Questions tagged [single-word-requests]
This tag is for questions seeking a single word that fits a meaning. To ensure that your question is not closed as off-topic, please be specific about the intended use of the word. INCLUDE A SAMPLE SENTENCE demonstrating how the word would be used. Click on "Info", or "View Tag" and "Learn more..." for more information. Please use the [phrase-requests] tag if you seek a phrase and the [terminology] tag if you seek a term in a specialized subject also.
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questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
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Is there a word equivalent to "sighting" but for hearing?
I'm trying to write a sentence like
Nobody goes near the caves because of monster noises.
"Nobody goes near the caves because of monster sightings" doesn't work because people have not ...
- 49
3
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0
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Is there a word that describes the group of words used to describe familial relations?
I'm not at all sure if such a word exists, but I feel like it has to. I think my title was enough, but to make it clearer when I say familial relationship words, I mean words like dad, uncle, niece, ...
- 31
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Looking for a translation for the German "hellhörig"/"ringhörig"
The German adjective "hellhörig" (sometimes also "ringhörig") describes a badly or insufficiently soundproofed building or room; i.e. being able to hear your neighbors through the ...
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votes
1
answer
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Ad hominem for non persons
An ad hominem argument is typically, according to Wikipedia, "a rhetorical strategy where the speaker attacks the character, motive, or some other attribute of the person making an argument ...
- 141
3
votes
1
answer
136
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Term for a particular or general skill that needs to be improved and acted on?
Is there a term for a particular or general skill, possibly part of a skill-set, that needs to be improved and acted on?
It's at the tip of my tongue... I don't think it would be "incapabilities&...
3
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2
answers
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What is a term for "fear of very large enclosed spaces"?
I'm intrigued by a hybrid of "agoraphobia" (which would be more accurately referred to as "kenophobia") and "claustrophobia," described by H. P. Lovecraft like this:
Of ...
3
votes
2
answers
924
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The state of not knowing and/or ignoring each other
I'm looking for a word that expresses the state of not knowing and/or ignoring each other.
In a blog post, I've found the term Principle of Mutual Oblivion. This is supposed to be a rule in software ...
- 131
3
votes
5
answers
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Word for 'of or related to division'
I'm writing a program with a numeric parser. The operations involved are multiplying, dividing, squaring, and cubing.
In order to define what kind of objects can be multiplied, divided, etc with what,...
- 147
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4
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Word that means replacing bad things with good things
I'm looking for an existing word that roughly means "the process or idea of replacing bad/negative elements/deeds with good/positive elements/deeds, such as when a negative thing is eliminated at ...
2
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0
answers
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Is there one noun to describe "getting a person to do what you want by threatening to replace them"?
I need one noun to describe "getting a person to do what you want by threatening to replace them".
I checked the meaning of coercion but it says both force and threatening. First I don't ...
- 461
2
votes
1
answer
97
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Is there a term for minor "additional" lyrics in songs?
Many songs have "minor" phrases added in - either officially or in common practice - at the ends of lines, which comment on the lyrics but can be left out without affecting the lyrics' ...
- 1,215
2
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0
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What's the term for a line of dialog that is repeated later in a different context, especially as a clever retort?
What's the term for a line of dialog that is repeated later in a different context?
Christopher Nolan seems to be fond of these lines. In Batman Begins, Ra's first says:
Always mind your surroundings
...
- 5,401
2
votes
1
answer
149
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Is there a term for words that are stronger than a similar counterpart? (e.g. Dislike vs. Hate)
Title says it all, but some more examples could be:
like vs love
pleasure vs euphoria
carelessness vs apathy
etc.
...essentially words that carry more weight than their counterpart despite having ...
- 21
2
votes
3
answers
162
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What's the word for the emotion when someone's suspicion that another person made a bad decision is confirmed?
I'm a native English speaker, but I'm drawing a blank on how to describe this complicated exchange of situational emotions in words. Maybe someone can help. I'll just illustrate the situation with a ...
- 121
2
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0
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120
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A synonym for 'granular' / 'fine-grained'
As others have noted for at least a decade, 'granular' has become clichéd in business jargon for 'fine-grained' or just 'precise.'
I'm seeking a word or term (there must be one...) that sounds a ...
- 29
2
votes
2
answers
216
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What are these kinds of classifications called?
While browsing EL&U I sometimes see people pointing out in their answer that some words have been used in an unusual way (or should I call it structure?), producing sentences like "the writer ...
- 577
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0
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Collective term for uncountable nouns for places, like "hospital", "school", "prison", "court", "church"?
Certain nouns for places, locations or buildings seem to have idiomatic uncountability.
This blog lists a couple of those.
Idiomatic uses:
Home / town: No article precedes ‘home’ unless you add ...
- 5,401
2
votes
0
answers
347
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Is there a word for the object being cloned?
I was talking to a friend about various operations around cloning digital objects and we invented the word clonee for the object being cloned. Obviously we used the word clone / clones to refer to ...
- 139
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0
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What is the word for discrimination based on nationality?
Discrimination based on race is racism, discrimination based on sex is sexism. However, discrimination based on nationality is not nationalism because nationalism is pride for your country.
Here are ...
user412872
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0
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Is there a word to describe names that have no meaning but take on meaning over time for example "Google"?
Sometimes we create names for things that are just meaningless identifiers, the only example that springs to mind is "Google". That "Google" originally had no meaning may be ...
- 121
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Is there a term for an intentional, pleasing juxtaposition of elements?
I made a paper plane out of airplane documents.
There's something satisfying about combinations like this, but I've never been able to locate a word that captures the concept:
It has the same feeling ...
- 121
2
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0
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129
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Word for an all seeing society/government type
I'm looking for a word to mean a society or government type where everything is visible or known to everyone, similar to omniscient. For example, if everyone (including government) can see everything ...
- 267
2
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2
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147
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Looking for a collection of words that define a taxonomy
I'm looking for a set of words that define a logical, hierarchical structure to define a simple 3 level taxonomy, but it needs to comply with the following requirements:
The words must be related, ...
- 129
2
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0
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Inverse of "Decimate" (not really a duplicate)
Historically, the word "decimate" means to "reduce/ destroy by one tenth"... i.e., a decimated army of 100 soldiers would have lost 10 soldiers.
Is there a word that means the ...
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2
votes
1
answer
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Word for a baby who was birthed by parents who were considerably older
A singular term for a baby who was birthed by parents who were considerably older (like 45 to 70)?
Apparently I'm being pressed to give a "sample sentence" so here it is...
"My third son John is not ...
2
votes
0
answers
57
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Is there a term for when we're okay with criticism from "one of our own."
If you think about within a family, for example, everyone might talk very negatively with a specific criticism about a certain family member and all is good. But then the moment that family member's ...
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Is there a verb (or group of verbs) to describe someone saying "hmm"?
I'm looking for a verb to replace someone uttering "hmm" or "mmh" or any of its variations.
I found this related question (The origin of 'hmm') that hints that "hum&...
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0
answers
111
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What do you call a fire panel with tools?
In Russia we have these "fire panels":
So, they have tools like a bucket and a spade, so you can dig up some sand with the spade in the summer and extinguish the fire with it. Or in winter you can ...
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2
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What would you call someone who constantly is thinking of all scenarios/possibilities/outcomes?
If someone is the type of person who goes into a situation or conversation and before stepping in thinks of all the different things that could happen and how they would respond.
Example: If they ...
- 21
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0
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Is there a single adjective equivalent to "oddly satisfying"?
I came across this typescale pictured below, and found the curve it makes to be quite satisfying in a way that reminded me of those "oddly satisfying" videos that go viral every now and then.
It made ...
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