Specialist dictionary

Pollution

Air, water and soil pollution, contaminants, emissions and environmental quality.

Areas within Pollution

Climate science

Climate systems, change, impacts and responses.

5 words

Conservation

Protecting biodiversity, habitats and natural resources.

1 words

Climate change

Greenhouse gases, warming, climate impacts, mitigation, adaptation and climate science.

210 words

Environmental ecology

Ecosystems, habitats, biodiversity and ecological interactions in environmental science.

409 words

Pollution

Air, water and soil pollution, contaminants, emissions and environmental quality.

1.2k words

Conservation and biodiversity

Species protection, habitat conservation, restoration and biodiversity.

862 words

Sustainability

Sustainable development, resource use, circularity and long-term environmental stewardship.

55 words

Resources and energy

Natural resources, energy systems, resource efficiency and environmental impacts.

112 words

Environmental policy

Environmental regulation, governance, standards, targets and policy instruments.

70 words

Environmental health

Environmental exposures, hazards and effects on human and ecosystem health.

42 words

Waste and circular economy

Waste prevention, recycling, reuse, recovery and circular resource systems.

35 words

Atmosphere and climate

Atmospheric processes, greenhouse gases, climate forcing, climate impacts and adaptation.

196 words

Water and aquatic environments

Water quality, freshwater systems, marine environments and aquatic pollution.

1.2k words

Energy and decarbonisation

Energy sources, efficiency, renewable energy, emissions reduction and decarbonisation.

31 words

Land and soil

Soils, land degradation, land use, restoration and terrestrial environmental processes.

66 words
Core vocabulary

120 featured terms

The database can contain more terms than shown here; this page prioritises the strongest mappings.

Acidnoun

any of various water-soluble compounds having a sour taste and capable of turning litmus red and reacting with a base to form a salt

Acid precipitationnoun

rain containing acids that form in the atmosphere when industrial gas emissions (especially sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) combine with wat…

Acid rainnoun

rain containing acids that form in the atmosphere when industrial gas emissions (especially sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) combine with wat…

Airnoun

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of; "air pollution"; "a smell of chemicals in th…

Alloynoun

a mixture containing two or more metallic elements or metallic and nonmetallic elements usually fused together or dissolving into each other whe…

Clayeyadjective

(used of soil) compact and fine-grained; "the clayey soil was heavy and easily saturated"

Cloggyadjective

(used of soil) compact and fine-grained; "the clayey soil was heavy and easily saturated"

Contaminantnoun

a substance that contaminates

Contaminationnoun

the act of contaminating or polluting; including (either intentionally or accidentally) unwanted substances or factors

Contaminationnoun

a substance that contaminates

Effluentnoun

water mixed with waste matter

Emissionnoun

the occurrence of a flow of water (as from a pipe)

Eutrophicationnoun

excessive nutrients in a lake or other body of water, usually caused by runoff of nutrients (animal waste, fertilizers, sewage) from the land, w…

Groundnoun

material in the top layer of the surface of the earth in which plants can grow (especially with reference to its quality or use); "the land had…

Heavyadjective

(used of soil) compact and fine-grained; "the clayey soil was heavy and easily saturated"

Heavy metalnoun

loud and harsh sounding rock music with a strong beat; lyrics usually involve violent or fantastic imagery

Heavy metal musicnoun

loud and harsh sounding rock music with a strong beat; lyrics usually involve violent or fantastic imagery

Landnoun

material in the top layer of the surface of the earth in which plants can grow (especially with reference to its quality or use); "the land had…

Metalnoun

a mixture containing two or more metallic elements or metallic and nonmetallic elements usually fused together or dissolving into each other whe…

Particulatenoun

a small discrete mass of solid or liquid matter that remains individually dispersed in gas or liquid emissions (usually considered to be an atmo…

Particulate matternoun

a small discrete mass of solid or liquid matter that remains individually dispersed in gas or liquid emissions (usually considered to be an atmo…

Pesticidenoun

a chemical used to kill pests (as rodents or insects)

Pollutantnoun

waste matter that contaminates the water or air or soil

Pollutionnoun

the act of contaminating or polluting; including (either intentionally or accidentally) unwanted substances or factors

Pollutionnoun

undesirable state of the natural environment being contaminated with harmful substances as a consequence of human activities

Qualitynoun

an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone; "the quality of mercy is not strained" - Shakespeare

Rainnoun

water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere

Rainfallnoun

water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere

Sewagenoun

waste matter carried away in sewers or drains

Sewer waternoun

water mixed with waste matter

Seweragenoun

waste matter carried away in sewers or drains

Smognoun

air pollution by a mixture of smoke and fog

Smogginessnoun

air pollution by a mixture of smoke and fog

Soilnoun

material in the top layer of the surface of the earth in which plants can grow (especially with reference to its quality or use); "the land had…

Wastewaternoun

water mixed with waste matter

Waternoun

a liquid necessary for the life of most animals and plants; "he asked for a drink of water"

Abilitynoun

the quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishment

Accuracynoun

the quality of being near to the true value; "he was beginning to doubt the accuracy of his compass"; "the lawyer questioned the truth of my acc…

Accuracynoun

(mathematics) the number of significant figures given in a number; "the atomic clock enabled scientists to measure time with much greater accura…

Adequacynoun

the quality of being sufficient for the end in view; "he questioned the sufficiency of human intelligence"

Airnoun

a distinctive but intangible quality surrounding a person or thing; "an air of mystery"; "the house had a neglected air"; "an atmosphere of defe…

Air pollutionnoun

pollution of the atmosphere; "air pollution reduced the visibility"

Amalgamnoun

an alloy of mercury with another metal (usually silver) used by dentists to fill cavities in teeth; except for iron and platinum all metals diss…

Appearancenoun

outward or visible aspect of a person or thing

Aqua fortisnoun

acid used especially in the production of fertilizers and explosives and rocket fuels

Ariditynoun

the quality of yielding nothing of value

Arsenicalnoun

a pesticide or drug containing arsenic

Assetnoun

a useful or valuable quality

Atmospherenoun

a distinctive but intangible quality surrounding a person or thing; "an air of mystery"; "the house had a neglected air"; "an atmosphere of defe…

Attractionnoun

the quality of arousing interest; being attractive or something that attracts; "her personality held a strange attraction for him"

Auranoun

a distinctive but intangible quality surrounding a person or thing; "an air of mystery"; "the house had a neglected air"; "an atmosphere of defe…

Babbittnoun

an alloy of tin with some copper and antimony; a lining for bearings that reduces friction

Babbitt metalnoun

an alloy of tin with some copper and antimony; a lining for bearings that reduces friction

Badnoun

that which is below standard or expectations as of ethics or decency; "take the bad with the good"

Badlandsnoun

deeply eroded barren land

Badnessnoun

that which is below standard or expectations as of ethics or decency; "take the bad with the good"

Barbituric acidnoun

a white crystalline acid derived from pyrimidine; used in preparing barbiturate drugs

Barrennessnoun

the quality of yielding nothing of value

Believabilitynoun

the quality of being believable or trustworthy

Bottomnoun

low-lying alluvial land near a river

Brachycephalismnoun

the quality of being brachycephalic

Brachycephalynoun

the quality of being brachycephalic

Breathnoun

the air that is inhaled and exhaled in respiration; "his sour breath offended her"

Carboxylic acidnoun

an organic acid characterized by one or more carboxyl groups

Certaintynoun

something that is certain; "his victory is a certainty"

Changeabilitynoun

the quality of being changeable; having a marked tendency to change; "the changeableness of the weather"

Changeablenessnoun

the quality of being changeable; having a marked tendency to change; "the changeableness of the weather"

Characteristicnoun

a distinguishing quality; a feature that can be used to identify something

Claritynoun

the quality of clear water; "when she awoke the clarity was back in her eyes"

Clearnessnoun

the quality of clear water; "when she awoke the clarity was back in her eyes"

Closenessnoun

the quality of being close and poorly ventilated

Cloudburstnoun

a heavy rain

Combustibilitynoun

the quality of being capable of igniting and burning

Combustiblenessnoun

the quality of being capable of igniting and burning

Complexitynoun

the quality of being intricate and compounded; "he enjoyed the complexity of modern computers"

Complexnessnoun

the quality of being intricate and compounded; "he enjoyed the complexity of modern computers"

Comprehensibilitynoun

the quality of comprehensible language or thought

Constructivenessnoun

the quality of serving to build or improve

Corporalitynoun

the quality of being physical; consisting of matter

Corporealitynoun

the quality of being physical; consisting of matter

Correctnessnoun

conformity to fact or truth

Credibilitynoun

the quality of being believable or trustworthy

Crediblenessnoun

the quality of being believable or trustworthy

Curiousnessnoun

the quality of being alien or not native; "the strangeness of a foreigner"

Cyanamidenoun

a weak soluble dibasic acid (the parent acid of cyanamide salts)

Cyanuric acidnoun

a trimer of cyanic acid

Deadnessnoun

the quality of being unresponsive; not reacting; as a quality of people, it is marked by a failure to respond quickly or with emotion to people…

Delugenoun

a heavy rain

Destructivenessnoun

the quality of causing destruction

Differencenoun

the quality of being unlike or dissimilar; "there are many differences between jazz and rock"

Difficultnessnoun

the quality of being almost beyond one's ability to deal with and requiring a great effort to achieve a positive result; "they agreed about the…

Difficultynoun

the quality of being almost beyond one's ability to deal with and requiring a great effort to achieve a positive result; "they agreed about the…

Divinitynoun

the quality of being divine; "ancient Egyptians believed in the divinity of the Pharaohs"

Divisibilitynoun

the quality of being divisible; the capacity to be divided into parts or divided among a number of persons

Dolichocephalismnoun

the quality of being dolichocephalic

Dolichocephalynoun

the quality of being dolichocephalic

Domesticitynoun

the quality of being domestic or domesticated; "a royal family living in unpretentious domesticity"

Downpournoun

a heavy rain

Drizzlenoun

very light rain; stronger than mist but less than a shower

Dustnoun

fine powdery material such as dry earth or pollen that can be blown about in the air; "the furniture was covered with dust"

Easenoun

freedom from difficulty or hardship or effort; "he rose through the ranks with apparent ease"; "they put it into containers for ease of transpor…

Easinessnoun

freedom from difficulty or hardship or effort; "he rose through the ranks with apparent ease"; "they put it into containers for ease of transpor…

Electrumnoun

an alloy of gold and silver

Elegancenoun

a refined quality of gracefulness and good taste; "she conveys an aura of elegance and gentility"

Elegancenoun

a quality of neatness and ingenious simplicity in the solution of a problem (especially in science or mathematics); "the simplicity and elegance…

Excellencenoun

the quality of excelling; possessing good qualities in high degree

Extraordinarinessnoun

the quality of being extraordinary and not commonly encountered

Fecunditynoun

the quality of something that causes or assists healthy growth

Fidelitynoun

the quality of being faithful

Finitenessnoun

the quality of being finite

Finitudenoun

the quality of being finite

Foreignnessnoun

the quality of being alien or not native; "the strangeness of a foreigner"

Goodnoun

that which is pleasing or valuable or useful; "weigh the good against the bad"; "among the highest goods of all are happiness and self-realizati…

Goodnessnoun

that which is pleasing or valuable or useful; "weigh the good against the bad"; "among the highest goods of all are happiness and self-realizati…

Greenswardnoun

surface layer of ground containing a mat of grass and grass roots

Hardnessnoun

a quality of water that contains dissolved mineral salts that prevent soap from lathering; "the costs of reducing hardness depend on the relativ…

Heavy metalnoun

a metal of relatively high density (specific gravity greater than about 5) or of high relative atomic weight (especially one that is poisonous l…

Holinessnoun

the quality of being holy

Humanitynoun

the quality of being human; "he feared the speedy decline of all manhood"

Humannessnoun

the quality of being human; "he feared the speedy decline of all manhood"