12-letter words containing a, o, r, i, s
- orthoclastic — (of a crystal) having cleavages at right angles to each other.
- orthopaedics — (used with a singular verb) the medical specialty concerned with correction of deformities or functional impairments of the skeletal system, especially the extremities and the spine, and associated structures, as muscles and ligaments.
- orthopaedist — Alternative spelling of orthopedist.
- oscillograms — Plural form of oscillogram.
- oscillograph — a device for recording the wave-forms of changing currents, voltages, or any other quantity that can be translated into electric energy, as sound waves.
- osco-umbrian — a group of languages, usually classified as Italic, that contains Oscan and Umbrian.
- outsider art — art produced by untutored artists working by themselves and for themselves
- outspreading — Present participle of outspread.
- ovariotomies — Plural form of ovariotomy.
- ovariotomist — a surgeon who performs ovariotomies
- over against — in opposition to; contrary to; adverse or hostile to: twenty votes against ten; against reason.
- over-anxious — excessively anxious.
- overanalysis — the separating of any material or abstract entity into its constituent elements (opposed to synthesis).
- overcautious — excessively or unnecessarily cautious: Sometimes it doesn't pay to be overcautious in business.
- overclassify — to classify to excess
- overdiagnose — (medicine) To diagnose something more often than it actually occurs.
- overemphasis — excessive or undue emphasis.
- overestimate — to estimate at too high a value, amount, rate, or the like: Don't overestimate the car's trade-in value.
- overissuance — the act of issuing in excessive amounts
- oversanguine — too optimistic
- oversedation — the calming of mental excitement or abatement of physiological function, especially by the administration of a drug.
- overstaffing — the provision of an excessive number of staff for (a factory, hotel, etc)
- overstrained — exerted, taxed, or used to an excessive extent
- pacific rose — a large variety of eating apple from New Zealand, with sweet flesh
- palindromist — a word, line, verse, number, sentence, etc., reading the same backward as forward, as Madam, I'm Adam or Poor Dan is in a droop.
- pantisocracy — a community, social group, etc, in which all have rule and everyone is equal
- parachronism — a chronological error in which a person, event, etc., is assigned a date later than the actual one.
- paramorphism — the process by which a paramorph is formed.
- paraphimosis — inability to retract the penis into the prepuce as a result of narrowing of the prepuce
- parapophysis — the process of a vertebra
- parasitology — the branch of biology dealing with parasites and the effects of parasitism.
- parasol pine — stone pine (def 1).
- parasphenoid — a bone next to the sphenoid bone in the skull of some animals
- parish house — a building used by a church chiefly for administrative and social purposes.
- parkinsonian — (sometimes initial capital letter) of, related to, or resembling Parkinson's disease.
- parkinsonism — Parkinson's disease.
- parochialise — to make parochial.
- parochialism — a parochial character, spirit, or tendency; excessive narrowness of interests or view; provincialism.
- parochialist — a parochial character, spirit, or tendency; excessive narrowness of interests or view; provincialism.
- paronomastic — the use of a word in different senses or the use of words similar in sound to achieve a specific effect, as humor or a dual meaning; punning.
- parsimonious — characterized by or showing parsimony; frugal or stingy.
- parting shot — a threat, insult, condemnation, sarcastic retort, or the like, uttered upon leaving.
- pas de trois — a dance for three dancers.
- passionfruit — any edible fruit of a passionflower, as the maypop.
- patroclinous — inheritance in which the traits of the offspring are derived primarily from the paternal parent (opposed to matrocliny).
- patron saint — a saint regarded as the special guardian of a person, group, trade, country, etc.
- percussional — of or relating to percussion
- perforations — the holes punched that allow individual stamps, coupons, etc to be easily separated
- periostracum — the external, chitinlike covering of the shell of certain mollusks that protects the limy portion from acids.
- peristomatic — surrounding a leaf's stoma or stomata