16-letter words containing o, n, e, l, i, r
- contour interval — the difference in altitude represented by the space between two contour lines on a map
- control variable — Also called control. Statistics. a person, group, event, etc., that is used as a constant and unchanging standard of comparison in scientific experimentation. Compare dependent variable (def 2), independent variable (def 2).
- controversialism — The attitude or tendency to engage in controversy.
- controversialist — a person who takes part in controversy or likes to do so
- controversiality — The quality or state of being controversial.
- controversialize — (transitive) To make to appear controversial.
- conversationally — of, relating to, or characteristic of conversation: a conversational tone of voice.
- conversion table — a diagram which shows equivalent amounts in different measuring systems
- convertible bond — a bond that can be exchanged for a fixed number of shares of the common stock of the issuing company at the holder's option.
- convertible lens — a lens containing two or more elements that can be used individually or in combination to provide a variety of focal lengths.
- copolymerization — a process resembling polymerization, in which unlike molecules unite in alternate or random sequences in a chain
- coreferentiality — (of two words or phrases) having reference to the same person or thing.
- cornelian cherry — a flowering tree of the dogwood family Cornus mas
- coroutine pascal — ["Control Separation in Programming languages", Lemon et al, ACM Ann Conf 1977].
- correcting plate — a thin lens used to correct incoming light rays in special forms of reflecting telescopes.
- correction fluid — a fluid, usually white, that can be painted over a mistake in writing or typing so that the correct form can be written or typed on top
- council of trent — the council of the Roman Catholic Church that met between 1545 and 1563 at Trent in S Tyrol. Reacting against the Protestants, it reaffirmed traditional Catholic beliefs and formulated the ideals of the Counter-Reformation
- counter-violence — swift and intense force: the violence of a storm.
- counterbalancing — Present participle of counterbalance.
- counterclockwise — If something is moving counterclockwise, it is moving in the opposite direction to the direction in which the hands of a clock move.
- counterculturist — Counterculturalist.
- counterguerrilla — (of operations, conflicts, etc) conducted against guerrillas
- creole continuum — a range of language varieties in an area undergoing decreolization showing a continuous gradation from forms more like the underlying creole to those approaching the standard language.
- crime passionnel — a crime committed from passion, esp sexual passion
- criminal offence — an action which is punishable under the law
- critical section — A non-re-entrant piece of code that can only be executed by one process at a time. It will usually terminate in bounded time and a process will only have to wait a bounded time to enter it. Some synchronisation mechanism is required at the entry and exit of the critical section to ensure exclusive use.
- croydon facelift — the tightening effect on the skin of a woman's face caused by securing the hair at the back of the head in a tight ponytail
- curmudgeonliness — The state or condition of being curmudgeonly.
- cycle of erosion — the hypothetical sequence of modifications to the earth's surface by erosion, from the original uplift of the land to the ultimate low plain, usually divided into the youthful, mature, and old stages
- dangling pointer — (programming) A reference that doesn't actually lead anywhere. In C and some other languages, a pointer that doesn't actually point at anything valid. Usually this happens because it formerly pointed to something that has moved or disappeared, e.g. a heap-allocated block which has been freed and reused. Used as jargon in a generalisation of its technical meaning; for example, a local phone number for a person who has since moved is a dangling pointer.
- decentralisation — Alternative spelling of decentralization.
- decentralization — to distribute the administrative powers or functions of (a central authority) over a less concentrated area: to decentralize the national government.
- decimal fraction — a fraction whose denominator is some power of 10, usually indicated by a dot (decimal point or point) written before the numerator: as 0.4 = 4/10; 0.126 = 126/1000.
- decision problem — (theory) A problem with a yes/no answer. Determining whether some potential solution to a question is actually a solution or not. E.g. "Is 43669" a prime number?". This is in contrast to a "search problem" which must find a solution from scratch, e.g. "What is the millionth prime number?". See decidability.
- deconstructively — In a deconstructive manner.
- deflationary gap — a situation in which total spending in an economy is insufficient to buy all the output that can be produced with full employment
- deflecting force — the apparent deflection (Coriolis acceleration) of a body in motion with respect to the earth, as seen by an observer on the earth, attributed to a fictitious force (Coriolis force) but actually caused by the rotation of the earth and appearing as a deflection to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and a deflection to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.
- delayed reaction — response after an interval
- delta conversion — delta reduction
- demilitarisation — The removal of a military force, usually at the end of hostilities or as part of a treaty.
- demilitarization — to deprive of military character; free from militarism.
- demineralisation — Alternative spelling of demineralization.
- demineralization — to remove minerals from; deprive of mineral content.
- demoiselle crane — a gray crane, Anthropoides virgo, of northern Africa, Europe, and Asia, having long, white plumes behind each eye.
- demolition derby — a competition in which contestants drive old cars into each other until there is only one car left running
- denaturalization — The act or process of denaturalizing, of changing or destroying the quality (nature) of a thing.
- denuclearization — The act or process of denuclearizing.
- deoxyribonucleic — (genetics) Of or pertaining to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or its derivatives.
- depolymerisation — (chemistry) alternative spelling of depolymerization.
- depolymerization — (chemistry) The decomposition of a polymer into smaller fragments.