| 11th Amendment |
an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that guarantees a level of sovereign immunity to states by forbidding federal courts from ruling on cases brought against a state by a citizen of another state. |
| a-1 |
on; at; into; to. |
| A.A. |
abbreviation of "Associate in Arts," an undergraduate degree conferred on a person who has completed a curriculum in the liberal arts. |
| aardvark |
a nocturnal mammal of southern Africa that has a long snout, long ears, and powerful claws for digging, and that feeds on ants using its extensile tongue. |
| aardwolf |
a striped, nocturnal African mammal of the hyena family that feeds primarily on insects. |
| ablaze |
on fire; burning. [1/2 definitions] |
| aboard |
on or into a ship, plane, train, or the like; on board. [2 definitions] |
| ABO system |
a classification system for the inherited antigens found on the surface of human red blood cells, which determine compatibility for blood transfusions. |
| about |
on each side of; around. [1/12 definitions] |
| about to |
ready to; just on the point of. |
| abrasion |
a spot or patch that has been scraped, as on the skin. [1/2 definitions] |
| absent |
not focused on the here and now; unattentive. [1/4 definitions] |
| absentee ballot |
a ballot to be marked and delivered to an election official before election day because the voter will be unable to be at the polls on that day. |
| absolute pitch |
the exact pitch of a single musical tone as determined by its rate of vibrations as measured on a standard scale. [1/2 definitions] |
| absolute temperature |
temperature measured on a scale in which zero equals the lowest temperature that can be obtained physically. |
| abstention |
in parliamentary procedure, a declaration that one intends not to vote on a motion. [1/2 definitions] |
| abut |
to adjoin or press against; be next to; border on. [2 definitions] |
| Acadia |
a former French colony on the northeastern coast of Canada. |
| Acapulco |
a port city on the Pacific coast of southern Mexico, known for its resorts and water sports. |
| accentual |
having a rhythm based on the number of stresses rather than the number of syllables or length of sounds, as certain poetry. [1/2 definitions] |
| accommodation |
a seat on a public conveyance. [1/6 definitions] |