Words that start with C

A coop is a cage, generally in the ground, for keeping animals like chickens inside. To coop up means to keep someone in a small space, for example "my apartment is so small I'm all cooped up in there".

Copper is a common, reddish-coloured metal that is used for electrical wiring, and mixed with other metals into alloys like brass and bronze. Copper is an extremely good conductor of electricity. Oxides of copper are blue and green, and have been used to colour paints and glaze pots for thousands of years.

A cord is a thick string or a thin rope. The term cord is also used to describe something that looks like a cord. This includes power cords, computer cords, and umbilical cords.

The core of something is the inside or center of something. The picture is of an apple core, which is inside an apple in the middle. Sometimes people use the word 'core' to mean the most important part of something, like a core election promise.

Coriander, also called Chinese Parsley, is a soft, fast-growing annual herb - it lives for a year or less. It is very easy to grow from its big, round seeds. It is best planted in early Spring, and again in Autumn in warmer areas. In warm weather it will go to seed very fast so it is best to plant it in a cool, sheltered spot. Coriander leaves are is used fresh in a lot of Asian - particularly Thai, Middle Eastern and African cooking. It is also used in some South American dishes. Both the fresh leaves and the dried seed, powdered or whole, are used in cooking. Ground coriander seed is one of the main ingredients in curry powders and mixed spice. Coriander is also used to flavour cakes, cooked fruits and cookies and goes very well with chicken, fish and vegetable dishes. Coriander is though to help digestion and is useful in treating colic.