12-letter words containing a, r, e, p, s
- solar plexus — Also called celiac plexus. Anatomy. a network of nerves situated at the upper part of the abdomen, behind the stomach and in front of the aorta.
- somatopleure — the double layer formed by the association of the upper layer of the lateral plate of mesoderm with the overlying ectoderm, functioning in the formation of the body wall and amnion.
- soprano clef — a sign locating middle C on the bottom line of the staff.
- space charge — a distribution of an excess of electrons or ions over a three-dimensional region, in contrast to the distribution of an electric charge over the surface of a conductor.
- space heater — the heating of a limited area, as a room, by means of a heater (space heater) within the area.
- space travel — spaceflight of manned vehicles.
- space writer — a journalist or copywriter paid according to a space rate. Also called space man. Compare stringer (def 6).
- space-filler — a short article of little or no importance written to fill space in a magazine or newspaper
- spanish rice — rice prepared with chopped onions, tomatoes, green peppers, and sometimes diced ham, seasoned with cayenne pepper and mixed with butter.
- spark-killer — a device for diminishing sparking, consisting of a capacitor and a resistor connected in series across two points where sparking may occur in a circuit.
- spatter cone — a low, steep-sided volcanic cone built up of droplets or blobs of lava erupted from a fissure or vent.
- spatter dash — roughcast (def 1).
- spatter-dash — Also called spatter dash. an exterior wall finish composed of mortar and fine pebbles mixed together and dashed against the wall. Compare pebble dash.
- speakerphone — a telephone or telephone attachment equipped with both loudspeaker and microphone, thus permitting the instrument to be used without being held.
- spearcarrier — an extra in a theatrical or operatic production, as one of a group of soldiers or a member of a crowd
- spearfishing — any of several fishes of the genus Tetrapturus, resembling the sailfish but having the first dorsal fin much less developed: inhabiting all seas, but rare.
- spearheading — the sharp-pointed head that forms the piercing end of a spear.
- specbaserate — A variant of SPECrate that reports "baseline" results, using stricter run rules. See SPECrate_base_fp92, SPECrate_base_int92.
- special area — distressed area.
- special jury — struck jury.
- special rule — a principle or regulation governing conduct, action, procedure, arrangement, etc.: the rules of chess.
- special sort — a character, such as an accented letter, that is not a usual member of any font
- special term — the sitting of a court for the trial of a special case.
- spectatorial — a person who looks on or watches; onlooker; observer.
- spectrograph — a spectroscope for photographing or producing a representation of a spectrum.
- speculatrice — a female speculator
- speech maker — a person who makes a formal speech
- speech organ — any part of the body, as the tongue, velum, diaphragm, or lungs, that participates, actively or passively, voluntarily or involuntarily, in the production of the sounds of speech.
- speed camera — device that detects speeding traffic
- spermagonium — Botany, Mycology. spermogonium.
- spermaphytic — able to produce seeds
- spermaticide — spermicide.
- spermatocele — a swelling of the testicle
- spermatocide — spermicide.
- spermatocyte — a male germ cell (primary spermatocyte) that gives rise by meiosis to a pair of haploid cells (secondary spermatocytes) that give rise in turn to spermatids.
- spermatozoid — a motile male gamete produced in an antheridium.
- spermatozoon — one of the minute, usually actively motile gametes in semen, which serve to fertilize the ovum; a mature male reproductive cell.
- sphenography — the art of writing in cuneiform characters.
- sphericality — the state of being a sphere
- sphincterial — relating to a sphincter
- 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.
- spiritualize — to make spiritual.
- spirochaetal — resulting from spirochaetes
- spit-roasted — cooked on a spit
- splatterpunk — a form of fiction featuring extremely graphic violence.
- sponged ware — spongeware.
- sport jacket — A sport jacket is the same as a sport coat.
- sportscaster — A sportscaster is a radio or television broadcaster who describes or comments on sporting events.
- sprachgefuhl — a sensitivity to language, especially for what is grammatically or idiomatically acceptable in a given language.