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Definition of english

english

/ˈɪŋ.ɡlɪʃ/
Eng · lish

Plural:Englishes
•
Past Simple:englished
•
Past Participle:englished
•
Present Participle:englishing
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english Lexical Profile

english Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The West Germanic language originating in England, currently serving as a global lingua franca and the primary language of numerous countries worldwide.

Example

"She is pursuing a doctorate in English literature at the university."


2

The people of England considered collectively.

Example

"The English have a long-standing tradition of afternoon tea."


3

North American Spin imparted to a ball, especially in billiards or pool, by striking it off-center.

Example

"He put too much english on the cue ball, causing it to rebound at an unexpected angle."

• verb

1

To translate a text into the English language.

Example

"The medieval Latin manuscript was originally englished in the late sixteenth century."


2

North American To impart spin to a ball by striking it off-center, particularly in cue sports.

Example

"She englished the cue ball perfectly to avoid scratching into the corner pocket."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for english

Word Nuance & Usage

The word is strictly capitalized when referring to the language, nationality, or as an adjective, but is frequently lowercased when referring to the spin applied to a billiard ball.

• Rhymes for english

Word Origin & Etymology

From Old English 'Englisc', meaning 'pertaining to the Angles', a Germanic tribe that settled in Britain in the 5th century.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of English. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 6, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/english
Built for writers, students, and competitive word game players, Wordmom combines an uncluttered English dictionary and thesaurus with fast, pattern-based word finders so you can verify definitions, synonyms, and high-scoring tile plays in one place.
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