17-letter words containing a, r, y, i
- tympanic membrane — eardrum.
- unconformity trap — An unconformity trap is a hydrocarbon trap where the closure is made by an unconformity (= a formation of rock layers which represents a gap in the geological record).
- understandability — capable of being understood; comprehensible.
- unify corporation — (company) Developers of the Unify relational database. At one time, before Sybase, they were a competitor of Oracle, et al.
- unitary authority — (in the United Kingdom) a district administered by a single tier of local government, esp those districts of England that became administratively independent of the county councils in 1996–98
- unproportionately — proportioned; being in due proportion; proportional.
- urogenital system — the urinary tract and reproductive organs
- variable-geometry — denoting an aircraft in which the wings are hinged to give the variable aspect ratio colloquially known as a swing-wing
- varix lymphaticus — a similar condition affecting an artery or lymphatic vessel
- vascular cylinder — stele (sense 3)
- vertical analysis — the conversion of an organization's profits and losses into overall percentages
- vertical mobility — movement from one social level to a higher one (upward mobility) or a lower one (downward mobility) as by changing jobs or marrying.
- vestibular system — the sensory mechanism in the inner ear that detects movement of the head and helps to control balance
- video disk player — a device that reads the information on a video disc
- visitors' gallery — a balcony in a building such as a parliament or court where members of the public can sit
- visually impaired — (of a person) having reduced vision so severe as to constitute a handicap.
- water lily family — the plant family Nymphaeaceae, characterized by aquatic herbaceous plants having usually broad leaves, solitary, often showy flowers, and fruit in a variety of forms, and including the lotus (genus Nelumbo), spatterdock, water lily, and water shield.
- westminster abbey — a Gothic church in London, England.
- williams syndrome — an abnormality in the genes involved in calcium metabolism, resulting in learning difficulties
- willow flycatcher — a North American flycatcher, Empidonax alnorum, of alder thickets and other moist areas, that has greenish-brown upper parts and whitish underparts and is almost indistinguishable except by voice from E. traillii (willow flycatcher)
- x-ray diffraction — diffraction of x-rays by the regularly spaced atoms of a crystal, useful for determining the arrangement of the atoms.
- x-ray examination — an examination of part of the body, using an X-ray machine
- year in, year out — a period of 365 or 366 days, in the Gregorian calendar, divided into 12 calendar months, now reckoned as beginning Jan. 1 and ending Dec. 31 (calendar year or civil year) Compare common year, leap year.
- year of confusion — (in ancient Rome) the year of 445 days preceding the introduction, in 46 b.c., of the Julian calendar: lengthened to compensate for the cumulative errors of the Roman calendar.
- yellow journalism — a color like that of egg yolk, ripe lemons, etc.; the primary color between green and orange in the visible spectrum, an effect of light with a wavelength between 570 and 590 nm.
- yellow water lily — any of several water lilies, as the spatterdock, Nuphar luteum, having yellow flowers.
- yesterday evening — during the evening of the day preceding today
- yesterday morning — during the morning of the day preceding today
- yield to maturity — The yield to maturity of a bond is the rate of return on the bond if it is held to its maturity date.
- your day in court — Your day in court is your chance to give your side of an argument or other matter.
- youth programming — the creation and scheduling of television programmes specifically aimed at young people
- zoogeographically — In a zoogeographical way.
- zygomatic process — any of several bony processes that articulate with the cheekbone.