Specialist dictionary

Water and aquatic environments

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

Areas within Water and aquatic environments

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.

Aquifernoun

underground bed or layer yielding ground water for wells and springs etc

Basinnoun

the entire geographical area drained by a river and its tributaries; an area characterized by all runoff being conveyed to the same outlet; "flo…

Catchment areanoun

the entire geographical area drained by a river and its tributaries; an area characterized by all runoff being conveyed to the same outlet; "flo…

Catchment basinnoun

the entire geographical area drained by a river and its tributaries; an area characterized by all runoff being conveyed to the same outlet; "flo…

Coastaladjective

located on or near or bordering on a coast; "coastal marshes"; "coastal waters"; "the Atlantic coastal plain"

Drainage areanoun

the entire geographical area drained by a river and its tributaries; an area characterized by all runoff being conveyed to the same outlet; "flo…

Drainage basinnoun

the entire geographical area drained by a river and its tributaries; an area characterized by all runoff being conveyed to the same outlet; "flo…

Fresh waternoun

water that is not salty

Freshwaternoun

water that is not salty

Lakenoun

a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land

Marineadjective

native to or inhabiting the sea; "marine plants and animals such as seaweed and whales"

Oceannoun

a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere

Qualitynoun

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

Rivernoun

a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek); "the river was navigable for 50 miles"

River basinnoun

the entire geographical area drained by a river and its tributaries; an area characterized by all runoff being conveyed to the same outlet; "flo…

Waternoun

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

Watershednoun

the entire geographical area drained by a river and its tributaries; an area characterized by all runoff being conveyed to the same outlet; "flo…

Wetlandnoun

a low area where the land is saturated with 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…

Appearancenoun

outward or visible aspect of a person or thing

Ariditynoun

the quality of yielding nothing of value

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…

Badnoun

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

Badnessnoun

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

Barrennessnoun

the quality of yielding nothing of value

Bayounoun

a swampy arm or slow-moving outlet of a lake (term used mainly in Mississippi and Louisiana)

Believabilitynoun

the quality of being believable or trustworthy

Bognoun

wet spongy ground of decomposing vegetation; has poorer drainage than a swamp; soil is unfit for cultivation but can be cut and dried and used f…

Brachycephalismnoun

the quality of being brachycephalic

Brachycephalynoun

the quality of being brachycephalic

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

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

Condensatenoun

a product of condensation

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"

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…

Deepnoun

literary term for an ocean; "denizens of the deep"

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"

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…

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

Fennoun

low-lying wet land with grassy vegetation; usually is a transition zone between land and water; "thousands of acres of marshland"; "the fens of…

Fenlandnoun

low-lying wet land with grassy vegetation; usually is a transition zone between land and water; "thousands of acres of marshland"; "the fens of…

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…

Hardnessnoun

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

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"

Humornoun

the quality of being funny; "I fail to see the humor in it"

Humournoun

the quality of being funny; "I fail to see the humor in it"

Idealitynoun

the quality of being ideal

Immaterialitynoun

the quality of not being physical; not consisting of matter

Immeasurabilitynoun

the quality of being immeasurable.; "The immeasurability of what the brain is capable of amazes us."

Immobilitynoun

the quality of not moving

Immoralitynoun

the quality of not being in accord with standards of right or good conduct; "the immorality of basing the defense of the West on the threat of m…

Impenetrabilitynoun

the quality of being impenetrable (by people or light or missiles etc.)

Impotencenoun

the quality of lacking strength or power; being weak and feeble

Impotencynoun

the quality of lacking strength or power; being weak and feeble

Inabilitynoun

lacking the power to perform

Inaccuracynoun

the quality of being inaccurate and having errors

Incomprehensibilitynoun

the quality of being incomprehensible

Inconsequencenoun

invalid or incorrect reasoning

Incorporealitynoun

the quality of not being physical; not consisting of matter

Incorrectnessnoun

the quality of not conforming to fact or truth

Incredibilitynoun

the quality of being incredible

Incrediblenessnoun

the quality of being incredible

Indivisibilitynoun

(arithmetic) The state of being impossible to divide by a specific integer without leaving a remainder.; "The primality of the number rests on t…

Inelegancenoun

the quality of lacking refinement and good taste

Ineptitudenoun

having no qualities that would render it valuable or useful; "the drill sergeant's intent was to convince all the recruits of their worthlessnes…

Ineptnessnoun

the quality of having the wrong properties for a specific purpose

Infidelitynoun

the quality of being unfaithful

Infinitenessnoun

the quality of being infinite; without bound or limit

Infinitudenoun

the quality of being infinite; without bound or limit

Inhumanitynoun

the quality of lacking compassion or consideration for others

Injectivenessnoun

(mathematics) The state or quality of relating to, or being an injection: such that each element of the image (or range) is associated with at m…

Insolubilitynoun

the quality of being insoluble and difficult to dissolve in liquid

Inutilitynoun

the quality of having no practical use

Irregularitynoun

not characterized by a fixed principle or rate; at irregular intervals

Lagoonnoun

a body of water cut off from a larger body by a reef of sand or coral

Lagunenoun

a body of water cut off from a larger body by a reef of sand or coral

Lochnoun

Scottish word for a lake