15-letter words containing o, r, t, l, a
- delsarte method — a theory or system devised by François Delsarte for improving musical and dramatic expression through the mastery of various bodily attitudes and gestures.
- delta reduction — (theory) In lambda-calculus extended with constants, delta reduction replaces a function applied to the required number of arguments (a redex) by a result. E.g. plus 2 3 --> 5. In contrast with beta reduction (the only kind of reduction in the pure lambda-calculus) the result is not formed simply by textual substitution of arguments into the body of a function. Instead, a delta redex is matched against the left hand side of all delta rules and is replaced by the right hand side of the (first) matching rule. There is notionally one delta rule for each possible combination of function and arguments. Where this implies an infinite number of rules, the result is usually defined by reference to some external system such as mathematical addition or the hardware operations of some computer. For other types, all rules can be given explicitly, for example Boolean negation: not True = False not False = True (1997-02-20)
- democratifiable — able to be made into a democracy
- demonstrability — The quality of being demonstrable.
- demonstrational — the act or circumstance of proving or being proved conclusively, as by reasoning or a show of evidence: a belief incapable of demonstration.
- demonstratively — characterized by or given to open exhibition or expression of one's emotions, attitudes, etc., especially of love or affection: She wished her fiancé were more demonstrative.
- denormalization — to make normal.
- dephosphorylate — to remove a phosphate group from (an organic compound)
- depletion layer — a region at the interface between dissimilar zones of conductivity in a semiconductor, in which there are few charge carriers
- dermatoglyphics — the lines forming a skin pattern, esp on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet
- desacralization — the process of rendering anything less sacred; secularization
- deserialization — The act or process of deserializing.
- desilverization — the process of desilverizing (metal); the state of having been desilverized
- desulfurization — The process of removing sulfur from a substance, such as flue gas or crude.
- detribalisation — Alternative form of detribalization.
- detribalization — to cause to lose tribal allegiances and customs, chiefly through contact with another culture.
- deuteranomalous — having deuteranomaly; relating to deuteranomaly
- dextrosinistral — left-handed, but having the right hand trained for writing.
- diagonal matrix — a square matrix in which all the entries except those along the diagonal from upper left to lower right are zero.
- diaheliotropism — the tendency among plants to respond to the light of the sun by orienting their leaves perpendicular to the sun's rays, such that the upper surface of the leaves receives maximum light
- diastrophically — in a diastrophic fashion
- dichloromethane — a noxious colourless liquid widely used as a solvent, e.g. in paint strippers. Formula: CH2Cl2
- dictatorialness — The state or quality of being dictatorial.
- dilatory motion — a formal proposal to be discussed and voted on in a debate whose effect is to interrupt the business under discussion at the time
- direction angle — an angle made by a given vector and a coordinate axis.
- disarticulation — The act of disarticulating.
- discretionarily — subject or left to one's own discretion.
- disinflationary — (economics) Exhibiting or causing reduced inflation.
- disproportional — not in proportion; disproportionate.
- doctoral thesis — a thesis written as part of a doctorate
- dolomite marble — coarse-grained dolomite.
- dominical altar — a high altar.
- dongola leather — a leather similar to kid, made from goatskin, sheepskin, or calfskin.
- dorsiventrality — The quality of being dorsiventral.
- dorsoventrality — Zoology. pertaining to the dorsal and ventral aspects of the body; extending from the dorsal to the ventral side: the dorsoventral axis.
- double integral — an integral in which the integrand involves a function of two variables and that requires two applications of the integration process to evaluate.
- double standard — any code or set of principles containing different provisions for one group of people than for another, especially an unwritten code of sexual behavior permitting men more freedom than women. Compare single standard (def 1).
- double-breasted — (of a coat, jacket, etc.) overlapping sufficiently in front to allow for two rows of buttons.
- doublet pattern — a pattern, as on a fabric, in which a figure or group is duplicated in reverse order on the opposite side of a centerline.
- dr. strangelove — a person, especially a military or government official, who advocates initiating nuclear warfare.
- draft-mule work — drudgery
- econometrically — In terms of econometrics.
- edriophthalmian — edriophthalmous
- edriophthalmous — (of certain crustaceans) having stalkless eyes
- egyptian clover — a Mediterranean clover, Trifolium alexandrinum, grown as a forage crop and to improve the soil in the southwestern US and the Nile valley
- elaborated code — a way of talking which is explicit and does not assume that the listener shares the same assumptions and understandings as the speaker
- elastic rebound — a theory of earthquakes that envisages gradual deformation of the fault zone without fault slippage until friction is overcome, when the fault suddenly slips to produce the earthquake
- electra complex — the sexual attachment of a female child to her father
- electra paradox — the supposed paradox that one may know something to be true of an object under one description but not another, as when Electra knew that Orestes was her brother but not that the man before her was her brother although he was Orestes. This shows the predicate "knows" to be intensional, that Electra's knowledge here is de dicto, and that the statement of it yields an opaque context
- electrification — The act of electrifying, or the state of being charged with electricity.