 | Term | Definition |
| |
magnanimous |
generous in forgiving |
| |
meretricious |
like a prostitute |
| |
metamorphasis |
complete change in appearance |
| |
milieu |
environment or setting |
| |
missive |
letter, a written message |
| |
moiety |
an indefinite portion |
| |
nomenclature |
the names or terms comprising a set or system |
| |
nemesis |
an opponent that can not be overcome |
| |
nonsectarian |
not affiliated with a specific religious denomination |
| |
oligarchy |
government where one select group runs the whole |
| |
obdurate |
unmoved by persuasion |
| |
obsequious |
obedient, dutiful |
| |
obtuse |
dull, unintelligent |
| |
onerous |
burdensome, oppressive |
| |
ostensible |
apparent, evident |
| |
obstreperous |
noisy, clamorous; resisting control |
| |
oleaginous |
having qualities of oil; excessively flattering |
| |
palliate |
to relieve without curing; to lessen by excuses or appologies |
| |
paradigm |
an example serving as a model |
| |
parse |
to analyze a sentence grammatically |
| |
parsimony |
extreme economy, frugality |
| |
peccant |
guilty of a moral offense |
| |
peculate |
to steal or take dishonestly; embezzle |
| |
pecuniary |
of or pertaning to money; fine |
| |
pedestrian |
lacking in vitality |
| |
pejorative |
having a disparaging, derogative, or belittling effect or force |
| |
penumbra |
a shadowy, indefinite area |
| |
pilloried |
to expose to ridicule and abuse |
| |
prescient |
knowing things before they occur |
| |
preternatural |
out of the ordinary course of nature; supernatural |
| |
prevaricate |
to speak falsely or misleadingly; to create an incorrect impression |
| |
promulgate |
to make known by open declaration |
| |
propinquity |
nearness in proximity, relation or time |
| |
prosaic |
commonplace or dull |
| |
punctillious |
exact, on time |
| |
quixotic |
extravegantly chivilrous or romantically idealistic |
| |
quotidian |
daily |
| |
recapitulate |
to summarize past events |
| |
recondite |
beyond the reach of the ordinary mind; profound |
| |
redolent |
sweet smelling; suggestive |
| |
remonstrate |
to say or plead in protest; to point out |
| |
rubicund |
inclining to redness |
| |
sanguine |
of the color of blood; confident/optimistic |
| |
schwa |
the unstressed, central vowel sound of words |
| |
sesquipedalian |
1 1/2 feet; a very long word |
| |
sinecure |
an office which has revenue without employment |
| |
sophistry |
reasoning that is sound in appearance only |
| |
spurious |
illegitimate; false, counterfeit |
| |
stolid |
showing little emotion |
| |
subjugate |
to subdue by superior force |
| |
supercilious |
disdainful or contemptuous; dictatoral |
| |
syzygy |
a linear function; an astronomical phenominom |
| |
tacit |
implied |
| |
tautology |
needless repitition of an idea |
| |
tempestuous |
turbulent |
| |
temper |
to soften/ tone down; to moderate or mitigate |
| |
tenebrous |
dark, gloomy, obscure |
| |
termagent |
a violent, turbulent or brawling woman |
| |
trenchant |
incisive or keen; vigorous or effective; clearly or sharply defined |
| |
trope |
a metaphor or simile |
| |
turpitude |
vile shamerul or base |
| |
turgid |
swollen, turmid; excessively ornate or complex |
| |
ubiquitous |
existing everywhere at the same time |
| |
unctuous |
excessively religious or moral; oily, greasy |
| |
usurp |
to take without authority |
| |
vacuous |
without contents; purposless; lacking ideas/intelligence |
| |
vapid |
lacking or having lost life |
| |
vehement |
strongly emotional; marked by great energy; characterized by anger |
| |
venal |
open to bribery |
| |
venial |
able to be forgiven; excusable |
| |
vicissitude |
a change or variation in the course of something |
| |
vim |
enthusiasm |
| |
virago |
loud-voiced, ill-tempered woman |
| |
vortex |
a whorling mass of water, fire or air |
| |
ullage |
the contents of a container (liquid) |
| |
Weltschmerz |
sorrow that one accepts as one's necessary portion |
| |
winnow |
to drive or blow away by fanning; to separate/distinguish |
| |
wrought |
elaborated or embellished; not rough or crude; shaped by beating with a hammer |
| |
wassail |
a salutation wishing health |
| |
whorl |
in the shape of a coil |
| |
xenophobe |
someone who fears/hates foreigners |
| |
yeoman |
a petty naval officer; a farmer who cultivates his own land |
| |
zenith |
highest point or state |
| |
Zeitgeist |
the spirit of time |
