E-Word Definitions
| eagre. | bore |
| ealdorman. | chief magistrate in Anglo-Saxon England |
| ear. | small box in upper corner of newspaper containing ad or weather |
| earl. | above viscount, below marquis |
| ear shell. | abalone shell |
| earwig. | bugs having rear pincers; to try to influence with secret communications |
| easting. | distance sailed on eastward course; easterly direction |
| eau de vie. | brandy |
| Eblis. | principal devil of Moslem mythology |
| ebonite. | hard rubber |
| ebractate. | no bracts |
| ebullition. | sudden outpouring of emotion; boiling |
| ecce homo. | picture of Christ wearing crown of thorns |
| ecchymosis. | bruising |
| ecclesia. | Greek citizens’ assembly; church or congregation |
| ecclesiology. | study of church ornamentation and architecture |
| eccrine gland. | sweat gland |
| cdysone. | molting hormone |
| ecesis. | establishment of organisms in new environment |
| echard. | soil water not available for plants |
| echeveria. | tropical plant |
| echidna. | anteater |
| echino-. | prickly |
| echinococcus. | parasitic tapeworm |
| echinoderm. | starfishes, sand dollars, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers |
| echinus. | a carved molding just below the abacus of a Doric capital |
| echolalia. | involuntary repetition of others’ words or phrases |
| eclat. | great brilliance, acclamation; conspicuous success |
| eclogue. | pastoral dialogue poem |
| eclosion. | emergence of an adult from an egg or pupa |
| ecocide. | deliberate environment-ocide |
| ecotone. | mixed vegetation formed by the overlapping of adjoining communities |
| ecotype. | the smallest taxonomic subdivision of an ecospecies |
| ecru. | grayish to pale yellow or light grayish yellow-brown |
| ecto-. | outer, external |
| ectyocommensal. | lives on outer body of other organism |
| ectoderm. | outermost "skin" of an embryo |
| ectogenous. | parasite can live outside host |
| ectomere. | blastoderm that develops into ectoderm |
| ectomorph. | asthenic (lean and slightly muscular) |
| ectopia. | congenital positional abnormality of an organ |
| ectopic pregnancy. | in Fallopian tubes |
| ectoplasm. | ghost stuff; layer of gelatinous protoplasm just under the cell wall |
| ectosarc. | clear outermost layer of protoplasm, e.g., in an amoeba |
| ectype. | copy |
| écu. | five-franc piece |
| edacious. | lupine |
| edaphic.. | pertaining to soil as it affects living organisms |
| Elder Edda. | 13th C. Norse poems |
| Younger Edda. | Icelandic |
| eddo. | taro |
| edentate. | anteaters, armadillos, and sloths |
| edentulous. | toothless |
| edh/eth. | the, with |
| EDTA. | chelating agent |
| Edwardian. | opulent, elegant, ornate, refined |
| eelpout. | fish |
| eelworm. | nematode |
| efface. | erase |
| effloresce. | to flower; to give up water of crystallization (powder) |
| effulgence. | brilliance |
| eft. | newt |
| eftsoons. | soon afterward; once again |
| egesta. | egested matter, excrement |
| eggs benedict. | poached eggs on toast with ham and Hollendaise sauce |
| eglantine. | sweetbriar |
| Egyptian clover. | berseem |
| eider. | duck |
| eidolon. | apparition; image of ideal |
| eisteddfod. | annual assembly of Welsh poets and musicians |
| ejecta. | from volcano |
| eke. | with great effort |
| ekistics. | science of human settlements, including city planning |
| Elaine. | Lancelot’s unrequited love; Mother of Sir Galahad |
| elapid. | cobras and coral snakes |
| elasmobranch. | sharks, rays, and skates |
| elaterid. | click beetles |
| elaterite. | hydrocarbon resin |
| Eleatic. | Parmenides: immutable being is the only reality and change is mere opinion |
| elecampane. | flower |
| Electra. | avenges father’s death by killing mother and her lover |
| electroanalysis | . electrochemical analysis |
| electrodialysis. | uses electric field to speed up membranal diffusion |
| electrologist. | removes body hair |
| electrophoresis. | uses electric field to move chemicals. |
| electrophorus. | disk and metal plate to demonstrate static electricity |
| electrotonus. | excitability and conductivity in a nerve |
| electrum. | silver and gold alloy |
| electuary. | drug mixed with sugar and water |
| eleemosynary. | charitable; alms |
| elegiac. | sorrow, mournful; couplets, with 1st line iambic hexameter and 2nd pent. |
| elegit. | writ delivering debtor’s property to plaintiff until payment of debt |
| elegy. | melancholy or pensive |
| elemi. | oily resins |
| Eleusinian mysteries. | Demeter cult (at Eleusis) |
| elevon. | elevator and aileron |
| elf-lock. | tangled lock of hair |
| elide. | omit or slur over; to suppress |
| ell. | 45 inches |
| elodea. | aquatic beetle |
| Elohim. | God |
| eloign. | to remove to a distance ( as in one’s self) |
| eluant. | solvent (with diluent) |
| elute. | to extract one material from another |
| elutriate. | wash, decant, and settle |
| eluvium. | residual deposits of soil, rock, etc. |
| elver. | young eel |
| elytron. | chitinous or leathery forewings of a beetle |
| em. | the square of the body size of any type |
| emarginate. | with a notched tip |
| emblements. | crops of a tenant farmer legally belonging to him |
| emblectomy. | removal of an embolus |
| embolus. | anything that clogs a blood vessel |
| emboly. | development of a gastrula from a blastula by invagination |
| embonpoint. | plumpness |
| embouchure. | river mouth; mouthpiece of wind instr.; manner in which tongue and lips |
| embracery. | attempt to bribe a jury |
| embrangle. | entangle |
| embrasure. | flared opening for a gun |
| embrocate. | to rub back with lotion |
| embryectomy. | surgical removal of an extra-uterine embryo |
| emend. | critically amend |
| emersed. | rising above the surface of a liquid |
| emenogogue. | hastens menstrual flow |
| emmer. | Eurasian wheat |
| emmet. | an ant |
| emmetropia. | perfect vision |
| empennage. | tail of airplane |
| empery. | absolute sovereignty |
| emphasia. | special emphasis |
| empressement. | effusive cordiality |
| empyema. | pus in a body cavity |
| emunctory. | serving to carry waste out of the body |
| enantiomorph. | mirror images (crystals) |
| enarthrosis. | ball joint |
| enate. | growing outward; related on Mom’s side |
| en brochette. | on a skewer |
| encaustic. | paint fixed with heat after its application |
| enceinte. | with child; encircling fortification; structures thus protected |
| encephalomyelitis. | leads to inflammation of the brain |
| encephalon. | brain of a vertebrate |
| enchiridion. | vade mecum |
| encina. | evergreen oak |
| enclitic. | "Give ‘em the works".. the particle em has no independent accent and forms an accentual and graphemic unit with "give" |
| endarterectomy. | surgical removal of arterial plaque |
| endbrain. | telencephalon |
| endermic. | absorbed through the skin |
| endergonic. | requiring energy |
| endobiotic. | living within the tissues of the host |
| edocrine glands. | ductless glands |
| endoderm. | innermost germ layer of an embryo, developing into GI tract |
| endodontics. | diseases of the tooth pulp |
| endogamy. | marriage within one’s sept |
| endomorph. | mineral inclusion, such as rutile or tourmaline in quartz |
| endomorphism | .metamorphism of cooling igneous rock; mapping a set into itself |
| endosteum. | membrane lining the medullary capillary of a bone |
| Endymion. | loved by a moon goddess. Youth preserved by eternal sleep |
| enerecological. | ecological energy balance |
| enface. | to write on the face of |
| enfent terrible. | startlingly unconventional ideas and behavior are a source of embarrassment |
| enfeoff. | invest with; surrender or give up.. a feudal estate |
| enfilade. | to rake lengthwise with gunfire |
| enfleurage. | perfumery: odorless fats are exposed to open flowers |
| enfleurane. | non-explosive anesthetic |
| engrailed. | indented along the edge with small curves or ring of dots |
| engram. | hypothetical change in neural tissue due to memory |
| enharmonic. | using C-sharp and D-flat for the same tone |
| enjambment. | continuation of a sentence from one line of a couplet to the next |
| ennead. | group of nine (like pleiad) |
| enolase. | muscle enzyme |
| enormity. | wicked beyond all bounds |
| enounce. | pronounce clearly |
| en passant. | "in passing"; chess: |
| enphytotic. | plant disease that does same amount of damage each year |
| ensanguine. | to cover with blood |
| ensiform. | sword-shaped |
| ensile. | to store ensilage |
| enstatite. | orthorhombic pyroxene (in igneous rocks) |
| entablature. | upper section of classical order, on capital & incl. architrave, frieze, cornice |
| entelechy. | fully realized condition, as distinguished from potential; force urging self-fulfillment |
| enteric. | intestinal |
| enterobiasis. | pinworm infestation |
| enterogastone. | intestinal hormone |
| enthalpy. | internal energy plus P X V |
| enthymeme. | syllogism with one of the premises implicit |
| entomophilous. | pollinated by insects |
| entozoan. | parasite, e.g., tapeworms |
| entracte. | intermission between acts; entertainment between acts |
| entrechet. | foot-crossing ballet leap |
| entremets. | side dish |
| entrepots | warehouse; market center |
| entresol. | mezzanine |
| envoy. | closing stanza of forms such as ballads dedicating or summarizing |
| envoy. | messenger; minister plenipotentiary, ranking just below ambassador |
| Eocene. | Paleocene, Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, Pliocene, Pleistocene |
| eolith. | crude stone artifact, such as a flint |
| epact. | time necessary to bring solar calendar into harmony with lunar calendar |
| eparchy. | administrative subdivision of Greece; Eastern Orthodox Diocese |
| epée. | sharp sides, blunt tip |
| epeirogeny. | continental drift, formation |
| epenthesis. | insertion of sound or letter into word |
| epexegesis. | additional explanatory material |
| ephah. | Hebrew—slightly more than a bushel |
| ephebe. | young adult Greek |
| ephebus. | ephebe |
| ephedrine. | vasoconstrictor |
| ephemeris. | table giving positions of celestial body at different times |
| ephemeron. | like May-flies |
| ephod. | Hebrew ecclesiastical vest |
| ephor. | one of 5 elected magistrates supervising King of Sparta |
| epiblast. | ectoderm |
| epiboly. | differential growth of one embryonic part over and around the other |
| epicalyx. | bracts close to and resembling the calyx |
| epicene. | Effeminate; sexless; hermaphroditic; one form of noun for male & f. |
| epicotyl. | above cotyledons and below first leaves |
| epicritic. | of sensory nerve enabling acute thermal and tactile sensitivity |
| epicure. | refined tastes; sensuous living; |
| Epicureanism. | freedom from pain; no afterlife; atomic theory of Democritus |
| epicuticle. | outermost layer of cuticle of insect exoskeleton—mostly wax |
| epidiascope. | viewgraph projector |
| epidote. | rock |
| eepidural. | on dura mater |
| epigastrium. | upper middle of abdomen |
| epigeal. | living near the surface of the ground |
| epigene. | on or just below ground |
| epigenesis. | organism is formed developmentally rather than by simple enlargement |
| epigenous. | growing on upper surface |
| epiglottis. | at base of tongue. folds over glottis keeps food out of windpipe |
| epigone. | second rate imitator |
| epigram. | short, witty poem; concise, clever and often paradoxical statement |
| epigraph. | inscription; motto or quotation |
| epigraphy. | study of inscriptions; decipherment of ancient inscriptions |
| epigynous. | attached near top of ovary |
| epimorphosis. | regeneration of an organ |
| epimysium. | fibrous sheet enclosing a muscle |
| epinasty. | downward tilt to leaves caused by excessive upper-side growth |
| epinephrine. | stimulates autonomic nerve action; vasoconstrictor |
| epineurem. | connective tissue nerve sheath. contains blood and lymph vessels |
| epipelagic. | sunlit layer of sea |
| epiphany. | sudden, intuitive comprehension of reality; celebration of Christ’s divinity |
| epiphenomenon. | secondary phenomenon that accompanies another; med. complication |
| epiphysis. | end of long bone that is initially separate by cartilage |
| epiphyte. | orchid—grows on another for support but not nourishment |
| epiphytotic. | sudden outbreak of plant disease over extended geographical area |
| episcopal. | bishop |
| epispastic. | blistering agent, vesicant |
| epistasis. | matter that rises to the surface of a bodily discharge |
| epistaxis. | nosebleed |
| epistemic. | relating to knowledge or act of knowing |
| epistolary. | epistolary friendship |
| epistyle. | architrave |
| epitasis. | middle of play leading up to catastrophe |
| epithalamium. | lyric ode in honor of a bride and bridegroom |
| epithelium. | outer skin and cover for most internal organs |
| epizoic. | living on the outside of an animal |
| epizootic. | attacking a large number of animals simultaneously |
| epode. | strophe that follows the strophe and apostrophe to complete the triad in a lyric ode; lyric poem: couplets: long line followed by shorter line |
| eponym. | Romulus is the eponym of Rome |
| eponymy. | derivation of the name of, e.g., a city, from that of a person |
| epopee. | epic poetry; epic poem |
| epos. | unwritten epic poetry |
| equerry. | |
| equipollance. | equivalence |
| equisetum. | horsetails |
| equitant. | overlapping at base to form a fanlike arrangement |
| equity of redemption. | right to your property after you pay off the mortgage |
| equivoke. | double meaning |
| Erato. | Muse of lyric poetry |
| Erebus. | dark antechamber to Hades |
| eremit. | recluse |
| eremurus. | foxtail lily |
| erepsin. | peptidases in small intestine |
| erethism. | abnormal irritability |
| ergot. | grain fungus |
| ergotamine. | vasoconstrictor.. treatment of migraine |
| Erinyes. | The Furies |
| erne. | sea eagles |
| Eros. | sum of self-preservative, as opposed to self-destructive, instincts |
| erose. | irregularly notched, indented |
| erotomania. | excessive sexual desire |
| errant. | in search of adventure; straying outside established limits |
| errantry. | roaming around, looking for adventure |
| erratum. | one errata |
| Erse. | Gaelic |
| erubescence. | a blush |
| erumpent. | bursting through a surface |
| eryngo. | sea holly (aphrodisiac) |
| erysipelas. | step skin disease |
| erythorbic acid. | antioxidant |
| erythrism. | unusual redness (hair) |
| erythrite. | reddish cobalt arsenate used in making glass |
| erythroblastosis. | fetalis Rh-negative disease |
| erythrocyte. | contains hemoglobin and gives blood its color |
| erythropoiesis. | erythrocyte production |
| erythropoietin. | regulatory hormone |
| escadrille. | European WWW I air command |
| escalade. | scaling a fortified wall |
| escarole. | used in salads |
| eschalot. | shallot |
| eschar. | burn scab |
| eschatology. | concerned with last things, such as death |
| escheatage. | the right of the state to condemn property |
| escolar. | freshwater fish |
| esculent. | edible escutcheon shield or shield-shaped emblem |
| eserine. | physiostigmine |
| esker. | long narrow ridge of gravel deposited by a glacial stream |
| espadrille. | sandal with rope bottom and canvas top |
| espalier. | tree trained to grow along a flat wall |
| esparto. | a tough, wiry grass. fiber used for paper and cordage |
| esperance. | hope |
| espial. | act of observing; being seen or noticed |
| esplanade. | promenade along the shore |
| Essene. | 2nd C. B. C. to 3rd C. A. D. |
| essonite. | brown garnet |
| estaminet. | small café |
| estancia. | Spanish cattle ranch |
| esthesis. | ability to receive sense impressions |
| esthesiometer. | instrument to measure tactile discrimination |
| estival. | appearing in summer |
| Estonian. | Finno-Ugric |
| estoppel. | a bar against An allegation or denial contrary to previous allegation or fact |
| estrus. | period of sexual excitement and ovulation in animals |
| esurient. | edacious, voracious. |
| étagère. | furniture with open knick-knack shelves |
| eta particle. | neutral, 1074 electron masses |
| etesian. | recurring naturally (Mediterranean summer winds) |
| etion. | pesticide |
| ethmoid. | light spongy bone between superior nasal cavity orbits |
| ethology. | study of animal behavior |
| etiolate. | whiten, as in a plant without sunlight |
| etiology. | study of causes |
| etui. | small ornamental case for holding, e.g., needles |
| etymon. | earlier word form; morpheme from which derivatives are formed |
| eukaryotes. | well-defined nuclei. |
| eudemon. | benevolent spirit |
| eudemonism. | ethics evaluating morality in terms of ability to promote happiness |
| eugenol. | used in perfumes and germicides |
| euglena. | photosynthesizing, motile protozoan |
| euhemerism. | theory explaining origin of the gods to deification of heroes |
| eulachon. | candle fish |
| Eumenides. | The Furies |
| euonymous. | plants cultivated for their foliage or fruits |
| eupatrid. | hereditary aristocracy of ancient Greece |
| euphenics. | study of phenotypic development of humans after birth |
| euphonium. | like tuba but somewhat higher pitch |
| euphorbia. | spurges |
| Euphrosyne. | one of the three Graces |
| euphemism. | affected elegance of language |
| euplastic. | healing readily |
| euploid. | having a chromosome complement that is an exact multiple of the haploid |
| eupnea. | normal, unlabored breathing |
| euripus. | a sea channel with turbulent and unpredictable currents in either direction |
| Europa. | Phoenician princess abducted to Crete by Zeus,: takes form of white bull |
| Eurus. | god of the east/southeast |
| eury- | wide, broad |
| eurybathic. | bottom-dweller capable of wide range of depths |
| euryhalin. | wide range of salinities |
| euryptarid. | big extinct orthopods |
| eurythymics. | rhythmic, free, graceful body movement to music’s rhythm |
| eurythymy. | harmony of proportions in architecture |
| eutectic. | formed at lowest possible temperature |
| Euterpe. | Must of lyric poetry and music |
| euthenics. | improving human condition by improving environment |
| eutherian. | all placental mammals |
| eutrophic. | low oxygen in water, favoring plants over animals |
| euxenite. | rare earth ore |
| evaginate. | turn inside out |
| evaporite. | sea water residue |
| evert. | turn outward or inside out |
| evulsion. | forcible extraction |
| examen. | examination |
| exathemas. | diseases that cause skin eruptions |
| exarch. | East. Orthodox: Byzantine provincial ruler, bishop below a patriarch |
| excimer. | dimer above the ground state |
| excipient. | diluent |
| exciton. | electrically neutral excited crystal state, bound state of electron and hole |
| excitonics. | in semiconductors |
| exclave. | enclave in alien territory |
| excursus. | digression |
| exedra. | curved, high-back outdoor bench; curved portico in Greece and Rome |
| exegete. | skilled at exegesis |
| extenterate. | eviscerate |
| exemplum. | parable |
| exergue. | space on coin giving date and place of engraving |
| exuent. | two or more actors should leave stage |
| exine. | outer layer of spore or pollen grain |
| ex libris. | a bookplate |
| ex nihilo. | out of nothing |
| exocarp. | outermost layer of fruit’s pericarp |
| exoderm. | ectoderm |
| exodontia. | pulling teeth |
| exogamy. | marrying outside the tribe |
| exophthalmus. | abnormal protrusion of the eyeball |
| exordium. | beginning of speech |
| exostosis. | bony tumor on bone surface |
| exoteric. | not confined to inner circle |
| ex parte. | one-sided argument |
| expiry. | expiration; death |
| exsert. | to thrust out or forth |
| exsiccate. | to dry up |
| exstipuate. | having no stipules |
| extensometer. | measures minute deformations |
| extern. | nonresident M.D. |
| externalism. | excessive concern with externals |
| extrados. | upper or exterior curve of an arch |
| extravagate. | to wander or roam at will; to exceed reasonable limits |
| extravasate. | to force blood flow into surrounding tissue; lava bursting forth |
| extrorse. | facing outward, away from the axis |
| exudate. | exuded substance |
| exurb. | well-to-do beyond suburbs |
| exuviae. | cast skins of insect larvae and nymphs |
| exuviate. | molt |
| eyas. | nestling hawk or falcon to be fledged |
| eyebright. | flower |
| eye dialect. | use of misspellings to represent dialect (spelling it the way they say it) |
| eye rhyme. | looks rhyming but pronounced different |
| eyra. | reddish-brown jaguarondi, (S. A. wildcat) |
| eyre. | circuit, itineration; circuit court held by royal justices in medieval England |