The hutchinson dictionary of difficult words

The Hutchinson Dictionary of Difficult WordsPreface The general dictionaries which we all have on our bookshelves and desks, and which we constantly consult, have one significant but lit

The Hutchinson Dictionary of Difficult Words

Preface

The general dictionaries which we all have on our bookshelves and desks, and which we constantly consult, have one significant but little-considered

characteristic in common: much of their contents is never used When was the

last time you needed to find out the meaning of the or but, the spelling of cat or

dog? And yet dictionaries compiled for adult native-speakers of English take care

to include such straightforward words, which present no difficulty to dictionary users, and which consequently are seldom – if ever – looked up As dictionaries descend the ladder of size past 'concise' to 'pocket', it is the less frequent and less familiar words that are omitted; the ones we all know are allowed to stay

We rather take this feature of dictionaries for granted, as if that is how they have always been, and therefore that is how they should always be But that is

not how they have always been In the 17th and 18th centuries, the commonest

type of lexical reference book was one that included only those words that might present some difficulty to the user, through unfamiliarity, orthographic

irregularity, etc These are termed 'hard-word dictionaries' But in the 18th century, the practice began to grow of including more everyday words as well

Confirmed by Dr Johnson's magisterial English Dictionary of 1755, this is the

tradition that has won out: we now assume that dictionaries will be inventories

of all the words of a language

However, even the huge Oxford English Dictionary would not seriously make that

claim No dictionary, however big, can be a hundred percent comprehensive – much less a pocket dictionary As far as the practical needs of users are

concerned, it makes much better sense to include only words that they are likely

to look up The space saved by omitting the likes of and, be, do, house, and

small can be much more profitably given to words whose meaning, spelling,

pronunciation, etc cause problems

That is the idea behind The Hutchinson Dictionary of Difficult Words It is a

compendium of around 14,000 of the more troublesome and obscure words in the English language It gives you access to the farthest reaches of English

vocabulary, including within its modest compass terms that can otherwise be found only in the largest multi-volume unabridged dictionaries and specialist reference books It is not a dictionary to be left on the shelf, but a practical problem-solver whose every entry serves a purpose

© Copyright Research Machines plc 2006 All rights reserved Helicon Publishing is

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absconce

abseil

absentee

absente reo absinth(e)

absit omen

absolutism

absolutory

absorptiometer absquatulate

accoutre

accredit

accrementition accrescent

accretion

acidosis

acidulous

acierage

aciform

adhibit

ad hoc

ad hominem

ad hunc locum adiabatic

admeasurement admensuration adminicle

aeolotropic

aeon

aepyornis

aere perennius aeriform

aerobe, aerobium aerobiology

aerodonetics

aerodynamics aerodyne

aerofoil, airfoil aerogel

aerogenic

aerolite, aerolith aerology

aeromancy

aeromechanics aerometer

aeronomy

aeropause

aerophagia

aerophilately aerophobia

aerugo

aesculaceous aesthesia

aesthesiogenic aesthesiometer aesthesis

agynary

ahimsa

ahypnia

aide-mémoire aiger

allergy

alliaceous

alligation

alsike

alsinaceous

alt

altarage

altazimuth alterative altercation alter ego alterity

alternator althaea, althea althing

altiloquence altimeter altisonant altissimo

altivolant alto-relievo altruism

alula

alum

alumina

aluminate aluminium aluminize aluminosis aluminous aluminum alumnus

alveary

alveola

alveolar

alveolate alveolus

alviducous alvine

amadelphous amadou

amah

amalgam

amandine amanita

amanous

amanuensis amaranth amarthritis amaryllis

amerce

americium

ametropia

amiantus, amianthus amice

amphichroic, amphichromatic amphicoelous

amphiprostyle amphirhinal amphisbaena amphiscian amphivorous amphora

amphoteric ampicillin amplexus

ampliative amplitude ampulla

amyctic

amygdala

amygdalin amygdaloid amylaceous amylase

amyloid

amylolysis amylopsin amylose

amyotonia ana

anabaptist anabas

anabasis

anabiosis

anableps

anabolic steroid anabolism anacardic

anacathartic anachorism anachronic anachronism anaclitic

anacoluthon anaconda

Anacreontic anacrusis

anadem

anadiplosis anadipsia

anadromous

anaemia

anaemotrophy anaeretic, aneretic anaerobe

analects, analecta analemma

ankylostomiasis ankyroid, ancyroid anlace

anonym

anoopsia, anopsia anopheles

anopisthographic anorchous

anorexia

anorthography

anosmia, anosphresia anourous

antecedent

antedate

antediluvian, antediluvial antefix

antigen

antihistamine antihydropic anti-icteric

antilapsarian antilegomena antilibration antilogarithm antilogism

antilogy

antimatter

antimetabole antimetathesis antimony

antineuritic antinomian

antinomy

antiodontalgic antiorgastic antioxidant

antipaedobaptist antiparallelogram antiparticle Antipasch(a) antipastic

antipathy

antiperistasis antipharmic antiphlogistic antiphon

antiphrasis

antipodagric antipodes

antipruritic

antipsychiatry antipyretic

antipyrotic

antirachitic antiscians

antiscorbutic antisemite

antisideric

antispast

antistrophe

antistrumatic

apogaeic, apogaic apogamy

appetible applanate appliqué appoggiatura apport

appose

apposite apposition appraise apprehend apprise

apprize

approbate approbation appropinquity appropriate approximate appulse appurtenance apraxia

a priori

apriorism apropos apse

apsidal

apsis

apteral

apterous apterygial apteryx

aptyalism apyretic apyrous aqua fortis aquamarine aquanaut aquaphobia aqua pura aqua regia aquarelle aquarist aquatic

aquatint aquavitae aqueduct

aqueous

aquiculture, aquaculture aquiferous

asperity

aspermatism, aspermia asperse

astrologaster

astrology

astro-meteorology astrometry

astronautics

astrophile, astrophil astrophysics

astucious

astute

astylar

asymptomatic asymptote

asynchronous

asyndeton

asynergy, asynergia asyngamy

atmometer atmospherics atokous

atraumatic atresia

attingent

atto-

attorney

attornment attrahent

attrition

atypical

aubade

au courant auctorial

audile

audio-frequency audiogenic

aurea mediocritas aureate, aureous aureity

aureole, aureola aureomycin

baobab

baptistery, baptistry baraesthesia

bathos

bathyal

bathybic

bathycolpian, bathycolpic bathylimnetic

bead-roll

beadsman, bedesman beagle

bedel(l)

bedizen

bee-bread beele

beestings beeswing

belay

belcher

belemnite belemnoid bel esprit bel-étage belladonna belle

belleric

belles-lettres bellicism

bellicose

belliferous belligerent belling

bellipotent bellonion

bellote, ballote bell-wether beloid

belomancy belonoid

Beltane

beluga

belvedere bencher

bend sinister Benedicite benedick

benediction Benedictus

benefic benefice beneficent beneficial beneficiate Benelux beneplacito benet

benevolence Bengali, bengaline Bengal light benighted benign benison benjamin Benthamism benthos ben trovato benzedrine benzene benzine benzoin benzol(e) benzoline berberia berberine berceuse bere

beretta bergamask bergamot bergère beriberi berkelium berlin

berm

bernicle bersaglieri berserk beryllium bestial bestiarian bestiary beta

bibliogony

bibliography biblioklept

bibliolater

bibliology

bibliomancy bibliomania bibliopegy

bibliophagy

bibliophile

bibliophobia bibliopoesy

bibliopole

bibliosoph

bibliotaph

bibliothec(a) biblus, biblos bibulous

bicameral

bicapitate

bice

bicentenary

bicentennial

bicephalous, bicephalic bichord

biogeography

biognosy, biognosis biograph

biomagnetism

biomass

biome

biometrics, biometry bionergy

blancmange

blandiloquence blank verse

bobbinet, bobbin-net bobolink

bolection, bilection bolero

bombe

bombé

bombic

bombilate, bombinate bombous

bombycine

bona fide

bonamano

bonasus, bonassus bona vacantia

brachycephalic, brachycephalous brachycerous

brachydactylous, brachydactylic brachygraphy

brachylogy

brachymetropy, brachymetropia brachypodous

branchial, branchiac branchiopod

brioche

briquette

brisling

britannia metal British warm

britzka

broach

Buddhism buddle

budgerow bufonite

buhl

buhrstone bulbil

bulbul

bulger

bulimia, bulimy bull

bumicky

bummalo

bund

bundobust bunt

buonamano buphthalmia buran

burbot

bureaucracy burette

burgee

burgensic burgeon

burgh

burro

burrow-duck burrstone

bushido

buskin

bustard

but-and-ben butte

cabala, cabbala caballero

cacao

cacciatore

cachaemia

callisteia

callisthenics, calisthenics calodemon, calodaemon calomel

caloric

catharsis

cathedra catheter cathetometer cathode catholicon catholyte cation

catogenic catoptric cattalo

caveat

cavernicolous cavicorn cavil

cavo-relievo cavy

cayman CD-ROM cecidiology cecil

cedilla

cedrate ceil

ceilidh

ceilometer celadon celation celature celerity celibatarian celidography cellulosic celoscope celt

cembalo cenacle

chauvinism

chebec(k)

chef-d'oeuvre chela

chelonian

chemin-de-fer chemokinesis

chiral

comb.form

chirr

churrigueresque churrus

cicisbeo

ciconine, ciconian ci-devant

circumfluent

circumforaneous circumfulgent circumfuse

circuminsular circumjacent circumlittoral circumlocution circummigrate circumnavigate circumoesophagal circumpolar circumscribe circumsolar

circumspect circumvallation circumvent

circumviate circumvolant circumvolute circumvolve cirrate

clysis

clysmian clyster

cnemis

coaction coadjument coadjutor coadjuvant coadunate coagment coapt(ate) coarctate coati

coaxial

coble

cocciferous coccus

coccyx

cochineal cochlea

cochleare cockatrice cocket

coemption coenaculous coenaesthesis coenobite coenotrope

coessential coetaneous coeval

coition, coitus col

colation

colchicum coleopterous colibri

commonition commorant commorient communiqué commutation commutator commute

comose

compaternity compeer

compellation compendium competent complaisant complanate complement completory complicity compliment complin(e) complot

comport

composite

compos mentis

compossible compotation compote

comprador(e) comprecation

compte rendu

compunction compurgation compute

con amore conarium

conation

concamerated concatenate concavo-convex concede

concelebrate concentre concentric conceptualism concertante

concerto grosso conch

conterminous context

contraindicate contra mundum contra pacem contrapuntal

convexo-concave conveyance

copra

copraemia coprolalia coprolite coprology coprophagy coprophilia coprostasis coprozoic copula

copulate copyhold coquillage coquito coracle

coram populo corbel

corbiculate cordate cordillera cordite

cordon bleu cordovan cordwainer coriaceous coriander corinne corkage corm

cornea

cornelian cornemuse corneous corniche cornucopia cornute corolla

corollary corollate corona

coronach coronagraph coronal coronary coronoid

corozo

corporal corporeal corposant corpus

corpuscle corral

corregidor correlate correption corrie

corrigendum corrigible corrivate corrobboree corroborant corroborate corsage

corsetier cortège

cortex

corticosteroid cortinate cortisone corundum coruscate corvée

corvette corvine

corybant corymb

coryphaeus coryza

cosaque cosher

cosmesis cosmic

cosmocracy cosmodrome cosmogenic cosmogony cosmography cosmology cosmonaut cosmopolitan

craquelure crasis

crassamentum crassitude cratometer craton

creancer

creatic

credence

crédit foncier credo

cremnophobia crenate

crenellated crenitic

crenulate creole

creophagous crepitate

crepuscular crescograph cresset

cretaceous cretic

cristate

criticaster critique

croceous

crocidolite cromlech

crore

crosier, crozier cross-staff crotaline

croton

crounotherapy crouton

crural

cruse

crustacean crymodinia cryogen

cryogenics cryolite

cryometer cryonics

cryophorus cryoscopy cryptaesthesia cryptal

cryptanalysis cryptic

crypto-

cryptoclastic cryptoclimate cryptogam cryptogenic cryptogram cryptograph cryptology cryptonym cryptophyte cryptorchidism cryptozoic crystallography crystallomancy crystic

crystograph

ctenoid

ctetology cubeb

cubit

cuculine

cucullate cucumiform cucurbit

cudbear

cui bono? cuirass

cuisine

culiciform culinary

cullion

culm

culminate culpable

cunabular cunctation cuneiform cunicular cupel

cupulate

curaçao

curare

curassow

curculio curé

curette

curialism curiology curiosa

curium

curratow curricle currier

currycomb cursive

cursorial cursory

curtal

curtate

curtilage curucucu curule

curvet

curvilinear curvulate cushat

cush-cush cusp

cuspidor custodian custos morum cutaneous cuticle

cutis anserina cuvée

cyaneous cyanometer cyanopathy cyanosis cyanotype cyathiform cybernetics cyclarthrosis cyclazocine cyclitis

cyclometer cyclone

damier

damine

dammar

damnosa hereditas damnum fatale

davit

dawk, dak

de aequitate dealate

dealbation deambulatory deasil

deassimilation débâcle

debarrass debellate debenture debility

debouch debridement decachord decad

decadescent decadic

decagon decahedron decal

decalcify decalcomania decalescence decalogue decalvant decameral decameter decanal

decapod decarch

decarnate decastich decastyle decasyllable decathlon decatize decedent decemvir decennial decillion decimate decimestrial decimosexto

deipnosophist deipotent

dernier cri

derogate

derringer

desacralize

didicoy, diddicoy didymous, didymate diectasis

diffract

diffrangible diffugient digamma

digladiation diglossia

diglot(tic) digoneutic digonous

digraph

dihedral

dilatory

dilettante dilogy

dimorphism dinic(al)

dioecious

dioestrum dionym

Dionysiac

dioptometer dioptre, diopter diorama

diorthosis

diotic

diphyletic diphyodont

disjecta membra disjection

disjunction

disomus

dolce far niente

doldrums

dolent

dolichocephalic, dolichocephalous dolichocercic

draconites, dracontites dracontian, dracontine dragoman

dragonnade

dramamine

dramatis personae dramaturgy

dyne

dysaesthesia

dysarthrosis

dyschroa, dyschroia dyschromatoptic dyschronous

dyscrasia

dysergia

dyskinesia

dyslexia

echinulate

echinus

echolalia

echometer echopraxia éclaircissement eclampsia éclat

ectasis

ecthlipsis ecthyma

ectobatic ectocranial ectoderm ectogenesis ectomorph ectoparasite ectopia

ectoplasm ectorhinal ectozoon

ectype

ecumenical edacious

edaphic

edelweiss edema

edentate

educe

edulcorate effable

effodient effulgent

egest

empathy

empennage

emphractic

emphysema

emphyteusis

empiric(al)

emporeutic, emporetic empressé

endoscope endoskeleton endosmosis endosperm endothermy enema

energumen enervate

enfant terrible enfilade

enfleurage engrail

engram

enjambement ennead

enneaeteric enneagon

enneahedron enneatic

ennui

en pantoufles enphytotic

en plein air

en rapport

en règle

ensate, ensiform ensilage

entablature entablement entail

entelechy

enteric

enthetic

enthymeme entify

entitative

entomic(al) entomology entomophagous entophyte

eudiometer

evulsion

exallotriote exanthema exarch

exarticulate exaugurate excalation

ex cathedra excaudate

excrement excrescent excrete

exequies

exercitor (maris) exergue

exeunt

exfoliate

ex gratia

exheredate exigent

exoculate