Labels and Abbreviations

The labels and abbreviations used in the Thesaurus are:

  • adj. (adjective)
  • adv. (Adverb)
  • Afr. (African)
  • Amer. (American/Central American)
  • arch. (archaic): indicates that a word is not in ordinary current use, but may be used deliberately to give an old-fashioned effect and is also found in the literature of the past
  • Austral. (Australian)
  • Black: indicates that a word is found in any of various forms of English spoken by black people, especially as an urban dialect in the US
  • Canad. (Canadian)
  • cant: denotes language specific to a particular group or profession and regarded with disparagement (e.g. thieves’ cant)
  • colloq. (colloquial): denotes vocabulary belonging to informal language and conversation rather than to official or formal contexts
  • conj. (conjunction)
  • contemp. (contemptuous): denotes language that is intended by the speaker to convey a low opinion
  • derog. (derogatory): denotes language that is intended by the speaker to convey a low opinion
  • dial. (dialect): indicates that a word is restricted mainly to certain local regions of the English-speaking world
  • Dict. (Dictionary): indicates that a word occurs only in a dictionary or similar work, and may not have been in general use
  • E. Mid. (East Midland)
  • Eccles. (Ecclesiastical)
  • erron. (erroneously): denotes an erroneous use of a word
  • esp. (especially)
  • etc. (etcetera)
  • euphem. (Euphemistically): indicates that a term is used in place of a more direct or vulgar one
  • exc. (Except)
  • fig. (figurative): indicates that a term is used in a metaphorical way
  • formal: denotes language that is normally used only in writing, in contexts such as official documents
  • freq. (frequently)
  • gen. (general; generally)
  • historical: indicates that a term is still used in current English, but only in reference to some practice or artefact that is no longer part of modern life
  • humorous: indicates uses that are intended to be humorous or playful
  • v. impers. (impersonal verb)
  • int. (interjection)
  • vi. (intransitive verb)
  • iron. (ironical): indicates that a term is used ironically
  • joc. (jocularly): indicates uses that are intended to be humorous or playful
  • lit. (literally): indicates that a term is used in its literal sense
  • Literary: denotes a word that is found only or mainly in literature
  • local: indicates that a word is restricted to a specific locality (e.g. London)
  • Mid. (Midland)
  • NZ (New Zealand)
  • nonce: word denotes a word coined by a particular person for a specific occasion
  • N. (North)
  • n. (noun)
  • obs. (obsolete): indicates that a word is no longer in current use (this is used in the Thesaurus only if the information is not obvious from the dates)
  • occas. (occasionally)
  • OE (Old English)
  • orig. (originally)
  • v. pass. (passive verb)
  • perh. (perhaps)
  • phr. (phrase)
  • poet. (poetic): indicates that a word is restricted to poetry
  • pop. (popularly): indicates a popular usage of a word
  • prep. (preposition)
  • rare: indicates that a word is not in frequent use
  • v. refl. (reflexive verb)
  • RC (Roman Catholic)
  • slang: denotes very informal language that is often restricted to a particular social group
  • S. (South)
  • S. Afr. (South African)
  • SW (south-western)
  • spec. (specific; specifically)
  • technical: denotes a term that is normally used only in technical or specialist language, though not necessarily restricted to a specific subject field
  • transf. (transferred): indicates that the literal meaning of a term has been changed by extension or metaphor
  • vt. (transitive verb)
  • US (United States)
  • usu. (usually)
  • v. (verb)
  • vulgar: denotes very informal language, usually relating to sexual activity or bodily functions, which most people regard as taboo and which may cause offence
  • W. Mid. (West Midland)
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