This is a list of genuine plurals which have no singular forms, plus a
selection of words ending in S that without knowledge of the meaning might
possibly be taken as plural nouns but for which no 'singular' exists. Note
that classical singular words ending in -US or -OS have been omitted since
it is felt that people are unlikely to think there is e.g. a RADIU* or
PATHO* and they would just clog up the list unnecessarily. But many
classical plurals ending in e.g. -ICES have been included.
Now updated for CSW19. New words, if any, and new inflections of existing words, are shown in red.
abatis | a barrier made of felled trees. No ABATI*. |
abattis | a barrier made of felled trees. No ABATTI*. |
abdabs | (Sl.) terror, the frights, nerves often heard as 'the screaming abdabs'. No ABDAB*. |
abducens | the cranial nerve. No ABDUCEN*. |
ablins | (Dial.) perhaps. No ABLIN*. |
acalephae | a class of jellyfish which includes the MEDUSAE. No ACALEPHA*. |
acates | things purchased; provisions not made in the house; dainties. No ACATE*. |
achates | (Lat.) a faithful friend. [The faithful friend of Aeneas (Virgil Aeneid VI. 158 etc.)]. No ACHATE*. |
afterings | the last milk drawn when milking a cow. No AFTERING*. |
agonistes | someone in the grip of inner conflict. No AGONISTE*. |
agremens | (Fr.) courtesies, blandishments. No AGREMEN*. |
aiblins | (Dial.) perhaps. No AIBLIN*. |
akkas | (Sl.) money. No AKKA*. |
alcatras | a large water bird. No ALCATRA*. |
alfereces | Plural of ALFEREZ, a standard-bearer. No ALFERECE*. |
allcomers | anyone who comes. No ALLCOMER*. |
allsorts | things of various shapes and sizes, as in liquorice allsorts. No ALLSORT*. |
alms | a dispensation to the poor. No ALM*. |
altrices | (Lat.) birds whose young are hatched in a very immature and helpless condition, so as to require the care of their parents for some time, as opposed to PRAECOCES. No ALTRICE*. |
anabas | a genus of fishes. No ANABA*. |
analects | a collection of writings; literary gleanings. No ANALECT*. |
annates | the first year's profits of a spiritual preferment, anciently paid by the clergy to the pope; first fruits. In England, they now form a fund for the augmentation of poor livings. No ANNATE*. |
antigropelos | waterproof leggings. No ANTIGROPELO*. |
anura | frogs and toads. |
anus | the opening at the end of the alimentary canal. No ANU*. |
apices | plural of APEX. No APICE*. |
apsaras | (Sanskrit) a divine water sprite > APSARASES. No APSARA*. |
arbores | plural of ARBOR, a tree. No ARBORE*. |
aris | (Cockney slang) arse. No ARI*. |
aruspices | plural of ARUSPEX, a soothsayer. No ARUSPICE*. |
ascites | dropsy of the abdomen > ASCITES. No ASCITE*. |
asclepias | an American plant of the milkweed genus. No ASCLEPIA*. |
atlantes | plural of ATLAS, a male figure supporting a column. No ATLANTE*. |
aurochs | an extinct wild ox > AUROCHSES. No AUROCH*. |
avens | a wild flower > AVENSES. No AVEN*. |
awayes | away. No AWAYE*. |
axis | the imaginary straight line about which a body such as the earth rotates. No AXI*. |
baches | 3rd person of BACH, to live as a bachelor. No BACHE*. |
balas | a variety of spinel ruby. No BALA*. |
balderlocks | an edible seaweed. No BALDERLOCK*. |
ballocks | (Sl.) testicles; (verb) to screw up. No BALLOCK*. |
banns | notice given in church etc. of an intended marriage, read on three Sundays to give an opportunity for objections to be made. No BANN*. |
basaltes | (Lat.) unglazed stoneware. [L. basaltes, from Greek basanites (lithos) touchstone]. No BASALTE*. |
baudrons | (Scots) a quasi-proper name for the cat; also for the hare > BAUDRONSES. No BAUDRON*. |
beechdrops | an American plant like a broomrape, parasitic on beech roots. No BEECHDROP*. |
beersies | (NZ slang) beer. No BEERSY* or BEERSIE* |
bermudas | knee-length walking shorts. No BERMUDA*. |
biestings | the first milk drawn from a cow after calving, aka COLOSTRUM or FOREMILK. No BIESTING*. |
bigos | a kind of Polish stew. No BIGO*. |
binocs | binoculars. No BINOC*. |
bluecurls | a N. American plant. No BLUECURL*. |
bluejeans | blue denim jeans. No BLUEJEAN*. |
boerewors | (Afrikaans) a traditional S. African sausage > BOEREWORSES. No BOEREWOR*. |
bonassus | a kind of bison. No BONASSU*. |
bonasus | a kind of bison. No BONASU*. |
bonkers | crazy. No BONKER*. |
boonies | remote, undeveloped country. No BOONY* or BOONIE*. |
boraces | Plural of BORAX. No BORACE*. |
bossyboots | (Coll.) a bossy person. No BOSSYBOOT* > BOSSYBOOTS. |
bowes | (Milton) boughs. No BOWE*. |
braaivleis | (Afrikaans) a barbecue party. No BRAAIVLEI*. |
breadsticks | sticks of bread. No BREADSTICK*. |
breeks | breeches. No BREEK*. |
bris | a Jewish circumcision rite > BRISSES. No BRI*. |
bubkes | (Yiddish) a very small amount. No BUBKE*. |
bupkes | (Yiddish)a very small amount. No BUPKE*. |
bullbars | bars on the front of a vehicle. No BULLBAR*. |
bupkus | (Yiddish) a very small amount. No BUPKU*. |
burramys | a kind of Australian opossum. No BURRAMY*. |
buttals | boundary lines. No BUTTAL*. |
butterfingers | one who is apt to let things fall or slip through the fingers: a careless person. No BUTTERFINGER*. |
cadrans | (Fr.) an instrument by which a gem is adjusted while being cut > CADRANSES. No CADRAN*. |
calends | (Lat.) the first day of the ancient Roman month from which days were counted backwards to the Ides. No CALEND*. |
calices | plural of CALIX, a cup. No CALICE*. |
camas | a blue-flowered liliaceous plant of northwestern America. No CAMA*. |
canities | The turning grey of the hair. No CANITY*. |
cantoris | To be sung on the cantorial or north side of a choir. No CANTORI*. |
carices | plural of CAREX, sedge. No CARICE*. |
caritas | love, charity > CARITASES or CARITATES. No CARITA*. |
catworks | the assemblage of motors and catheads providing power for secondary activities on drilling platforms. No CATWORK*. |
caudices | plural of CAUDEX, a stem. No CAUDICE*. |
ceas | (Shakesp.) enough said. No CEA*. |
cecils | fried meat-balls. No CECIL*. |
cens | (Fr.) a nominal annual payment given to the owner of an estate or property in recognition of his or her title. No CEN*. |
cerastes | a venomous snake. No CERASTE*. |
certes | certainly. No CERTE*. |
cervelas | a type of French sausage. No CERVELA*. |
cervices | plural of CERVIX, the neck of the womb. No CERVICE*. |
chainplates | iron plates bolted below the channels on a ship, to serve as attachments for the deadeyes, through which the standing rigging or shrouds and backstays are secured. No CHAINPLATE*. |
chairdays | (Shakesp.) the evening of life. No CHAIRDAY*. |
chaparajos | a cowboy's leather riding leggings. No CHAPARAJO*. |
chaparejos | a cowboy's leather riding leggings. No CHAPAREJO*. |
chausses | pantaloons or tight coverings for the legs and feet, esp. of mail. No CHAUSSE*. |
chiaus | to swindle. No CHIAU*. |
chidlings | part of the small intestine of swine. No CHIDLING*. |
chints | a glazed printed cotton fabric. No CHINT*. |
chollers | cheeks, jowls. No CHOLLER*. |
cimices | plural of CIMEX, bedbug. No CIMICE*. |
circs | (Coll.) circumstances. No CIRC*. |
cizers | (Obs.) scissors. No CIZER*. |
claes | (Scots) clothes. No CLAE*. |
clivers | goose-grass. No CLIVER*. |
codices | plural of CODEX, a manuscript. No CODICE*. |
collins | a type of COCKTAIL, as in vodka collins > COLLINSES. No COLLIN*. |
colluvies | accumulated filth; foul discharge. No COLLUVIE*. |
collywobbles | bellyache. No COLLYWOBBLE*. |
compas | a popular music of Haiti. No COMPA*. |
coms | combinations. No COM*. |
congeries | aggregation, collection. [L. congerere, to carry or bring together, which is also the source of congest]. No CONGERIE*. |
congrats | (coll.) congratulations. No CONGRAT*. |
copperas | a type of sulphate. No COPPERA*. |
coralbells | a perennnial alumroot widely cultivate for its feathery spikes of tiny bright red campanulate flowers. No CORALBELL*. |
corps | a military formation consisting of two or more divisions. No CORP*. |
cortices | plural of CORTEX, an outer layer. No CORTICE*. |
crants | (Shakesp.) the garland carried before the bier of a maiden and hung over her grave > CRANTSES. No CRANT*. |
creamcups | A California annual of the poppy family. No CREAMCUP*. |
cremains | The ashes that remain after cremation of a corpse. No CREMAIN*. |
cretons | a spread of shredded pork cooked with onions in pork fat. No CRETON*. |
crios | a multicoloured woollen belt traditionally worn by men in the Aran Islands. No CRIO*. |
cris | a dagger or short sword used by the Malays. No CRI*. |
crivens | (Scots) (slang) an interjection expressing dismay. No CRIVEN*. |
crivvens | (Scots) (slang) an interjection expressing dismay. No CRIVVEN*. |
crossbones | a figure of two thigh bones laid across each other, forming with the skull a conventional emblem of death or piracy. No CROSSBONE*. |
cruces | plural of CRUX, a cross. No CRUCE*. |
crudites | raw fruit and vegetables served as hors d'oeuvre. No CRUDITE*. |
cruells | scrofula, the King's Evil. No CRUELL*. |
cruores | plural of CRUOR, a clot of blood. No CRUORE*. |
csardas | a Hungarian dance. No CSARDA*. |
culices | plural of CULEX, a genus of insects. No CULICE*. |
cyclops | a genus of freshwater copepods > CYCLOPS; a one-eyed monster > CYCLOPES. No CYCLOP*. |
cymatics | the therapeutic use of high frequency sound waves. No CYMATIC*. |
czardas | a Hungarian dance. No CZARDA*. |
dais | (Fr.) a platform. No DAI*. |
darbies | handcuffs. [From the rigid terms of a 16th century English usurer of that name]. No DARBY*. |
darkmans | (Thieves' slang) night. No DARKMAN*. |
datacomms | (Abbrev. of) data communications. No DATACOMM*. |
deus | (Lat.) a god. No DEU*. |
dibbs | (Sl.) money. No DIBB*. |
diddums | expressing consolation to a child. No DIDDUM*. |
dipsas | (Greek) a snake whose bite caused intense thirst > DIPSADES. No DIPSA*. |
distringas | a type of legal writ. No DISTRINGA*. |
dogshores | shores used to hold a ship firmly and prevent her moving while the blocks are knocked away before launching. No DOGSHORE*. |
doldrums | those parts of the ocean near the equator where calm and baffling winds prevail. No DOLDRUM*. |
dolmades | plural of DOLMA, a vine leaf. No DOLMADE*. |
epulides | Plural of EPULIS, a tumour of the gums. No EPULIDE*. |
doblones | PLural of DOBLON, a former monetary unit of Spain, a gold coin. No DOBLONE*. |
dolos | a sheep's knucklebone used in divination. No DOLO*. |
draconites | a jewel supposedly found inside a dragon's head. No DRACONITE*. |
druthers | (Coll.) choice, preference. No DRUTHER*. |
dundrearies | long sideburns. No DUNDREARY*. [From Lord Dundreary, a character in the play, Our American Cousin (1858)]. |
duxelles | (Fr.) a mince of mushrooms, chopped shallots and herbs simmered in butter. [From the Marquis d'Uxelles]. No DUXELLE*. |
ebonics | a dialect used by African Americans. No EBONIC*. |
egis | (Greek) protection, defense; patronage. No EGI*. |
ellops | (Greek) a kind of sturgeon. No ELLOP*. |
elops | (Greek) a kind of sturgeon. No ELOP*. |
emacs | a powerful computer programme used for creating & editing text. No EMAC*. |
emblements | crops raised by the labour of the cultivator of land (but not tree-fruits or grass) or the profits arising from these. No EMBLEMENT*. |
embus | to board a bus. No EMBU*. |
emendals | funds set apart for repairs, in the accounts of the Inner Temple. No EMENDAL*. |
emlets | as in blood-drop emlets, a Chilean flower. No EMLET*. |
emptings | the yeasty lees of beer or cider. No EMPTING*. |
emptins | the yeasty lees of beer or cider. No EMPTIN*. |
emys | a genus of terrapin. No EMY*. |
ents | (Coll.) entertainments. NO ENT*. |
entralles | Plural of ENTRALL, entrail. No ENTRALLE*. |
entremets | (Fr.) edible pastry sculpture served between main courses. No ENTREMET*. |
environics | the study of the method of influencing behavious by controlled environmental factors. No ENVIRONIC*. |
epos | (Greek) an epic poem. No EPO*. |
epulides | plural of EPULIS, a tumour of the gums. No EPULIDE*. |
equites | (Lat.) Plural of EQUES, one of an order of knights holding a middle place between the senate and the commonalty; members of the Roman equestrian order. No EQUITE*. |
eros | (Greek) the sum of the self-preservative, as opposed to self-destructive, instincts. No ERO*. |
eses | plural of ES. No ESE*. |
ethiops | a black substance; -- formerly applied to various preparations of a black or very dark color. No ETHIOP*. |
euthenics | the science concerned with improving living conditions. No EUTHENIC*. |
ewftes | (Spenser) efts. No EWFTE*. |
eyas | a young hawk taken from the nest for training > EYASES. No EYA*. |
eyedrops | a medicine for the eye administered in the form of drops. No EYEDROP*. |
eyestrings | (Obs.) organic eye attachments once believed to break at death or blindness. No EYESTRING*. |
facetiae | (Lat.) witty or humorous sayings or writings. [L. facetia, jest]. No FACETIA*. |
faikes | thin-bedded shaly or micaceous sandstone. No FAIKE*. |
fainites | a plea for exemption or truce. No FAINITE*. |
fattrels | (Scots) ends of ribbon. No FATTREL*. |
feis | an ancient Irish assembly for the proclamation of laws etc > FEISEANNA. No FEI*. |
fenks | the refuse of whale blubber, used as a manure, and in the manufacture of Prussian blue. No FENK*. |
fewtrils | little things, trifles. No FEWTRIL*. |
fiancailles | (Fr.) betrothal. No FIANCAILLE*. |
firstfruits | the first fruits of a harvest. No FIRSTFRUIT*. |
flamines | Plural of FLAMEN, a Roman priest. No FLAMINE*. |
flexihours | flexible working time. No FLEXIHOUR*. |
fomes | (Lat.) a substance capable of carrying infection, such as woollen clothes > FOMITES. [L. fomes, tinder]. No FOME*. |
foodways | the eating habits of a population. No FOODWAY*. |
forceps | (Lat.) a pair of pincers, usually held in one hand to obtain a firm grip on a small object > FORCEPS, FORCEPSES or FORCIPES. No |
fornices | plural of FORNIX, an arch. No FORNICE*. |
fris | the quick dance movement of a Hungarian CSARDAS. No FRI*. |
frites | chipped potatoes. No FRITE*. |
frontes | plural of FRONS, the forehead. No FRONTE*. |
frutices | plural of FRUTEX, a shrub. No FRUTICE*. |
fynbos | (Afrikaans) in South Africa, an area of low shrubs > FYNBOSES. [Dutch fijn, fine bosch, bush]. No FYNBO*. |
gadzooks | (Arch.) a mild oath. No GADZOOK*. |
galimatias | (Fr.) nonsensical talk; gibberish; gobbledygook. No GALIMATIA*. |
galowses | Shakespearean word for gallows.No GALOWS* or GALOWSE*. |
garms | (slang) clothes. No GARM*. |
gaywings | a perennial herb. No GAYWING*. |
glanders | a disease of horses. No GLANDER*. |
glumps | (Arch.) the sulks. No GLUMP*. |
goldilocks | a species of buttercup. No GOLDILOCK*. |
goloshoes | Goloshes. No GOLOSHOE*. |
goujeers | an editor's spurious improvement on GOODYEAR, veneral disease. No GOUJEER*. |
gravitas | (Lat.) high seriousness. No GRAVITA*. |
gris | a flight of steps. No GRI*. |
grundies | men's underpants. No GRUNDY*. |
gubbins | (Coll.) a trivial object; a device, gadget > GUBBINSES. No GUBBIN*. |
habdabs | (Sl.) terror, the frights, nerves often heard as 'the screaming habdabs'. No HABDAB*. |
halluces | plural of HALLUX, the big toe. No HALLUCE*. |
handicuffs | fisticuffs. No HANDICUFF*. |
hardgoods | hardware. No HARDGOOD*. |
hardparts | the skeletal parts of an organism. No HARDPART*. |
harigalds | (Scots) viscera. No HARIGALD*. |
harigals | (Scots) viscera. No HARIGAL*. |
hartbees | (Afrikaans) a large S. African antelope. No HARTBEE*. |
headsheets | the forepart of a small vessel or craft. No HEADSHEET*. |
helices | plural of HELIX, a spiral. No HELICE*. |
hendiadys | a figure of speech > HENDIADYSES. No HENDIADY*. |
heredes | (Lat.) an heir. No HEREDE*. |
hiems | (Shakes.) winter > HIEMS. No HIEM*. |
hijinks | high jinks, frolics. No HIJINK*. |
hinderlans | (Scots) the buttocks. No HINDERLAN*. |
hinderlings | (Scots) the buttocks. No HINDERLING*. |
hinderlins | (Scots) the buttocks. No HINDERLIN*. |
hippocras | a mediaeval spiced wine. No HIPPOCRA*. |
hols | (Coll.) holidays. No HOL*. |
homines | (Pl.) HOMO, a man. No HOMINE*. |
horlicks | a mess, as in to make a horlicks of. No HORLICK*. |
hornfels | (Ger.) a compact type of rock composed of lime silicates. No HORNFEL*. |
horsefeathers | nonsense! No HORSEFEATHER*. |
houselights | in a theatre, the lights illuminating the auditorium. No HOUSELIGHT*. |
housewares | articles used in the home. No HOUSEWARE*. |
hurdies | (Scots) the buttocks, the thighs. No HURDIE* or HURDY*. |
hurds | the coarse part of flax or hemp. No HURD*. |
hustings | a political platform. [ME, from OE husting, from Old Norse husthing, from hus, house thing, assembly]. No HUSTING*. |
huswives | plural of HUSWIFE, a sewing-kit. No HUSWIVE*. |
hydrops | hydropsy > HYDROPSES. No HYDROP*. |
ibices | plural of IBEX, a mountain goat. No IBICE*. |
icones | plural of ICON (can also be ICONS). No ICONE*. |
iconostas | A screen in a Greek church > ICONOSTASES. No ICONOSTA*. |
ilices | plural of ILEX. No ILICE*. |
imbrices | plural of IMBREX, an overlapping tile. No IMBRICE*. |
indices | plural of INDEX. No INDICE*. |
induciae | in Scots law, the time limit within which (after a citation) the defendant must appear in court or reply. No INDUCIA*. |
induviae | (Lat.) withered leaves which persist on plants. No INDUVIA*. |
inferiae | (Lat.) offerings to the spirits of the dead. No INFERIA*. |
innards | the intestines. No INNARD*. |
jacales | (Pl.) JACAL, a hut built of erect stakes filled in with wattle and mud, common in Mexico, and the southwestern US. No JACALE*. |
jammies | pyjamas. No JAMMIE*. |
jeepers | an interjection expressing surprise. No JEEPER*. |
jibbons | spring onions. No JIBBON*. |
jimjams | pyjamas. No JIMJAM*. |
joannes | An obsolete Portuguese gold coin, named from the figure of King John which it bears > JOANNESES. No JOANNE*. |
jogpants | trousers worn for jogging. No JOGPANT*. |
johannes | an obsolete Portuguese gold coin, named from the figure of King John which it bears > JOHANNESES. No JOHANNE*. |
jones | a drug habit > JONESES. No JONE*. |
jougs | (Scots) an old instrument of punishment consisting of a hinged iron collar locked round an offender's neck and attached by a chain to a wall or post. No JOUG*. |
juggins | a simpleton > JUGGINSES. No JUGGIN*. |
jumpsies | a child's game of jumping a rope. No JUMPSIE* or JUMPSY*. |
kaas | a large cupboard. No KAA*. |
kalends | (Lat.) the first day of the ancient Roman month from which days were counted backwards to the Ides. No KALEND*. |
kans | an Indian grass related to sugar-cane > KANSES. No KAN*. |
keks | (Coll.) trousers. No KEK*. |
kidstakes | (Aust. coll.) nonsense, humbug. No KIDSTAKE*. |
killas | clay slate. No KILLA*. |
kiwisports | sports as practised in New Zealand. No KIWISPORT*. |
klipdas | an African mammal like the hyrax. No KLIPDA*. |
kneesies | the flirtatious touching of knees under the table. No KNEESY*. |
koumys | an intoxicating fermented or distilled liquor originally made by the Tartars from mare's or camel's milk. No KOUMY*. |
kris | a dagger or short sword used by the Malays. No KRI*. |
kumys | an intoxicating fermented or distilled liquor originally made by the Tartars from mare's or camel's milk. No KUMY*. |
kvas | an alcoholic drink > KVASES. No KVA*. |
kylices | plural of KYLIX, a drinking-cup. No KYLICE*. |
labrys | (Greek) a type of axe > LABRYSES. No LABRY*. |
laches | negligence or unreasonable delay in pursuing a legal remedy > LACHESES. No LACHE*. |
lamboys | (Arch.) kilted flexible steel plates worn skirt-like from the waist. No LAMBOY*. |
lampas | a swelling of the mouth in horses. No LAMPA*. |
lanciers | (Fr.) a French dance. No LANCIER*. |
larnakes | plural of LARNAX, a terracotta chest of ancient Greece. No LARNAKE*. |
lashins | (Coll.) an abundance. No LASHIN*. |
leges | plural of LEX, law. No LEGE*. |
lemures | plural of LEMUR, a Roman ghost of the dead. No LEMURE*. |
lemures | plural of LEMUR, a Roman ghost of the dead. No LEMURE*. |
lens | in optics > LENSES. No LEN*. |
levatores | Plural of LEVATOR, a type of muscle. No LEVATORE*. |
levis | heavy close-fitting denim trousers. No LEVI*. |
lignaloes | aloes wood, as mentioned in the Bible. No LIGNALOE*. |
limites | plural of LIMES, boundary. No LIMITE*. |
litas | a monetary unit of Lithuania > LITAI or LITU. No LITA*. |
litotes | a figure of speech. No LITOTE*. |
loggets | (Shakesp.) the game called nine-pins. No LOGGET*. |
longies | (Coll.) long underwear. No LONGIE*. |
loosies | (Coll.) cigarettes sold individually. No LOOSIE* or LOOSY*. |
lues | disease, especially of a contagious kind > LUES. No LUE*. |
maatjes | (Danish) a young herring before it has spawned, cured in brine > MAATJES. No MAATJE*. |
madras | a fine plain-woven cotton or silk. No MADRA*. |
mameyes | plural of MAMEY, a kind of tropical tree. No MAMEYE*. |
marginalia | marginal notes. No MARGINALIUM*. |
marrels | the game of MERILS. No MARREL*. |
marshlocks | a marsh-growing species of cinquefoil. No MARSHLOCK*. |
matjes | (Danish) a young herring before it has spawned, cured in brine > MATJES. No MATJE*. |
meawes | (Spenser) = MEWS, gulls. No MEAWE*. |
mebos | in S. Africa, salted or sugared dried apricots > MEBOSES. [Possibly from Japanese umeboshi, a kind of plum]. No MEBO*. |
meshugaas | (Yiddish) madness. No MESHUGAA*. |
meticais | plural of METICAL, a monetary unit of Mozambique. No METICAI*. |
mips | a million instructions per second. No MIP*. |
mirligoes | (Scots) dizziness. No MIRLIGOE*. |
mishegaas | (Yiddish) madness. No MISHEGAA*. |
mismanners | (Obs.) bad manners. No MISMANNER*. |
moccies | (Aust. sl.) moccasins. No MOCCIE*. |
moobs moobies | overdeveloped breasts on a man. No MOOB* or MOOBY*. |
moonboots | thickly padded boots. No MOONBOOT*. |
morgellons | a condition in which the sufferer experiences crawling, biting, and stinging sensations on the skin. No MORGELLON*. |
moslings | thin strips taken off when dressing skins. No MOSLING*. |
mouls | (Scots) clods, esp. in allusion to the grave. No MOUL*. |
muggins | a fool, a sucker, especially used facetiously to refer to oneself as such > MUGGINSES. No MUGGIN*. |
mulligrubs | (Coll.) grumpiness, low spirits. No MULLIGRUB*. |
murices | plural of MUREX, a shellfish. No MURICE*. |
myops | a short-sighted person. No MYOP*. |
nabis | (Fr.) a group of late 19th-cent. French post-impressionists following the artistic theories of the French painter Paul Gauguin (1848–1903). No NABI*. |
nachas | (Yiddish) pride in another's accomplishments. No NACHA*. |
nadors | (S. Afr.) thirst brought on by excessive consumption of alcohol. No NADOR*. |
nads | (sl.) testicles. No NAD*. |
naiades | a plural of NAIAD. No NAIADE*. |
naos | a Greek temple > NAOI. No NAO*. |
naras | (Hottentot) an edible melonlike fruit of a S. African shrub. No NARA*. |
narras | (Hottentot) an edible melonlike fruit of a S. African shrub. No NARRA*. |
nates | (Lat.) the buttocks. No NATE*. |
naythles | nevertheless. No NAYTHLE*. |
nelies | a winter pear > NELIES. No NELIE*. |
nelis | a winter pear > NELIS. No NELI*. |
neotropics | the tropics of the New World, Central America. No NEOTROPIC*. |
nerts | an interjection expressing disgust. No NERT*. |
netherlings | stockings. No NETHERLING*. |
nimps | (Liverpool dialect) easy. No NIMP*. |
nineholes | a game in which nine holes are made in the ground, into which a ball is bowled. No NINEHOLE*. |
nombles | a deer's entrails. No NOMBLE*. |
nootropics | Cognitive enhancers; mind drugs. No NOOTROPIC*. |
noughties | The decade from 2000 to 2009. No NOUGHTIE*. |
nugae | (Lat.) trifles; jests. No NUGA*. |
numbles | a deer's entrails. No NUMBLE*. |
nyas | a young hawk taken from the nest for training > NYASES. No NYA*. |
ockodols | one's feet when wearing boots. No OCKODOL*. |
octopodes | plural of OCTOPUS. No OCTOPODE*. |
oodles | lots of. No OODLE*. |
oodlins | lots of. No OODLIN*. |
oratrices | plural of ORATRIX, a female plaintiff. No ORATRICE*. |
ordines | plural of ORDO, a religious order. No ORDINE*. |
orleans | a variety of plum. No ORLEAN*. |
ornithes | the bird life of a region. No ORNITHE*. |
oughtlings | (Scots) at all. No OUGHTLING*. |
outquarters | quarters situated away from headquarters. No OUTQUARTER*. |
ovibos | (Lat.) the musk ox > OVIBOSES. [L. ovis sheep, and bos, bovis ox]. No OVIBO*. |
oxes | a plural of OX, in sense of clumsy person. No OXE*. |
padkos | (S. Afr.) provisions for a journey. No PADKO*. |
palais | a palace. No PALAI*. |
palas | an Indian tree. No PALA*. |
parietes | plural of PARIES, an anatomical wall. No PARIETE*. |
parkleaves | a European species of Saint John's-wort, aka TUTSAN. No PARKLEAF*. |
parulides | plural of PARULIS, a gumboil. No PARULIDE*. |
pelves | plural of PELVIS. No PELVE*. |
penates | (Lat.) the household gods of a Roman family. No PENATE*. |
petropounds | money from oil revenues. No PETROPOUND*. |
pettichaps | (Dial.) the garden warbler > PETTICHAPSES. No PETTICHAP*. |
pettitoes | pigs' feet as food. No PETTITOE*. |
pholas | a type of rock-boring mollusc > PHOLADES. No PHOLA*. |
pilliwinks | an instrument of torture designed to crush fingers. No PILLIWINK*. |
pilniewinks | an instrument of torture for crushing the fingers. No PILNIEWINK*. |
pinchcommons | a niggard with food > PINCHCOMMONSES. No PINCHCOMMON*. |
pinedrops | a reddish herb of the United States, found parasitic on the roots of pine trees. No PINEDROP*. |
plainstanes | (Scots) flagstones, pavement. No PLAINSTANE*. |
plainstones | (Scots) flagstones, pavement. No PLAINSTONE*. |
pockies | (Scots) woollen mittens. No POCKY*. |
pollices | plural of POLLEX, the thumb. No POLLICE*. |
pons | (Lat.) bridge. No PON*. |
pontes | plural of PONS, bridge. No PONTE*. |
pontifices | plural of PONTIFEX, a pontiff. No PONTIFICE*. |
pothos | a climbing plant with variegated leaves. No POTHO*. |
preggers | (Sl.) pregnant. No PREGGER*. |
primitiae | (Lat.) the first year's revenue of a benefice. No PRIMITIA*. |
primitias | (Lat.) the first year's revenue of a benefice. No PRIMITIA*. |
printworks | a place where printing is carried out. No PRINTWORK*. |
proggins | (Sl.) a proctor. No PROGGIN*. |
psoas | the loin muscle > PSOAE, PSOAI or PSOASES. No PSOA*. |
puftaloonies | (Aust.) a type of fried cake, eaten hot with jam, honey or sugar. No PUFTALOONY*. |
pussytoes | a genus of composite herbs. No PUSSYTOE*. |
pyonings | (Spenser) pioning, pioneer-work. No PYONING*. |
rackabones | a very lean animal, esp. a horse. No RACKABONE* > RACKABONES. |
radices | plural of RADIX, root. No RADICE*. |
rakshas | A demon in Hindu mythology > RAKSHASES. No RAKSHA*. |
rectrices | plural of RECTRIX, a quill feather. No RECTRICE*. |
reliquiae | (Lat.) remains, esp. fossil. No RELIQUIA*. |
rellies | (Aust. sl.) relatives. No RELLIE*. |
remiges | plural of REMEX, a large feather. No REMIGE*. |
rhagades | (Greek) cracks or fissures in the skin. [Gk. rhagas, a tear]. No RHAGADE*. |
rhus | a shrub. No RHU*. |
ribes | a flowering shrub. No RIBE*. |
rillettes | (Fr.) a French type of potted meat made by simmering shreds of lean and fat pork, then pounding them to make a paste. No RILLETTE*. |
ringhals | an African snake that spits its venom > RINGHALSES. No RINGHAL*. |
rinkhals | an African snake that spits its venom > RINKHALSES. No RINKHAL*. |
rotatores | plural of ROTATOR, a type of muscle. No ROTATORE*. |
rudas | (Scots) a hideous old woman. No RUDA*. |
sabermetrics | The statistical analysis of baseball data. No SABERMETRIC*. |
salices | plural of SALIX, willow. No SALICE*. |
sallenders | an eruption on the hind leg of a horse. No SALLENDER*. |
salopettes | quilted skiing trousers with shoulder straps. No SALOPETTE*. |
salpinges | plural of SALPINX, the Eustachian tube. No SALPINGE*. |
sassafras | a tree of the laurel family. No SASSAFRA*. |
satelles | a satellite > SATELLITES. No SATELLE*. |
sawbones | a surgeon. No SAWBONE*. |
scalpins | small stones used for drainage in excavation and as hardcore. No SCALPIN*. |
scarpines | (Ital.) an instrument of torture for the feet. No SCARPINE*. |
scazontes | plural of SCAZON, a verse metre. No SCAZONTE*. |
scoleces | plural of SCOLEX, the head of a tapeworm. No SCOLECE*. |
scolices | plural of SCOLEX, the head of a tapeworm. No SCOLICE*. |
sedes | (Latin) a seat. No SEDE*. |
semiworks | a manufacturing plant operating on a limited commercial scale to provide final tests of a new product or process. No SEMIWORK*. |
sferics | Abbrev. of ATMOSPHERICS, noises interfering with radio reception, due to electric disturbances in the ether. Also SPHERICS. No SFERIC* (but there is SPHERIC). |
shammas | (Yiddish) the sexton in a synagogue > SHAMASIM. No SHAMMA*. |
shaps | (Short for) CHAPARAJOS, a cowboy's leather riding leggings. No SHAP*. |
siegeworks | a besieger's engineering works. No SIEGEWORK*. |
siemens | a unit of electrical conductance. No SIEMEN*. |
significs | the science of meaning. No SIGNIFIC*. |
silvics | the study of forest trees. No SILVIC*. |
simplices | plural of SIMPLEX, a geometrical figure. No SIMPLICE*. |
skeesicks | (US) a rascal > SKEESICKS. No SKEESICK*. |
slyboots | a sly person. No SLYBOOT*. |
smartypants | an overly clever person. No SMARTYPANT*. |
smithers | = SMITHEREENS, tiny fragments. No SMITHER*. |
snowblades | short skis used without poles. No SNOWBLADE*. |
snuggies | women's long underwear. No SNUGGY* or SNUGGIE*. |
soapsuds | soapy froth. No SOAPSUD*. |
softgoods | soft goods. No SOFTGOOD*. |
solonets | (Russian) an alkaline soil-type having a hard dark subsoil under a thin friable topsoil > SOLONETSES. No SOLONET*. |
sordes | dark incrustations on the lips of fever patients. No SORDE*. |
sorites | (Greek) a string of statements where the end of one is the subject of the next. [Gk. soreites, from soros, a heap]. No SORITE*. |
sowans | (Gaelic) a kind of oat porridge, a traditional dish for Hallowe'en. No SOWAN*. |
sowens | (Gaelic) a kind of oat porridge, a traditional dish for Hallowe'en. No SOWEN*. |
spadices | plural of SPADIX, a flower-spike. No SPADICE*. |
spadones | plural of SPADO, a castrated person or animal. No SPADONE*. |
spondoolicks | (US slang) cash, money. No SPONDOOLICK*. |
spondulicks | (US slang) cash, money. No SPONDULICK*. |
springhaas | a S. African rodent. No SPRINGHAA*. |
spuriae | (Lat.) in birds, feathers of the bastard wing. No SPURIA*. |
stapes | (Lat.) the stirrup-shaped bone of the ear > STAPEDES. No STAPE*. |
starets | (Russian) an Eastern Orthodox spiritual advisor. No STARET*. |
steenbras | a S. African fish. No STEENBRA*. |
stovies | (Scots) a thick stew of potatoes, lard, onions and sausagemeat. No STOVY* or STOVIE*. |
stowlins | (Scots) by stealth. No STOWLIN*. |
stownlins | (Scots) by stealth. No STOWNLIN*. |
stretchmarks | marks left on a woman's body by pregnancy. No STRETCHMARK*. |
strossers | (Shakesp.) trousers. No STROSSER*. |
stylops | a kind of wasp > STYLOPES. No STYLOP*. |
subimagines | plural of SUBIMAGO, a stage in the life of a mayfly. No SUBIMAGINE*. |
sundrops | an American evening primrose with flowers that open at sunset. No SUNDROP*. |
sunnies | (NZ) sunglasses. No SUNNIE*. |
swits | (Shakesp.) a switch > SWITSES. No SWIT*. |
tackies | tennis shoes or plimsolls. No TACKIE*; TACKY is good as adjective. |
tagetes | a garden flower. No TAGETE*. |
talipes | (Lat.) club foot. [L. talis, ankle pes, foot]. No TALIPE*. |
tarantas | a type of carriage used in Russia > TARANTASES. No TARANTA*. |
tarras | a type of volcanic tuff. No TARRA*. |
tectrices | plural of TECTRIX, a kind of feather. No TECTRICE*. |
temblores | plural of TEMBLOR, an earthquake. No TEMBLORE*. |
tems | a sieve. No TEM*. |
tenebrae | (Lat.) matins and lauds of the following day sung on the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of Holy Week - candles are extinguished one by one at the end of each psalm with the final psalm being sung in darkness. No TENEBRA*. |
teras | (Greek) a monstrosity > TERATA. No TERA*. |
teres | (Lat.) either of two muscles of the shoulder-blade. [L. teres, smooth]. No TERE*. |
terts | (Coll.) TETRACHLORETHYLENE, a chemical. No TERT*. |
thermae | (Lat.) hot springs or baths, esp. in ancient Rome. No THERMA*. |
thewes | (Shakesp.) sinews, muscles. No THEWE*. |
thoraces | Plural of THORAX. No THORACE*. |
thumbikins | (Scots) thumbscrews. No THUMBIKIN*. |
timps | (Coll.) = TIMPANI, small drums. No TIMP*. |
tinsnips | a pair of hand shears for cutting tin etc. No TINSNIP*. |
tortrices | Plural of TORTRIX, a kind of moth. No TORTRICE*. |
tournedos | a small round thick beef fillet > TOURNEDOS. No TOURNEDO*. |
trabs | (dial.) trainers. No TRAB*. |
treggings | thick leggings. No TREGGING*. |
triens | (Lat.) a coin of ancient Rome > TRIENTES. No TRIEN*. |
triones | (Lat.) the seven stars of the Plough. [L. triones plough-oxen]. No TRIONE*. |
trossers | (Obs.) trousers. No TROSSER*. |
trowsers | (Obs.) trousers. No TROWSER*. |
tryworks | a type of furnace. No TRYWORK*. |
turkois | Turquoise. No TURKOI*. |
tussis | a cough. No TUSSI*. |
tutrices | plural of TUTRIX, a female tutor. No TUTRICE*. |
twalhours | a noonday meal or refreshment. No TWALHOUR*. |
tympanites | the distention of the abdomen by flatulence. No TYMPANITE*. |
tzimmes | a vegetable stew. No TZIMME*. |
uckers | a form of the game ludo, played in the Navy. No UCKER*. |
umbones | (Pl.) UMBO, the boss of a shield. No UMBO*. |
underdaks | underwear. No UNDERDAK*. |
underthings | underwear. No UNDERTHING*. |
upas | a kind of tree. No UPA*. |
upperworks | the upper part of a structure (of a ship above the load-line). No UPPERWORK*. |
urus | a wild ox. No URU*. |
vanitas | a kind of Dutch painting > VANITASES. No VANITA*. |
varices | plural of VARIX, a vein. No VARICE*. |
velites | (Lat.) foot-soldiers of ancient Rome. No VELITE*. |
vers | (Fr.) verse. No VER*. |
vertices | plural of VERTEX, a point. No VERTICE*. |
vibices | plural of VIBEX, a blood-streak. No VIBICE*. |
vibs | (Coll.) shoes with Vibram soles. No VIB*. |
vivres | (Scots) food; eatables. No VIVRE*. |
voces | plural of VOX, voice. No VOCE*. |
vortices | plural of VORTEX, a whirlpool. No VORTICE*. |
walkies | as in 'to go walkies'. No WALKIE* or WALKY*. |
whatabouts | things with which one is occupied. No WHATABOUT*. |
windas | a windlass. No WINDA*. |
witblits | (Afrikaans) a strong home-distilled alcoholic spirit. No WITBLIT*. [Afr. wit, white blits, lightning]. |
wojus | (Irish) of inferior quality. No WOJU*. |
worryguts | (Coll.) someone who worries a lot. No WORRYGUT*. |
wukkas | (Aust. sl.) no problems. No WUKKA*. |
yellowlegs | any one of several species of long-legged sandpipers of the genus Totanus, in which the legs are bright yellow. No YELLOWLEG*. |
yibbles | (Scots) perhaps. No YIBBLE*. |
yonks | (Coll.) ages, a long time. No YONK*. |
zooks | = GADZOOKS, an exclamation. No ZOOK*. |
zounds | a mild oath (God's wounds). No ZOUND*. |