Words that rhyme with barnacle

• pinnacle 5
  n 1: (architecture) a slender upright spire at the top of a buttress of tower 2: the highest level or degree attainable; the highest stage of development; "his landscapes were deemed the acme of beauty"; "the artist's gifts are at their acme"; "at the height of her career"; "the peak of perfection"; "summer was at its peak"; "...catapulted Einstein to the pinnacle of fame"; "the summit of his ambition"; "so many highest superlatives achieved by man"; "at the top of his profession" [syn: acme, height, elevation, peak, pinnacle, summit, superlative, meridian, tiptop, top] 3: a lofty peak v 1: surmount with a pinnacle; "pinnacle a pediment" 2: raise on or as if on a pinnacle; "He did not want to be pinnacled"
• neoclassical 3
  adj 1: characteristic of a revival of an earlier classical style [syn: neoclassic, neoclassical]
• conical 2
  adj 1: relating to or resembling a cone; "conical mountains"; "conelike fruit" [syn: conic, conical, conelike, cone-shaped]
• agronomical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to or promoting agronomy [syn: agronomic, agronomical]
• alchemical 0
  adj 1: related to or concerned with alchemy [syn: alchemic, alchemical]
• anarchical 0
  adj 1: without law or control; "the system is economically inefficient and politically anarchic" [syn: anarchic, anarchical, lawless]
• anatomical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to the structure of the body; "anatomical features" [syn: anatomic, anatomical] 2: of or relating to the branch of morphology that studies the structure of organisms; "anatomical research" [syn: anatomic, anatomical] n 1: an expression that relates to anatomy [syn: anatomical reference, anatomical]
• arsenical 0
  adj 1: relating to or containing arsenic; "arsenic vapor" n 1: a pesticide or drug containing arsenic
• astronomical 0
  adj 1: relating or belonging to the science of astronomy; "astronomic telescope" [syn: astronomic, astronomical] 2: inconceivably large [syn: astronomic, astronomical, galactic]
• astrophysical 0
  adj 1: of or concerned with astrophysics; "astrophysical sciences"
• autobiographical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to or characteristic of an autobiographer; "he seldom suppressed his autobiographical tendencies" [syn: autobiographical, autobiographic] 2: relating to or in the style of an autobiography; "they compiled an autobiographical history of the movement" [syn: autobiographical, autobiographic]
• bibliographical 0
  adj 1: relating to or dealing with bibliography [syn: bibliographic, bibliographical]
• bicycle 0
  n 1: a wheeled vehicle that has two wheels and is moved by foot pedals [syn: bicycle, bike, wheel, cycle] v 1: ride a bicycle [syn: bicycle, cycle, bike, pedal, wheel]
• binnacle 0
  n 1: a nonmagnetic housing for a ship's compass (usually in front of the helm)
• biochemical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to biochemistry; involving chemical processes in living organisms
• biographical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to or being biography; "biographical data" [syn: biographic, biographical]
• biomedical 0
  adj 1: relating to the activities and applications of science to clinical medicine; "biomedical research laboratory"
• botanical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to plants or botany; "botanical garden" [syn: botanic, botanical] n 1: a drug made from part of a plant (as the bark or root or leaves)
• canonical 0
  adj 1: appearing in a biblical canon; "a canonical book of the Christian New Testament" [syn: canonic, canonical] 2: of or relating to or required by canon law [syn: canonic, canonical] 3: reduced to the simplest and most significant form possible without loss of generality; "a basic story line"; "a canonical syllable pattern" [syn: basic, canonic, canonical] 4: conforming to orthodox or recognized rules; "the drinking of cocktails was as canonical a rite as the mixing"- Sinclair Lewis [syn: canonic, canonical, sanctioned]
• canticle 0
  n 1: a hymn derived from the Bible
• carbuncle 0
  n 1: deep-red cabochon garnet cut without facets 2: an infection larger than a boil and with several openings for discharge of pus
• cartographical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to the making of maps or charts [syn: cartographic, cartographical]
• categorical 0
  adj 1: relating to or included in a category or categories [syn: categorical, categoric] 2: not modified or restricted by reservations; "a categorical denial"; "a flat refusal" [syn: categoric, categorical, flat, unconditional]
• cervical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to the cervix of the uterus; "cervical cancer" 2: relating to or associated with the neck
• chemical 0
  adj 1: relating to or used in chemistry; "chemical engineer"; "chemical balance" [syn: chemical, chemic] 2: of or made from or using substances produced by or used in reactions involving atomic or molecular changes; "chemical fertilizer" n 1: material produced by or used in a reaction involving changes in atoms or molecules [syn: chemical, chemical substance]
• chronicle 0
  n 1: a record or narrative description of past events; "a history of France"; "he gave an inaccurate account of the plot to kill the president"; "the story of exposure to lead" [syn: history, account, chronicle, story] v 1: record in chronological order; make a historical record
• classical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to the most highly developed stage of an earlier civilisation and its culture; "classic Cinese pottery" [syn: classical, classic] [ant: nonclassical] 2: of recognized authority or excellence; "the definitive work on Greece"; "classical methods of navigation" [syn: authoritative, classical, classic, definitive] 3: of or relating to the study of the literary works of ancient Greece and Rome; " a classical scholar" 4: (language) having the form used by ancient standard authors; "classical Greek 5: of or pertaining to or characteristic of the ancient Greek and Roman cultures; "classical mythology"; "classical [syn: classical, classic, Greco-Roman, Graeco-Roman, Hellenic] n 1: traditional genre of music conforming to an established form and appealing to critical interest and developed musical taste [syn: classical music, classical, serious music]
• clavicle 0
  n 1: bone linking the scapula and sternum [syn: clavicle, collarbone]
• clerical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to clerks; "clerical work" 2: of or relating to the clergy; "clerical collar" 3: appropriate for or engaged in office work; "clerical skills"; "a clerical job"; "the clerical staff"
• clinical 0
  adj 1: relating to a clinic or conducted in or as if in a clinic and depending on direct observation of patients; "clinical observation"; "clinical case study" 2: scientifically detached; unemotional; "he spoke in the clipped clinical monotones typical of police testimony"
• comical 0
  adj 1: arousing or provoking laughter; "an amusing film with a steady stream of pranks and pratfalls"; "an amusing fellow"; "a comic hat"; "a comical look of surprise"; "funny stories that made everybody laugh"; "a very funny writer"; "it would have been laughable if it hadn't hurt so much"; "a mirthful experience"; "risible courtroom antics" [syn: amusing, comic, comical, funny, laughable, mirthful, risible]
• commonsensical 0
  adj 1: exhibiting native good judgment; "arrive home at a reasonable hour"; "commonsense scholarship on the foibles of a genius"; "unlearned and commonsensical countryfolk were capable of solving problems that beset the more sophisticated" [syn: commonsense, commonsensible, commonsensical]
• coracle 0
  n 1: a small rounded boat made of hides stretched over a wicker frame; still used in some parts of Great Britain
• cortical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to a cortex
• cosmological 0
  adj 1: pertaining to the branch of astronomy dealing with the origin and history and structure and dynamics of the universe; "cosmologic science"; "cosmological redshift"; "cosmogonic theories of the origin of the universe" [syn: cosmologic, cosmological, cosmogonic, cosmogonical, cosmogenic] 2: pertaining to the branch of philosophy dealing with the elements and laws and especially the characteristics of the universe such as space and time and causality; "cosmologic philosophy"; "a cosmological argument is an argument that the universe demands the admission of an adequate external cause which is God" [syn: cosmologic, cosmological]
• cubical 0
  adj 1: shaped like a cube [syn: cubelike, cube-shaped, cubical, cubiform, cuboid, cuboidal]
• cull 0
  n 1: the person or thing that is rejected or set aside as inferior in quality [syn: cull, reject] v 1: remove something that has been rejected; "cull the sick members of the herd" 2: look for and gather; "pick mushrooms"; "pick flowers" [syn: pick, pluck, cull]
• cynical 0
  adj 1: believing the worst of human nature and motives; having a sneering disbelief in e.g. selflessness of others [syn: cynical, misanthropic, misanthropical]
• diacritical 0
  adj 1: capable of distinguishing; "students having superior diacritic powers"; "the diacritic elements in culture"- S.F.Nadel [syn: diacritic, diacritical]
• dialectical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to or employing dialectic; "the dialectical method" [syn: dialectic, dialectical]
• diametrical 0
  adj 1: related to or along a diameter; "the diametral plane" [syn: diametral, diametric, diametrical] 2: characterized by opposite extremes; completely opposed; "in diametric contradiction to his claims"; "diametrical (or opposite) points of view"; "opposite meanings"; "extreme and indefensible polar positions" [syn: diametric, diametrical, opposite, polar]
• dominical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to or coming from Jesus Christ 2: of or relating to Sunday as the Lord's Day
• ducal 0
  adj 1: of or belonging to or suitable for a duke; "ducal palace"
• dynamical 0
  adj 1: characterized by action or forcefulness or force of personality; "a dynamic market"; "a dynamic speaker"; "the dynamic president of the firm" [syn: dynamic, dynamical] [ant: adynamic, undynamic]
• ecclesiastical 0
  adj 1: of or associated with a church (especially a Christian Church); "ecclesiastic history" [syn: ecclesiastical, ecclesiastic]
• economical 0
  adj 1: using the minimum of time or resources necessary for effectiveness; "an economic use of home heating oil"; "a modern economical heating system"; "an economical use of her time" [syn: economic, economical] 2: of or relating to an economy, the system of production and management of material wealth; "economic growth"; "aspects of social, political, and economical life" [syn: economic, economical] 3: avoiding waste; "an economical meal"; "an economical shopper"; "a frugal farmer"; "a frugal lunch"; "a sparing father and a spending son"; "sparing in their use of heat and light"; "stinting in bestowing gifts"; "thrifty because they remember the great Depression"; "`scotch' is used only informally" [syn: economical, frugal, scotch, sparing, stinting]
• ecumenical 0
  adj 1: concerned with promoting unity among churches or religions; "ecumenical thinking"; "ecumenical activities"; "the ecumenical movement" [syn: ecumenic, oecumenic, ecumenical, oecumenical] 2: of worldwide scope or applicability; "an issue of cosmopolitan import"; "the shrewdest political and ecumenical comment of our time"- Christopher Morley; "universal experience" [syn: cosmopolitan, ecumenical, oecumenical, general, universal, worldwide, world- wide]
• egoistical 0
  adj 1: limited to or caring only about yourself and your own needs [syn: egoistic, egoistical, egocentric, self-centered, self-centred] [ant: altruistic, selfless]
• egotistical 0
  adj 1: characteristic of those having an inflated idea of their own importance [syn: egotistic, egotistical, narcissistic, self-loving] 2: characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance; "a conceited fool"; "an attitude of self- conceited arrogance"; "an egotistical disregard of others"; "so swollen by victory that he was unfit for normal duty"; "growing ever more swollen-headed and arbitrary"; "vain about her clothes" [syn: conceited, egotistic, egotistical, self-conceited, swollen, swollen-headed, vain]
• electrochemical 0
  adj 1: of or involving electrochemistry
• electromechanical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to or involving an electrically operated mechanical device
• equivocal 0
  adj 1: open to two or more interpretations; or of uncertain nature or significance; or (often) intended to mislead; "an equivocal statement"; "the polling had a complex and equivocal (or ambiguous) message for potential female candidates"; "the officer's equivocal behavior increased the victim's uneasiness"; "popularity is an equivocal crown"; "an equivocal response to an embarrassing question" [syn: equivocal, ambiguous] [ant: unambiguous, unequivocal, univocal] 2: open to question; "aliens of equivocal loyalty"; "his conscience reproached him with the equivocal character of the union into which he had forced his son"-Anna Jameson 3: uncertain as a sign or indication; "the evidence from bacteriologic analysis was equivocal"
• ethical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to the philosophical study of ethics; "ethical codes"; "ethical theories" 2: conforming to accepted standards of social or professional behavior; "an ethical lawyer"; "ethical medical practice"; "an ethical problem"; "had no ethical objection to drinking"; "Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants"- Omar N. Bradley [ant: unethical] 3: adhering to ethical and moral principles; "it seems ethical and right"; "followed the only honorable course of action" [syn: ethical, honorable, honourable]
• ethnical 0
  adj 1: denoting or deriving from or distinctive of the ways of living built up by a group of people; "influenced by ethnic and cultural ties"- J.F.Kennedy; "ethnic food" [syn: cultural, ethnic, ethnical]
• ethnographical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to ethnography; "ethnographical data" [syn: ethnographic, ethnographical]
• farcical 0
  adj 1: broadly or extravagantly humorous; resembling farce; "the wild farcical exuberance of a clown"; "ludicrous green hair" [syn: farcical, ludicrous, ridiculous]
• fascicle 0
  n 1: an installment of a printed work [syn: fascicle, fascicule] 2: a bundle of fibers (especially nerve fibers) [syn: fiber bundle, fibre bundle, fascicle, fasciculus]
• finical 0
  adj 1: exacting especially about details; "a finicky eater"; "fussy about clothes"; "very particular about how her food was prepared" [syn: finical, finicky, fussy, particular, picky]
• geographical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to the science of geography [syn: geographic, geographical] 2: determined by geography; "the north and south geographic poles" [syn: geographic, geographical] [ant: magnetic]
• geophysical 0
  adj 1: of or concerned with geophysics; "geophysical sciences"
• graphical 0
  adj 1: relating to or presented by a graph; "a graphic presentation of the data" [syn: graphic, graphical] 2: written or drawn or engraved; "graphic symbols" [syn: graphic, graphical, in writing(p)]
• hierarchical 0
  adj 1: classified according to various criteria into successive levels or layers; "it has been said that only a hierarchical society with a leisure class at the top can produce works of art"; "in her hierarchical set of values honesty comes first" [syn: hierarchical, hierarchal, hierarchic] [ant: nonhierarchic, nonhierarchical]
• icicle 0
  n 1: ice resembling a pendent spear, formed by the freezing of dripping water
• indexical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to or serving as an index
• inimical 0
  adj 1: not friendly; "an unfriendly act of aggression"; "an inimical critic" [syn: unfriendly, inimical]
• ironical 0
  adj 1: characterized by often poignant difference or incongruity between what is expected and what actually is; "madness, an ironic fate for such a clear thinker"; "it was ironical that the well-planned scheme failed so completely" [syn: ironic, ironical] 2: humorously sarcastic or mocking; "dry humor"; "an ironic remark often conveys an intended meaning obliquely"; "an ironic novel"; "an ironical smile"; "with a wry Scottish wit" [syn: dry, ironic, ironical, wry]
• juridical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to the law or jurisprudence; "juridical days" [syn: juridical, juridic] 2: relating to the administration of justice or the function of a judge; "judicial system" [syn: judicial, juridical, juridic]
• lexical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to words; "lexical decision task" 2: of or relating to dictionaries
• lexicographical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to lexicography [syn: lexicographic, lexicographical]
• manacle 0
  n 1: shackle that consists of a metal loop that can be locked around the wrist; usually used in pairs [syn: handcuff, cuff, handlock, manacle] v 1: confine or restrain with or as if with manacles or handcuffs; "The police handcuffed the suspect at the scene of the crime" [syn: manacle, cuff, handcuff]
• mechanical 0
  adj 1: using (or as if using) mechanisms or tools or devices; "a mechanical process"; "his smile was very mechanical"; "a mechanical toy" [ant: nonmechanical] 2: relating to or concerned with machinery or tools; "mechanical arts"; "mechanical design"; "mechanical skills" [syn: mechanical, mechanically skillful] 3: relating to or governed by or in accordance with mechanics; "a belief that the universe is a mechanical contrivance"; "the mechanical pressure of a strong wind"
• medical 0
  adj 1: relating to the study or practice of medicine; "the medical profession"; "a medical student"; "medical school" 2: requiring or amenable to treatment by medicine especially as opposed to surgery; "medical treatment"; "pneumonia is a medical disease" [ant: operative, surgical] 3: of or belonging to Aesculapius or the healing art [syn: aesculapian, medical] n 1: a thorough physical examination; includes a variety of tests depending on the age and sex and health of the person [syn: checkup, medical checkup, medical examination, medical exam, medical, health check]
• metaphysical 0
  adj 1: pertaining to or of the nature of metaphysics; "metaphysical philosophy" 2: without material form or substance; "metaphysical forces" 3: highly abstract and overly theoretical; "metaphysical reasoning"
• methodical 0
  adj 1: characterized by method and orderliness; "a methodical scholar"
• metonymical 0
  adj 1: using the name of one thing for that of another with which it is closely associated; "to say `he spent the evening reading Shakespeare' is metonymic because it substitutes the author himself for the author's works" [syn: metonymic, metonymical]
• monarchical 0
  adj 1: having the characteristics of or befitting or worthy of a monarch; "monarchical gestures"; "monarchal pomp" [syn: monarchal, monarchical] 2: ruled by or having the supreme power resting with a monarch; "monarchal government"; "monarchical systems" [syn: monarchal, monarchical, monarchic]
• monocle 0
  n 1: lens for correcting defective vision in one eye; held in place by facial muscles [syn: monocle, eyeglass]
• musical 0
  adj 1: characterized by or capable of producing music; "a musical evening"; "musical instruments" 2: talented in or devoted to music; "comes from a very musical family" [ant: nonmusical, unmusical] 3: characteristic of or resembling or accompanied by music; "a musical speaking voice"; "a musical comedy" [ant: nonmusical, unmusical] 4: containing or constituting or characterized by pleasing melody; "the melodious song of a meadowlark" [syn: melodious, melodic, musical] [ant: unmelodic, unmelodious, unmusical] n 1: a play or film whose action and dialogue is interspersed with singing and dancing [syn: musical, musical comedy, musical theater]
• mythical 0
  adj 1: based on or told of in traditional stories; lacking factual basis or historical validity; "mythical centaurs"; "the fabulous unicorn" [syn: fabulous, mythic, mythical, mythologic, mythological]
• nonsensical 0
  adj 1: incongruous;inviting ridicule; "the absurd excuse that the dog ate his homework"; "that's a cockeyed idea"; "ask a nonsensical question and get a nonsensical answer"; "a contribution so small as to be laughable"; "it is ludicrous to call a cottage a mansion"; "a preposterous attempt to turn back the pages of history"; "her conceited assumption of universal interest in her rather dull children was ridiculous" [syn: absurd, cockeyed, derisory, idiotic, laughable, ludicrous, nonsensical, preposterous, ridiculous] 2: having no intelligible meaning; "nonsense syllables"; "a nonsensical jumble of words" [syn: nonsense(a), nonsensical]
• panicle 0
  n 1: compound raceme or branched cluster of flowers
• paradoxical 0
  adj 1: seemingly contradictory but nonetheless possibly true; "it is paradoxical that standing is more tiring than walking" [syn: paradoxical, self-contradictory]
• paramedical 0
  adj 1: of or denoting a person who assists physicians and nurses or is trained physicians and nurses in their activities; "ambulance drivers are paramedical to give emergency medical aid; "ambulance drivers are paramedical personnel" n 1: a person trained to assist medical professionals and to give emergency medical treatment [syn: paramedic, paramedical]
• pedicle 0
  n 1: a small stalk bearing a single flower of an inflorescence; an ultimate division of a common peduncle [syn: pedicel, pedicle]
• periodical 0
  adj 1: happening or recurring at regular intervals; "the periodic appearance of the seventeen-year locust" [syn: periodic, periodical] [ant: aperiodic, nonperiodic] n 1: a publication that appears at fixed intervals
• petrochemical 0
  n 1: any compound obtained from petroleum or natural gas
• philosophical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to philosophy or philosophers; "philosophical writing"; "a considerable knowledge of philosophical terminology" [syn: philosophic, philosophical] 2: characterized by the attitude of a philosopher; meeting trouble with level-headed detachment; "philosophical resignation"; "a philosophic attitude toward life" [syn: philosophical, philosophic]
• phonological 0
  adj 1: of or relating to phonology; "the phonological component of language" [syn: phonological, phonologic]
• photochemical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to or produced by the effects of light on chemical systems
• photomechanical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to or involving various methods of using photography to make plates for printing
• physical 0
  adj 1: involving the body as distinguished from the mind or spirit; "physical exercise"; "physical suffering"; "was sloppy about everything but her physical appearance" [ant: mental] 2: relating to the sciences dealing with matter and energy; especially physics; "physical sciences"; "physical laws" 3: having substance or material existence; perceptible to the senses; "a physical manifestation"; "surrounded by tangible objects" 4: according with material things or natural laws (other than those peculiar to living matter); "a reflex response to physical stimuli" 5: characterized by energetic bodily activity; "a very physical dance performance" 6: impelled by physical force especially against resistance; "forcible entry"; "a real cop would get physical"; "strong- arm tactics" [syn: forcible, physical, strong-arm] 7: concerned with material things; "physical properties"; "the physical characteristics of the earth"; "the physical size of a computer"
• polemical 0
  adj 1: of or involving dispute or controversy [syn: polemic, polemical]
• pontifical 0
  adj 1: proceeding from or ordered by or subject to a pope or the papacy regarded as the successor of the Apostles; "papal dispensation" [syn: papal, apostolic, apostolical, pontifical] 2: denoting or governed by or relating to a bishop or bishops [syn: episcopal, pontifical] 3: puffed up with vanity; "a grandiloquent and boastful manner"; "overblown oratory"; "a pompous speech"; "pseudo-scientific gobbledygook and pontifical hooey"- Newsweek [syn: grandiloquent, overblown, pompous, pontifical, portentous] n 1: the vestments and other insignia of a pontiff (especially a bishop)
• premedical 0
  adj 1: preparing for the study of medicine; "premedical students" 2: preceding and preparing for the study of medicine; "premedical courses"
• psychical 0
  adj 1: affecting or influenced by the human mind; "psychic energy"; "psychic trauma" [syn: psychic, psychical] 2: outside the sphere of physical science; "psychic phenomena" [syn: psychic, psychical]
• puritanical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to Puritans or Puritanism 2: exaggeratedly proper; "my straitlaced Aunt Anna doesn't approve of my miniskirts" [syn: priggish, prim, prissy, prudish, puritanical, square-toed, straitlaced, strait-laced, straightlaced, straight-laced, tight- laced, victorian] 3: morally rigorous and strict; "the puritan work ethic"; "puritanic distaste for alcohol"; "she was anything but puritanical in her behavior" [syn: blue(a), puritanic, puritanical]
• pyrotechnical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to the craft of making fireworks; "pyrotechnic smokes" [syn: pyrotechnic, pyrotechnical]
• quizzical 0
  adj 1: playfully vexing (especially by ridicule); "his face wore a somewhat quizzical almost impertinent air"- Lawrence Durrell [syn: mocking, teasing, quizzical] 2: perplexed (as if being expected to know something that you do not know); "he had a quizzical expression" [syn: questioning, quizzical]
• rabbinical 0
  adj 1: of or relating to rabbis or their teachings; "rabbinical school" [syn: rabbinical, rabbinic]
• radical 0
  adj 1: (used of opinions and actions) far beyond the norm; "extremist political views"; "radical opinions on education"; "an ultra conservative" [syn: extremist, radical, ultra] 2: markedly new or introducing radical change; "a revolutionary discovery"; "radical political views" [syn: revolutionary, radical] 3: arising from or going to the root or source; "a radical flaw in the plan" 4: of or relating to or constituting a linguistic root; "a radical verb form" 5: especially of leaves; located at the base of a plant or stem; especially arising directly from the root or rootstock or a root-like stem; "basal placentation"; "radical leaves" [syn: radical, basal] [ant: cauline] n 1: (chemistry) two or more atoms bound together as a single unit and forming part of a molecule [syn: group, radical, chemical group] 2: an atom or group of atoms with at least one unpaired electron; in the body it is usually an oxygen molecule that has lost an electron and will stabilize itself by stealing an electron from a nearby molecule; "in the body free radicals are high-energy particles that ricochet wildly and damage cells" [syn: free radical, radical] 3: a person who has radical ideas or opinions 4: (mathematics) a quantity expressed as the root of another quantity 5: a character conveying the lexical meaning of a logogram 6: (linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed; "thematic vowels are part of the stem" [syn: root, root word, base, stem, theme, radical]

See also barnacle definition and barnacle synonyms