| caterwaul | v. | to yowl like rutting cats | ||
| cathexis | n. | investment of emotional energy upon a specific thing; such energy invested | ||
| catoblepas | n. | ancient name for African animal of unsure genus | ||
| catoptric | adj. | of or related to a mirror, or to optical reflection | ||
| cattywampus | adj. | arranged incorrectly or diagonally; askew | ||
| cautelous | adj. | cautious; treacherous and artful, insidious | ||
| cavass | n. | (also kavass) armed policeman; guide or courier (Turkish) | ||
| cavernicolous | adj. | living in caves | ||
| cavil | v. | to quibble, to find petty objections | ||
| ceil | v. | to finish or line a surface, esp. a ceiling | ||
| celadon | n. | pale willow-green | ||
| cellarage | n. | area or space of a cellar; rent for use of cellar space | ||
| celt | n. | unhafted bladed tool, usu. of stone or bronze, used as chisel or handleless axe | ||
| cemeterian | n. | caretaker of a cemetery | ||
| cenacle | n. | room in which the Last Supper was held; upper chamber, room for dining or supping; group of people, clique | ||
| cenobite | n. | monk | ||
| cenotaph | n. | tomb or sepulchral monument for person whose body lies elsewhere | ||
| censor | v. | to remove or suppress objectionable content from work to be published or promulgated | ||
| ceorl | n. | one of the lowest rank of freemen, in medieval times (more commonly churl) | ||
| cepe | n. | edible mushroom, porcini | ||
| cerecloth | n. | waterproof cloth impregnated with wax, used to wrap corpses or parcels | ||
| cerement | n. | (usu. pl cerements) cerecloths for wrapping the dead; burial clothes or wrappings | ||
| cerise | adj. | bright red | ||
| certes | adv. | certainly, in truth, assuredly | ||
| cess | n. | tax, assessment | ||
| ceteris paribus | adv. | with all other things remaining the same | Latin | |
| chacma | n. | Cape baboon | ||
| chaffer | v. | to haggle, to bargain | ||
| chaffinch | n. | common finch | ||
| chalazion | n. | swollen bump on eyelid caused by clogged oil gland | ||
| Chalcolithic | adj. | Eneolithic, of or related to the Copper Age | ||
| chalybeate | adj. | containing iron salts | ||
| chamade | n. | drum or trumpet signal inviting enemy to parley | ||
| chamfer | v. | to cut away material (usually at 45º) to make a join with another forming an edge or angle | ||
| chancel | n. | area around altar reserved for use of officiating clergy, usu. the eastern part of the church | ||
| chancer | n. | reckless and unscrupulous opportunist | slang | |
| chancre | n. | venereal ulcer, painless with a hard base | ||
| chancroid | n. | STD causing ulcerated lymph nodes in the groin | biology | |
| chandelier bid | n. | underhanded auction technique whereby auctioneer pretends to notice a (nonexistent) bid from a distant part of the room so as to start the bidding at a higher figure than otherwise might occur | idiom | |
| chandu | n. | strongest preparation of opium for smoking | ||
| chaogenous | adj. | born from chaos | ||
| chapati | n. | unleavened flatbread of India and Pakistan | ||
| chape | n. | metal point folded over or sometimes enclosing the tip of a sword scabbard | ||
| chapfallen | adj. | dejected, dispirited | ||
| chapiter | n. | decorated capital atop a pillar | architecture | |
| char | n. | odd job, household chore | ||
| charabanc | n. | (more properly char-à-banc) sightseeing bus with bench seats and no center aisle | ||
| charivari | n. | mock serenade with kitchen implements for newly marrieds; clamor of noise | ||
| charlotte | n. | sweet or savory dish contained in bread, consisting of custard or fruit or other filling | ||
| charnel | n. | vault for bones of the dead |
