 | Term | Definition |
| |
abdicate |
to give up a position, right, or power |
| |
abject |
miserable, pitiful |
| |
abjure |
to reject, abandon formally |
| |
abnegate |
to deny, renounce |
| |
abortive |
interrupted while incomplete |
| |
abrogate |
to abolish or invalidate by authority |
| |
absolve |
to forgive, free from blame |
| |
abstemious |
moderate in appetite |
| |
accretion |
growth in size or increase in amount |
| |
acrid |
harsh, bitter |
| |
acrimony |
bitterness, animosity |
| |
adjunct |
something added, attached, or joined |
| |
adroit |
skillful, accomplished, highly competent |
| |
adulation |
high praise |
| |
adumbrate |
to sketch, outline in a shadowy way |
| |
affected |
pretentious, phony |
| |
affront |
personal offense, insult |
| |
agrarian |
relating to farming or rural matters |
| |
alacrity |
cheerful willingness, eagerness, speed |
| |
allay |
to lessen, ease, soothe |
| |
allegory |
symbolic representation |
| |
amalgam |
mixture, combination, alloy |
| |
ambulatory |
itinerant; related to walking around |
| |
amenable |
agreeable, cooperative |
| |
amenity |
pleasantness; something increasing comfort |
| |
amity |
friendship |
| |
amorous |
strongly attracted to love; showing love |
| |
amortize |
to diminish by installment payments |
| |
anachronistic |
outdated |
| |
analgesia |
a lessening of pain |
| |
anathema |
ban, curse; something shunned or disliked |
| |
anodyne |
something that calms or soothes pain |
| |
anoint |
to apply oil |
| |
antedate |
dated prior to the actual occurrence |
| |
antepenultimate |
third from last |
| |
anterior |
preceding, previous, before, prior (to) |
| |
anthropomorphic |
attributing human qualities to nonhumans |
| |
apace |
done quickly |
| |
aphasia |
inability to speak or use words |
| |
aphelion |
point in a planet's orbit that is farthest from the sun |
| |
aphorism |
old saying or short pithy statement |
| |
aplomb |
poise, confidence |
| |
apocryphal |
not genuine; fictional |
| |
apostate |
one who renounces a religious faith |
| |
apostrophe |
speech to the reader or someone not present; a superscript sign (') |
| |
apothegm |
a short, instructive saying |
| |
apotheosis |
glorification; glorified ideal |
| |
apprise |
to give notice of; inform |
| |
arable |
suitable for cultivation |
| |
arraign |
to call to court to answer a charge |
| |
arrogate |
to demand, claim arrogantly |
| |
artless |
open and honest |
| |
ascetic |
self denying, abstinent, austere |
| |
ashen |
resembling ashes; deathly pale |
| |
askance |
scornfully |
| |
askew |
crooked, tilted |
| |
asocial |
unable or unwilling to interact socially |
| |
asperity |
harshness, roughness |
| |
aspersion |
false rumor, damaging report, slander |
| |
assail |
to attack, assault |
| |
assay |
to analyze or estimate |
| |
assignation |
appointment for lovers' meeting; assignment |
| |
assimilation |
act of blending in, becoming similar |
| |
assonance |
resembling a sound, especially in vowel sounds; partial rhyme |
| |
astral |
exalted, elevated in position; relating to the stars |
| |
astringent |
harsh, severe, stern |
| |
asunder |
into different parts |
| |
atrophy |
to waste away, wither from disuse |
| |
attest |
to testify, stand as proof of, bear witness |
| |
augury |
prophecy, prediction of events |
| |
august |
dignified, awe-inspiring, venerable |
| |
auspicious |
having favorable prospects, promising |
| |
autocrat |
dictator |
| |
aver |
to declare to be true, affirm |
| |
averse |
being disinclined towards something |
| |
aversion |
intense dislike |
| |
avert |
to turn (something) away; prevent |
