Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

20/20: normal visual acuity, as measured by the ability to read charts at a distance of 20 feet
401-k: a retirement savings plan that is funded by employee contributions and (often) matching contributions from the employer; contributions are made from your salary before taxes and the funds grow tax-free until they are withdrawn, at which point they can be converted into an IRA; funds can be transferred if you change employers and you can (to some extent) manage the investments yourself
abatable nuisance: a nuisance that can remedied (suppressed or extinguished or rendered harmless)
ABC's: the elementary stages of any subject (usually plural)
Abelian group: a group that satisfies the commutative law
ability: possession of the qualities (especially mental qualities) required to do something or get something done
abnormal psychology: the branch of psychology concerned with abnormal behavior
abnormality: retardation sufficient to fall outside the normal range of intelligence
ABO blood group system: a classification system for the antigens of human blood; used in blood transfusion therapy; four groups are A and B and AB and O
abolitionism: the doctrine that calls for the abolition of slavery
abscissa: the value of a coordinate on the horizontal axis
absentmindedness: preoccupation so great that the ordinary demands on attention are ignored
absolute: something that is conceived or that exists independently and not in relation to other things; something that does not depend on anything else and is beyond human control; something that is not relative
absolute pitch: the ability to identify the pitch of a tone
absolute threshold: the lowest level of stimulation that a person can detect
absolutism: the doctrine of an absolute being
absolutism: the principle of complete and unrestricted power in government
absorption: complete attention; intense mental effort
absorption: the mental state of being preoccupied by something
abstract thought: thinking that is coherent and logical
abstract: a concept or idea not associated with any specific instance
abstractedness: preoccupation with something to the exclusion of all else
abstraction: the process of formulating general concepts by abstracting common properties of instances
abstractionism: a representation having no reference to concrete objects or specific examples
abstruseness: wisdom that is recondite and abstruse and profound
academic program: (education) a program of education in liberal arts and sciences (usually in preparation for higher education)
academic requirement: a requirement for admission to or completion of an academic program
acceptance: the mental attitude that something is believable and should be accepted as true
accidence: the part of grammar that deals with the inflections of words
accident surgery: the branch of medicine that deals with the surgical repair of injuries and wounds arising from accidents
accommodation: in the theories of Jean Piaget: the modification of internal representations in order to accommodate a changing knowledge of reality
accomplishment: an ability that has been acquired by training
accounting: a system that provides quantitative information about finances
accounting principle: a principle that governs current accounting practice and that is used as a reference to determine the appropriate treatment of complex transactions
acculturation: the process of assimilating new ideas into an existing cognitive structure
acculturation: all the knowledge and values shared by a society
achromatic vision: vision using the rods
acid test: a rigorous or crucial appraisal
acidity: the taste experience when something acidic is taken into the mouth
acoustics: the study of the physical properties of sound
acquaintance: personal knowledge or information about someone or something
acquisition: the cognitive process of acquiring skill or knowledge
acridity: having an acrid smell
activism: a policy of taking direct action to achieve a political or social goal
acuity: a quick and penetrating intelligence
acuity: sharpness of vision; the visual ability to resolve fine detail (usually measured by a Snellen chart)
acumen: shrewdness shown by keen insight
acuteness: a sensitivity that is keen and highly developed
adeptness: skillful performance or ability without difficulty
adumbration: the act of providing vague advance indications; representing beforehand
advertence: the process of being heedful
advisement: careful consideration
aerodynamics: the branch of mechanics that deals with the motion of gases (especially air) and their effects on bodies in the flow
aerology: meteorology of the total extent of the atmosphere; especially the upper layers
aeromedicine: the study and treatment of disorders associated with flight (especially with space flight)
aeronautical engineering: the branch of engineering science concerned with the design and construction of aircraft
aeronautics: the theory and practice of navigation through air or space
aesthesia: mental responsiveness and awareness
aesthesis: an unelaborated elementary awareness of stimulation
aesthetic: (philosophy) a philosophical theory as to what is beautiful
aesthetics: (art) the branch of philosophy dealing with beauty and taste (emphasizing the evaluative criteria that are applied to art)
aetiology: the philosophical study of causation
affair: a vaguely specified concern
affairs: matters of personal concern
affine geometry: the geometry of affine transformations
affixation: the result of adding an affix to a root word
afflatus: a strong creative impulse; divine inspiration
afterimage: an image (usually a negative image) that persists after stimulation has ceased
aftertaste: an afterimage of a taste
afterthought: thinking again about a choice previously made
afterworld: the place where you are after you die
age norm: the average age at which particular performances are expected to appear
agenda: a temporally organized plan for matters to be attended to
agglutination test: a blood test used to identify unknown antigens; blood with the unknown antigen is mixed with a known antibody and whether or not agglutination occurs helps to identify the antigen; used in tissue matching and blood grouping and diagnosis of infections
agnosticism: a religious orientation of doubt; a denial of ultimate knowledge of the existence of God
agnosticism: the disbelief in any claims of ultimate knowledge
agreement: the thing arranged or agreed to
agrobiology: the study of plant nutrition and growth especially as a way to increase crop yield
agrology: science of soils in relation to crops
agronomy: the application of soil and plant sciences to land management and crop production
AI: the branch of computer science that deal with writing computer programs that can solve problems creatively
aim: an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
aim: the goal intended to be attained (and which is believed to be attainable)
airmanship: the art of operating aircraft
albatross: (figurative) something that hinders or handicaps
Albigensianism: a Christian movement considered to be a medieval descendant of Manichaeism in southern France in the 12th and 13th centuries; characterized by dualism (asserted the coexistence of two mutually opposed principles, one good and one evil); was exterminated for heresy during the Inquisition
alchemy: a pseudoscientific forerunner of chemistry in medieval times
alertness: the process of paying close and continuous attention
alethic logic: the modal logic of necessity and possibility and contingency
algebra: the mathematics of generalized arithmetical operations
algology: the branch of botany that studies algae
algorism: computation with Arabic figures
algorithm: a precise rule (or set of rules) specifying how to solve some problem
alienism: an obsolete term for the study and treatment of mental illness
all-or-none law: (neurophysiology) a nerve impulse resulting from a weak stimulus is just as strong as a nerve impulse resulting from a strong stimulus
allergology: the branch of medical science that studies the causes and treatment of allergies
allometry: the study of the relative growth of a part of an organism in relation to the growth of the whole
allurement: attractiveness
alpha test: (computer science) a first test of an experimental product (such as computer software) carried out by the developer
alternative: one of a number of things from which only one can be chosen
amateurishness: something that demonstrates a lack of professional competency
amateurism: the conviction that people should participate in sports as a hobby (for the fun of it) rather than for money
amentia: extreme mental retardation
amnesia: partial or total loss of memory
amoralism: the doctrine that moral distinctions are invalid
amount: a quantity obtained by the addition of a group of numbers
Amsler grid: a pattern of small boxes that is used for self-monitoring by patients who have age-related macular degeneration
Anabaptism: a Protestant movement in the 16th century that believed in the primacy of the Bible, baptised only believers, not infants, and believed in complete separation of church and state
anagoge: a mystical or allegorical interpretation (especially of Scripture)
analogy: an inference that if things agree in some respects they probably agree in others
analogy: the religious belief that between creature and creator no similarity can be found so great but that the dissimilarity is always greater; any analogy between God and humans will always be inadequate
analphabetism: an inability to read
analysis: a branch of mathematics involving calculus and the theory of limits; sequences and series and integration and differentiation
analysis situs: the branch of pure mathematics that deals only with the properties of a figure X that hold for every figure into which X can be transformed with a one-to-one correspondence that is continuous in both directions
analysis: the abstract separation of a whole into its constituent parts in order to study the parts and their relations
analytic geometry: the use of algebra to study geometric properties; operates on symbols defined in a coordinate system
anamnesis: the ability to recall past occurrences
anarchism: a political theory favoring the abolition of governments
anatomy: the branch of morphology that deals with the structure of animals
anchor: a central cohesive source of support and stability
ancient history: knowledge of some recent fact or event that has become so commonly known that it has lost its original pertinence
anesthesiology: the branch of medical science that studies and applies anesthetics
angelology: the branch of theology that is concerned with angels
angiology: the branch of medical science that studies the blood and lymph vessels and their disorders
angle: a biased way of looking at or presenting something
Anglicanism: the faith and doctrine and practice of the Anglican Church
Anglo-Catholicism: a doctrine and practice within the Church of England emphasizing the Catholic tradition
Anglomania: an excessive enthusiasm for all things English
anima: (Jungian psychology) the inner self (not the external persona) that is in touch with the unconscious
animal psychology: the branch of psychology concerned with the behavior of animals
animalism: the doctrine that human beings are purely animal in nature and lacking a spiritual nature
animatism: the attribution of consciousness and personality to natural phenomena such as thunderstorms and earthquakes and to objects such as plants and stones
animatronics: the construction of robots to look like animals (developed for Disneyland)
animism: the doctrine that all natural objects and the universe itself have souls
annoyance: something or someone that causes trouble; a source of unhappiness
Annwfn: (Welsh mythology) the other world; land of fairies
ANOVA: a statistical method for making simultaneous comparisons between two or more means; a statistical method that yields values that can be tested to determine whether a significant relation exists between variables
anterograde amnesia: loss of memory for events immediately following a trauma; sometimes in effect for events during and for a long time following the trauma
anthropocentricity: an inclination to evaluate reality exclusively in terms of human values
anthropology: the social science that studies the origins and social relationships of human beings
anthropomorphism: the representation of objects (especially a god) as having human form or traits
anthroposophy: a system of beliefs and practices based on the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner; it claims to integrate the practical and psychological in child-centered education
anti-Catholicism: a religious orientation opposed to Catholicism
anti-Semitism: the intense dislike for and prejudice against Jewish people
antialiasing: (computer graphics) a technique that is used to smooth jagged distortions in curves and diagonal lines so they appear smoother
anticipation: something expected (as on the basis of a norm)
anticipation: the act of predicting (as by reasoning about the future)
antiestablishmentarianism: the doctrine of opposition to the social and political establishment
antinomianism: the theological doctrine that by faith and God's grace a Christian is freed from all laws (including the moral standards of the culture)
antipathy: the object of a feeling of intense aversion; something to be avoided
antitype: a person or thing represented or foreshadowed by an earlier type or symbol; especially a figure or event in the New Testament having a counterpart in the Old Testament
antitype: an opposite or contrasting type
Apgar score: an assessment of the physical condition of a newborn infant; involves heart rate and muscle tone and respiratory effort and color and reflex responsiveness
Apollo program: a program of space flights undertaken by US to land a man on the Moon
apologetics: the branch of theology that is concerned with the defense of Christian doctrines
apology: a poor example
apophatism: the religious belief that God cannot be known but is completely `other' and must be described in negative terms (in terms of what God is not)
apparition: something existing in perception only
appearance: a mental representation
apperception: the process whereby perceived qualities of an object are related to past experience
applecart: the planning that is disrupted when someone `upsets the applecart'
applied anatomy: the practical application of anatomical knowledge to diagnosis and treatment
applied math: the branches of mathematics that are involved in the study of the physical or biological or sociological world
applied psychology: any of several branches of psychology that seek to apply psychological principles to practical problems of education or industry or marketing etc.
applied science: the discipline dealing with the art or science of applying scientific knowledge to practical problems
appraisal: the classification of someone or something with respect to its worth
appreciation: delicate discrimination (especially of aesthetic values)
appreciation: understanding of the nature or meaning or quality or magnitude of something
apprehension: the cognitive condition of someone who understands
apprehension: painful expectation
approximation: an approximate calculation of quantity or degree or worth
aptitude: inherent ability
archaeology: the branch of anthropology that studies prehistoric people and their cultures
archetype: something that serves as a model or a basis for making copies
Archimedes' principle: (hydrostatics) the apparent loss in weight of a body immersed in a fluid is equal to the weight of the displaced fluid
architectonics: the science of architecture
architectural engineering: the branch of engineering that deals with the construction of buildings (as distinguished from architecture as a design art)
architectural style: architecture as a kind of art form
architecture: the discipline dealing with the principles of design and construction and ornamentation of fine buildings
area: a subject of study
argument: a variable in a logical or mathematical expression whose value determines the dependent variable; if f(x)=y, x is the independent variable
argument: a course of reasoning aimed at demonstrating a truth or falsehood; the methodical process of logical reasoning
Arianism: heretical doctrine taught by Arius that asserted the radical primacy of the Father over the Son
Aristotelian logic: the syllogistic logic of Aristotle as developed by Boethius in the Middle Ages
Aristotelianism: (philosophy) the philosophy of Aristotle that deals with logic and metaphysics and ethics and poetics and politics and natural science
arithmancy: divination by means of numbers
arithmetic: the branch of pure mathematics dealing with the theory of numerical calculations
arithmetic mean: the sum of the values of a random variable divided by the number of values
arity: the number of arguments that a function can take
Arminianism: 17th century theology (named after its founder Jacobus Arminius) that opposes the absolute predestinarianism of John Calvin and holds that human free will is compatible with God's sovereignty
armory: a collection of resources
aroma: a distinctive odor that is pleasant
arousal: awakening from sleep
arrangement: an organized structure for arranging or classifying
Arrhenius theory of dissociation: (chemistry) theory that describes aqueous solutions in terms of acids (which dissociate to give hydrogen ions) and bases (which dissociate to give hydroxyl ions); the product of an acid and a base is a salt and water
arriere pensee: an unstated doubt that prevents you from accepting something wholeheartedly
art form: (architecture) a form of artistic expression (such as writing or painting or architecture)
art history: the academic discipline that studies the development of painting and sculpture
art: a superior skill that you can learn by study and practice and observation
article of faith: an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence
arts: studies intended to provide general knowledge and intellectual skills (rather than occupational or professional skills)
asceticism: the doctrine that through renunciation of worldly pleasures it is possible to achieve a high spiritual or intellectual state
ascription: assigning to a cause or source
ascription: assigning some quality or character to a person or thing
Asgard: (Norse mythology) the heavenly dwelling of the Norse gods (the Aesir) and slain war heroes
Asian shamanism: an animistic religion of northern Asia having the belief that the mediation between the visible and the spirit worlds is effected by shamans
aspect: a distinct feature or element in a problem
aspect: the visual percept of a region
assay: an appraisal of the state of affairs
assimilation: in the theories of Jean Piaget: the application of a general schema to a particular instance
association theory: (psychology) a theory that association is the basic principle of mental activity
association: the process of bringing ideas or events together in memory or imagination
assumption: a hypothesis that is taken for granted
assurance: freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities
Assyriology: archeology of the ancient Assyrians
astringence: a sharp astringent taste; the taste experience when a substance causes the mouth to pucker
astrobiology: the branch of biology concerned with the effects of outer space on living organisms and the search for extraterrestrial life
astrodynamics: the branch of astronomy that studies the motion of natural and artificial bodies in space
astrology: a pseudoscience claiming divination by the positions of the planets and sun and moon
astrometry: the branch of astronomy that deals with the measurement of the position and motion of celestial bodies
astronomy: the branch of physics that studies celestial bodies and the universe as a whole
astrophysics: the branch of astronomy concerned with the physical and chemical properties of celestial bodies
astuteness: the intellectual ability to penetrate deeply into ideas
astuteness: intelligence manifested by being astute (as in business dealings)
Athanasian Creed: a Christian profession of faith
Athanasianism: the theological doctrine taught by Athanasius that Christ the Son is of the same substance as God the Father
atheism: a lack of belief in the existence of God or gods
Atlantis: according to legend, an island in the Atlantic Ocean that Plato said was swallowed by an earthquake
atomic physics: the branch of physics that studies the internal structure of atomic nuclei
atomic theory: a theory of the structure of the atom
atomic theory: (chemistry) any theory in which all matter is composed of tiny discrete finite indivisible indestructible particles
atomism: (psychology) a theory that reduces all mental phenomena to simple elements (sensations and feelings) that form complex ideas by association
attending: the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
attention: the faculty or power of mental concentration
attention: a general interest that leads people to want to know more
attention span: the length of time you can concentrate on some idea or activity
attentiveness: paying particular notice (as to children or helpless people)
attitude: a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways
attracter: a characteristic that provides pleasure and attracts
attracter: (physics) a point in the ideal multidimensional phase space that is used to describe a system toward which the system tends to evolve regardless of the starting conditions of the system
attractive nuisance: anything on your premises that might attract children into danger or harm
attribute: a construct whereby objects or individuals can be distinguished
audio lingual acquisition: system of language acquisition focusing intensively on listening and speaking
audiology: the measurement of hearing
audit program: a listing of audit procedures to be performed in completing an audit
audition: the ability to hear; the auditory faculty
auditory image: a mental image that is similar to an auditory perception
auditory perception: the perception of sound as a meaningful phenomenon
auditory sensation: the subjective sensation of hearing something
autism: (psychiatry) an abnormal absorption with the self; marked by communication disorders and short attention span and inability to treat others as people
autocracy: a political theory favoring unlimited authority by a single individual
automatic pilot: a cognitive state in which you act without self-awareness
autotelism: belief that a work of art is an end in itself or its own justification
average: an intermediate scale value regarded as normal or usual
average: a statistic describing the location of a distribution
aversive conditioning: conditioning to avoid an aversive stimulus
aversive stimulus: any negative stimulus to which an organism will learn to make a response that avoids it
avionics: science and technology of electronic systems and devices for aeronautics and astronautics
Avogadro's hypothesis: the principle that equal volumes of all gases (given the same temperature and pressure) contain equal numbers of molecules
awareness: having knowledge of
awareness: state of elementary or undifferentiated consciousness
awkwardness: unskillfulness resulting from a lack of training
axiology: the study of values and value judgments
axis: a straight line through a body or figure that satisfies certain conditions
background: information that is essential to understanding a situation or problem
background: the part of a scene (or picture) that lies behind objects in the foreground
backwardness: lack of normal development of intellectual capacities
bacteriology: the branch of medical science that studies bacteria in relation to disease
badge: any feature that is regarded as a sign of status (a particular power or quality or rank)
bafflement: confusion resulting from failure to understand
bag of tricks: a supply of ways of accomplishing something
Bahaism: a religion founded in Iran in 1863; emphasizes the spiritual unity of all humankind; incorporates Christian and Islamic tenets; many adherents live in the United States
bail: the legal system that allows an accused person to be temporarily released from custody (usually on condition that a sum of money guarantees their appearance at trial)
bailiwick: a branch of knowledge
bait: anything that serves as an enticement
balk: something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress
balletomania: extraordinary enthusiasm for ballets
ballistics: the science of flight dynamics
bamboo curtain: an ideological barrier around communist China especially in the 1950s and 1960s
bandwagon: a popular trend that attracts growing support
Baptistic doctrine: any of various doctrines closely related to Anabaptism
bare bones: (plural) the most basic facts or elements
barrier: any condition that makes it difficult to make progress or to achieve an objective
base: the fundamental assumptions from which something is begun or developed or calculated or explained
basic assumption: an assumption that is basic to an argument
basic cognitive process: cognitive processes involved in obtaining and storing knowledge
basic principle: principles from which other truths can be derived
battle plan: plan for conducting a battle
Bauhaus: a German style of architecture begun by Walter Gropius in 1918
Bayes' postulate: (statistics) the difficulty of applying Bayes' theorem is that the probabilities of the different causes are seldom known, in which case it may be postulated that they are all equal (sometimes known as postulating the equidistribution of ignorance)
Bayes' theorem: (statistics) a theorem describing how the conditional probability of a set of possible causes for a given observed event can be computed from knowledge of the probability of each cause and the conditional probability of the outcome of each cause
be all and end all: the essential factor; the all-important element; the supreme aim
beau ideal: an ideal instance; a perfect embodiment of a concept
beaut: an outstanding example of its kind
beaux arts: the study and creation of visual works of art
bed check: a check that everyone is in bed by the time they should be
beggar-my-neighbor policy: a policy of promoting oneself at the expense of others; used especially of national policy
beginning: the first part or section of something
behaviorism: an approach to psychology that emphasizes observable measurable behavior
beholding: perception by means of the eyes
belief: any cognitive content held as true
belief: a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
believing: the cognitive process that leads to convictions
Benday process: a photoengraving technique for adding shading or texture or tone to a printed image
Benford's law: a law used by auditors to identify fictitious populations of numbers; applies to any population of numbers derived from other numbers
bent: a special way of doing something
bent: a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
Bernoulli distribution: a theoretical distribution of the number of successes in a finite set of independent trials with a constant probability of success
Bernoulli's law: (statistics) law stating that a large number of items taken at random from a population will (on the average) have the population statistics
beta test: (computer science) a second test of an experimental product (such as computer software) carried out by an outside organization
bewitchment: a magical spell
bias: a partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation
bibliotics: the scientific study of documents and handwriting etc. especially to determine authorship or authenticity
big bang theory: (cosmology) the theory that the universe originated sometime between 10 billion and 20 billion years ago from the cataclysmic explosion of a small volume of matter at extremely high density and temperature
bigotry: the intolerance and prejudice of a bigot
bilingualism: the ability to speak two languages colloquially
bind: something that hinders as if with bonds
binocular vision: vision involving the use of both eyes
binomial: (mathematics) a quantity expressed as a sum or difference of two terms; a polynomial with two terms
binomial theorem: a theorem giving the expansion of a binomial raised to a given power
bioassay: appraisal of the biological activity of a substance by testing its effect on an organism and comparing the result with some agreed standard
biochemistry: the organic chemistry of compounds and processes occurring in organisms; the effort to understand biology within the context of chemistry
bioclimatology: the study of effects of climate on living organisms
bioengineering: the branch of engineering science in which biological science is used to study the relation between workers and their environments
bioethics: the branch of ethics that studies moral values in the biomedical sciences
biofeedback: a training program in which a person is given information about physiological processes (heart rate or blood pressure) that is not normally available with the goal of gaining conscious control of them
biogeography: dealing with the geographical distribution of animals and plants
biological science: the science that studies living organisms
biomedical science: the application of the principles of the natural sciences to medicine
biomedicine: the branch of medical science that studies the ability of organisms to withstand environmental stress (as in space travel)
biomedicine: the branch of medical science that applies biological and physiological principles to clinical practice
biometrics: a branch of biology that studies biological phenomena and observations by means of statistical analysis
bionics: application of biological principles to the study and design of engineering systems (especially electronic systems)
bionomics: the branch of biology concerned with the relations between organisms and their environment
biophysics: physics as applied to biological problems
biopsy: examination of tissues or liquids from the living body to determine the existence or cause of a disease
bioremediation: the branch of biotechnology that uses biological process to overcome environmental problems
bioscience: any of the branches of natural science dealing with the structure and behavior of living organisms
biosystematics: use of data (e.g. cytogenetic or biochemical) to assess taxonomic relations especially within an evolutionary framework
biotech: the branch of molecular biology that studies the use of microorganisms to perform specific industrial processes
biquadratic: a polynomial of the fourth degree
bird's eye view: a situation or topic as if viewed from an altitude or distance
biserial correlation: a correlation coefficient in which one variable is many-valued and the other is dichotomous
bit part: a small role
bitter: the taste experience when quinine or coffee is taken into the mouth
black art: the belief in magical spells that harness occult forces or evil spirits to produce unnatural effects in the world
blackout: a momentary loss of consciousness
blastogenesis: theory that inherited characteristics are transmitted by germ plasm
blind spot: a subject about which you are ignorant or prejudiced and fail to exercise good judgment
block: an inability to remember or think of something you normally can do; often caused by emotional tension
blood test: a serologic analysis of a sample of blood
blueprint: something intended as a guide for making something else
blur: a hazy or indistinct representation
boatmanship: skill in handling boats
body image: an individual's idea as assessment of his or her own body
Boehmenism: the mystical theological doctrine of Jakob Boehme that influenced the Quakers
Bohr theory: (physics) a theory of atomic structure that combined Rutherford's model with the quantum theory; electrons orbiting a nucleus can only be in certain stationary energy states and light is emitted when electrons jump from one energy state to another
bond rating: an evaluation by a rating company of the probability that a particular bond issue will default
bonding: (dentistry) a technique for repairing a tooth; resinous material is applied to the surface of the tooth where it adheres to the tooth's enamel
bonus: anything that tends to arouse
booby trap: an unforeseen or unexpected or surprising difficulty
Boolean algebra: a system of symbolic logic devised by George Boole; used in computers
Bose-Einstein statistics: (physics) statistical law obeyed by a system of particles whose wave function is not changed when two particles are interchanged (the Pauli exclusion principle does not apply)
bosom of Abraham: the place where the just enjoy the peace of heaven after death
bosom: the locus of feelings and intuitions
botany: the branch of biology that studies plants
bounded interval: an interval that includes its endpoints
bourn: an archaic term for a goal or destination
Brahminism: the religious beliefs of ancient India as prescribed in the sacred Vedas and Brahmanas and Upanishads
brain science: the branch of neuroscience concerned with the brain
brain: mental ability
brain: that which is responsible for one's thoughts, feelings, and conscious brain functions; the seat of the faculty of reason
brainstorm: the clear (and often sudden) understanding of a complex situation
brand: a recognizable kind
Bravais lattice: a 3-dimensional geometric arrangement of the atoms or molecules or ions composing a crystal
bravura: brilliant and showy technical skill
bread-and-butter issue: an issue whose settlement will affect financial resources
breadth: the capacity to understand a broad range of topics
breakdown: an analysis into mutually exclusive categories
breakthrough: a productive insight
breed: a special type
brightness constancy: the tendency for a visual object to be perceived as having the same brightness under widely different conditions of illumination
brightness: intelligence as manifested in being quick and witty
brilliance: unusual mental ability
British empiricism: the predominant philosophical tradition in Great Britain since the 17th century
broad interpretation: an interpretation of the U.S. constitution holding that the spirit of the times and the needs of the nation can legitimately influence judicial decisions (particularly decisions of the Supreme Court)
broad-mindedness: an inclination to tolerate or overlook opposing or shocking opinions or behavior
Brobdingnag: a land imagined by Jonathan Swift where everything was enormous
brown study: a state of deep absorption or thoughtfulness
brushwork: an artist's distinctive technique of applying paint with a brush
bubble: an impracticable and illusory idea
bubble: a speculative scheme that depends on unstable factors that the planner cannot control
Buddhism: the teaching of Buddha that life is permeated with suffering caused by desire, that suffering ceases when desire ceases, and that enlightenment obtained through right conduct and wisdom and meditation releases one from desire and suffering and rebirth
bugaboo: a source of concern
bugbear: an object of dread or apprehension
bugology: the branch of zoology that studies insects
burden: the central idea that is expanded in a document or discourse
burden: an onerous or difficult concern
bus: the topology of a network whose components are connected by a busbar
business: a rightful concern or responsibility
business: an immediate objective
Byzantine architecture: the style of architecture developed in the Byzantine Empire developed after the 5th century; massive domes with square bases and round arches and spires and much use of mosaics
cabal: a plot to carry out some harmful or illegal act (especially a political plot)
Cabbalah: an esoteric theosophy of rabbinical origin based on the Hebrew scriptures and developed between the 7th and 18th centuries
cacogenics: the study of the operation of factors causing degeneration in the type of offspring produced
Caesaropapism: the doctrine that the state is supreme over the church in ecclesiastical matters
calculation: problem solving that involves numbers or quantities
calculation: planning something carefully and intentionally
calculus of variations: the calculus of maxima and minima of definite integrals
calculus: the branch of mathematics that is concerned with limits and with the differentiation and integration of functions
Call: a special disposition (as if from a divine source) to pursue a particular course
calling card: a distinguishing characteristic or behavior
Calvinism: the theological system of John Calvin and his followers emphasizing omnipotence of God and salvation by grace alone
camp: something that is considered amusing not because of its originality but because of its unoriginality
can of worms: a source of unpredictable trouble and complexity
candor: ability to make judgments free from discrimination or dishonesty
canker: a pernicious and malign influence that is hard to get rid of
canvass: an inquiry into public opinion conducted by interviewing a random sample of people
capability: an aptitude that may be developed
capaciousness: intellectual breadth
capacity: the power to learn or retain knowledge; in law, the ability to understand the facts and significance of your behavior
capstone: a final touch; a crowning achievement; a culmination
cardiology: the branch of medicine dealing with the heart and its diseases
care: judiciousness in avoiding harm or danger
cargo cult: a religious cult that anticipates a time of joy, serenity, and justice when salvation comes
carry-over: application of a skill learned in one situation to a different but similar situation
Cartesian coordinate: one of the coordinates in a system of coordinates that locates a point on a plane or in space by its distance from two lines or three planes respectively; the two lines or the intersections of the three planes are the coordinate axes
Cartesian coordinate system: a coordinate system for which the coordinates of a point are its distances from a set perpendicular lines that intersect at the origin of the system
case: the actual state of things
case in point: an example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time
cash cow: a project that generates a continuous flow of money
castle in Spain: absentminded dreaming while awake
Castroism: a form of communism developed in Cuba by Fidel Castro
casuistry: moral philosophy based on the application of general ethical principles to resolve moral dilemmas
casuistry: argumentation that is specious or excessively subtle and intended to be misleading
cataphatism: the religious belief that God has given enough clues to be known to humans positively and affirmatively (e.g., God created Adam `in his own image')
categorisation: the basic cognitive process of arranging into classes or categories
category: a general concept that marks divisions or coordinations in a conceptual scheme
Catholicity: the beliefs and practices of a Catholic Church
catoptrics: branch of optics dealing with formation of images by mirrors
causal factor: a determining or causal element or factor
Celestial City: phrases used to refer to Heaven
celestial mechanics: the branch of astronomy concerned with the application of Newton's laws of motion to the motions of heavenly bodies
cell doctrine: (biology) the theory that cells form the fundamental structural and functional units of all living organisms; proposed in 1838 by Matthias Schleiden and by Theodor Schwann
center: the object upon which interest and attention focuses
center: the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience
centering: the concentration of attention or energy on something
centerpiece: the central or most important feature
centile: (statistics) any of the 99 numbered points that divide an ordered set of scores into 100 parts each of which contains one-hundredth of the total
central vision: vision using the fovea and parafovea; the middle part of the visual field
centralism: the political policy of concentrating power in a central organization
centrism: a political philosophy of avoiding the extremes of left and right by taking a moderate position or course of action
CER: an emotional response that has been acquired by conditioning
cerebration: the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
certainty: the state of being certain
certitude: total certainty or greater certainty than circumstances warrant
Chabad Hasidism: a form of Hasidism practiced by Lithuanian and Russian Jews under communist rule; the beliefs and practices of the Lubavitch movement
chance variable: a variable quantity that is random
chance-half correlation: a correlation coefficient calculated between scores on two halves of a test; taken as an indication of the reliability of the test
change of mind: a decision to reverse an earlier decision
chaos: (physics) a dynamical system that is extremely sensitive to its initial conditions
chaotic attractor: an attractor for which the approach to its final point in phase space is chaotic
character: a characteristic property that defines the apparent individual nature of something
character: an actor's portrayal of someone in a play
characteristic root of a square matrix: (mathematics) any number such that a given square matrix minus that number times the identity matrix has a zero determinant
characteristic: a prominent attribute or aspect of something
charm: (physics) one of the six flavors of quark
Chartism: the principles of a body of 19th century English reformers who advocated better social and economic conditions for working people
Chassidism: beliefs and practices of a sect of Orthodox Jews
check: additional proof that something that was believed (some fact or hypothesis or theory) is correct
checksum: a digit representing the sum of the digits in an instance of digital data; used to check whether errors have occurred in transmission or storage
chemical engineering: the branch of engineering that is concerned with the design and construction and operation of the plants and machinery used in industrial chemical processes
chemical science: the science of matter; the branch of the natural sciences dealing with the composition of substances and their properties and reactions
chemoimmunology: the field of chemistry concerned with chemical processes in immunology (such as chemical studies of antigens and antibodies)
child psychology: the branch of psychology that studies the social and mental development of children
chiliasm: belief in the Christian doctrine of the millennium mentioned in the Book of Revelations
chimaera: a grotesque product of the imagination
chirology: telling fortunes by lines on the palm of the hand
chiropody: the branch of medicine concerned with the feet
chivalry: the medieval principles governing knighthood and knightly conduct
choice: the person or thing chosen or selected
chorionic villus biopsy: a prenatal test to detect birth defects at an early stage of pregnancy; tissue from the chorionic villi is assayed
Christian religion: a monotheistic system of beliefs and practices based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus as embodied in the New Testament and emphasizing the role of Jesus as savior
Christian Science: religious system based on teachings of Mary Baker Eddy emphasizing spiritual healing
Christian theology: the teachings of Christian churches
Christology: the branch of theology concerned with the person and attributes and deeds of Christ
Christology: a religious doctrine or theory based on Jesus or Jesus' teachings
chromaesthesia: a form of synesthesia in which nonvisual stimulation results in the experience of color sensations
chromatic vision: the normal ability to see colors
chronology: the determination of the actual temporal sequence of past events
chunking: (psychology) the configuration of smaller units of information into large coordinated units
circumspection: knowing how to avoid embarrassment or distress
circumstance: information that should be kept in mind when making a decision
cityscape: a viewpoint toward a city or other heavily populated area
civics: the social science of municipal affairs
civil engineering: the branch of engineering concerned with the design and construction of such public works as dams or bridges
cladistic analysis: a taxonomic system of classifying species based on the branching patterns of cladograms that are built to infer phylogenetic relations
classical conditioning: conditioning that pairs a neutral stimulus with a stimulus that evokes a reflex; the stimulus that evokes the reflex is given whether or not the conditioned response occurs until eventually the neutral stimulus comes to evoke the reflex
classicalism: a movement in literature and art during the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe that favored rationality and restraint and strict forms
classics: study of the literary works of ancient Greece and Rome
classification system: a system for classifying things
cleverness: the power of creative imagination
climatology: meteorology of climates and their phenomena
clincher: a point or fact or remark that settles something conclusively
clinical neurology: (neurology) the branch of medicine that deals with the nervous system and its disorders
clinical psychology: the branch of psychology concerned with the treatment of abnormal mentation and behavior
clock-watching: paying excessive attention to the clock (in anticipation of stopping work)
clockwork universe: the view that the universe resembles a clock built by God and ticking along according to Newtonian mechanics
closed book: something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
closure: a Gestalt principle of organization holding that there is an innate tendency to perceive incomplete objects as complete and to close or fill gaps and to perceive asymmetric stimuli as symmetric
closure: something settled or resolved; the outcome of decision making
cloud-cuckoo-land: an imaginary place where you say people are when they seem optimistically out of touch with reality
cloze procedure: a test for diagnosing reading ability; words are deleted from a prose passage and the reader is required to fill in the blanks
coast: the area within view
Cockaigne: (Middle Ages) an imaginary land of luxury and idleness
code of behavior: a set of conventional principles and expectations that are considered binding on any person who is a member of a particular group
coefficient of concordance: a coefficient of agreement (concordance) between different sets of rank orderings of the same set of things
coefficient of correlation: a statistic representing how closely two variables co-vary; it can vary from -1 (perfect negative correlation) through 0 (no correlation) to +1 (perfect positive correlation)
cogent evidence: any factual evidence that helps to establish the truth of something
cogitation: a carefully considered thought about something
cogitation: attentive consideration and meditation
cognitive content: the sum or range of what has been perceived, discovered, or learned
cognitive factor: something immaterial (as a circumstance or influence) that contributes to producing a result
cognitive neuroscience: the branch of neuroscience that studies the biological foundations of mental phenomena
cognitive operation: (psychology) the performance of some composite cognitive activity; an operation that affects mental contents
cognitive psychology: an approach to psychology that emphasizes internal mental processes
cognitive science: the field of science concerned with cognition; includes parts of cognitive psychology and linguistics and computer science and cognitive neuroscience and philosophy of mind
cognitive semantics: the branch of semantics that studies the cognitive aspects of meaning
cognitive state: the state of a person's cognitive processes
cognizance: range or scope of what is perceived
cognizance: range of what one can know or understand
cold: the sensation produced by low temperatures
collectivism: a political theory that the people should own the means of production
colligation: the connection of isolated facts by a general hypothesis
collusion: secret agreement
color barrier: the barrier preventing Blacks from participating in various activities with whites
color constancy: the tendency for a color to look the same under widely different viewing conditions
color: (physics) the characteristic of quarks that determines their role in the strong interaction
colored audition: a form of chromesthesia in which experiences of color accompany auditory stimuli
coma: a state of deep and often prolonged unconsciousness; usually the result of disease or injury
comfort zone: the temperature range (between 28 and 30 degrees Centigrade) at which the naked human body is able to maintain a heat balance without shivering or sweating
command: great skillfulness and knowledge of some subject or activity
commandment: a doctrine that is taught
committal to memory: learning so as to be able to remember verbatim
common fate: a Gestalt principle of organization holding that aspects of perceptual field that move or function in a similar manner will be perceived as a unit
common knowledge: anything generally known to everyone
common nuisance: a nuisance that unreasonably interferes with a right that is common to the general public
common sense: sound practical judgment
communication theory: the discipline that studies the principles of transmiting information and the methods by which it is delivered (as print or radio or television etc.)
communism: a political theory favoring collectivism in a classless society
comparative anatomy: the study of anatomical features of animals of different species
comparative literature: study of literary works from different cultures (often in translation)
compass: the limit of capability
complement: either of two parts that mutually complete each other
complement fixation test: a blood test in which a sample of serum is exposed to a particular antigen and complement in order to determine whether or not antibodies to that particular antigen are present; used as a diagnostic test
complex: a conceptual whole made up of complicated and related parts
complexion: a point of view or general attitude or inclination
component: an abstract part of something
compound: a whole formed by a union of two or more elements or parts
compound morphology: the part of grammar that deals with combinations of simple words into compound words
comprehension: an ability to understand the meaning or importance of something (or the knowledge acquired as a result)
computational linguistics: the use of computers for linguistic research and applications
computer science: the branch of engineering science that studies (with the aid of computers) computable processes and structures
computer simulation: (computer science) the technique of representing the real world by a computer program
Comtism: Auguste Comte's positivistic philosophy that metaphysics and theology should be replaced by a hierarchy of sciences from mathematics at the base to sociology at the top
concentrate: a concentrated example of something
concept: an abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances
conception: the creation of something in the mind
conceptualisation: an elaborated concept
conceptualism: the doctrine that the application of a general term to various objects indicates the existence of a mental entity that mediates the application
concern: something that interests you because it is important or affects you
concern: something or someone that causes anxiety; a source of unhappiness
conclusion: an intuitive assumption
conclusion: a position or opinion or judgment reached after consideration
concoction: the invention of a scheme or story to suit some purpose
concrete representation: a representation of an abstract idea in concrete terms
condensation: (psychoanalysis) an unconscious process whereby two ideas or images combine into a single symbol; especially in dreams
condition: the procedure that is varied in order to estimate a variable's effect by comparison with a control condition
conditioned stimulus: the stimulus that is the occasion for a conditioned response
conditioning: a learning process in which an organism's behavior becomes dependent on the occurrence of a stimulus in its environment
confabulation: (psychiatry) a plausible but imagined memory that fills in gaps in what is remembered
confidentiality: discretion in keeping secret information
configuration: an arrangement of parts or elements
conformism: orthodoxy in thoughts and belief
Confucianism: the teachings of Confucius emphasizing love for humanity; high value given to learning and to devotion to family (including ancestors); peace; justice; influenced the traditional culture of China
confusedness: a mental state characterized by a lack of clear and orderly thought and behavior
confutation: evidence that refutes conclusively
Congregationalism: system of beliefs and church government of a Protestant denomination in which each member church is self-governing
conjecture: reasoning that involves the formation of conclusions from incomplete evidence
conjecture: a hypothesis that has been formed by speculating or conjecturing (usually with little hard evidence)
conjuration: calling up a spirit or devil
connoisseurship: love of or taste for fine objects of art
connotation: an idea that is implied or suggested
consciousness: an alert cognitive state in which you are aware of yourself and your situation
conservation: (physics) the maintenance of a certain quantities unchanged during chemical reactions or physical transformations
conservation of charge: the principle that the total electric charge of a system remains constant despite changes inside the system
conservation of energy: the fundamental principle of physics that the total energy of an isolated system is constant despite internal changes
conservation of mass: a fundamental principle of classical physics that matter cannot be created or destroyed in an isolated system
conservation of momentum: the principle that the total linear momentum in a closed system is constant and is not affected by processes occurring inside the system
conservation of parity: (physics) parity is conserved in a universe in which the laws of physics are the same in a right-handed system of coordinates as in a left-handed system
conservatism: a political or theological orientation advocating the preservation of the best in society and opposing radical changes
Conservative Judaism: beliefs and practices of Conservative Jews
consideration: the process of giving careful thought to something
constancy: (psychology) the tendency for perceived objects to give rise to very similar perceptual experiences in spite of wide variations in the conditions of observation
constant: a quantity that does not vary
constitutionalism: advocacy of a system of government according to constitutional principles
constriction: a tight feeling in some part of the body
construction: the creation of a construct; the process of combining ideas into a congruous object of thought
consubstantiation: the doctrine of the High Anglican Church that after the consecration of the Eucharist the substance of the body and blood of Christ coexists with the substance of the consecrated bread and wine
consumerism: the theory that an increasing consumption of goods is economically beneficial
containment: a policy of creating strategic alliances in order to check the expansion of a hostile power or ideology or to force it to negotiate peacefully
contemplation: a calm, lengthy, intent consideration
contextualism: any doctrine emphasizing the importance of the context in solving problems or establishing the meaning of terms
continuation: a Gestalt principle of organization holding that there is an innate tendency to perceive a line as continuing its established direction
continuous creation theory: (cosmology) the theory that the universe maintains a constant average density with matter created to fill the void left by galaxies that are receding from each other
contour: a feature (or the order or arrangement of features) of anything having a complex structure
contract law: that branch of jurisprudence that studies the rights and obligations of parties entering into contracts
contradistinction: a distinction drawn on the basis of contrast
contrast: the perceptual effect of the juxtaposition of very different colors
contrast: a conceptual separation or distinction
contrivance: an artificial or unnatural or obviously contrived arrangement of details or parts etc.
contrivance: the faculty of contriving; inventive skill
contrivance: an elaborate or deceitful scheme contrived to deceive or evade
control experiment: an experiment designed to control for variables affecting the results of another experiment
control: a standard against which other conditions can be compared in a scientific experiment
convention: something regarded as a normative example
conventionality: unoriginality as a result of being too conventional
conventionality: conformity with conventional thought and behavior
convergence: the approach of an infinite series to a finite limit
convergence: a representation of common ground between theories or phenomena
convergent thinking: thinking that brings together information focussed on solving a problem (especially solving problems that have a single correct solution)
conversation piece: something interesting that stimulates conversation
conversion: a change in the units or form of an expression:
coordinate axis: one of the fixed reference lines of a coordinate system
coordinate system: a system that uses coordinates to establish position
coordinate: a number that identifies a position relative to an axis
coordination: being of coordinate importance, rank, or degree
coordination: the skillful and effective interaction of movements
Copernican system: (astronomy) Copernicus' astronomical model in which the Earth rotates around the sun
corollary: (logic) an inference that follows directly from the proof of another proposition
corporation law: that branch of jurisprudence that studies the laws governing corporations
corpuscular theory: (physics) the theory that light is transmitted as a stream of particles
correlate: either of two or more related or complementary variables
correlation matrix: a matrix giving the correlations between all pairs of data sets
correlation table: a two-way tabulation of the relations between correlates; row headings are the scores on one variable and column headings are the scores on the second variables and a cell shows how many times the score on that row was associated with the score in that column
correlation: a statistical relation between two or more variables such that systematic changes in the value of one variable are accompanied by systematic changes in the other
correlational analysis: the use of statistical correlation to evaluate the strength of the relations between variables
coruscation: a sudden or striking display of brilliance
cosmetic dentistry: the branch of dentistry dealing with the appearance of the teeth
cosmogeny: the branch of astrophysics that studies the origin and evolution and structure of the universe
cosmography: the science that maps the general features of the universe; describes both heaven and earth (but without encroaching on geography or astronomy)
cosmology: the metaphysical study of the origin and nature of the universe
cost-benefit analysis: an analysis of the cost effectiveness of different alternatives in order to see whether the benefits outweigh the costs
Coulomb's Law: a fundamental principle of electrostatics; the force of attraction or repulsion between two charged particles is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the distance between them; principle also holds for magnetic poles
counter conditioning: conditioning in which a second incompatible response is conditioned to an already conditioned stimulus
countercheck: something that checks the correctness of a previous check
counterculture: a culture with lifestyles and values opposed to those of the established culture
counterexample: refutation by example
counterpart: a person or thing having the same function or characteristics as another
counterplan: a plot intended to subvert another plot
counterterrorism: a strategy intended to prevent or counter terrorism
countertransference: the psychoanalyst's displacement of emotion onto the patient or more generally the psychoanalyst's emotional involvement in the therapeutic interaction
coupon: a test sample of some substance
courtly love: (Middle Ages) a highly conventionalized code of conduct for lovers
covariance: (statistics) the mean value of the product of the deviations of two variates from their respective means
covariation: (statistics) correlated variation
craft: shrewdness as demonstrated by being skilled in deception
craft: skill in an occupation or trade
craniology: the scientific study of the skulls of various human races
craniometry: the branch of physical anthropology dealing with the study and measurement of dry skulls after removal of its soft parts
craze: an interest followed with exaggerated zeal
craziness: the quality of being rash and foolish
creation science: an effort to give scientific support for the truth of the account of Creation given in the Book of Genesis
creationism: the literal belief in the account of Creation given in the Book of Genesis
creative thinking: the ability to create
credit system: a system for allowing people to purchase things on credit
credit: an estimate, based on previous dealings, of a person's or an organization's ability to fulfill their financial commitments
credo: any system of principles or beliefs
creepiness: an uneasy sensation as of insects creeping on your skin
criminology: the scientific study of crime and criminal behavior and law enforcement
criterion: the ideal in terms of which something can be judged
critical analysis: an appraisal based on careful analytical evaluation
criticism: a serious examination and judgment of something
cross product: a vector that is the product of two other vectors
cross section: a sample meant to be representative of a whole population
cross-classification: classification according to more than one attribute at the same time
cross-purpose: a contrary aim
crosscheck: an instance of confirming something by considering information from several sources
crosshairs: a center of interest
crossroads: a point where a choice must be made
cryobiology: the branch of biology that studies the effects of low temperatures on living tissues or organs or organisms
cryogenics: the branch of physics that studies the phenomena that occur at very low temperatures
cryonics: the freezing of a seriously ill or recently deceased person to stop tissues from decomposing; the body is preserved until new medical cures are developed that might bring the person back to life
cryptanalysis: the science of analyzing and deciphering codes and ciphers and cryptograms
crystal gazing: staring into a crystal ball to arouse visions of future or distant events
crystallization: a mental synthesis that becomes fixed or concrete by a process resembling crystal formation
crystallography: the branch of science that studies the formation and structure of crystals
cue: a stimulus that provides information about what to do
cull: the person or thing that is rejected or set aside as inferior in quality
cult: a religion or sect that is generally considered to be unorthodox, extremist, or false
cult of personality: intense devotion to a particular person
cult: a system of religious beliefs and rituals
cultural anthropology: the branch of anthropology that deals with human culture and society
culture: the attitudes and behavior that are characteristic of a particular social group or organization
culture: the tastes in art and manners that are favored by a social group
culture shock: a condition of disorientation affecting someone who is suddenly exposed to an unfamiliar culture or way of life or set of attitudes
curiosity: a state in which you want to learn more about something
curiousness: a state of active curiosity
curvilinear correlation: any correlation in which the rates of change of the variables is not constant
curvilinear regression: the relation between variables when the regression equation is nonlinear (quadratic or higher order)
custom: a specific practice of long standing
cut: the style in which a garment is cut
cutaneous sensation: a sensation localized on the skin
cutaneous senses: the faculty by which external objects or forces are perceived through contact with the body (especially the hands)
cutting edge: the position of greatest importance or advancement; the leading position in any movement or field
cy pres: a rule that when literal compliance is impossible the intention of a donor or testator should be carried out as nearly as possible
cyberculture: the culture that emerges from the use of computers for communication and entertainment and business
cybernetics: (biology) the field of science concerned with processes of communication and control (especially the comparison of these processes in biological and artificial systems)
cynosure: something that strongly attracts attention and admiration
cytogenetics: the branch of biology that studies the cellular aspects of heredity (especially the chromosomes)
cytology: the branch of biology that studies the structure and function of cells
Dalton's law: (chemistry) law stating that when two elements can combine to form more than one compound the amounts of one of them that combines with a fixed amount of the other will exhibit a simple multiple relation
Dalton's law of partial pressures: (chemistry and physics) law stating that the pressure exerted by a mixture of gases equals the sum of the partial pressures of the gases in the mixture; the pressure of a gas in a mixture equals the pressure it would exert if it occupied the same volume alone at the same temperature
dark: an unenlightened state
Darsana: (from the Sanskrit word for `to see') one of six orthodox philosophical systems or viewpoints on the nature of reality and the release from bondage to karma
Darwinism: a theory of organic evolution claiming that new species arise and are perpetuated by natural selection
data conversion: conversion from one way of encoding data to another way
data point: an item of factual information derived from measurement or research
data structure: (computer science) the organization of data (and its storage allocations in a computer)
daylight vision: normal vision in daylight; vision with sufficient illumination that the cones are active and hue is perceived
daze: confusion characterized by lack of clarity
dead reckoning: an estimate based on little or no information
dead weight: an oppressive encumbrance
deciding: the cognitive process of reaching a decision
decile: (statistics) any of nine points that divided a distribution of ranked scores into equal intervals where each interval contains one-tenth of the scores
decomposition: the analysis of a vector field
deconstruction: a philosophical theory of criticism (usually of literature or film) that seeks to expose deep-seated contradictions in a work by delving below its surface meaning
deduction: reasoning from the general to the particular (or from cause to effect)
deduction: something that is inferred (deduced or entailed or implied)
deep water: serious trouble
default: an option that is selected automatically unless an alternative is specified
defence policy: a program for defending a country against its enemies
defensive: an attitude of defensiveness (especially in the phrase `on the defensive')
definite integral: the integral of a function over a definite interval
degree: the highest power of a term or variable
degree of a polynomial: the degree of the term in the polynomial that has the highest degree
degree of a term: the sum of the exponents of the variables in the term
degree of freedom: one of the minimum number of parameters needed to describe the state of a physical system
degree of freedom: (statistics) an unrestricted variable in a frequency distribution
deism: the form of theological rationalism that believes in God on the basis of reason without reference to revelation
deixis: the function of pointing or specifying from the perspective of a participant in an act of speech or writing; aspects of a communication whose interpretation depends on knowledge of the context in which the communication occurs
deja vu: the experience of thinking that a new situation had occurred before
delicacy: refined taste; tact
delight: something or someone that provides a source of happiness
delusion: a mistaken or unfounded opinion or idea
demand: required activity
democracy: the political orientation of those who favor government by the people or by their elected representatives
democracy: the doctrine that the numerical majority of an organized group can make decisions binding on the whole group
demographic: a statistic characterizing human populations (or segments of human populations broken down by age or sex or income etc.)
demography: the branch of sociology that studies the characteristics of human populations
dendrology: the study of wooden plants
denominationalism: the tendency, in Protestantism, to separate into religious denominations or to advocate such separations
denominationalism: a narrow-minded adherence to a particular sect or party or denomination
denotation: the most direct or specific meaning of a word or expression; the class of objects that an expression refers to
denseness: the quality of being mentally slow and limited
dental anatomy: the branch of gross anatomy concerning with the morphology of teeth
dental medicine: the branch of medicine dealing with the anatomy and development and diseases of the teeth
dental orthopaedics: the branch of dentistry dealing with the prevention or correction of irregularities of the teeth
dental surgery: the branch of dentistry involving surgical procedures
deontic logic: the modal logic of obligation and permissibility
department: a specialized sphere of knowledge
dependent variable: (statistics) a variable in a logical or mathematical expression whose value depends on the independent variable
depicting: a representation by picture or portraiture
derivation: a line of reasoning that shows how a conclusion follows logically from accepted propositions
derivational morphology: the part of grammar that deals with the derivations of words
derivative: the result of mathematical differentiation; the instantaneous change of one quantity relative to another; df(x)/dx
dermatoglyphics: the study of the whorls and loops and arches in the fingertips and on the palms of the hand and the soles of the feet
dermatology: the branch of medicine dealing with the skin and its diseases
description: sort or variety
descriptive anthropology: the branch of anthropology that provides scientific description of individual human societies
descriptive geometry: the geometry of properties that remain invariant under projection
descriptive grammar: a grammar that is produced by descriptive linguistics
descriptive linguistics: a description (at a given point in time) of a language with respect to its phonology and morphology and syntax and semantics without value judgments
descriptivism: (linguistics) a doctrine supporting or promoting descriptive linguistics
descriptivism: (ethics) a doctrine holding that moral statements have a truth value
descriptor: a piece of stored information that is used to identify an item in an information storage and retrieval system
design criteria: criteria that designers should meet in designing some system or device
design: an arrangement scheme
desire to know: curiosity that motivates investigation and study
destination: the ultimate goal for which something is done
detail: an isolated fact that is considered separately from the whole
detection: the perception that something has occurred or some state exists
determination: deciding or controlling something's outcome or nature
determinism: (philosophy) a philosophical theory holding that all events are inevitable consequences of antecedent sufficient causes; often understood as denying the possibility of free will
developmental anatomy: the branch of anatomy that studies structural changes of an individual from fertilization to maturity
developmental learning: learning that takes place as a normal part of cognitive development
deviation: the difference between an observed value and the expected value of a variable or function
devices: an inclination or desire; used in the plural in the phrase `left to your own devices'
Dewey decimal classification: a system used by libraries to classify nonfictional publications into subject categories; the subject is indicated by a three-digit numeral and further specification is given by numerals following a decimal point; publications are shelved by number
dexterity: adroitness in using the hands
diachronic linguistics: the study of linguistic change
diagnostic assay: an assay conducted for diagnostic purposes
diagnostics: the branch of medical science dealing with the classification of disease
diagonalisation: changing a square matrix to diagonal form (with all non-zero elements on the principal diagonal)
dialect geography: the study of the geographical distribution of linguistic features
dialectic: any formal system of reasoning that arrives at the truth by the exchange of logical arguments
dialectical materialism: the materialistic philosophy of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
dialectics: a rationale for dialectical materialism based on change through the conflict of opposing forces
dialectology: the branch of philology that is devoted to the study of dialects
Dick test: a skin test to determine your susceptibility to scarlet fever
dictate: a guiding principle
dietetics: the scientific study of food preparation and intake
difference limen: the smallest change in stimulation that a person can detect
differential calculus: the part of calculus that deals with the variation of a function with respect to changes in the independent variable (or variables) by means of the concepts of derivative and differential
differential psychology: the branch of psychology that studies measurable differences between individuals
differentiation: a discrimination between things as different and distinct on the basis of their characteristics or attributes
difficulty: a factor causing trouble in achieving a positive result or tending to produce a negative result
digestion: learning and coming to understand ideas and information
digitisation: conversion of analog information into digital information
dilemma: state of uncertainty or perplexity especially as requiring a choice between equally unfavorable options
dimension: one of three Cartesian coordinates that determine a position in space
direct correlation: a correlation in which large values of one variable are associated with large values of the other and small with small; the correlation coefficient is between 0 and +1
direction: a general course along which something has a tendency to develop
diriment impediment: (canon law) an impediment that invalidates a marriage (such as the existence of a prior marriage)
dirty laundry: personal matters that could be embarrassing if made public
disapproval: an inclination to withhold approval from some person or group
disbelief: doubt about the truth of something
disbelief: a rejection of belief
discernment: the mental ability to understand and discriminate between relations
discernment: perception of that which is obscure
discipline: a system of rules of conduct or method of practice
discrimination: the cognitive process whereby two or more stimuli are distinguished
disenchantment: freeing from false belief or illusions
disfluency: lack of skillfulness in speaking or writing
disinterest: tolerance attributable to a lack of involvement
disinterestedness: freedom from bias or from selfish motives
disorientation: confusion (usually transient) about where you are and how to proceed; uncertainty as to direction
disorientation: a wild delusion (especially one induced by a hallucinogenic drug)
disposition: an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others
dispossession: freeing from evil spirits
disproof: any evidence that helps to establish the falsity of something
disregard: lack of attention and due care
disrespect: a disrespectful mental attitude
dissection: a minute and critical analysis
dissonance: the auditory experience of sound that lacks musical quality; sound that is a disagreeable auditory experience
distance vision: vision for objects that a 20 feet or more from the viewer
distinctive feature: an odd or unusual characteristic
distraction: an obstacle to attention
distraction: mental turmoil
distribution free statistic: a statistic computed without knowledge of the form or the parameters of the distribution from which observations are drawn
distribution law: (chemistry) the total energy in an assembly of molecules is not distributed equally but is distributed around an average value according to a statistical distribution
distribution: (statistics) an arrangement of values of a variable showing their observed or theoretical frequency of occurrence
distrust: doubt about someone's honesty
divergence: an infinite series that has no limit
divergent thinking: thinking that moves away in diverging directions so as to involve a variety of aspects and which sometimes lead to novel ideas and solutions; associated with creativity
divination: the art or gift of prophecy (or the pretense of prophecy) by supernatural means
divine guidance: (theology) a special influence of a divinity on the minds of human beings
divine law: a law that is believed to come directly from God
divine right: the doctrine that kings derive their right to rule directly from God and are not accountable to their subjects; rebellion is the worst of political crimes
divinity: the rational and systematic study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truth
division: one of the portions into which something is regarded as divided and which together constitute a whole
Docetism: the heretical doctrine (associated with the Gnostics) that Jesus had no human body and his sufferings and death on the cross were apparent rather than real
doctrine: a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school
doghouse: an idiomatic term for being in disfavor
dogma: a doctrine or code of beliefs accepted as authoritative
domain: the content of a particular field of knowledge
domestic science: theory and practice of homemaking
domino theory: the political theory that if one nation comes under communist control then neighboring nations will also come under communist control
Donatism: a schismatic Christian religion in northern Africa from the 4th to the 7th century; held that only those who led a blameless life belonged in the church or could administer the sacraments
dot product: a real number (a scalar) that is the product of two vectors
double: a quantity that is twice as great as another
double bind: (psychology) an unresolvable dilemma; situation in which a person receives contradictory messages from a person who is very powerful
doublethink: believing two contradictory ideas at the same time
doubt: the state of being unsure of something
dovishness: any political orientation favoring compromise to avoid conflict
downside: a negative aspect of something that is generally positive
dowse: searching for underground water or minerals by using a dowsing rod
doxastic logic: the modal logic of belief and disbelief
drag: something that slows or delays progress
dream: a state of mind characterized by abstraction and release from reality
dream: a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep
dream: imaginative thoughts indulged in while awake
dream: a fantastic but vain hope (from fantasies induced by the opium pipe)
dreamland: a pleasing country existing only in dreams or imagination
drift: a general tendency to change (as of opinion)
drift: the pervading meaning or tenor
druidism: the system of religion and philosophy taught by the Druids and their rites and ceremonies
druthers: the right or chance to choose
dualism: the doctrine that reality consists of two basic opposing elements, often taken to be mind and matter (or mind and body), or good and evil
dub: the new sounds added by dubbing
dullness: the quality of being slow to understand
dynamical system: (physics) a phase space together with a transformation of that space
dynamics: the branch of mechanics concerned with the forces that cause motions of bodies
dynamism: any of the various theories or doctrines or philosophical systems that attempt to explain the phenomena of the universe in terms of some immanent force or energy
ear: good hearing
ear: attention to what is said
earth science: any of the sciences that deal with the earth or its parts
earth: the concerns of this life as distinguished from heaven and the afterlife
Eastern Catholicism: the beliefs and practices of any of the eastern Catholic Churches based in Constantinople or Antioch or Alexandria or Moscow or Jerusalem
ecclesiasticism: religion appropriate to a church and to ecclesiastical principles and practices
ecclesiology: the branch of theology concerned with the nature and the constitution and the functions of a church
eclectic method: making decisions on the basis of what seems best instead of following some single doctrine or style
econometrics: the application of mathematics and statistics to the study of economic and financial data
economic geography: the branch of geography concerned with the production and distribution of commodities
economic geology: the branch of geology that deals with economically valuable geological materials
economic science: the branch of social science that deals with the production and distribution and consumption of goods and services and their management
economic theory: (economics) a theory of commercial activities (such as the production and consumption of goods)
economy: the efficient use of resources
ecstatic state: a trance induced by intense religious devotion; does not show reduced bodily functions that are typical of other trances
edification: uplifting enlightenment
edition: something a little different from others of the same type
education: the gradual process of acquiring knowledge
education: knowledge acquired by learning and instruction
educational program: a program for providing education
EE: the branch of engineering science that studies the uses of electricity and the equipment for power generation and distribution and the control of machines and communication
effect: an impression (especially one that is artificial or contrived)
efficiency: skillfulness in avoiding wasted time and effort
egalitarianism: the doctrine of the equality of mankind and the desirability of political and economic and social equality
ego: (psychoanalysis) the conscious mind
ego ideal: (psychoanalysis) the part of the ego that contains an ideal of personal excellence toward which a person strives
ego: your consciousness of your own identity
egoism: (ethics) the theory that the pursuit of your own welfare in the basis of morality
Egyptology: archeology of ancient Egyptian artifacts
Einstein's general theory of relativity: a generalization of special relativity to include gravity (based on the principle of equivalence)
Einstein's special theory of relativity: a physical theory of relativity based on the assumption that the speed of light in a vacuum is a constant and the assumption that the laws of physics are invariant in all inertial systems
Einstein's theory of relativity: (physics) the theory that space and time are relative concepts rather than absolute concepts
El Dorado: an imaginary place of great wealth and opportunity; sought in South America by 16th-century explorers
election: the predestination of some individuals as objects of divine mercy (especially as conceived by Calvinists)
electoral system: a legal system for making democratic choices
electrochemistry: branch of chemistry that deals with the chemical action of electricity and the production of electricity by chemical reactions
electromagnetics: the branch of physics concerned with electromagnetic phenomena
electron optics: the branch of electronics that deals with beams of electrons and their focusing and deflection by magnetic fields
electronics: the branch of physics that deals with the emission and effects of electrons and with the use of electronic devices
electrosleep: unconsciousness brought about by the passage of a low voltage electric current through the brain
electrostatics: the branch of physics that deals with static electricity
elicitation: stimulation that calls up (draws forth) a particular class of behaviors
elimination: analysis of a problem into alternative possibilities followed by the systematic rejection of unacceptable alternatives
elision: a deliberate act of omission
elitism: the attitude that society should be governed by an elite group of individuals
Elysian Fields: (Greek mythology) the abode of the blessed after death
Elysium: a place or condition of ideal happiness
embodiment: a concrete representation of an otherwise nebulous concept
embryology: the branch of biology that studies the formation and early development of living organisms
emergency medicine: the branch of medicine concerned with the prompt diagnosis and treatment of injuries or trauma or sudden illness
empirical research: an empirical search for knowledge
empiricism: (philosophy) the doctrine that knowledge derives from experience
employee savings plan: a plan that allows employees to contribute to an investment pool managed the employer
emulation: (computer science) technique of one machine obtaining the same results as another
encyclopaedism: profound scholarly knowledge
end: a final part or section
end: the state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve and that (when achieved) terminates behavior intended to achieve it
end-all: the ultimate goal
endaemonism: an ethical system that evaluates actions by reference to personal well-being through a life based on reason
endocrinology: the branch of medicine dealing with the endocrine glands and their secretions
endodontia: the branch of dentistry dealing with diseases of the dental pulp
endowment: natural abilities or qualities
English: the discipline that studies the English language and literature
English-Gothic architecture: a Gothic style in 14th and 15th century England; characterized by vertical lines and a four-centered (Tudor) arch and fan vaulting
engram: a postulated biochemical change (presumably in neural tissue) that represents a memory
enhancer: anything that serves by contrast to call attention to another thing's good qualities
enlightenment: education that results in understanding and the spread of knowledge
enology: the art of wine making
enquiry: a search for knowledge
enthusiasm: a lively interest
enticement: something that seduces or has the quality to seduce
environmentalism: the philosophical doctrine that environment is more important than heredity in determining intellectual growth
envisioning: visual imagery
enzymology: the branch of biochemistry dealing with the chemical nature and biological activity of enzymes
epicureanism: a doctrine of hedonism that was defended by several ancient Greek philosophers
epidemiology: the branch of medical science dealing with the transmission and control of disease
epigraphy: the study of ancient inscriptions
Episcopalianism: the theological doctrine of church government by bishops
episodic memory: memory for episodes in your own life
episteme: the body of ideas that determine the knowledge that is intellectually certain at any particular time
epistemic logic: the modal logic of knowledge and uncertainty and ignorance
epistemology: the philosophical theory of knowledge
epitome: a standard or typical example
equidistribution: a flat distribution having equal frequencies of occurrence
equilibrium law: (chemistry) the principle that (at chemical equilibrium) in a reversible reaction the ratio of the rate of the forward reaction to the rate of the reverse reaction is a constant for that reaction
equilibrium: a sensory system located in structures of the inner ear that registers the orientation of the head
equivalent: a person or thing equal to another in value or measure or force or effect or significance etc
eristic: the art of logical disputation (especially if specious)
erroneous belief: a misconception resulting from incorrect information
ersatz: an artificial or inferior substitute or imitation
escapology: the study of methods of escaping (especially as a form of entertainment)
eschatology: the branch of theology that is concerned with such final things as death and Last Judgment; Heaven and Hell; the ultimate destiny of humankind
ESOP: a program under which employees regularly accumulate shares and may ultimately assume control of the company
essential condition: a prerequisite
establishment: the cognitive process of establishing a valid proof
establishmentarianism: the doctrine of supporting the social or political establishment
esteem: an attitude of admiration or esteem
estimate: the respect with which a person is held
ethic: the principles of right and wrong that are accepted by an individual or a social group
ethicism: a doctrine that ethics and ethical ideas are valid and important
ethics: the philosophical study of moral values and rules
ethnocentrism: belief in the superiority of one's own ethnic group
ethnology: the branch of anthropology that deals with the division of humankind into races and with their origins and distribution and distinctive characteristics
ethology: the branch of zoology that studies the behavior of animals in their natural habitats
etymology: the study of the sources and development of words
Euclid's fifth axiom: only one line can be drawn through a point parallel to another line
Euclid's first axiom: a straight line can be drawn between any two points
Euclid's fourth axiom: all right angles are equal
Euclid's postulate: (mathematics) any of five axioms that are generally recognized as the basis for Euclidean geometry
Euclid's second axiom: any terminated straight line can be projected indefinitely
Euclid's third axiom: a circle with any radius can be drawn around any point
Euclidean geometry: (mathematics) geometry based on Euclid's axioms
eugenics: the study of methods of improving genetic qualities by selective breeding (especially as applied to human mating)
euphony: any agreeable (pleasing and harmonious) sounds
Eurocentrism: belief in the preeminence of Europe and the Europeans
euthenics: the study of methods of improving human well-being and efficient functioning by improving environmental conditions
evaluation: an appraisal of the value of something
evangelicalism: stresses the importance of personal conversion and faith as the means of salvation
evidence: your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief
evocation: imaginative re-creation
evocation: calling up supposed supernatural forces by spells and incantations
evolutionary trend: a general direction of evolutionary change
evolutionism: (biology) a scientific theory of the origin of species of plants and animals
examen: a critical study (as of a writer's work)
examen: a detailed inspection of your conscience (as done daily by Jesuits)
example: something to be imitated
example: an item of information that is typical of a class or group
example: a representative form or pattern
excellence: an outstanding feature; something in which something or someone excels
exception: an instance that does not conform to a rule or generalization
excitability: excessive sensitivity of an organ or body part
excogitation: thinking something out with care in order to achieve complete understanding of it
execration: the object of cursing or detestation; that which is execrated
exemplification: a representational or typifying form or model
existential philosophy: (philosophy) a 20th-century philosophical movement chiefly in Europe; assumes that people are entirely free and thus responsible for what they make of themselves
exit poll: a poll of voters as they leave the voting place; usually taken by news media in order to predict the outcome of an election
exodontia: the branch of dentistry dealing with extraction of teeth
expansionism: the doctrine of expanding the territory or the economic influence of a country
expectation: belief about (or mental picture of) the future
experience: the content of direct observation or participation in an event
experience: the accumulation of knowledge or skill that results from direct participation in events or activities
experiment: the testing of an idea
experimental extinction: a conditioning process in which the reinforcer is removed and a conditioned response becomes independent of the conditioned stimulus
experimental method: the use of controlled observations and measurements to test hypotheses
experimental psychology: the branch of psychology that uses experimental methods to study psychological issues
experimental variable: (statistics) a variable whose values are independent of changes in the values of other variables
experimentalism: an empirical doctrine that advocates experimental principles
experimentalism: an orientation that favors experimentation and innovation
experimenter bias: (psychology) bias introduced by an experimenter whose expectations about the outcome of the experiment can be subtly communicated to the participants in the experiment
expertise: skillfulness by virtue of possessing special knowledge
explanation: thought that makes something comprehensible
exploration: a systematic consideration
exposure: aspect resulting from the direction a building or window faces
external: outward features
externalisation: attributing to outside causes
exteroception: sensitivity to stimuli originating outside of the body
extrapolation: an inference about the future (or about some hypothetical situation) based on known facts and observations
extrapolation: (mathematics) calculation of the value of a function outside the range of known values
extremism: any political theory favoring immoderate uncompromising policies
eye: good discernment (either visually or as if visually)
eye: attention to what is seen
eye candy: visual images that are pleasing to see but are intellectually undemanding
eye-catcher: a striking person or thing that attracts attention
eyes: opinion or judgment
eyesight: normal use of the faculty of vision
Fabianism: socialism to be established by gradual reforms within the law
face recognition: the visual perception of familiar faces
facer: (a dated Briticism) a serious difficulty with which one is suddenly faced
fact: a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
fact: a concept whose truth can be proved
factor: an independent variable in statistics
factor analysis: any of several methods for reducing correlational data to a smaller number of dimensions or factors; beginning with a correlation matrix a small number of components or factors are extracted that are regarded as the basic variables that account for the interrelations observed in the data
factorial: the product of all the integers up to and including a given integer
factoring: (mathematics) the resolution of an expression into factors such that when multiplied together they give the original expression
faculty: one of the inherent cognitive or perceptual powers of the mind
faecal occult test: a test performed at home in which you collect specimens of your stool that are tested for traces of blood; used to detect colorectal cancers
faerie: the enchanted realm of fairies
fairyland: something existing solely in the imagination (but often mistaken for reality)
faith: a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
faith: complete confidence in a person or plan etc
falconry: the art of training falcons to hunt and return
fallacy: a misconception resulting from incorrect reasoning
familiarisation: the experience of becoming familiar with something
fanaticism: excessive intolerance of opposing views
fancy: imagination or fantasy; held by Coleridge to be more casual and superficial than true imagination
fancy: something many people believe that is false
fantasy life: an imaginary life lived in a fantasy world
fantasy: imagination unrestricted by reality
fardel: a burden (figuratively in the form of a bundle)
fare: an agenda of things to do
farsightedness: seeing ahead; knowing in advance; foreseeing
fascism: a political theory advocating an authoritarian hierarchical government (as opposed to democracy or liberalism)
fashion: the latest and most admired style in clothes and cosmetics and behavior
fatalism: a philosophical doctrine holding that all events are predetermined in advance for all time and human beings are powerless to change them
fatalism: a submissive mental attitude resulting from acceptance of the doctrine that everything that happens is predetermined and inevitable
favor: an inclination to approve
favorite: something regarded with special favor or liking
favoritism: an inclination to favor some person or group
feature: (linguistics) a distinctive characteristic of a linguistic unit that serves to distinguish it from other units of the same kind
fecundity: the intellectual productivity of a creative imagination
federalism: the idea of a federal organization of more or less self-governing units
feeblemindedness: severe mental deficiency
feel: an intuitive awareness
feeling: a physical sensation that you experience
feeling of movement: the perception of body position and movement and muscular tensions etc
feeling: an intuitive understanding of something
feeling: the sensation produced by pressure receptors in the skin
feminism: a doctrine that advocates equal rights for women
femtochemistry: the branch of chemistry that studies elementary (often very fast) chemical reactions as they occur; the experimental methods are often based on the use of femtosecond laser pulses
feng shui: rules in Chinese philosophy that govern spatial arrangement and orientation in relation to patterns of yin and yang and the flow of energy (qi); the favorable or unfavorable effects are taken into consideration in designing and siting buildings and graves and furniture
Fermi-Dirac statistics: (physics) law obeyed by a systems of particles whose wave function changes when two particles are interchanged (the Pauli exclusion principle applies)
fetichism: a belief in the magical power of fetishes (or the worship of a fetish)
fetology: the branch of medicine concerned with the fetus in the uterus
fetor: a distinctive odor that is offensively unpleasant
fictitious place: a place that exists only in imagination; a place said to exist in fictional or religious writings
field of regard: all of the points of the physical environment that can be perceived by a stable eye at a given moment
field test: a test of the performance of some new product under the conditions in which it will be used
field theory: (physics) a theory that explains a physical phenomenon in terms of a field and the manner in which it interacts with matter or with other fields
field: the area that is visible (as through an optical instrument)
figment: a contrived or fantastic idea
figure: a unitary percept having structure and coherence that is the object of attention and that stands out against a ground
file system: a system of classifying into files (usually arranged alphabetically)
final cause: (philosophy) the end or purpose of a thing or process
finance: the branch of economics that studies the management of money and other assets
finish: (wine tasting) the taste of a wine on the back of the tongue (as it is swallowed)
first blush: at the first glimpse or impression
first degree: a degree of one
first harmonic: the lowest tone of a harmonic series
first-order correlation: a partial correlation in which the effects of only one variable are removed (held constant)
fishing expedition: an investigation undertaken in the hope (but not the stated purpose) of discovering information
fixation: an unhealthy and compulsive preoccupation with something or someone
flair: a natural talent
flash: a sudden brilliant understanding
flatness: a deficiency in flavor
flavor: (physics) the six kinds of quarks
flavor: the taste experience when a savoury condiment is taken into the mouth
flight: passing above and beyond ordinary bounds
floodgate: something that restrains a flood or outpouring
flower power: a counterculture of young people in the US during the 1960s and 70s
fluency: skillfulness in speaking or writing
fluid mechanics: study of the mechanics of fluids
Flying Dutchman: a phantom ship that is said to appear in storms near the Cape of Good Hope
folklore: the unwritten lore (stories and proverbs and riddles and songs) of a culture
food: anything that provides mental stimulus for thinking
forbidden fruit: originally an apple from the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden; it is now used to refer to anything that is tempting but dangerous (as sexuality)
foreground: the part of a scene that is near the viewer
forensic medicine: the branch of medical science that uses medical knowledge for legal purposes
foreordination: (theology) being determined in advance; especially the doctrine (usually associated with Calvin) that God has foreordained every event throughout eternity (including the final salvation of mankind)
forestry: the science of planting and caring for forests and the management of growing timber
foretaste: an early limited awareness of something yet to occur
forethought: planning or plotting in advance of acting
forgetfulness: unawareness caused by neglectful or heedless failure to remember
forgetfulness: tendency to forget
form: a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
form: a perceptual structure
formal logic: any logical system that abstracts the form of statements away from their content in order to establish abstract criteria of consistency and validity
formal semantics: the branch of semantics that studies the logical aspects of meaning
formalism: the doctrine that formal structure rather than content is what should be represented
formalism: (philosophy) the philosophical theory that formal (logical or mathematical) statements have no meaning but that its symbols (regarded as physical entities) exhibit a form that has useful applications
formula: (mathematics) a standard procedure for solving a class of mathematical problems
fortification: the art or science of strengthening defenses
fossilology: the earth science that studies fossil organisms and related remains
foundation: education or instruction in the fundamentals of a field of knowledge
fourfold point correlation: an index of the relation between any two sets of scores that can both be represented on ordered binary dimensions (e.g., male-female)
Fourier analysis: analysis of a periodic function into a sum of simple sinusoidal components
Fourier series: the sum of a series of trigonometric expressions; used in the analysis of periodic functions
foveal vision: vision with the fovea
fractal: (mathematics) a geometric pattern that is repeated at every scale and so cannot be represented by classical geometry
fractal geometry: (mathematics) the geometry of fractals
frame: a system of assumptions and standards that sanction behavior and give it meaning
framework: a hypothetical description of a complex entity or process
free association: a thought process in which ideas (words or images) suggest other ideas in a sequence
freethinking: the doctrine that reason is the right basis for regulating conduct
frequency distribution: a distribution of observed frequencies of occurrence of the values of a variable
freshness: originality by virtue of being new and surprising
Freudian psychology: the psychological theories of Sigmund Freud
Friedman test: pregnancy test that involves injecting some of the woman's urine into an unmated female rabbit and later examining the ovaries of the rabbit; presence of corpora lutea indicates that the woman is pregnant
front: the outward appearance of a person
frontier: an undeveloped field of study; a topic inviting research and development
fruitlessness: a lack of creative imagination
functional anatomy: the study of anatomy in its relation to function
functional calculus: a system of symbolic logic that represents individuals and predicates and quantification over individuals (as well as the relations between propositions)
functional genomics: the branch of genomics that determines the biological function of the genes and their products
functionalism: any doctrine that stresses utility or purpose
functionalism: a psychology based on the assumption that all mental process are useful to an organism in adapting to the environment
fundamentalism: the strict adherence to the basic principles or doctrines of a religion, ideology, etc.
fundamentalism: a form of Protestantism that takes the interpretation of every word in the sacred texts as literal truth
fusion: the combining of images from the two eyes to form a single visual percept
futurism: the position that the meaning of life should be sought in the future
futuristics: the study or prediction of future developments on the basis of existing conditions
fuzzy logic: a form of mathematical logic in which truth can assume a continuum of values between 0 and 1
Galois theory: group theory applied to the solution of algebraic equations
gambling system: a system of rules for placing bets that is believed to lead to winning
game plan: (sports) a plan for achieving an objective in some sport
game plan: (figurative) a carefully thought out strategy for achieving an objective in war or politics or business or personal affairs
game theory: (economics) a theory of competition stated in terms of gains and losses among opposing players
game: a secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal)
garbology: the study of a society by analyzing its garbage
Garden of Eden: a beautiful garden where Adam and Eve were placed at the Creation; when they disobeyed and ate the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil they were driven from their paradise (the fall of man)
gastroenterology: the branch of medicine that studies the gastrointestinal tract and its diseases
Gaussian distribution: a theoretical distribution with finite mean and variance
Gaussian shape: a symmetrical curve representing the normal distribution
Gay-Lussac's law: (physics) the density of an ideal gas at constant pressure varies inversely with the temperature
Gemini program: a program of space flights undertaken by US in 1965 and 1966
gemmule: the physically discrete element that Darwin proposed as responsible for heredity
genealogy: the study or investigation of ancestry and family history
general: a fact about the whole (as opposed to particular)
general knowledge: knowledge that is available to anyone
general medicine: the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and (nonsurgical) treatment of diseases of the internal organs (especially in adults)
generalisation: an idea or conclusion having general application
generalisation: reasoning from detailed facts to general principles
generalisation: (psychology) transfer of a response learned to one stimulus to a similar stimulus
generalship: the leadership ability of a military general
generative grammar: (linguistics) a type of grammar that describes syntax in terms of a set of logical rules that can generate all and only the infinite number of grammatical sentences in a language and assigns them all the correct structural description
genetic map: graphical representation of the arrangement of genes on a chromosome
genetic science: the branch of biology that studies heredity and variation in organisms
geneticism: the belief that all human characteristics are determined genetically
genius: exceptional creative ability
genomics: the branch of genetics that studies organisms in terms of their genomes (their full DNA sequences)
genre: a kind of literary or artistic work
genus: a general kind of something
geochemistry: the chemistry of the earth's crust
geodesy: the branch of geology that studies the shape of the earth and the determination of the exact position of geographical points
geographics: study of the earth's surface; includes people's responses to topography and climate and soil and vegetation
geology: a science that deals with the history of the earth as recorded in rocks
geomancy: divination by means of signs connected with the earth (as points taken at random or the arrangement of particles thrown down at random or from the configuration of a region and its relation to another)
geometric mean: the mean of n numbers expressed as the n-th root of their product
geometric series: a geometric progression written as a sum
geometry: the pure mathematics of points and lines and curves and surfaces
geomorphology: the branch of geology that studies the characteristics and configuration and evolution of rocks and land forms
geophysical science: geology that uses physical principles to study properties of the earth
geopolitics: the study of the effects of economic geography on the powers of the state
geostrategy: the branch of geopolitics dealing with strategy
geriatrics: the branch of medical science that deals with diseases and problems specific to old people
germ theory: (medicine) the theory that all contagious diseases are caused by microorganisms
germ: anything that provides inspiration for later work
gestalt: a configuration or pattern of elements so unified as a whole that it cannot be described merely as a sum of its parts
Gestalt principle of organization: a principle of Gestalt psychology that identifies factors leading to particular forms of perceptual organization
Gestalt psychology: (psychology) a theory of psychology that emphasizes the importance of configurational properties
gestation: the conception and development of an idea or plan
ghost: a mental representation of some haunting experience
GI series: diagnostic tests of the alimentary canal; usually involves inserting a contrast medium (such as barium sulfate) and taking an X-ray
Girondism: the doctrine of the Girondists
given: an assumption that is taken for granted
glimmer: a slight suggestion or vague understanding
glimpse: a brief or incomplete view
glottochronology: the determination of how long ago different languages evolved from a common source language
glucose tolerance test: test of the body's ability to metabolize carbohydrates; used in the diagnosis of hypoglycemia and diabetes mellitus
gnosis: intuitive knowledge of spiritual truths; said to have been possessed by ancient Gnostics
Gnosticism: a religious orientation advocating gnosis as the way to release a person's spiritual element; considered heresy by Christian churches
gold standard: a paragon of excellence
Golden Rule: a command based on Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount
gospel: a doctrine that is believed to be of great importance
Gothic architecture: a style of architecture developed in northern France that spread throughout Europe between the 12th and 16th centuries; characterized by slender vertical piers and counterbalancing buttresses and by vaulting and pointed arches
government: (government) the system or form by which a community or other political unit is governed
government: the study of government of states and other political units
grab sample: a single sample or measurement taken at a specific time or over as short a period as feasible
grade point: a numerical value assigned to a letter grade received in a course taken at a college or university multiplied by the number of credit hours awarded for the course
grade: a number or letter indicating quality (especially of a student's performance)
grail: the object of any prolonged endeavor
grammar: the branch of linguistics that deals with syntax and morphology (and sometimes also deals with semantics)
grand total: the sum of the sums of several groups of numbers
graphology: the study of handwriting (especially as an indicator of the writer's character or disposition)
grasping: understanding with difficulty
gravitation: a figurative movement toward some attraction
gray area: an intermediate area; a topic that is not clearly one thing or the other
Greco-Roman architecture: architecture influenced by the ancient Greeks or Romans
Greek architecture: the architecture of ancient Greece
Gresham's Law: (economics) the principle that when two kinds of money having the same denominational value are in circulation the intrinsically more valuable money will be hoarded and the money of lower intrinsic value will circulate more freely until the intrinsically more valuable money is driven out of circulation; bad money drives out good; credited to Sir Thomas Gresham
grid: a pattern of regularly spaced horizontal and vertical lines
grief: something that causes great unhappiness
Grimm's law: a sound law relating German consonants and consonants in other Indo-European languages
grogginess: marginal consciousness
gross anatomy: the study of the structure of the body and its parts without the use of a microscope
ground: a relatively homogeneous percept extending back of the figure on which attention is focused
group dynamics: the branch of social psychology that studies the psychodynamics of interaction in social groups
group theory: the branch of mathematics dealing with groups
group: a set that is closed, associative, has an identity element and every element has an inverse
grouping: a system for classifying things into groups
groupthink: decision making by a group (especially in a manner that discourages creativity or individual responsibility)
growing pains: problems that arise in enlarging an enterprise (especially in the early stages)
guesstimate: an estimate that combines reasoning with guessing
guide: a model or standard for making comparisons
guideline: a rule or principle that provides guidance to appropriate behavior
guideline: a detailed plan or explanation to guide you in setting standards or determining a course of action
guild socialism: a form of socialist theory advocating state ownership of industry but managements by guilds of workers
Gunpowder Plot: a conspiracy in 1605 in England to blow up James I and the Houses of Parliament to avenge the persecution of Catholics in England; led by Guy Fawkes
gustation: the faculty of distinguishing sweet, sour, bitter, and salty properties in the mouth
gustatory perception: the sensation that results when taste buds in the tongue and throat convey information about the chemical composition of a soluble stimulus
gut issue: an issue that elicits strong emotional reactions
gymnosophy: the doctrine of a sect of Hindu philosophers who practiced nudity and asceticism and meditation
gynaecology: the branch of medicine that deals with the diseases and hygiene of women
habit: an established custom
Hadith: (Islam) a tradition based on reports of the sayings and activities of Muhammad and his companions
hadj: the fifth pillar of Islam is a pilgrimage to Mecca during the month of Dhu al-Hijja; at least once in a lifetime a Muslim is expected to make a religious journey to Mecca and the Kaaba
haecceity: the essence that makes something the kind of thing it is and makes it different from any other
haematology: the branch of medicine that deals with diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs
hairsplitting: making too fine distinctions of little importance
half-cock: confusion resulting from lack of preparation
hallucination: an object perceived during a hallucinatory episode
hand: ability
hand: one of two sides of an issue
handiness: skillfulness with the hands
hang-up: an emotional preoccupation
hang-up: an unforeseen obstacle
hard line: a firm and uncompromising stance or position
hardball: a no-nonsense attitude in business or politics
harmonic: a tone that is a component of a complex sound
harmonic mean: the mean of n numbers expressed as the reciprocal of the arithmetic mean of the reciprocals of the numbers
harmonics: the study of musical sound
haute couture: trend-setting fashions
hawkishness: any political orientation favoring aggressive policies
heat: the sensation caused by heat energy
heathenism: any of various religions other than Christianity or Judaism or Islamism
Heaven: the abode of God and the angels
heavy: a serious (or tragic) role in a play
hebetude: mental lethargy or dullness
hedonism: an ethical system that evaluates the pursuit of pleasure as the highest good
heedlessness: a lack of attentiveness (as to children or helpless people)
Hellenism: the principles and ideals associated with classical Greek civilization
hellfire: a place of eternal fire envisaged as punishment for the damned
hemodynamics: the branch of physiology that studies the circulation of the blood and the forces involved
Henry's law: (chemistry) law formulated by the English chemist William Henry; the amount of a gas that will be absorbed by water increases as the gas pressure increases
hepatic coma: coma that can occur in severe cases of liver disease
heraldry: the study and classification of armorial bearings and the tracing of genealogies
hereditarianism: the philosophical doctrine that heredity is more important than environment in determining intellectual growth
heresy: any opinions or doctrines at variance with the official or orthodox position
heresy: a belief that rejects the orthodox tenets of a religion
heritage: practices that are handed down from the past by tradition
hermeneutics: the branch of theology that deals with principles of exegesis
hero: the principal character in a play or movie or novel or poem
herpetology: the branch of zoology concerned with reptiles and amphibians
hesitation: indecision in speech or action
heterophil test: a blood test to detect heterophil antibodies that agglutinate sheep red blood cells; positive result indicates infectious mononucleosis
heuristic: a commonsense rule (or set of rules) intended to increase the probability of solving some problem
hierarchical classification system: a classification system where entries are arranged based on some hierarchical structure
hierarchical data structure: a structure of data having several levels arranged in a treelike structure
high energy physics: the branch of physics that studies subatomic particles and their interactions
high horse: an attitude of arrogant superiority
high point: the most enjoyable part of a given experience
higher cognitive process: cognitive processes that presuppose the availability of knowledge and put it to use
Hinayana Buddhism: an offensive name for the early conservative Theravada Buddhism; it died out in India but survived in Sri Lanka and was taken from there to other regions of southwestern Asia
Hinayanism: the religious doctrine of Hinayana Buddhism
Hindooism: a body of religious and philosophical beliefs and cultural practices native to India and based on a caste system; it is characterized by a belief in reincarnation, by a belief in a supreme being of many forms and natures, by the view that opposing theories are aspects of one eternal truth, and by a desire for liberation from earthly evils
hindsight: understanding the nature of an event after it has happened
histology: the branch of biology that studies the microscopic structure of animal or plant tissues
historicism: a theory that social and cultural events are determined by history
history: all that is remembered of the past as preserved in writing; a body of knowledge
history: the discipline that records and interprets past events involving human beings
hobbyhorse: a topic to which one constantly reverts
Hobson's choice: the choice of taking what is offered or nothing at all
hodgepodge: a theory or argument made up of miscellaneous or incongruous ideas
holism: the theory that the parts of any whole cannot exist and cannot be understood except in their relation to the whole
holography: the branch of optics that deals with the use of coherent light from a laser in order to make a hologram that can then be used to create a three-dimensional image
holotype: the original specimen from which the description of a new species is made
home truth: an important truth that is unpleasant to acknowledge (as about yourself)
homiletics: the art of preaching
homiletics: the branch of theology that deals with sermons and homilies
homogeneous polynomial: a polynomial consisting of terms all of the same degree
homophobia: prejudice against (fear or dislike of) homosexual people and homosexuality
honor system: a system of conduct in which participants are trusted not to take unfair advantage of others
hoodooism: a religious cult practiced chiefly in Caribbean countries (especially Haiti); involves witchcraft and animistic deities
Hooke's law: (physics) the principle that (within the elastic limit) the stress applied to a solid is proportional to the strain produced
hope: grounds for feeling hopeful about the future
horology: the art of designing and making clocks
horoscopy: the drawing up and interpretation of horoscopes
horsemanship: skill in handling and riding horses
housecraft: skill in domestic management
Houyhnhnms: a land imagined by Jonathan Swift where intelligent horses ruled the Yahoos
Hsuan Chiao: popular Chinese philosophical system based in teachings of Lao-tzu but characterized by a pantheism of many gods and the practices of alchemy and divination and magic
Hubble's law: (astronomy) the generalization that the speed of recession of distant galaxies (the red shift) is proportional to their distance from the observer
human palaeontology: the scientific study of human fossils
humanism: the doctrine that people's duty is to promote human welfare
humanism: the doctrine emphasizing a person's capacity for self-realization through reason; rejects religion and the supernatural
hunch: an impression that something might be the case
hunt: an instance of searching for something
hurdle: an obstacle that you are expected to overcome
Huygens' principle of superposition: the displacement of any point due to the superposition of wave systems is equal to the sum of the displacements of the individual waves at that point
hybrid: a composite of mixed origin
hydra: trouble that cannot be overcome by a single effort because of its many aspects or its persistent and pervasive quality
hydraulic engineering: the branch of civil engineering dealing with the use and control of water in motion
hydrodynamics: study of fluids in motion
hydrography: the science of the measurement and description and mapping of the surface waters of the earth with special reference to navigation
hydrology: the branch of geology that studies water on the earth and in the atmosphere: its distribution and uses and conservation
hydromancy: divination by water (as by patterns seen in the ebb and flow of the tides)
hydrostatics: study of the mechanical properties of fluids that are not in motion
hygiene: the science concerned with the prevention of illness and maintenance of health
hyperbolic geometry: (mathematics) a non-Euclidean geometry in which the parallel axiom is replaced by the assumption that through any point in a plane there are two or more lines that do not intersect a given line in the plane
hypersensitivity: extreme sensitivity
hypnotic trance: a trance induced by the use of hypnosis; the person accepts the suggestions of the hypnotist
hypostasis: (metaphysics) essential nature or underlying reality
hypothesis: a tentative insight into the natural world; a concept that is not yet verified but that if true would explain certain facts or phenomena
hypothetical: a hypothetical possibility, circumstance, statement, proposal, situation, etc.
hypsography: the scientific study of the earth's configuration above sea level (emphasizing the measurement of land altitudes relative to sea level)
hysteron proteron: the logical fallacy of using as a true premise a proposition that is yet to be proved
ichthyology: the branch of zoology that studies fishes
iconoclasm: the orientation of an iconoclast
iconology: the branch of art history that studies visual images and their symbolic meaning (especially in social or political terms)
id: (psychoanalysis) primitive instincts and energies underlying all psychic activity
idea: a personal view
idea: your intention; what you intend to do
idea: the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
ideal: the idea of something that is perfect; something that one hopes to attain
idealisation: something that exists only as an idea
idealism: (philosophy) the philosophical theory that ideas are the only reality
ideation: the process of forming and relating ideas
identification: the process of recognizing something or someone by remembering
identity: the individual characteristics by which a thing or person is recognized or known
ideological barrier: a barrier to cooperation or interaction resulting from conflicting ideologies
ideology: imaginary or visionary theorization
ideology: an orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group or nation
ignis fatuus: an illusion that misleads
ignorance: the lack of knowledge or education
ignorantness: ignorance (especially of orthodox beliefs)
ignoratio elenchi: the logical fallacy of supposing that an argument proving an irrelevant point has proved the point at issue
ilk: a kind of person
illation: the reasoning involved in drawing a conclusion or making a logical judgment on the basis of circumstantial evidence and prior conclusions rather than on the basis of direct observation
illiteracy: ignorance resulting from not reading
illusion: an erroneous mental representation
image: an iconic mental representation
imagery: the ability to form mental images of things or events
imagination image: a mental image produced by the imagination
imagination: the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
imagination: the ability to deal resourcefully with unusual problems
imago: (psychoanalysis) an idealized image of someone (usually a parent) formed in childhood
imbecility: retardation more severe than a moron but not as severe as an idiot
imitation: the doctrine that representations of nature or human behavior should be accurate imitations
immediacy: immediate intuitive awareness
immunoassay: identification of a substance (especially a protein) by its action as an antigen
immunofluorescence: (immunology) a technique that uses antibodies linked to a fluorescent dye in order to study antigens in a sample of tissue
immunology: the branch of medical science that studies the body's immune system
immunopathology: the branch of immunology that deals with pathologies of the immune system
impartiality: an inclination to weigh both views or opinions equally
imperfectibility: the capability of becoming imperfect
imperialism: a political orientation that advocates imperial interests
implication: a meaning that is not expressly stated but can be inferred
imponderable: a factor whose effects cannot be accurately assessed
imposition: an uncalled-for burden
impossibility: an alternative that is not available
impossible: something that cannot be done
impression: a clear and telling mental image
imprint: a distinctive influence
imprinting: a learning process in early life whereby species specific patterns of behavior are established
imputation: the attribution to a source or cause
inability: lack of ability (especially mental ability) to do something
inadvertence: an unintentional omission resulting from failure to notice something
inaptitude: a lack of aptitude
inattention: lack of attention
incapability: lack of potential for development
incapacity: lack of intellectual power
incense: the pleasing scent produced when incense is burned
incognizance: a lack of knowledge or recognition
incomprehension: an inability to understand
incoordination: a lack of coordination of movements
incorporation: learning (of values or attitudes etc.) that is incorporated within yourself
indecision: doubt concerning two or more possible alternatives or courses of action
indefinite integral: the set of functions F(x) + C, where C is any real number, such that F(x) is the integral of f(x)
indeterminacy principle: (quantum theory) the theory that it is impossible to measure both energy and time (or position and momentum) completely accurately at the same time
indication: a datum about some physical state that is presented to a user by a meter or similar instrument
indirect correlation: a correlation in which large values of one variable are associated with small values of the other; the correlation coefficient is between 0 and -1
indiscreetness: lacking good judgment
individualisation: discriminating the individual from the generic group or species
individualism: a belief in the importance of the individual and the virtue of self-reliance and personal independence
individualism: the doctrine that government should not interfere in commercial affairs
industrial engineering: the branch of engineering that deals with the creation and management of systems that integrate people and materials and energy in productive ways
inefficiency: unskillfulness resulting from a lack of efficiency
inertial frame: a coordinate system in which Newton's first law of motion is valid
inexperience: lack of experience and the knowledge and understanding derived from experience
infantile autism: a rare but serious syndrome of childhood characterized by withdrawal and lack of social responsiveness or interest in others and serious linguistic deficits
infatuation: an object of extravagant short-lived passion
Inferno: (Christianity) the abode of Satan and the forces of evil; where sinners suffer eternal punishment
infinitesimal: (mathematics) a variable that has zero as its limit
influence: a cognitive factor that tends to have an effect on what you do
information: knowledge acquired through study or experience or instruction
information theory: (computer science) a statistical theory dealing with the limits and efficiency of information processing
ingenue: the role of an innocent artless young woman in a play
inherent aptitude: inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli
innovativeness: originality by virtue of introducing new ideas
inorganic chemistry: the chemistry of compounds that do not contain hydrocarbon radicals
input: any stimulating information or event; acts to arouse action
insensibility: a lack of sensibility
insight: clear or deep perception of a situation
insight: grasping the inner nature of things intuitively
inspiration: arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or creativity
inspiration: a sudden intuition as part of solving a problem
instantiation: a representation of an idea in the form of an instance of it
institution: a custom that for a long time has been an important feature of some group or society
instrumental conditioning: operant conditioning that pairs a response with a reinforcement in discrete trials; reinforcement occurs only after the response is given
instrumentalism: a system of pragmatic philosophy that considers idea to be instruments that should guide our actions and their value is measured by their success
insurrectionism: the principle of revolt against constituted authority
integral: the result of a mathematical integration; F(x) is the integral of f(x) if dF/dx = f(x)
integral calculus: the part of calculus that deals with integration and its application in the solution of differential equations and in determining areas or volumes etc.
intellect: knowledge and intellectual ability
intellect: the capacity for rational thought or inference or discrimination
intelligence: the ability to comprehend; to understand and profit from experience
intention: (usually plural) the goal with respect to a marriage proposal
intercept: the point at which a line intersects a coordinate axis
interest: a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
interestedness: the state of being interested
interface: the overlap where two theories or phenomena affect each other or have links with each other
interior design: the art of designing the interior decoration for a house, office, or other architectural space
internal representation: a presentation to the mind in the form of an idea or image
internationalism: the doctrine that nations should cooperate because their common interests are more important than their differences
interoception: sensitivity to stimuli originating inside of the body
interpolation: (mathematics) calculation of the value of a function between the values already known
interpretation: an explanation of something that is not immediately obvious
interpretation: a mental representation of the meaning or significance of something
intersection: a point where lines intersect
interval: a set containing all points (or all real numbers) between two given endpoints
intolerance: unwillingness to recognize and respect differences in opinions or beliefs
intradermal test: a form of skin test in which the suspected allergen is injected into the skin
intrigue: a crafty and involved plot to achieve your (usually sinister) ends
introject: (psychoanalysis) parental figures (and their values) that you introjected as a child; the voice of conscience is usually a parent's voice internalized
introjection: (psychology) unconscious internalization of aspects of the world (especially aspects of persons) within the self in such a way that the internalized representation takes over the psychological functions of the external objects
introjection: (psychoanalysis) the internalization of the parent figures and their values; leads to the formation of the superego
introspection: the contemplation of your own thoughts and desires and conduct
intuition: instinctive knowing (without the use of rational processes)
intuitionism: (philosophy) the doctrine that knowledge is acquired primarily by intuition
invariant: a feature (quantity or property or function) that remains unchanged when a particular transformation is applied to it
investigation: an inquiry into unfamiliar or questionable activities
inwardness: preoccupation especially with one's attitudes and ethical or ideological values
IP: the sciences concerned with gathering, manipulating, storing, retrieving, and classifying recorded information
IRA: a retirement plan that allows you to contribute a limited yearly sum toward your retirement; taxes on the interest earned in the account are deferred
iron curtain: an impenetrable barrier to communication or information especially as imposed by rigid censorship and secrecy; used by Winston Churchill in 1946 to describe the demarcation between democratic and communist countries
iron trap: a trap from which there is no escape
irradiation: (Pavolvian conditioning) the elicitation of a conditioned response by stimulation similar but not identical to the original stimulus
irradiation: the apparent enlargement of a bright object when viewed against a dark background
irrational hostility: extreme prejudice
irredentism: the doctrine that irredenta should be controlled by the country to which they are ethnically or historically related
irreverence: an irreverent mental attitude
irritant: something that causes irritation and annoyance
Islamophobia: prejudice against Muslims
Ismailism: the branch of Shiism noted for its esoteric philosophy
issue: an important question that is in dispute and must be settled
issue: some situation or event that is thought about
IT: the branch of engineering that deals with the use of computers and telecommunications to retrieve and store and transmit information
itch: an irritating cutaneous sensation that produces a desire to scratch
itinerary: a proposed route of travel
ivory tower: a state of mind that is discussed as if it were a place
Jacobinism: the ideology of the most radical element of the French Revolution that instituted the Reign of Terror
Jainism: religion founded in the 6th century BC as a revolt against Hinduism; emphasizes asceticism and immortality and transmigration of the soul; denies existence of a perfect or supreme being
jamais vu: the experience of being unfamiliar with a person or situation that is actually very familiar; associated with certain types of epilepsy
Jansenism: the Roman Catholic doctrine of Cornelis Jansen and his disciples; salvation is limited to those who are subject to supernatural determinism and the rest are assigned to perdition
jealousy: zealous vigilance
Jesuitism: the theology or the practices of the Jesuits (often considered to be casuistic)
Jim Crow: barrier preventing blacks from participating in various activities with whites
jnd: (psychophysics) the difference between two stimuli that (under properly controlled experimental conditions) is detected as often as it is undetected
Judaism: the monotheistic religion of the Jews having its spiritual and ethical principles embodied chiefly in the Torah and in the Talmud
judgement: the cognitive process of reaching a decision or drawing conclusions
judgement: an opinion formed by judging something
judicial doctrine: (law) a principle underlying the formulation of jurisprudence
judiciousness: good judgment
juju: the power associated with a juju
Jungian psychology: the psychological theories of Carl Jung
jurisprudence: the branch of philosophy concerned with the law and the principles that lead courts to make the decisions they do
jury system: a legal system for determining the facts at issue in a law suit
jus sanguinis: the principle that a person's nationality at birth is the same as that of his natural parents
jus soli: the principle that a person's nationality at birth is determined by the place of birth
justification: something (such as a fact or circumstance) that shows an action to be reasonable or necessary
Kabbalism: the doctrines of the Kabbalah
Kalashnikov culture: the attitudes and behavior in a social group that resolves political disputes by force of arms
kaleidoscope: a complex pattern of constantly changing colors and shapes
ken: the range of vision
Kendall partial rank correlation: a nonparametric measure of partial correlation
Kendall rank correlation: a nonparametric measure of the agreement between two rankings
Kendall test: any of several nonparametric measures of correlation (used when the assumptions of standard correlational analysis are not met)
kenosis: the concept of emptying one's own will and receive God's will, in Catholicism
Keogh plan: a tax-deferred pension plan for employees of unincorporated businesses or for self-employed persons
Kepler's first law: a law stating that the orbit of each planet is an ellipse with the sun at one focus of the ellipse
Kepler's law of planetary motion: (astronomy) one of three empirical laws of planetary motion stated by Johannes Kepler
Kepler's second law: a law concerning the speed at which planets travel; a line connecting a planet to the sun will sweep out equal areas in equal times
Kepler's third law: a law stating that the ratio of the square of the revolutionary period (in years) to the cube of the orbital axis (in astronomical units) is the same for all planets
key: something crucial for explaining
Keynesianism: the economic theories of John Maynard Keynes who advocated government monetary and fiscal programs intended to stimulate business activity and increase employment
keynote: a fundamental or central idea
kick: the sudden stimulation provided by strong drink (or certain drugs)
killer: a difficulty that is hard to deal with
kinaesthesia: the ability to feel movements of the limbs and body
kinanesthesia: inability to sense movement
kinematics: the branch of mechanics concerned with motion without reference to force or mass
kinesiology: the branch of physiology that studies the mechanics and anatomy in relation to human movement
kinetic theory of heat: a theory that the temperature of a body increases when kinetic energy increases
kinetic theory: (physics) a theory that gases consist of small particles in random motion
kink: an eccentric idea
kink: a difficulty or flaw in a plan or operation
kinship system: (anthropology) the system of social relationships that constitute kinship in a particular culture, including the terminology that is used and the reciprocal obligations that are entailed
Kirchhoff's laws: (physics) two laws governing electric networks in which steady currents flow: the sum of all the currents at a point is zero and the sum of the voltage gains and drops around any closed circuit is zero
knight errantry: (Middle Ages) the code of conduct observed by a knight errant who is wandering in search of deeds of chivalry
knock: negative criticism
know: the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people
know-how: the (technical) knowledge and skill required to do something
knowing: a clear and certain mental apprehension
knowingness: shrewdness demonstrated by knowledge
Krishnaism: worship of Krishna the 8th avatar of Vishnu
Kussmaul's coma: coma that can develop in inadequately treated cases of diabetes mellitus
Lamarckism: a theory of organic evolution claiming that acquired characteristics are transmitted to offspring
landscape: an extensive mental viewpoint
landscape architecture: the art, planning, design, management, preservation and rehabilitation of the land and the design of large man-made constructs
language barrier: barrier to communication resulting from speaking different languages
language learning: learning to use a language
language requirement: a requirement that a student know certain languages
language: the cognitive processes involved in producing and understanding linguistic communication
language: the mental faculty or power of vocal communication
Laputa: a land imagined by Jonathan Swift where impractical projects were pursued and practical projects neglected
lateral thinking: a heuristic for solving problems; you try to look at the problem from many angles instead of tackling it head-on
lateralisation: localization of function on either the right or left sides of the brain
lattice: an arrangement of points or particles or objects in a regular periodic pattern in 2 or 3 dimensions
law of averages: a law affirming that in the long run probabilities will determine performance
law of constant proportion: (chemistry) law stating that every pure substance always contains the same elements combined in the same proportions by weight
law of diminishing returns: a law affirming that to continue after a certain level of performance has been reached will result in a decline in effectiveness
law of effect: (psychology) the principle that behaviors are selected by their consequences; behavior having good consequences tends to be repeated whereas behavior that leads to bad consequences is not repeated
law of equivalent proportions: (chemistry) law stating that the proportions in which two elements separately combine with a third element are also the proportions in which they combine together
law of independent assortment: each member of a pair of homologous chromosomes separates independently of the members of other pairs so the results are random
law of mass action: (chemistry) the law that states the following principle: the rate of a chemical reaction is directly proportional to the molecular concentrations of the reacting substances
law of proximity: a Gestalt principle of organization holding that (other things being equal) objects or events that are near to one another (in space or time) are perceived as belonging together as a unit
law of segregation: members of a pair of homologous chromosomes separate during the formation of gametes and are distributed to different gametes so that every gamete receives only one member of the pair
law of similarity: a Gestalt principle of organization holding that (other things being equal) parts of a stimulus field that are similar to each other tend to be perceived as belonging together as a unit
law of thermodynamics: (physics) a law governing the relations between states of energy in a closed system
law: a generalization that describes recurring facts or events in nature
law: a rule or body of rules of conduct inherent in human nature and essential to or binding upon human society
layer: an abstract place usually conceived as having depth
layout: a plan or design of something that is laid out
lcm: the smallest multiple that is exactly divisible by every member of a set of numbers
Le Chatelier-Braun principle: the principle that if any change is imposed on a system that is in equilibrium then the system tends to adjust to a new equilibrium counteracting the change
lead: evidence pointing to a possible solution
leadership: the ability to lead
leaning: a natural inclination
least: something that is of no importance
least squares: a method of fitting a curve to data points so as to minimize the sum of the squares of the distances of the points from the curve
leaven: an influence that works subtly to lighten or modify something
leftism: the ideology of the political left; belief in or support of the tenets of the political left
legal system: a system for interpreting and enforcing the laws
legalism: strict conformity to the letter of the law rather than its spirit
lemon: a distinctive tart flavor characteristic of lemons
lepidopterology: the branch of entomology dealing with Lepidoptera
letters: scholarly attainment
letters: the literary culture
levirate: the biblical institution whereby a man must marry the widow of his childless brother in order to maintain the brother's line
lexical semantics: the branch of semantics that studies the meanings and relations of words
lexicalized concept: a concept that is expressed by a word (in some particular language)
lexicology: the branch of linguistics that studies the lexical component of language
lexicon: a language user's knowledge of words
lexicostatistics: a statistical technique used in glottochronology; used to estimate how long ago different languages evolved from a common source language
lexis: all of the words in a language; all word forms having meaning or grammatical function
liberalism: an economic theory advocating free competition and a self-regulating market
liberalism: a political orientation that favors social progress by reform and by changing laws rather than by revolution
liberality: an inclination to favor progress and individual freedom
liberation theology: a form of Christian theology (developed by South American Roman Catholics) that emphasizes social and political liberation as the anticipation of ultimate salvation
libertarianism: an ideological belief in freedom of thought, speech and action
library science: the study of the principles and practices of library administration
life: the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
lifeline: support that enables people to survive or to continue doing something (often by providing an essential connection)
light: public awareness
light: mental understanding as an enlightening experience
light: a particular perspective or aspect of a situation
like: a similar kind
Lilliput: a land imagined by Jonathan Swift that was inhabited by tiny people
limbo: (theology) in Roman Catholicism, the place of unbaptized but innocent or righteous souls (such as infants and virtuous individuals)
limbo: an imaginary place for lost or neglected things
limen: the smallest detectable sensation
limitation: a principle that limits the extent of something
limnology: the scientific study of bodies of fresh water for their biological and physical and geological properties
line of inquiry: an ordering of questions so as to develop a particular argument
line of thought: a particular way of thinking that is characteristic of some individual or group
linear algebra: the part of algebra that deals with the theory of linear equations and linear transformation
linear programming: a mathematical technique used in economics; finds the maximum or minimum of linear functions in many variables subject to constraints
linear regression: the relation between variables when the regression equation is linear: e.g., y = ax + b
linguistics: the scientific study of language
linguistics: the humanistic study of language and literature
list system: based on the principle of proportional representation; voters choose between party lists, the number elected from each list being determined by the percentage cast for each list out of the total vote
lit crit: the informed analysis and evaluation of literature
lit: the humanistic study of a body of literature
literacy: the ability to read and write
literalism: the doctrine of realistic (literal) portrayal in art or literature
literalism: a disposition to interpret statements in their literal sense
literary study: the humanistic study of literature
lithology: the branch of geology that studies rocks: their origin and formation and mineral composition and classification
lithomancy: divination by means of stones or stone talismans
liturgics: the study of liturgies
living arrangement: an arrangement to allow people (or ideas) to coexist
loadstar: something that serves as a model or guide
localisation: (physiology) the principle that specific functions have relatively circumscribed locations in some particular part or organ of the body
localism: a partiality for some particular place
logic: the branch of philosophy that analyzes inference
logic: the system of operations performed by a computer that underlies the machine's representation of logical operations
logic: the principles that guide reasoning within a given field or situation
logic: reasoned and reasonable judgment
logic: a system of reasoning
logical fallacy: a fallacy in logical argumentation
logical positivism: the form of empiricism that bases all knowledge on perceptual experience (not on intuition or revelation)
logical topology: the way the network works
logicism: (philosophy) the philosophical theory that all of mathematics can be derived from formal logic
loop: the topology of a network whose components are serially connected in such a way that the last component is connected to the first component
lore: knowledge gained through tradition or anecdote
love: any object of warm affection or devotion
LTM: your general store of remembered information
lucubration: laborious cogitation
Lutheranism: teachings of Martin Luther emphasizing the cardinal doctrine of justification by faith alone
M-theory: (particle physics) a theory that involves an eleven-dimensional universe in which the weak and strong forces and gravity are unified and to which all the string theories belong
MacGuffin: (film) a plot element that catches the viewers' attention or drives the plot
Machiavellianism: the political doctrine of Machiavelli: any means (however unscrupulous) can be used by a ruler in order to create and maintain his autocratic government
macrobiotics: the theory of promoting health and longevity by means of diet (especially whole beans and grains)
macroeconomics: the branch of economics that studies the overall working of a national economy
macumba: a Brazilian religious cult of African origin; combines voodoo elements with singing and chanting and dancing
magic: any art that invokes supernatural powers
magnetics: the branch of science that studies magnetism
magnetohydrodynamics: the study of the interaction of magnetic fields and electrically conducting fluids (as plasma or molten metal)
Mahayana Buddhism: one of two great schools of Buddhist doctrine emphasizing a common search for universal salvation especially through faith alone; the dominant religion of China and Tibet and Japan
Mahayanism: the religious doctrine of Mahayana Buddhism
Mahdism: belief in the appearance of the Mahdi; devotion to a Mahdi
mainstream: the prevailing current of thought
major: the principal field of study of a student at a university
major axis: the longest axis of an ellipse or ellipsoid; passes through the two foci
make-believe: imaginative intellectual play
malacology: the branch of zoology that studies the structure and behavior of mollusks
malice aforethought: (law) criminal intent; the thoughts and intentions behind a wrongful act (including knowledge that the act is illegal); often at issue in murder trials
Malthusian theory: Malthus' theory that population increase would outpace increases in the means of subsistence
mammalogy: the branch of zoology that studies mammals
Mandaeanism: a Gnostic religion originating the 2nd and 3rd centuries that believes John the Baptist was the Messiah and that incorporates Jewish and Christian elements into a framework of dualistic beliefs
maneuver: a plan for attaining a particular goal
Manichaeanism: a religion founded by Manes in the third century; a synthesis of Zoroastrian dualism between light and dark and Babylonian folklore and Buddhist ethics and superficial elements of Christianity; spread widely in the Roman Empire but had largely died out by 1000
manner: a kind
Mantoux test: tuberculin (a derivative of tubercle bacillus) is injected intradermally; a red area appearing 1-3 days later signifies an exposure (past or present) to tubercle bacilli and the need for further testing
Maoism: a form of communism developed in China by Mao Zedong
marbles: the basic human power of intelligent thought and perception
Marcionism: the Christian heresy of the 2nd and 3rd centuries that rejected the Old Testament and denied the incarnation of God in Jesus as a human
marine archaeology: the archeology of underwater sites
Mariotte's law: the pressure of an ideal gas at constant temperature varies inversely with the volume
marksmanship: skill in shooting
Marxism: the economic and political theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels that hold that human actions and institutions are economically determined and that class struggle is needed to create historical change and that capitalism will ultimately be superseded by communism
Marxism-Leninism: the political and economic theories of Lenin which provided the guiding doctrine of the Soviet Union; the modification of Marxism by Lenin stressed that imperialism is the highest form of capitalism (which shifts the struggle from developed to underdeveloped countries)
masking: the blocking of one sensation resulting from the presence of another sensation
mass action: (neurology) the principle that the cortex of the brain operates as a coordinated system with large masses of neural tissue involved in all complex functioning
mass culture: the culture that is widely disseminated via the mass media
mass-energy equivalence: (physics) the principle that a measured quantity of mass is equivalent (according to relativity theory) to a measured quantity of energy
master plan: a long-term outline of a project or government function
mastering: becoming proficient in the use of something; having mastery of
mastership: the skill of a master
match: something that resembles or harmonizes with
materia medica: the science or study of drugs: their preparation and properties and uses and effects
materialism: (philosophy) the philosophical theory that matter is the only reality
math: a science (or group of related sciences) dealing with the logic of quantity and shape and arrangement
mathematical product: a quantity obtained by multiplication
matrimonial law: that branch of jurisprudence that studies the laws governing matrimony
matrix algebra: the part of algebra that deals with the theory of matrices
matter: a problem
matter of fact: a matter that is an actual fact or is demonstrable as a fact
Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution law: (physics) a law expressing the distribution of energy among the molecules of a gas in thermal equilibrium
maze: something jumbled or confused
mean deviation: the arithmetic mean of the absolute values of deviations from the mean of a distribution
mean sun: a theoretical sun that moves along the celestial equator at a constant speed and completes its annual course in the same amount of time the real sun takes at variable speeds
mean: an average of n numbers computed by adding some function of the numbers and dividing by some function of n
meaning: the idea that is intended
meat and potatoes: the fundamental part
mechanical engineering: the branch of engineering that deals with the design and construction and operation of machinery
mechanics: the branch of physics concerned with the motion of bodies in a frame of reference
mechanism: (philosophy) the philosophical theory that all phenomena can be explained in terms of physical or biological causes
median: the number midway between the two middle numbers in a series containing an even or odd number of items
medical science: the science of dealing with the maintenance of health and the prevention and treatment of disease
medical specialty: the branches of medical science that deal with nonsurgical techniques
meditation: (religion) contemplation of spiritual matters (usually on religious or philosophical subjects)
meditation: continuous and profound contemplation or musing on a subject or series of subjects of a deep or abstruse nature
meliorism: the belief that the world can be made better by human effort
mellowness: a taste (especially of fruit) that is ripe and of full flavor
melody: the perception of pleasant arrangements of musical notes
meme: a cultural unit (an idea or value or pattern of behavior) that is passed from one person to another by non-genetic means (as by imitation)
memento mori: a reminder (as a death's head) of your mortality
memento: a reminder of past events
memory: something that is remembered
memory: the area of cognitive psychology that studies memory processes
memory image: a mental image of something previously experienced
memory picture: a memory image that is similar to a visual perception
memory: the cognitive processes whereby past experience is remembered
memory: the power of retaining and recalling past experience
Mendel's law: (genetics) one of two principles of heredity formulated by Gregor Mendel on the basis of his experiments with plants; the principles were limited and modified by subsequent genetic research
Mendeleev's law: (chemistry) the principle that chemical properties of the elements are periodic functions of their atomic numbers
Mendelianism: the theory of inheritance based on Mendel's laws
Mennonitism: system of beliefs and practices including belief in scriptural authority; plain dress; adult baptism; foot washing; restriction of marriage to members of the group
mental deficiency: mild mental retardation
mental dexterity: intelligence as revealed by quickness and alertness of mind
mental hygiene: the branch of psychiatry concerned with psychological methods
mental note: special attention with intent to remember
mental quickness: intelligence as revealed by an ability to give correct responses without delay
mentalism: (philosophy) a doctrine that mind is the true reality and that objects exist only as aspects of the mind's awareness
mentality: a habitual or characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to situations
Mercury program: a program of rocket-powered flights undertaken by US between 1961 and 1963 with the goal of putting a man in orbit around the earth
merit system: the system of employing and promoting civil servants on the basis of ability
meritocracy: the belief that rulers should be chosen for their superior abilities and not because of their wealth or birth
mesh: the topology of a network whose components are all connected directly to every other component
metacenter: (shipbuilding) the point of intersection between two vertical lines, one line through the center of buoyancy of the hull of a ship in equilibrium and the other line through the center of buoyancy of the hull when the ship is inclined to one side; the distance of this intersection above the center of gravity is an indication of the stability of the ship
metaknowledge: knowledge about knowledge
metallurgy: the science and technology of metals
metamathematics: the logical analysis of mathematical reasoning
metaphysics: the philosophical study of being and knowing
metarule: a rule that describes how other rules should be used (as in AI)
meteorology: the earth science dealing with phenomena of the atmosphere (especially weather)
method: a way of doing something, especially a systematic way; implies an orderly logical arrangement (usually in steps)
method of choice: the best method to achieve a desired result
Methodism: the religious beliefs and practices of Methodists characterized by concern with social welfare and public morals
methodological analysis: the branch of philosophy that analyzes the principles and procedures of inquiry in a particular discipline
methodology: the system of methods followed in a particular discipline
metrics: the study of poetic meter and the art of versification
metrology: the scientific study of measurement
microbiology: the branch of biology that studies microorganisms and their effects on humans
microcosm: a miniature model of something
microeconomics: the branch of economics that studies the economy of consumers or households or individual firms
microelectronics: the branch of electronics that deals with miniature components
micropaleontology: the paleontology of microfossils
microscopic anatomy: the study of microscopic structures of tissues and organs
microscopic field: the areas that is visible through a microscope
middle: an intermediate part or section
middle distance: the part of a scene between the foreground and the background
Midgard: (Norse mythology) the abode of humans in Norse mythology
militarism: a political orientation of a people or a government to maintain a strong military force and to be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests
military science: the discipline dealing with the principles of warfare
Mimamsa: (from the Sanskrit word for `reflection' or `interpretation') one of six orthodox philosophical systems or viewpoints on ritual traditions rooted in the Vedas and the Brahmanas as opposed to Vedanta which relies mostly on the Upanishads
mimesis: the imitative representation of nature and human behavior in art and literature
mind: attention
mind: recall or remembrance
mind's eye: the imaging of remembered or invented scenes
mineralogy: the branch of geology that studies minerals: their structure and properties and the ways of distinguishing them
mining geology: the branch of economic geology that deals with the applications of geology to mining
minor axis: the shorter or shortest axis of an ellipse or ellipsoid
minstrelsy: the art of a minstrel
minutia: a small or minor detail
mirage: something illusory and unattainable
mirror: a faithful depiction or reflection
misapprehension: an understanding of something that is not correct
misconception: an incorrect conception
mismatch: a bad or unsuitable match
Mithraicism: ancient Persian religion; popular among Romans during first three centuries a.d.
mitigating circumstance: (law) a circumstance that does not exonerate a person but which reduces the penalty associated with the offense
mitsvah: (Judaism) a precept or commandment of the Jewish law
mittelschmerz: pain in the area of the ovary that is felt at the time of ovulation (usually midway through the menstrual cycle)
mixed nuisance: a nuisance that is both a public nuisance and a private nuisance at the same time
mixology: skill in preparing mixed drinks
mnemonics: a method or system for improving the memory
modal logic: a system of logic whose formal properties resemble certain moral and epistemological concepts
modal logic: the logical study of necessity and possibility
modal value: the most frequent value of a random variable
modality: a particular sense
model: a type of product
moderationism: the policy of being moderate or acting with moderation
Mohammedanism: the monotheistic religious system of Muslims founded in Arabia in the 7th century and based on the teachings of Muhammad as laid down in the Koran
mojo: a magic power or magic spell
molecular biology: the branch of biology that studies the structure and activity of macromolecules essential to life (and especially with their genetic role)
molecular genetics: the branch of genetics concerned with the structure and activity of genetic material at the molecular level
moment: the n-th moment of a distribution is the expected value of the n-th power of the deviations from a fixed value
monarchism: a belief in and advocacy of monarchy as a political system
monetarism: an economic theory holding that variations in unemployment and the rate of inflation are usually caused by changes in the supply of money
monic polynomial: a polynomial in one variable
monism: the doctrine that reality consists of a single basic substance or element
monocular vision: vision with only one eye
Monophysitism: a Christian heresy of the 5th and 6th centuries that challenged the orthodox definition of the two natures (human and divine) in Jesus and instead believed there was a single divine nature
monotheism: belief in a single God
Monothelitism: the theological doctrine that Christ had only one will even though he had two natures (human and divine); condemned as heretical in the Third Council of Constantinople
Moorish architecture: a style of architecture common in Spain from the 13th to 16th centuries; characterized by horseshoe-shaped arches
morale builder: something or someone who influences by building or strengthening morale
morbidity: an abnormally gloomy or unhealthy state of mind
mores: (sociology) the conventions that embody the fundamental values of a group
Mormonism: the doctrines and practices of the Mormon Church based on the Book of Mormon
morphology: studies of the rules for forming admissible words
morphology: the branch of biology that deals with the structure of animals and plants
morphology: the admissible arrangement of sounds in words
morphophonemics: the study of the phonological realization of the allomorphs of the morphemes of a language
mosaic: a pattern resembling a mosaic
mosaic culture: a highly diverse culture
mother: a condition that is the inspiration for an activity or situation
motif: a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in literary or artistic work
motor memory: your memory for motor skills
MT: the use of computers to translate from one language to another
multicollinearity: a case of multiple regression in which the predictor variables are themselves highly correlated
multiculturalism: the doctrine that several different cultures (rather than one national culture) can coexist peacefully and equitably in a single country
multinomial: a mathematical function that is the sum of a number of terms
multiple: the product of a quantity by an integer
multiple correlation coefficient: an estimate of the combined influence of two or more variables on the observed (dependent) variable
multiple correlation: a statistical technique that predicts values of one variable on the basis of two or more other variables
multivariate analysis: a generic term for any statistical technique used to analyze data from more than one variable
mumpsimus: a traditional notion that is obstinately held although it is unreasonable
muse: the source of an artist's inspiration
music: (music) the sounds produced by singers or musical instruments (or reproductions of such sounds)
music of the spheres: an inaudible music that Pythagoras thought was produced by the celestial
musical perception: the auditory perception of musical sounds
musicianship: artistry in performing music
musicology: the scholarly and scientific study of music
musk: the scent of a greasy glandular secretion from the male musk deer
musketry: the technique of using small arms (especially in battle)
mycology: the branch of botany that studies fungi and fungus-caused diseases
myology: the branch of physiology that studies muscles
mysticism: obscure or irrational thought
mysticism: a religion based on mystical communion with an ultimate reality
mythology: the study of myths
Naegele's rule: rule for calculating an expected delivery date; subtract three months from the first day of the last menstrual period and add seven days to that date
naive realism: (philosophy) the philosophical doctrine that physical objects continue to exist when not perceived
name part: the role of the character after whom the play is named
nanotechnology: the branch of engineering that deals with things smaller than 100 nanometers (especially with the manipulation of individual molecules)
narcosis: unconsciousness induced by narcotics or anesthesia
narrow-mindedness: an inclination to criticize opposing opinions or shocking behavior
narrowness: a restriction of range or scope
nationalism: the doctrine that your national culture and interests are superior to any other
nationalism: the doctrine that nations should act independently (rather than collectively) to attain their goals
nativism: (philosophy) the philosophical theory that some ideas are innate
natural ability: ability that is inherited
natural history: the scientific study of plants or animals (more observational than experimental) usually published in popular magazines rather than in academic journals
natural philosophy: the science of matter and energy and their interactions
natural science: the sciences involved in the study of the physical world and its phenomena
natural theology: a theology that holds that knowledge of God can be acquired by human reason without the aid of divine revelation
naturalism: (philosophy) the doctrine that the world can be understood in scientific terms without recourse to spiritual or supernatural explanations
nature: a particular type of thing
nature study: the study of animals and plants in the natural world (usually at an elementary level)
nature worship: a system of religion that deifies and worships natural forces and phenomena
naval engineering: the branch of engineering that deals with the design and construction and operation of ships
navel-gazing: literally, the contemplation of one's navel, which is an idiom usually meaning complacent self-absorption
near vision: vision for objects 2 feet or closer to the viewer
nebular hypothesis: (cosmology) the theory that the solar system evolved from a hot gaseous nebula
necromancy: conjuring up the dead, especially for prophesying
needle biopsy: biopsy of deep tissue that is obtained through a hollow needle
negative reinforcer: a reinforcing stimulus whose removal serves to decrease the likelihood of the response that produced it
negative stimulation: something causing antagonism or loss of interest
negative stimulus: a stimulus with undesirable consequences
Negritude: an ideological position that holds Black culture to be independent and valid on its own terms; an affirmation of the African cultural heritage
neo-Darwinism: a modern Darwinian theory that explains new species in terms of genetic mutations
Neo-Lamarckism: a modern Lamarckian theory emphasizing the importance of environmental factors in genetic changes and retaining the notion of the inheritance of acquired characters
neoclassicism: revival of a classical style (in art or literature or architecture or music) but from a new perspective or with a new motivation
neoconservatism: an approach to politics or theology that represents a return to a traditional point of view (in contrast to more liberal or radical schools of thought of the 1960s)
neoliberalism: a political orientation originating in the 1960s; blends liberal political views with an emphasis on economic growth
neonatology: that branch of pediatric medicine concerned with the newborn; the diagnosis and treatment of neonates
Neoplatonism: a system of philosophical and theological doctrines composed of elements of Platonism and Aristotelianism and oriental mysticism; its most distinctive doctrine holds that the first principle and source of reality transcends being and thought and is naturally unknowable
neoteny: an evolutionary trend to be born earlier so that development is cut off at an earlier stage and juvenile characteristics are retained in adults of the species
nephology: the branch of meteorology that studies clouds and cloud formation
nephrology: the branch of medicine concerned with the kidney - its development and anatomy and physiology and disorders
Nestorianism: the theological doctrine (named after Nestorius) that Christ is both the son of God and the man Jesus (which is opposed to Roman Catholic doctrine that Christ is fully God)
network topology: the configuration of a communication network
neuroanatomy: the anatomy of the nervous system
neurobiology: the branch of biology that deals with the anatomy and physiology and pathology of the nervous system
neuroethics: the study of ethical implications of treatments for neurological diseases
neurolinguistics: the branch of linguistics that studies the relation between language and the structure and function of the nervous system
neurology: the branch of medical science that deals with the nervous system
neurophysiology: the branch of neuroscience that studies the physiology of the nervous system
neuropsychiatry: the branch of medicine dealing with mental disorders attributable to diseases of the nervous system
neuropsychology: the branch of psychology that is concerned with the physiological bases of psychological processes
neuroscience: the scientific study of the nervous system
New Look: a style of women's clothing created by Christian Dior in 1947; involved a tight bodice and narrow waist and a flowing pleated skirt
Newton's first law of motion: a body remains at rest or in motion with a constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force
Newton's law of gravitation: (physics) the law that states any two bodies attract each other with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them
Newton's law of motion: one of three basic laws of classical mechanics
Newton's second law of motion: the rate of change of momentum is proportional to the imposed force and goes in the direction of the force
Newton's theory of gravitation: (physics) the theory that any two particles of matter attract one another with a force directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them
Newton's third law of motion: action and reaction are equal and opposite
Newtonian mechanics: the branch of mechanics based on Newton's laws of motion
niff: an unpleasant smell
night vision: the ability to see in reduced illumination (as in moonlight)
nightmare: a terrifying or deeply upsetting dream
nihilism: a revolutionary doctrine that advocates destruction of the social system for its own sake
nitrogen narcosis: confused or stuporous state caused by high levels of dissolved nitrogen in the blood
NLP: the branch of information science that deals with natural language information
no-goal: a nonexistent goal
noddle: an informal British expression for head or mind
nominalism: (philosophy) the doctrine that the various objects labeled by the same term have nothing in common but their name
non sequitur: (logic) a conclusion that does not follow from the premises
non-Euclidean geometry: (mathematics) geometry based on axioms different from Euclid's
nonconformance: a lack of orthodoxy in thoughts or beliefs
nonparametric statistics: the branch of statistics dealing with variables without making assumptions about the form or the parameters of their distribution
nonverbal intelligence: intelligence that is manifested in the performance of tasks requiring little or no use of language
nook and cranny: something remote
Norman architecture: a Romanesque style first appearing in Normandy around 950 AD and used in Britain from the Norman Conquest until the 12th century
nose: a natural skill
nose: the sense of smell (especially in animals)
nosiness: offensive inquisitiveness
notice: polite or favorable attention
notice: the act of noticing or paying attention
notion: a general inclusive concept
notion: an odd or fanciful or capricious idea
noumenon: the intellectual conception of a thing as it is in itself, not as it is known through perception
nous: common sense
nuclear chemistry: the chemistry of radioactive substances
nuclear engineering: the branch of engineering concerned with the design and construction and operation of nuclear reactors
nuclear medicine: the branch of medicine that uses radioactive materials either to image a patient's body or to destroy diseased cells
nuisance: (law) a broad legal concept including anything that disturbs the reasonable use of your property or endangers life and health or is offensive
nullification: the states'-rights doctrine that a state can refuse to recognize or to enforce a federal law passed by the United States Congress
numeracy: skill with numbers and mathematics
numerical analysis: (mathematics) the branch of mathematics that studies algorithms for approximating solutions to problems in the infinitesimal calculus
numerical quantity: a quantity expressed as a number
numerology: the study of the supposed occult influence of numbers on human affairs
nutrition: the scientific study of food and drink (especially in humans)
oarsmanship: skill as an oarsman
OB: the branch of medicine dealing with childbirth and care of the mother
obeah: a religious belief of African origin involving witchcraft and sorcery; practiced in parts of the West Indies and tropical Americas
obiism: belief in a kind of sorcery that originated in Africa and is practiced in the West Indies
object: (computing) a discrete item that provides a description of virtually anything known to a computer
object: the focus of cognitions or feelings
object recognition: the visual perception of familiar objects
oblivion: total forgetfulness
obscurantism: a policy of opposition to enlightenment or the spread of knowledge
observation: facts learned by observing
obstacle: something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted
obverse: the more conspicuous of two alternatives or cases or sides
occasions: something you have to do
Occidentalism: the scholarly knowledge of western cultures and languages and people
occultism: a belief in supernatural powers and the possibility of bringing them under human control
occultism: the study of the supernatural
oceanography: the branch of science dealing with physical and biological aspects of the oceans
Ockham's Razor: the principle that entities should not be multiplied needlessly; the simplest of two competing theories is to be preferred
odd-even check: a system of checking for errors in computer functioning
odor: the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form
Ohm's law: electric current is directly proportional to voltage and inversely proportional to resistance; I = E/R
old wives' tale: a bit of lore passed on by word of mouth
olfaction: the faculty that enables us to distinguish scents
ology: an informal word (abstracted from words with this ending) for some unidentified branch of knowledge
omission: neglecting to do something; leaving out or passing over something
oncology: the branch of medicine concerned with the study and treatment of tumors
one: a single person or thing
one-way street: unilateral interaction
oneiromancy: divination through the interpretation of dreams
onomancy: divination by the letters of a name
onomastics: the branch of lexicology that studies the forms and origins of proper names
ontology: the metaphysical study of the nature of being and existence
ontology: (computer science) a rigorous and exhaustive organization of some knowledge domain that is usually hierarchical and contains all the relevant entities and their relations
oology: the branch of zoology that studies eggs (especially birds' eggs and their size, shape, coloration, and number)
open interval: an interval that does not include its endpoints
open: information that has become public
opening: a possible alternative
operand: a quantity upon which a mathematical operation is performed
operant conditioning: conditioning in which an operant response is brought under stimulus control by virtue of presenting reinforcement contingent upon the occurrence of the operant response
operationalism: (philosophy) the doctrine that the meaning of a proposition consists of the operations involved in proving or applying it
operative field: the area that is open during surgery
ophthalmology: the branch of medicine concerned with the eye and its diseases
opinion: a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty
opinion: a belief or sentiment shared by most people; the voice of the people
optic axis: in a doubly refracting crystal, the line in the direction of which no double refraction occurs
optic axis: a line that passes through the center of curvature of a lens so that light is neither reflected nor refracted
optics: the branch of physics that studies the physical properties of light
ordinate: the value of a coordinate on the vertical axis
organic chemistry: the chemistry of compounds containing carbon (originally defined as the chemistry of substances produced by living organisms but now extended to substances synthesized artificially)
organicism: theory that the total organization of an organism rather than the functioning of individual organs is the determinant of life processes
organon: a system of principles for philosophic or scientific investigations; an instrument for acquiring knowledge
Oriental Studies: the scholarly knowledge of Asian cultures and languages and people
orientation: an integrated set of attitudes and beliefs
orientation: a person's awareness of self with regard to position and time and place and personal relationships
orientation: a predisposition in favor of something
origin: the point of intersection of coordinate axes; where the values of the coordinates are all zero
originalism: the belief that the United States Constitution should be interpreted in the way the authors originally intended it
originality: the ability to think and act independently
Orleanism: the political philosophy of the Orleanists
ornithology: the branch of zoology that studies birds
orography: the science of mountains
Orthodox Judaism: beliefs and practices of a Judaic sect that strictly observes Mosaic law
orthodoxy: a belief or orientation agreeing with conventional standards
orthoepy: a term formerly used for the part of phonology that dealt with the `correct' pronunciation of words and its relation to `correct' orthography
orthopaedics: the branch of medical science concerned with disorders or deformities of the spine and joints
osteology: the branch of anatomy that studies the bones of the vertebrate skeleton
Ostwald's theory of indicators: (chemistry) the theory that all indicators are either weak acids or weak bases in which the color of the ionized form is different from the color before dissociation
otherworld: an abstract spiritual world beyond earthly reality
otolaryngology: the medical specialty that deals with diseases of the ear, nose and throat
otology: the branch of medicine concerned with the ear
outlier: an extreme deviation from the mean
outline: a schematic or preliminary plan
outwardness: concern with outward things or material objects as opposed to the mind and spirit
overestimate: a calculation that results in an estimate that is too high
overtone: a harmonic with a frequency that is a multiple of the fundamental frequency
overvaluation: too high a value or price assigned to something
oxyopia: unusually acute vision
pabulum: insipid intellectual nourishment
pacemaker: a leading instance in its field
pacificism: the belief that all international disputes can be settled by arbitration
pacificism: the doctrine that all violence is unjustifiable
paediatrics: the branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of infants and children
pain threshold: the lowest intensity of stimulation at which pain is experienced
pain: a somatic sensation of acute discomfort
palaeobiology: a branch of paleontology that deals with the origin and growth and structure of fossil animals and plants as living organisms
palaeobotany: the study of fossil plants
palaeoclimatology: the study of the climate of past ages
palaeodendrology: the branch of paleobotany that studies fossil trees
palaeoecology: the branch of ecology that studies ancient ecology
palaeoethnography: the ethnography of paleolithic humans
palaeogeography: the study of the geography of ancient times or ancient epochs
palaeogeology: the study of geologic features once at the surface of the earth but now buried beneath rocks
palaeology: the study of (especially prehistoric) antiquities
palaeopathology: the study of disease of former times (as inferred from fossil evidence)
palaeornithology: the paleobiology of birds
palaeozoology: the study of fossil animals
palaetiology: the explanation of past events in terms of scientific causes (as geological causes)
paleography: the study of ancient forms of writing (and the deciphering of them)
paleomammalogy: the paleobiology of ancient mammals
pandeism: the belief that God created the universe and its phenomena by becoming the universe, thereafter the sole manifestation of God
panenthesism: the belief that God is in part of the universe and its phenomena and also transcends the universe and intervenes in its operations
pantheism: the doctrine or belief that God is the universe and its phenomena (taken or conceived of as a whole) or the doctrine that regards the universe as a manifestation of God
pantheism: (rare) worship that admits or tolerates all gods
Papanicolaou test: a method of examining stained cells in a cervical smear for early diagnosis of uterine cancer
paracosm: a prolonged fantasy world invented by children; can have a definite geography and language and history
paradigm: the generally accepted perspective of a particular discipline at a given time
Paradise: (Christianity) the abode of righteous souls after death
paralogism: an unintentionally invalid argument
parameter: a quantity (such as the mean or variance) that characterizes a statistical population and that can be estimated by calculations from sample data
parameter: a constant in the equation of a curve that can be varied to yield a family of similar curves
parametric statistic: any statistic computed by procedures that assume the data were drawn from a particular distribution
paramnesia: (psychiatry) a disorder of memory in which dreams or fantasies are confused with reality
paramount issue: an issue whose settlement is more important than anything else; and issue that must be settled before anything else can be settled
parochialism: a limitation of views or interests like that defined by a local parish
Parseeism: the faith of a Zoroastrian sect in India
part: that which concerns a person with regard to a particular role or situation
parti pris: an opinion formed beforehand without adequate evidence
partial correlation: a correlation between two variables when the effects of one or more related variables are removed
partial: the derivative of a function of two or more variables with respect to a single variable while the other variables are considered to be constant
partiality: an inclination to favor one group or view or opinion over alternatives
particular: a fact about some part (as opposed to general)
particularism: a focus on something particular
Pascal's law of fluid pressures: pressure applied anywhere to a body of fluid causes a force to be transmitted equally in all directions; the force acts at right angles to any surface in contact with the fluid
patch test: a test to determine allergic sensitivity by applying small pads soaked with allergen to the unbroken skin
patent law: that branch of jurisprudence that studies the laws governing patents
patent system: a legal system for protecting the rights of inventors
paternalism: the attitude (of a person or a government) that subordinates should be controlled in a fatherly way for their own good
paternity test: a test based on blood groups to determine whether a particular man could be the biological father of a particular child; negative results prove he was not the father but positive results show only that he could be
pathetic fallacy: the fallacy of attributing human feelings to inanimate objects; `the friendly sun' is an example of the pathetic fallacy
pathology: the branch of medical science that studies the causes and nature and effects of diseases
patristics: the study of the lives, writings, and doctrines of the Church Fathers
pattern: a model considered worthy of imitation
Pauli exclusion principle: no two electrons or protons or neutrons in a given system can be in states characterized by the same set of quantum numbers
peace advocacy: any policy that advocates maintaining peaceful international relations
Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient: the most commonly used method of computing a correlation coefficient between variables that are linearly related
pedagogics: the principles and methods of instruction
Pelagianism: the theological doctrine put forward by Pelagius which denied original sin and affirmed the ability of humans to be righteous; condemned as heresy by the Council of Ephesus in 431
penology: the branch of criminology concerned with prison management and prisoner rehabilitation
pension account: a plan for setting aside money to be spent after retirement
pentecostalism: the principles and practices of Pentecostal religious groups; characterized by religious excitement and talking in tongues
peradventure: doubt or uncertainty as to whether something is the case
percept: the representation of what is perceived; basic component in the formation of a concept
perception: knowledge gained by perceiving
perception: the process of perceiving
perception: a way of conceiving something
perfectibility: the capability of becoming perfect
performing arts: arts or skills that require public performance
perinatology: the branch of obstetrics concerned with the anatomy and physiology and diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the mother and the fetus or newborn baby during late pregnancy and childbirth and the puerperium
periodontia: the branch of dentistry dealing with diseases of the gums and other structures around the teeth
peripheral vision: vision at the edges of the visual field using only the periphery of the retina
perplexity: trouble or confusion resulting from complexity
perseveration: the tendency for a memory or idea to persist or recur without any apparent stimulus for it
perspective: a way of regarding situations or topics etc.
petitio: the logical fallacy of assuming the conclusion in the premises; begging the question
petroleum geology: the branch of economic geology that deals with the occurrence and exploitation of oil and gas fields
pettiness: narrowness of mind or ideas or views
phantasmagoria: a constantly changing medley of real or imagined images (as in a dream)
phantom limb: the illusion that a limb still exists after it has been amputated
phantom limb pain: pain felt by an amputee that seems to be located in the missing limb
pharmaceutics: the art and science of preparing and dispensing drugs and medicines,
pharmacogenetics: the branch of genetics that studies the genetically determined variations in responses to drugs in humans or laboratory organisms
pharmacokinetics: the study of the action of drugs in the body: method and rate of excretion; duration of effect; etc.
phenomenology: a philosophical doctrine proposed by Edmund Husserl based on the study of human experience in which considerations of objective reality are not taken into account
philosophical doctrine: a doctrine accepted by adherents to a philosophy
philosophy: the rational investigation of questions about existence and knowledge and ethics
philosophy: any personal belief about how to live or how to deal with a situation
phonemics: the study of the sound system of a given language and the analysis and classification of its phonemes
phonetics: the branch of acoustics concerned with speech processes including its production and perception and acoustic analysis
photochemistry: branch of chemistry that deals with the chemical action of light
photomechanics: the technique of using photomechanical methods to make photographs into plates for printing
photosensitivity: sensitivity to the action of radiant energy
phrase structure: the grammatical arrangement of words in sentences
phrenology: a now abandoned study of the shape of skull as indicative of the strengths of different faculties
physical anthropology: the branch of anthropology dealing with the genesis and variation of human beings
physical chemistry: the branch of chemistry dealing with the physical properties of chemical substances
physical education: training in the development of and care for the human body; stresses athletics; includes hygiene
physical geography: the study of physical features of the earth's surface
physical science: the physical properties, phenomena, and laws of something
physical topology: the appearance of the network
physiology: the branch of the biological sciences dealing with the functioning of organisms
phytochemistry: the branch of organic chemistry dealing with the chemistry of plants
piano music: the sound of music produced by a piano
picture: a typical example of some state or quality
pigeonhole: a specific (often simplistic) category
pill: something unpleasant or offensive that must be tolerated or endured
pillar: a fundamental principle or practice
pillar of Islam: (Islam) one of the five religious obligations accepted by all Muslims
pilot experiment: a preliminary experiment whose outcome can lead to a more extensive experiment
pins and needles: a sharp tingling sensation from lack of circulation
pisser: a very disagreeable difficulty
PKU test: a test of newborn infants for phenylketonuria
place: an abstract mental location
plague: an annoyance
plan of action: a plan for actively doing something
plan: a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished
Planck's law: (physics) the basis of quantum theory; the energy of electromagnetic waves is contained in indivisible quanta that have to be radiated or absorbed as a whole; the magnitude is proportional to frequency where the constant of proportionality is given by Planck's constant
Planck's radiation law: (physics) an equation that expresses the distribution of energy in the radiated spectrum of an ideal black body
plane geometry: the geometry of 2-dimensional figures
planetesimal hypothesis: (cosmology) the theory that the solar system was formed by the gravitational accumulation of planetesimals
planning: the cognitive process of thinking about what you will do in the event of something happening
plant: something planted secretly for discovery by another
plasma physics: the branch of physics concerned with matter in its plasma phase
plate tectonic theory: the branch of geology studying the folding and faulting of the earth's crust
Platonism: (philosophy) the philosophical doctrine that abstract concepts exist independent of their names
playbook: a scheme or set of strategies for conducting a business campaign or a political campaign
pleasure: a formal expression
pleasure principle: (psychoanalysis) the governing principle of the id; the principle that an infant seeks gratification and fails to distinguish fantasy from reality
plot element: a component or element of the plot of a story
pluralism: the doctrine that reality consists of several basic substances or elements
pneumatics: the branch of mechanics that deals with the mechanical properties of gases
poetics: study of poetic works
point: the object of an activity
point: a geometric element that has position but no extension
point of honor: a concern that seriously reflects on your honor
point of view: a mental position from which things are viewed
point system: a system of evaluation based on awarding points according to rules
Poisson distribution: a theoretical distribution that is a good approximation to the binomial distribution when the probability is small and the number of trials is large
polar coordinate: either of two values that locate a point on a plane by its distance from a fixed pole and its angle from a fixed line passing through the pole
pole: one of two divergent or mutually exclusive opinions
polemics: the branch of Christian theology devoted to the refutation of errors
policy: a plan of action adopted by an individual or social group
political sympathies: the opinion you hold with respect to political questions
polytheism: belief in multiple Gods
pomology: the branch of botany that studies and cultivates fruits
population: (statistics) the entire aggregation of items from which samples can be drawn
populism: the political doctrine that supports the rights and powers of the common people in their struggle with the privileged elite
position: a rationalized mental attitude
positive reinforcer: a reinforcing stimulus that serves to increase the likelihood of the response that produces it
positive stimulus: a stimulus with desirable consequences
posology: the pharmacological determination of appropriate doses of drugs and medicines
possibility: a future prospect or potential
possible: something that can be done
post hoc: the logical fallacy of believing that temporal succession implies a causal relation
posthypnotic amnesia: selective amnesia after being in a hypnotic state of events occurring during hypnosis or of information designated by the hypnotist
posthypnotic suggestion: a suggestion that is made to a person who is hypnotized that specifies an action he will perform (usually in response to a cue) after he has awakened
powder metallurgy: the metallurgy of powdered metals; how to produce solid metal objects from powdered metal by compaction and sintering
power series: the sum of terms containing successively higher integral powers of a variable
practical politics: politics based on practical rather than moral or ideological considerations
practice: knowledge of how something is usually done
pragmatics: the study of language use
pragmatism: (philosophy) the doctrine that practical consequences are the criteria of knowledge and meaning and value
prearrangement: something arranged in advance
precociousness: intelligence achieved far ahead of normal developmental schedules
precondition: a condition that is a prerequisite
predestinarianism: the belief or doctrine of predestinarians
predetermination: a mental determination or resolve in advance; an antecedent intention to do something
predictor: information that supports a probabilistic estimate of future events
predictor variable: a variable that can be used to predict the value of another variable (as in statistical regression)
predisposition: an inclination beforehand to interpret statements in a particular way
preemployment training program: a training program to prepare you for employment
preemption: the judicial principle asserting the supremacy of federal over state legislation on the same subject
prefiguration: an example that prefigures or foreshadows what is to come
preformation: a theory (popular in the 18th century and now discredited) that an individual develops by simple enlargement of a tiny fully formed organism (a homunculus) that exists in the germ cell
pregnancy test: a physiological test to determine whether a woman is pregnant
prejudgement: a judgment reached before the evidence is available
premeditation: (law) thought and intention to commit a crime well in advance of the crime; goes to show criminal intent
preoccupation: an idea that preoccupies the mind and holds the attention
prerequisite: something that is required in advance
Presbyterianism: the doctrines and practices of the Presbyterian Church: based in Calvinism
prescience: the power to foresee the future
prescriptive grammar: a grammar that is produced by prescriptive linguistics
prescriptive linguistics: an account of how a language should be used instead of how it is actually used; a prescription for the `correct' phonology and morphology and syntax and semantics
prescriptivism: (linguistics) a doctrine supporting or promoting prescriptive linguistics
prescriptivism: (ethics) a doctrine holding that moral statements prescribe appropriate attitudes and behavior
presence: the impression that something is present
presentism: the doctrine that the Scripture prophecies of the Apocalypse (as in the Book of Revelations) are presently in the course of being fulfilled
pressure point: where problems or difficulties are likely to occur
pressure: the somatic sensation that results from applying force to an area of skin
presumption: (law) an inference of the truth of a fact from other facts proved or admitted or judicially noticed
presupposition: the act of presupposing; a supposition made prior to having knowledge (as for the purpose of argument)
pretermission: letting pass without notice
prevision: a prophetic vision (as in a dream)
price gouging: pricing above the market price when no alternative retailer is available
pricing: the evaluation of something in terms of its price
pricing system: a system for setting prices on goods or services
prickling: a somatic sensation as from many tiny stings
priestcraft: the skills involved in the work of a priest
priestcraft: a derogatory reference to priests who use their influence to control secular or political affairs
primatology: the branch of zoology that studies primates
principle: a rule or standard especially of good behavior
principle: a basic truth or law or assumption
principle of equivalence: (physics) the principle that an observer has no way of distinguishing whether his laboratory is in a uniform gravitational field or is in an accelerated frame of reference
principle of liquid displacement: (hydrostatics) the volume of a body immersed in a fluid is equal to the volume of the displaced fluid
principle of relativity: (physics) a universal law that states that the laws of mechanics are not affected by a uniform rectilinear motion of the system of coordinates to which they are referred
principle of superposition: (geology) the principle that in a series of stratified sedimentary rocks the lowest stratum is the oldest
principle: (law) an explanation of the fundamental reasons (especially an explanation of the working of some device in terms of laws of nature)
principle: a rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system
principle: a basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct
private nuisance: a nuisance that interferes with your interest in and private use and enjoyment of your land
probabilism: (philosophy) the doctrine that (since certainty is unattainable) probability is a sufficient basis for belief and action
probabilism: a Roman Catholic system of casuistry that when expert opinions differ an actor can follow any solidly probable opinion that he wishes even though some different opinion might be more probable
probability theory: the branch of applied mathematics that deals with probabilities
probable cause: (law) evidence sufficient to warrant an arrest or search and seizure
problem solving: the thought processes involved in solving a problem
problem solving: the area of cognitive psychology that studies the processes involved in solving problems
problem: a source of difficulty
process: a mental process that you are not directly aware of
proctology: the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the colon or rectum or anus
prodigy: an impressive or wonderful example of a particular quality
profaneness: an attitude of irreverence or contempt for a divinity
professionalism: the expertness characteristic of a professional person
proficiency: skillfulness in the command of fundamentals deriving from practice and familiarity
prognostication: knowledge of the future (usually said to be obtained from a divine source)
program: a system of projects or services intended to meet a public need
progressivism: the political orientation of those who favor progress toward better conditions in government and society
project: a planned undertaking
projection: a prediction made by extrapolating from past observations
Promised Land: the goal towards which Christians strive
promotion system: a system for advancing participants to higher-status positions
proportional: one of the quantities in a mathematical proportion
proportional sample: the population is divided into strata and a random sample is taken from each stratum
propositional calculus: a branch of symbolic logic dealing with propositions as units and with their combinations and the connectives that relate them
proprioception: the ability to sense the position and location and orientation and movement of the body and its parts
prosthetics: the branch of medicine dealing with the production and use of artificial body parts
prosthodontia: the branch of dentistry dealing with the replacement of teeth and related mouth or jaw structures by artificial devices
proteomics: the branch of genetics that studies the full set of proteins encoded by a genome
Protestantism: the theological system of any of the churches of western Christendom that separated from the Roman Catholic Church during the Reformation
protoanthropology: the study humans prior to the invention of writing
protoarchaeology: the study of prehistoric human artifacts and human fossils
protocol: code of correct conduct
protology: the study of origins and first things
protozoology: the branch of zoology that studies protozoans
provincialism: a lack of sophistication
proxemics: the study of spatial distances between individuals in different cultures and situations
pruritus: an intense itching sensation that can have various causes (as by allergies or infection or lymphoma or jaundice etc.)
pruritus ani: chronic itching of the skin around the anus
pruritus vulvae: persistent itching of the external female genitalia
PSA blood test: a blood test that measures levels of a protein called prostate specific antigen that is manufactured exclusively by the prostate gland; men with prostate problems usually have elevated levels of PSA
psephology: the branch of sociology that studies election trends (as by opinion polls)
pseudoscience: an activity resembling science but based on fallacious assumptions
psychiatry: the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders
psychodynamics: the branch of social psychology that deals with the processes and emotions that determine psychology and motivation
psycholinguistics: the branch of cognitive psychology that studies the psychological basis of linguistic competence and performance
psychological science: the science of mental life
psychometrics: any branch of psychology concerned with psychological measurements
psychopharmacology: the study of drugs that affect the mind
psychophysics: the branch of psychology concerned with quantitative relations between physical stimuli and their psychological effects
psychosexuality: the mental representation of sexual activities
pteridology: the branch of botany that studies ferns
Ptolemaic system: (astronomy) Ptolemy's model of the universe with the Earth at the center
pump-and-dump scheme: an illegal scheme for making money by manipulating stock prices; the schemer persuades other people to buy the stock and then sells it himself as soon as the price of the stock rises
punctuated equilibrium: a theory of evolution holding that evolutionary change in the fossil record came in fits and starts rather than in a steady process of slow change
puppetry: the art of making puppets and presenting puppet shows
pure mathematics: the branches of mathematics that study and develop the principles of mathematics for their own sake rather than for their immediate usefulness
pure tone: a steady sound without overtones
purgatory: (theology) in Roman Catholic theology the place where those who have died in a state of grace undergo limited torment to expiate their sins
Puritanism: the beliefs and practices characteristic of Puritans (most of whom were Calvinists who wished to purify the Church of England of its Catholic aspects)
pursuance: a search for an alternative that meets cognitive criteria
pyramid scheme: a fraudulent scheme in which people are recruited to make payments to the person who recruited them while expecting to receive payments from the persons they recruit; when the number of new recruits fails to sustain the hierarchical payment structure the scheme collapses with most of the participants losing the money they put in
pyromancy: divination by fire or flames
pyrotechnics: (music) brilliance of display (as in the performance of music)
QCD: a theory of strong interactions between elementary particles (including the interaction that binds protons and neutrons in the nucleus); it assumes that strongly interacting particles (hadrons) are made of quarks and that gluons bind the quarks together
QED: a relativistic quantum theory of the electromagnetic interactions of photons and electrons and muons
quadratic: a polynomial of the second degree
quadratics: a branch of algebra dealing with quadratic equations
quadrivium: (Middle Ages) a higher division of the curriculum in a medieval university involving arithmetic and music and geometry and astronomy
quadruple: a quantity that is four times as great as another
Quakerism: the theological doctrine of the Society of Friends characterized by opposition to war and rejection of ritual and a formal creed and an ordained ministry
quantic: a homogeneous polynomial having at least two variables
quantification: a limitation imposed on the variables of a proposition (as by the quantifiers `some' or `all' or `no')
quantity: the concept that something has a magnitude and can be represented in mathematical expressions by a constant or a variable
quantum: (physics) the smallest discrete quantity of some physical property that a system can possess (according to quantum theory)
quantum: a discrete amount of something that is analogous to the quantities in quantum theory
quantum field theory: the branch of quantum physics that is concerned with the theory of fields; it was motivated by the question of how an atom radiates light as its electrons jump from excited states
quantum mechanics: the branch of quantum physics that accounts for matter at the atomic level; an extension of statistical mechanics based on quantum theory (especially the Pauli exclusion principle)
quantum physics: the branch of physics based on quantum theory
quantum theory: (physics) a physical theory that certain properties occur only in discrete amounts (quanta)
quartile: (statistics) any of three points that divide an ordered distribution into four parts each containing one quarter of the scores
quasiparticle: a quantum of energy (in a crystal lattice or other system) that has position and momentum and can in some respects be regarded as a particle
Queckenstedt's test: a test to determine whether there is a blockage of the spinal canal
quietism: a form of religious mysticism requiring withdrawal from all human effort and passive contemplation of God
quintessence: the purest and most concentrated essence of something
quintessence: the most typical example or representative of a type
quodlibet: an issue that is presented for formal disputation
racism: the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races
radicalism: the political orientation of those who favor revolutionary change in government and society
radio astronomy: the branch of astronomy that detects and studies the radio waves emitted by celestial bodies
radioactive iodine excretion test: radioactive iodine test that measures the amount of radioactive iodine excreted in the urine
radioactive iodine test: test of thyroid function in which the patient is given an oral dose of radioactive iodine-131
radiobiology: the branch of biology that studies the effects of radiation on living organisms
radioimmunoassay: immunoassay of a substance that has been radioactively labeled
radiology: the branch of medical science dealing with the medical use of X-rays or other penetrating radiation
radius vector: a line connecting a point in space to the origin of a polar coordinate system
radius vector: a line connecting a satellite to the center of the body around which it is rotating
rainbow: an illusory hope
raison d'etre: reason for being
RAIU: radioactive iodine test that measures the amount of radioactive iodine taken up by the thyroid gland
random sample: a sample grabbed at random
random sample: a sample in which every element in the population has an equal chance of being selected
rank-difference correlation: the most commonly used method of computing a correlation coefficient between the ranks of scores on two variables
Rastafarianism: a religious cult based on a belief that Ras Tafari (Haile Selassie) is the Messiah and that Africa (especially Ethiopia) is the Promised Land
rating system: a system of classifying according to quality or merit or amount
ratiocination: logical and methodical reasoning
rationalisation: the cognitive process of making something seem consistent with or based on reason
rationalism: (philosophy) the doctrine that knowledge is acquired by reason without resort to experience
rationalism: the theological doctrine that human reason rather than divine revelation establishes religious truth
raw talent: powerfully impressive talent
re-experiencing: a recurrence of a prior experience
reaction: an idea evoked by some experience
reaction: extreme conservatism in political or social matters
reactionism: the political orientation of reactionaries
reactivity: responsive to stimulation
readiness: (psychology) being temporarily ready to respond in a particular way
reading: the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
real life: the practical world as opposed to the academic world
realisation: coming to understand something clearly and distinctly
reality principle: (psychoanalysis) the governing principle of the ego; the principle that as a child grows it becomes aware of the real environment and the need to accommodate to it
reality: all of your experiences that determine how things appear to you
realm: a knowledge domain that you are interested in or are communicating about
reappraisal: a new appraisal or evaluation
reason: a fact that logically justifies some premise or conclusion
reasoning backward: the reasoning involved when you assume the conclusion is true and reason backward to the evidence
recall: the process of remembering (especially the process of recovering information by mental effort)
recognition: an acceptance (as of a claim) as true and valid
recollection: something recalled to the mind
recombinant DNA technology: the technology of preparing recombinant DNA in vitro by cutting up DNA molecules and splicing together fragments from more than one organism
reconstruction: recall that is hypothesized to work by storing abstract features which are then used to construct the memory during recall
recursion: (mathematics) an expression such that each term is generated by repeating a particular mathematical operation
reductio: (reduction to the absurd) a disproof by showing that the consequences of the proposition are absurd; or a proof of a proposition by showing that its negation leads to a contradiction
reductionism: the analysis of complex things into simpler constituents
reductionism: a theory that all complex systems can be completely understood in terms of their components
redundancy: (electronics) a system design that duplicates components to provide alternatives in case one component fails
reevaluation: the evaluation of something a second time (or more)
reference: the relation between a word or phrase and the object or idea it refers to
reflexology: the study of reflex action as it relates to the behavior of organisms
Reform Judaism: beliefs and practices of Reform Jews
reformism: a doctrine of reform
regard: (usually preceded by `in') a detail or point
regime: (medicine) a systematic plan for therapy (often including diet)
regional anatomy: the study of anatomy based on regions or divisions of the body and emphasizing the relations between various structures (muscles and nerves and arteries etc.) in that region
regression analysis: the use of regression to make quantitative predictions of one variable from the values of another
regression coefficient: when the regression line is linear (y = ax + b) the regression coefficient is the constant (a) that represents the rate of change of one variable (y) as a function of changes in the other (x); it is the slope of the regression line
regression curve: a smooth curve fitted to the set of paired data in regression analysis; for linear regression the curve is a straight line
regression equation: the equation representing the relation between selected values of one variable (x) and observed values of the other (y); it permits the prediction of the most probable values of y
regression: the relation between selected values of x and observed values of y (from which the most probable value of y can be predicted for any value of x)
regulation: a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior
regurgitation: recall after rote memorization
rehabilitation program: a program for restoring someone to good health
reincarnation: the Hindu or Buddhist doctrine that a person may be reborn successively into one of five classes of living beings (god or human or animal or hungry ghost or denizen of Hell) depending on the person's own actions
reincarnationism: a doctrine that on the death of the body the soul migrates to or is born again in another body
reinforcement: (psychology) a stimulus that strengthens or weakens the behavior that produced it
reinterpretation: a new or different meaning
relation: (law) the principle that an act done at a later time is deemed by law to have occurred at an earlier time
relativism: (philosophy) the philosophical doctrine that all criteria of judgment are relative to the individuals and situations involved
reliance: certainty based on past experience
religionism: exaggerated religious zealotry
religious orientation: an attitude toward religion or religious practices
remark: explicit notice
reminder: an experience that causes you to remember something
reminiscence: a mental impression retained and recalled from the past
remit: the topic that a person, committee, or piece of research is expected to deal with or has authority to deal with
rent seeking: (economics) the theory that a person or firm seeks to make money by manipulating the economic environment rather than by making a profit through production or trade
reorientation: a fresh orientation; a changed set of attitudes and beliefs
replacement: a person or thing that takes or can take the place of another
report: the general estimation that the public has for a person
representational process: any basic cognitive process in which some entity comes to stand for or represent something else
reprobation: severe disapproval
reproduction: recall that is hypothesized to work by storing the original stimulus input and reproducing it during recall
republicanism: the political orientation of those who hold that a republic is the best form of government
res adjudicata: a matter already settled in court; cannot be raised again
reservation: something reserved in advance (as a hotel accommodation or a seat on a plane etc.)
resolution: analysis into clear-cut components
restraint: a rule or condition that limits freedom
resultant: a vector that is the sum of two or more other vectors
retrieval: the cognitive operation of accessing information in memory
retro: a fashion reminiscent of the past
retrograde amnesia: loss of memory for events immediately preceding a trauma
retrospect: contemplation of things past
retrospection: memory for experiences that are past
retrovision: a vision of events in the distant past
revealed religion: a religion founded primarily on the revelations of God to humankind
revelation: an enlightening or astonishing disclosure
reverence: a reverent mental attitude
reverie: an abstracted state of absorption
revivalism: an attempt to reawaken the evangelical faith
revolutionism: a belief in the spread of revolutionary principles
rheology: the branch of physics that studies the deformation and flow of matter
rhetoric: study of the technique and rules for using language effectively (especially in public speaking)
rheumatology: the branch of medicine dealing with the study and treatment of pathologies of the muscles or tendons or joints
Riemannian geometry: (mathematics) a non-Euclidean geometry that regards space as like a sphere and a line as like a great circle
rightism: the ideology of the political right; belief in or support of the tenets of the political right
ritualism: the study of religious or magical rites and ceremonies
road sense: good judgment in avoiding trouble or accidents on the road
road test: a test to insure that a vehicle is roadworthy
robotics: the area of AI concerned with the practical use of robots
rocketry: the branch of engineering science that studies rocket design and operation
Roman architecture: the architecture of ancient Rome
Roman Catholicism: the beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church based in Rome
Romanesque architecture: a style of architecture developed in Italy and western Europe between the Roman and the Gothic styles after 1000 AD; characterized by round arches and vaults and by the substitution of piers for columns and profuse ornament and arcades
Romantic Movement: a movement in literature and art during the late 18th and early 19th centuries that celebrated nature rather than civilization
Rosicrucianism: the theological doctrine that venerates the rose and the cross as symbols of Christ's Resurrection and redemption; claims various occult powers
rote: memorization by repetition
Rubicon: a line that when crossed permits of no return and typically results in irrevocable commitment
Rubin test: test to determine the patency or occlusion of the Fallopian tubes
rubric: category name
rugged individualism: individualism in social and economic affairs; belief not only in personal liberty and self-reliance but also in free competition
Ruritania: an imaginary kingdom in central Europe; often used as a scene for intrigue and romance
rustiness: ineptitude or awkwardness as a consequence of age or lack of practice
Rutherford atom: first modern concept of atomic structure; all of the positive charge and most of the mass of the atom are contained in a compact nucleus; a number of electrons (equal to the atomic number) occupy the rest of the volume of the atom and neutralize the positive charge
sacerdotalism: a belief that priests can act as mediators between human beings and God
safety feature: feature of an artifact that is added to insure a user's safety
sake: the purpose of achieving or obtaining
salaah: the second pillar of Islam is prayer; a prescribed liturgy performed five times a day (preferably in a mosque) and oriented toward Mecca
Salafi movement: a militant group of extremist Sunnis who believe themselves the only correct interpreters of the Koran and consider moderate Muslims to be infidels; seek to convert all Muslims and to insure that its own fundamentalist version of Islam will dominate the world
salesmanship: skill in selling; skill in persuading people to buy
salinity: the taste experience when common salt is taken into the mouth
sample: a small part of something intended as representative of the whole
sample: items selected at random from a population and used to test hypotheses about the population
sapience: ability to apply knowledge or experience or understanding or common sense and insight
Satanism: a belief in and reverence for devils (especially Satan)
satori: (Zen Buddhism) a state of sudden spiritual enlightenment
sawm: the third pillar of Islam is fasting (primarily during the month of Ramadan); Muslims abstain from food and drink and gambling and all sensuous pleasures from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan
scalar: a variable quantity that cannot be resolved into components
scale value: a value on some scale of measurement
scent: an odor left in passing by which a person or animal can be traced
schema: an internal representation of the world; an organization of concepts and actions that can be revised by new information about the world
scheme: an elaborate and systematic plan of action
Scheol: (religion) the world of the dead
Schick test: a skin test for immunity to diphtheria
Scholasticism: the system of philosophy dominant in medieval Europe; based on Aristotle and the Church Fathers
school: the process of being formally educated at a school
science: a particular branch of scientific knowledge
science: ability to produce solutions in some problem domain
scientific fact: an observation that has been confirmed repeatedly and is accepted as true (although its truth is never final)
scientific knowledge: knowledge accumulated by systematic study and organized by general principles
scientific method: a method of investigation involving observation and theory to test scientific hypotheses
scientific theory: a theory that explains scientific observations
scintillation: a brilliant display of wit
score: the facts about an actual situation
scratch test: a test to determine allergic sensitivity to various substances by applying them to scratches in the skin
screen memory: an imagined memory of a childhood experience; hides another memory of distressing significance
scruple: an ethical or moral principle that inhibits action
scrutin uninomial system: based on the principle of having only one member (as of a legislature) selected from each electoral district
seamanship: skill in sailing
search: the examination of alternative hypotheses
secessionism: a doctrine that maintains the right of secession
Second Adventism: any Christian religion that believes the second coming of Christ is imminent
second law of thermodynamics: a law stating that mechanical work can be derived from a body only when that body interacts with another at a lower temperature; any spontaneous process results in an increase of entropy
second moment: the expected value of the square of the deviations of a random variable from the point of origin
sector: a particular aspect of life or activity
secularism: a doctrine that rejects religion and religious considerations
segregationism: a political orientation favoring political or racial segregation
seismology: the branch of geology that studies earthquakes
selective amnesia: amnesia about particular events that is very convenient for the person who cannot remember
selenology: the branch of astronomy that deals with the moon
self-absorption: preoccupation with yourself to the exclusion of everything else
self-analysis: a penetrating examination of your own beliefs and motives
self-awareness: awareness of your own individuality
self-consciousness: self-awareness plus the additional realization that others are similarly aware of you
self-criticism: criticism of yourself
self-cultivation: the process of educating yourself
self-deceit: a misconception that is favorable to the person who holds it
self-knowledge: an understanding of yourself and your goals and abilities
semantic memory: your memory for meanings and general (impersonal) facts
semantics: the meaning of a word, phrase, sentence, or text
semantics: the study of language meaning
semicoma: a mild comatose state; a coma from which the person can be roused by appropriate stimuli
semimajor axis: one-half the major axis of an ellipse; the distance from the center of an ellipse to one end
semiminor axis: one-half the minor axis of an ellipse
semiology: (philosophy) a philosophical theory of the functions of signs and symbols
semitrance: a trancelike state in which the person can follow instructions but voluntary action is weak or absent
senior moment: a momentary lapse of memory (especially in older people)
sensation: the faculty through which the external world is apprehended
sensationalism: (philosophy) the ethical doctrine that feeling is the only criterion for what is good
sense: a general conscious awareness
sense: a natural appreciation or ability
sense of direction: an awareness of your orientation in space
sense of responsibility: an awareness of your obligations
sensibility: (physiology) responsiveness to external stimuli; the faculty of sensation
series: (mathematics) the sum of a finite or infinite sequence of expressions
serology: the branch of medical science that deals with serums; especially with blood serums and disease
set theory: the branch of pure mathematics that deals with the nature and relations of sets
Seventh-Day Adventism: Adventism that is strongly Protestant and observes Saturday as the Sabbath
shades: (plural) something that reminds you of someone or something
shahadah: the first pillar of Islam is an affirmation of faith
Shaktism: worship of Shakti as the wife of Shiva
shamanism: any animistic religion similar to Asian shamanism (especially as practiced by certain Native American tribes)
shape constancy: the tendency to perceive the shape of a rigid object as constant despite differences in the viewing angle (and consequent differences in the shape of the pattern projected on the retina of the eye)
Shiism: the branch of Islam that regards Ali as the legitimate successor to Mohammed and rejects the first three caliphs
Shingon: a form of Buddhism emphasizing mystical symbolism of mantras and mudras and the Buddha's ideal which is inexpressible
Shintoism: the ancient indigenous religion of Japan lacking formal dogma; characterized by a veneration of nature spirits and of ancestors
Shivaism: worship of Shiva one of the 3 chief gods of the Hindu pantheon
showmanship: the ability to present something (especially theatrical shows) in an attractive manner
side: an aspect of something (as contrasted with some other implied aspect)
side view: a view from the side of something
sight: an instance of visual perception
sight: a range of mental vision
sight: the ability to see; the visual faculty
Sikhism: the doctrines of a monotheistic religion founded in northern India in the 16th century by Guru Nanak and combining elements of Hinduism and Islam
silver bullet: a simple guaranteed solution for a difficult problem
silviculture: the branch of forestry dealing with the development and care of forests
Sinology: the study of Chinese history and language and culture
size constancy: the tendency to perceive the veridical size of a familiar object despite differences in their distance (and consequent differences in the size of the pattern projected on the retina of the eye)
skillfulness: the state of being cognitively skillful
skin perceptiveness: the faculty of perceiving (via the skin) pressure or heat or pain
skin test: any test to determine immunity or sensitivity to a disease by introducing small amounts on or into the skin
sleeping: the state of being asleep
smattering: a slight or superficial understanding of a subject
snare: something (often something deceptively attractive) that catches you unawares
Snellen test: a test of visual acuity using a Snellen chart
snorter: something outstandingly difficult
social democracy: the belief in a gradual transition from capitalism to socialism by democratic means
social psychology: the branch of psychology that studies persons and their relationships with others and with groups and with society as a whole
social science: the branch of science that studies society and the relationships of individual within a society
socialism: a political theory advocating state ownership of industry
sociobiology: the branch of biology that conducts comparative studies of the social organization of animals (including human beings) with regard to its evolutionary history
sociolinguistics: the study of language in relation to its sociocultural context
sociology: the study and classification of human societies
sociometry: the quantitative study of social relationships
Socratic method: a method of teaching by question and answer; used by Socrates to elicit truths from his students
soft option: an easier alternative
solar physics: the branch of astronomy that deals with the sun
soldiering: skills that are required for the life of soldier
solid geometry: the geometry of 3-dimensional space
solid-state physics: the branch of physics that studies the properties of materials in the solid state: electrical conduction in crystals of semiconductors and metals; superconductivity; photoconductivity
solipsism: (philosophy) the philosophical theory that the self is all that you know to exist
solution: a method for solving a problem
somaesthesia: the faculty of bodily perception; sensory systems associated with the body; includes skin senses and proprioception and the internal organs
somaesthesia: the perception of tactual or proprioceptive or gut sensations
somatosense: any of the sensory systems that mediate sensations of pressure and tickle and warmth and cold and vibration and limb position and limb movement and pain
sonata form: the form of a movement, which consists of exposition and development and recapitulation
sophism: a deliberately invalid argument displaying ingenuity in reasoning in the hope of deceiving someone
sophistication: being expert or having knowledge of some technical subject
sorting algorithm: an algorithm for sorting a list
soteriology: the branch of Christian theology that deals with salvation as the effect of a divine agency
soubrette: a minor female role as a pert flirtatious lady's maid in a comedy
sound effect: an effect that imitates a sound called for in the script of a play
sound law: a law describing sound changes in the history of a language
sour: the taste experience when vinegar or lemon juice is taken into the mouth
southernism: an attitude characteristic of Southerners (especially in the US)
space medicine: the branch of medicine concerned with the effects of space flight on human beings
space program: a technological program intended to explore outer space
space-time: the four-dimensional coordinate system (3 dimensions of space and 1 of time) in which physical events are located
speaker identification: identification of a person from the sound of their voice
special education: education of physically or mentally handicapped children whose needs cannot be met in an ordinary classroom
special effect: an effect used to produce scenes that cannot be achieved by normal techniques (especially on film)
specialism: the concentration of your efforts on a particular field of study or occupation
species: a specific kind of something
specimen: an example regarded as typical of its class
speech perception: the auditory perception (and comprehension) of speech
speed trap: a trap arranged on a roadway for catching speeders
speed-reading: reading at speeds significantly faster than normal
spelaeology: the scientific study of caves
spherical geometry: (mathematics) the geometry of figures on the surface of a sphere
spherical trigonometry: (mathematics) the trigonometry of spherical triangles
spirit world: any imaginary place where spiritual beings (demons or fairies or angels or the like) abide
spiritual domain: a belief that there is a realm controlled by a divine spirit
spiritualism: the belief that the spirits of dead people can communicate with people who are still alive (especially via a medium)
spiritualism: (theology) any doctrine that asserts the separate existence of God
spoils system: the system of employing and promoting civil servants who are friends and supporters of the group in power
sports medicine: the branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of injuries or illness resulting from athletic activities
sprachgefuhl: an intuitive feeling for the natural idiom of a language
spurious correlation: a correlation between two variables (e.g., between the number of electric motors in the home and grades at school) that does not result from any direct relation between them (buying electric motors will not raise grades) but from their relation to other variables
stage effect: a special effect created on the stage
stagecraft: skill in writing or staging plays
staleness: unoriginality as a result of being dull and hackneyed
standard deviation: the square root of the variance
star: the topology of a network whose components are connected to a hub
states' rights: a doctrine that federal powers should be curtailed and returned to the individual states
statics: the branch of mechanics concerned with forces in equilibrium
statistic: a datum that can be represented numerically
statistical mechanics: the branch of physics that makes theoretical predictions about the behavior of macroscopic systems on the basis of statistical laws governing its component particles
statistical method: a method of analyzing or representing statistical data; a procedure for calculating a statistic
statistics: a branch of applied mathematics concerned with the collection and interpretation of quantitative data and the use of probability theory to estimate population parameters
steel trap: an acute intelligence (an analogy based on the well-known sharpness of steel traps)
stemmatics: the humanistic discipline that attempts to reconstruct the transmission of a text (especially a text in manuscript form) on the basis of relations between the various surviving manuscripts (sometimes using cladistic analysis)
stemmer: an algorithm for removing inflectional and derivational endings in order to reduce word forms to a common stem
stereoscopic vision: three-dimensional vision produced by the fusion of two slightly different views of a scene on each retina
stereotype: a conventional or formulaic conception or image
Stevens' power law: (psychophysics) the concept that the magnitude of a subjective sensation increases proportional to a power of the stimulus intensity
sticking point: a point at which an impasse arises in progress toward an agreement or a goal
stigmatism: normal eyesight
STM: what you can repeat immediately after perceiving it
stock purchase plan: an organized plan for employees of a company to buy shares of its stock
stocktaking: reappraisal of a situation or position or outlook
Stoicism: (philosophy) the philosophical system of the Stoics following the teachings of the ancient Greek philosopher Zeno
straddle: a noncommittal or equivocal position
strain: the general meaning or substance of an utterance
straitjacket: anything immaterial that severely hinders or confines
strand: a pattern forming a unity within a larger structural whole
strangeness: (physics) one of the six flavors of quark
strategics: the science or art of strategy
strategy: the branch of military science dealing with military command and the planning and conduct of a war
stratigraphy: the branch of geology that studies the arrangement and succession of strata
stratum: a subpopulation divided into a stratified sampling
straw poll: an unofficial vote taken to determine opinion on some issue
stream of consciousness: the continuous flow of ideas and feelings that constitute an individual's conscious experience
street smarts: a shrewd ability to survive in a dangerous urban environment
stress test: a test measuring how a system functions when subjected to controlled amounts of stress
string theory: (particle physics) a theory that postulates that subatomic particles are one-dimensional strings
stripe: a kind or category
structural anthropology: an anthropological theory that there are unobservable social structures that generate observable social phenomena
structural genomics: the branch of genomics that determines the three-dimensional structures of proteins
structural linguistics: linguistics defined as the analysis of formal structures in a text or discourse
structural sociology: a sociological theory based on the premise that society comes before individuals
structure: the complex composition of knowledge as elements and their combinations
study: a state of deep mental absorption
study: applying the mind to learning and understanding a subject (especially by reading)
stuff: a critically important or characteristic component
stupidity: a poor ability to understand or to profit from experience
style: a particular kind (as to appearance)
style: the popular taste at a given time
stymie: a thwarting and distressing situation
sub-interval: an interval that is included in another interval
subconscious: psychic activity just below the level of awareness
subconsciousness: a state of mind not immediately available to consciousness
subgroup: (mathematics) a subset (that is not empty) of a mathematical group
subjectivism: (philosophy) the doctrine that knowledge and value are dependent on and limited by your subjective experience
subpopulation: a population that is part of a larger population
subsumption: incorporating something under a more general category
subtotal: the sum of part of a group of numbers
succedaneum: (medicine) something that can be used as a substitute (especially any medicine that may be taken in place of another)
successor: a thing or person that immediately replaces something or someone
suffragism: the belief that the right to vote should be extended (as to women)
Sufism: Islamic mysticism
sugariness: the taste experience when sugar dissolves in the mouth
suggestion: the sequential mental process in which one thought leads to another by association
suggestion: an idea that is suggested
Sumerology: the archeology of ancient Sumerians
superego: (psychoanalysis) that part of the unconscious mind that acts as a conscience
Superfund program: the federal government's program to locate and investigate and clean up the worst uncontrolled and abandoned toxic waste sites nationwide; administered by the Environmental Protection Agency
superior skill: more than ordinary ability
supernaturalism: a belief in forces beyond ordinary human understanding
superstition: an irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear
supersymmetry: (physics) a theory that tries to link the four fundamental forces
supply-side economics: the school of economic theory that stresses the costs of production as a means of stimulating the economy; advocates policies that raise capital and labor output by increasing the incentive to produce
support: something providing immaterial assistance to a person or cause or interest
supposal: the cognitive process of supposing
supremacism: the belief that some particular group or race is superior to all others
surface: a superficial aspect as opposed to the real nature of something
surface chemistry: the branch of chemistry that studies processes occurring at interfaces between phases (especially those between liquid and gas)
surgery: the branch of medical science that treats disease or injury by operative procedures
suspense: an uncertain cognitive state
swordsmanship: skill in fencing
syllogism: deductive reasoning in which a conclusion is derived from two premises
symbol: something visible that by association or convention represents something else that is invisible
symbology: the study or the use of symbols and symbolism
sympathy: an inclination to support or be loyal to or to agree with an opinion
synaesthesia: a sensation that normally occurs in one sense modality occurs when another modality is stimulated
synchronic linguistics: the study of a language without reference to its historical context
syndrome: a complex of concurrent things
synergism: the theological doctrine that salvation results from the interaction of human will and divine grace
syntax: studies of the rules for forming admissible sentences
synthesis: the combination of ideas into a complex whole
system: a procedure or process for obtaining an objective
system: a complex of methods or rules governing behavior
systematics: the science of systematic classification
systems analysis: analysis of all aspects of a project along with ways to collect information about the operation of its parts
tableau: any dramatic scene
taboo: a prejudice (especially in Polynesia and other South Pacific islands) that prohibits the use or mention of something because of its sacred nature
tabula rasa: a young mind not yet affected by experience (according to John Locke)
tactics: the branch of military science dealing with detailed maneuvers to achieve objectives set by strategy
talentlessness: a lack of talent
Tantrism: doctrine of enlightenment as the realization of the oneness of one's self and the visible world; combines elements of Hinduism and paganism including magical and mystical elements like mantras and mudras and erotic rites; especially influential in Tibet
Tao: the ultimate principle of the universe
Taoism: philosophical system developed by Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu advocating a simple honest life and noninterference with the course of natural events
taproot: something that provides an important central source for growth or development
Tartarus: a place where the wicked are punished after death
tasting: a small amount (especially of food or wine)
tax policy: a program for setting taxes
tax system: a legal system for assessing and collecting taxes
taxidermy: the art of mounting the skins of animals so that they have lifelike appearance
taxonomy: (biology) study of the general principles of scientific classification
teacher: a personified abstraction that teaches
technicality: a specific detail in a set of rules or terms belonging to a particular field
technicolor: a trademarked method of making color motion pictures
technique: a practical method or art applied to some particular task
telecommunication: (often plural) the branch of electrical engineering concerned with the technology of electronic communication at a distance
teleology: (philosophy) a doctrine explaining phenomena by their ends or purposes
telerobotics: the area of robotics that is concerned with the control of robots from a distance
telescopy: the art of making and using telescopes
temperature: the somatic sensation of cold or heat
tendentiousness: an intentional and controversial bias
tenor: a settled or prevailing or habitual course of a person's life
tensor: a generalization of the concept of a vector
teratology: the branch of biology concerned with the development of malformations or serious deviations from the normal type of organism
term: any distinct quantity contained in a polynomial
terminal emulation: (computer science) having a computer act exactly like a terminal
territory: an area of knowledge or interest
test drive: test of the roadworthiness of a vehicle one is considering buying
test: trying something to find out about it
testament: a profession of belief
tetrachoric correlation: a correlation coefficient computed for two normally distributed variables that are both expressed as a dichotomy
texture: the essential quality of something
thanatology: the branch of science that studies death (especially its social and psychological aspects)
Thatcherism: (England) the political policy of Margaret Thatcher
theanthropism: (theology) the doctrine that Jesus was a union of the human and the divine
theism: the doctrine or belief in the existence of a God or gods
theocracy: the belief in government by divine guidance
theodicy: the branch of theology that defends God's goodness and justice in the face of the existence of evil
theogony: the study of the origins and genealogy of the gods
theological doctrine: the doctrine of a religious group
theological system: a particular system or school of religious beliefs and teachings
theorem: an idea accepted as a demonstrable truth
theorisation: the production or use of theories
theory: a belief that can guide behavior
theory: a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena
theory of inheritance: (biology) a theory of how characteristics of one generation are derived from earlier generations
theosophism: belief in theosophy
theosophy: a system of belief based on mystical insight into the nature of God and the soul
therapeutics: branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of disease
Theravada Buddhism: one of two great schools of Buddhist doctrine emphasizing personal salvation through your own efforts; a conservative form of Buddhism that adheres to Pali scriptures and the non-theistic ideal of self purification to nirvana; the dominant religion of Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand and Laos and Cambodia
thermionics: the branch of electronics dealing with thermionic phenomena (especially thermionic vacuum tubes)
thermochemistry: the branch of chemistry that studies the relation between chemical action and the amount of heat absorbed or generated
thermodynamics: the branch of physics concerned with the conversion of different forms of energy
thermodynamics of equilibrium: the aspect of thermodynamics concerned with thermal equilibrium
theurgy: white magic performed with the help of beneficent spirits (as formerly practiced by Neoplatonists)
thing: a special objective
thing: a special abstraction
think: an instance of deliberate thinking
third law of thermodynamics: law stating that the entropy of a substance approaches zero as its temperature approaches absolute zero
Thomism: the comprehensive theological doctrine created by Saint Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century and still taught by the Dominicans
thoracic medicine: the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the chest
thought: the organized beliefs of a period or group or individual
thread: the connections that link the various parts of an event or argument together
three-D: having a three-dimensional form or appearance
Tibetan Buddhism: a Buddhist doctrine that includes elements from India that are not Buddhist and elements of preexisting shamanism
tickle: a cutaneous sensation often resulting from light stroking
tilt: a slight but noticeable partiality
time series: a series of values of a variable at successive times
tine test: a tuberculin test in which a disk with several tines bearing tuberculin antigen is used to puncture the skin; development of a hard red area indicates past or present exposure to tubercle bacilli and the need for further testing
tip-off: inside information that something is going to happen
tissue typing: a series of diagnostic tests before an organ transplant to determine whether the tissues of a donor and recipient are compatible
tolerance: willingness to recognize and respect the beliefs or practices of others
topognosia: recognition of the location of a stimulus on the skin
topography: precise detailed study of the surface features of a region
topology: topographic study of a given place (especially the history of the place as indicated by its topography)
toponomy: the branch of lexicology that studies the place names of a region or a language
topos: a traditional theme or motif or literary convention
total depravity: the Calvinist doctrine that everyone is born in a state of corruption as a result of original sin
totemism: belief in the kinship of a group of people with a common totem
touch: deftness in handling matters
tourist attraction: a characteristic that attracts tourists
toxicology: the branch of pharmacology that deals with the nature and effects and treatments of poisons
Tractarianism: principles of the founders of the Oxford movement as expounded in pamphlets called `Tracts for the Times'
tradecraft: skill acquired through experience in a trade; often used to discuss skill in espionage
tradition: an inherited pattern of thought or action
traditionalism: the doctrine that all knowledge was originally derived by divine revelation and that it is transmitted by traditions
training program: a program designed for training in specific skills
trance: a state of mind in which consciousness is fragile and voluntary action is poor or missing; a state resembling deep sleep
transcendental philosophy: any system of philosophy emphasizing the intuitive and spiritual above the empirical and material
transference: (psychoanalysis) the process whereby emotions are passed on or displaced from one person to another; during psychoanalysis the displacement of feelings toward others (usually the parents) is onto the analyst
transient global amnesia: memory disorder seen in middle aged and elderly persons; characterized by an episode of amnesia and bewilderment that lasts for several hours; person is otherwise alert and intellectually active
transubstantiation: the Roman Catholic doctrine that the whole substance of the bread and the wine changes into the substance of the body and blood of Christ when consecrated in the Eucharist
treadmill test: a stress test in which the patient walks on a moving treadmill while the heart and breathing rates are monitored
trend analysis: analysis of changes over time
trial balloon: a test of public opinion
triangulation: a trigonometric method of determining the position of a fixed point from the angles to it from two fixed points a known distance apart; useful in navigation
tribalism: the beliefs of a tribal society
tribology: the branch of engineering that deals with the interaction of surfaces in relative motion (as in bearings or gears): their design and friction and wear and lubrication
trifle: a detail that is considered insignificant
trig: the mathematics of triangles and trigonometric functions
Trinitarianism: Christian doctrine stressing belief in the Trinity
triple: a quantity that is three times as great as another
tritheism: (Christianity) the heretical belief that the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are three separate gods
trivium: (Middle Ages) an introductory curriculum at a medieval university involving grammar and logic and rhetoric; considered to be a triple way to eloquence
tropical medicine: the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases that are found most often in tropical regions
Trotskyism: the form of communism advocated by Leon Trotsky; calls for immediate worldwide revolution by the proletariat
truth: a fact that has been verified
tuberculin skin test: a skin test to determine past or present infection with the tuberculosis bacterium; based on hypersensitivity of the skin to tuberculin
Tudor architecture: a style of English-Gothic architecture popular during the Tudor period; characterized by half-timbered houses
turn-on: something causing excitement or stimulating interest
twinge: a sharp stab of pain
type: a subdivision of a particular kind of thing
UFO: an (apparently) flying object whose nature is unknown; especially those considered to have extraterrestrial origins
ultramontanism: (Roman Catholic Church) the policy that the absolute authority of the church should be vested in the pope
unawareness: unconsciousness resulting from lack of knowledge or attention
unconscious: that part of the mind wherein psychic activity takes place of which the person is unaware
unconsciousness: a state lacking normal awareness of the self or environment
unconventionality: originality by virtue of being unconventional
uncreativeness: a lack of creativity
undercurrent: a subdued emotional quality underlying an utterance; implicit meaning
underestimate: an estimation that is too low; an estimate that is less than the true or actual value
underevaluation: an appraisal that underestimates the value of something
undervaluation: too low a value or price assigned to something
undulatory theory: (physics) the theory that light is transmitted as waves
unenlightenment: a lack of understanding
unfairness: partiality that is not fair or equitable
unilateralism: the doctrine that nations should conduct their foreign affairs individualistically without the advice or involvement of other nations
unit: a single undivided whole
Unitarianism: a non-doctrinal religion that stresses individual freedom of belief and rejects the Trinity
universal: a behavioral convention or pattern characteristic of all members of a particular culture or of all human beings
universalism: the theological doctrine that all people will eventually be saved
universe: everything stated or assumed in a given discussion
unoriginality: uncreativeness due to a lack of originality
unselfconsciousness: the quality of being not self-conscious; unawareness of yourself or of others' views of yourself
unskillfulness: a lack of cognitive skill
unsoundness: a misconception that is fallacious and not true or valid
upgrade: a reservation that is improved
urban planning: the branch of architecture dealing with the design and organization of urban space and activities
urogenital medicine: the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the urinary tract or urogenital system
urtication: a sensation of having been stung by nettles
utilitarianism: doctrine that the useful is the good; especially as elaborated by Jeremy Bentham and James Mill; the aim was said to be the greatest happiness for the greatest number
Utopia: an imaginary place considered to be perfect or ideal
utopian socialism: socialism achieved by voluntary sacrifice
Utopianism: the political orientation of a Utopian who believes in impossibly idealistic schemes of social perfection
vacuousness: indicative of or marked by mental vacuity and an absence of ideas
Vaishnavism: worship of Vishnu one of the 3 chief gods of the Hindu pantheon
value: an ideal accepted by some individual or group
value: a numerical quantity measured or assigned or computed
values: beliefs of a person or social group in which they have an emotional investment (either for or against something)
vampirism: belief in the existence of vampires
vanilla: a distinctive fragrant flavor characteristic of vanilla beans
variable: a quantity that can assume any of a set of values
variance: the second moment around the mean; the expected value of the square of the deviations of a random variable from its mean value
vector: a variable quantity that can be resolved into components
vector algebra: the part of algebra that deals with the theory of vectors and vector spaces
Vedanta: (from the Sanskrit for `end of the Veda') one of six orthodox philosophical systems or viewpoints rooted in the Upanishads as opposed to Mimamsa which relies on the Vedas and Brahmanas
Vedism: the form of Hinduism that revolves primarily around the mythic version and ritual ideologies in the Vedas
velleity: volition in its weakest form
ventriloquism: the art of projecting your voice so that it seems to come from another source (as from a ventriloquist's dummy)
verbal intelligence: intelligence in the use and comprehension of language
verity: an enduring or necessary ethical or religious or aesthetic truth
Verner's law: a qualification of Grimm's law
versatility: having a wide variety of skills
vertebrate paleontology: the paleontology of vertebrates
vertex: the point of intersection of lines or the point opposite the base of a figure
veterinary medicine: the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injuries of animals (especially domestic animals)
Victorian architecture: a style of architecture used in Britain during the reign of Queen Victoria; characterized by massive construction and elaborate ornamentation
view: purpose; the phrase `with a view to' means `with the intention of' or `for the purpose of'
vigil: a period of sleeplessness
Virgin Birth: the theological doctrine that Jesus Christ had no human father; Christians believe that Jesus's birth fulfilled Old Testament prophecies and was attended by miracles; the Nativity is celebrated at Christmas
virology: the branch of medical science that studies viruses and viral diseases
virtuosity: technical skill or fluency or style exhibited by a virtuoso
vision: a vivid mental image
vision: the perceptual experience of seeing
visual image: a percept that arises from the eyes; an image in the visual system
visual image: a mental image that is similar to a visual perception
visual space: the visual perception of space
vital statistics: data relating to births and deaths and health and diseases and marriages
vitalism: (philosophy) a doctrine that life is a vital principle distinct from physics and chemistry
vocabulary: the system of techniques or symbols serving as a means of expression (as in arts or crafts)
vocational education: training for a specific vocation in industry or agriculture or trade
vocational program: a program of vocational education
vocational rehabilitation program: a program of rehabilitation through job training with an eye to gainful employment
volcanology: the branch of geology that studies volcanoes
volition: the capability of conscious choice and decision and intention
vote: the total number of voters who participated
Wahhabism: a conservative and intolerant form of Islam that is practiced in Saudi Arabia
waiting game: a strategy of delay
wakefulness: a periodic state during which you are conscious and aware of the world
waking: the state of remaining awake
Walhalla: (Norse mythology) the hall in which the souls of heros slain in battle were received by Odin
wangle: an instance of accomplishing something by scheming or trickery
war advocacy: a policy of advocating war
Wasserman reaction: a blood test to detect syphilis; a complement fixation test is used to detect antibodies to the syphilis organism treponema; a positive reaction indicates the presence of antibodies and therefore syphilis infection
watercraft: skill in the management of boats
wave mechanics: the modern form of quantum theory; an extension of quantum mechanics based on Schrodinger's equation; atomic events are explained as interactions between particle waves
wavelength: a shared orientation leading to mutual understanding
way: a general category of things; used in the expression `in the way of'
way: doing as one pleases or chooses
Weber's law: (psychophysics) the concept that a just-noticeable difference in a stimulus is proportional to the magnitude of the original stimulus
Weber-Fechner law: (psychophysics) the concept that the magnitude of a subjective sensation increases proportional to the logarithm of the stimulus intensity; based on early work by E. H. Weber
Weltanschauung: a comprehensive view of the world and human life
Wesleyanism: evangelical principles taught by John Wesley
wet dream: an erotic dream (usually at night) accompanied by the (nocturnal) emission of semen
wheeze: (Briticism) a clever or amusing scheme or trick
white magic: magic used only for good purposes
white supremacy: the prejudice that members of the white race are superior to members of other races
whole: all of something including all its component elements or parts
Wicca: the polytheistic nature religion of modern witchcraft whose central deity is a mother goddess; claims origins in pre-Christian pagan religions of western Europe
Widal's test: a test for detecting typhoid fever and other salmonella infections
will: a fixed and persistent intent or purpose
wisdom: accumulated knowledge or erudition or enlightenment
wish: the particular preference that you have
wishful thinking: the illusion that what you wish for is actually true
witchcraft: the art of sorcery
wonderland: an imaginary realm of marvels or wonders
woodcraft: skill in carving or fashioning objects from wood
woodcraft: skill and experience in matters relating to the woods (as hunting or fishing or camping)
woolgathering: an idle indulgence in fantasy
working memory: memory for intermediate results that must be held during thinking
working principle: a rule that is adequate to permit work to be done
works program: a program to provide jobs on public works paid for by government funds
wrinkle: a clever method of doing something (especially something new and different)
wrinkle: a minor difficulty
writer's block: an inability to write
x-axis: the horizontal axis in a plane coordinate system
y-axis: the vertical axis in a plane coordinate system
yang: the bright positive masculine principle in Chinese dualistic cosmology
yin: the dark negative feminine principle in Chinese dualistic cosmology
yoga: discipline aimed at training the consciousness for a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility that is achieved through the three paths of actions and knowledge and devotion
Yogacara: one of the main traditions of Mahayana Buddhism; holds that the mind is real but that objects are just ideas or states of consciousness
z-axis: the third axis in a 3-dimensional coordinate system
zakat: the fourth pillar of Islam is almsgiving as an act of worship
Zen Buddhism: a Buddhist doctrine that enlightenment can be attained through direct intuitive insight
zero tolerance: extreme intolerance of antisocial behavior (usually by an uncompromising application of the law)
zero: the point on a scale from which positive or negative numerical quantities can be measured
zeroth law of thermodynamics: the law that if two bodies are in thermal equilibrium with a third body then the first two bodies are in thermal equilibrium with each other
zoological science: the branch of biology that studies animals
zoomorphism: the attribution of animal forms or qualities to a god
Zoroastrianism: system of religion founded in Persia in the 6th century BC by Zoroaster; set forth in the Zend-Avesta; based on concept of struggle between light (good) and dark (evil)
Zurvanism: a heretical Zoroastrian doctrine holding that Zurvan was the ultimate source of the universe and that both Ahura Mazda and Ahriman were Zurvan's offspring
zymology: the branch of chemistry concerned with fermentation (as in making wine or brewing or distilling)