Word library

Words starting with B

72 words from the news, each with a definition, etymology, and the story behind it.

bacanora

A distilled spirit produced in the Mexican state of Sonora from specific varieties of…

Culture

baccalaureate

A bachelor's degree, which is the undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and…

Science

backfield

In American football, the area of the field behind the line of scrimmage where the…

Sports

backsliding

The process of regressing or relapsing into previous, less desirable states or practices,…

World

balladeer

A singer or performer, especially one who specializes in telling stories through folk…

Culture

banality

The quality of being predictable, unoriginal, or lacking in freshness and significance,…

Culture

barbarism

Extreme cruelty, lack of civilization, or actions characterized by brutal and inhumane…

World

barbell

A strategy involving the balancing of two extreme or contrasting investment approaches to…

Business

barometer

A metric, indicator, or standard used to gauge the current health, activity, or…

Business

barrens

Expansive areas of land, often characterized by sandy or acidic soil, that are naturally…

Science

baseload

The minimum level of electric power demand required to be continuously supplied to the…

Climate

basilisk

A hypothetical future AI that retroactively punishes those who did not help bring it into…

Technology

bastion

A place or group that strongly maintains and defends specific principles, beliefs, or…

Politics

basturma

A highly seasoned, air-dried, and cured beef, traditionally used in Armenian and Middle…

Culture

behemoth

Something that is extraordinarily large, powerful, or influential, especially within a…

Culture

bellicosity

An inclination to engage in wars, conflict, or aggressive confrontation.

World

belligerent

A nation or state engaged in a recognized, formal war or armed conflict.

World

bender

A period of prolonged and excessive indulgence in alcohol or revelry.

Culture

beshest

An authoritative order, command, or urgent request given by someone in a position of…

World

bevy

A large group or collection of things, especially items that are gathered together for…

Sports

bicentennial

A 200th anniversary or the celebration of such an event.

Culture

biculturalism

The practice or policy of acknowledging and integrating two distinct cultural or…

Health

biennium

A period of two years, typically used in reference to government or fiscal budgeting…

Business

bifurcation

The act of dividing or splitting into two branches or parts.

Science

bindingness

The state or quality of having legal authority that compels compliance, creating an…

World

biochar

A form of charcoal produced by heating biomass in a low-oxygen environment, used to…

Climate

bioenergy

Energy derived from biological sources, such as organic matter, which in this context is…

Climate

bioethicist

An expert or scholar who analyzes and evaluates the moral, ethical, and legal…

World

biofabrication

The use of advanced technologies, such as 3D cell printing and bioinks, to assemble…

Science

biogas

A type of renewable fuel produced through the breakdown of organic matter, such as waste…

Climate

bioinformatics

The field of science that uses computational methods, algorithms, and software to…

Health

biologics

Medical products or pharmaceutical drugs that are derived from living organisms or their…

Business

biomass

Organic plant or animal matter that can be used as a renewable source of energy, such as…

Climate

biomaterial

While the term 'biomaterial' does not explicitly appear in the provided text, in this…

Science

biomedicine

The field of study and industry that applies biological and physiological principles to…

Business

biomethane

A renewable form of natural gas produced by the anaerobic digestion or thermal…

Climate

biomolecule

Any organic molecule, such as a sugar, that is essential to the biological processes and…

Science

biopharmaceuticals

Medical drugs or therapeutic products derived from biological sources, such as living…

Business

biophysicist

A scientist who applies the theories and methods of physics to study biological systems…

Science

bioprinting

The process of using 3D printing technology to assemble living cells and biological…

Science

biosimilar

A biological medical product that is highly similar to an already approved reference…

Technology

biosphere

The global sum of all ecosystems and living organisms on Earth, including the regions of…

Science

biostatistics

The branch of statistics applied to the analysis of biological and medical data,…

Health

biosynthesis

The natural process by which living cells or organisms produce complex chemical compounds…

Science

biotechnology

The use of biological processes, organisms, or systems to develop new products or…

Business

bipartisanship

The cooperative effort or agreement between two opposing political parties to achieve…

Politics

birthright

A right or privilege to which one is entitled from birth, often referring to legal status…

Health

bisque

A rich, thick, and creamy soup typically made from pureed shellfish like crab, lobster,…

Culture

bitumen

A highly viscous, semi-solid form of petroleum that is often extracted from oil sands and…

Climate

bleachers

Rows of tiered benches or seats, typically found at an outdoor sports venue, designed for…

Sports