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75 Science Words That Start With S for All Grade Levels
Looking to expand your science vocabulary? This list features 75 science words that start with S, organized by grade level for easy learning.
Science words that start with S
| School Level | Word | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary | Sun | The star at the center of our solar system. |
| Elementary | Sky | The space we see when we look up from Earth. |
| Elementary | Seed | A small object from which a plant can grow. |
| Elementary | Snow | Frozen water that falls from clouds. |
| Elementary | Soil | The top layer of Earth where plants grow. |
| Elementary | Shadow | A dark shape made when something blocks light. |
| Elementary | Storm | A disturbance in the atmosphere with wind and rain. |
| Elementary | Shell | The hard outer covering of some animals. |
| Elementary | Sound | Vibrations that travel through air and can be heard. |
| Elementary | Star | A giant ball of burning gas in space. |
| Elementary | Structure | The arrangement of parts in something complex. |
| Elementary | Skeleton | The framework of bones in an animal’s body. |
| Elementary | Solid | A state of matter with a fixed shape and volume. |
| Elementary | Substance | A type of matter with uniform properties. |
| Elementary | System | A group of parts that work together. |
| Elementary | Scale | A tool used to measure weight or mass. |
| Elementary | Sink | To go down below the surface of water or another liquid. |
| Elementary | Spring | A season and a natural source of water. |
| Elementary | Sense | One of the ways we experience the world (sight, touch, etc.). |
| Elementary | Steam | Water in the form of gas due to heat. |
| Elementary | Starfish | A sea animal with five arms shaped like a star. |
| Elementary | Stump | The base of a tree left after the rest is cut down. |
Science terms that start with S
| School Level | Word | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Middle School | Species | A group of similar living organisms. |
| Middle School | Sediment | Small particles of rock or soil moved by water or wind. |
| Middle School | Solar | Relating to the Sun. |
| Middle School | Satellite | An object that orbits a planet. |
| Middle School | Speed | How fast something is moving. |
| Middle School | Solution | A mixture where one substance dissolves in another. |
| Middle School | Sensor | A device that detects or measures a physical property. |
| Middle School | Seismic | Relating to earthquakes or vibrations of the Earth. |
| Middle School | Simulation | A model or imitation of a real-world process. |
| Middle School | Saturation | The point where no more substance can be absorbed. |
| Middle School | Suspension | A mixture in which particles are dispersed throughout but not dissolved. |
| Middle School | Static electricity | Electric charge at rest, typically caused by friction. |
| Middle School | States of matter | The physical forms in which substances can exist: solid, liquid, gas. |
| Middle School | Skeletal system | The body system made up of bones. |
| Middle School | Secondary consumer | An organism that eats primary consumers. |
| Middle School | Solar eclipse | When the Moon blocks sunlight from reaching Earth. |
| Middle School | Skeletal muscle | Muscles attached to bones that help in movement. |
| Middle School | Secondary succession | Regrowth of life in a previously inhabited area. |
| Related: 133 Science Words That Start With I (Grade & Category)
High School Science S words
| School Level | Word | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| High School | Symbiosis | A relationship between two different organisms. |
| High School | Sublimation | The process of a solid changing directly into a gas. |
| High School | Spectrum | A range of different things, often colors or wavelengths. |
| High School | Solvent | A liquid in which substances are dissolved. |
| High School | Spore | A reproductive cell in fungi and some plants. |
| High School | Stoichiometry | Calculation of reactants and products in chemistry. |
| High School | Speciation | The formation of new and distinct species. |
| High School | Synapse | The junction between two nerve cells. |
| High School | Solenoid | A coil of wire acting as a magnet when carrying current. |
| High School | Synthesis | Combining parts to form a whole, especially in chemistry. |
| High School | Selective breeding | The human practice of breeding animals or plants for desired traits. |
| High School | Saturated fat | A type of fat with no double bonds, usually solid at room temperature. |
| High School | Scientific method | A method of investigation involving observation and experimentation. |
| High School | Sonar | A system for detecting objects underwater using sound. |
| High School | Semipermeable membrane | A membrane that allows certain molecules to pass through but not others. |
| High School | Solubility | The ability of a substance to dissolve in another. |
| High School | Specific heat | The heat needed to raise the temperature of a substance. |
| High School | Spectrometer | An instrument used to measure properties of light. |
| High School | Solar constant | The amount of solar energy received per unit area at the top of Earth’s atmosphere. |
| Related: 77 Science Words That Start With Z – Vocabulary by Category
Advanced science terms starting with S
| School Level | Word | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| College | Superconductivity | Zero resistance electrical flow in some materials. |
| College | Signal transduction | The process by which a cell responds to signals. |
| College | Spontaneous generation | Disproved theory that life arises from non-life. |
| College | Single nucleotide polymorphism | A variation at a single position in DNA. |
| College | Speculative science | Hypothetical or theoretical science not yet verified. |
| College | Sternocleidomastoid | A neck muscle that helps rotate and flex the head. |
| College | Suprachiasmatic nucleus | A brain region that controls circadian rhythms. |
| College | Signal peptide | A short peptide that directs the transport of a protein. |
| College | Sulfonation | A chemical process that adds a sulfonic acid group to a molecule. |
| College | Stochastic process | A random process used in probability and statistics. |
| College | Spintronics | Study of the intrinsic spin of the electron in solid-state devices. |
| College | Siderophore | Molecules that bind and transport iron in microorganisms. |
| College | Somatic mutation | A genetic alteration acquired by a cell that can be passed to daughter cells. |
| College | Sphygmomanometer | An instrument for measuring blood pressure. |
| College | Substrate-level phosphorylation | A type of metabolic reaction that results in ATP formation. |
| College | Synchrotron | A particle accelerator that produces high-energy beams for research. |
Conclusion
These 75 science words that start with S offer a fun and educational way to build science vocabulary across all learning levels. Whether you’re a student, teacher, or just curious, understanding these terms helps lay the foundation for deeper scientific learning. Keep exploring and stay curious!
