Dictionary [F]

Word	Definition
fabaceous	bean-like
fabiform	shaped like a bean
fabulist	one who invents fables
faburden	harmony in thirds and sixths
face-cord	unit of wood measurement equal to a stack four by eight feet in volume
facetiae	term for books of inappropriate or lewd nature
facia	nameplate or sign above shop
facinorous	atrociously wicked
factious	turbulent; given to faction; seditious
factitious	produced by humans or artificial forces
factitive	signifying making or causing something to be
factive	indicating causation
factotum	lackey; person employed to do various jobs
facture	workmanship; the products of making
facula	unusually bright spot on sun's surface
facultative	optional; incidental; conferring privilege
facundity	eloquence
fagin	an adult who instructs others in crime
fagottist	bassoon player
faience	glazed coloured earthware
faille	shiny closely woven silk, cotton or rayon fabric
fain	happy; inclined; pleased
fainéant	puppet ruler; do-nothing; idle person
fairlead	ring through which rope is led to change its direction without friction
falcade	motion of a horse throwing itself on its haunches
falcate	resembling a sickle
falciform	shaped like a sickle
falconine	of, like or pertaining to falcons or hawks
falderal	nonsense; meaningless refrain of a song
faldstool	desk from which the Litany is read at church service
fallibilism	the doctrine that empirical knowledge is uncertain
falsidical	conveying a meaning that is false
famicide	one who destroys another's reputation; slanderer
familic	pertaining to a family; domestic
familism	the tendency of a family to cohere as a group
familistery	house for communal living
famulus	private secretary or attendant
fanal	lighthouse or beacon
fandango	lively Spanish dance performed by a couple
fane	flag or banner; weather-cock
fane	temple
fanfaron	an empty boaster
fanfaronade	grandiose trumpet blast
fanion	cloth worn on priest's arm and used for handling holy vessels
fanion	small flag used in surveying
fantassin	infantry soldier
fantasticate	to fantasize over something
fantigue	anxiety or irritation
fantod	a state of irritability or tension; an emotional fit
farad	unit measuring electrical capacitance
farandine	silk and wool cloth
farandole	lively Provençal dance in which men and women hold hands
farctate	full; stuffed
fardage	wood placed in bottom of ship to keep cargo dry
fardel	anything cumbersome or irksome
farinaceous	mealy; consisting of cereals
farinose	resembling or yielding flour
farouche	wild; unpolished
farraginous	disordered; jumbled; miscellaneous
farrago	confused mass of objects or people; disordered mixture
farrier	one who shoes horses or cares for horses
farris	female blacksmith
farrow	to give birth to piglets
farruca	Spanish gypsy dance with sudden tempo and mood changes
fasces	bundle of rods with an axe used to symbolise authority
fascia	board over a shop-front
fascicle	bundle; division of book published in parts
fascine	bundle of brushwood used to fill ditches
fasti	record or register
fastigiate	pointed; conical
fastigium	roof; peak; gable
fastuous	haughty; ostentatious
fatalism	doctrine that events are fixed and humans are powerless
fathometer	instrument for measuring underwater depth using sound
fatidical	prophetic; having the power to foretell the future
fatuous	silly; purposeless
fauteuil	enclosed seat in theatre
favela	slum area
faveolate	honeycombed
faviform	shaped like a honeycomb
favonian	of, like or pertaining to the west wind; mild and favourable
feague	to whip; to perplex
feak	lock of hair
featous	shapely; well-made; handsome; neat
febricant	causing fever
febricity	feverishness
febrifuge	something which reduces fever
fecalith	stony heap or mass of feces
feckless	feeble; helpless; futile; ineffectual
feculent	covered with filth; filthy
felicide	killing of a cat
felicificative	tending to make happy
feliform	having a catlike form or shape
fell	barren or rocky hill or moor
felloe	circular rim of a wheel
felsenmeer	flat arctic area covered with angular boulders
femerall	outlet for smoke in a roof
femicide	killing of a woman
fenestella	recess in church wall for storing communion vessels
fenestral	of, like or pertaining to windows
feracious	fruitful; fecund
feretory	shrine for relics during a procession or for a funeral bier
feria	weekday of a church calendar on which no holiday falls
ferial	of, like or pertaining to holidays
ferity	state of savagery or barbarism
fermi	unit of length equal to one quadrillionth of a metre
ferriferous	bearing iron
ferronière	jewel held on the forehead by a chain
ferruginous	of the colour of rust; impregnated with iron
ferrule	band on the end of a stick for reinforcing it
ferula	flat piece of wood
ferulaceous	like a cane or reed
ferule	cane or rod used for punishment
fescennine	marked by the use of vulgarity or obscene language
fess	broad horizontal bar across heraldic field
festilogy	treatise on ecclesiastical festivals
festinate	to accelerate; to quicken
fetial	heraldic; ambassadorial
feticide	killing of a fetus
fetlock	tuft of hair immediately above horse's hoof
fettling	loose material thrown on furnace hearth for protection
feuilleton	critical article at the bottom of a newspaper page
fiacre	hackney coach; cab
fiberscope	instrument using fiberoptics to examine inaccessible areas
fibriform	shaped like a fibre
fibrilliform	shaped like a small fibre
fibula	brooch in the shape of a safety pin
ficiform	shaped like a fig
fictile	capable of being moulded; of, like or pertaining to pottery
fictor	sculptor; one who makes images from clay
fid	conical wooden pin used to splice strands of rope
fiddley	iron framework around hatchway opening
fideism	doctrine that knowledge depends on faith over reason
fidicinal	of, like or pertaining to stringed musical instruments
fiduciary	held in trust; depending on trust
fie	expression of disgust or disapproval
figuline	of, like or pertaining to earthenware
figurant	ballet dancer who dances only in groups
figuration	the act of giving figure or form
figurehead	ornament or (usually female) bust attached to the bow of a ship
filaceous	composed of threads
filatory	machine for forming or spinning threads
filature	drawing out of threads
filemot	dead-leaf colour; dull brown
filibeg	kilt
filicide	killing of one's own child
filiciform	shaped like a fern or frond
filiferous	thread-bearing
filiform	shaped like a thread
filiopietistic	marked by excessive veneration of ancestors
filipendulous	hanging by or strung on a thread
fillister	groove in window pane into which glass is set
filose	threadlike; having a threadlike end
filoselle	coarse floss silk
fimbriate	fringed; having a narrow border
fimetic	of, like or pertaining to dung
fimicolous	living in dung
finalism	belief that an end has or can be reached
fingent	moulding; shaping
finial	decoration on the top of a gable or spire
finical	excessively precise in trivial matters
fipple	plug in the mouthpiece of a wind instrument
firkin	old unit of capacity equal to one quarter of a barrel
firkin	small keg
fissicostate	having divided ribs
fissilingual	with forked or cloven tongue
fissility	ability to be split
fissiparous	tending to break up into parts
fissiped	animal with separated toes
fistula	long narrow passage or duct
fistuliform	shaped like a pipe
fitch	brush made from hair of polecat
fixity	fixed state; stability; permanence
flabellation	the act of fanning
flabelliform	shaped like a fan
flacon	scent-bottle
flagellantism	the practice of whipping oneself or another
flagelliferous	bearing a whip or flagellum
flagelliform	shaped like a whip
flagellomania	abnormal enthusiasm for flogging
flageolet	small flute or recorder with two thumb holes
flagitate	to entreat or importune
flagitious	grossly wicked; guilty of heinous crimes
flagstaff	flag pole at stern of a ship
flambeau	flaming torch
flamen	pagan priest
flammeous	flame-coloured
flammiferous	producing flame
flammulated	ruddy
flammulation	flamelike marking
flammule	little flame
flânerie	idling; strolling about aimlessly
flapdoodle	gross flattery; nonsense
flaught	snowflake
flaughter	to flutter or flicker; to strip or skin
flavescent	yellowish or turning yellow
fleam	surgical instrument
flèche	narrow wooden spire on church roof
fleer	to mock; to jeer; to make faces in contempt
flench	to cut up the blubber of; to flay
fleshling	a sensualist
fleuret	ornament resembling a small flower
flews	drooping or pendulous lips
flexion	a bend; a fold
flexuose	full of windings and turnings; undulating
flibbertigibbet	gossipy or flighty person
flinty	unyielding; stern
flivver	cheap car or airplane
floatant	agent causing flotation
floccilation	fitful plucking at the bedclothes
floccinaucinihilipilification	setting at little or no value
floccose	woolly
flocculate	to collect or mass together in tufts or masses
floricide	killing or killer of flowers
floricomous	crowned or topped with flowers
floriferous	bearing flowers
floriform	shaped like a flower
florilegium	anthology of writings, especially of church fathers
florimania	craze for flowers
floriscope	instrument for inspecting flowers
floristry	the art of cultivating and selling flowers
florisugent	sucking honey from flowers
floromancy	belief that flowers have feelings
floruit	dates of a person's birth and death
flounce	to move impatiently or abruptly
flowmeter	instrument for measuring properties of flowing liquids
fluke	part of an anchor that fastens in the ground
flumen	right to direct excess rain water to neighbour's yard
fluminous	having many rivers or streams
flummery	anything insipid; empty compliment; humbug
fluorimeter	instrument for measuring fluorescence
fluoroscope	instrument using x-rays to examine internal structure of opaque object
fluvialist	one stressing the role of rivers in explanation
fluviology	study of watercourses
fluxional	variable; inconstant
flype	to strip back; to turn partially inside out
flysch	sandstone deposit
focimeter	instrument for measuring focal length of a lens
fodient	of, like or pertaining to digging
foehn	dry wind that blows down from mountaintops
foeticide	killing a fetus
foetiferous	bearing or carrying a fetus
fogram	antiquated
foin	to thrust with a sword or spear
foinery	fencing; swordplay
foison	plenty; plentiful yield
foliaceous	bearing leaves; leaf-like
foliate	to cover with leaf metal; to number the leaves of
foliferous	bearing leaves
foliform	shaped like a leaf
foliophagous	eating leaves; eating folios of books
folkloristics	study of folklore and fables
fontinal	growing near springs
fooliaminy	collective term for fools
foolocracy	government by fools
foothot	hastily; immediately; on the spot
footlambert	unit of luminance of a surface emitting one lumen per square foot
footle	to waste time; to act foolishly
footling	inept; trivial
foraminate	to pierce
foraminated	perforated or pierced with small holes
foraminiferous	bearing foramina
foraneous	of, like or pertaining to forums
forby	past; near
forcipate	of, like or pertaining to forceps
forcipiform	shaped like forceps
fore	at an earlier time or period
forebitt	post for fastening cables at a ship's foremast
forecabin	cabin in fore part of ship
forecastle	short raised deck at fore end of ship; fore of ship under main deck
forecome	to come early; to come before
forefoot	foremost end of ship's keel
forel	parchment for covering books
foremast	mast nearest the bow of a ship
foresail	lowest sail set on the foremast of square-rigged ship
foreshots	first liquid to come out of a still
forestay	stay leading from the foremast to the bow of a ship
forfaiting	export finance where debts on goods are transacted
forfend	to ward off or avert
forfex	a pair of scissors or pincers
forficate	forked; like scissors
forficulate	like scissors
forinsecal	foreign; alien; extrinsic
forisfamiliate	to emancipate from parental authority
formant	anything that limits, determines or defines
formate	to join or fly in a formation
formic	of, like or pertaining to ants
formicate	resembling an ant
formication	sensation like ants crawling on the skin
formicide	substance that kills ants
formicine	of, like or pertaining to ants
formivorous	eating ants
fornicate	vaulted or arched
forsooth	in truth; indeed
forswink	to exhaust by labour
fortalice	fortress; small outwork of a fortification
forthwith	immediately
fortuitism	belief in evolution by chance variation
foss	ditch, moat, trench or canal
fossarian	clergyman moonlighting as a gravedigger
fossick	to search by turning over earth or rock
fossiliferous	bearing fossils
fossor	grave-digger
fossorial	adapted for digging
fossulate	grooved; pitted
foudroyant	thundering; dazzling
fougade	piece of improvised artillery
foulard	soft lightweight plain-woven or twilled silk fabric
foulé	light woollen fulled cloth
foumart	polecat
fourchette	anything forked
fourgon	baggage-wagon
foursquare	forthright
fouter	to mess about with aimlessly
fovea	depression or pit
foveate	pitted
foveiform	shaped like a depression or pit
fractionalism	the state of consisting of discrete units
fractious	irritable; peevish
fragor	a crash
francomania	craze or obsession with France and the French
Francophile	one who loves France or the French
Francophobia	fear of France or the French
frangible	easily broken
frankalmoign	land tenure requiring religious obligations on part of tenant
frantling	mating call of a peacock
frap	to draw a sail tight with ropes or cables
frazil	ground-ice; ice in small spikes in streams
freeboard	distance between waterline and main deck of a ship
freestone	building stone difficult to split into layers
fremescent	growling or muttering
fremitus	vibration; rumbling
frescade	a cool walk; cool or shady place
fresnel	unit of optical frequency equal to one terahertz
fretum	strait
friable	easily crumbled or pulverized
fricandeau	thick slice of veal or similar meat
frieze	rough heavy woollen cloth
frigiferous	bearing or bringing cold
frigolabile	susceptible to the cold
frigorific	causing cold; freezing
fringillaceous	of, like or pertaining to finches
fringilliform	resembling a finch
fringilline	of, like or pertaining to finches
frisson	shiver; shudder; thrill
frist	delay or respite, as for debt repayment
frit	material from which glass is made
frith	peace; sanctuary
fritiniency	the noise of insects
frogmarch	to carry an uncooperative drunkard or prisoner
frondescence	the formation of leaves
frondiferous	bearing or producing fronds
frondose	having or like leaves
frontal	cloth hanging over front of altar
frontogenesis	creation of a weather front by meeting of air currents
frostwork	delicate figures and patterns in which frost forms on surfaces
frottage	rubbing, especially for sexual gratification
froward	turned away; self-willed; unreasonable; perverse; adverse
frowst	to luxuriate in hot stuffiness and stupefaction
fructiferous	bearing fruit
fructivorous	feeding on fruit
fructuary	person enjoying the fruits of anything
fructuation	coming to fruit or bearing of fruit
fructuous	fruitful
frugiferous	bearing fruit
frugivorous	eating fruit
frumentaceous	resembling wheat or other grain
frumentarious	of, like or pertaining to corn
frutescent	like or resembling a shrub
fruticose	shrubby
fub	to put off; to fob
fucivorous	eating seaweed
fucoid	shaped like seaweed
fuero	code or body of laws; a constitution
fug	hot; close; smoky state of atmosphere
fugacious	inclined to run away or flee
fuji	plain spun silk fabric
fulcible	capable of being propped up
fulciform	shaped like or resembling a prop
fulcrate	supported with fulcrums
fulgent	shining; bright
fulgid	flashing
fulgorous	flashing
fulgour	splendour
fulgural	of, like or pertaining to lightning
fulgurate	to flash like lightning
fulgurous	resembling lightning
fuliginous	sooty; dusky
fuligo	soot
fuliguline	of, like or pertaining to sea ducks
fullonical	of, like or pertaining or belonging to a fuller
fulminate	express loudly; explode violently
fulmineous	of, like or pertaining to thunder and lightning
fulsome	nauseatingly affectionate, admiring or praiseful
fulvous	dull yellow; tawny
fumage	hearth-tax
fumarole	hole emitting gases in a volcanic region
fumatorium	a place for smoking
fumet	the scent of game when high
fumiduct	smoke vent; smokestack
fumosity	condition of fuming; an exhalation
funambulism	tightrope walking; show of mental agility
functionalism	doctrine emphasising utility and function
fundiform	shaped like a sling
fundus	the bottom of anything
funebral	of, like or pertaining to a funeral
funest	deadly; lamentable
fungible	interchangeable
fungiform	shaped like a fungus
fungous	of or like fungus; soft; spongy
funicular	of, like or pertaining to a string or cable
funipendulous	hanging by a rope or cord
furacious	thievish
furcate	forked
furciferous	bearing a fork
furciferous	bearing a forked appendage; rascally
furcular	shaped like a fork
furfur	dandruff or scurf
furfuraceous	branny; scaly
furibund	raging; furious
furnicular	hanging from a rope or cable
furuncular	of, like or pertaining to boils
furunculoid	like a boil
fusain	fine charcoal used in drawing
fuscous	brown; tawny; dingy
fusee	spindle in a watch on which the chain is wound
fusiform	shaped like a spindle
fusillation	death by shooting
fustian	coarse twilled cotton
fustian	pretentious writing or speech
fustigate	to cudgel
fustilarian	a term of abuse
futtock	rib of a ship
futurition	future existence; time to come
futurology	study of future

Posted in: English Dictionary