Words starting with C

217 words.

cabbeling The process by which two masses of water with different temperatures and salinities mix to form a ne
cachinnate To laugh immoderately, loudly, or too often.
cafetorium A large room, usually in a school, used as both a cafeteria and an auditorium.
cainophobia The fear of newness and/or of things that are new.
calaboose A prison or jail/gaol.
calceology The study of footwear, especially historical footwear.
caligate Wearing caligae or military boots.
caligynephobia The fear of beautiful women.
calipash The edible greenish material found underneath the upper half of a turtle's carapace (shell).
callithump A somewhat riotous parade, accompanied with the blowing of tin horns and other discordant noises.
calque A word or phrase in a language formed by word-for-word or morpheme-by-morpheme translation of a word
caltrop A metal object, usually small, with spikes arranged so that, when thrown onto the ground, one always
camarilla A secret, usually sinister, group of conspiring advisors close to the leadership; a cabal.
cambuca A 12th-century English game somewhat similar to golf in that it was played with a wooden ball simila
camerlengo The cardinal who administers the Roman Catholic Church in the interregnum between Popes.
camisado A nocturnal ambush or surprising act of aggression.
candescent Glowing with heat; white-hot, incandescent.
cantillate To chant, or to recite musically (especially in a synagogue).
cantrip A spell or incantation; a trifling magic trick.
capernosity The meaning of this term is uncertain. Possibilities include
capias An arrest warrant; a writ commanding officers to take a specified person or persons into custody.
capnomor A colourless oil with a peculiar odour, obtained from beech tar.
caprifole The woodbine or honeysuckle.
captology The study of computers as persuasive technologies.
carcinization The convergent evolution of decapod crustaceans from forms dissimilar to true crabs into similar for
caremongering The provision of help or the use of social media to offer everyday assistance and positive thoughts.
carnivalize To subvert (mainstream assumptions or literary styles) through humour and chaos.
cascrom A type of foot plough with a crooked spade component, used in the Scottish Highlands.
cassone A highly-decorated traditional Italian dowry chest.
castrophony The overwhelming sounds of catastrophe.
casuist A person who resolves cases of conscience or moral duty.
catachresis Either of two types of misuse of a word or misapplication of a concept. — A misuse of a word; an app
catallaxy A high-interaction society of collective decision making.
cataphile A type of urban explorer who visits the ancient catacombs and quarries linked by tunnels beneath Par
catastasis In classical drama, the second and penultimate section, in which action is heightened for the catast
catasterize To turn into a star, constellation, comet or other celestial object.
catoptromancy Divination by use of mirrors, or other reflective surfaces.
cecutiency Partial blindness, or a tendency toward blindness.
celebutante A young, usually female socialite, especially one of limited accomplishment, who is the focus of suf
cella The central, enclosed part of an ancient temple, as distinguished from the open porticos.
centesimation The selection by lot of every hundredth man (of an army or group of prisoners or mutineers) for exec
ceromancy Divination by pouring melted wax into water and interpreting the bubbles formed.
chack To not broadcast a medal-winning or otherwise memorable or crucial figure skating performance. This
charism A power or authority, generally of a spiritual nature, believed to be a freely given gift by the Gra
charpoy A traditional bedstead used in South Asia, consisting of a wooden frame bordering a set of knotted r
chasmatical Chasmal (of or like a chasm).
chavrusa A partner with whom one studies Talmud and other topics in Judaism; by extension, any study partner.
cheve To come to an issue; to turn out; to succeed.
chiliagon A polygon with a thousand vertices and a thousand edges.
chiliasm Belief in an earthly thousand-year period of peace and prosperity, sometimes equated with the return
chiliocosm A collection of many worlds.
chiminology Speech or writing marked by overly complex vocabulary.
chirograph A kind of medieval document written in duplicate (or more) on a single piece of parchment, then cut
chivvy To coerce or hurry along, as by persistent request.
chlamys A short poncho-like cloak caught up on the shoulder, worn by hunters, soldiers, and horsemen in Anci
choenix An ancient dry measure of two pints or greater.
chope To reserve (a place), such as a seat in a fast food restaurant, sometimes by placing a packet of tis
choppelganger Someone who looks like an unattractive or chopped version of someone else.
chorizont One who challenges a widely held assumption of authorship for a major work, especially one who belie
chrestomath A person devoted to useful learning; especially a language learner.
chromoclasm The elimination or reduction of colorfulness for religious reasons.
chronotope The representation, in language, of a particular time and space.
chthonic Dwelling within the underworld.
chuffed Very pleased or satisfied; delighted.
chukker Any of the six playing periods, each 7½ minutes long, of a game of polo.
churnalize To copy and paste (a news story) from one source into another, especially into a blog.
chutzpah Nearly arrogant courage; utter audacity, effrontery or impudence; supreme self-confidence; exaggerat
chyron A set of graphics or words at the bottom of a television screen, sometimes unrelated to the current
cibolero A Spanish colonial (and later Mexican) buffalo hunter from New Mexico.
cicerone To show (somebody) the sights, acting as a tourist guide.
cicisbeo A man who escorts a married woman to social functions, especially in 18th-century Italy; a married w
cindynics The science of risk analysis.
cinerulent Full of ashes; resembling ashes.
circumbendibus A roundabout route or process
circumforaneous Wandering from place to place or market to market.
circumvallate To surround with, or as if with, a rampart.
circumvallation A rampart or other defensive entrenchment that entirely encircles the position being defended.
clamatory Crying out, calling out; claiming, demanding.
claque A group of people hired to attend a performance and to either applaud or boo.
clerihew A humorous rhyme of four lines with the rhyming scheme AABB, usually regarding a person mentioned in
clerisy An elite group of intellectuals; learned people, the literati.
climacophobia The fear of staircases or of falling down stairs.
clinquant Glittery; gleaming; sparkling; dressed in, or overlaid with, tinsel finery.
closant A consonant-like sound such as uttered by a preverbal infant.
clyack Completion of the harvest season, harvesting the last sheaf of grain.
coddiwomple To travel purposefully to an undetermined location.
cogitabund Deep in thought; meditative, thoughtful.
cognoscente Someone possessing superior or specialized knowledge in a particular field.
coistril An inferior groom or lad employed by an esquire to carry the knight's arms and other necessaries; a
collapsology The transdisciplinary study of the collapse of industrial civilization, and what might succeed it.
collaud To join in praising or worshiping.
collywobbles A stomach ache or an upset stomach.
colorum A rebel organization characterized by religious fanaticism.
coltish Resembling a colt, especially: — Lively, playful and undisciplined (often in a manner judged to be i
commentariat All the pundits and commentators of the news media collectively.
commess Good-natured trouble; mischief; hanky-panky or high jinks.
commination A formal denunciation; especially one threatening divine punishment.
communitas An unstructured community of common experience.
compaginate To unite or hold together.
compersion The feeling of joy one has experiencing another's joy, such as in witnessing a toddler's joy and fee
completism A desire to obtain a complete collection of some type of thing.
compotation The social act of drinking together.
comprachico A person who deliberately mutilates a growing child in order to induce freakish physical traits.
comptometer A mechanical or electromechanical calculator; an adding machine without a crank, driven instead by k
compurgator Someone who vouches for another person's innocence, trustworthiness etc. — A character witness in ca
computus The calculation of the date of Easter in the Christian calendar.
comstockery Censorship of literature and performances because of especially broad definitions of obscenity or im
concetto Affected wit; a witty turn of phrase; a conceit.
concinnate To place fitly together; to adapt; to clear.
concinnity The harmonious reinforcement of the various parts of a work of art.
concitation Rousing, stirring up; excitement, agitation.
conculcate Despised, disregarded, trampled.
confelicity Pleasure in another person's happiness.
conferruminate Closely united by the coalescence of contiguous faces.
congeries A collection or aggregation of disparate items.
conglobate To form into a globe or ball.
conglutinate To stick or glue together.
consentaneous Done or made by general consent; widely agreed or approved.
consilience The concurrence of multiple inductions drawn from different data sets.
conspection Observation with understanding.
conspissation A thickening or making viscous; thickness
consuetudinary A ritual book containing the forms and ceremonies used in the services of a particular monastery, ca
contemper To modify or temper; to allay; to qualify; to moderate or soften.
contorniate A bronze medal or medallion with a deep furrow on the contour or edge, supposed to have been struck
contrapposto The position of a human figure whose hips and legs are twisted away from the direction of the head a
contrist To make sad, to upset.
contronym A word that has two opposing meanings, such as cleave (“stick together” or “split apart”).
contubernal Living in close proximity (as though sharing a tent); intimate, familiar.
contumelious Rudely contemptuous; showing contumely; exhibiting an insolent or disdainful attitude.
conundrum A difficult question or riddle, especially one using a play on words in the answer.
conventicle A secret, unauthorized or illegal religious meeting.
conversazione A formal gathering where something related to the arts or academia is discussed.
cooja A wide-mouthed earthenware vessel for water.
coomb A tub or vat, especially used in brewing.
copyfraud False claims of copyright, such as a claim of copyright ownership of public domain material.
coquelicot A reddish-orange colour; poppy.
coranto An early informational broadsheet, bringing together news and philosophical discussion.
corbie A raven or crow (typically Corvus corax).
corium A lavalike mixture of fissile material created in a nuclear reactor's core during a nuclear meltdown
cornutor One who makes another person into a cuckold.
coronach A dirge or lamentation.
coronis A device, curved stroke, or flourish formed with a pen, coming at the end of a book or chapter; a co
corposant An electrical discharge accompanied by a corona of ionization in the surrounding atmosphere
corpsicle A person who has been cryonically frozen in the hope of later revival.
corrasion The diminution of wealth, etc., such as through unanticipated expenditure.
corrival A fellow rival; a competitor; a rival.
corrivate To flow, or cause to flow, together, like water drawn from several streams.
corroborant Anything that gives strength or support; a tonic.
coruscant Emitting flashes of light; glittering.
coruscate To give off light; to reflect in flashes; to sparkle.
corymb A cluster of flowers with a flat or convex top.
coryphaeus The conductor or leader of the chorus of a drama.
cossist A practitioner of proto-algebra in Renaissance and Early Modern Europe.
costard A large cooking apple.
cothurn A buskin anciently worn by tragic actors on the stage.
couchant Lying with belly down and front legs extended; crouching.
couloir A steep gorge along a mountainside.
coulter A cutter, consisting of a blade in either knife form or disk form, attached to the ploughbeam of a p
counterpane The topmost covering of a bed, often functioning as a blanket.
coursey A space in the galley; a part of the hatches.
couter A piece of armor which covers the elbow.
coverture Concealing cover, disguise, veil; (also figurative).
cowle A lease, or grant in writing; a safe-conduct, amnesty, etc.
cowlstaff A staff used to carry a cowl or other burden, especially held by two people on their shoulders.
crabbed Bad-tempered or cantankerous.
crackpot An eccentric, crazy or foolish person.
craftly Skillful, expert; indicative of skill.
craic Often preceded by the: amusement, fun, especially through enjoyable company; also, pleasant conversa
crake To boast; to speak loudly and boastfully.
crambo A guessing game in which players guess words that rhyme with a clue word, seeking a word that is kep
crancelin A chaplet of rue, as used as a charge on the arms of Saxony.
crankle To bend, turn, or wind.
crare A slow unwieldy trading vessel.
crasis One's constitution; the balance of humours in a person's body.
cremains Cremated remains of a deceased person.
crenel The space between merlons in a crenelated battlement.
cresset A metal cage, basket or cup with fire in it, used for various purposes: — A metal cup, suspended fro
criminate To accuse (someone) of a crime; to incriminate.
criophore A statue or other representation of a person carrying a ram.
crisitunity A crisis from which some good may come, and which may therefore be perceived as an opportunity.
critocracy A system of rule by judges.
croker A cultivator of crocus or saffron; a dealer in saffron.
crome A garden or agricultural implement with three or four tines bent at right angles, resembling a garde
cromulent Acceptable, satisfactory, or valid.
crosier A staff with a hooked end similar to a shepherd's crook, or with a cross at the end, carried by an a
crotal A crotalum, a type of clapper used in Ancient Greece.
cruckle To stumble after inverting or everting one's foot; to roll (but not necessarily sprain) one's ankle.
crumhorn Any of several related simple woodwind instruments having a bent horn
cryoconite Dark silt accumulating mainly from airborne volcanic sediment or soot from artificial pollution, or
crypsis The ability of an organism to avoid observation.
cryptid A creature known only from folklore or legend, the existence of which is not proven by scientific ob
cryptomnesia The phenomenon of the reappearance of a long-forgotten memory as if it were a new experience; (count
cryptorheic Draining through invisible, subterranean outflows.
cudbear A violet-red dye powder, prepared from certain lichens, especially Ochrolechia tartarea.
cuesta A hill or ridge with a gentle slope on one side, and a steep slope on the other.
cultrate Sharp-edged and pointed; shaped like a pruning knife
cultus Established or accepted religious rites or customs of worship; state of religious development.
culverin Any of a range of early gunpowder-fired guns of various sizes, from firearm to artillery. — A kind o
cunette A trench dug in a moat to allow for drainage, or as an extra obstacle for attackers.
curch A square piece of linen formerly worn by women instead of a cap; a kerchief.
curdog A cur — A working or sheepdog
curio A strange and interesting object; something that evokes curiosity.
curmudgeon An ill-tempered person full of stubborn ideas or opinions, often an older man.
cursus A course; a journey or progression.
curtilage A small piece of land, such as a garth or yard with the buildings and structures on it, immediately
curule Designating a kind of elaborate ceremonial seat inlaid with ivory, used by the highest magistrates i
cushat A pigeon, wood pigeon or ring dove.
custumal A survey of a medieval English manor, listing each tenant and the customs under which the tenancy wa
cutpurse A thief who steals from others' purses or pockets in public.
cwtch A cubbyhole or similar hiding place.
cyanope A person with fair hair and brown eyes.
cyclegraph A photograph produced by attaching tiny lights to a moving person or object and using a long exposur
cymoscope A detector of electromagnetic waves.
cynegetic Of or relating to hunting (especially with dogs).
cynghanedd The complex system of internal assonance, alliteration and rhyme in Welsh strict-meter poetry.
cyning An Anglo-Saxon (early English) king.
cynosure That which serves to guide or direct; a guiding star.