12-letter words containing a, i, r, p, s
- spermatocide — spermicide.
- spermatozoid — a motile male gamete produced in an antheridium.
- sphericality — the state of being a sphere
- sphincterial — relating to a sphincter
- sphragistics — the scientific study of seals or signet rings.
- spider plant — Also called ribbon plant. a plant, Chlorophytum comosum, of the lily family, native to southern Africa, that has long, narrow leaves and clusters of white flowers and is widely cultivated as a houseplant.
- spinal nerve — any of a series of paired nerves that originate in the nerve roots of the spinal cord and emerge from the vertebrae on both sides of the spinal column, each branching out to innervate a specific region of the neck, trunk, or limbs.
- spiny lizard — any of numerous iguanid lizards of the genus Sceloporus, common in North and Central America, usually having keeled scales that may end in a sharp point.
- spiral-bound — having a spiral binding.
- spiritualism — the belief or doctrine that the spirits of the dead, surviving after the mortal life, can and do communicate with the living, especially through a person (a medium) particularly susceptible to their influence.
- spiritualist — an adherent of spiritualism.
- spirituality — the quality or fact of being spiritual.
- spiritualize — to make spiritual.
- spirochaetal — resulting from spirochaetes
- spit-roasted — cooked on a spit
- sporadically — (of similar things or occurrences) appearing or happening at irregular intervals in time; occasional: sporadic renewals of enthusiasm.
- sporangiolum — a small sporangium
- sportability — suitability to be used in or as a sport
- spray millet — the seeds of millet left on the spike and sold in pet shops for cage birds.
- spring break — a vacation from school or college during the spring term, lasting about a week.
- spring catch — a catch for an interior or cabinet door that has a bolt operated by a spring.
- spring water — water from natural underground source
- spring-clean — to subject (a place) to a spring-cleaning.
- spur gearing — a system of spur gears.
- square piano — a piano with a rectangular, horizontal body.
- stabilograph — an instrument for measuring body sway.
- state prison — a prison maintained by a state for the confinement of felons.
- stauropegion — (in an autocephalous church) a monastery subject directly to the primate.
- stenographic — the art of writing in shorthand.
- stereoptican — a projector usually consisting of two complete lanterns arranged so that one picture appears to dissolve while the next is forming.
- stirrup-vase — a Mycenaean vase having a spherical body, a spout on the shoulder, and a handle, curving across the top, supported by a solid conical neck.
- straight pin — pin (sense 2)
- stratigraphy — a branch of geology dealing with the classification, nomenclature, correlation, and interpretation of stratified rocks.
- strepitation — the quality or state of being strepitant
- stride piano — a style of jazz piano playing in which the right hand plays the melody while the left hand plays a single bass note or octave on the strong beat and a chord on the weak beat, developed in Harlem during the 1920s, partly from ragtime piano playing.
- strike plate — strike (def 67).
- strip-search — to search (a suspect who has been required to remove all clothing) especially for concealed weapons, contraband, or evidence of drug abuse.
- striped bass — an important American game fish, Morone saxatilis, having blackish stripes along each side.
- strophanthin — a very poisonous, bitter glycoside or mixture of glycosides obtained from the dried, ripe seeds of a strophanthus, especially Strophanthus kombe, used as a cardiac stimulant.
- strophiolate — having a strophiole
- stylographic — of or relating to a stylograph.
- sub-tropical — Sub-tropical places have a climate that is warm and wet, and are often near tropical regions.
- subepidermal — just below the epidermis or skin
- sublapsarian — infralapsarianism.
- subprincipal — an assistant or deputy principal.
- sudoriparous — producing or secreting sweat.
- sukarnoputri — Megawati (ˈmɛɡəˌwɒtɪ). born 1947, Indonesian politician; president of Indonesia (2001–04): daughter of Achmed Sukarno
- supercabinet — a specially-formed cabinet, a select or powerful group of political ministers (cabinet)
- supercapital — a member situated between a capital and the spring of an arch, as a dosseret.
- supercarrier — a large aircraft carrier