 | Term | Definition |
| |
nemesis |
someone seeking revenge |
| |
neologism |
newly or new coined word or phrase |
| |
neophyte |
recent convert, beginner |
| |
nettle |
annoy, vex |
| |
nicety |
precision, minute distinction |
| |
niggardly |
meanly stingy, parsimonious |
| |
nihilist |
one who considers traditional belief to be groundless and existence meaningless, absolute skeptic, revolutionary terrorist |
| |
noisome |
foul smelling, unwholesome |
| |
nominal |
in name only, trifling |
| |
nonchalance |
indifference, lack of concern, composure |
| |
nonplus |
bringing to a halt by confusion, perplex |
| |
nuance |
shade of difference in meaning or color |
| |
nubile |
marriageable |
| |
nugatory |
futile, worthless |
| |
nuptial |
related to marriage |
| |
obdurate |
stubborn |
| |
obeisance |
bow |
| |
obfuscate |
confuse, muddle, cause confusion, make needlessly complex |
| |
obliterate |
destroy completely |
| |
oblivion |
obscurity, forgetfulness |
| |
oblivious |
inattentive or unmindful, wholly absorbed |
| |
obloquy |
slander, disgrace, infamy |
| |
obsequious |
slavishly attentive, servile, sycophancy |
| |
obsequy |
funeral ceremony |
| |
obsidian |
black volcanic rock |
| |
obstreperous |
boisterous, noisy |
| |
obtrude |
push(oneself or ones idea) forward or intrude, butt in, stick out or extrude |
| |
obtuse |
blunt, stupid |
| |
obviate |
make unnecessary, get rid off |
| |
occident |
the west |
| |
occlude |
shut, close |
| |
oculist |
physician who specializes in the treatment of the eyes |
| |
odious |
hateful, vile |
| |
odium |
detestation, hatefulness, disrepute |
| |
odoriferous |
giving off an odor |
| |
officious |
meddlesome, excessively pushy in offering one’s service |
| |
onerous |
burdensome |
| |
onomatopoeia |
words formed in imitation of natural sounds |
| |
opalescent |
iridescent, lustrous |
| |
opiate |
medicine to induce sleep or deaden pain |
| |
opprobrium |
infamy, vilification |
| |
opulence |
extreme wealth, luxuriousness, abundance |
| |
opus |
work |
| |
oracular |
prophetic, uttered as if with divine authority, mysterious or ambiguous |
| |
oratorio |
dramatic poem set to music |
| |
ordain |
decree or command, grant holy orders, predestine |
| |
ordination |
ceremony conferring holy orders |
| |
orthography |
correct spelling |
| |
osseous |
made of bone, bony |
| |
ossify |
change or harden into bone |
| |
ostensible |
apparent, professed, pretended |
| |
ostentatious |
showy, pretentious, trying to attract attention |
| |
ostracize |
exclude from public favor, ban |
| |
overweening |
presumptuous, arrogant |
| |
overwrought |
extremely agitated, hysterical |
| |
ovoid |
egg shaped |
| |
pacifist |
one apposed to force, antimilitarist |
| |
paean |
song of praise or joy |
| |
paleontology |
study of prehistoric life |
| |
palimpsest |
parchment used for second time after original writing has been erased |
| |
pall |
grow tiresome |
| |
pallet |
small, poor bed |
| |
palliate |
ease pain, make less severe or offensive |
| |
pallid |
pale, worn |
| |
palpable |
tangible, easily perceptible |
| |
palpitate |
throb, flutter |
| |
pan |
criticize harshly |
| |
panacea |
cure all, remedy for all diseases |
| |
panache |
flair, flamboyance |
| |
pandemic |
widespread, affecting the majority of people |
| |
pander |
cater to the low desires of the people |
| |
panegyric |
formal praise |
| |
parable |
short, simple story teaching a moral |
| |
paradigm |
model, example, pattern |
| |
paradox |
something apparently contradictory in nature |
| |
paragon |
model of perfection |
| |
paramour |
illicit lover |
| |
parley |
conference |
| |
parochial` |
narrow in outlook, provincial, related to parishes |
| |
paroxysm |
fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage |
| |
parquet |
floor made of wood strips inland in a mosaic like pattern |
| |
parry |
ward off a blow, deflect |
| |
parsimony |
stinginess, excessive frugality |
| |
passé |
old fashioned, past the prime |
| |
pastiche |
imitation of another style in musical composition or in writing |
| |
pastoral |
rural |
| |
patent |
open to the public to read, obvious |
| |
pathological |
pertaining to diseases |
| |
pathos |
tender sorrow, pity, quality in art or literature producing these feelings |
| |
patina |
green crust on old bronze works, tone slowly taken by varnished paintings |
| |
patois |
local or provincial dialect |
| |
patrician |
noble aristocratic |
| |
peccadillo |
slight offense |
| |
pecuniary |
pertaining to money |
| |
pedagogue |
teacher |
| |
pedagogy |
teaching, art of education |
| |
pedant |
scholar who overemphasizes book learning or technicalities |
| |
pedantic |
showing off learning, bookish |
| |
pedestrian |
ordinary, unimaginative |
| |
peerless |
having no equal, incomparable |
| |
pejorative |
negative in connotation, having a belittling effect |
| |
pellucid |
transparent, limpid, easy to understand |
| |
penance |
self imposed punishment for sin |
| |
penchant |
strong inclination, liking |
| |
pendulous |
hanging, suspended |
| |
penitent |
repentant |
| |
pensive |
dreamily thoughtful, thoughtful with a hint of sadness, contemplative |
| |
penury |
sever poverty, stinginess |
| |
peon |
landless agricultural worker, bond servant |
| |
perdition |
damnation, complete ruin |
| |
peregrination |
journey |
| |
peremptory |
demanding and leaving no choice |
| |
perfidious |
treacherous, disloyal |
| |
perfunctory |
superficial, not thorough, lacking interest, care or enthusiasm |
| |
peripatetic |
walking about, moving |
| |
perjury |
false testimony while under oath |
| |
pernicious |
very destructive |
| |
peroration |
conclusion of an oration |
| |
personable |
attractive |
| |
perspicacious |
having insight, penetrating, astute |
| |
perspicuity |
clearness of expression, freedom from ambiguity |
| |
perspicuous |
stubborn, persistent |
| |
peruse |
read with care |
| |
perverse |
stubbornly wrongheaded, wicked and unacceptable |
| |
pestilential |
causing plague, baneful |
| |
petulant |
touchy, peevish |
| |
pharisaical |
self righteous, hypocritical |
| |
philanderer |
faithless flirt, flirt |
| |
philanthropist |
lover of mankind, doer of good |
| |
philatelist |
stamp collector |
| |
philistine |
narrow minded person, uncultured and exclusively interested in material gain |
| |
philology |
study of language |
| |
phlegmatic |
calm not easily disturbed |
| |
phoenix |
symbol of immortality or rebirth |
| |
phylum |
major classification, second to kingdom of plants and animals, division |
| |
physiognomy |
face |
| |
physiological |
pertaining to the science of the function of living organism` |
| |
pie bald |
different colors, mottled, spotted |
| |
pied |
variegated, multicolored |
| |
pillory |
punish by placing in a wooden frame, subject to criticism and ridicule |
| |
pine |
languish, decline, long for, yearn |
| |
pinion |
restrain |
| |
piquant |
pleasantly tart tasting, stimulating |
| |
pique |
provoke or arose, annoy |
| |
piscatorial |
pertaining to fishing |
| |
pith |
core or marrow, essence, substance |
| |
pithy |
concise, meaningful, substantial, meaty |
| |
placate |
pacify, conciliate |
| |
placid |
peaceful, calm |
| |
plaintive |
mournful |
| |
platitude |
trite remark, common place statement |
| |
platonic |
purely spiritual, theoretical, without sensual desire |
| |
plaudit |
enthusiastic approval, round of applause |
| |
plebian |
common, pertaining to the common people |
| |
plenary |
complete full |
| |
plenitude |
abundance, completeness |
| |
pliant |
flexible, easily influenced |
| |
pluck |
courage |
| |
plumb |
examine critically in order to understand, measure depth (sounding) |
| |
plutocracy |
society ruled by wealth |
| |
polemic |
controversy, argument in support of a point of view |
| |
polemical |
aggressive in verbal attack, disputatious |
| |
polity |
form of government of nation or state |
| |
polyglot |
speaking several languages |
| |
ponderous |
weighty , unwieldy |
| |
pore |
study industriously, ponder, scrutinize |
| |
portend |
foretell, presage |
| |
portent |
sign, omen, forewarning |
| |
portly |
stout, corpulent |
| |
poseur |
person who pretends to be sophisticated, elegant, etc |
| |
potentate |
monarch, sovereign |
| |
poultice |
soothing application applied to sore and inflamed portions of the body |
| |
prate |
speak foolishly, boast idly |
| |
precept |
practical rule guiding conduct |
| |
precipitate |
rash, premature, hasty, sudden |
| |
precipitate |
throw headlong, hasten |
| |
precipitous |
sleep, overhasty |
| |
preclude |
make impossible, eliminate |
| |
precocious |
advanced in development |
| |
predilection |
partiality, preference |
| |
preempt |
head off, forestall by acting first, supplant, appropriate for oneself |
| |
preen |
make oneself tidy in appearance |
| |
prefatory |
introductory |
| |
prehensile |
capable of grasping or holding |
| |
prelate |
church dignitary |
| |
preponderance |
superiority of power quantity etc |
| |
presage |
foretell |
| |
prescience |
ability to foretell the future |
| |
presentiment |
feeling something will happen, anticipatory fear, premonition |
| |
presumptuous |
arrogant, taking liberties |
| |
pretentious |
ostentatious, pompous, making unjustified claims, over ambitious |
| |
prevaricate |
lie |
| |
prim |
very precise and formal, exceedingly proper |
| |
primogeniture |
seniority by birth |
| |
primp |
groom oneself with care |
| |
pristine |
primitive, unspoiled |
| |
privation |
hardship, want |
| |
probity |
uprightness, incorruptibility |
| |
proclivity |
inclination, natural tendency |
| |
prodigal |
reckless with money, wasteful |
| |
prodigious |
marvelous, enormous |
| |
profane |
violate, desecrate, treat unworthy |
| |
profligate |
dissipated, wasteful, wildly immoral |
| |
progenitor |
ancestor |
| |
progeny |
children, offspring |
| |
prognosis |
forecasted course of disease, prediction |
| |
prognosticate |
predict |
| |
proletarian |
member of the working class, |
| |
prolific |
abundantly fruitful |
| |
prolixity |
tedious wordiness, verbosity |
| |
promiscuous |
haphazard, mixed indiscriminately |
| |
promontory |
headland |
| |
prone |
inclined to, prostrate |
| |
propensity |
natural inclination |
| |
prophylactic |
used to prevent diseases |
| |
propinquity |
nearness, kinship |
| |
propitiate |
appease |
| |
propitious |
favorable, fortunate, advantageous |
| |
propriety |
fitness, correct conduct |
| |
prosaic |
matter of fact, dull & unimaginative |
| |
proscenium |
part of a stage in front of the curtain |
| |
proscribe |
ostracize, banish outlaw |
| |
proselytize |
induce someone to convert to a religion or belief |
| |
prosody |
the art of versification |
| |
protean |
versatile, able to take any form |
| |
protuberance |
protrusion, bulge |
| |
provenance |
origin or source of something |
| |
provender |
dry food, fodder |
| |
provident |
displaying foresight, thrifty, preparing for emergencies |
| |
proviso |
stipulation |
| |
prowess |
extraordinary ability, military bravery |
| |
prude |
excessively modest or proper person |
| |
prurient |
having or causing lustful thoughts & desires |
| |
pry |
inquire impertinently, use leverage to raise or open something |
| |
psyche |
soul, mind |
| |
psychosis |
mental disorder |
| |
puerile |
childish |
| |
pugilist |
boxer |
| |
pugnacity |
combativeness, disposition to fight |
| |
puissant |
powerful, strong, potent |
| |
pulchritude |
beauty, comeliness |
| |
punctilious |
stressing niceties of conduct or form, minutely attentive to fine points |
| |
purchase |
firm grasp or footing |
| |
purgatory |
place of spiritual expiation |
| |
purport |
intention, meaning |
| |
purported |
alleged, claimed, reputed or rumored |
| |
purse |
pucker, contract into wrinkles |
| |
purveyor |
furnisher of foodstuffs, caterer |
| |
pusillanimous |
cowardly, fainthearted |
| |
putative |
supposed, reputed |
| |
quaff |
drink with relish |
| |
quail |
cower, lose heart |
| |
qualified |
limited, restricted |
| |
qualms |
misgiving, uneasy fears, especially about matters of conscience |
| |
quay |
dock, landing place |
| |
querulous |
fretful, whining |
| |
quibble |
minor objection or complaint |
| |
quiescent |
at rest, dormant, temporarily inactive |
| |
quintessence |
purest & highest embodiment |
| |
quip |
taunt |
| |
quisling |
traitor who aids invaders |
| |
quixotic |
idealistic but impractical |
| |
quorum |
number of members necessary to conduct a meeting |
| |
quotidian |
daily, commonplace, customary |
| |
raconteur |
story teller |
| |
rail |
scold rant |
| |
raiment |
clothing |
| |
rakish |
stylish, sporty |
| |
ramble |
wander aimlessly |
| |
ramification |
branching out, sub division |
| |
ramify |
divide into branches or subdivisions |
| |
rancor |
bitterness, hatred |
| |
rankle |
irritate, fester |
| |
rapacious |
plundering, excessively grasping |
| |
raspy |
grating, harsh |
| |
ratiocination |
reasoning, act of drawing conclusions from premises |
| |
raucous |
harsh and shrill, disorderly & boisterous |
| |
ravel |
fall apart into tangles, entangle |
| |
reactionary |
opposing progress, politically ultraconservative |
| |
rebus |
puzzle for which pictures stand for |
| |
recalcitrant |
obstinately stubborn, determined to resist authority, unruly |
| |
recant |
disclaim or disavow, retract a previous statement, openly confess error |
| |
recidivism |
habitual return to crime |
| |
recondite |
abstruse, profound secret |
| |
recrimination |
counter charge |
| |
rectitude |
uprightness, moral virtues, correctness of judgment |
| |
recumbent |
reclining, lying down completely or in part |
| |
redolent |
fragrant, odorous |
| |
redoubtable |
causing fear, formidable |
| |
refectory |
dinning hall |
| |
refractory |
stubborn, unmanageable |
| |
refulgent |
brightly shinning, gleaming |
| |
regale |
entertain |
| |
regicide |
murderer of a king or queen |
| |
rejoinder |
retort, come back, reply |
| |
remiss |
negligent |
| |
remnant |
remainder |
| |
remonstrance |
protest, objection |
| |
rescind |
cancel |
| |
resignation |
patient submissiveness |
| |
resilient |
elastic, having the power of springing back |
| |
resolution |
determination |
| |
restitution |
reparation, indemnification |
| |
restive |
restlessly impatient, obstinately resisting control |
| |
retinue |
reserved, uncommunicative, inclined to silence |
| |
retiring |
modest, shy |
| |
retroactive |
taking effect before its enactment or imposition |
| |
retrograde |
go backwards, degenerate |
| |
reverie |
daydream, musing |
| |
revile |
attack with abusive language, vilify |
| |
rhapsodize |
to speak or write in an exaggeratedly enthusiastic manner |
| |
rhetoric |
art of effective communication, insincere or grandiloquent language |
| |
ribald |
wanton, profane |
| |
rider |
amendment or clause added to a legislative bill |
| |
rife |
abundant, current |
| |
rile |
vex, irritate, muddy |
| |
rivulet |
small stream |
| |
rococo |
ornate, highly decorated |
| |
roil |
to make liquids murky by stirring up sediments, to disturb |
| |
roseate |
rosy, optimistic |
| |
rostrum |
platform for speech making, pulpit |
| |
rote |
repetition |
| |
rotundity |
roundness, sonorousness of speech |
| |
rout |
stampede, drive out |
| |
rubric |
title or heading (red print), protocol, directions for religious ceremony |
| |
rue |
regret, lament, mourn |
| |
ruminate |
chew over and over(mentally or physically), mull over, ponder |
| |
runic |
mysterious, set down in an ancient alphabet |
| |
saccharine |
cloyingly sweet |
| |
sacrosanct |
most sacred, inviolable |
| |
sagacious |
perceptive, shrewd, having insight |
| |
salacious |
lascivious, lustful |
| |
sallow |
yellowish, sickly in color |
| |
salubrious |
healthful |
| |
salutary |
tending to improve, beneficial, wholesome |
| |
sanctimonious |
displaying ostentatious or hypocritical devoutness |
| |
sanguinary |
bloody |
| |
sanguine |
cheerful, hopeful |
| |
sardonic |
disdainful, sarcastic, cynical |
| |
sartorial |
pertaining to tailors |
| |
sate |
satisfy to the full, cloy |
| |
saturnine |
gloomy |
| |
savant |
scholar |
| |
scabbard |
sheath |
| |
scad |
great quantity |
| |
schism |
division, split |
| |
scintilla |
shred, least bit |
| |
scotch |
stamp out |
| |
scourge |
lash, whip, severe punishment |
| |
scurrilous |
obscene, indecent |
| |
scurry |
move briskly |
| |
scurvy |
contemptible, despicable |
| |
seamy |
sordid, unwholesome |
| |
secession |
withdrawal |
| |
sedition |
resistance to authority, insubordination |
| |
sedulous |
diligent |
| |
seemly |
proper, appropriate |
| |
seine |
net for catching fish |
| |
semblance |
outward appearance, guise |
| |
seminal |
germinal, influencing future developments, related to seed or semen |
| |
sententious |
terse, concise, aphoristic |
| |
sentient |
capable of sensation, aware, sensitive |
| |
sentinel |
sentry, look out |
| |
sequester |
isolate, segregate, seclude, retire from public life |
| |
sere |
parched, dry |
| |
serendipity |
accidental good fortune or luck |
| |
servile |
slavish, cringing |
| |
sham |
pretend |
| |
sheaf |
bundle of things tied together |
| |
shrew |
scolding woman |
| |
shunt |
divert, turn aside, sidetrack |
| |
shyster |
lawyer using questionable methods |
| |
sibylline |
prophetic, oracular |
| |
simian |
monkeylike |
| |
simile |
comparison of one thing with another, using words like or as |
| |
simper |
smirk, smile affectedly |
| |
simulate |
feign |
| |
sinecure |
well paid position with little responsibility |
| |
sinewy |
tough, strong and firm |
| |
sinuous |
winding, bending in and out, not morally honest |
| |
skiff |
small light sail boat or row boat |
| |
skinflint |
stingy person, miser |
| |
skittish |
lively, frisky |
| |
skullduggery |
move furtively and secretly |
| |
slake |
quench, sate |
| |
sleazy |
flimsy, unsubstantial |
| |
sleeper |
something originally of little value or importance that in time becomes valuable |
| |
sleight |
dexterity |
| |
slew |
large quantity or number |
| |
slight |
insult to ones dignity, snub |
| |
slough |
cast off |
| |
sluggard |
lazy person |
| |
slur |
insult to ones character or reputation, slander |
| |
smattering |
slight knowledge |
| |
snivel |
run at the nose, snuffle, whine |
| |
sobriety |
moderation, seriousness |
|
