17-letter words containing s, p
- composite volcano — a large, steep volcano built up of alternating layers of lava and ash or cinders.
- composite-volcano — a large, steep volcano built up of alternating layers of lava and ash or cinders.
- composting toilet — a human waste disposal system that utilizes a waterless or low-flush toilet in conjunction with a tank in which aerobic bacteria break down the waste.
- compound interest — Compound interest is interest that is calculated both on an original sum of money and on interest which has previously been added to the sum. Compare simple interest.
- compound sentence — a sentence containing at least two coordinate clauses
- comprehensibility — capable of being comprehended or understood; intelligible.
- comprehensiveness — of large scope; covering or involving much; inclusive: a comprehensive study of world affairs.
- compressed speech — speech reproduced on tape at a faster rate than originally spoken, but without loss of intelligibility, by being filtered through a mechanism that deletes very small segments of the original signal at random intervals.
- compression ratio — the ratio of the volume enclosed by the cylinder of an internal-combustion engine at the beginning of the compression stroke to the volume enclosed at the end of it
- computer graphics — the use of a computer to produce and manipulate pictorial images on a video screen, as in animation techniques or the production of audiovisual aids
- computer security — security
- conceptualisation — The act of conceptualising, or something conceptualised.
- concurrent pascal — (language) An extension of a Pascal subset, Sequential Pascal, developed by Brinch Hansen in 1972-75. Concurrent Pascal was the first language to support monitors. It provided access to hardware devices through monitor calls and also supported processes and classes.
- conscript fathers — august legislators, esp Roman senators
- consolation prize — A consolation prize is a small prize which is given to a person who fails to win a competition.
- conspiracy theory — A conspiracy theory is a belief that a group of people are secretly trying to harm someone or achieve something. You usually use this term to suggest that you think this is unlikely.
- conspiratorialist — a person who believes in or supports a conspiracy theory.
- consumer sampling — a research technique in which targeted consumers are polled or tested for their receptiveness to a product or service
- consumer spending — the percentage of an economy that is accounted for by what consumers spend
- contemplativeness — The state or quality of being contemplative.
- contemporaneously — living or occurring during the same period of time; contemporary.
- continental slope — a steep slope separating a continental shelf and a deep ocean basin.
- cooperative store — a retail store owned and managed by consumer-customers who supply the capital and share in the profits by patronage dividends.
- copernican system — the theory published in 1543 by Copernicus which stated that the earth and the planets rotated around the sun and which opposed the Ptolemaic system
- copious free time — (jargon) (Apple; originally from the introduction to Tom Lehrer's song "It Makes A Fellow Proud To Be A Soldier") Used ironically to indicate the speaker's lack of the quantity in question; a mythical schedule slot for accomplishing tasks held to be unlikely or impossible. Sometimes used to indicate that the speaker is interested in accomplishing the task, but believes that the opportunity will not arise. "I'll implement the automatic layout stuff in my copious free time." The phrase is also used for time reserved for bogus or otherwise idiotic tasks, such as implementation of bad chrome, or the stroking of suits. "I'll get back to him on that feature in my copious free time."
- corporal of horse — a noncommissioned rank in the British Household Cavalry above that of sergeant and below that of staff sergeant
- corporate sponsor — a business that sponsors a particular type of event
- corpus cavernosum — either of two masses of erectile tissue in the penis of mammals
- corpus spongiosum — a mass of tissue that, with the corpora cavernosa, forms the erectile tissue of the penis of mammals
- correspondentship — The role or status of correspondent.
- cost-plus pricing — the setting of prices at the cost price plus a percentage
- counter-espionage — Counter-espionage is the same as counter-intelligence.
- counterparty risk — the risk that a person who is a party to a contract will default on their obligations under that contract
- course protractor — a navigational instrument for measuring the bearing of a course as given on a chart, having a disk calibrated in degrees and an arm pivoted about the center of the disk.
- courtship display — behaviour that is aimed at attracting a mate
- critical pressure — the pressure of a gas or the saturated vapour pressure of a substance in its critical state
- cross-pollination — the transfer of pollen from the anthers of one flower to the stigma of another flower by the action of wind, insects, etc
- cryopreservations — the storage of blood or living tissues at extremely cold temperatures, often -196 degrees Celsius.
- cryptic crossword — a crossword where each clue is a word puzzle
- cryptocrystalline — (of rocks) composed of crystals that can be distinguished individually only by the use of a polarizing microscope
- cryptosporidiosis — a disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Cryptosporidium, characterized by fever and gastrointestinal symptoms and typically spread via contaminated drinking water.
- cut a person dead — to ignore a person completely
- cypriot syllabary — a syllabic script in use on Cyprus in the first millennium b.c., used for the writing of Greek and of an unknown language.
- cytotrophoblastic — Relating to, or containing, cytotrophoblasts.
- d&o insurance — D&O insurance is a personal liability insurance that provides cover to the directors and senior executives of a company.
- dagestan republic — a constituent republic of S Russia, on the Caspian Sea: annexed from Persia in 1813; rich mineral resources. Capital: Makhachkala. Pop: 2 584 200 (2002). Area: 50 278 sq km (19 416 sq miles)
- damon and pythias — two friends noted for their mutual loyalty. Damon offered himself as a hostage for Pythias, who was to be executed for treason by Dionysius of Syracuse. When Pythias returned to save his friend's life, he was pardoned
- damp-proof course — A damp-proof course is the same as a damp course.
- daphnis and chloe — two lovers in pastoral literature, esp in a prose idyll attributed to the Greek writer Longus
- de-specialization — the act of specializing, or pursuing a particular line of study or work: Medical students with high student loans often feel driven into specialization.