Labels and Abbreviations
The labels and abbreviations used in the Thesaurus are:
- adj. (adjective)
- adv. (Adverb)
- Afr. (African)
- Amer. (American/Central American)
- arch. (archaic): indicates that a word is not in ordinary current use, but may be used deliberately to give an old-fashioned effect and is also found in the literature of the past
- Austral. (Australian)
- Black: indicates that a word is found in any of various forms of English spoken by black people, especially as an urban dialect in the US
- Canad. (Canadian)
- cant: denotes language specific to a particular group or profession and regarded with disparagement (e.g. thieves’ cant)
- colloq. (colloquial): denotes vocabulary belonging to informal language and conversation rather than to official or formal contexts
- conj. (conjunction)
- contemp. (contemptuous): denotes language that is intended by the speaker to convey a low opinion
- derog. (derogatory): denotes language that is intended by the speaker to convey a low opinion
- dial. (dialect): indicates that a word is restricted mainly to certain local regions of the English-speaking world
- Dict. (Dictionary): indicates that a word occurs only in a dictionary or similar work, and may not have been in general use
- E. Mid. (East Midland)
- Eccles. (Ecclesiastical)
- erron. (erroneously): denotes an erroneous use of a word
- esp. (especially)
- etc. (etcetera)
- euphem. (Euphemistically): indicates that a term is used in place of a more direct or vulgar one
- exc. (Except)
- fig. (figurative): indicates that a term is used in a metaphorical way
- formal: denotes language that is normally used only in writing, in contexts such as official documents
- freq. (frequently)
- gen. (general; generally)
- historical: indicates that a term is still used in current English, but only in reference to some practice or artefact that is no longer part of modern life
- humorous: indicates uses that are intended to be humorous or playful
- v. impers. (impersonal verb)
- int. (interjection)
- vi. (intransitive verb)
- iron. (ironical): indicates that a term is used ironically
- joc. (jocularly): indicates uses that are intended to be humorous or playful
- lit. (literally): indicates that a term is used in its literal sense
- Literary: denotes a word that is found only or mainly in literature
- local: indicates that a word is restricted to a specific locality (e.g. London)
- Mid. (Midland)
- NZ (New Zealand)
- nonce: word denotes a word coined by a particular person for a specific occasion
- N. (North)
- n. (noun)
- obs. (obsolete): indicates that a word is no longer in current use (this is used in the Thesaurus only if the information is not obvious from the dates)
- occas. (occasionally)
- OE (Old English)
- orig. (originally)
- v. pass. (passive verb)
- perh. (perhaps)
- phr. (phrase)
- poet. (poetic): indicates that a word is restricted to poetry
- pop. (popularly): indicates a popular usage of a word
- prep. (preposition)
- rare: indicates that a word is not in frequent use
- v. refl. (reflexive verb)
- RC (Roman Catholic)
- slang: denotes very informal language that is often restricted to a particular social group
- S. (South)
- S. Afr. (South African)
- SW (south-western)
- spec. (specific; specifically)
- technical: denotes a term that is normally used only in technical or specialist language, though not necessarily restricted to a specific subject field
- transf. (transferred): indicates that the literal meaning of a term has been changed by extension or metaphor
- vt. (transitive verb)
- US (United States)
- usu. (usually)
- v. (verb)
- vulgar: denotes very informal language, usually relating to sexual activity or bodily functions, which most people regard as taboo and which may cause offence
- W. Mid. (West Midland)
