Words starting with C — 1,957 entries

The 1,957 dictionary words that begin with the letter C, in alphabetical order, each with its first definition. Accents do not affect filing: an accented initial is shelved under its base letter.

• career11 sensesOne’s calling in life; one's working occupation or profession, especially when pursued seriously or over a long period of time.
• carefree1 senseWithout cares or worries; free of concern or worries; without difficulty.
• careful4 sensesTaking care; attentive to potential danger, error or harm; cautious.
• carefully3 sensesWith care; attentively, circumspectly.
• careless3 sensesNot concerned or worried (about).
• caress4 sensesAn act of endearment; any act or expression of affection; an embracing, or touching, with tenderness.
• caretaker3 sensesSomeone who takes care of a place or thing; someone looking after a place, or responsible for keeping it in good repair.
• Carey12 sensesA placename: A hamlet in Ballingham parish and Little Dewchurch parish, Herefordshire, England (OS grid ref SO5631).
• cargo3 sensesFreight carried by a ship, aircraft, or motor vehicle.
• Cargo3 sensesA surname.
• Caribbean5 sensesPertaining to the sea and region of the western Atlantic bounded by South America, Central America, and the islands of the West Indies (such as Cuba…
• caring2 sensesKind, sensitive, or empathetic.
• carl3 sensesA rude, rustic man; a churl.
• Carl2 sensesA male given name from the Germanic languages, equivalent to English Charles.
• Carla1 senseA female given name from the Germanic languages.
• Carlin2 sensesA surname.
• Carlisle28 sensesA city in and the county town of Cumbria, and formerly of the county of Cumberland, and in Cumberland unitary authority since 2023, northwestern…
• Carlo1 senseA male given name from Italian, equivalent to English Charles.
• Carlos1 senseA male given name from Portuguese or from Spanish [in turn from Latin, in turn from the Germanic languages], equivalent to English Charles, Carl, or…
• Carlotta1 senseA female given name from Italian.
• Carlson1 senseA surname originating as a patronymic, of Scandinavian origin.
• Carlton30 sensesAny of several place names in England: A village in Carlton and Chellington parish, Bedford borough, Bedfordshire (OS grid ref SP9555).
• Carly1 senseA female given name from the Germanic languages.
• Carmen6 sensesA female given name from Spanish
• Carmichael4 sensesA placename: A village and civil parish in South Lanarkshire council area, Scotland (OS grid ref NS9238).
• carmine3 sensesA purplish-red pigment, made from dye obtained from the cochineal beetle; carminic acid or any of its derivatives.
• Carmine2 sensesA male given name from Italian.
• carnage5 sensesDeath and destruction.
• Carnegie8 sensesA surname.
• carnival7 sensesAny of a number of festivals held just before the beginning of Lent.
• Carnival1 senseThe season just before the beginning of the Western Christian season of Lent.
• carol9 sensesA ballad or song of joy.
• Carol2 sensesA female given name from the Germanic languages, popular in the middle of the 20th century.
• Carole1 senseA female given name from French, variant of Carol
• Carolina11 sensesA female given name from Latin, Latinate form of Caroline; rare in English.
• caroline1 senseAn old silver coin of Italy.
• Caroline3 sensesSynonym of Carolean (“relating to the time of Kings Charles I and II of England or Charles III of the United Kingdom, or of the kings themselves”).
• Carolyn1 senseA female given name from the Germanic languages, a variant of Caroline used since the 19th century.
• carotid2 sensesEither of the two main arteries that supply blood to the head of which the left in humans arises from the arch of the aorta and the right by…
• carousel8 sensesA pleasure ride, typically found at amusement parks and fairs and accompanied by music, consisting of a slowly revolving circular platform on which…
• carp9 sensesAny of various freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae.
• Carp1 senseA surname.
• carpenter6 sensesA person skilled at carpentry, the trade of cutting and joining timber in order to construct buildings or other structures.
• Carpenter19 sensesA surname originating as an occupation derived from the trade name carpenter.
• carpet8 sensesA fabric used as a complete floor covering.
• carr3 sensesAny marsh; marshy ground, swampland.
• Carr12 sensesA northern English habitational surname from Old Norse derived from Old Norse kjarr (“brushwood”).
• carriage12 sensesThe act of conveying; carrying.
• Carrie4 sensesA diminutive of the female given name Caroline, also used as a formal given name.
• carrier16 sensesA person or object that carries someone or something else.
• Carrier4 sensesA Northern Athabaskan language spoken in Canada. Sometimes considered to be three separate languages: Southern Carrier, Northern Carrier and Central…
• Carrington10 sensesA placename: A village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, Greater Manchester, England (OS grid ref SJ7492).
• Carroll13 sensesA surname from Irish derived from the Irish Ó Cearbhaill.
• carrot7 sensesA vegetable with a nutritious, juicy, sweet root that is often orange in colour, Daucus carota, family Apiaceae, especially the subspecies sativus.
• carrots1 senseA redhead.
• carry39 sensesTo lift (something) and take it to another place; to transport (something) by lifting.
• Carry1 senseA surname.
• carrying1 senseTransportation.
• Carson18 sensesA Scottish surname, possibly a form of Curzon.
• cart10 sensesA small, open, wheeled vehicle, drawn or pushed by a person or animal, often with two wheels on one axle, more often used for transporting goods than…
• Cart2 sensesA surname.
• cartel5 sensesA group of businesses or nations that collude to limit competition within an industry or market.
• carter2 sensesA person who transports a load on a cart that is drawn by a beast of burden.
• Carter13 sensesA surname originating as an occupation for someone who was a carter.
• cartman2 sensesA private garbage collection and haulage worker or contractor.
• Cartman1 senseA surname.
• carton7 sensesAn inexpensive, disposable box-like container fashioned from either paper, paper with wax-covering (wax paper), or other lightweight material.
• Carton1 senseA surname.
• cartoon9 sensesA humorous drawing, often with a caption, or a strip of such drawings.
• cartridge7 sensesThe package consisting of the bullet, primer, and casing containing gunpowder; a round of ammunition.
• Cartridge1 senseA surname.
• cartwright1 senseA craftsman who makes carts.
• Cartwright7 sensesAn English surname originating as an occupation for someone who made carts.
• carve8 sensesTo cut meat in order to serve it.
• carved1 senseOf an object, made by carving.
• carver5 sensesSomeone who carves; an artist who produces carvings.
• Carver6 sensesA surname.
• carving3 sensesA carved object.
• Cary11 sensesA surname, a less common spelling of Carey.
• casa1 sensehouse
• Casa1 senseA town in Arkansas.
• Casablanca1 senseThe capital city of the region of Casablanca-Settat, Morocco.
• Casanova3 sensesA man considered romantic and gallant, especially one who gives amorous attentions to women.
• case30 sensesAn actual event, situation, or fact.
• Case5 sensesabstract feature of a noun phrase that determines its function in a sentence, such as a grammatical case and a position.
• Casey10 sensesA surname from Irish.
• cash12 sensesMoney in the form of notes or bills and coins, as opposed to checks, credit or electronic transactions.
• Cash8 sensesA surname originating as an occupation.
• cashed1 senseExhausted or used up; finished, empty.
• cashier6 sensesTo discard, put away.
• casing5 sensesThat which encloses or encases.
• casings1 senseDried cattle dung used as fuel.
• casino4 sensesA public building or room for gambling.
• Casino1 senseA town in the Richmond Valley council area, north eastern New South Wales, Australia.
• casket5 sensesA little box, e.g. for jewellery.
• Casper4 sensesA male given name from Old Persian, of occasional usage, variant of Caspar.
• cass1 senseTo render moot or void; to annul; to reject
• Cass8 sensesA diminutive of the female given name Cassandra of medieval origin, later also used for Cassidy, Cassiopeia, and Catherine with its variant forms.
• cassandra1 senseSynonym of leather leaf (“Chamaedaphne calyculata”).
• Cassandra5 sensesA prophetess who was daughter of King Priam of Troy and his queen Hecuba. She captured the eye of Apollo and was granted the ability to see the…
• casserole4 sensesA dish of glass or earthenware, with a lid, in which food is baked and sometimes served.
• cassette7 sensesA small flat case containing magnetic tape on two reels, used to record and play back audio and video material.
• Cassidy5 sensesA surname from Irish anglicized from Ó Casaide (“descendant of Caiside”). Caiside is a byname from Irish cas (“curly”) meaning “curly-haired”.
• cassie2 sensesA thorny shrub with fragrant yellow flowers, Vachellia farnesiana; the needle bush.
• Cassie2 sensesA female given name.
• Cassius1 senseA male given name from Latin.
• cast55 sensesTo move, or be moved, away. To throw.
• Cast1 senseA surname.
• caste4 sensesAny of the hereditary social classes and subclasses of South Asian societies or similar found historically in other cultures.
• Castillo2 sensesA habitational surname from Spanish, from Spanish castillo (“castle”).
• casting7 sensesThe act or process of selecting actors, singers, dancers, models, etc.
• castle14 sensesA large residential building or compound that is fortified and contains many defences; in previous ages often inhabited by a nobleman or king. Also,…
• Castle8 sensesA surname transferred from the common noun referring to someone who lived in or worked in a castle
• castor7 sensesA hat made from the fur of the beaver.
• Castor6 sensesOne of the Dioscuri
• Castro2 sensesA surname from Spanish.
• casual16 sensesHappening by chance.
• casually1 senseIn a casual manner.
• casualty7 sensesSomething that happens by chance, especially an unfortunate event; an accident, a disaster.
• cat29 sensesTerms relating to animals. A mammal of the family Felidae.
• Cat3 sensesA diminutive of the female given names Catherine or Caitlin.
• CAT5 sensesCentre for Alternative Technology
• Catalina5 sensesA Catalina coupon.
• catalogue12 sensesA systematic list of books, names, pictures, etc.
• catastrophe4 sensesAny large and disastrous event of great significance.
• catastrophic3 sensesOf or pertaining to a catastrophe.
• catch61 sensesThe act of seizing or capturing.
• catcher5 sensesSomeone or something that catches.
• catching3 sensesInfectious, contagious.
• catchy4 sensesInstantly appealing and memorable.
• cate1 senseA delicacy or item of food.
• Cate1 senseA diminutive of the female given name Catherine.
• category2 sensesA group, often named or numbered, to which items are assigned based on similarity or defined criteria.
• caterer2 sensesA person employed to obtain and maintain the storage of provisions, especially food.
• catering3 sensesThe business of providing food and related services; foodservice.
• caterpillar5 sensesThe larva of a butterfly or moth; leafworm.
• catfish6 sensesAny fish of the order Siluriformes, mainly found in fresh water, lacking scales, and having barbels like whiskers around the mouth.
• Cath1 senseA diminutive of the female given name Catherine.
• cathedral5 sensesRelating to the office of a bishop or an archbishop.
• Cathedral1 senseThe mainstream system or establishment in society, regarded as liberal or leftist.
• Catherine1 senseA female given name from Ancient Greek.
• catholic5 sensesUniversal; all-encompassing.
• Catholic5 sensesOf the Western Christian church, as differentiated from e.g. the Orthodox church.
• Cathy1 senseA diminutive of the female given name Catherine and of its variant forms, also used as a formal given name in the 20th century.
• CATS1 senseA credit under the CAT Scheme above.
• cattle5 sensesDomesticated animals of the species Bos taurus (cows, bulls, steers, oxen etc), and other hoofed mammals of the genus Bos.
• Cattle1 senseA surname.
• Caucasian8 sensesOf or relating to the Caucasus region or its culture, languages, and people.
• caught1 senseOf the method of being out in which the striker hits the ball and a fielder catches it.
• cause9 sensesThe source of, or reason for, an event or action; that which produces or effects a result.
• caution9 sensesPrudence when faced with, or when expecting to face, danger; care taken in order to avoid risk or harm.
• cautious1 senseUsing or exercising caution; careful; tentative
• cavalier11 sensesLacking the proper care or concern for something important, reckless, rash, high-handed.
• Cavalier4 sensesA small city, the county seat of Pembina County, North Dakota, United States.
• cavalry4 sensesAn individual unit of this arm of service.
• Cavanaugh1 senseA surname from Irish.
• cave20 sensesA large, naturally-occurring cavity formed underground or in the face of a cliff or a hillside.
• Cave7 sensesThe 18th sura (chapter) of the Qur'an.
• caveman4 sensesAn early human or closely related species, popularly held to reside in caves.
• cavern5 sensesA large cave.
• caviar3 sensesRoe of the sturgeon or of certain other large fish, considered a delicacy.
• cavity3 sensesA hole or hollow depression in a solid object. A hollow area within the body.
• cawing1 senseThe act of producing a caw sound.
• Cayman2 sensesOf or related to the Cayman Islands, understood geographically or politically.
• CC2 sensesCompanion of the Order of Canada.
• cD1 sensea type of giant elliptical galaxy
• CD1 senseInitialism of compact disc. An album; a collection of musical recordings (or, occasionally, other audio such as spoken word).
• Ce1 senseA diminutive of the female given name Celia.
• cease4 sensesTo stop.
• Cease1 senseA surname from German.
• Cece1 senseA diminutive of the female given name Cecilia.
• cecil1 senseA fried ball of minced meat, breadcrumbs, onions, etc.
• Cecil12 sensesA unisex given name from Latin. A male given name from Latin.
• Cecile1 senseA female given name from Latin.
• Cecilia1 senseA female given name from Latin.
• cedar4 sensesA coniferous tree of the genus Cedrus in the family Pinaceae.
• Cedar11 sensesA surname.
• Cedric1 senseA male given name from Welsh.
• cee2 sensesThe name of the Latin script letter C/c.
• ceiling8 sensesThe overhead closure of a room.
• celebrate4 sensesTo extol or honour in a solemn manner.
• celebrated1 sensefamous or widely praised
• celebrating1 sensecelebration
• celebration4 sensesThe formal performance of a solemn rite, such as Christian sacrament.
• celebrity3 sensesFame, renown; the state of being famous or talked-about.
• celery3 sensesA European herb (Apium graveolens) of the carrot family.
• celeste2 sensesAn organ stop, deliberately slightly out of tune to give an undulating sound.
• Celeste2 sensesA female given name from French [in turn from Latin].
• celestial12 sensesOf, relating to, or located in the sky or outer space, where the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars are visible.
• Celestial2 sensesComing from or having to do with Fredericton, New Brunswick.
• Celia2 sensesA female given name from Latin.
• Celine1 senseA female given name from Latin.
• cell25 sensesA single-room dwelling for a hermit.
• cellar6 sensesAn enclosed underground space, often under a building, used for storage or shelter.
• cello2 sensesA large unfretted stringed instrument of the violin family with four strings tuned (lowest to highest) C-G-D-A and an endpin to support its weight,…
• cellphone1 senseTo make a call to (someone) on a cellphone.
• cellular5 sensesOf, relating to, consisting of, or resembling a cell or cells.
• Celtic6 sensesA branch of the Indo-European languages that was spread widely over Western and Central Europe in the pre-Christian era.
• cement10 sensesA powdered substance produced by firing (calcining) calcium carbonate (limestone) and clay that develops strong cohesive properties when mixed with…
• Cement1 senseA town in Oklahoma.