 | Term | Definition |
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Eclectic |
Selecting from or made up from a variety of sources (ex: Budapest's architecture is an _____ mix of eastern and western styles.) |
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Efficacy |
Effectiveness (ex: The _____ of penicillin was unsurpassed when it was first introduced; the drug completely eliminated almost all bacterial infections for which it was administered.) |
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Elegy |
A sorrowful poem or speech (ex: Although Thomas Gray's "_____ Written in a Country Churchyard" is about death and loss, it urges its readers to endure this life, and to trust in spirituality.) |
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Eloquent |
Persuasive and moving, especially in speech (ex: The Gettysburg Address is moving not only because of its lofty sentiments but also because of its _____ words.) |
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Emulate |
To copy; to try to equal or excel (ex: The graduate student sought to _____ his professor in every way, copying not only how she taught, but also how she conducted herself outside of class.) |
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Enervate |
To reduce in strength (ex: The guerrillas hoped that a series of surprise attacks would _____ the regular army.) |
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Engender |
To produce, cause, or bring about (ex: His fear and hatred of clowns was _____ when he witnessed the death of his father at the hands of a clown.) |
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Enigma |
A puzzle; a mystery (ex: Speaking in riddles and dressed in old robes, the artist gained a reputation as something of an _____.) |
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Enumerate |
To count, list, or itemize (ex: Moses returned from the mountain with tablets on which the commandments were _____.) |
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Ephemeral |
Lasting a short time (ex: The lives of mayflies seem _____ to us, since the flies' average life span is a matter of hours.) |
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Equivocate |
To use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead (ex: When faced with criticism of his policies, the politician _____ and left all parties thinking he agreed with them.) |
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Erratic |
Wandering and unpredictable (ex: The plot seemed predictable until it suddenly took a series of _____ turns that surprised the audience.) |
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Erudite |
Learned, scholarly, bookish (ex: The annual meeting of philosophy professors was a gathering of the most _____, well-published individuals in the field.) |
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Esoteric |
Known or understood by only a few (ex: Only a handful of experts are knowledgeable about the _____ world of particle physics.) |
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Estimable |
Admirable (ex: Most people consider it _____ that Mother Teresa spent her life helping the poor of India.) |
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Eulogy |
Speech in praise of someone (ex: His best friend gave the _____, outlining his many achievements and talents.) |
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Euphemism |
Use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one (ex: The funeral director preferred to use the _____ "sleeping" instead of the word "dead".) |
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Exacerbate |
To make worse (ex: It is unwise to take aspirin to try to relieve heartburn; instead of providing relief, the drug will only _____ the problem.) |
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Exculpate |
To clear from blame; prove innocent (ex: The adversarial legal system in intended to convict those who are guilty and to _____ those who are innocent.) |
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Exigent |
Urgent; requiring immediate action (ex: The patient was losing blood so rapidly that it was _____ to stop the source of bleeding.) |
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Exonerate |
To clear of blame (ex: The fugitive was _____ when another criminal confessed to committing the crime.) |
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Explicit |
Clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression (ex: The owners of the house left a list of _____ instructions detailing their house-sitters' duties, including a schedule for watering the house plants.) |
