Here you’ll find 147 Big words that start with C, organized from “cachinnate” to “cynosure”. These polysyllabic, high-register terms often derive from Latin or Greek and suit writing, speaking, and study.
Big words that start with C are established, polysyllabic terms used for precision, emphasis, or stylistic flair. For example, “cynosure” once referred to the North Star and later became a lasting metaphor for guidance.
Below you’ll find the table with Word, Etymology, and Definition.
Word: The entry itself; you can scan this column to find specific terms and their spellings quickly.
Etymology: Shows each word’s origin and root elements, helping you trace meaning and remember usage.
Definition: Gives a concise, modern meaning in one sentence, so you can use or recognize the word correctly.
Big words that start with C
| Word | Part of speech | Etymology | Syllables |
|---|---|---|---|
| cachinnate | verb | Latin cachinnare, “to laugh loudly”, 16th c. | 3 |
| cacography | noun | Greek kakos “bad” + graphy, 19th c. | 4 |
| cacophony | noun | Greek kakophonia “bad sound”, 18th c. | 4 |
| cacophonous | adjective | Greek kakophonia via French/English, 18th c. | 4 |
| cadaverous | adjective | Latin cadaver-, “dead body”, 17th c. | 4 |
| calamity | noun | Latin calamitas, “loss, damage”, Middle English. | 4 |
| calamitous | adjective | Latin calamitas, -ous suffix, 17th c. | 4 |
| calumniate | verb | Latin calumnia “false accusation”, 16th c. | 4 |
| calumny | noun | Latin calumnia, “slander”, Middle English. | 3 |
| camaraderie | noun | French camarade “comrade”, 19th c. | 5 |
| camarilla | noun | Spanish camarilla “little chamber”, 19th c. | 4 |
| canorous | adjective | Latin canorus “melodious”, 17th c. | 3 |
| cantankerous | adjective | Dialectal cantank “difficult”, 18th c. | 4 |
| capacious | adjective | Latin capax “able to contain”, 16th c. | 4 |
| capitulate | verb | Latin capitulum “little head”, via French, 16th c. | 4 |
| capitulation | noun | Latin capitulatio, formal surrender term, 16th c. | 5 |
| capricious | adjective | Italian capriccio “whim”, 16th c. | 3 |
| carcinogenic | adjective | Greek karkinos “crab” + -genic, 19th c. | 5 |
| cardinality | noun | Latin cardinalis “principal” + -ity, 17th c. | 4 |
| carnivorous | adjective | Latin carnis “flesh” + -vorous, 17th c. | 4 |
| cartography | noun | Greek khartēs “map” + -graphy, 19th c. | 4 |
| casuistry | noun | Latin casus “case”, Medieval Latin, 16th c. | 3 |
| catharsis | noun | Greek katharsis “purification”, classical. | 3 |
| categorical | adjective | Greek katēgoria “accusation, category”, 17th c. | 4 |
| catholicity | noun | Greek katholikos “general”, Late Latin, 17th c. | 5 |
| celerity | noun | Latin celeritas “swiftness”, 15th c. | 4 |
| censorious | adjective | Latin censor “judge” + -ous, 17th c. | 4 |
| centennial | adjective | Latin centum “hundred” + -ennial, 18th c. | 4 |
| cerebral | adjective | Latin cerebrum “brain”, 17th c. | 3 |
| ceremonial | adjective | Latin ceremonia, “rites”, Middle English. | 4 |
| ceremonious | adjective | Latin cerimoniōsus, 17th c. | 4 |
| certitude | noun | Latin certus “certain” + -itude, 16th c. | 3 |
| chicanery | noun | French chicane “trick”, 17th c. | 4 |
| chimerical | adjective | Greek Chimaera, mythological hybrid, 17th c. | 4 |
| choreography | noun | Greek khoreia “dance” + -graphy, 19th c. | 5 |
| chronological | adjective | Greek chronos “time” + -logical, 18th c. | 5 |
| circadian | adjective | Latin circa “about” + dies “day”, 20th c. | 4 |
| circumlocution | noun | Latin circum “around” + loqui “speak”, 16th c. | 5 |
| circumscribe | verb | Latin circum “around” + scribere “write”, 16th c. | 3 |
| circumspect | adjective | Latin circum “around” + specere “look”, 16th c. | 3 |
| circumstantial | adjective | Latin circumstantia, 17th c. | 4 |
| circumvention | noun | Latin circumvenire “to circumvent”, 17th c. | 4 |
| clairvoyant | adjective | French clair “clear” + voir “see”, 19th c. | 3 |
| clandestine | adjective | Latin clandestinus “secret”, 16th c. | 3 |
| classification | noun | Latin classis “group” + -fication, 17th c. | 5 |
| coalescence | noun | Latin coalescere “grow together”, 19th c. | 4 |
| coercion | noun | Latin coercere “restrain”, 16th c. | 3 |
| cognizance | noun | Latin cognoscere “to know”, 16th c. | 3 |
| cognizant | adjective | Latin cognoscere “to know”, 17th c. | 3 |
| cognoscenti | noun | Italian cognoscente, plural, 19th c. | 4 |
| coherent | adjective | Latin cohaerēre “stick together”, 17th c. | 3 |
| cohesion | noun | Latin cohaerere “stick together”, 17th c. | 3 |
| cohesive | adjective | Latin cohaesus, 18th c. | 3 |
| coincidence | noun | Latin coincidere “to fall together”, 16th c. | 4 |
| collateral | adjective | Latin collateralis “side-by-side”, 16th c. | 4 |
| collation | noun | Latin collatio “bringing together”, 15th c. | 3 |
| collegiate | adjective | Latin collegium “college”, 18th c. | 4 |
| collusion | noun | Latin con- + ludere “play”, 17th c. | 3 |
| colloquial | adjective | Latin colloquium “conversation”, 18th c. | 4 |
| commensurate | adjective | Latin com- + mensuratus “measured”, 17th c. | 4 |
| commiserate | verb | Latin com- + miserari “to pity”, 17th c. | 4 |
| commodious | adjective | Latin commodus “convenient”, 17th c. | 4 |
| communicable | adjective | Latin communicare “to share”, 19th c. | 5 |
| compendium | noun | Latin compendium “shortening”, 17th c. | 4 |
| compensatory | adjective | Latin compensare “weigh against”, 19th c. | 5 |
| complacency | noun | Latin complacere “to please”, 17th c. | 4 |
| complaisant | adjective | French complaire “to oblige”, 18th c. | 3 |
| complementary | adjective | Latin complere “to fill up”, 5th-16th c. | 5 |
| compliant | adjective | Latin complere “to fill”, 3rd-17th c. | 3 |
| complicity | noun | Latin complicitus “involved”, 16th c. | 4 |
| compunction | noun | Latin compunctus “pricked”, 16th c. | 3 |
| compulsory | adjective | Latin compellere “drive together”, 16th c. | 4 |
| concomitant | adjective | Latin con- + comitari “accompany”, 17th c. | 4 |
| concordance | noun | Latin concordare “agree”, 17th c. | 3 |
| condemnation | noun | Latin condemnare, 15th c. | 4 |
| condolence | noun | Latin con- + dolere “to grieve”, 17th c. | 4 |
| conducive | adjective | Latin con- + ducere “to lead”, 3rd-17th c. | 3 |
| conflagration | noun | Latin conflagrare “to burn up”, 17th c. | 4 |
| confluence | noun | Latin confluere “flow together”, 17th c. | 3 |
| conformity | noun | Latin conformare “shape similarly”, 17th c. | 4 |
| conglomerate | noun | Latin con- + glomus “ball”, 17th c. | 4 |
| congruence | noun | Latin congruere “to agree”, 17th c. | 3 |
| conjecture | noun | Latin conjectura, 16th c. | 3 |
| conjugal | adjective | Latin conjux “spouse”, 17th c. | 3 |
| connoisseur | noun | French connaisseur, 18th c. | 4 |
| connotation | noun | Latin con- + notare “to mark”, 17th c. | 4 |
| conscientious | adjective | Latin conscientia “moral sense”, 17th c. | 4 |
| consequential | adjective | Latin consequi “to follow”, 17th c. | 4 |
| consilience | noun | Latin con- + salire “to jump”, 19th c. | 4 |
| consolidate | verb | Latin con- + solidare “make solid”, 16th c. | 4 |
| consonance | noun | Latin consonare “sound together”, 16th c. | 3 |
| conspicuous | adjective | Latin conspicuus “visible”, 16th c. | 4 |
| consternation | noun | Latin consternare “to dismay”, 16th c. | 4 |
| constituency | noun | Latin constituere “to set up”, 18th c. | 5 |
| constitute | verb | Latin constituere “to set up”, 15th c. | 3 |
| consummation | noun | Latin consummare “to complete”, 16th c. | 4 |
| contagion | noun | Latin contagio “touching”, 16th c. | 3 |
| contemplative | adjective | Latin contemplari “to gaze”, 17th c. | 4 |
| contemporaneous | adjective | Latin contemporaneus “same time”, 18th c. | 5 |
| contiguous | adjective | Latin contiguus “touching”, 17th c. | 4 |
| contingency | noun | Latin contingere “to happen”, 17th c. | 4 |
| continuity | noun | Latin continuus “uninterrupted”, 17th c. | 4 |
| contumacious | adjective | Latin contumax “stubborn”, 17th c. | 5 |
| contumely | noun | Latin contumelia “insult”, 16th c. | 4 |
| convalesce | verb | Latin con- + valescere “get well”, 16th c. | 4 |
| convenience | noun | Latin conveniens “suitable”, 15th c. | 4 |
| conventional | adjective | Latin conventio “agreement”, 17th c. | 4 |
| convergence | noun | Latin convergere “to incline together”, 17th c. | 3 |
| conversation | noun | Latin conversari “to live with”, 14th c. | 4 |
| conversant | adjective | Latin conversari “to live with”, 17th c. | 3 |
| convertible | adjective | Latin convertere “to turn”, 17th c. | 4 |
| convivial | adjective | Latin convivium “feast”, 17th c. | 3 |
| convoluted | adjective | Latin convolutus “rolled together”, 17th c. | 4 |
| convolution | noun | Latin convolvere “to roll together”, 17th c. | 4 |
| convulsive | adjective | Latin convulsus “to shake violently”, 17th c. | 3 |
| cooperate | verb | Latin cooperari “work together”, 17th c. | 4 |
| cooperative | adjective | Latin cooperari, noun use 19th c. | 5 |
| copious | adjective | Latin copiosus “abundant”, 15th c. | 3 |
| corporeal | adjective | Latin corporeus “of the body”, 15th c. | 4 |
| corpulence | noun | Latin corpulentus “fat”, 17th c. | 3 |
| corroborate | verb | Latin corroborare “strengthen”, 17th c. | 4 |
| corroboration | noun | Latin corroborare, 17th c. | 5 |
| corrugated | adjective | Latin corrugare “to wrinkle”, 19th c. | 4 |
| cosmopolitan | adjective | Greek kosmos “world” + polis, 19th c. | 5 |
| cosmology | noun | Greek kosmos “world” + -logy, 17th c. | 4 |
| coterie | noun | French cotier “coter”, 18th c. | 3 |
| counterintuitive | adjective | English counter- + intuitive, 20th c. | 6 |
| countermand | verb | French contre “against” + mander, 17th c. | 3 |
| counterpart | noun | Middle English, counter + part, 15th c. | 3 |
| covetous | adjective | Old English cufian/coveten, later Latin influence, 14th c. | 3 |
| credibility | noun | Latin credere “to believe”, 17th c. | 5 |
| credulous | adjective | Latin credulus “believing”, 16th c. | 3 |
| crepuscular | adjective | Latin crepusculum “twilight”, 19th c. | 4 |
| criterion | noun | Greek kriterion “means of judging”, 17th c. | 4 |
| culpability | noun | Latin culpare “to blame”, 18th c. | 5 |
| culpable | adjective | Latin culpare “to blame”, 16th c. | 3 |
| culmination | noun | Latin culminare “to crown”, 17th c. | 4 |
| cumulative | adjective | Latin cumulare “to heap up”, 17th c. | 4 |
| cupidity | noun | Latin cupiditas “desire”, 16th c. | 4 |
| curative | adjective | Latin curare “to care for”, 17th c. | 3 |
| curiosity | noun | Latin curiositas “care, inquisitiveness”, 16th c. | 5 |
| curmudgeon | noun | Origin uncertain, 18th c. | 3 |
| curtailment | noun | Old French court “short” + -ail, 17th c. | 3 |
| curvilinear | adjective | Latin curvus “curved” + lineare, 19th c. | 4 |
| curvaceous | adjective | Latin curvus “curved”, 19th c. | 4 |
| cynosure | noun | Greek kynosoura “dog’s tail, guiding star”, 17th c. | 3 |
| cybernetic | adjective | Greek kybernetes “steersman”, 20th c. | 4 |
Descriptions
cachinnate
To laugh loudly or immoderately; a literary or humorous term for loud, raucous laughter.
cacography
Bad handwriting or poor spelling; used humorously or critically about sloppy written expression.
cacophony
A harsh, jarring mixture of sounds; often used figuratively for discordant language or ideas.
cacophonous
Producing a harsh, discordant sound; describes unpleasant auditory or rhetorical noise.
cadaverous
Resembling a corpse in pallor or thinness; used figuratively for extremely gaunt appearance.
calamity
A great misfortune or disaster; formal term often used in historical or literary contexts.
calamitous
Marked by disaster or severe misfortune; used in formal descriptions of disastrous events.
calumniate
To make false and malicious statements to damage someone’s reputation; a formal legal or rhetorical term.
calumny
A false, malicious statement intended to injure a person’s reputation; a formal word for slander.
camaraderie
Warm friendship and mutual trust among people in a group; used to describe close social bonds.
camarilla
A small, often secretive group of political advisers or conspirators; somewhat formal and literary.
canorous
Having a pleasant, musical sound; a literary adjective for melodious voices or tones.
cantankerous
Irritable and quarrelsome; a colorful, somewhat formal adjective for bad-tempered behavior.
capacious
Roomy or able to hold a lot; used formally for spaces, minds, or concepts with breadth.
capitulate
To surrender under agreed conditions; now often used figuratively for yielding or giving in.
capitulation
The act of surrendering or conceding; historically a formal instrument of surrender.
capricious
Given to sudden, unaccountable changes in mood or behavior; used to describe fickle tendencies.
carcinogenic
Causing or likely to cause cancer; used in health, environmental, and regulatory contexts.
cardinality
The property of being primary or the number of elements in a set; formal in math and logic.
carnivorous
Feeding on flesh; used biologically and metaphorically for aggressive consumption.
cartography
The art or science of mapmaking; formal, widely used in geography and history.
casuistry
Specious or subtle reasoning, especially in ethical cases; often used critically about moral hair-splitting.
catharsis
Emotional release or purification, especially through art; a key term in literary and psychological contexts.
categorical
Absolute and unqualified; used in formal statements or logical assertions.
catholicity
Universality or broad scope; formal term for inclusiveness or wide applicability.
celerity
Swiftness or speed; a formal synonym for rapidity, common in literary and historical writing.
censorious
Highly critical and fault-finding; describes a judgmental or hypercritical attitude.
centennial
Relating to a hundredth anniversary; formal term used in commemorations.
cerebral
Intellectual rather than emotional; used to describe thoughtful, brain-based approaches.
ceremonial
Relating to formal rites or observances; used for official, ritualistic situations.
ceremonious
Marked by elaborate formality; often describes overly formal behavior or occasions.
certitude
Absolute certainty or conviction; a formal word for assured belief.
chicanery
Deception or trickery used to achieve a purpose; a formal term for dishonest tactics.
chimerical
Wildly fanciful or imaginary; often applied to unrealistic plans or hopes.
choreography
The art of designing dances; used literally for dance and metaphorically for planned movement.
chronological
Arranged in order of time; a formal and widely used term in history and narrative.
circadian
Relating to biological cycles of about a day; common in biology and health contexts.
circumlocution
Evasive or overly wordy expression; a formal term for talking in circles.
circumscribe
To limit or restrict; used in formal contexts about authority, scope, or space.
circumspect
Cautious and watchful; a formal adjective for prudent behavior.
circumstantial
Dependent on specific facts or context; used in legal, historical, and narrative descriptions.
circumvention
An evasion or avoidance, often by clever or deceitful means; formal and legal usage.
clairvoyant
Allegedly able to see beyond normal perception; used literally or figuratively for foresight.
clandestine
Kept secret or done covertly; a formal word for hidden or illicit activities.
classification
The act or system of arranging things into classes; formal in science and information.
coalescence
The process of coming together into one; used in science, politics, and social contexts.
coercion
Use of force or threats to compel action; formal term in law and ethics.
cognizance
Awareness or jurisdiction; used formally in law and scholarly discussion.
cognizant
Aware or informed of something; a formal adjective common in professional writing.
cognoscenti
People with expert knowledge in a subject; a high-register plural noun for connoisseurs.
coherent
Logically consistent and intelligible; used in writing and argument evaluation.
cohesion
The action of forming a united whole; used in social, physical, and textual contexts.
cohesive
Tending to hold together; describes unified groups, writing, or materials.
coincidence
A remarkable concurrence of events without apparent causal connection.
collateral
Secondary or subordinate; also property offered as security, formal in law and finance.
collation
Comparison and arrangement of texts; formal term in scholarship or formal meals.
collegiate
Relating to a college or its students; also cooperative, scholarly tone.
collusion
Secret agreement for fraudulent or deceitful purposes; legal and political usage.
colloquial
Characteristic of informal spoken language; used in linguistics and style notes.
commensurate
Proportionate in size or degree; formal, used in comparisons and evaluations.
commiserate
To express sympathy; a formal, empathetic verb for condolence.
commodious
Spacious and comfortable; a formal adjective for generous room or scope.
communicable
Capable of being transmitted, especially disease or information; formal medical and general use.
compendium
A concise but comprehensive summary of a larger work or field of knowledge.
compensatory
Serving to make amends or provide balance; used in legal, educational, and HR contexts.
complacency
Self-satisfied inaction or smugness; a formal criticism of overconfidence.
complaisant
Willing to please or oblige; a polite, formal descriptor of obliging behavior.
complementary
Completing or enhancing by contrast or addition; used in science, design, and rhetoric.
compliant
Willing to follow rules or requests; formal in legal and workplace contexts.
complicity
Involvement with others in wrongdoing; a legal and moral term for shared guilt.
compunction
A feeling of guilt or moral scruple that prevents wrongdoing; formal moral term.
compulsory
Required by law or rule; formal term for mandatory obligations.
concomitant
Occurring together as a related or accompanying thing; formal, descriptive term.
concordance
Agreement or harmony; index of words in a text; formal in literary and legal contexts.
condemnation
Strong disapproval or legal sentencing; a formal word used in moral and legal settings.
condolence
Expression of sympathy, especially on someone’s death; a formal phrase of comfort.
conducive
Tending to bring about; often used in formal analyses of causes or environments.
conflagration
A large destructive fire; used both literally and metaphorically for widespread destruction.
confluence
A junction where things meet, like rivers or ideas; formal in geography and discourse.
conformity
Compliance with standards, rules, or customs; formal in social critique.
conglomerate
A group or corporation made of different businesses; formal business term.
congruence
Agreement or correspondence; formal in math, logic, and argumentation.
conjecture
An inference or conclusion based on incomplete information; formal, tentative claim.
conjugal
Relating to marriage or the marital relationship; formal legal and social term.
connoisseur
An expert judge in matters of taste, especially art, food, or wine; a high-register praise word.
connotation
The associated or suggested meaning beyond a word’s literal sense; used in literary analysis.
conscientious
Guided by moral sense and carefulness; a respected adjective in character descriptions.
consequential
Having significant effects or importance; formal in argument and policy.
consilience
Unity of knowledge across disciplines; a high-register term in philosophy and science.
consolidate
To combine into a stronger whole; used in business, finance, and strategy.
consonance
Harmonious agreement of sounds or ideas; formal in music and rhetoric.
conspicuous
Easily seen or noticed; used formally for obvious or striking features.
consternation
Sudden amazement or dismay that confuses or alarms; a formal emotional descriptor.
constituency
The body of voters represented by an official; also used for a group’s supporters.
constitute
To make up or establish something; formal in law, government, and organization.
consummation
The act of completing or perfecting something; formal term with legal and ceremonial uses.
contagion
The spread of disease or influence by contact; used in medicine and metaphorically.
contemplative
Deeply thoughtful or given to meditation; a high-register word for reflective states.
contemporaneous
Existing or occurring at the same time; formal historical and scholarly term.
contiguous
Sharing a common border or being in close proximity; formal in geography and law.
contingency
A possible future event or condition; formal in planning and risk analysis.
continuity
Unbroken sequence or consistency over time; used in narrative, film, and systems.
contumacious
Willfully disobedient to authority; a formal legal term for refractory behavior.
contumely
Rude or insulting language or treatment; formal, literary word for humiliation.
convalesce
To recover health after illness; a formal, medical or literary verb.
convenience
Something that makes life easier; a neutral formal term for comfort or practicality.
conventional
Established by custom or agreement; used in social, artistic, and technical contexts.
convergence
The coming together of ideas, lines, or forces; formal in science and discourse.
conversation
An informal or formal exchange of thoughts; common but polysyllabic and stylistically neutral.
conversant
Familiar or experienced with a subject; a formal adjective for competence.
convertible
Able to be changed into another form; common in finance and general use.
convivial
Friendly, lively, and enjoyable; used for sociable gatherings or atmospheres.
convoluted
Extremely complex and difficult to follow; often used for dense writing or plans.
convolution
A twisting or complex shape; used metaphorically for complicated processes.
convulsive
Marked by convulsions or sudden spasms; used medically and metaphorically for violent fits.
cooperate
To work jointly toward a common goal; formal and widely used in social and business contexts.
cooperative
Willing to assist or shared enterprise organized for mutual benefit; formal in economics and social life.
copious
Plentiful or abundant; a formal adjective for large quantities or profuse output.
corporeal
Relating to the body or material existence; formal philosophical and legal term.
corpulence
Suffering from excess body weight; a formal, somewhat euphemistic term for obesity.
corroborate
To confirm or give support to a statement or theory; common in scholarship and law.
corroboration
Evidence that confirms or supports a claim; formal term in research and legal contexts.
corrugated
Shaped into ridges and grooves; used for materials and figuratively for textured forms.
cosmopolitan
At ease in many cultures; worldly or internationally inclusive.
cosmology
Study of the universe’s origin and structure; formal in science and philosophy.
coterie
A small, exclusive group with shared interests; a high-register word for inner circles.
counterintuitive
Contrary to what intuition would suggest; used in analysis to flag surprising findings.
countermand
To revoke or cancel a previous order; formal term in military and administrative contexts.
counterpart
A person or thing that corresponds to another; used in formal comparisons.
covetous
Having a strong desire for others’ possessions; a formal, moralizing adjective.
credibility
The quality of being believable or trustworthy; formal in evaluations of sources.
credulous
Easily convinced or too ready to believe; a formal critical description.
crepuscular
Relating to twilight; used in biology and poetic description of dim light.
criterion
A standard or principle for judgment; formal plural is criteria.
culpability
The degree of blame or responsibility for wrongdoing; legal and moral usage.
culpable
Deserving blame; a formal adjective used in moral and legal contexts.
culmination
The highest or climactic point of something; used in narrative and analysis.
cumulative
Increasing by successive additions; formal in law, finance, and research.
cupidity
Greedy desire, especially for wealth; a formal, literary synonym for avarice.
curative
Able to cure or heal; used medically and figuratively for remedial measures.
curiosity
A desire to know or learn; used both for interest and oddities.
curmudgeon
A surly, ill-tempered person; a colorful, high-register term for grumpy individuals.
curtailment
The act of reducing or cutting short something; formal in policy and law.
curvilinear
Composed of curved lines; formal in geometry, art, and engineering.
curvaceous
Having an attractively curved shape; often used descriptively for figures or forms.
cynosure
A focal point of attention or admiration; a literary word for a guiding center.
cybernetic
Relating to control and communication systems; used in science, engineering, and social theory