Words starting with S — 2,257 entries

The 2,257 dictionary words that begin with the letter S, in alphabetical order, each with its first definition. Accents do not affect filing: an accented initial is shelved under its base letter.

• s2 sensesThe nineteenth letter of the English alphabet, called ess and written in the Latin script.
• S3 sensesThe nineteenth letter of the English alphabet, called ess and written in the Latin script.
• Sa1 senseA language of Vanuatu
• SA1 senseTo sexually assault (someone).
• Sabbath6 sensesFriday, observed in Islam as a day of rest and worship.
• Saber1 senseA surname.
• Sabine2 sensesA member of a certain ancient tribe of Italy.
• sabotage2 sensesA deliberate action aimed at weakening someone (or something, a nation, etc) or preventing them from being successful, through subversion,…
• Sabrina2 sensesA legendary Celtic princess who gave her name to the river Severn.
• sack19 sensesA bag; especially a large bag of strong, coarse material for storage and handling of various commodities, such as potatoes, coal, coffee; or, a bag…
• sacked2 sensesBothered; willing to make an effort.
• Sacks1 senseA surname.
• Sacramento3 sensesThe capital city of California, United States and the county seat of Sacramento County.
• sacred7 sensesCharacterized by solemn religious ceremony or religious use, especially, in a positive sense; consecrated, made holy.
• sacrifice19 sensesOriginally, the killing (and often burning) of a human being or an animal as an offering to a deity; later, also the offering of an object to a deity.
• sad14 sensesEmotionally negative. Feeling sorrow; sorrowful, mournful.
• Saddam2 sensesA male given name from Arabic of Arabic usage.
• saddle35 sensesA seat for a rider, typically made of leather and raised in the front and rear, placed on the back of a horse or other animal, and secured by a strap…
• Saddle1 senseA sub-sitio in the sitio of Proper Pudong, barangay of Pudong, Kapangan, Benguet, Philippines.
• Sadie1 senseA diminutive of the female given name Sarah. Also a popular formal given name in the 19th century.
• sadist2 sensesOne who derives pleasure through cruelty or pain to others.
• sadistic3 sensesDelighting in or feeling pleasure from the pain or humiliation of others.
• sadly5 sensesIn a sad manner; sorrowfully.
• sadness2 sensesThe state or emotion of being sad.
• safari4 sensesA trip into any undeveloped area to see, photograph or to hunt wild animals in their own environment.
• safe19 sensesNot in danger; out of harm's reach.
• Safe1 senseAn unincorporated community in Maries County, Missouri, United States.
• safeguard7 sensesSomething that serves as a guard or protection; a defense.
• safely2 sensesIn a safe manner; without risk; using caution above all else.
• safety10 sensesThe condition or feeling of being safe; security; certainty.
• saga2 sensesAn Old Norse (Icelandic) prose narrative, especially one dealing with family or social histories and legends.
• Saga4 sensesSaga Prefecture (a prefecture in western Kyushu, Japan)
• sage8 sensesWise.
• Sage9 sensesA surname transferred from the nickname.
• Sahara1 senseA desert mostly in North Africa and the largest hot desert in the world.
• sahib1 senseA term of respect for a white European or other man of rank in colonial India.
• sai3 sensesA handheld weapon with three prongs, used in some Oriental martial arts.
• said2 sensesMentioned earlier; aforesaid.
• Said2 sensesA male given name from Arabic.
• Saigon2 sensesA ward of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
• sail19 sensesA piece of fabric attached to a boat and arranged such that it causes the wind to drive the boat along. The sail may be attached to the boat via a…
• sailed2 sensesHaving a specified kind or number of sail.
• sailing5 sensesTravelling by ship.
• sailor6 sensesA person who sails; one whose occupation is sailing or navigating ships or other waterborne craft.
• Sailor1 senseA surname.
• sails1 senseThe sailmaker on board ship.
• saint6 sensesA deceased person whom a church or another religious group has officially recognised as especially holy or godly; one eminent for piety and virtue.
• Saint7 sensesA title given to a saint, often prefixed to the person's name.
• Saints1 senseA nickname of Southampton Football Club, a football club from Southampton, England.
• sake4 sensesCause, interest or account.
• sakura3 sensescherry tree
• Sakura1 senseA female given name from Japanese.
• sal2 sensesShorea robusta, a dipterocarpaceous tree.
• Sal3 sensesA diminutive of the male given names Salomon, Salvador, or Salvatore.
• salaam3 sensesA respectful ceremonial greeting used mostly by Muslims.
• Salaam1 senseA surname.
• salad3 sensesA food consisting principally of raw vegetables (especially greens, e.g. lettuce), other savoury ingredients (typically cooked), fruit, or…
• salami3 sensesA large cured meat sausage of Italian origin, served in slices.
• Salami1 senseA surname.
• salary3 sensesA fixed amount of money paid to a worker, usually calculated on a monthly or annual basis, not hourly, as wages. Implies a degree of professionalism…
• Salazar1 senseA surname from Spanish [in turn from Basque].
• sale3 sensesAn exchange of goods or services for currency or credit.
• Sale3 sensesA town in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, historically in Cheshire (OS grid ref SJ9892).
• Salem22 sensesThe biblical place ruled by Melchizedek; mostly identified with Jerusalem.
• sales2 sensesThe activities involved in selling goods or services.
• Sales1 senseA surname from Catalan.
• salesman1 senseA man whose job it is to sell things, either in a shop / store or elsewhere.
• Salim1 senseA surname.
• saline4 sensesContaining salt; salty.
• Saline6 sensesA number of places in the United States: A village in Bienville Parish, Louisiana.
• saliva2 sensesA clear, slightly alkaline liquid secreted into the mouth by the salivary glands and mucous glands, consisting of water, mucin, protein, and enzymes.…
• sally15 sensesA willow.
• Sally2 sensesA diminutive of the female given name Sarah, also used as a formal given name.
• salmon8 sensesOne of several species of fish, typically of the Salmoninae subfamily, brownish above with silvery sides and delicate pinkish-orange flesh; they…
• Salmon3 sensesA surname.
• salon4 sensesA large room, especially one used to receive and entertain guests.
• saloon6 sensesA tavern, especially in an American Old West setting.
• salsa4 sensesA spicy tomato sauce of Mexican origin, often including onions and hot peppers.
• salt33 sensesA common substance, chemically consisting mainly of sodium chloride (NaCl), used extensively as a food ingredient, seasoning, condiment, and…
• Salt2 sensesA village in Salt and Enson parish, Stafford borough, Staffordshire, England (OS grid ref SJ9527).
• Salts1 senseA surname from Yiddish.
• salty6 sensesTasting of salt.
• salute10 sensesAn utterance or gesture expressing greeting or honor towards someone, (now especially) a formal, non-verbal gesture made with the arms or hands in…
• Salvador5 sensesA male given name from Spanish or Portuguese.
• salvage14 sensesThe rescue of a ship, its crew and passengers or its cargo from a hazardous situation.
• Salvage1 senseA town in Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• salvation4 sensesThe process of being saved, the state of having been saved (from hell).
• Salvatore1 senseA male given name from Italian.
• sam9 sensesTo assemble.
• Sam11 sensesA diminutive of the male given names Samuel or Samson.
• Samantha1 senseA female given name from Hebrew.
• samaritan1 sensea Good Samaritan
• Samaritan5 sensesA native, or inhabitant of Samaria; especially one practising certain ethnoreligious traditions indigenous to that region.
• samba3 sensesA Brazilian ballroom dance or dance style.
• Samba1 senseA town and district of Jammu and Kashmir, India.
• same12 sensesNot different or other; not another or others; not different as regards self; selfsame; identical.
• Same2 sensesA district capital of Manufahi District in East Timor
• Sameer2 sensesA male given name from Sanskrit.
• Sami6 sensesA member of an indigenous Finno-Ugric people of Lapland.
• SAMI1 senseAt West Point, a Saturday morning inspection of a cadet's room.
• sammy2 sensesTo moisten (animal skins) with water.
• Sammy4 sensesSynonym of Samoyed (a breed of dog)
• sample10 sensesA part or snippet of something taken or presented for inspection, or shown as evidence of the quality of the whole; a specimen.
• Sample1 senseA surname.
• Sampson6 sensesSamson (semi-legendary Biblical judge).
• Samson4 sensesAn Israelite judge in the Old Testament who performed feats of strength against the Philistines but was betrayed by Delilah his mistress.
• Samuel4 sensesA male given name from Hebrew.
• samurai1 senseIn feudal Japan, a soldier who served a daimyo.
• san2 sensesAn Ancient Greek letter representing /s/ (uppercase Ϻ, lowercase ϻ), originally used in some dialects instead of sigma.
• San3 sensesAny of the foraging non-Bantu ethnic groups of southwestern Africa.
• Sanchez2 sensesA surname from Spanish [in turn originating as a patronymic]; variant form Sánchez.
• Sancho3 sensesA male given name from Spanish.
• sanctuary4 sensesA place of safety, refuge, or protection.
• sand15 sensesRock that is ground more finely than gravel, but is not as fine as silt (more formally, see grain sizes chart), forming beaches and deserts and also…
• sanders1 sensesandalwood, especially the red sandalwood
• Sanders7 sensesA surname originating as a patronymic
• Sanderson5 sensesA surname originating as a patronymic.
• Sandoval3 sensesA surname from Spanish.
• Sandra1 senseA female given name.
• sands3 sensessand grains, especially in reference to the contents of an hourglass, from which
• Sands3 sensesA surname.
• sandwich10 sensesA dish or foodstuff where at least one piece, but typically two or more pieces, of bread serves as the wrapper or container of some other food.
• Sandwich5 sensesA town and civil parish with a town council in Dover district, Kent, southeastern England, one of the historic Cinque Ports (OS grid ref TR3258).
• sandy6 sensesCovered with sand.
• Sandy14 sensesA unisex given name from diminutives A diminutive of the male given names Alexander, Sander, Alasdair, Sandeep, Sanford, or Santiago.
• sane3 sensesBeing in a healthy condition; not deranged; thinking rationally.
• sang2 sensesginseng
• Sang3 sensesA surname from Chinese.
• sanitation2 sensesThe hygienic disposal or recycling of waste.
• sanity2 sensesThe condition of being sane.
• Sanjana1 senseA surname from Gujarati.
• Sanjay1 senseA male given name from Sanskrit used in India.
• Santa4 sensesAn instance of someone dressed up as Santa.
• Santana1 senseA surname from Spanish.
• Santiago38 sensesNumerous places: A municipality of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
• santo1 senseA wooden or ivory statue of a saint, angel or other religious figure, found in Spain and former Spanish colonies.
• Santo1 senseA surname from the Romance languages.
• Santos2 sensesA municipality of São Paulo, Brazil.
• sap15 sensesThe juice of plants of any kind, especially the ascending and descending juices or circulating fluid essential to nutrition.
• SAP1 senseSAP AG, derived from the German Initialism of Systeme, Anwendungen und Produkte in der Datenverarbeitung, one of the world's largest software…
• Sapna1 senseA female given name from Hindi.
• sapphire8 sensesA clear deep blue variety of corundum, valued as a precious stone.
• Sapphire3 sensesA female given name from English from the precious stone.
• Sara1 senseA female given name from Latin [in turn from Ancient Greek, in turn from Hebrew], variant of Sarah.
• Sarah6 sensesThe wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac in the Bible.
• sarcasm2 sensesUse of acerbic language to mock or convey contempt, often using verbal irony and (in speech) often marked by overemphasis and sneering.
• sarcastic2 sensesContaining sarcasm.
• sardines1 senseA children's game in which the players hide together, lying side by side.
• sarge2 sensesAn instance of sarging.
• sari1 senseThe traditional dress of women in the Indian Subcontinent; an outer garment consisting of a single length of cotton or silk, most often with one end…
• Sari2 sensesA city in Iran, the seat of Sari County's Central District and the capital of Mazandaran Province.
• sash8 sensesA piece of cloth designed to be worn around the waist.
• Sasha3 sensesA male given name from Russian or Ukrainian.
• sassy3 sensesBold and spirited, often towards someone in authority; cheeky; impudent; saucy.
• Sassy1 senseA diminutive of the female given name Saskia.
• sat1 senseLevel of saturation (especially of oxygen in the blood).
• SAT1 senseThe National Curriculum assessment, formerly called (either officially or unofficially) by names including the Statutory Assessment Test and the…
• Satan4 sensesThe supreme evil spirit in the Abrahamic religions, who tempts humanity into sin; the Devil; (Theistic Satanism) the same figure, regarded as a deity…
• satanic2 sensesEvil, fiendish, devilish or diabolical.
• Satanic1 senseOf, pertaining to or resembling Satan (the Devil).
• satellite10 sensesA moon or other smaller body orbiting a larger one.
• satin4 sensesA cloth woven from silk, nylon or polyester with a glossy surface and a dull back. (The same weaving technique applied to cotton produces cloth…
• satisfaction6 sensesA fulfilment of a need or desire.
• satisfactory5 sensesDone to satisfaction; adequate or sufficient.
• satisfied2 sensesIn a state of satisfaction.
• satisfy7 sensesTo be enough (for)
• satisfying2 sensesThat satisfies, gratifies or pleases; that removes any feeling of lack.
• Sato1 senseA surname from Japanese.
• Saturday3 sensesThe seventh day of the week in many religious traditions, and the sixth day of the week in systems using the ISO 8601 norm; the Jewish Sabbath; it…
• Saturdays1 senseOn Saturday; each Saturday.
• saturn1 senseThe Southeast Asian butterfly Zeuxidia amethystus, family Nymphalidae.
• Saturn6 sensesThe sixth planet of the solar system, known for its large rings, and until recent times the furthest known; represented in astronomy and astrology by…
• sauce14 sensesA liquid (often thickened) condiment or accompaniment to food.
• saucer8 sensesA small shallow dish to hold a cup and catch drips.
• Saudi2 sensesFrom, or pertaining to Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Arabian people or language, or the House of Saud.
• Saul7 sensesThe first king of Israel in the Old Testament.
• sauna5 sensesA room or a house designed for heat sessions.
• Saunders4 sensesAn English, Scottish, and occasionally Jewish patronymic surname derived from an old form of Alexander.
• sausage13 sensesA food made of ground meat (or meat substitute) and seasoning, packed in a section of the animal's intestine, or in a similarly cylindrical shaped…
• savage17 sensesWild; not cultivated or tamed.
• Savage5 sensesA surname.
• Savannah14 sensesA locality in the Shire of Carpentaria, Queensland, Australia.
• save24 sensesTo prevent harm or difficulty. To help (somebody) to survive, or rescue (somebody or something) from harm.
• Save2 sensesA river in southeastern Africa that flows about 400 km (250 mi) from south of Harare in Zimbabwe, through Mozambique, to the Indian Ocean.
• saved2 sensesRescued from the consequences of sin.
• saving12 sensesA reduction in cost or expenditure.
• savior2 sensesA person who saves someone, rescues another from harm.
• Savior3 sensesJesus Christ
• saviour1 senseUK and Canada spelling of savior.
• Saviour3 sensesUK standard spelling of Savior.
• savvy3 sensesShrewd, well-informed and perceptive.
• saw14 sensesA tool used for cutting hard substances, in particular wood or metal. Such a tool with a toothed blade.
• Saw2 sensesA surname.
• SAW1 senseصَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ (ṣallā llāhu ʕalayhi wa-sallama, “peace be upon him”)
• sawyer4 sensesOne who saws timber, especially in a sawpit.
• Sawyer10 sensesA surname originating as an occupation for someone who made a living from sawing wood.
• Saxon17 sensesA member of an ancient West Germanic tribe that lived at the eastern North Sea coast and south of it.
• saxophone3 sensesA single-reed instrument musical instrument of the woodwind family, usually made of brass and with a distinctive loop bringing the bell upwards.
• say17 sensesTo pronounce.
• Say1 senseA surname.