Meaning: To spread out over a large area.

Part of speech: verb

Example: The scent began to diffuse throughout the room.

Synonyms:

• disperse
• scatter

Antonyms:

• concentrate
• gather

Meaning: A situation where two languages or dialects are used in different social contexts.

Part of speech: noun

Example: Diglossia can be seen in many bilingual communities.

Category: Linguistics

Synonyms:

• bilingualism
• language variation

Meaning: To make something seem worthy or important.

Part of speech: verb

Example: He tried to dignify his actions with excuses.

Category: General

Synonyms:

• elevate
• ennoble

Antonyms:

• degrade
• demean

Meaning: To stray from the main topic in speaking or writing.

Part of speech: verb

Example: I tend to digress when I talk about my hobbies.

Category: General

Synonyms:

• diverge
• wander

Antonyms:

• stay on topic
• focus

Meaning: An order or decree imposed by someone in power.

Part of speech: noun

Example: The new policy was seen as a diktat from the management.

Category: Politics

Synonyms:

• edict
• mandate

Meaning: The act of expanding or enlarging.

Part of speech: noun

Example: Dilatation of the blood vessels can affect blood pressure.

Category: Medicine

Synonyms:

• expansion
• enlargement

Meaning: A surgical procedure to remove tissue from the uterus.

Part of speech: noun

Example: Dilatation and curettage is often performed after a miscarriage.

Category: Medicine › Surgery

Synonyms:

• D&C
• surgical procedure

Meaning: Intended to cause delay.

Part of speech: adjective

Example: His dilatory tactics frustrated the team.

Category: General

Synonyms:

• delaying
• tardy

Antonyms:

• prompt
• punctual

Meaning: A sex toy shaped like a penis.

Part of speech: noun

Example: She bought a dildo for personal use.

Category: General

Synonyms:

• sex toy
• pleasure device

Meaning: A legal term indicating that a person's mental capacity was impaired, affecting their culpability.

Part of speech: noun

Example: He was found guilty but received a lighter sentence due to diminished responsibility.

Category: Law › Criminal Law

Synonyms: reduced culpability

Meaning: A point at which the level of profits or benefits gained is less than the amount of money or energy invested.

Part of speech: noun

Example: Investing more money in the project led to diminishing returns.

Category: Economics

Synonyms: law of diminishing returns

Meaning: The reduction or lessening of something.

Part of speech: noun

Example: There was a noticeable diminution in the quality of the product.

Category: General

Synonyms:

• reduction
• decrease

Meaning: Genuine or real; often used in Australian English.

Part of speech: adjective

Example: He's a dinkum Aussie who loves the outdoors.

Category: General

Synonyms:

• genuine
• authentic

Antonyms: fake

Meaning: Relating to a diocese.

Part of speech: adjective

Example: The diocesan meeting focused on community outreach programs.

Category: Religion

Synonyms: episcopal

Meaning: A district under the pastoral care of a bishop in the Christian Church.

Part of speech: noun

Example: The diocese held a charity event to support local families.

Category: Religion

Synonyms: bishopric

Meaning: Relating to Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, fertility, and festivity.

Part of speech: adjective

Example: The festival had a Dionysiac atmosphere with music and dancing.

Category: Arts › Mythology

Synonyms:

• festive
• bacchanalian

Meaning: A unit of measurement for the optical power of a lens.

Part of speech: noun

Example: The lens has a power of +2 dioptres.

Category: Science › Optics

Synonyms: diopter

Meaning: Relating to the refraction of light or the properties of lenses.

Part of speech: adjective

Example: The dioptric properties of the lens affect how it focuses light.

Category: Science › Optics

Synonyms: optical

Meaning: A group of chemically-related compounds that are environmental pollutants.

Part of speech: noun

Example: Dioxins can be harmful to human health.

Category: Science › Chemistry

Synonyms: pollutant

Meaning: A serious bacterial infection affecting the throat and nose.

Part of speech: noun

Example: Diphtheria can be prevented with vaccination.

Category: Medicine › Infectious Diseases

Synonyms: infection

Meaning: To change a vowel sound into a diphthong.

Part of speech: verb

Example: Some dialects diphthongize certain vowel sounds.

Category: Language › Phonetics

Synonyms:

• glide
• blend

Meaning: A large, long-necked dinosaur that lived during the late Jurassic period.

Part of speech: noun

Example: The diplodocus was one of the largest dinosaurs.

Category: Nature › Paleontology

Synonyms: dinosaur

Meaning: A person who is skilled in diplomacy; a diplomat.

Part of speech: noun

Example: As a diplomatist, he negotiated treaties between nations.

Category: Politics › International Relations

Synonyms: diplomat

Meaning: A pair of equal and opposite electric charges or magnetic poles separated by a distance.

Part of speech: noun

Example: The dipole created a magnetic field around it.

Category: Science › Physics

Meaning: A person with a compulsive desire to drink alcohol.

Part of speech: noun

Example: He was known as a dipso-maniac, often seen at bars.

Category: Health › Addiction

Meaning: A painting or relief carving on two panels, usually hinged together.

Part of speech: noun

Example: The artist created a beautiful diptych for the exhibition.

Category: Arts › Visual Arts

Meaning: Immediate action taken to achieve a goal, often in a political context.

Part of speech: noun

Example: The group organized a direct action to protest the policy.

Category: Politics › Activism

Meaning: A way of reporting speech where the exact words are quoted.

Part of speech: noun

Example: In her story, she used direct discourse to capture the character's voice.

Category: Language › Grammar

Meaning: A system of governance where a central authority directly controls a region.

Part of speech: noun

Example: The territory was under direct rule from the capital.

Category: Politics › Governance

Meaning: The system of taxing individuals or organizations directly on their income or profits.

Part of speech: noun

Example: Direct taxation is essential for government revenue.

Category: Finance › Taxation

Meaning: The quality of being straightforward and honest.

Part of speech: noun

Example: Her directness in communication was appreciated by her colleagues.

Category: General

Synonyms:

• honesty
• straightforwardness

Antonyms: indirectness

Meaning: The highest-ranking official in an organization, often in government or international bodies.

Part of speech: noun

Example: The director general addressed the assembly.

Category: Politics › International Relations

Meaning: The chief prosecutor in a jurisdiction, responsible for overseeing criminal prosecutions.

Part of speech: noun

Example: The Director of Public Prosecutions announced new guidelines.

Category: Law › Criminal Law

Meaning: A group of directors or a governing body in an organization.

Part of speech: noun

Example: The directorate met to discuss future plans.

Category: Business › Management

Meaning: The position or role of a director in an organization.

Part of speech: noun

Example: He was appointed to the directorship of the nonprofit.

Category: Business › Management

Meaning: A mournful song or piece of music, often played at funerals.

Part of speech: noun

Example: The dirge filled the room with sorrow.

Category: Arts › Music

Synonyms:

• lament
• elegy

Meaning: A type of airship that can be steered and controlled.

Part of speech: noun

Example: The dirigible floated gracefully above the city.

Category: Science › Aerospace

Synonyms: airship

Meaning: An economic system where the government exerts strong control over the economy.

Part of speech: noun

Example: Dirigisme was prevalent in many post-war economies.

Category: Economics › Economic Systems

Meaning: A type of dagger, often associated with Scottish culture.

Part of speech: noun

Example: He carried a dirk as part of his traditional attire.

Category: History › Weapons

Meaning: A traditional dress worn in Austria and Bavaria, often with a fitted bodice and full skirt.

Part of speech: noun

Example: She wore a beautiful dirndl to the festival.

Category: Culture › Fashion