D-Word Definitions
| dab. | flatfish (like flounder) |
| dabble. | bob forward and under in shoal water to feed off the bottom |
| da capo. | from the beginning |
| dace. | cyprinidae |
| dactyl. | metrical foot one short syllable followed by two long syllables |
| dactylogram. | fingerprint |
| dactology. | sign language |
| dado. | groove; lower portion of wall; pedestal between base and crown |
| daedal. | ingenious and complex; finely made, artistic |
| Daedalus. | super-artisan; created the Labyrinth |
| dag. | lock of matted wool |
| Dagon. | Philistines; half-man, half-fish |
| dahoon. | evergreen shrub |
| daily double. | winning two bets on two horses the same day |
| dalmio. | hereditary Japanese nobleman |
| Dakin’s solution. | Na hypochlorite, disinfectant |
| dalapon. | herbicide |
| dalmatic. | priestly garment |
| damascene. | wavy patterns |
| Damascus steel. | wavy patterns (early steel) |
| damask. | rich, patterned fabric; sword |
| damar. | varnish resin |
| damping off. | plant disease |
| damsel fly. | dragonfly |
| Danae. | mother of Perseus by Zeus |
| Danaides. | murdered bridegrooms on wedding night.. condemned to pour water into bottomless pit |
| Dandie Dinmont. | terrier |
| dandle. | pamper; move child up and down on knees |
| Danegeld. | English tax to fight Danes |
| Danelaw. | Danish laws in north England |
| dangling participle. | "Approaching New York, the skyline came into view." |
| danio. | aquarium fish |
| Dantesque. | exalted visionary style |
| Danu. | Iranian goddess of death and mother of the gods |
| dap. | fish, dip lightly, bounce or skip over water |
| daphne. | evergreen |
| Daphne. | nymph who turned into a laurel tree to escape Apollo |
| daphnia. | crustaceans (fish food) |
| Daphnis. | Sicilian shepherd—inventor of pastoral poetry |
| Darby and Joan. | 18th century ballad |
| Dardan. | a Trojan |
| Dardanus. | eponymous founder of Troy |
| Darjeeling. | black tea |
| darkle. | to appear indistinctly, darkly |
| darkling. | in the dark, happening in the dark |
| darksome. | dark, somber |
| darnel. | grass |
| darter. | fish |
| dartie. | to thrust or shoot out repeatedly |
| dasheen. | The taro |
| dassle. | the hyrax |
| dasyure. | Australian marsupial mammals |
| datary. | investigates candidates for papal benefices |
| deaccession. | sell museum artwork to buy another piece |
| deadeye. | hardwood disk used to spread lines for shroud (nautical.) |
| dead hand. | mortmain |
| deadlight. | thick porthole window that can’t be opened |
| deadwood. | vertical planking between keel and sternpost |
| debenture. | unsecured bond |
| debouch. | to spread out into the open; to emerge |
| debouché. | a military opening; an outlet |
| debouchere. | a mouth or opening, esp., a river or channel |
| debridement. | cleaning a wound |
| decadent. | 19th C. neurotic writers |
| decalcomania. | transferring decals |
| decanal. | pertaining to a dean |
| decapod. | crab, lobster, shrimp, some cephalopod |
| decare. | 10 ares: 0.2471 acres (1/10th hectare) |
| Decembrist. | 1825 plot to overthrow Nicholas I |
| decemvir. | 10 Roman magistrates, 450 B. C., appointed to draw up a code of laws |
| decidua. | mucous membrane cast off during menstruation |
| deckle. | frame used to make paper by hand |
| declassé. | lowered or lacking in station |
| decollate. | behead |
| decollate. | separate copies |
| decoupage. | decorating a surface with cutouts (incl. paper) |
| decrepitate. | to roast until it crackles |
| decumbent. | lying down; growing along the ground but erect at the apex |
| decuple. | in groups of ten |
| decussate. | forming an "X" |
| dedans. | screened gallery for tennis tournament spectators |
| deepstructure. | underlying structure that determines the semantic interpretation of a sentence |
| defalcate. | embezzle, misprision |
| defeasance. | voiding of a contract or deed; weasel words that permit it |
| defervescence. | abatement of a fever |
| defilade. | arrangement of a fortification to give protection from enfilading and other fire |
| definiens. | word or words defining another word (This is a definiends.) |
| deflexed. | bent downward at a sharp angle |
| deforce. | to withhold by force from the rightful owner |
| deforcient. | one who deforces |
| dégagé. | relaxed, casual, free |
| deglutition. | swallowing |
| degust. | savor (sapid) |
| dehisce. | to burst open |
| dehydratase. | enzyme that removes oxygen and hydrogen in the ratio they occur in water |
| deictic. | logic: directly proving by argument; ling.: "this" |
| dell. | devil; mischief-maker |
| Deirdre. | princess of Ulster who killed herself after her husband was murdered |
| dejecta. | excrement |
| delaine. | light fabric of wool, or cotton and wool |
| dele | proofreader’s deletion mark |
| delict. | a misdemeanor |
| deliquesce. | to evanesce; to liquify, using moisture from the air |
| dells. | river rapids |
| deltoid. | arm covering top of shoulder |
| demandant. | plaintiff |
| demand deposit. | can be withdrawn without prior notice |
| demantoid. | transparent green garnet gem |
| demarche. | protest |
| Demeter. | goddess of agriculture, fertility, and marriage |
| demeton. | insecticide |
| demimonde. | mistresses; prostitutes; fringe elements |
| demimondaine. | a demirep |
| demisemiquaver. | 1/32nd note |
| demission . | relinquishment of office or function |
| demit. | to relinquish |
| demiurge. | Plato’s mindless deity; Gnostic creator of material world; Greek magistrate. |
| démodé. | outmoded |
| demoiselle. | young lady; crane; damselfly |
| demophobia. | agoraphobia |
| demotic. | popular; modern, colloquial Greek |
| demulcent. | soothing; a mucous membrane painkiller |
| demurrage. | detention of a freight car, etc., too long; fee paid for such |
| dendriform. | tree-structured |
| dendrochronology. | tree rings |
| dendrology. | study of trees |
| dene. | sandy tract or dune by the seashore |
| denier. | fineness unit for thread: 50 mg. per 450 meters; small medieval gold coin |
| dent corn. | tall corn |
| dentigerous. | bearing teeth |
| dentil. | little blocks projecting beneath a cornice |
| dentulous. | toothed |
| deodar. | cedar |
| deontology. | theory or study of moral obligations and commitments, ethics |
| Deo volente. | God willing |
| depone. | to testify or declare under oath |
| depose. | depone |
| deracinate. | uproot |
| dermatogen. | outer layer of meristem from which the epidermis is formed |
| dermatoplasty. | skin grafts |
| derogate. | to take away from; to disparage; to go astray |
| derris. | vines yielding rotenone (like cubé) |
| desideratum. | something needed and desired |
| desman. | mole-like, aquatic, insectivorous |
| desmid. | algae |
| despiteous. | full of spite |
| desquamate. | shed, peel, or scale off |
| de Stijl. | 1971, Netherlands, bright colors and rectangular shapes |
| destructor. | incinerator; bomb |
| destrier. | war-horse |
| destroying angel. | poisonous mushroom |
| detent. | pawl |
| detersive. | detergent |
| detinue. | action to recover property wrongfully detained; wrongful detention of same |
| de trop. | too much, too many |
| Deucalion. | Prometheus son. (Greek Noah) with wife, Pyrrha, survived flood and became father of race |
| deuteragonist. | second actor |
| deuternopia. | form of colorblindness |
| deuterocanonical. | Old testament text considered canonical by orthodox Christianity and apocryphal by some |
| deuterogamy. | second legal marriage |
| deutzia. | flowering shrubs |
| Devanagari. | Sanscrit and Indian alphabet |
| deverbative. | noun derived from a verb ("worker"); suffix ("er" in "teacher") |
| Devi. | appellation for all feminine Hindu deities, esp. Shiva’s wife |
| devilfish. | manta |
| devilkin. | little devil, imp |
| devil’s bit. | blazing star |
| devil’s darning needle. | dragonfly |
| devil’s paintbrush. | orange hawkweed |
| devil’s walking stick. | Hercules club |
| devilwood. | hardwood Southern tree |
| devise. | transmit real property via a will |
| devoir. | act or expression of courtesy |
| dewan. | Indian government official, esp., the prime minister |
| dewclaw. | vestigial digit or claw |
| dextrorse. | growing upward in a right-turning spiral |
| dharma. | the ultimate law of all things |
| dhole. | dog-like carnivorous animal |
| dhoti. | loincloth |
| dhow. | lateen-rigged |
| diabase. | dark-gray to black, igneous, used for crushed stone and monuments |
| diableire. | sorcery or witchcraft; representations in paintings or fiction |
| diachronic. | study changes in phenomena, esp. language, as they change over time |
| diaconal. | deacon, diaconate (rank or office of a deacon) |
| diacritical. | distinguishing |
| diadelphous. | having the filaments united to make two groups |
| diagenesis. | changes in sediment as it metamorphoses into rock |
| diageotropism. | tendency of roots to orient perpendicular to gravity |
| diakinesis. | final stage of prophase in meiosis; choromosomal dispersion, disappearance of nucleolus |
| dialectic. | The art of arriving at the truth by disclosing the contradictions in the opponent’s argument and overcoming them. The Hegelian process of change wherein an ideational entity, a thesis, is transformed into its opposite, an antithesis, and preserved and fulfilled by it, the combination of the two being resolved in a higher form of truth, a synthesis; Hegel’s critical method for the investigation of this process; Marxian dialectics; a method of argument that systematically weighs contradictory facts of ideas with a view to resolving their real or apparent contradictions. |
| dialectology. | study of dialects |
| dialogic. | of, or written in dialogue |
| diandrous | two stamens |
| dianthus | carnations and pinks |
| diapause. | growth interruption (insects) |
| diapepedis. | passing of blood through intact arteriole walls (stigmata) |
| diaphoresis. | perspiration, esp. when copious and medically induced |
| diaphysis. | the shaft of a long bone |
| diapophosis. | the superior or articular surface of a transverse vertebral process |
| diarchy. | two rulers |
| diarthrosis. | bone articulation permitting free movement of joint |
| Diaspora. | dispersion of Jews after Babylonian captivity; Jews living among Gentiles |
| diaspore. | aluminum oxide used as abrasive and refractory |
| diastalsis. | contractions of small intestine during digestion |
| diastase. | amylases converting starch to maltose |
| diastasis. | separation of certain bones during pregnancy without fracture |
| diastasis. | last stage of diastole before contraction when little blood enters the filled ventricle |
| diastema. | abnormally large spaces between teeth; bodily fissure or cleft |
| diastole. | normal rhythmically occurring relaxation and contraction of heart while heart fills w. blood |
| diastrophism. | process by which continents, mountains, ocean beds, folds and faults are formed |
| diatesseron. | the four Gospels combined into a single narrative |
| diathesis. | congenital, often hereditary predisposition of the body to disease of metabolic abnormality |
| diatonic. | using only the 8 tones of a major or minor scale without chromatic deviations |
| diatron. | diode circuit |
| diatropism. | plant roots at right angles to an applied force |
| dibble. | makes holes in the soil |
| dibranchiate. | octopuses, cuttlefish, and squid |
| dicast. | one of 6,000 Athenians chosen to sit in law courts (judge and juror) |
| dicentra. | bleeding heart, Dutchman’s breeches |
| dicasium. | a double cyme |
| dichogamous. | having pistils and stamens that mature at different times, ensuring cross-fertilization |
| dick. | a fellow |
| dickcissal. | sparrow-like bird |
| dickey. | blouse front, detachable shirt front, bib; donkey, bird; outside seats on carriage |
| diclinous. | having stamens and pistils in separate flowers |
| dicrotism. | doubling of the heartbeat |
| didapper. | a small grebe |
| diddle. | to jerk up and down, or back and forth; to shake rapidly; to cheat, swindle |
| didymium. | mixture of rare-earth elements used in glass-making |
| didymus. | occurring in pairs |
| didynamous. | four stamens, occurring in pairs |
| diencephalon. | back of forebrain, connecting the midbrain with the cerebral hemispheres |
| diaeresis. | a mark (ë) placed over the 2nd of two adjacent vowels: 2 sounds to be pronounced |
| diesis. | double dagger |
| diesinker. | diemaker |
| Diesirae. | Latin hymn describing Day of Judgement (Day of Wrath) |
| digametic. | two gametes: male and female |
| digamma. | Greek letter translated as w |
| dight. | to dress, adorn |
| digraph. | a pair of letters that makes a single speech sound |
| digitigrade. | walking so that only the toes touch the ground (horses, cats, dogs) |
| dik-dik. | very small African antelopes |
| dilatancy. | The increase in volume of, e.g., wet sand, when subjected to a deformation. |
| dilatant. | dilating |
| dilatometer. | measures thermal expansion |
| dildo. | priapic substitute |
| dillybag. | Australian bag or basket woven of rushes or bark |
| dimeter. | verse with two metrical feet |
| dim sum. | light Chinese refreshments. |
| ding. | to hammer into or at with repetitious talk |
| dingbat. | small object for hurling |
| dink. | dick |
| dinkey. | a small locomotive used in a railroad yard |
| dinkum. | genuine real, truly |
| dinoflagellate. | marine protozoan. One of the principal constituents of plankton |
| diocese. | bishopric |
| dioecious. | male and female on separate flowers |
| Diomedes. | prince of Argos, a hero at Troy |
| Dione. | mother of Aphrodite by Zeus |
| Dionysius. | God of wine and of orgiastic pleasures/ Roman: Bacchus |
| diophantine analysis. | integral solutions of algebraic equations |
| diopside. | gemstone and refractory |
| dioptrics. | study of refraction of light |
| diorite. | granite-textured, dark plagioclase, little quartz |
| Diocuri. | Castor and Pollux, Leda’s sons, Helen and Clytemnestra’s brothers; Zeus turned into stars |
| diphycercal. | tailfin. symmetrical vertebrae extend to tip |
| diphyodont. | baby teeth and adult teeth |
| diplegia. | paralysis on both sides of body |
| diploplastic. | two distinct embryonic cellular layers |
| diplocardiac. | twin-chambered heart |
| diploe. | spongy, bony tissue between outer and inner bone layers of the cranium |
| diploid. | having homologous pair of chromosomes, total being twice that of a gamete |
| diplomate. | physician certified as a specialist by a board of examiners |
| diplomatics. | diplomacy; branch of paleology devoted to study of authenticity of ancient documents |
| diplopod. | millipedes |
| diplosis. | formation of full somatic-cell chromosomal set by fusion of haploid set of gamete nuclei |
| dipnoan. | lungfish |
| dipolar. | having a dipole |
| dipterous. | flies, mosquitoes: two wings, club-shaped balancing organs (halteres). Maple seeds |
| diptych. | ancient two-leaved writing panel |
| diquat. | water-weed herbicide |
| directrix. | fixed curve traversed by a generatrix in generating a conic or cylinder; artillery trajectory; median |
| dirndl. | full-skirted, tight bodice; full skirt |
| disambiguate. | to establish a single grammatical interpretation |
| disannul. | annul |
| disbranch. | remove a branch |
| disbud. | remove buds or horns |
| discalced. | barefoot (monks) |
| discography. | phonographic records |
| discombobulate. | confuse |
| disintermediation | bypassing banks and loaning money directly |
| disoblige. | to slight, inconvenience, etc. |
| displode. | explode |
| disrate. | demote |
| disseize. | to unlawfully dispossess |
| disseizin. | wrongful usurpation of powers of ownership |
| disseminule. | reproductive plant part |
| dissilient. | dehiscing |
| dissoluble. | insoluble |
| dissolvent. | solvent |
| distemper. | dog disease; any disease; wall painting using gluey binder |
| distich. | elegiac couplet having two rows of verses |
| distiches. | leaves: two rows on opposite side of stem, |
| distrain. | garnishee property for debts |
| distrait. | inattentive because of anxiety |
| dithyramb. | frenzied poetry, dance (Dionysius); irregular poetic expression suggestive of dithyramb |
| dittany. | magical plant; stone mint; gas plant |
| divagate. | ramble |
| divaricate. | widely diverging |
| divertimento. | 18th C. chamber music having several short movements |
| divertissement. | short ballet or other performance given as an interlude; diversion |
| Dives. | man of wealth |
| divisionism. | colors divided into components and mechanically arranged. Eye organizes. |
| djelleba. | hooded Moslem garment with full sleeves |
| dobson. | hellgrammite |
| Docetism. | holds that Christ had no human body and only appeared to have died on the cross |
| dock. | tail or wages |
| dock. | weedy plant |
| dockmackle. | shrub, white flowers |
| dodder. | to shake or tremble; to proceed in feeble manner |
| dodder. | parasitic vines |
| dogbane. | plant |
| dogberry. | 1. Wild gooseberry. |
| dog fennel. | mayweed. strong-smelling |
| doggery. | surly; riffraff; cheap bar |
| dogtooth. | canine tooth |
| doit. | Dutch coin, 1/4th cent, ambsace, cheese paring |
| dojo. | martial arts school |
| dol. | unit of pain, based upon application of heat to the skin |
| dolabriform. | axe-head shaped |
| dolichocephalic. | long head |
| dolittle. | does little |
| Dolly Varden. | 19th C. tight bodice, flowered skirt over brightly colored petticoat; trout |
| dolman. | long Turkish outer robe woman’s coat with cape-like arm-pieces; hussar’s jacket |
| dolman sleeves. | wide at top, narrow at bottom |
| dolmen. | two or more upright stone with capstone, forming a chamber |
| doloroso. | Mus.: mournful |
| Domesday Book. | 1085 record of English landowners and their property |
| domical. | dome-shaped |
| dominical. | Christ as Lord; Sunday |
| dominie. | minister; schoolmaster |
| Dominion Day. | Canadian anniversary of 1867 dominion-ate |
| Dominique. | chicken |
| dominium. | ownership of property with right of disposition |
| Domatist. | schismatic 4th C. Christian church |
| domatist. | largesse or benefice |
| dong. | dink |
| donjon. | fortified main tower of a castle |
| doodlebug. | divining rod; larva of ant lion |
| doppleganger. | ghostly double that haunts one’s self |
| dorbeetle. | dung beetle that flies with droning sound |
| Dorcas society. | woman’s society that provides clothes for the poor |
| Dorian. | invaded 100 B. C. Remained culturally, linguistically distinct (Sparta, Argosy, and Corinth) |
| Doric order. | oldest, simplest Greek arch. baseless heavy fluted columns, plain saucer-shaped capitals |
| Dorking. | chicken |
| dormin. | abscissic acid |
| dormy. | golf. ahead by as many holes as are left to play |
| dornick. | coarse damask cloth |
| dornick. | small chunk of rock |
| doronicum. | plant leopard’s-bane |
| dorsoventral. | extending from a dorsal to a ventral surface |
| dory. | flat-bottomed, narrow, high sides |
| dory. | walleye |
| dossal. | ornamental hanging of rich fabric |
| dosser | dossal; large pack basket see pannier) |
| Douey Bible. | English translation of Latin Vulgate Bible |
| double-tongue. | wind instrument, fast notes |
| double-tree. | harness cross-piece |
| doublure. | ornamental lining on inside of book: leather or vellum |
| doucer. | cumshaw or bribe |
| dourine. | venereal disease in horses |
| dovecote. | apartment house for pigeons |
| dovekey. | black-and-white Arctic seabird |
| dowitcher. | northern sea bird |
| downhaul. | rope for hauling down or securing sail or spar |
| downstage. | front of stage |
| doxy. | paramour |
| doyen, doyenne. | most senior member |
| drabbit. | coarse unbleached linen ("Dagnab it! I didn’t want drabbit!") |
| Draco. | polar constellation (dragon) |
| dragée. | trochee |
| dragger. | fishing vessel that drags the bottom |
| draggletail. | bedraggled woman |
| drag link. | rod between steering wheel and wheels (Pitman rod?) |
| dragoman. | guide in Arabic, Turkish, or Persian-speaking countries |
| dragonet. | brightly-colored marine fishes |
| dragonhead. | flower |
| dragon’s blood. | resins |
| dragoon. | heavily armed 17th and 18th C. trooper; to dragoon |
| dramaturge. | playwright |
| Dravidian. | India |
| drawing pin. | thumbtack |
| drawn butter. | melted butter |
| dray. | a low heavy cart used for haulage |
| drayage. | charge for transport by dray |
| dreck. | excrement; trach |
| dreidel. | Hannukah game of chance – four-sided top with Hebrew letters |
| dressage. | guiding of horse through complex set of maneuvers by slight movements of weight, legs |
| dress circle. | first balcony at the opera |
| drill. | planting row; row of planted seeds |
| drill. | heavy cotton drill |
| drill. | mandrill |
| drogue. | funnel-shaped sea anchor, parachute |
| droit. | legal right |
| dromond. | medieval sailing galley |
| –dromous. | running, moving |
| drosera. | sundew |
| droshky. | open four-wheeled carriage |
| drumlin. | streamlined hill or ridge of glacial drift |
| drupe. | cherry, peach, plum (fleshy) |
| drupelet. | of raspberry |
| druse. | crust of tiny crystals lining geode’s interior |
| Druse. | primarily Moslem with elements of Christianity |
| dryopithecine. | Miocene and Pleistocene (gorillas, chimps, and men) |
| drysalter. | chemical products and dyes |
| Dubonnet. | fortified sweet wine |
| ducking stool. | ducked in water |
| ductule. | little duct |
| dudeen. | clay pipe |
| dudgeon. | wood used in making knife handles |
| due bill. | acknowledging indebtedness but not negotiable |
| duende. | ability to attract others through personal magnetism and charm |
| duff. | stiff flour pudding boiled in cloth bag |
| duff. | croup |
| duffel. | blanket fabric with nap on both sides; personal gear carried by a camper |
| dugong. | marine mammal |
| dulker. | small African antelope |
| Doukhobar. | Russian Christian sect that emigrated to Canada to escape persecution |
| dumorteirite. | used in spark plug porcelain and other refractories |
| dundrearies. | long sideburns |
| Dunker. | German Baptist Brethren (Pennsylvania Dutch) |
| dunlin. | brown-and-white sandpiper |
| dunnage. | loose packing material; personal belongings |
| duodecimo. | page size formed by folding a page in two |
| dural. | pertaining to dura mater.. |
| duramen. | heartwood |
| durbar. | state reception in India |
| Durham. | a shorthorn |
| durian. | an Asiatic fruit tree |
| durmast. | European oak |
| duroc. | large red hog |
| durra. | cereal grain |
| durum. | hardy wheat |
| dust-up. | row |
| dusty miller. | plant |
| Dutch clover. | white clover |
| Dutch courage. | acquired from John Barleycorn |
| Dutchman’s breeches. | flower |
| Dutchman’s pipe. | pipe vine |
| Dutch metal | oroide |
| duvetyn | soft, short-napped, twill, any textile |
| dwarf cornet | woody, flowers, fruit |
| Dyak | Indonesian people |
| dybbuk | wandering soul that enters body and controls behavior |
| dyer’s broom | dyer’s greenweed |
| dyer’s rocket | plant |
| dyer’s weed | plant (dye) |
| dyewood | wood used as dyestuff |
| dynast | hereditary ruler |
| dyscrasia | caused by poisons in the blood |
| dysgraphia | writing impairment |
| dyslexia | reading impairment |
| dyslogistic | disapproving |
| dysmenorrhea | difficult or painful menstruation |
| dyspeptic | dyspeptic; morose |
| dyspagia | swallowing |
| dysphonia | speaking (hoarseness) |
| dysphoria | anxiety, depression, and restlessness |
| dysplasia | abnormal tissue development |
| dyspnea | difficulty breathing |
| dysprosium | rare-earth metal used in nuclear research |
| dysteleology | purposelessness in nature; vestigial organs |
| dystopia | opposite of utopia |
| dysuria | difficult urination |