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Words that start with A

Angry anteaters arguing against albino antelopes.

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Anticlockwise, or counterclockwise is a circular direction around a central point, in the opposite direction to the way the hands on a clock turn. Anticlockwise goes towards the left.

A is for Antique

Something is antique if it is old, and people think it is worth collecting. Some antique things aren't worth very much, and people just like to collect them. But other things become more valuable the older they get, and some antique items can cost a lot of money to buy. Antique is often used to describe an old, expensive item, while vintage is often used to describe a less expensive old item, but the two words can be interchanged.

A is for Antler

Antlers grow in pairs on the top of the heads of most deer. They can be quite complicated, with many different forks and branches. Male deer grow antlers every year, then the antlers die and the deer sheds them. Antlers are similar to horns, but animals with horns do not shed them every year.

A is for Antlion

The antlion is the larval stage of a kind of flying insect often called a lacewing. Antlions get their name because they eat mostly ants. They live in dry, sandy areas and make their cocoons out of sand stuck together with silk. They catch ants to eat by digging small pits in the sand. Ants fall into the pits and have trouble getting back out, and the antlion comes out from hiding at the centre of the pit and eats them.

A is for Anvil

An anvil is a hard object designed for working hot metal on. Anvils are made of steel, but in ancient times they were made of stone or bronze. The anvil is the shape it is to make it easier to work different shaped metal objects.

A is for Anxious

Anxious is another word for worried or nervous. When you are anxious you can be afraid of something other people might find normal, like answering the phone.

If you're worried or nervous all the time, you may have an anxiety disorder.

A is for Any

You use the word any when you are talking about one or more things from a group, but it doesn't matter which ones you are talking about. For example, "just pick any of those sheep, they all look the same".

A is for Aorta

The aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body. It carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

The aorta starts from the left side of the heart and then goes through the chest and into the abdomen. It splits into smaller arteries to deliver blood to organs, arms, and legs.

A is for Ape

Apes are creatures closely related to humans. Unlike monkeys, apes have no tails. Apes include gorillas, chimpanzees and orangutans.

A is for Apex

The apex of something is its highest point.
Similar words to apex are vertex or summit.

A is for Aphid

Aphids, also called plant lice, are a tiny, sapsucking insect. They are attracted to fresh new shoots of plants, especially developing fruit and flowerbuds. They can do a lot of damage to crops, and gardeners do not like them. Aphids can be killed by poison, removed by squirting them off with water from a hose, or their numbers can be reduced naturally by encouraging aphid-eaters like ladybugs and wasps into your garden.
The aphids in the picture are on a the developing flower bud of a rose.

A is for Apostlebird

The apostlebird is medium sized grey bird with a black face that lives in woodland areas of Australia, where there are few people. It eats seeds and insects. It's known for being fairly bold and for making a distinctive chattering call.

A is for Appaloosa

An appaloosa is a breed of horse with a distinctive spotty coat. Appaloosas are usually used as a stock horse.

A is for Appear

Something appears when it comes into view. You may also use the word to describe something that is obvious, or that you have just discovered; "You appear to have the measles".

The cat in the picture just appeared at the window.

A is for Appendix

The appendix is a small, finger-like pouch in the lower right side of the belly. It is part of the digestive system and sits near the first part of the large intestine.

The appendix can sometimes get swollen or infected, which is called appendicitis. In that case, doctors may remove it with surgery.

A is for Applaud

Applauding is clapping after something happens to show you like it. People in an audience applaud after a performance like an opera if they think it was very good.

A is for Applause

Applause is clapping of hands to show appreciation. Applause happens when a group of people in an audience all applaud at once.
The apple is the fruit of the apple tree. Apple trees are small deciduous trees growing to around 5-12 metres high. Apples may be red, yellow or green. You can eat all of the apple except the core in the middle, which is full of seeds.

A is for Appointment

An appointment is a scheduled time when a meeting will take place, such as a doctor seeing a patient.