| AAA |
abbreviation of "American Automobile Association," an association that provides travel-related discounts and services to its members. |
| AC2 |
abbreviation of "athletic club," a club that provides athletic equipment and sports-related services to its members. |
| actinic |
of or pertaining to the chemical property of ultraviolet radiation and x-rays that produces photochemical effects. |
| actinic rays |
electromagnetic radiation, such as x-rays or ultraviolet light, that can produce an image on a photographic emulsion. |
| African National Congress |
South African political party founded in 1912, whose struggle to establish majority rule and eliminate apartheid led to the establishment in 1994 of South Africa's first multi-racial, democratically-elected government. |
| aluminum |
a chemical element that has thirteen protons in each nucleus, occurs commonly in ores such as bauxite, and in pure form is a strong lightweight corrosion-resistant silvery metal with many industrial uses. (symbol: Al) |
| ambassador |
a high-ranking official sent by one nation to another either to carry out a specific diplomatic mission or to serve in residence there. [1/3 definitions] |
| Ammon |
the Greek and Roman name for Amen or Amen-Re, the ancient Egyptian god of life, often identified with Zeus and Jupiter. |
| amusement park |
an outdoor place offering games, rides on merry-go-rounds and roller coasters, and the like, and refreshments. |
| ANC |
abbreviation of "African National Congress," South African political party founded in 1912, whose struggle to establish majority rule and eliminate apartheid led to the establishment in 1994 of South Africa's first multi-racial, democratically-elected government. |
| angiogram |
an x-ray image of blood vessels that is taken after injecting a substance that absorbs x-rays into the blood. |
| A one |
superior; first-rate; first-class. |
| APC |
a pain-relieving white substance consisting of aspirin, phenacetin, and caffeine, usu. taken to reduce fevers. |
| archangel |
a high-ranking celestial being, esp. in medieval Christian theology, a member of the nine orders of angels. [1/2 definitions] |
| archon |
a high-ranking magistrate in ancient Athens. [1/2 definitions] |
| aristocracy |
a high-ranking social class, having special privileges and influence and usu. determined by heredity. [1/5 definitions] |
| aromatic |
of or being benzene or a benzene-related compound. [1/3 definitions] |
| arteriography |
examination of the arteries by x-ray after injection with a radiopaque dye. |
| automatic |
mechanically self-regulating. [1/4 definitions] |
| azobenzene |
an orange-red, nonsoluble crystalline compound obtained from nitrobenzene, used in organic synthesis, as an insecticide, and in the making of dyes. |
| bagpipe |
(often pl.) a musical instrument, played esp. in Scotland, consisting of a double-reed melody pipe and one or more drone pipes that protrude from a flexible leather bag that is inflated through a blowpipe by the breath or by bellows. The pipes are traditionally made of wood. |