer. | beetle |
| cocker. | cosset |
| cockle. | heart-shaped, mollusks |
| cockle. | wrinkle or pucker |
| cockleshell. | as above, or small, light boat |
| cock-of-the-rock. | S.A. birds |
| coco. | coconut |
| cocobolo. | dark wood used in cabinetry |
| cocotte. | prostitute (See "demi-monde") |
| Cocytes. | One of 6 river in Hades |
| cod. | codpiece |
| codex. | manuscript, especially of Scripture |
| codling moth. | destructive to fruits |
| codswallop. | nonsense |
| coelocanth. | found in 1938 |
| coelenterate. | sea anemones, hydra, jellyfish, and coral |
| coelenteron. | coelenterate’s saclike body cavity |
| coelom. | body cavity in animals above coelenterates |
| coenocyte. | multi-nucleate unicellular organism in slime molds, fungi and algae |
| coenarus. | larval tapeworm |
| coetaneous. | coeval |
| coffle. | a file of animals, slaves chained together in transit |
| cog. | cheat, swindle |
| cog. | projecting tenon |
| cognitive dissonance | conflict between one’s beliefs and one’s actions (e.g., eating meat) |
| cognovit. | written confession to avoid trial |
| cogon. | grass |
| Cogswell chair. | easy chair |
| cohosh. | baneberry |
| cohune. | palm |
| coir. | coconut fiber used for rope and cordage |
| colcannon. | (Irish) mashed potatoes and cabbage |
| colchicum. | autumn crocus source of colchicine |
| colcothar. | iron rouge |
| cold duck. | sparkling burgundy and champagne. |
| cole. | cabbage or rape |
| colmanite. | borax |
| coleoptera. | beetles and weevils |
| coleoptile. | first leaf in grasses and moncotyledons, protecting plumule |
| coleorhiza. | protective sheath around embryonic grass roots |
| coleus. | showy leaves |
| colewort. | cole |
| colicin. | protein lethal to other colonobacilli |
| colicroot. | relieves colic |
| coliform. | resembles colonic bacilli |
| collegium. | executive council |
| collembolan. | springtail |
| collenchyma. | supportive tissue of plants |
| collenchyme. | gelatinous layer in ctenophores and coelenterates |
| collotype. | printing process |
| colluvium. | talus |
| collyrium. | eyewash |
| collywobbles. | bellyache |
| coloboma. | fissure of eye or eyelid |
| colophon. | trademark on title page of book; inscription at end of book giving publication data |
| colostrum. | first milk ("agalactia") |
| –colous. | specified habitat |
| colporteur. | devotional literature peddler |
| coposcopy. | vaginal exam |
| colter. | wheel(s) on plow |
| colubrid. | garter, king snakes |
| columbarium. | ash vault or niche; dovecote pigeonhole |
| columbite. | niobium and tantalum ore |
| columniation. | use, arrangement of columns |
| colsa. | rape (cabbage). |
| comatulid. | crinoidea |
| comfrey. | pretty flowers |
| comma bacillus. | cholera bacillus |
| commedia dell’arte. | improvised comedy |
| commensal. | eating at the same table |
| commensalism. | two organisms, mutually beneficial (like crocodile birds) |
| comminute. | levigate, triturate |
| commissure. | Time or place at which two structures are joined. (Neurological) |
| compellation. | clepe, yclept; appellation |
| compleat. | proficient |
| complect. | weave together |
| complice. | bo |
| complin. | last of the 7 canonical hours: final hour |
| compo. | combined substances |
| compote. | stewed fruit; dish |
| comprador. | facient, dragoman in Orient |
| comstockery. | overzealous censorship |
| Comtism. | positivism |
| Comus. | deity of revelry |
| con amore. | (mus.) lovingly, tenderly |
| con brio. | With vigor |
| conatus. | natural impulse, tendency, or directed effort |
| concelebration. | celebration of Eucharist by two or more ministers |
| concerto grosso. | small group of soloists backed by full orchestra |
| concha. | external ear orchestra shell |
| conchiolin. | basis of mollusk shells |
| conchology. | guess what? |
| conchoidal. | Rocks, like flint or obsidian, that have shell-like surfaces when fractured. |
| concinnity. | harmony |
| concision. | conciseness |
| concrescence. | growing together |
| concretism. | reification |
| concupiscence. | Lust. |
| condyle. | bone knuckle |
| condyloma. | wart-like growth in private parts |
| confabulate. | chat; replace fact with fantasy |
| conferva. | threadlike algae |
| Confiteor | confession (peccavi) |
| confiture. | confection |
| conge. | permission to depart; abrupt dismissal; concave molding |
| congee. | same thing |
| congener. | same kind/genus |
| conger. | eel (elver). |
| congeries. | aggregation |
| congius. | Roman. 0.84 gallons |
| conglobate. | globe-shaped |
| congou. | black Chinese tea |
| conidiophore. | in fungi |
| conidium. | asexual female spore |
| coniosis. | from dust inhalation |
| conization. | diagnostic excision of a cone of flesh |
| conjuncture. | juncture |
| conk. | de-kinked hair (lissotrichous?) |
| connate. | inborn |
| connatural. | innate |
| conquian. | game resembling rummy |
| consecution. | sequence; deduction, inference |
| consensual. | reflex on opposite side of body from stimulus |
| constentaneous. | accordant; unanimous |
| consistory. | solemn papal gathering; governing ecclesiastical body; council or tribunal |
| consols. | perpetual British securities |
| consolute. | completely miscible |
| consomme. | clear broth |
| conspectus. | general survey; synopsis (pandect) |
| con spirito. | with spirit |
| constantan. | Ni and Cu, constant resistance |
| constringe. | constrict |
| consubstantial. | same substance |
| consuetude. | custom il comme faut |
| conte. | adventure story |
| contingency table. | statistics: observed frequencies |
| continuo | keyboard accompaniment for solo instruments: #’s indicate chords, chords player-chosen |
| contrabass. | double bass |
| contrabassoon. | an octave below the bassoon |
| contravene. | to act counter to |
| conurbation. | Urban sprawl |
| conus arterious. | pulmonary artery entry |
| conventicle. | secret recusant meeting |
| conventual. | relating to a convent |
| conversazione. | meeting, especially for art |
| convolulus. | winding plants, bindweeds |
| Cooley’s anemia. | inherited anemia |
| cooncan. | see conquian |
| copalba. | varnish and tracing-paper resin, expectorant, diuretic, and stimulant |
| copal. | resin used in varnish |
| coparcenary. | joint ownership of inherited property |
| cope . | cloak or mantle worn over alb or surplice |
| copenhagen. | grayish/purplish blue |
| copra. | dried coconut meat from which coconut oil is extracted |
| copro-antibody. | in lumen of intestine |
| coprology. | pornography, scatology |
| Copt. | Egyptian descended from ancient stock |
| Coptic. | liturgical language of Coptic church |
| copula. | a verb identifying predicate with subject |
| copulative. | serving to connect coordinate words and clauses |
| coq au vin. | chicken cooked in red wine |
| coquette. | flirt |
| coquila nut. | shell used for carving or turning |
| coquille. | escalloped dish for browning and serving seafood |
| coquina. | fossiliferous limestone used for building |
| coquito. | Chilean palm with sweet syrup |
| araciiform. | kingfisher |
| coracle. | waterproof material stretched over frame |
| coracoid. | bone stretching from scapulum toward stenum |
| coralline. | coral-like |
| corban. | Hebrew offering |
| corbel. | Projecting support for an arch, as in stepped bricks |
| corbina. | game fish |
| cordate. | cockle-shaped |
| corderite. | dichroic violet-blue to gray silicate |
| cordon bleu. | master chef |
| cordon sanitaire. | buffer states |
| corf. | truck or basket used in mine |
| corgi. | Welsh corgi |
| corium. | layer of skin below epithelium |
| corkage. | charge exacted when you BYOB |
| cork cambrium. | phenogen |
| corn cockle. | red flowers |
| corn crake. | bird |
| corn dodger. | corn cake |
| cornitis. | corneal inflammation |
| cornel. | dogwoods |
| cornet-a-pistons. | cornet |
| corniculate. | horned |
| corn snow. | rough, refrozen snow |
| cornu. | horn-shaped bony protuberance |
| cornute. | horn-shaped |
| corolla. | outer envelope of a flower |
| coronal. | garland or circlet; coronal suture |
| coronal suture. | union of the two parietal bones with the frontal bone |
| coronoid. | crow-shaped |
| corporal. | white linen cloth on which ecclesiastical elements are placed during Eucharist |
| composant. | St. Elmo’s fire |
| corpulmonale. | caused by pulmonary artery obstruction |
| corpus abdicans. | white fibrous tissue in ovary after regression of corpus luteum |
| corpus callosum. | connects two hemispheres at base of lateral fissure |
| corpus juris. | collection of all laws of a nation |
| corpus luteum. | formed in Graafian follicle after release of ovum |
| corrade. | erode by abrasion |
| corrie. | round hollow in a hillside, cirque |
| corrigendum. | printer’s error; errata (See "stel"). |
| corrival. | rival or opponent |
| corse. | corpse |
| corselet. | body armor, breastplate |
| corsetiere. | corset maker |
| corticoid. | adrenal steroids |
| corticolous. | living or growing on tree bark |
| corticotropin. | ACTH |
| Corybant. | priest of Cybele (Phrygian) ecstatic dances |
| corydalis. | flower |
| corynebacterium. | e.g., dipththeria |
| coryneform. | virgate |
| coryphaeus. | chorus leader in Greek drama (See "choranus") |
| coryphee. | dancer between soloists and corps de ballet |
| coseismal. | line connecting points simultaneously affected by an earthquake |
| cosh. | blackjack |
| cosher. | to cocker |
| cosset. | to cosher |
| costermonger. | street-seller |
| costive. | constipative, sluggish, stingy |
| costrel. | flat, pear-shaped drinking vessel with loops for belt attachment |
| cote. | small sheep or bird shelter; hut |
| cote. | to go around the side of |
| cothurnus. | buskin worn by tragedians; ancient Greek style |
| cotidal. | co-tidal |
| cotneaster. | flowering shrub |
| Cotswold. | sheep |
| cotta. | surplice |
| cottier. | 1. Peasant renting land from owner through public competition. 2. Croft. |
| cotelydon. | leaf of a plant embryo; lobule of ruminant’s placenta |
| couchant. | lying down with head raised (see accumbent) |
| coulee. | deep gulch formed by rainstorms; lava flow |
| coulisse. | grooved timber in which something slides; side scenes in a theater |
| couloir. | deep Alpine gorge |
| counterfoil. | part of check retained by user |
| counterpane. | bed coverlet |
| counter tenor. | range above tenor |
| count noun. | noun to which "many" can apply |
| county palatine. | domain of a palace count |
| coup de main. | surprise attack |
| coup de theatre. | dramatic surprise in a play |
| courante. | French dance; 2nd movement of a classical suite |
| courgette. | zucchini |
| coulan. | limpkin |
| coucous. | North African dish of crushed grains, meats and vegetables |
| couvade. | Husband goes to bed in sympathy with wife in labor |
| cove. | cove molding (curved) |
| covelite. | indigo-blue copper sulfide |
| covesine. | distance between sine and arc |
| coverture. | legal status of a married woman; concealment, disguise |
| cowbane. | poisonous |
| cowberry. | creeping evergreen |
| cowfish. | small whales or porpoises; a fish with horns |
| coxa. | hip joint |
| coxalgia. | pain in hip |
| coxitis. | inflammation of hip |
| Coxsackle virus. | like polio but no paralysis |
| coyotillo. | poisonous shrub |
| coypu. | 1. Nutria. 2. Big, beaver-like rodent. |
| crack-brain. | crazy |
| cracknel. | fried pork fat |
| crane fly. | looks like big mosquito |
| cranes-bill. | geranium |
| craniology. | study of skull, cranio-sacral system |
| parasympathetic | |
| crank. | liable to capsize |
| crank. | cheerful; overconfidant |
| cranky. | liable to capsize |
| crapulence. | sickness caused by drink |
| cravat. | scarf or band worn as necktie |
| cream cups. | plant |
| creeping Charlie. | moneywort |
| cremains. | cremation ashes |
| crenate. | crenellated, but rounded |
| crenation. | rounded projection |
| crenelated. | merlons and crenels |
| crenulate. | notched projections |
| creodont. | Extinct mammal |
| crepitate. | crackle |
| Creon. | Oedipus’ successor |
| crepe. | Crinkled surface |
| crepuscular. | twilight |
| Cressida. | Troilus (Trojan) |
| cresyl. | tolyl (creosote) |
| cresset. | cup with burning oil (Ouch!) |
| cretonne. | heavy unglazed fabric used for drapes |
| crevalle. | fish |
| cribiform. | seived |
| cricetid. | muskrats and gerbils |
| crocoid. | ring-shaped cartilage of lower larynx |
| crimp. | trickster who recruits soldiers or sailors |
| cringle. | sail grommet |
| crinite. | hairy, tufted |
| crinkleroot. | plant |
| crinoid. | sea lilies and feather stars |
| crinum. | tropical plants |
| crispate. | crimped, curled or tightly waved |
| crissum. | feathers surrounding a bird’s cloacal opening |
| crista. | crest or ridge (See "arista"). |
| cristate. | crested |
| criticaster. | inferior critic |
| crocein. | red or orange azo dyes |
| crocidolite | blue or green asbestos (cats-eye - chatoyent) |
| crokc. | dye rubbing off poorly dyed cloth |
| crocked. | drunk |
| crocket. | curling leaf along outer angles of pinnacles and gables |
| crocolite. | lead chromate ore |
| crofter. | tenant farmer |
| cromlech. | dolmen |
| croquignole. | permanent wave |
| crosse. | lacrosse stick |
| crosshead. | beam connecting piston rod to connecting rod |
| cross-ruff. | whist.. alternately ruff suits |
| crosstree. | one of the two upper shroud spreaders in a fore-and-aft rigged sail |
| croton. | bush, houseplant, oil used as cathartic |
| croup. | rump |
| croupier. | attendant who collects and pays bets |
| crowberry. | evergreen ("cryptomeria") |
| crowfoot. | buttercups and spearworts; awning support |
| crown of thorns. | desert plant |
| crown rot. | degeneration of stem |
| croze. | Annular groove accepting barrel head |
| crucifer. | one who bears a cross in a religious procession; mustard plant |
| crudities. | raw vegetable sticks |
| crummie. | cow with crooked horns |
| crus. | Shank |
| crural | Pertaining to leg, shank or thigh |
| crupper . | leather strap holding horse’s tail in place |
| crux ansata. | The ankh cross |
| cruziero. | Portuguese coin (has cross) |
| cryolite. | aluminum ore |
| cryptaesthsia. | paranormal perception |
| cryptoclastic. | microscopic fragments |
| cryptomeria. | Evergreen tree |
| cryptorchism. | testes fail to lower |
| cryptozoite. | Malaria parasite |
| crystallite. | crystalline inclusions in glassy igneous rocks |
| crystalloid. | water-soluble crystal able to diffuse through semi-permeable membranes |
| crystal violet. | biological stain |
| ctedidium. | row of spines |
| ctenoid. | Like the teeth of a comb |
| ctenophore. | Marine animals with comb-like cilia |
| cubé. | shrub whose roots yield rotenone. |
| cubeb. | Woody vine acting as stimulant and diuretic. |
| cuboid. | Rectangular parallelepiped; foot bone |
| Cuchelain. | Ulster |
| cucullate. | Cowled or hooded. |
| cucurbit. | alembic |
| cuesta. | Gentle slope on one side, cliff on the other |
| cuirass. | breastplate (cuisserier) |
| cuisse. | thigh plate |
| culch. | oyster bed, oyster spawn, trash |
| culet. | Flat, brilliant-cut gem face; back armor |
| culex. | mosquito |
| cullet. | scraps of broken glass for remelting |
| cullis. | gutter or groove in roof |
| cullus. | a religious cult |
| culm. | grass joint, shale |
| cultigen. | like maize, not known to grow wild |
| cultrate. | knife-like |
| culver. | pigeon |
| culverin. | crude 16th-century musket |
| cumshaw. | gratuity |
| cuneal. | wedge-shaped |
| cunnilingus. | oral stimulation of clitoris or vulva |
| cupel. | small shallow, porous vessel used to separate gold from baser metals |
| curculio. | weevil |
| curcuma. | source of turmeric |
| currier. | leather tanner |
| curriery. | currier’s shop or trade |
| currach. | coracle |
| curicle. | Light, open two-wheeled, two-horse carriage |
| curia | Roman tribal tenth. Roman civil service and buildings. Catholic administration. |
| curiosa. | books with pornographic topics. |
| curassow. | quail-like birds of Curacao |
| cursorial. | adapted for running |
| curtal axe. | cutlass |
| curtate. | abbreviated (curt) |
| curtesy. | lifetime right of husband to deceased wife’s property |
| curtilage. | The enclosed land surrounding a dwelling |
| curvet. | standing leap off the ground |
| cuscus. | Marsupial phalangers with prehensile tails (New Guinea) |
| cushaw. | Squash |
| Cushing’s Disease. | (pituitary) |
| cuspid. | Having a cusp |
| curule chair. | Chair for highest Roman officials |
| Cushitic. | Ethiopian language |
| cusk. | fish (codfish?) |
| custard apple. | Tree |
| cutin. | Wax-like water-repellent skin secretion |
| cutis. | corium |
| cutwater. | ship’s prow, pier designed to break up ice floes |
| cuvette. | small tubular laboratory vessel |
| cyesis. | pregnancy |
| Cybele. | Goddess of nature in Asia Minor |
| cyclamen. | plant |
| cycloplegia. | loss of visual accommodation because of ciliary muscle paralysis |
| cyclostome. | Lamprey: sucking mouth |
| cyclosis. | streaming motion of protoplasm in certain cells. |
| cyclothymia. | A form of manic-depressive psychosis |
| cymatium. | Topmost molding of a cornice |
| cyma. | A cornice molding |
| cymbidium. | Orchids |
| cyme. | Type of flower |
| cymene. | Plant oil |
| cymling. | Squash |
| cymogene. | Petroleum gas |
| cymophane. | Having a shimmering luster |
| Cymric. | Welsh, Cornish, and Bretons |
| cyprinid. | Minnows, carps and shiners |
| cyprinoid. | Resembling a carp |
| cypripedium. | Orchid |
| cyproterene. | Hormone antagonistic to androgens |
| cypseia | An achene that does not separate from its calyx |
| Cyrenaic. | Gr.: hedonistic |
| cysticercus. | Larval stage of many tapeworms |
| cystolith. | Urinary calculus (or formed in plant cell walls) |
| Cytherea. | Aphrodite |
| cytomegalic. | greatly enlarged cells |
| czardas. | Intricate Hungarian dance |
| czarevitch. | Czar’s son |
| czarevna. | Czar’s daughter |