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Glossary · Nouns · S

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TermTypeDefinitionClassificationsUpdated
Spammernounsomeone who sends unwanted email, often in bulkverifiedMay 18, 2026
Span LoadingnounMWEthe ratio of the weight of an airplane to its wingspanverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spandexnounan elastic synthetic fabricverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spandrelnounan approximately triangular surface area between two adjacent arches and the horizontal plane above themverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spandrilnounan approximately triangular surface area between two adjacent arches and the horizontal plane above themverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spaniardnouna person from SpainverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spanielnounany of several breeds of small to medium-sized gun dogs with a long silky coat and long frilled earsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spankernouna fore-and-aft sail set on the aftermost lower mast (usually the mizzenmast) of a vesselverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spannernouna hand tool that is used to hold or twist a nut or boltverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spanning PortnounMWEConfigures the switch to behave like a hub for a specific port.NetworkMay 9, 2026
Spar BuoynounMWEa buoy resembling a vertical logverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spare PartnounMWEan extra component of a machine or other apparatusverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spare TimenounMWEtime available for hobbies and other activities that you enjoyverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spare TirenounMWEexcess fat around the waistlineverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spare-Time ActivitynounMWEan auxiliary activityverifiedMay 18, 2026
Sparenessnounthe property of being scanty or scatteredverifiedMay 18, 2026
Sparernounsomeone who refrains from injuring or destroyingverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spareribsnouncut of pork from the rib section with most of the meat trimmed offverifiedMay 18, 2026
Sparge PipenounMWEa horizontal pipe having fine holes drilled throughout its length so as to deliver a spray of waterverifiedMay 18, 2026
Sparidnounspiny-finned food fishes of warm waters having well-developed teethverifiedMay 18, 2026
Sparid FishnounMWEspiny-finned food fishes of warm waters having well-developed teethverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spark AdvancenounMWEthe timing of ignition relative to the position of the piston in an internal-combustion engineverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spark ArresternounMWEelectrical device to reduce sparking when electrical contacts are opened or closedverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spark ChambernounMWEan instrument that detects ionizing radiation from elementary particlesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spark CoilnounMWEan induction coil used to create sparksverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spark CounternounMWEan instrument that detects ionizing radiation from elementary particlesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spark GapnounMWEthe gap between two high-potential terminalsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spark LevernounMWE(on early automobiles) a lever mounted on the steering column and used to adjust the timing of the ignitionverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spark PlugnounMWEelectrical device that fits into the cylinder head of an internal-combustion engine and ignites the gas by means of an electric sparkverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spark TransmitternounMWEan early radio transmitter using a discharge across a spark gap as the source of its powerverifiedMay 18, 2026
Sparkernouna wire net to stop sparks from an open fireplace or smokestackverifiedMay 18, 2026
Sparking PlugnounMWEelectrical device that fits into the cylinder head of an internal-combustion engine and ignites the gas by means of an electric sparkverifiedMay 18, 2026
Sparkle MetalnounMWEmatte that has 74 percent copperverifiedMay 18, 2026
Sparkleberrynounshrub or small tree of eastern United States having black inedible berriesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Sparklernouna firework that burns slowly and throws out a shower of sparksverifiedMay 18, 2026
Sparkling WaternounMWEeffervescent beverage artificially charged with carbon dioxideverifiedMay 18, 2026
Sparkling WinenounMWEeffervescent wineverifiedMay 18, 2026
Sparkplug WrenchnounMWEa wrench for removing or tightening spark plugs into the cylinder head of an internal combustion engineverifiedMay 18, 2026
Sparlingnounthe common smelt of EuropeverifiedMay 18, 2026
Sparringnounan argument in which the participants are trying to gain some advantageverifiedMay 18, 2026
Sparring MatchnounMWEa practice or exhibition boxing matchverifiedMay 18, 2026
Sparring MatenounMWEa boxer who spars with another boxer who is training for an important fightverifiedMay 18, 2026
Sparring PartnernounMWEa boxer who spars with another boxer who is training for an important fightverifiedMay 18, 2026
Sparrownounany of several small dull-colored singing birds feeding on seeds or insectsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Sparrow HawknounMWEsmall hawk of Eurasia and northern AfricaverifiedMay 18, 2026
Sparsenessnounthe property of being scanty or scatteredverifiedMay 18, 2026
Sparsitynounrefers to a matrix of numbers that includes many zeros or values that will not significantly impact a calculation.verifiedMay 18, 2026
Spasmnoun(pathology) sudden constriction of a hollow organ (as a blood vessel)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Spasmodic LaryngitisnounMWEa disease of infants and young childrenverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spasmolysisnounthe relaxation or relief of muscle spasmsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spasmolyticnouna drug used to relieve or prevent spasms (especially of the smooth muscles)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Spastic AbasianounMWEabasia due to spastic contractions of the leg musclesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spastic BladdernounMWEa urinary bladder disorder resulting from spinal cord lesion or multiple sclerosis or traumaverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spastic ColonnounMWErecurrent abdominal pain and diarrhea (often alternating with periods of constipation)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Spastic ParalysisnounMWEa loss or deficiency of motor control with involuntary spasms caused by permanent brain damage present at birthverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spasticitynounthe quality of moving or acting in spasmsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spatenounthe occurrence of a water flow resulting from sudden rain or melting snowverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spathenouna conspicuous bract surrounding or subtending a spadix or other inflorescenceverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spathe FlowernounMWEany of various plants of the genus Spathiphyllum having a white or green spathe and a spike of fragrant flowers and often cultivated as an ornamentalverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spathiphyllumnounany of various plants of the genus Spathiphyllum having a white or green spathe and a spike of fragrant flowers and often cultivated as an ornamentalverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spatial ArrangementnounMWEthe property possessed by an array of things that have space between themverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spatial PropertynounMWEany property relating to or occupying spaceverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spatial RelationnounMWEthe spatial property of a place where or way in which something is situatedverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spatialitynounany property relating to or occupying spaceverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spatterdocknouncommon water lily of eastern and central North America, having broad leaves and globe-shaped yellow flowersverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spatteringnounthe noise of something spattering or sputtering explosivelyverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spatulanouna hand tool with a thin flexible blade used to mix or spread soft substancesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spatulate LeafnounMWEspatula-shaped leafverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spavinnouna swelling of the hock joint of a horseverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spawlnouna fragment broken off from the edge or face of stone or ore and having at least one thin edgeverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spawnernouna female fish at spawning timeverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spayingnounneutering a female by removing the ovariesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Speakeasynoun(during prohibition) an illegal barroomverifiedMay 18, 2026
Speakernounelectro-acoustic transducer that converts electrical signals into sounds loud enough to be heard at a distanceverifiedMay 18, 2026
Speaker IdentificationnounMWEidentification of a person from the sound of their voiceverifiedMay 18, 2026
Speaker SystemnounMWEelectro-acoustic transducer that converts electrical signals into sounds loud enough to be heard at a distanceverifiedMay 18, 2026
Speaker UnitnounMWEelectro-acoustic transducer that converts electrical signals into sounds loud enough to be heard at a distanceverifiedMay 18, 2026
Speakerphonenouna telephone with a microphone and loudspeakerverifiedMay 18, 2026
Speakershipnounthe position of SpeakerverifiedMay 18, 2026
Speaking TrumpetnounMWEa trumpet-shaped acoustic device to intensify and direct the human voiceverifiedMay 18, 2026
Speaking TubenounMWEa tube for conveying the sound of a voice from one room to anotherverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spear CarriernounMWEa minor actor in crowd scenesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spear phishingnounMWEAn attack targeting a specific user or group of users, and attempts to deceive the user into performing an action that launches an attack, such as opening a document or clicking a link. Spear phishers rely on knowing some personal piece of information about their target, such as an event, interest, travel plans, or current issues. Sometimes this information is gathered by hacking into the targeted network.ThreatMay 9, 2026
Spear ThistlenounMWEEuropean thistle with rather large heads and prickly leavesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spear ThrowernounMWEa device resembling a sling that is used in various primitive societies to propel a dart or spearverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spearfishnounany of several large vigorous pelagic fishes resembling sailfishes but with first dorsal fin much reducedverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spearmintnouncommon garden herb having clusters of small purplish flowers and yielding an oil used as a flavoringverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spearmint OilnounMWEan aromatic oil obtained from the spearmint plantverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spearnose BatnounMWENew World bat with a pointed nose leafverifiedMay 18, 2026
Spearpointnounthe head and sharpened point of a spearverifiedMay 18, 2026
Special Access ProgramnounMWEA program established for a specific class of classified information that imposes safeguarding and access requirements that exceed those normally required for information at the same classification level.ProcessRegulatedCUIMay 9, 2026
Special Access Program FacilitynounMWEFacility formally accredited by an appropriate agency in accordance with DCID 6/9 in which SAP information may be processed.PhysicalRegulatedCDIMay 9, 2026
Special ActnounMWEa legislative act that applies only to a particular person or particular districtverifiedMay 18, 2026
Special AgentnounMWEsomeone whose authority is limited to the special undertaking they have been instructed to performverifiedMay 18, 2026
Special AssessmentnounMWEan additional tax levied on private property for public improvements that enhance the value of the propertyverifiedMay 18, 2026
Special CharacternounMWEAny non-alphanumeric character that can be rendered on a standard American-English keyboard. Use of a specific special character may be application-dependent. The list of special characters follows: ` ~ ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) _ + | } { “ : ? [ ] \ ; ’ , . / - =RequirementMay 9, 2026
Special ContractnounMWEa contract that is signed and has the (wax) seal of the signer attachedverifiedMay 18, 2026
Special Court-MartialnounMWEa court-martial to try soldiers for offenses less serious that than those committed in actionverifiedMay 18, 2026
Special DeliverynounMWEmail that is delivered by a special carrier (for an additional charge)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Special Drawing RightsnounMWEreserve assets in the International Monetary FundverifiedMay 18, 2026