16-letter words containing o, s, m, e
- bartholomeu dias — Bartholomeu [bahr-too-loo-me-oo] /ˌbɑr tʊ lʊˈmɛ ʊ/ (Show IPA), c1450–1500, Portuguese navigator: discoverer of the Cape of Good Hope.
- basal metabolism — the amount of energy required by an individual in the resting state, for such functions as breathing and circulation of the blood
- basement complex — the undifferentiated assemblage of rock (basement rock) underlying the oldest stratified rocks in any region: usually crystalline, metamorphosed, and mostly, but not necessarily, Precambrian in age.
- basic dichromate — an orange-red, amorphous, water-insoluble powder, Bi 2 O 3 ⋅2CrO 3 , used chiefly as a pigment in paints.
- be one's own man — to be independent or free
- bed-sitting room — a combined bedroom and sitting room serving as a one-room apartment
- beefsteak tomato — a very large fleshy variety of tomato
- belgian malinois — one of a Belgian breed of medium-sized dogs having a short coat, tan to dark brown in color, a black mask, and erect ears, bred originally as a sheepherding dog.
- benito mussolini — Benito [buh-nee-toh;; Italian be-nee-taw] /bəˈni toʊ;; Italian bɛˈni tɔ/ (Show IPA), (I"Il Duce") 1883–1945, Italian Fascist leader: premier of Italy 1922–43.
- benoit samuelson — Joan (Joan Benoit) born 1957, U.S. distance runner: first Olympic marathon women's winner, 1984.
- bertillon system — a system formerly in use for identifying persons, esp criminals, by means of a detailed record of physical characteristics
- bessemer process — (formerly) a process for producing steel by blowing air through molten pig iron at about 1250°C in a Bessemer converter: silicon, manganese, and phosphorus impurities are removed and the carbon content is controlled
- binet-simon test — an intelligence test that consists of questions, problems, and things to do, graded in terms of mental age
- biometeorologist — the scientific study of the effects of natural or artificial atmospheric conditions, as temperature and humidity, on living organisms.
- blonde bombshell — Journalists sometimes use blonde bombshell to refer to a woman with blonde hair who is very attractive.
- boatswain's mate — a job classification in the US navy
- bootstrap memory — memory that allows new programs to be entered because some simple preliminary instructions or information are already built in.
- bornholm disease — an epidemic virus infection characterized by pain round the base of the chest
- boston cream pie — a cake of two layers with icing and a creamy filling
- boulogne-sur-mer — a port in N France, on the English Channel. Pop: 44 859 (1999)
- bowman's capsule — a membranous, double-walled capsule surrounding a glomerulus of a nephron.
- braille embosser — Braille printer
- brown house moth — a species of micro moth, Hofmannophila pseudospretella, which, although it usually inhabits birds' nests, sometimes enters houses where its larvae can be very destructive of stored fabrics and foodstuffs
- camomile shampoo — a liquid or cream preparation of soap or detergent with camomile extract to wash the hair
- capsizing moment — the moment of an upsetting couple.
- carnot's theorem — the principle that no engine operating between two given temperatures can be more efficient than a Carnot engine operating between the same temperatures.
- cascade molecule — a synthetic polymer with a branching, treelike structure; a type of macromolecule in which chains radiate out from a central atom or cluster of atoms to transfer genetic material to living cells.
- category mistake — a sentence that says of something in one category what can only intelligibly be said of something in another, as when speaking of the mind located in space
- chance one's arm — to attempt to do something although the chance of success may be slight
- chemical weapons — toxic chemicals used as weapons
- chemolithotrophs — Plural form of chemolithotroph.
- chemoluminescent — (chemistry) Exhibiting chemoluminescence.
- chemonucleolysis — treatment for a herniated spinal disk in which chymopapain is injected into the disk to dissolve tissue.
- chemoprophylaxis — the prevention of disease using chemical drugs
- chicken mushroom — an edible yellow-to-orange bracket fungus, Laetiporus sulphureus, common on tree trunks, in which it causes wood decay.
- chinese cinnamon — cassia (def 1).
- chinese primrose — any plant of the genus Primula, as P. vulgaris (English primrose) of Europe, having yellow flowers, or P. sinensis (Chinese primrose) of China, having flowers in a variety of colors. Compare primrose family.
- cholesterolaemia — the presence of abnormally high levels of cholesterol in the blood
- chopped tomatoes — tomatoes cut into pieces
- choriomeningitis — (medicine) A form of cerebral meningitis associated with inflammation of the choroid plexus.
- chromatographies — Plural form of chromatography.
- chymotrypsinogen — the inactive precursor of chymotrypsin
- circumsporozoite — (biology, of a protein) Located on the surface of a sporozoite (and involved in host cell recognition and invasion); abbreviated as CS.
- clitoridectomies — Plural form of clitoridectomy.
- closed community — a plant community that does not allow for further colonization, all the available niches being occupied
- closed ecosystem — a self-replenishing ecosystem in which life can be maintained without external factors or outside aid.
- closing argument — In a court case, a lawyer's closing argument is their final speech, in which they give a summary of their case.
- cogito, ergo sum — I think, therefore I am; the basis of Descartes' philosophy
- collector's item — A collector's item is an object which is highly valued by collectors because it is rare or beautiful.
- columbia heights — a city in SE Minnesota, near Minneapolis.