| Term | Definition |
|---|
| abettor | encourager |
| abeyance | suspended action |
| ablution | washing |
| abstinence | restraint from eating or drinking |
| accessory | additional object: useful but not essential thing |
| acclivity | sharp upslope of a hill |
| accolade | award of merit |
| accomplice | partner in crime |
| accord | agreement |
| accretion | growth: increase |
| acme | top: pinnacle |
| acoustics | science of sound: quality that makes a room easy or hard to hear in |
| acquittal | deliverance from a charge |
| acumen | mental keenness |
| adage | wise saying: proverb |
| addiction | compulsive, habitual need |
| adjuration | solemn urging |
| adulation | flattery: admiration |
| adumbration | foreshadowing: outlining |
| adversity | poverty: misfortune |
| affiliation | joining: associating with |
| affinity | kinship |
| affirmation | solemn pledge by one who refuses to take an oath |
| affluence | abundance: wealth |
| affray | public brawl |
| agglomeration | collection: heap |
| agility | nimbleness |
| agnostic | one who is skeptical of the existence or knowability of a god |
| alacrity | cheerful promptness |
| alchemy | medieval chemistry |
| alias | an assumed name |
| alimony | payment by a husband to his divorced wife |
| allegory | story in which characters are used as symbols: fable |
| alloy | a mixture as of metals |
| allusion | indirect reference |
| altercation | wordy quarrel |
| altruism | unselfish aid to others; generosity |
| ambrosia | food of the gods |
| amenities | agreeable manners; courtesies |
| amnesia | loss of memory |
| amnesty | pardon |
| amphitheater | oval building with tiers of seats |
| amulet | charm; talisman |
| analogy | similarity; parallelism |
| anarchy | absence of governing body; state of disorder |
| anathema | solemn curse |
| andirons | metal supports in a fireplace for cooking utensils or logs |
| anemia | condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles |
| anesthetic | substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness |
| animadversion | critical remark |
| animosity | active enmity |
| annals | records; history |
| annuity | yearly allowance |
| anomaly | irregularity |
| antagonism | active resistance |
| anthropologist | a student of the history and science of mankind |
| anticlimax | letdown in thought or emotion |
| antipathy | aversion; dislike |
| antiseptic | substance that prevents infection |
| antithesis | contrast; direct opposite of or to |
| aperture | opening; hole |
| apex | tip; summit; climax |
| aphorism | pithy maxim |
| aplomb | poise |
| apogee | highest point |
| apostate | one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs |
| apothecary | druggist |
| apothegm | pithy, compact saying |
| apotheosis | deification; glorification |
| apparition | ghost; phantom |
| appellation | name; title |
| appurtenances | subordinate possessions |
| aptitude | fitness; talent |
| arbiter | a person with power to decide a dispute; judge |
| arcade | a covered passageway, usually lined with shops |
| archaeology | study of artifacts and relics of early mankind |
| archipelago | group of closely located islands |
| ardor | heat; passion; zeal |
| argot | slang |
| arrogance | haughtiness |
| artifacts | products of primitive culture |
| artifice | deception; trickery |
| artisan | a manually skilled worker |
| asceticism | doctrine of self-denial |
| asperity | sharpness of temper |
| aspersion | slanderous remark |
| aspirant | seeker after position or status |
| aspiration | noble ambition |
| asteroid | small planet |
| atrocity | brutal deed |
| atrophy | wasting away |
| attribute | essential quality |
| attrition | gradual wearing down |
| audacity | boldness |
| audit | examination of accounts |
| augury | omen; prophecy |
| austerity | sternness; severity |
| autocrat | monarch with supreme power |
| automaton | mechanism which imitates actions of humans |
| autopsy | examination of a dead body; postmortem |
| avarice | greediness for wealth |
| awe | solemn wonder |
| axiom | self-evident truth requiring no proof |
| bandanna | large, bright-colored handkerchief |
| barb | sharp projection from fishhook, etc. |
| barrage | barrier laid down by artillery fire |
| barrister | counselor-at-law |
| barterer | trader |
| bauble | trinket; trifle |
| benediction | blessing |
| benefactor | gift giver; patron |
| beneficiary | person entitled to benefits or proceeds of an insurance policy or will |
| bete noire | aversion; person or thing strongly disliked or avoided |
| bigotry | stubborn intolerance |
| bivouac | temporary encampment |
| blandishment | flattery |
| bludgeon | club; heavy-headed weapon |
| bouillon | clear beef soup |
| bourgeois | middle class |
| braggadocio | boasting |
| bravado | swagger; assumed air of defiance |
| brazier | open pan in which live coals are burned |
| breach | breaking of contract or duty; fissure; gap |
| brevity | conciseness |
| brocade | rich, figured fabric |
| brochure | pamphlet |
| brooch | ornamental clasp |
| buffoonery | clowning |
| bullion | gold and silver in the form of bars |
| bulwark | earthwork or other strong defense; person who defends |
| buttress | support or prop |
| cabal | small group of persons secretly united to promote their own interests |
| cache | hiding place |
| cacophony | discord |
| cadaver | corpse |
| caliber | ability; capacity |
| calumny | malicious misrepresentation; slander |
| cameo | shell or jewel carved in relief |
| canard | unfounded rumor; exaggerated report |
| candor | frankness |
| canker | any ulcerous sore; any evil |
| cant | jargon of thieves; pious phraseology |
| cantata | story set to music, to be sung by a chorus |
| canter | slow gallop |
| canto | division of a long poem |
| caparison | showy harness or ornamentation for a horse |
| caprice | whim |
| caption | title; chapter heading; text under illustration |
| carat | unit of weight for precious stones; measure of fineness of gold |
| caricature | distortion; burlesque |
| carmine | rich red |
| carnage | destruction of life |
| carousal | drunken revel |
| carrion | rotting flesh of a dead body |
| carte blanche | unlimited authority or freedom |
| cascade | small waterfall |
| casualty | serious or fatal accident |
| cataclysm | deluge; upheaval |
| catapult | slingshot; a hurling machine |
| catastrophe | calamity |
| catechism | book for religious instruction; instruction by question and answer |
| cathartic | purgative |
| cavalcade | procession; parade |
| censor | overseer of morals; person who reads to eliminate inappropriate remark |
| centaur | mythical figure, half man and half horse |
| centurion | Roman army officer |
| cerebration | thought |
| cessation | stopping |
| cession | yielding to another; ceding |
| chagrin | vexation; disappointment |
| chalice | goblet; consecrated cup |
| chameleon | lizard that changes color in different situations |
| charisma | divine gift; great popular charm or appeal of a political leader |
| charlatan | quack; pretender to knowledge |
| chasm | abyss |
| chassis | framework and working parts of an automobile |
| chattel | personal property |
| chauvinist | blindly devoted patriot |
| chicanery | trickery |
| chiropodist | one who treats disorders of the feet |
| circlet | small ring; band |
| citadel | fortress |
| clairvoyant | fortuneteller |
| claustrophobia | fear of being locked in |
| clavicle | collarbone |
| cleft | split |
| clemency | disposition to be lenient; mildness, as of the weather |
| cliché | phrase dulled in meaning by repetition |
| clique | small exclusive group |
| cloister | monastery or convent |
| coadjutor | assistant; colleague |
| cockade | decoration worn on hat |
| cog | tooth projecting from a wheel |
| cognizance | knowledge |
| cognomen | family name |
| cohesion | force which keeps parts together |
| cohorts | armed band |
| collateral | security given for loan |
| collation | a light meal |
| collier | worker in coal mine; ship carrying coal |
| colloquy | informal discussion |
| collusion | conspiring in a fraudulent scheme |
| comestible | something fit to be eaten |
| comity | courtesy; civility |
| compact | agreement; contract |
| compilation | listing of statistical information in tabular or book form |
| complement | that which completes |
| compunction | remorse |
| conception | beginning; forming of an idea |
| conclave | private meeting |
| concomitant | that which accompanies |
| condiments | seasonings; spices |
| conformity | harmony; agreement |
| conglomeration | mass of material sticking together |
| congruence | correspondence of parts; harmonious relationship |
| conifer | pine tree; cone-bearing tree |
| connivance | pretense of ignorance of something wrong; assistance |
| connoisseur | person competent to act as a judge of art, etc; a lover of an art |
| connotation | suggested or implied meaning of an expression |
| consanguinity | kinship |
| consensus | general agreement |
| constraint | compulsion; repression of feelings |
| context | writings preceding and following the passage quoted |
| continence | self-restraint; sexual chastity |
| contortions | twistings; distortions |
| contraband | illegal trade; smuggling |
| contumely | scornful insolence; insult |
| contusion | bruise |
| conveyance | vehicle; transfer |
| coquette | flirt |
| cornice | projecting molding on building usually above columns |
| corsair | pirate; pirate ship |
| cortege | procession |
| coterie | group that meets socially; select circle |
| counterpart | a thing that completes another; things very much alike |
| covenant | agreement |
| credence | belief |
| credulity | belief on slight evidence |
| creed | system of religious or ethical belief |
| crevice | crack; fissure |
| criterion | standard used in judging |
| crone | hag |
| crux | crucial point |
| cuisine | style of cooking |
| culmination | attainment of highest point |
| cupidity | greed |
| cynic | one who is skeptical or distrustful of human motives |
| dais | raised platform for guests of honor |
| dastard | coward |
| dearth | scarcity |
| debutante | young woman making formal entrance into society |
| decadence | decay |
| declivity | downward slope |
| decoy | lure or bait |
| defamation | harming a person's reputation |
| default | failure to do |
| defection | desertion |
| deference | courteous regard for another's wish |
| delineation | portrayal |
| delirium | mental disorder marked by confusion |
| delusion | false belief; hallucination |
| demagogue | person who appeals to people's prejudice; false leader of people |
| demeanor | behavior; bearing |
| demise | death |
| demolition | destruction |
| denizen | inhabitant of |
| deposition | testimony under oath |
| depravity | corruption; wickedness |
| depredation | plundering |
| derision | ridicule |
| dermatologist | one who studies the skin and its diseases |
| despotism | tyranny |
| desuetude | disused condition |
| detergent | cleansing agent |
| detonation | explosion |
| detraction | slandering; aspersion |
| detriment | harm; damage |
| diadem | crown |
| dialectic | art of debate |
| dichotomy | branching into two parts |
| dictum | authoritative and weighty statement |
| diffidence | shyness |
| diffusion | wordiness; spreading in all directions like a gas |
| dilapidation | ruin because of neglect |
| dilemma | problem; choice of two unsatisfactory alternatives |
| dilettante | aimless follower of the arts; amateur; dabbler |
| diminution | lessening; reduction in size |
| dint | means; effort |
| dipsomaniac | on who has a strong craving for intoxicating liquor |
| disavowal | denial; disclaiming |
| discretion | prudence; ability to adjust actions to circumstances |
| disparity | difference; condition of inequality |
| dispersion | scattering |
| disquisition | a formal systematic inquiry |
| dissection | analysis; cutting apart in order to examine |
| dissertation | formal essay |
| dissonance | discord |
| dissuasion | advice against |
| distortion | twisting out of shape |
| diva | operatic singer; prima donna |
| diversity | variety; dissimilitude |
| divination | foreseeing the future with aid of magic |
| docket | program as for trial; book where such entries are made |
| doggerel | poor verse |
| dolt | stupid person |
| domicile | home |
| dotage | senility |
| dregs | sediment; worthless residue |
| dross | waste matter; worthless impurities |
| drudgery | menial work |
| duplicity | double-dealing; hypocrisy |
| duress | forcible restraint, especially unlawfully |
| eccentricity | oddity; idiosyncrasy |
| ecstasy | rapture; joy; any overpowering emotion |
| efficacy | power to produce desired effect |
| effigy | dummy |
| effrontery | shameless boldness |
| effusion | pouring forth |
| egoism | excessive interest in one's self |
| egotism | conceit; vanity |
| egress | exit |
| ejaculation | exclamation |
| elation | a rise in spirits; exaltation |
| embezzlement | stealing |
| emetic | substance causing vomiting |
| emolument | salary; compensation |
| enclave | territory enclosed within an alien land |
| encroachment | gradual intrusion |
| endearment | fond statement |
| endive | species of leafy plant used in salads |
| enigma | puzzle |
| ennui | boredom |
| enormity | hugeness (in a bad sense) |
| entity | real being |
| entree | entrance |
| entrepreneur | businessman; contractor |
| epicure | connoisseur of food and drink |
| epicurean | person who devotes himself to pleasure of the senses |
| epigram | witty thought or saying, usually short |
| epilogue | short speech at conclusion of dramatic work |
| epitaph | inscription in memory of a dead person |
| epithet | descriptive word or phrase |
| epitome | summary; concise abstract |
| epoch | period of time |
| equanimity | calmness of temperament |
| equestrian | rider on horseback |
| equinox | period of equal days and nights; the beginning of Spring and Autumn |
| equipage | horse-drawn carriage |
| equity | fairness; justice |
| escapade | prank; flighty conduct |
| escutcheon | shield-shaped surface on which coat of arms is placed |
| espionage | spying |
| esprit de corps | comradeship; spirit |
| eulogy | praise |
| euphemism | mild expression in place of an unpleasant one |
| ewer | water pitcher |
| exaction | exorbitant demand; extortion |
| exchequer | treasury |
| exigency | urgent situation |
| exodus | departure |
| expatriate | exile; someone who has withdrawn from his native land |
| expediency | that which is advisable or practical |
| expostulation | remonstrance |
| extradition | surrender of prisoner by one state to another |
| extrovert | person interested mostly in external objects and actions |
| facade | front of the building |
| facet | small plane surface of a gem; a side |
| faction | party; clique; dissension |
| factotum | handyman; person who does all kinds of work |
| fanaticism | excessive zeal |
| fancier | breeder or dealer of animals |
| fatalism | belief that events are determined by forces beyond one's control |
| fauna | animals of a period or region |
| faux pas | an error or slip in manners or behavior |
| fealty | loyalty; faithfulness |
| fecundity | fertility; fruitfulness |
| feint | trick; shift; sham blow |
| ferment | agitation; commotion |
| fervor | glowing ardor |
| fetish | object supposed to possess magical powers; an object of special devoti |
| fiasco | total failure |
| fiat | command |
| fidelity | loyalty |
| figment | invention; imaginary thing |
| finale | conclusion |
| finesse | delicate skill |
| fissure | crevice |
| flair | talent |
| flick | light stroke as with a whip |
| flippancy | trifling gaiety |
| flora | plants of a region or era |
| flotilla | small fleet |
| flotsam | drifting wreckage |
| fluctuation | wavering |
| fluency | smoothness of speech |
| flux | flowing; series of changes |
| foible | weakness; slight fault |
| foray | raid |
| forbearance | patience |
| foreboding | premonition of evil |
| forte | strong point of special talent |
| fortitude | bravery; courage |
| frailty | weakness |
| franchise | right granted by authority |
| fray | brawl |
| freebooter | buccaneer |
| fresco | painting on plaster (usually fresh) |
| freshet | sudden flood |
| friction | clash in opinion; rubbing against |
| frieze | ornamental band on a wall |
| frugality | thrift |
| fruition | bearing of fruit; fulfillment; realization |
| functionary | official |
| furor | frenzy; great excitement |
| fusion | union; coalition |
| gadfly | animal-biting fly; an irritating person |
| gaff | hook; barbed fishing spear |
| galleon | large sailing ship |
| gamester | gambler |
| gamut | entire range |
| garrulity | talkativeness |
| gauntlet | leather glove |
| gazette | official periodical publication |
| generality | vague statement |
| geniality | cheerfulness; kindliness; sympathy |
| genre | style of art illustrating scenes of common life |
| gentility | those of gentle birth; refinement |
| gentry | people of standing; class of people just below nobility |
| gesticulation | motion; gesture |
| gibbet | gallows |
| gig | two-wheeled carriage |
| gist | essence |
| gloaming | twilight |
| gnome | dwarf; underground spirit |
| gourmand | epicure; person who takes excessive pleasure in food and drink |
| haughtiness | pride; arrogance |
| hauteur | haughtiness |
| hawser | large rope |
| hedonism | belief that pleasure is the sole aim in life |
| heresy | opinion contrary to popular belief; opinion contrary to accepted relig |
| heretic | person who maintains opinions contrary to the doctrines of the church |
| hermitage | home of hermit |
| hiatus | gap; pause |
| hierarchy | body divided into ranks |
| hieroglyphic | picture writing |
| hilarity | boisterous mirth |
| hireling | one who serves for hire (usually contemptuously) |
| hogshead | large barrel |
| holocaust | destruction by fire |
| holster | pistol case |
| homily | sermon; serious warning |
| hostelry | inn |
| hubbub | confused uproar |
| humility | humbleness of spirit |
| humus | substance formed by decaying vegetable matter |
| hybrid | mongrel; mixed breed |
| hypochondriac | person unduly worried about his health; worrier without cause about il |
| ideology | ideas of a group people |
| idiom | special usage in language |
| idiosyncrasy | peculiarity; eccentricity |
| idolatry | worship of idols; excessive admiration |
| illusion | misleading vision |
| imbecility | weakness of mind |
| imbroglio | a complicated situation; perplexity; entanglement |
| immobility | state of being immovable |
| impasse | predicament from which there is no escape |
| imperturbability | calmness |
| impetus | moving force |
| impiety | irreverence; wickedness |
| implication | that which is hinted at or suggested |
| import | significance |
| impropriety | state of being inappropriate |
| impunity | freedom from punishment |
| imputation | charge; reproach |
| inadvertence | oversight; carelessness |
| incendiary | arsonist |
| incentive | spur; motive |
| incongruity | lack of harmony; absurdity |
| incredulity | a tendency to disbelief |
| increment | increase |
| incubus | burden; mental care; nightmare |
| incumbent | officeholder |
| incursion | temporary invasion |
| indignity | offensive or insulting treatment |
| indolence | laziness |
| inference | conclusion drawn from data |
| infirmity | weakness |
| influx | flowing into |
| infraction | violation |
| ingrate | ungrateful person |
| inkling | hint |
| innovation | change; introduction off something new |
| innuendo | hint; insinuation |
| insolvency | bankruptcy; lack of ability to repay debts |
| insomnia | wakefulness; inability to sleep |
| integrity | wholeness; purity; uprightness |
| intellect | higher mental powers |
| intelligentsia | the intelligent and educated classes (often used derogatorily) |
| interim | meantime |
| interment | burial |
| intimidation | fear |
| introvert | one who is introspective |
| intuition | power of knowing without reasoning |
| invective | abuse |
| inviolability | security from being destroyed, corrupted or profaned |
| iota | very small quantity |
| jargon | language used by special group; gibberish |
| jeopardy | exposure to death or danger |
| jingoism | extremely aggressive and militant patriotism |
| jubilation | rejoicing |
| junket | a merry feast or picnic |
| junta | group of men joined in political intrigue; cabal |
| ken | range of knowledge |
| kiosk | summerhouse; open pavilion |
| kismet | fate |
| kith | familiar friends |
| kleptomaniac | person who has a compulsive desire to steal |
| knavery | rascality |
| knell | tolling of a bell at a funeral; sound of the funeral bell |
| knoll | little round hill |
| labyrinth | maze |
| lackey | footman; toady |
| lagniappe | trifling present given to a customer |
| lagoon | shallow body of water near a sea; lake |
| laity | laymen; persons not connected with the clergy |
| lapidary | worker in precious stones |
| largess | generous gift |
| lassitude | languor; weariness |
| latitude | freedom from narrow limitations |
| lesion | unhealthy change in structure; injury |
| levity | lightness |
| lexicon | dictionary |
| liaison | officer who acts as go-between for two armies |
| libertine | debauched person; roué |
| libretto | text of an opera |
| lieu | instead of |
| litigation | lawsuit |
| lode | metal-bearing vein |
| longevity | long life |
| lout | clumsy person |
| lucre | money |
| luster | shine; gloss |
| machinations | schemes |
| madrigal | pastoral song |
| maelstrom | whirlpool |
| magnate | person of prominence or influence |
| magnitude | greatness; extent |
| malediction | curse |
| malefactor | criminal |
| malingerer | one who feigns illness to escape duty |
| mall | public walk |
| manifesto | declaration; statement of policy |
| marauder | raider; intruder |
| marrow | soft tissue filling the bones |
| martinet | strict disciplinarian |
| matricide | murder of a mother by a child |
| matrix | mold or die |
| mausoleum | monumental tomb |
| maxim | proverb; a truth pithily stated |
| meditation | reflection; thought |
| medley | mixture |
| melee | fight |
| memento | token; reminder |
| mendicant | beggar |
| mentor | teacher |
| meringue | pastry decoration made of white of eggs |
| mesa | high, flat-topped hill |
| metamorphosis | change of form |
| metropolis | large city |
| mettle | courage; spirit |
| mews | group of stables built around a courtyard |
| mien | demeanor; bearing |
| mirage | unreal reflection; optical illusion |
| misadventure | mischance; ill luck |
| misanthrope | one who hates mankind |
| misapprehension | error; misunderstanding |
| miscegenation | intermarriage between races |
| miscellany | mixture of writing on various subjects |
| mischance | ill luck |
| miscreant | wretch; villain |
| misdemeanor | minor crime |
| misgivings | doubts |
| mishap | accident |
| misnomer | wrong name; incorrect designation |
| misogynist | hater of women |
| missile | object to be thrown or projected |
| mite | very small object or creature; small coin |
| mode | prevailing style |
| modicum | limited quantity |
| modulation | toning down; changing from one key to another |
| moiety | half; part |
| moodiness | fits of depression or gloom |
| mores | customs |
| mortician | undertaker |
| mote | small speck |
| motif | theme |
| mountebank | charlatan; boastful pretender |
| multiplicity | state of being numerous |
| murkiness | darkness; gloom |
| myriad | very large number |
| nadir | lowest point |
| naïveté | quality of being unsophisticated |
| natation | swimming |
| nave | main body of a church |
| necrology | obituary notice; list of the dead |
| necromancy | black magic; dealings with the dead |
| negation | denial |
| nemesis | revenging agent |
| neophyte | recent convert; beginner |
| nepotism | favoritism to a relative |
| nexus | connection |
| nib | beak; pen point |
| nicety | precision; minute distinction |
| nonchalance | indifference; lack of interest |
| nonentity | nonexistence; person of no importance |
| non sequitor | a conclusion that does not follow from the facts stated |
| nosegay | fragrant bouquet |
| nostalgia | homesickness; longing for the past |
| novice | beginner |
| numismatist | person who collects coins |
| oaf | stupid, awkward person |
| obeisance | bow |
| obelisk | tall column tapering and ending in a pyramid |
| obituary | death notice |
| obliquity | departure from right principle; perversity |
| oblivion | forgetfulness |
| obloquy | slander; disgrace; infamy |
| obsession | fixed idea; continued brooding |
| oculist | physician who specializes in treatment of the eyes |
| oligarchy | government by a few |
| onomatopoeia | words formed in imitation of natural sounds |
| onslaught | vicious assault |
| opiate | sleep producer; deadener of pain |
| optician | maker and seller of eyeglasses |
| optometrist | one who fits glasses to remedy visual defects |
| opulence | wealth |
| oratorio | dramatic poem set to music |
| ordinance | decree |
| orifice | mouthlike opening; small opening |
| ornithologist | scientific student of birds |
| pacifist | one opposed to force; antimilitarist |
| paean | song of praise or joy |
| palaver | discussion; misleading speech; chatter |
| palette | board on which painter mixes pigments |
| pallet | small, poor bed |
| panacea | cure-all; remedy for all diseases |
| pandemonium | wild tumult |
| panegyric | formal praise |
| panorama | comprehensive view; unobstructed view in all directions |
| pantomime | acting without dialogue |
| papyrus | ancient paper made from stem of papyrus plant |
| parable | short, simple story teaching a moral |
| paradox | statement that looks false but is actually correct |
| paragon | model of perfection |
| parallelism | state of being parallel; similarity |
| paranoia | chronic form of insanity marked by delusions grandeur |
| paraphernalia | equipment; odds and ends |
| parasite | animal or plant living on another; toady; sycophant |
| paregoric | medicine that eases pain |
| pariah | social outcast |
| parlance | language; idiom |
| parley | conference |
| parody | humorous imitation; travesty |
| paroxysm | fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage |
| parricide | person who murders his own father; murder of a father |
| partiality | inclination; bias |
| parvenu | upstart; newly rich person |
| pathos | tender sorrow; pity |
| patriarch | father and ruler of a family or tribe |
| patricide | person who murders his father; murder of a father |
| patrimony | inheritance from father |
| paucity | scarcity |
| peccadillo | slight offense |
| pedagogue | teacher; dull and formal teacher |
| pediatrician | expert in children's diseases |
| pelf | stolen property; money or wealth in a contemptuous sense |
| penance | self-imposed punishment for sin |
| penchant | strong inclination; liking |
| penumbra | partial shadow in an eclipse |
| penury | extreme poverty |
| percussion | striking one object against another sharply |
| perdition | damnation; complete ruin |
| perfidy | violation of a trust |
| perimeter | outer boundary |
| periphery | edge, especially of a round surface |
| perjury | false testimony while under oath |
| persiflage | flippant conversation; banter |
| perturbation | agitation |
| perusal | reading |
| perversion | corruption; turning from right to wrong |
| perversity | stubborn maintenance of a wrong cause |
| pessimism | belief that life is basically bad or evil; gloominess |
| phial | small bottle |
| philanthropist | lover of mankind; doer of good |
| philistine | narrow-minded person; uncultured person |
| philology | study of language |
| physiognomy | face |
| pinnacle | peak |
| pique | irritation; resentment |
| pittance | a small allowance or wage |
| plagiarism | theft of another's ideas or writings passed off as original |
| platitude | trite remark; commonplace statement |
| plethora | excess; overabundance |
| podiatrist | doctor who treats ailments of the feet |
| podium | pedestal; raised platform |
| poltroon | coward |
| polygamist | one who has more than one spouse at a time |
| portent | sign; omen; forewarning |
| posterity | descendants; future generations |
| postulate | self-evident truth |
| potentate | monarch; sovereign |
| potion | dose of liquid |
| potpourri | heterogeneous mixture; medley |
| poultice | soothing application applied to sore and inflamed portions of the body |
| preamble | introductory statement |
| precedent | something preceding in time |
| precept | practical rule guiding conduct |
| precursor | forerunner |
| predilection | partiality; preference |
| prelude | introduction; forerunner |
| premonition | forewarning |
| presentiment | premonition; foreboding |
| presumption | arrogance; effrontery |
| probity | uprightness; incorruptibility |
| proboscis | long snout; nose |
| proclivity | inclination; natural tendency |
| profusion | lavish expenditure; overabundant condition |
| progenitor | ancestor |
| progeny | children; offspring |
| prognosis | forecasted course of a disease; prediction |
| promontory | headland |
| propensity | natural inclination |
| propriety | fitness; correct conduct |
| prosody | the art of versification |
| protégé | person under the protection and support of a patron |
| protocol | diplomatic etiquette |
| provender | dry food; fodder |
| proviso | stipulation |
| provocation | cause for anger or retaliation |
| proximity | nearness |
| proxy | authorized agent |
| pseudonym | pen name |
| psyche | soul; mind |
| psychiatrist | a doctor who treats mental diseases |
| pulchritude | beauty; comeliness |
| purgatory | place of spiritual expiation |
| purport | intention; meaning |
| purveyor | furnisher of foodstuffs; caterer |
| purview | scope |
| pyromaniac | person with an insane desire to set things on fire |
| quack | charlatan; impostor |
| qualms | misgivings |
| quandary | dilemma |
| quay | dock; landing place |
| quietude | tranquillity |
| quintessence | purest and highest embodiment |
| quip | taunt |
| quirk | startling twist; caprice |
| qui vie | wide awake; expectant |
| ragamuffin | person wearing tattered clothes |
| ramification | branching out; subdivision |
| ramp | slope; inclined plane |
| rancor | bitterness; hatred |
| rapprochement | reconciliation |
| ratiocination | reasoning; act of drawing conclusions from premises |
| realm | kingdom; sphere |
| rebate | discount |
| recession | withdrawal; retreat |
| recipient | receiver |
| recluse | hermit |
| reconnaissance | survey of enemy by soldiers; reconnoitering |
| recourse | resorting to help when in trouble |
| recreant | coward; betrayer of faith |
| recrimination | countercharges |
| rectitude | uprightness |
| redress | remedy; compensation |
| refection | slight refreshment |
| refectory | dinning hall |
| refraction | bending of a ray of light |
| refutation | disproof of opponents' arguments |
| regatta | boat or yacht race |
| regeneration | spiritual rebirth |
| regime | method or system of government |
| regimen | prescribed diet and habits |
| relevancy | pertinence; reference to the case in hand |
| reminiscence | recollection |
| remnant | remainder |
| rendezvous | meeting place |
| renegade | deserter; apostate |
| renunciation | giving up; renouncing |
| reparation | amends; compensation |
| repartee | clever reply |
| repercussion | rebound; reverberation; reaction |
| repertoire | list of works of music, drama, etc., a performer is prepared to presen |
| replica | copy |
| repository | storehouse |
| reprieve | temporary stay |
| reprisal | retaliation |
| reprobation | severe disapproval |
| repugnance | loathing |
| requiem | mass for the dead; dirge |
| requisite | necessary requirement |
| rescission | abrogation; annulment |
| respite | delay in punishment; interval of relief; rest |
| restitution | reparation; indemnification |
| reticence | reserve; uncommunicativeness; inclination to be silent |
| retinue | following; attendants |
| retraction | withdrawal |
| retribution | vengeance; compensation; punishment for offenses |
| revelry | boisterous merrymaking |
| reverie | daydream; musing |
| revulsion | sudden violent change of feeling; reaction |
| rhetoric | art of effective communication; insincere language |
| rift | opening; break |
| rigor | severity |
| rime | white frost |
| rostrum | platform for speech-making; pulpit |
| rote | repetition |
| rotundity | roundness; sonorousness of speech |
| rubble | fragments |
| ruse | trick; stratagem |
| saga | Scandinavian myth; any legend |
| sangfroid | coolness in a trying situation |
| satiety | condition of being crammed full; glutted state; repletion |
| savant | scholar |
| savoir faire | tact; poise; sophistication |
| scavenger | collector and disposer of refuse; animal that devours carrion |
| schism | division; split |
| scintilla | shred; least bit |
| scion | offspring |
| scourge | lash; whip; severe punishment |
| scullion | menial kitchen worker |
| secession | withdrawal |
| seine | net for catching fish |
| semblance | outward appearance; guise |
| senility | old age; feeblemindedness of old age |
| sepulcher | tomb |
| serendipity | gift for finding valuable things not searched for |
| serenity | calmness; placidity |
| severance | division; partition; separation |
| shambles | slaughterhouse; scene of carnage |
| sheaf | bundle of stalks of grain; any bundle of things tied together |
| sherbet | flavored dessert ice |
| shibboleth | watchword; slogan |
| shoal | shallow place |
| silt | sediment deposited by running water |
| simile | comparison of one thing with another, using the word like or as |
| sinecure | well-paid position with little responsibility |
| sloth | laziness |
| sluggard | lazy person |
| sobriety | soberness |
| sojourn | temporary stay |
| solecism | construction that is flagrantly incorrect grammatically |
| soliloquy | talking to oneself |
| solstice | point at which the sun is farthest from the equator |
| somnambulist | sleepwalker |
| soupcon | suggestion; hint; taste |
| spangle | small metallic piece sewn to clothing for ornamentation |
| stamina | strength; staying power |
| statute | law |
| stein | beer mug |
| stint | supply; allotted amount; assigned portion of work |
| stipend | pay for services |
| stoic | person who is indifferent to pleasure or pain |
| stratagem | deceptive scheme |
| stricture | critical comments; severe and adverse criticism |
| stupor | state of apathy; daze; lack of awareness |
| suavity | urbanity; polish |
| subaltern | subordinate |
| subsistence | existence; means of support; livelihood |
| subterfuge | pretense; evasion |
| subtlety | nicety; cunning; guile; delicacy |
| succor | aid; assistance; relief |
| summation | act of finding the total; summary |
| superfluity | excess; overabundance |
| surcease | cessation |
| surveillance | watching; guarding |
| sustenance | means of support, food, nourishment |
| synthesis | combining parts into a whole |
| talisman | charm |
| tantrum | fit of petulance; caprice |
| tedium | boredom; weariness |
| temerity | boldness; rashness |
| tempo | speed of music |
| tenet | doctrine; dogma |
| tenure | holding of an office; time during which such an office is held |
| terminus | last stop of railroad |
| theocracy | government of a community by religious leaders |
| thrall | slave; bondage |
| threnody | song of lamentation; dirge |
| throes | violent anguish |
| timidity | lack of self-confidence or courage |
| tirade | extended scolding; denunciation |
| tithe | tax of one-tenth |
| toga | Roman outer robe |
| tome | large volume |
| topography | physical features of a region |
| torso | trunk of statue with head and limbs missing; human trunk |
| tract | pamphlet; a region of indefinite size |
| tranquillity | calmness; peace |
| transgression | violation of a law; sin |
| transition | going from one state of action to another |
| travail | painful labor |
| travesty | comical parody; treatment aimed at making something appear ridiculous |
| treatise | article treating a subject systematically and thoroughly |
| tremor | trembling; slight quiver |
| trepidation | fear; trembling agitation |
| tribulation | distress; suffering |
| tribunal | court of justice |
| tribute | tax levied by a ruler; mark of respect |
| trident | three-pronged spear |
| trilogy | group of three works |
| troth | pledge of good faith especially in betrothal |
| truism | self-evident truth |
| trumpery | objects that are showy, valueless, deceptive |
| tryst | meeting |
| tumbrel | a farm tipcart |
| turbulence | state of violent agitation |
| turnkey | jailer |
| turpitude | depravity |
| tutelage | guardianship; training |
| tyro | beginner; novice |
| ultimatum | last demand; warning |
| umbrage | resentment; anger; sense of injury or insult |
| unanimity | complete agreement |
| unction | the act of anointing with oil |
| unguent | ointment |
| unison | unity of pitch; complete accord |
| usury | lending money at illegal rates of interest |
| vacillation | fluctuation; wavering |
| vagary | caprice; whim |
| vanguard | forerunners; advance forces |
| vantage | position giving an advantage |
| vellum | parchment |
| veneer | thin layer; cover |
| vent | a small opening; outlet |
| verbiage | pompous array of words |
| verdigris | a green coating on copper which has been exposed to the weather |
| verity | truth; reality |
| vertex | summit |
| vertigo | dizziness |
| vestige | trace; remains |
| viand | food |
| vicissitude | change of fortune |
| victuals | food |
| vigilance | watchfulness |
| viper | poisonous snake |
| virago | shrew |
| virtuoso | highly skilled artist |
| virus | disease communicator |
| visage | face; appearance |
| vogue | popular fashion |
| volition | act of making a conscious choice |
| votary | follower of a cult |
| whit | smallest speck |
| witticism | witty saying; facetious remark |
| wizardry | sorcery; magic |
| wont | custom; habitual procedure |
| wraith | ghost; phantom of a living person |
| zealot | fanatic; person who shows excessive zeal |
| zenith | point directly overhead in the sky; summit |
| zephyr | gentle breeze; west wind |
| aberration | wandering or staying away; in optics, failure of rays to focus |
| abnegation | repudiation; self-sacrifice |
| acerbity | bitterness of speech and temper |
| acquiescence | submission; compliance |
| adjunct | something attached to but holding an inferior position |
| admonition | warning |
| advent | arrival |
| aegis | shield; defense |
| aeon | long period of time; an age |
| affidavit | written statement made under oath |
| afflatus | inspiration |
| agenda | items of business at a meeting |
| agitation | strong feeling; excitement |
| agronomist | scientist engaged in the management of land |
| alliteration | repetition of beginning sound in poetry |
| amazon | female warrior |
| amortization | act of reducing a debt through partial payments |
| anachronism | an error involving time in a story |
| animus | hostile feeling or intent |
| aphasia | loss of speech due to injury |
| apiary | a place where bees are kept |
| apologue | moral fable |
| archetype | prototype; primitive pattern |
| archives | public records; place where public records are kept |
| arroyo | gully |
| astigmatism | eye defect which prevents proper focus |
| atavism | resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents |
| atelier | workshop; studio |
| aureole | sun's corona; halo |
| auscultation | act of listening to the heart or lungs to discover abnormalities |
| avatar | incarnation |
| avocation | secondary or minor occupation |
| bassoon | reed instrument of the woodwind family |
| benignity | state of being kind, benign, gracious |
| benison | blessing |
| bereavement | state of being deprived of something valuable or beloved |
| billingsgate | vituperation; abusive language |
| breviary | book containing the daily prayers |
| bugaboo | bugbear; object of baseless terror |
| bureaucracy | government by bureaus |
| buskin | thick-soled half boot worn by actors of Greek tragedy |
| calligraphy | beautiful writing; excellent penmanship |
| carafe | glass water bottle; decanter |
| carillon | a set of bells capable of being played |
| cartographer | maker of maps or charts |
| caryatid | sculptured column of a female figure |
| caste | one of the hereditary classes in Hindu society |
| casuistry | subtle or sophisticated reasoning resulting in minute distinctions |
| catalyst | agent which brings about a chemical change while it remains unchanged |
| caucus | private meeting of members of a party to select officers or determine |
| celerity | speed; rapidity |
| chiromancy | art of telling fortunes by reading the hand; palmistry |
| choreography | art of dancing |
| circumlocution | indirect or roundabout expression |
| codicil | supplement to the body of a will |
| colander | utensil with perforated bottom used for straining |
| compendium | brief comprehensive summary |
| complicity | participation; involvement |
| conch | large seashell |
| concordat | agreement, usually between the papal authority and the secular |
| conduit | aqueduct; passageway for fluids |
| conjecture | surmise; guess |
| cordon | extended line of men or fortifications to prevent access or egress |
| cormorant | greedy, rapacious bird |
| correlation | mutual relationship |
| credo | creed |
| crescendo | increase in the volume of sound in a musical passage |
| cruet | small glass bottle for vinegar, oil, etc. |
| crypt | secret recess or vault, usually used for burial |
| cubicle | small chamber used for sleeping |
| cul-de-sac | blind alley; trap |
| culvert | artificial channel for water |
| curator | superintendent; manager |
| curmudgeon | churlish, miserly individual |
| cynosure | the object of general attention |
| debacle | breaking up; downfall |
| debenture | bond issued to secure a loan |
| decrepitude | state of collapse caused by illness or old age |
| demesne | domain; land over which a person has full sovereignty |
| denotation | meaning; distinguishing by name |
| denouement | outcome; final development of the plot of a play |
| desideratum | that which is desired |
| diatribe | bitter scolding; invective |
| dishabille | in a state of undress |
| duenna | attendant of young female; chaperone |
| durance | restraint; imprisonment |
| éclat | brilliance; glory |
| eclecticism | selection of elements from various sets of opinions or systems |
| effluvium | noxious smell |
| emendation | correction of errors; improvement |
| emollient | soothing or softening remedy |
| encomium | praise; eulogy |
| entomology | study of insects |
| erudition | high degree of knowledge and learning |
| ethnology | study of man |
| etymology | study of derivation, structure and development of words |
| excision | act of cutting away |
| exegesis | explanation, especially of Biblical passages |
| expletive | interjection; profane oath |
| fanfare | call by bugles or trumpets |
| floe | mass of floating ice |
| fracas | brawl; melee |
| frond | fern leaf; palm or banana leaf |
| fulcrum | support on which a lever rests |
| galaxy | the Milky Way; any collection of brilliant personalities |
| gamibit | opening in chess in which a piece is sacrificed |
| gargoyle | waterspout carved in grotesque figures on building |
| gasconade | bluster; boastfulness |
| gastronomy | science of preparing and serving good food |
| genealogy | record of descent; lineage |
| glossary | brief explanation of words used in the text |
| gratuity | tip |
| grimace | a facial distortion to show feeling such as pain, disgust, etc. |
| hackles | hairs on back and neck of a dog |
| hegira | flight, especially Mohammed's flight from Mecca the Medina |
| hoax | trick; practical joke |
| hoyden | boisterous girl |
| hummock | small hill |
| husbandry | frugality; thrift; agriculture |
| hustings | meetings particularly to choose candidates |
| hyperbole | exaggeration; overstatement |
| imprimatur | permission to print or publish a book |
| incantation | singing or chanting of magic spells; magical formula |
| incarnation | act of assuming a human body and human nature |
| incidence | falling on a body; a casual occurrence |
| inebriety | habitual intoxication |
| inertia | state of being inert or indisposed to move |
| ingenue | an artless girl; an actress who plays such parts |
| integument | outer covering or skin |
| interstices | chinks; crevices |
| intransigence | state of stubborn unwillingness to compromise |
| irony | hidden sarcasm or satire |
| isotope | varying form of an element |
| itinerary | plan of a trip |
| jeremiad | lament; complaint |
| juncture | crisis; joining point |
| jurisprudence | science of law |
| kaleidoscope | tube in which patterns made by the reflection in mirrors |
| languor | lassitude; depression |
| larceny | theft |
| lechery | gross lewdness; lustfulness |
| lectern | reading desk |
| lexicographer | compiler of a dictionary |
| libido | emotional urges behind human activity |
| limbo | region near heaven or hell where certain souls are kept; a prison |
| litany | supplicatory prayer |
| litotes | understatement for emphasis |
| lubricity | slipperiness; evasiveness |
| malcontent | person dissatisfied with existing state of affairs |
| mammal | a vertebrate animal whose female suckles its young |
| mandate | order; charge |
| marsupial | one of a family of mammals that nurse their offspring in a pouch |
| mayhem | injury to body |
| melange | medley; miscellany |
| metaphor | implied comparison |
| miasma | swamp gas; odor of decaying matter |
| microcosm | small world |
| milieu | environment; means of expression |
| millennium | thousand-year period; period of happiness and prosperity |
| minaret | slender tower attached to a mosque |
| minion | a servile dependent |
| molecule | the smallest part of a homogeneous substance |
| momentum | quantity of motion of a moving body; impetus |
| moor | marshy wasteland |
| moratorium | legal delay of payment |
| mugwump | defector from a party |
| murrain | plague; cattle disease |
| nirvana | the ideal state in Buddhist teachings |
| nuance | shade of difference in meaning or color |
| objurgation | severe rebuke; scolding |
| oblation | the Eucharist; pious donation |
| obsidian | black volcanic rock |
| obstetrician | physician specializing in delivery of babies |
| Occident | the West |
| odium | repugnance; dislike |
| offal | waste; garbage |
| offertory | collection of money at religious ceremony |
| onus | burden; responsibility |
| opportunist | individual who sacrifices principles for expediency by taking advantage |
| opprobrium | infamy; vilification |
| opus | work |
| orientation | act of finding oneself in society |
| orison | prayer |
| ornithology | study of birds |
| orthography | correct spelling |
| pachyderm | thick-skinned animal |
| paddock | saddling enclosure at race track; lot for exercising horses |
| palimpsest | parchment used for second time after original writing has been erased |
| palliation | act of making less severe or violent |
| panoply | full set of armor |
| paramour | illicit lover |
| paranoiac | mentally unsound person suffering from delusions |
| parapet | low wall at edge of roof or balcony |
| parity | equality; close resemblance |
| parturition | delivery; childbirth |
| pastiche | imitation of another's style in musical composition or in writing |
| patina | green crust on old bronze works; tone slowly taken by varnished painti |
| patois | local or provincial dialect |
| peculation | embezzlement; theft |
| pedant | scholar who overemphasizes book learning or technicalities |
| pediment | triangular part above columns in Greek buildings |
| peregrination | journey |
| perigee | point of moon's orbit when it is nearest the earth |
| peristyle | series of columns surrounding a building or yard |
| peroration | conclusion of an oration |
| perquisite | any gain above stipulated salary |
| perspicuity | clearness of expression; freedom from ambiguity |
| phobia | morbid fear |
| plebiscite | expression of the will of a people by direct election |
| polemic | controversy; argument in support of point of view |
| polity | form of government of nation or state |
| porphyry | igneous rock containing feldspar or quartz crystals |
| preciosity | overrefinement in art or speech |
| preponderance | superiority of power, quantity, etc. |
| prerogative | privilege; unquestionable right |
| prestige | impression produced by achievements or reputation |
| primogeniture | seniority by birth |
| projectile | missile |
| proletarian | member of the working class |
| propellants | substances which propel of drive forward |
| propinquity | nearness; kinship |
| proscenium | part of stage in front of curtain |
| prototype | original work used as a model by others |
| provenance | origin or source of something |
| psychosis | mental disorder |
| pterodactyl | extinct flying reptile |
| pundit | learned Hindu; any learned man; authority on a subject |
| quadruped | four-footed animal |
| quagmire | bog; marsh |
| quarantine | isolation of person or ship to prevent spread of infection |
| quorum | number of members necessary to conduct a meeting |
| rampart | defensive mound of earth |
| rationalization | bringing into conformity with reason |
| recidivism | habitual return to crime |
| recrudescence | reopening of a wound or sore |
| recusant | person who refuses to comply |
| rendition | translation; artistic interpretation of a song, etc. |
| reprobate | person hardened in sin, devoid of a sense of decency |
| residue | remainder; balance |
| rood | crucifix |
| rotunda | circular building or hall covered with a dome |
| salver | tray |
| sarcophagus | stone coffin, often highly decorated |
| satellite | small body revolving around a larger one |
| satire | use of ridicule, irony, or sarcasm to expose folly, vice, etc. |
| satrap | petty ruler working for a superior despot |
| satyr | half-human, half-bestial being in the court of Dionysos |
| sciolism | quackery; superficial information |
| screed | long, tiresome harangue |
| senescence | state of growing old |
| seraph | high-ranking, six-winged angel |
| similitude | similitude; using comparisons such as similes, etc. |
| sirocco | warm, sultry wind blown Africa to southern Europe |
| skeptic | doubter |
| slander | defamation; utterance o false and malicious statements |
| slattern | untidy or slovenly person |
| sleight | dexterity |
| sluice | artificial channel for directing or controlling the flow of water |
| smattering | slight knowledge |
| sobriquet | nickname |
| solace | comfort in trouble |
| sophist | teacher of philosophy; quibbler; employer of fallacious reasoning |
| sophistication | artificiality; unnaturalness; act of employing sophistry in reasoning |
| soporific | sleep producer |
| spate | sudden flood |
| spatula | broad-bladed instrument used for spreading or mixing |
| spectrum | colored band produced when beam of light passes through a prism |
| spoliation | pillaging; depredation |
| spoonerism | accidental transposition of sounds in successive words |
| spume | froth; foam |
| stalemate | deadlock |
| stigma | token of disgrace; brand |
| stratum | layer of earth's surface; layer of society |
| subsidy | direct financial aid by government, etc. |
| supernumerary | person or thing in excess of what is necessary; extra |
| suture | stitches sewn to hold the cut edges of a wound or incision |
| syllogism | logical formula utilizing a major premise, a minor premise and a conclusion |
| symmetry | arrangement of parts so that balance is obtained; congruity |
| talon | claw of bird |
| tarantula | venomous spider |
| tarn | small mountain lake |
| tatterdemalion | ragged fellow |
| tautology | unnecessary repetition; pleonasm |
| teleology | doctrine of final causes |
| tenacity | firmness; persistency; adhesiveness |
| tergiversation | evasion; fickleness |
| termagant | shrew; scolding, brawling woman |
| terminology | terms used in a science or art |
| terrapin | American marsh tortoise |
| testator | maker of a will |
| thaumaturgist | miracle worker; magician |
| theosophy | wisdom in divine things |
| thyme | aromatic plant used for seasoning |
| timbre | quality of a musical tone produced by a musical instrument |
| tocsin | alarm bell |
| tonsure | shaving of the head, especially by person entering religious orders |
| tortilla | flat cake made of cornmeal, etc. |
| touchstone | stone used to test the fineness of gold alloys; criterion |
| trajectory | path taken by a projectile |
| treacle | syrup obtained in refining sugar |
| trencherman | good eater |
| triolet | eight-line stanza |
| troglodyte | cave dweller |
| trope | figure of speech |
| tundra | rolling, treeless plain in Siberia and arctic North America |
| tureen | deep table dish for holding soup |
| ukase | official decree, usually Russian |
| usufruct | right of enjoying things belonging to another |
| usurpation | act of seizing power and rank of another |
| utopia | imaginary land with perfect social and political system |
| valance | short drapery hanging above window frame |
| valetudinarian | invalid |
| vampire | ghostly being that sucks the blood of the living |
| vassal | in feudalism, one who held land of a superior lord |
| vendetta | feud; private warfare |
| vivisection | act of dissecting living animals |
| warranty | guarantee; assurance by seller |
| wastrel | profligate |
| welkin | sky |
| whorl | ring of leaves around stem; ring |
| yeoman | man owning small estate; middle-class farmer |
| yokel | country bumpkin |
Combine with other sets
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