12-letter words containing e, k, o
- kaleidoscope — an optical instrument in which bits of glass, held loosely at the end of a rotating tube, are shown in continually changing symmetrical forms by reflection in two or more mirrors set at angles to each other.
- karyokinesis — mitosis.
- karyokinetic — Of or pertaining to karyokinesis.
- katharevousa — The purist form of modern Greek used in traditional literary writing, as opposed to the form that is spoken and used in everyday writing (called demotic).
- katharometer — (science) A device used for analyzing gas mixtures by measuring their thermal conductivity.
- keep company — a number of individuals assembled or associated together; group of people.
- keep tabs on — a small flap, strap, loop, or similar appendage, as on a garment, used for pulling, hanging, or decoration.
- keeping room — hall (def 11).
- ken thompson — (person) The principal inventor of the Unix operating system and author of the B language, the predecessor of C. In the early days Ken used to hand-cut Unix distribution tapes, often with a note that read "Love, ken". Old-timers still use his first name (sometimes uncapitalised, because it's a login name and mail address) in third-person reference; it is widely understood (on Usenet in particular) that without a last name "Ken" refers only to Ken Thompson. Similarly, Dennis without last name means Dennis Ritchie (and he is often known as dmr). Ken was first hired to work on the Multics project, which was a huge production with many people working on it. Multics was supposed to support hundreds of on-line logins but could barely handle three. In 1969, when Bell Labs withdrew from the project, Ken got fed up with Multics and went off to write his own operating system. People said "well, if zillions of people wrote Multics, then an OS written by one guy must be Unix!". There was some joking about eunichs as well. Ken's wife Bonnie and son Corey (then 18 months old) went to visit family in San Diego. Ken spent one week each on the kernel, file system, etc., and finished UNIX in one month along with developing SPACEWAR (or was it "Space Travel"?). See also back door, brute force, demigod, wumpus.
- kenny method — a method of treating poliomyelitis, in which hot, moist packs are applied to affected muscles to relieve spasms and pain, and a regimen of exercises is prescribed to prevent deformities and to strengthen the muscles.
- keratinocyte — An epidermal cell that produces keratin.
- keratogenous — producing horn or a horny substance.
- keratohyalin — (biology) A protein structure found in granules in the stratum granulosum of the epidermis, which may be involved in keratinization, and in Hassall corpuscles in the thymus.
- keratoplasty — plastic surgery performed upon the cornea, especially a corneal transplantation.
- keratotomies — Plural form of keratotomy.
- keraunograph — an instrument for recording thunderstorms by detecting the radio waves generated
- ketoacidosis — (pathology) A severe form of ketosis, most commonly seen in diabetics, in which so much ketone is produced that acidosis occurs.
- ketoaciduria — (pathology) The presence of (excess) ketoacids in the urine.
- ketoconazole — a synthetic substance, C 26 H 28 Cl 2 N 4 O 4 , used to treat a variety of fungal infections.
- ketone group — the characteristic group occurring in ketones that consists of the carbonyl group attached to two alkyl groups.
- keyboardists — Plural form of keyboardist.
- keystone kop — Usually, Keystone Kops. (in early silent movies) a team of comic policemen noted for their slapstick routines.
- khornerstone — A multipurpose benchmark from Workstation Labs used in various periodicals. The source is not free. Results are published in "UNIX Review".
- kick oneself — regret sth
- kidney donor — someone who donates one of their kidneys to be transplanted into another person
- kidney stone — an abnormal stone, or concretion, composed primarily of oxalates and phosphates, found in the kidney.
- kill oneself — to overexert oneself
- killer micro — [Popularised by Eugene Brooks] A microprocessor-based machine that infringes on mini, mainframe, or supercomputer performance turf. Often heard in "No one will survive the attack of the killer micros!", the battle cry of the downsizers. Used especially of RISC architectures. The popularity of the phrase "attack of the killer micros" is doubtless reinforced by the movie title "Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes" (one of the canonical examples of so-bad-it's-wonderful among hackers). This has even more flavour now that killer micros have gone on the offensive not just individually (in workstations) but in hordes (within massively parallel computers).
- kilocalories — Plural form of kilocalorie.
- kindred soul — like-minded person
- kinesophobia — Fear of movement.
- kinetography — a camera for taking pictures for a kinetoscope.
- kinetoplasts — Plural form of kinetoplast.
- kingdom come — the next world; the hereafter; heaven.
- kirk session — the lowest court of the Presbyterian Church
- kiss goodbye — to kiss in taking leave
- kiss of life — medicine
- kitchen foil — aluminium foil used in cooking or storing food
- kitchen soap — heavy-duty soap intended for use in the kitchen
- kite balloon — a barrage balloon intended for use in information-gathering and observation; it is usually tethered to the ground and has lobes to keep it stable and pointing into the wind
- kiteboarding — A sport in which participants ride a form of wakeboard or surfboard harnessed to a large kite which is controlled by the rider.
- kitty-corner — diagonal.
- klein bottle — a one-sided figure consisting of a tapered tube the narrow end of which is bent back, run through the side of the tube, and flared to join the wide end, thereby allowing any two points on the figure to be joined by an unbroken line.
- kleptocratic — a government or state in which those in power exploit national resources and steal; rule by a thief or thieves.
- kleptomaniac — a person who has kleptomania.
- kluge around — (jargon) To avoid a bug or difficult condition by inserting a kluge. Compare workaround.
- knocked down — hit and felled: by a vehicle, etc.
- knocked-down — composed of parts or units that can be disassembled: knocked-down furniture.
- know by name — to have heard of without having met
- knowableness — the quality of being knowable