15-letter words containing a, p, u
- carpometacarpus — a bone in the wing of a bird that consists of the metacarpal bones and some of the carpal bones fused together
- casters-up mode — [IBM, probably from slang belly up] Yet another synonym for "broken" or "down". Usually connotes a major failure. A system (hardware or software) which is "down" may be already being restarted before the failure is noticed, whereas one which is "casters up" is usually a good excuse to take the rest of the day off (as long as you're not responsible for fixing it).
- cervical plexus — a network of nerves branching from the spinal nerves of the neck region and innervating the neck, chest, diaphragm, and part of the face.
- ceteris paribus — other things being equal
- champagne flute — a tall, thin champagne glass
- chartophylacium — (in a medieval church) a place for the keeping of records and documents.
- chemoautotrophs — Plural form of chemoautotroph.
- chemoautotrophy — the process of deriving energy through oxidizing inorganic chemical compounds, as opposed to photosynthesis
- chenopodiaceous — belonging to the Chenopodiaceae, formerly the goosefoot family, now considered part of the amaranth family of plants.
- chorale prelude — a composition for organ using a chorale as a cantus firmus or as the basis for variations
- chromium-plated — having been plated with chromium
- claustrophobics — Plural form of claustrophobic.
- clouded leopard — a feline, Neofelis nebulosa, of SE Asia and Indonesia with a yellowish-brown coat marked with darker spots and blotches
- clumber spaniel — a type of thickset spaniel having a broad heavy head
- colourpoint cat — a cat with increased pigmentation of cooler points of the body, such as ears, feet, tail, nose, and scrotum (in males)
- come up against — If you come up against a problem or difficulty, you are faced with it and have to deal with it.
- come up for air — rise to water's surface
- communion plate — a flat plate held under the chin of a communicant in order to catch any fragments of the consecrated Host
- communist party — (in non-Communist countries) a political party advocating Communism
- compound animal — any animal, such as most hydroids, corals, and bryozoans, composed of a number of individuals produced by budding from a single parent and usually so fused together that no demarcation is clearly distinguishable
- compound magnet — a magnet consisting of two or more separate magnets placed together with like poles pointing in the same direction.
- computationally — from a computational point of view
- computer dating — the use of computers by dating agencies to match their clients
- computer-phobia — a person who distrusts or is intimidated by computers.
- computerisation — (chiefly, British) alternative spelling of computerization.
- computerization — to control, perform, process, or store (a system, operation, or information) by means of or in an electronic computer or computers.
- conceptualising — Present participle of conceptualise.
- conceptualistic — Of or pertaining to conceptualism.
- conceptualizing — Present participle of conceptualize.
- consumption tax — a tax, as a sales tax, levied on consumer goods or services at the time of sale.
- contadora group — a group of four Latin American nations, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, and Venezuela, formed in January, 1983, to help solve the problems of the region.
- contemporaneous — If two events or situations are contemporaneous, they happen or exist during the same period of time.
- copenhagen blue — a greyish-blue colour
- copper sulphate — a copper salt found naturally as chalcanthite and made by the action of sulphuric acid on copper oxide. It usually exists as blue crystals of the pentahydrate that form a white anhydrous powder when heated: used as a mordant, in electroplating, and in plant sprays. Formula: CuSO4
- corpus callosum — the band of white fibres that connects the cerebral hemispheres in mammals
- corpus striatum — a striped mass of white and grey matter situated in front of the thalamus in each cerebral hemisphere
- cottage pudding — plain cake covered with a sweet sauce
- countercampaign — a campaign responding to another campaign
- counterexamples — Plural form of counterexample.
- counterproposal — a proposal offered as an alternative to a previous proposal
- counterpurchase — barter, especially of products or materials between international companies or importers and exporters.
- county palatine — the lands of a count palatine
- coup de theatre — a dramatic turn of events, esp in a play
- couples therapy — a counseling procedure that attempts to improve the adaptation and adjustment of two people who form a conjugal unit.
- court of appeal — A Court of Appeal is a court which deals with appeals against legal judgments.
- crepuscular ray — a twilight ray of sunlight shining through breaks in high clouds and illuminating dust particles in the air.
- cricopharyngeus — (anatomy) Part of the inferior pharyngeal constrictor, arising from the cricoid cartilage.
- crispus attucks — Crispus [kris-puh s] /ˈkrɪs pəs/ (Show IPA), 1723?–70, American patriot, probably a fugitive slave, killed in the Boston Massacre.
- crystal pick-up — a record-player pick-up in which the current is generated by the deformation of a piezoelectric crystal caused by the movements of the stylus
- culture pattern — a group of interrelated culture traits of some continuity.