15-letter words containing y, s
- semantic memory — the recollection of facts and concepts
- semi-analytical — pertaining to or proceeding by analysis (opposed to synthetic).
- semicrystalline — partly or imperfectly crystalline.
- semicylindrical — of, relating to, or having the shape of a semicylinder
- semidocumentary — a film or television programme that is fictional but includes many factual events or details
- semipornography — partial pornography; material that is almost pornographic
- sensitizing dye — a dye adsorbed onto the silver halide grains of an emulsion to make the emulsion more sensitive to certain colors.
- sepoy rebellion — the Indian Mutiny of 1857–58
- septentrionally — northwards; in the direction of the north
- serendipitously — come upon or found by accident; fortuitous: serendipitous scientific discoveries.
- serial monogamy — a form of monogamy characterized by several successive, short-term marriages over the course of a lifetime.
- service economy — an economy which is dominated by the provision or importance of services (as opposed to products)
- service history — information concerning all of a car's services (ie overhauls, checks, or repairs)
- sesquicentenary — a hundred and fiftieth anniversary
- set by the ears — to cause disagreement or commotion
- seven-year itch — scabies.
- seventy-seventh — next after the seventy-sixth; being the ordinal number for 77.
- sexual equality — the same status, rights, and responsibilities for male and female people
- sharing economy — a system in which people rent, borrow, or share commodities, services, and resources owned by individuals, usually with the aid of online technology, in an effort to save money, cut costs, and reduce waste.
- shillyshallying — hesitation; vacillation
- shove-halfpenny — a shuffleboard game played with coins or brass disks that are pushed by the hand and thumb down a board toward a scoring pit.
- shut your mouth — stop talking
- sibling rivalry — the feeling of competitiveness that often exists between brothers and sisters
- sibylline books — (in ancient Rome) a collection of prophetic sayings, supposedly bought from the Cumaean sibyl, bearing upon Roman policy and religion
- sidesplittingly — in a side-splitting manner
- siege mentality — a state of mind whereby one believes that one is being constantly attacked, oppressed, or isolated.
- significatively — serving to signify.
- silent majority — the U.S. citizens who supported President Nixon's policies but who were not politically vocal, outspoken, or active: considered by him to constitute a majority.
- silviculturally — with reference to silviculture
- simeon stylites — Saint, a.d. 390?–459, Syrian monk and stylite.
- simple majority — less than half of the total votes cast but more than the minimum required to win, as when there are more than two candidates or choices.
- single currency — a currency that is common to different countries
- single-handedly — in a single-handed manner; single-handed.
- sinorespiratory — of, relating to, or affecting the paranasal sinuses and the respiratory tract.
- sister of mercy — a member of a congregation of sisters founded in Dublin in 1827 by Catherine McAuley (1787–1841) and engaged chiefly in works of spiritual and corporal mercy.
- skylight filter — a very slightly pink filter that absorbs ultraviolet light and reduces haze and excessive blueness
- sleeping beauty — a beautiful princess, the heroine of a popular fairy tale, awakened from a charmed sleep by the kiss of the prince who is her true love.
- slumpflationary — of or relating to slumpflation
- small cranberry — See under cranberry (def 1).
- smoky mountains — Great Smoky Mountains
- snowy mountains — a mountain range in SE Australia, part of the Australian Alps: famous hydroelectric scheme
- so much/so many — You use so much and so many when you are saying that there is a definite limit to something but you are not saying what this limit is.
- soapbox oratory — public speaking typical of soapbox orators
- social dynamics — the study of social processes, especially social change.
- social mobility — mobility (def 2).
- social security — (usually initial capital letters) a program of old-age, unemployment, health, disability, and survivors insurance maintained by the U.S. federal government through compulsory payments by specific employer and employee groups.
- socialist party — a U.S. political party advocating socialism, formed about 1900 chiefly by former members of the Social Democratic Party and the Socialist Labor Party.
- society islands — a group of islands in the S Pacific: administratively part of French Polynesia; consists of the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands; became a French protectorate in 1843 and a colony in 1880. Pop: 214 445 (2002). Area: 1595 sq km (616 sq miles)
- sociocentricity — socially oriented.
- socioculturally — from a sociocultural point of view