17-letter words containing c, a, t
- active euthanasia — the deliberate act of killing someone painlessly, esp to relieve suffering from an incurable illness
- active ingredient — the part of a substance or compound that produces its chemical or biological effect
- active language i — (tool, mathematics) An early interactive mathematics system for the XDS 930 at the University of California at Berkeley.
- active suspension — a type of suspension in a car that is controlled by an onboard computer and improves the vehicle's roadholding so that it takes corners, accelerates, and brakes more smoothly
- active vocabulary — the total number of words a person uses in his own speech and writing
- actual total loss — the complete destruction or loss of a piece of property that has been insured, or damage that is so extensive that the item can no longer be salvaged or used
- actuarial science — Actuarial science is a specialist branch of mathematics applying the laws of statistics and probability to insurance.
- acupressure point — any of the specific points on the body where pressure is applied in acupressure
- addition compound — adduct (def 2).
- addition reaction — a reaction in which part of a compound is added to one end of a double or triple bond, while the rest adds to the other end, converting it, respectively, to a single or double bond.
- adenylate cyclase — an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of ATP to cyclic AMP.
- adjective pronoun — a pronoun used as an adjective, as his in His dinner is ready.
- adjunct professor — a professor employed by a college or university for a specific purpose or length of time and often part-time.
- advance directive — a living will or durable power of attorney in which a person states his or her wishes regarding medical treatment in the event of mental incompetency or an inability to communicate.
- advanced standing — the status of a student who has already completed some of the requirements of a course at another institution and thus is able to miss out some elements of the full course at his or her current university
- adverse selection — Adverse selection is a term used to describe the tendency of those in dangerous jobs or with high-risk lifestyles to want to take out life insurance.
- advocatus diaboli — devil's advocate
- aerobic digestion — Aerobic digestion is a process which uses bacteria and oxygen to break down organic and biological waste.
- aerothermodynamic — Of or pertaining to aerothermodynamics.
- affective fallacy — a proposition in literary criticism that a poem should be analyzed and described in terms of its own internal structure and not in terms of the emotional response it arouses in the reader.
- against the clock — If you are doing something against the clock, you are doing it in a great hurry, because there is very little time.
- agathokakological — (nonce word) composed of both good and evil.
- age of discretion — the age at which a person is considered to be able to manage his or her own affairs
- agent provocateur — An agent provocateur is a person who is employed by the government or the police to encourage certain groups of people to break the law, so they can arrest them or make them lose public support.
- agricultural show — a display of agricultural equipment and livestock, often including competitions, entertainment, and a trade fair
- aircraft observer — U.S. Army. observer (def 4).
- aircraft-observer — someone or something that observes.
- algorithmic model — (programming) A method of estimating software cost using mathematical algorithms based on the parameters which are considered to be the major cost drivers. These estimate of effort or cost are based primarily on the size of the software or Delivered Source Instructions (DSI)s, and other productivity factors known as Cost Driver Attributes. See also Parametric Model.
- all over the occy — in every direction
- all-weather court — a tennis court suitable to be used in all kinds of weather
- allergic rhinitis — a condition characterized by head congestion, sneezing, tearing, and swelling of the nasal mucous membranes, caused by an allergic reaction.
- almanach de gotha — a publication giving statistical information on European royalty.
- alphaphotographic — Of or pertaining to alphaphotographics.
- alternative music — independent pop music
- altitude sickness — a condition affecting some persons at high altitudes, caused by insufficient oxygen in the blood and characterized by dizziness, nausea, and shortness of breath.
- aluminum silicate — any of a group of naturally occurring, water-insoluble substances, obtained from clay or synthesized, containing varying amounts of oxides of aluminum and silicon, Al 2 O 3 and Si 2 O 3 , and used in the manufacture of glass, ceramics, paints, printing inks, rubber, and plastics.
- amateur dramatics — theatrical performances by amateur players
- american chestnut — any of the several deciduous trees constituting the genus Castanea, of the beech family, having toothed, oblong leaves and bearing edible nuts enclosed in a prickly bur, and including C. dentata (American chestnut) which has been virtually destroyed by the chestnut blight, C. sativa (European chestnut) C. mollissima (Chinese chestnut) and C. crenata (Japanese chestnut)
- american dialects — regional or social varieties of spoken American English identified by differences in grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation: principal dialect areas are now generally distinguished as Northern, Midland, and Southern
- american dog tick — a common tick, Dermacentor variabilis, that is the vector of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in the eastern U.S. and also carries tularemia.
- american football — American football is a game similar to rugby that is played by two teams of eleven players using an oval-shaped ball. Players try to score points by carrying the ball to their opponents' end of the field, or by kicking it over a bar fixed between two posts.
- american redstart — any of several small, Old World thrushes, usually with reddish-brown tails, especially Phoenicurus phoenicurus (European redstart)
- amino-acid dating — a method used to date an organic geological or archaeological specimen, as a fossil or mummified body, by determining how much change has occurred in the amino-acid structure of that specimen.
- amoebic dysentery — inflammation of the intestines caused by the parasitic amoeba Endamoeba histolytica
- amor vincit omnia — love conquers everything
- amphidromic point — a point of almost zero tidal fluctuation on the ocean surface, represented on a chart of cotidal lines by a point from which these lines radiate.
- amphitheatrically — In a manner such as to appear to have some characteristics of an amphitheatre.
- anabolic steroids — a synthetic derivative of testosterone, sometimes used by athletes to help increase weight and strength.
- anachronistically — In an anachronistic manner; in the manner of an anachronism.
- analogue computer — (computer, hardware) A machine or electronic circuit designed to work on numerical data represented by some physical quantity (e.g. rotation or displacement) or electrical quantity (e.g. voltage or charge) which varies continuously, in contrast to digital signals which are either 0 or 1. For example, the turning of a wheel or changes in voltage can be used as input. Analogue computers are said to operate in real time and are used for research in design where many different shapes and speeds can be tried out quickly. A computer model of a car suspension allows the designer to see the effects of changing size, stiffness and damping.