list

1 of 9

noun (1)

ˈlist 

1

a

: a simple series of words or numerals (such as the names of persons or objects)

a guest list

b

: an official roster : roll

drawing up a list for … party nomination

—Richard Scammon

2

: catalog, checklist

The song jumped to the top of the hit list.

3

: the total number to be considered or included

add spelling reform to his list of interests

—W. B. Shaw

list

2 of 9

verb (1)

listed; listing; lists

transitive verb

1

a

: to make a list of : enumerate

She began listing places she wanted to travel.

Can you list three former U.S. presidents?

Please list the medicines you currently take.

b

: to add (someone or something) to a list : register

They listed their property (for sale).

The animal has now been officially listed as endangered.

He listed messiness as a pet peeve.

c

: to have or show a list of

This guide lists simple tips for operating your fire pit better …

—Brian Bennet

… put up eight huge electronic billboards listing gate information for flights to and from nearly 20 cities …

—Bridget O'Brian

The database lists people who need food, cooks, drivers, and deliveries.

—Paul Ford

d

: to have or show (someone or something) as part of a list, register, or record

Our system lists you as her emergency contact.

The recipe lists some ingredients I've never heard of.

The Lenovo site currently lists that configuration at $2,016 …

—Mark Coppock

2

: to place (oneself) in a specified category

lists himself as a political liberal

3

archaic : recruit

intransitive verb

1

: to become entered in a catalog with a selling price

a car that lists for $12,000

2

archaic : enlist

listee

li-ˈstē 

noun

list

3 of 9

verb (2)

listed; listing; lists

intransitive verb

: to tilt to one side

especially, of a boat or ship : to tilt to one side in a state of equilibrium (as from an unbalanced load) compare heel

transitive verb

: to cause to list

The shifting cargo listed the ship.

list

4 of 9

noun (2)

: a deviation from the vertical : tilt

The ship had a heavy list to starboard.

also : the extent of such a deviation

list

5 of 9

noun (3)

1

: a band or strip of material: such as

a

: listel

b

: selvage

c

: a narrow strip of wood cut from the edge of a board

2

lists plural in form but singular or plural in construction

a

: an arena for combat (such as jousting)

entered the lists against the bull

—Frank Yerby

b

: a field of competition or controversy

The candidate entered the political lists.

3

: stripe

The horse had a list along its back.

4

obsolete : limit, boundary

list

6 of 9

verb (3)

listed; listing; lists

transitive verb

1

: to cut away a narrow strip from the edge of

2

: to prepare or plant (land) in ridges and furrows with a lister

list

7 of 9

verb (4)

listed; listing; lists

transitive verb

archaic : please, suit

intransitive verb

archaic : wish, choose

list

8 of 9

noun (4)

archaic

: inclination, craving

list

9 of 9

verb (5)

listed; listing; lists

intransitive verb

archaic : listen

transitive verb

archaic : to listen to : hear

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• canon
• catalog
• catalogue
• checklist
• listing
• menu
• register
• registry
• roll
• roll call
• roster
• schedule
• table

Verb (1)

• enumerate
• inventory
• itemize
• numerate

Verb (2)

• angle
• cant
• cock
• heel
• incline
• lean
• pitch
• slant
• slope
• tilt
• tip

Noun (2)

• angling
• bend
• cock
• inclination
• tilt
• tip

Noun (3)

• ribbon
• slip
• strip

Examples of list in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

To view the list of past winners, visit the Mega Millions website. —USA TODAY, 6 Apr. 2024

Check out the complete lists of 50 notable works for fiction and the top 50 nonfiction books of last year. —Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024

Amid such concerns, EU diplomats say industrial competitiveness is set to shoot up the list of priorities once a new European Commission takes office after the elections. —Ewa Krukowska, Fortune Europe, 5 Apr. 2024

For the full searchable list of Klein Award winners reaching back to 1999, visit yewdellgardens.org/theodore-klein-plant-awards/. Here is the 2024 list: 2024 Theodore Klein Plant Awards Shade Tree winner Peking Lilac - Syringa reticulata subsp. —Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 5 Apr. 2024

Lionel Messi is on the list after missing the past four games with a hamstring injury. —Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024

What follows, albeit in list form rather than on a two-dimensional grid, is a ranking of TV dramas about British royals from least to most salacious, taking into account both luridness and seriousness. —Judy Berman, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024

The latest additions to the list included two drugstores located in the Sacramento region. —Angela Rodriguez, Sacramento Bee, 5 Apr. 2024

Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine Cologne Our final choice on this list of the 10 best perfumes for men is Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine Cologne. —Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024

Verb

The names listed are of those who reported a burglary and the dates are when the crime is believed to have taken place. —The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 7 Apr. 2024

The Heat added Rozier to the injury report just a few hours before tip-off on Sunday, listing him as questionable because of neck stiffness. —Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2024

When Netflix sent out its slate of upcoming releases in the early part of 2022, Monkey Man was among the titles listed as highlights for the year. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2024

Those same 10 drivers listed below lead the field with 25 laps to go in Stage 2. —Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 7 Apr. 2024

One of the victims was transported to JHM Emergency Center, and the remaining victims were transported to HCA Kendall Emergency Center, all listed in stable condition. —Ahmad Hemingway, ABC News, 6 Apr. 2024

Two victims were taken to trauma centers and listed in critical condition, Zabaleta said, and the remaining four were stable. —USA TODAY, 6 Apr. 2024

Check the variety descriptions for resistance codes like those listed at reimerseeds.com/DiseaseCodes.aspx. —Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2024

The group’s leisure beach, listed among Nigeria’s best seven beaches in 2023 by the Lonely Planet travel guide, is a lucrative part of the 13-hectare mixed-use Landmark site along the Atlantic Ocean beachfront in Lagos’s affluent Victoria Island area. —Nimi Princewill, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1) and Verb (1)

French liste, from Italian lista, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German līsta edge

Noun (2) and Verb (2)

origin unknown

Noun (3) and Verb (3)

Middle English, from Old English līste; akin to Old High German līsta edge, Albanian leth

Verb (4)

Middle English lysten, from Old English lystan; akin to Old English lust desire, lust

Noun (4)

Middle English, probably from lysten

Verb (5)

Middle English, from Old English hlystan, from hlyst hearing; akin to Old English hlysnan to listen

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1602, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

1614, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Verb (2)

1626, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (2)

1582, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (3)

1635, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (4)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun (4)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (5)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing list

• A-list
• at the top of the list
• best-seller list
• B-list
• bucket list
• dean's list
• disabled list
• drop-down list
• endangered list
• grocery list
• guest list
• high on one's list
• high on the list
• hit list
• injured list
• laundry list
• life list
• list price
• mailing list
• on the critical list
• punch list
• shopping list
• short list
• the disabled list
• the top of one's list
• to-do list
• too numerous to list
• waiting list
• wait-list
• watch list
• white list
• wine list
• wish list

Kids Definition

list

1 of 7 verb

ˈlist 

archaic

: choose sense 3

list

2 of 7 verb

archaic

: to listen to : hear

list

3 of 7 noun

1

: a band or strip of material

2

plural

a

: an arena for jousting

b

: a field of competition or dispute

list

4 of 7 noun

: a leaning to one side : tilt

list

5 of 7 verb

: to lean to one side : tilt

a listing ship

list

6 of 7 noun

: a record or catalog of names or items

guest list

grocery list

list

7 of 7 verb

1

: to make a list of

2

: to put on a list

3

: to have a list price

a car that lists at $20,000

Etymology

Verb

Old English lystan "to please, suit, be desirable"

Verb

Old English hlystan "to listen"

Noun

Old English līste "strip"

Verb

origin unknown

Noun

from French liste "a series of names or numbers," from Italian lista (same meaning); of Germanic origin

Legal Definition

list

noun

: calendar