12-letter words containing c, a, m, p
- musicianship — knowledge, skill, and artistic sensitivity in performing music.
- mustache cup — a cup having a straight piece inside, just below the rim, for holding back a man's mustache while he is drinking.
- mycoparasite — a parasitic fungus whose host is another fungus.
- myrmecophage — (biology) Anteaters, and other animals chiefly feeding on ants.
- myrmecophagy — Ant-eating.
- name capture — (reduction) In beta reduction, when a term containing a free occurrence of a variable v is substituted into another term where v is bound the free v becomes spuriously bound or "captured". E.g. (\ x . \ y . x y) y --> \ y . y y (WRONG) This problem arises because two distinct variables have the same name. The most common solution is to rename the bound variable using alpha conversion: (\ x . \ y' . x y') y --> \ y' . y y' Another solution is to use de Bruijn notation. Note that the argument expression, y, contained a free variable. The whole expression above must therefore be notionally contained within the body of some lambda abstraction which binds y. If we never reduce inside the body of a lambda abstraction (as in reduction to weak head normal form) then name capture cannot occur.
- nanocomputer — (architecture) /nan'oh-k*m-pyoo'tr/ A computer with molecular-sized switching elements. Designs for mechanical nanocomputers which use single-molecule sliding rods for their logic have been proposed. The controller for a nanobot would be a nanocomputer. Some nanocomputers can also be called quantum computers because quantum physics plays a major role in calculations. Richard P. Feynman is still cited today for his work in this area.
- non-empathic — of, relating to, or characterized by empathy, the psychological identification with the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of others: a sensitive, empathetic school counselor.
- noncompliant — failure or refusal to comply, as with a law, regulation, or term of a contract.
- nonempirical — derived from or guided by experience or experiment.
- nonmunicipal — Not municipal.
- nonpolemical — a controversial argument, as one against some opinion, doctrine, etc.
- normal pitch — relative point, position, or degree: a high pitch of excitement.
- normed space — any vector space on which a norm is defined.
- nudum pactum — a simple contract or promise involving no legal considerations.
- nymphomaniac — a woman who has abnormally excessive and uncontrollable sexual desire.
- omphalomancy — Divination by means of a child's navel, to learn how many children the mother may have.
- omphaloscopy — Introversion.
- onomatopoeic — the formation of a word, as cuckoo, meow, honk, or boom, by imitation of a sound made by or associated with its referent.
- opium addict — someone who is addicted to the dried juice extracted from the unripe seed capsules of the opium poppy
- optic chiasm — a site at the base of the forebrain where the inner half of the fibers of the left and right optic nerves cross to the opposite side of the brain.
- optimistical — disposed to take a favorable view of events or conditions and to expect the most favorable outcome.
- optometrical — the practice or profession of examining the eyes, by means of suitable instruments or appliances, for defects in vision and eye disorders in order to prescribe corrective lenses or other appropriate treatment.
- outplacement — counseling and assistance in finding a new job, provided by a company for an employee who has been or is about to be dismissed.
- overemphatic — excessive or undue emphasis.
- pachydermous — any of the thick-skinned, nonruminant ungulates, as the elephant, hippopotamus, and rhinoceros.
- pacific time — the civil time officially adopted for a country or region, usually the civil time of some specific meridian lying within the region. The standard time zones in the U.S. (Atlantic time, Eastern time, Central time, Mountain time, Pacific time, Yukon time, Alaska-Hawaii time, and Bering time) use the civil times of the 60th, 75th, 90th, 105th, 120th, 135th, 150th, and 165th meridians respectively, the difference of time between one zone and the next being exactly one hour.
- paedomorphic — showing signs of paedomorphism
- paimio chair — a chair developed by Alvar Aalto between 1930 and 1933, having two continuous, ribbonlike elements made of bent laminated birch veneers forming the arms and legs and supporting a sheet of bent plywood that forms the back and seat.
- paleoclimate — the climate of some former period of geologic time.
- palimpsestic — a parchment or the like from which writing has been partially or completely erased to make room for another text.
- palm cabbage — cabbage palm.
- pan-american — of, relating to, or representing all the countries or people of North, Central, and South America.
- panama canal — a canal extending SE from the Atlantic to the Pacific across the Isthmus of Panama. 40 miles (64 km) long.
- panchen lama — Tashi Lama.
- panchromatic — sensitive to all visible colors, as a photographic film.
- panpharmacon — a remedy or panacea
- panspermatic — relating to panspermia
- papier-mache — a substance made of pulped paper or paper pulp mixed with glue and other materials or of layers of paper glued and pressed together, molded when moist to form various articles, and becoming hard and strong when dry.
- para-medical — related to the medical profession in a secondary or supplementary capacity.
- parachronism — a chronological error in which a person, event, etc., is assigned a date later than the actual one.
- paradigmatic — of or relating to a paradigm.
- paramagnetic — a body or substance that, placed in a magnetic field, possesses magnetization in direct proportion to the field strength; a substance in which the magnetic moments of the atoms are not aligned.
- parapsychism — the experience of mental phenomena that are beyond the scope of normal physical explanation
- parchmentize — to treat (paper or the like) so that it resembles parchment.
- parochialism — 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.
- part company — a portion or division of a whole that is separate or distinct; piece, fragment, fraction, or section; constituent: the rear part of the house; to glue the two parts together.
- paschal lamb — Jewish History. a lamb slaughtered and eaten on the eve of the first day of Passover. Ex. 12:3–11.
- pastry cream — a creamy custard, often flavoured, used as a filling for éclairs, flans, etc