19-letter words containing r, i, v, e, c
- radioactive fallout — the settling to the ground of airborne particles ejected into the atmosphere from the earth by explosions, eruptions, forest fires, etc., especially such settling from nuclear explosions (radioactive fallout) Compare rainout.
- radius of curvature — the absolute value of the reciprocal of the curvature at a point on a curve.
- reactive depression — depression occurring in response to some situational stress, as loss of one's job.
- reciprocal leveling — leveling between two widely separated points in which observations are made in both directions to eliminate the effects of atmospheric refraction and the curvature of the earth.
- redbrick university — any new or little-known university, especially one built since World War II to educate students in industrial regions, emphasizing technical subjects rather than the classics, and often partially supported by government funds.
- relative complement — the set of elements contained in a given set that are not elements of another specified set.
- removable cartridge — a hard disk enclosed in a case that can be removed from the disk drive, having more storage than floppy disks.
- renaissance revival — a mid-Victorian architectural style adapting the classical forms of 15th- and 16th-century Italian architecture, especially palace architecture, usually characterized by blocklike massing, with refined classicized decorative detail around regularly organized windows.
- republic of vietnam — the name (from 1955–75) for South Vietnam, as an independent republic, following the division of the country in 1954 into North Vietnam and South Vietnam
- reserved occupation — in time of war, an occupation from which one will not be called up for military service
- resistance movement — a movement fighting (for freedom, etc), often secretly or illegally, against an invader in an occupied country or against the country's government, etc
- restorative justice — a theory and method in criminal justice in which it is arranged that the victim and the community receive restitution from the offender.
- reversible reaction — a reaction that, depending on ambient conditions, can proceed in either of two directions: the production of the reaction products from the reactants, or the production of the original reactants from the formed reaction products. Compare equilibrium (def 4).
- sacrifice operative — a euphemistic term for a suicide bomber
- saturation coverage — news coverage (of an event, etc) that is very thorough in order not to miss any details
- savings certificate — a certificate of deposit for a specific sum of money in a savings account, especially a deposit for a fixed term at a specified interest rate.
- sensitometric curve — characteristic curve.
- simple closed curve — a curve that is closed and that has no loops or points missing; a curve for which there exists a homeomorphism mapping it to a circle.
- soviet central asia — the region of the former Soviet Union now occupied by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan
- special air service — a regiment in the British Army specializing in clandestine operations
- stochastic variable — a random variable.
- subtractive process — a process of color photography in which the colors are formed by combination of cyan, yellow, and magenta lights.
- theological virtues — one of the three graces: faith, hope, or charity, infused into the human intellect and will by a special grace of God.
- thermoelectromotive — designating or of the electromotive force produced by a thermocouple
- torricellian vacuum — the vacuum at the top of a Torricellian tube
- universal recipient — a person with blood type AB, able to receive blood from a person of any blood type but able to donate blood only to a person with the same blood type
- university entrance — an examination taken by pupils of postprimary schools
- vaginal intercourse — intercourse involving insertion of the penis into the vagina
- vapor recovery unit — A vapor recovery unit is a system for recovering vapors from inside sealed crude oil or condensate tanks, with a scrubber (= a device for removing unwanted substances) and compressor (= a device that raises pressure).
- velocity microphone — a microphone in which the output varies according to the instantaneous velocity of the air molecules in the incident sound waves.
- vertical stabilizer — the fixed vertical surface of an aircraft empennage, to which the rudder is hinged.
- very high frequency — any frequency between 30 and 300 megahertz. Abbreviation: VHF.
- vesicular exanthema — an infectious viral disease of swine, characterized by blisters on the snout, mucous membranes, and feet.
- veterinary medicine — the branch of medicine dealing with the study, prevention, and treatment of diseases in animals, especially domesticated animals.
- vicariate apostolic — a district under the jurisdiction of a vicar apostolic.
- victor emmanuel iii — 1869–1947, king of Italy 1900–46.
- video tape recorder — a device for recording television programs on magnetic tape for delayed transmission or for storage.
- vinylidene chloride — a colorless, volatile, flammable liquid, C 2 H 2 Cl, that is copolymerized chiefly with vinyl chloride to form saran.
- virginia-rail-fence — snake fence.
- voltaic electricity — electric current; moving electric charges.
- volumetric analysis — determination of the concentration, by volume, of a substance in a solution, as by titration.
- watch night service — a service held on the night of December 24, or of December 31
- young conservatives — the youth section of the United Kingdom Conservative Party until 1998