Collection of Education

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Apollonian harmonious, measured, ordered, balanced Cannae a total defeat Diaspora the aggregate of Jews outside of Palestine Dionysian frenzied, ecstatic Lilliputian very small; diminutive; petty; small-minded; narrow Promethean daringly original, courageously innovative, boldly creative Pyrrhic type of victory that costs more than it gains abettor one who encourages the commission of a crime abjure to repudiate, or recant solemnly ablute to cleanse (with religious connotation) abreaction a talking or acting out of suppressed desires or fears abstemious eat or drink sparingly abstruse difficult to understand abulia inability to make a decision abysmal unfathomable; bottomless accede to consent, to agree acclivity an upward slope accouter to outfit and equip, as for military duty accretion any growth or increase in size by gradual external addition acerbic sour, bitter acidulous slightly sour; sour in feeling or manner; caustic; biting acolyte follower, attendant acquiesce to agree with, to consent to actuarial calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics acumen mental keenness addle to muddle; confuse; to become rotten, spoil, as an egg adduce to cite as an example, to present as evidence adfenestrate to sneak through a window adjure request solemnly admonitory of warning adroit skillful adulation fawning adoration adumbrate to give a sketchy outline; prefigure indistinctly, foreshadow adventitious accidental, added by chance aegis a shield, protection affable friendly afflatus inspiration, powerful impulse, overmastering urge affray a quarrel or brawl noisy enough to disturb those not involved affricative characterized by a stop, followed by a release, in music agelast one who never laughs aggrandize to magnify, to inflate agnatic related on the father's side agon a public celebration consisting of competitions and games agronomy soil management; scientific agriculture ailurophile lover of cats alacrity cheerful or eager readiness aleatory dependent upon chance; dicey algedonic pleasingly painful or painfully pleasing algolagnia sado-masochism allegory a symbolic tale, fable alliteration repetition of a sound in a sequence alliumphile (-phobe) lover (hater) of garlic alluvial pertaining to soil deposits left by rivers, etc. altiloquent superior or lofty in speech amanuensis a secretary, one who take dictation or type paper amaranthine like the imaginary flower that never fades or dies amazon a female warrior; any tall, vigorous, aggressive woman ambisinistrous literally, "both left"; clumsy, klutzy, maladroit amble to move at an easy pace ameliorate to make better anaclitic being excessively dependent on the mother anagram a word formed from another by rearranging letters anaphora repeating the first words of sentences or clauses anaphrodisiac sexually de-appetizing anathema a detestable thing or person androcrat one who believes in supremacy of the male androgynous having both male and female elements anfractuous winding, tortuous animadversion generally adverse criticism animism doctrine that all living organisms have souls animus a feeling of hostility and antagonism anneal reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating & cooling anodynic painless, soothing antebellum belonging to the period before the Civil War antediluvian occurring before the Flood, Genesis 7, 8; ancient, very old anthropomorphic ascribing human characteristics to gods, animals anthropophagy cannibalism antic odd or eccentric behavior, amusing gestures, pranks antinomian one who refuses to accept moral laws or moral authority antinomy an inconsistency, or built-in contradiction antipathy a feeling of strong dislike antipluvial preventing precipitation antithesis a direct opposite aphorism a concise statement of general truth, maxims, proverbs apiary place where bees are kept aplomb poise, imperturbability apocalypse a disaster, cataclysm, the end of world, Armageddon apocryphal things or stories of questionable authenticity apodictic absolutely certain and true; uncontestable apopemptic valedictory to one departing; farewell or leavetaking apoplexy a stroke aposiopesis a sudden breaking off (of a thought in mid sentence) apostate a person who renounces his faith, party, etc apothecary druggist apothegm a concise formulation of a truth, a maxim, aphorism apotheosis deification; glorified ideal apparatchik part of the apparatus of the government; secret agent apposite something to the point, well put approbation praise, commendation; official approval appurtenance something added to another, more important thing; accessory apropos appropriate; pertinent; opportune; relevant apterous wingless apteryx a flightless bird, such as the penguin aquiline of or similar to an eagle; hooked like an eagle's beak arcane something secret or obscure arch mischievous or roguish, playfully saucy archetype prototype argot jargon arrant downright, "out-and-out" arrears unpaid and overdue debts; the state of being in debt arroyo a deep gully cut by an intermitten stream artful crafty, deceitful artifice deception; trickery artless free from deceit ascendancy controlling influence; dominance in position or influence ascetic self-denying, resisting ordinary pleasure of life askance with a side or oblique glance (as in suspicion) asperity harshness, acrimony asperse to sprinkle aspersion damaging assertions, slandering vilifications aspirant seeker after position or status assuage to soothe, to relive astral of or relating to the stars atavistic pertaining to one's forebears or a primitive culture atelier workshop or studio, esp. of an artist atramental inky, black atrocify "to blacken"; to perform a dark deed augur to foreshadow aureate golden, gold-colored auricome golden hair autochthonous native, aboriginal, indigenous autodidact one who is self-taught automaton a robot avarice an extreme desire to amass wealth; cupidity avatar the descent to earth of a deity in human or animal form aver to declare in a positive or dogmatic manner; affirm avuncular like an uncle axiom a self-evident truth bacchanalian characterized by riotous, drunken revelry; orgiastic badinage banter(light, playful joking), playful repartee bagatelle an unimportant or insignigicant thing; a trifle bailiwick one's field or area of expertise bait harass; tease balatron an unintentional clown balbutiate to stammer or stutter baleful threatening ballast heavy substance used to add stability or weight banal commonplace, hackneyed, uninspired bane fatal injury or ruin; a cause of death, destruction or ruin basilisk a fabulous serpent whose look was thought to be fatal bate let down; restraint; to lessen the force of bathos sentimentality, a ludicrous drop from lofty to commonplace bathycolpous deep-chested, heavy-bosomed bathysiderodromophobia fear of subways, undergrounds, or metros batten to become fat; to thrive and prosper at another's expense beatific showing or producing exalted joy or blessedness; blissful bedizen to dress or ornament vulgarly or tastelessly bedraggle to wet thoroughly bellwether one that is followed, as a leader; a indicator of trends bemused puzzled, muddled, preoccupied benighted overtaken by darkness or night benison a blessing or benediction bereavement state of being deprived of something valuable or beloved bereft deprived of; lacking bibulous pertaining to those who are addicted to alcohol bivouac temporary encampment blandishment enticement bloviate to deliver an oration that is verbose and windy bootless fruitless, futile, useless borborygmic referring to stomach growlings boreal pertaining to the north; northern bowdlerize to expurgate prudishly brachiate to swing from limb to limb, usually in a tree brackish somewhat salty, briny breviary book containing the daily prayers, hymns brickbat an unkind remark, a caustic comment brindize to toast, to drink to the health of someone brindled tawny or grayish with dark streaks or spots broach to begin to talk about; to open up brocade a heavy fabric interwoven with a rich, raised design bromide a commonplace, hackneyed remark brook to tolerate, to put up with brouhaha a commotion, uproar brusque curt, abrupt, and somewhat harsh bucolic rustic buffet to pound repeatedly; batter bumptious crudely forward and self-assertive in behavior; pushy burgeon budding burlesque give an imitation that ridicules buxom healthily plump and ample of figure, said of a woman byzantine intricately involved cabal a group of plotters or their plots cachet prestige cachinnation a loud laugh; cackle cadge to beg cajole to coax by promises and flattery callow immature, "green" calumny libel, slander, defamation canard a hoax or false rumor canescent growing white, hoary canicular pertaining to the dog days of July and August canon a rule or general principle cant jargon of a special group or profession cantankerous bad-tempered canter a pace slower than the gallop but faster than the trot canvass to examine carefully; to survey public opinion caparison showy harness or ornamentation for a horse captious nit-picking carafe glass water bottle; decanter carapace hard, bony covering, turtle's shell caravel a small, light sailing ship of 15 and 16 century Spain carceral imprisoning cardioid heart-shaped carious rotten, decayed carmine a vivid red color carnal sensual, bodily carousal a jovial, riotous drinking party; boisterous merrymaking carp to find fault, nit-picking caryatid a supporting column sculptured in the form of a woman caseation the process of making cheese cashiered dismissed in disgrace castigate to punish severely casuistry a dishonest, specious reasoning catholic broad-minded cavalcade procession; parade caveat a warning caveat warning cavil to find fault, to nit-pick celerity swiftness; quickness; speed cenacle a small dining room, usually on an upper floor cenotaph a tombstone honoring someone buried elsewhere cerebration the act of thinking; thought cervine having to do with deer cession yielding to another; an act of ceding (as of territory) cetacean pertaining to whales and dolphins chador the head-to-ankle shawl worn by Kurdish women chafe to wear away or irritate by rubbing chalice a cup or goblet; consecrated cup chary careful; wary chasm a deep cleft or crack in the earth's surface; abyss chattel an article of personal, movable property chicanery trickery, deception chide to scold chimera an illusion, a figment of imagination chiromancy the art of telling fortunes by reading the hand chrestomathy a collection of literary passages useful for language study chrysostomatic "golden mouthed"; richly eloquent churlish boorish chutzpah unmitigated effrontery, gall, nerve, etc. circadian round-the-clock rhythm of daily life circumfluent flowing around circumlocution using more words than necessary to say something circumspect watchful, careful cisatlantic on this side of the Atlantic citadel a fortress in a commanding position in or near a city clamber climb by crawling clamorous vociferous and demanding claptrap a pretentious nonsense primarily to impress claque a group of persons hired to applaud at a performance cloacal having to do with sewers and sewage clonic convulsing, having a spasm cloven split; divided cloy to become distasteful through excess co-opt to appropriate or absorb for one's own purpose coadjutor a co-worker; assistant; colleague coddle treat gently; pamper; codicil supplement to the body of a will coeval living at the same time as; contemporary cogent convincing cogitate to take careful and leisurely thought; meditate; ponder cognate related by blood; having a common ancestor cognomen family name; surname cohort a group or band united in some struggle collation a light meal, which is served other than mealtime collegial adjective for colleague collier a coal miner colloquy conversation, dialogue collusion conspiring in a fraudulent scheme colophon inscription at the end of a book giving publication facts comity courteous behavior, politeness, civility commination a threat of divine punishment compendium a short, complete summary complaisant agreeable and obliging comport to conduct or behave (oneself) in a particular manner concatenation a linking together or being linked in a series conclave a confidential or secret meeting concupiscence lust, one of the seven deadly sins condign richly deserved (usually punishment) congeneric of the same race or origin congeries a heap, a collection of or a mass of objects, etc. connive to feign ignorance of a wrong, thus implying tacid consent connubial of marriage or the married state consuetude a social custom or jointly held habit consummate A: to fulfill (accent 1st); B: superb, top (acc. 2nd) contravene conflict with, contradict, go against the law contretemps an unfortunate occurrence that results in embarrassment contrite repentant, penitent contumacious obstinately resisting authority, insubordinate contumely rudeness or contempt in behavior or speech conundrum a riddle, puzzle convivial fond of feasting, drinking and good company; sociable convoke to cause to assemble; convene coprolalia dirty language coquette a woman who flirts with men coriaceous resembling leather, esp. in texture ; tough; durable cornice projecting molding on building (usually above columns) corporeal bodily, physical, material, tangible corpulent very fat corpus delicti the material substance upon which a crime has been committed corrigendum an error to be corrected, esp. a printer's error corsair pirate; pirate ship cortege a train of attendants; procession coruscate to sparkle cosset to pamper or to coddle someone costiveness constipation coterie a clique, a select group countervailing acting against with equal force cozen cheat; hoodwink; swindle crabbed sour; peevish; ill-tempered crapulous sick from drink craven cowardly craw bird's crop or animal's stomach credo a statement of belief; creed crenellations notches on fortress walls used to fire weapons crepuscular dusk, twilight; "shady" in a wicked sense crestfallen disappointed and dejected cribriform full of small holes, sieve-like crone a withered, witchlike old woman crotchety capriciously stubborn or eccentric crux crucial point cryptochromism secret color, camouflage cucumiform shaped like a cucumber cull to pick out from others; select culvert a sewer or drain crossing under a road cunctation procrastination, delaying cupidity avarice, greed curmudgeon anyone who is quick to anger, to complain cursive in flowing strokes resembling handwriting; flowing curt rudely abrupt cynosure center of attraction daedalian ingeniously made dais raised platform for guest of honor dalliance frivolous spending of time; dawdling dally to play amorously; to waste time; dawdle dastard coward daub to smear, to coat daven, davven (Hebrew) to sway to and fro rapidly while praying deadpan characterized by a blank or expressionless face debacle a sudden collapse, a disastrous breakdown debase to lower, in quality or rank, worth, etc debunk to show it as false debutante a young woman making formal entrance into society declasse of inferior class or quality declivity downward slope decollated cut off at the neck decorous well-mannered decorticated deprived of bark; skinned, flayed decrepit worn out by age decry to disparage, to call attention to its defects decussated intersected, crossed like an "X" defenestrate to toss something or someone out of a window defile to make filthy or dirty; befoul; to tarnish the luster of deign to think it appropriate to one's dignity to do something deipnosophist one who converses eruditely at the dinner table delectation delight and enjoyment deliquescent capable of absorbing moisture from the air & becoming liquid deltiology the collection and study of picture postcards demotic anything relating to the common people; popular dendrochronology the dating of past events through the study of tree rings denigrate to defame depilate remove hair deprecate to express disapproval, to belittle deracinate to uproot, to separate a person from his native culture deride to scoff, to laugh at derisive scornful, disdainful, contemptuous descry to make out, to catch sight of desideratum that which is desired desinence an ending, a termination desist to cease doing something (often used with "from") desuetude disuse, the state of no longer being used desultory fitful, lacking steadiness detritus debris, waste matter diadem crown dialectic the art of debate diaphanous sheer, almost transparent diaphoretic sweaty, perspiring diastasis a separation, a setting apart diatribe a bitter attack in words diffract to break up a ray of light into colors diglot a bilingual dilettante a dabbler, one who takes up an activity for his amusement dimidate to be cut in the middle, to halve dipsomaniac one who has a strong craving for intoxicating liquor dirge a funeral hymn or lament disabuse to correct a false impression; undeceive disaffection disloyalty, the loyalty once felt no longer exist discalced barefooted, without shoes discomfit to thwart the plans or purpose of; to defeat in battle disconsolate hopelessly unhappy discursive rambles from subject to subject disembogue pouring forth and discharging contents dishabille the state of partially or very casually dressed; undressed disingenuous insincere, lacking candor or frankness disparate distinctly different disputatious argumentative; fond of argument disquisition formal discussion, discourse dissemble to give a false appearance, to dissimulate dissimulate to hide under a false exterior, to hide, to dissemble. dissolute shamelessly uninhibited by any rule or conduct distrait absentminded dither a state of agitation or indecision dithyramb any wild, frenzied, or emotional speech or writing diva an operatic prima donna divagation a wandering from the subject, digression divan a long backless couch, esp. one against a wall with pillows divination prophecy; augury doddering shaky; infirm from old age doff to take off (hat or clothing) doggerel trivial, poor verse doleful mournful dolt idiot, moron domicile home dotage senility; second childhood dote to lavish excessive love or fondness doughty stout-hearted, resolute, unafraid dour looking severe and stern doxology a hymn in praise of God doyen leading representative, the senior member of a group draconian extreme harshness or severity dragoman an interpreter and guide in the Near East dragoon to coerce by violent measures; to harass droll amusingly odd; whimsically comical dross worthless impurities floating on molten metal; worthless stuff dubiety doubtfulness dudgeon resentment,indignation duenna attendant of young female; chaperon duplicity double dealing, bad faith, feel one way but act the opposite dystopia an unsuccessful or failed utopia ebriety drunkenness ebullient bubbling over; overflowing with enthusiasm eburnean anything of ivory or like ivory ecclesiastical of or pertaining to a church; clerical ecdysiast a stripper or stripteaser echthyic characteristic of fish eclectic selective from various sources ecumenical any movement that is "general" or "universal" edacious voracious, devouring, gluttonous edify to uplift, to enlighten educe to draw forth; elicit efface to rub or wipe out; obliterate; erase effectuate to bring it about effete unable to produce further offspring; barren efflorescence blossoming effluvium a generally disagreeable outflow effrontery shameless audacity effulgent glittering egregious glaringly wrong eidetic able to retain a clear image of something previously seen eidolon an apparition, image, specter eldritch eerie, strange, weird, or unearthly eleemosynary for charity, given as charity elegy mournful poem elide omit ellipsis an omission, a leaving out elysian relating to paradise; blissful emend to improve by critical editing emetic substance causing vomiting emolument compensation for service rendered, in salary or fee emote acting emotionally emunction the act of picking or blowing the nose enatic related on the mother's side enchiridion handbook, manual enchorial belonging or native to a particular region or people encomium high praise energumenical possessed by an evil spirit, demoniacal enervate to weaken enjoin to direct with authority; command; order; prohibit; forbid enmity hostility ennead any group or set of nine ennui boredom enracinate to be rooted in ensconce settle (oneself) comfortably or securely entente an unformalized agreement between governments for cooperation entreat to ask (someone) earnestly; beseech; implore; beg eoan having to do with dawn, sunrise, or the east epaulet fringed shoulder ornament epenthesis erroneous insertion of an extra sound in a word ephemeral fleeting, short-lived; lasting but a day epicene effeminate, unmanly epicrisis a detailed critique of a literary work epicure gourmet epideictic anything done for show; showing off epigones followers who are less gifted, inferior imitators epigram witticism epiphany any moment of divine revelation epistemology the study of the origin and nature of knowledge epithet a term used to characterize the nature of a person epitome embodiment epizeuxis immediate repetition of a word for emphasis ("well, well") equable even-tempered equanimity calmness equipoise equality in distribution, as of weight, etc.; balance eristic provoking strife or controversy or discord eristic relating to argument; enjoying argument for its own sake errant misbehaving ersatz artificial eructate to burp, to belch erythrophobia the fear of reddening or blushing eschew shun esculent edible esprit de corps comradeship; spirit esurient hungry ethereal light, airy etiolated bleached, whitened, blanched etymology word derivation euhemeristic interpreting myth as history evanescent fleeting; vanishing or likely to vanish; transitory evince to show or demonstrate clearly or convinsingly ex officio by virtue of one's office or position exaction exorbitant demand; extortion exchequer treasury exculpate to free one from blame execrable detestable execrate to inveigh against; denounce; to abominate exegesis critical explanation or interpretation (of the Bible) exhort to urge exigency urgency exiguous scanty; meager; small; minute expatiate to go into great details expiate to atone expostulate to argue someone out of doing something expropriate to take without consent expunge to wipe out extempore impromptu extenuate to lessen (offense, guilt) extol to praise lavishly; loud; glorify exult to rejoice greatly; be jubilant or triumphant facile able to act and perform with ease factitious contrived and artificial, not spontaneous or genuine factotum an employee who does all kinds of work; handyman fallacious deceptive in appearance or meaning, misleading fallow dormant, inactive, unproductive farrago a mixture, medley fatuous inane or foolish faux pas an error or slip (in manners or behavior) favonian referring to the west wind; hence favorable, auspicious fawn court favor by cringing and flattering fealty the obligation of loyalty owed by a vassal to his lord featous handsome, good-looking feckless incompetent, feeble, irresponsible, lazy, without energy fecund productive, fertile feint a feigned attack felicitate congratulate felicitous well-suited, appropriate, well-chosen feracious fruitful, productive feral wild or savage ferret rummage to find out fete a festival or feast; to honor or celebrate with a festival fiat decree fictile moldable, plastic, or formed of such a substance fictive pertaining to the creation of fiction; fictitious fiduciary trustee, executor filial pertaining to a son or daughter firebrand a person who stirs up trouble or kindles a revolt firmament the expanse of the heavens, sky flagellate to whip or flog flagging drooping; declining; weakening flagitious nefarious, heinous, atrocious, villainous flagitious outrageous, flagrantly wicked, scandalous flavescent yellow, yellowing flay to skin alive fleece to defraud of money or property; to swindle fleering jeering, sneering flippant frivolous or disrespectful floccillation delirious picking at bedclothes by feverish patients floccus tuft of wooly hairs floe a mass of floating ice florilegium anthology, a gathering of poems flotsam floating wreckage or cargo after a ship has sunk flout to scorn, mock, scoff at, disdain fluted having vertical parallel grooves (as in a pillar) foible minor weakness of character foist to pass off as genuine, valuable, or worthy; palm off foment instigate, promote font church basin, source or fountainhead footling silly, unimportant, trifling, trivial fop a vain man who is preoccupied with his clothes and manners forbearance patience force majeure unforeseeable, uncontrollable event; an act of God formication sensation of ants crawling on one's skin founder to sink, to fail fracas a disorderly uproar fractious peevish and irritable fraught filled; laden freebooter a pirate or buccaneer frenetic frantic, frenzied fresco painting on plaster fribble to trifle, to act in a silly, frivolous way fricative rubbing frieze ornamental band on a wall frisson a shudder or shiver as of excitement, fear, pleasure (Fr.) fritinancy the buzzing sound made by insects such as cicadas fritter to reduce or squander, little by little; to waste frolicsome full of high-spirited fun; frisky; playful fugacious fleeting, short-lived, ephemeral fulgurant shining, dazzling fuliginous anything that is smoky, sooty, dusky, dark fulsome offensively excessive funambulist a tight-rope artist fundament the buttocks; the anus funereal mournful; sad; solemn furtive stealthy; surreptitious fusillade simultaneous discharge of arms fustian pompousness, pretentiousness gadfly anyone who annoys or pester others gainsay to declare false; deny gallinaceous anything having to do with domestic fowls gambit opening in chess in which a piece is sacrificed gambol to leap about playfully; skip gamely in a plucky manner; courageously gamester a habitual gambler garner to gather and store; to amass garrulous talkative gauche crude, lacking in social grace gauntlet a protective glove worn with medeivel armor; challenge gazette a newspaper; an official journal gelid cold, icy genre an artistic style genteel well-bred; elegant gentility those of gentle birth or refinement; the gentry gentry people of standing; class of people just below nobility genuflect bend the knee as in worship gerontology study of old age, aging, and the problems of the elderly gerrymander redrawing electoral districts to gain political advantage gesticulation deliberate and vigorous motion; gesture gibbet a gallows gibbous rounded, convex; moon at more than half full gibe to make heckling or mocking remarks glean to gather grain left behind by reapers; collect bit by bit gloaming twilight gloat express evil satisfaction; view malevolently glower to look or stare angrily or sullenly; scowl glutinous resembling glue; sticky; viscous gnathic related to the jaw gnathonic a fawning toady, a sycophant, a parasite goad n. an animal prod; v. to urge on googol a very large number, the digit 1 followed by 100 zeros gormandize to eat gluttonously gossamer something that is very thin and delicate grandiloquence high-flown, bombastic speech gratis free; gratuitous gratuitous A. given free of charge B. uncalled for, unprovoked gravamen the essential part of a grievance or complaint gravamen the material part of an accusation gregarious sociable grotto a small cavern grovel crawl or creep on ground; to humble oneself gruel a thin, watery porridge gruff rough-mannered grumous a viscous fluid, especially clotted blood guffaw a hearty or coarse burst of laughter guise assumed appearance, semblance gustatory of or pertaining to the sense of taste guttural of or pertaining to the throat hackles the erectile hairs on the back and neck of a dog hackneyed trite hagiography biography of saints; any idealizing biography halcyon carefree and happy hale healthy; vigorous; robust halidom any holy or sacred place, like a church or shrine hamartia tragic flaw in the protagonist of a drama; fault hapless luckless, unfortunate hardscrabble paying a paltry reward for hard work harping tiresome dwelling on a subject harridan a scolding hag, an ill-tempered old woman harrow to break up and level the ground after plowing harry to raid, as in a war hauteur haughtiness in bearing and attitude; arrogance hawking to peddle goods on the street by shouting hawser a cable or rope used in mooring or towing a ship hebdomadal weekly, every seven days hebetic anything pertaining to puberty hector a bully heedless paying little or no attention; not taking heed hegemony dominant influence, especially one nation over others hegira a journey to a pleasanter place helot a serf, a slave henotic anything that tends to unify or reconcile hermaphrodite a living organism with both male and female sex organs hermeneutics the science and methodology of interpretation heuristic helping (students) to learn hew to make or shape with an ax, knife or other cuttung tool hibernal of or pertaining to winter hie to hasten histrionics exaggerated emotional behavior calculated for effect homespun homemade homily a sermon, usually tedious and dull honorarium a voluntary (not obligatory) payment for services hoodwink deceive; delude hortatory encouraging; exhortive hostelry an inn hovel a small, miserable dwelling; shack hubbub a confused babble of loud sounds and voices; confusion hubris arrogance humanist one having deep concern for the welfare of the human race hummock a small hill; knoll humus substance formed by decaying vegetable matter hyaline glasslike hyalography the art of glass etching or engraving iatrogenic illness induced in a patient by the words/actions of a doctor idiopathic a disease of unknown cause idolatry worship of idols; excessive, blind admiration ignoble not having a noble character or purpose; dishonorable ignominious disgraceful ignominy the disgrace resulting from a shameful act illimitable incapable of being limited; infinite; limitless illusory deceptive imam a representative of Mohammed on earth (among Shiites) imbroglio a confused or difficult situation imbrue to soak or drench, esp. with blood imbue to inspire a person with opinions or sentiments immanent inherent, remaining or existing within immemorial extend beyond memory immolation a sacrifice immure to confine within walls; imprison immutable unchangeable impasse predicament from which there is no escape; a dilemma impassive not showing emotion impecunious penniless impiety irreverance; an impious act implacable relentless, cannot be pacified impolitic not wise or expedient; not politic imponderable difficult to estimate import significance; importance importunate stubbornly persistent in request or demand importune to request persistently imprecate to invoke (evil or curse) upon imprimatur official approval or license to print or publish improvident thriftless; not providing for the future impugn to discredit imputation charge; something imputed or ascribed impute to attribute views or motives to someone else incantatory chanted like a ritual incarnate personified inchoate just or only begun, not organized incipient in an initial or early stage; beginning incongruous not fitting; not corresponding incubus a nightmare; an oppressive, nightmarish burden inculcate to teach by persistent urging incunabula books printed before 1501 A.D. indefectible unfailing, not subject to defect, faultless indemnify make secure against loss; compensate for loss indissoluble impossible to break or undo indite to write; compose indolence laziness indolent lazy inebriety habitual intoxication; drunkenness ineffable inexpressible ineffable unable to be spoken, inexpressible in an awesome sense ineluctable inescapable inexpugnable impregnable, unassailable, invincible infidel unbeliever ingenue an artless, innocent girl or young woman ingenuous free of deceit, artless ingrate an ungrateful person inkling hint inscrutable unfathomable, mysterious insensate lacking sensation; without feeling insolvency bankruptcy; lack of ability to repay debts insouciant unconcerned and happy inspissated thickened (as by boiling or evaporation) insular of or pertaining to islands; narrow-minded integument skin, or any covering intercalate to add, to insert, to interpolate interdict to forbid interlocutor participant of a conversation internecine infighting that is mutually destructive interpolate to insert spurious text interstice a narrow or small space between things; crevice intractable stubborn, obstinate intransigent stubborn, unwilling to compromise invective an abusive attack in words invective vehement denunciation; vituperation invidious likely to cause ill will, envy, discontent, resentment inviolate free from violation or desecration irenic promoting peace, conciliatory, pacific irredentism an unflagging desire to regain territory lost by war irrefragable indisputable; cannot be refuted or denied irrefrangible incapable of being broken; indestructible issue offspring janissaries any loyal, submissive followers or supporters jejune empty, barren, dull, flat, inane, childish jeremiad an elaborate and prolonged lamentation or a tale of woe jingoism excessive chauvinism journeyman a reliable worker, competent but not exceptional juggernaut any large, overpowering, destructive force or object juvenescence the transition from infancy or early childhood to youth juxtapose to place side by side kaput broken, wrecked, incapacitated, destroyed (Ger.) karma fate, destiny keen to wail ken a range of knowledge kinesics the study of body language kite to issue a bad check kitsch trashy art kowtow to act with servility lachrymose tearful laconic terse lacuna gap, hole, missing part lacustrine things having to do with lakes lagniappe a bonus given to a customer as a token of goodwill lagniappe something extra, something for good measure lambent gently glowing or flickering lapidate to stone to death lascivious lewd lazaretto hospital for patients with contagious diseases, esp. leprosy legalese the arcane language of legal forms and documents leitmotif a dominant motive, a controlling emotion, any driving force lethe oblivion, forgetfulness of the past leviathan anything of enormous size or power libation pouring the first portion of wine on ground to honor gods licentious lewd and immoral limn to describe, to portray limpid clear linchpin anything or anybody that is vital linga franca hybrid language used by people of different speech lissome supple, lithe litany monotonously repetitious recital literati the literary intelligentsia litotes two negatives makes a positive, ex. "not untalented" littoral coastal or seashore region logomachy a dispute about or concerning words logy sluggish and lethargic lothario a seducer of women lubricity lewdness, prurience lucubration "to burn the midnight oil", laborious study esp. at night luftmensch someone with his head in the clouds (Ger.) lugubrious gloomy, mournful lurid shockingly vivid lustrum a period of five years; half a decade macaronic verse using a mixture of language for humor machicolation opening in a castle parapet for pouring of hot oils, etc. magisterial pertaining to a master; authoritative, important, weighty maladroit awkward malapropism ridiculous misuse of words malfeasance misconduct, especially in public office mandarin an elegant, overrefined style mantra a sacred word or formula chanted; a passport to nirvana marcescent (botany) withering but not falling off mare's nest a hoax or fraud martinet a strict disciplinarian matriculate to enroll (in school) matrilocal the custom of newlyweds' living with the wife's family matutinal anything relating to or happening in the morning maw mouth, jaw, throat, gullet, stomach of an animal mawkish insipidly sentimental mea culpa "my guilt"; the guilt is mine mediatize to annex a smaller, weaker state to a larger, powerful one melange a mixture or medley melding amalgam, blend meliorism the belief that everything tends to get better and better mellifluous pertaining sounds that are sweet and smooth mendacious lying, untruthful mendicant beggar mephitic bad smelling, to the point of poisonous; noisome meretricious vulgarly attractive, cheap but flashy metaphysics a far-fetched and abstruse argument miasma noxious air micturate to urinate midden a refuse heap, esp. of a primitive habitation mien air, bearing, indicating a person's character or mood militate to influence strongly in favor or against something minions obsequious followers, favorites, servile followers minutiae the smallest details mirific wonderful, causing wonder misanthrope people-hater miscreant villain mishmash a collection of unrelated things; hodgepodge misogyny hatred of women mitigate lessen, made less intense or severe modicum a small quantity moiety one of two equal portions; half morass marsh or bog mordant sarcastic, biting mote a speck of dust mountebank charlatan, swindler mulct to bleed or milk, to obtain by fraud or extortion muliebrity womanhood, the female nature, effeminacy mullah a Moslem religious teacher or leader munificent extremely generous, bountiful, lavish mussitation muttering to oneself; soundlessly making speaking movements mutagen any agent increasing the possibility of mutation myrmidon a follower who carries out orders remorselessly, blindly mystagogical tending to disseminate mystical doctrine mythomaniac a compulsive liar nacreous resembling mother-of-pearl; pearly nadir lowest point nascent the beginning stage of something nattering grumbling, fault-finding, idle chatter neologism a newly coined word, phrase, or expression neoteny retention of juvenile characteristics in the adult neoteric of recent origin; new; modern nephalism the complete abstinence from alcohol nether lower nettlesome irritating, vexing niggardly stingy niggling petty nimiety an overabundance, the opposite of paucity nirvana perfect bliss noesis intellectual activity; the exercise of reason non sequitur "does not follow," an unwarranted conclusion nostrum quack medicine nous mind, the highest form of intellect nubile marriageable (girls or women) nugatory worthless, ineffective, futile numinous filled with a divine presence; like a god or goddess obduracy stubbornness, stubborn persistence obdurate unyielding, inflexible, persistent obeisance homage, deep respect obfuscate to obscure, to becloud oblate having the shape of a spheroid; spheroidal oblation the act of offering something, such as worship, to a deity obloquy disgrace resulting from public denunciation obscurantism deliberate avoidance of clarity obsequious excessively deferential obstreperous unruly and boisterous obtrude to force (something or oneself) on others obviate to render unnecessary odious hateful oenologist a wine expert offal inedible waste; refuse or garbage ogre a fabled, man-eating giant or monster; a cruel, brutish person ombudsman official appointed to investigate complaints oneiric anything relating to dreams oniomania a mania or craze for buying things onomatopoetic words that sound like what they mean ("boom") ontogeny life cycle of a single organism ontology the study of what it means for something to exist ophidian pertaining to snakes; snakelike opprobrium disgrace as result of shameful conduct ordure dung, excrement; anything disgusting orotund of full, sonorous voice; pompous style of speaking otiose idle, at leisure; futile, useless otolaryngologist a ear, nose, and throat doctor; a head/neck specialist paean a song of praise paladin a noble defender of the right, a renowned champion pallid pale, dull, lacking vitality palpable easily perceived, obvious panache verve, flair, style, dash pander pimp, procurer; one who caters to the desires of others panegyric speech or article of praise panoply a complete magnificent outfit pantheon a preeminent, most highly esteemed group paparazzi photographers who swarm around celebrities paradigm a model, a pattern, an example paragon a model of excellence paraphilia sexual perversion parlance particular manner of speaking paroxysm a violent outburst parsimonious stingy, niggardly parturition childbirth parvenu an upstart pastiche artistic work made up of borrowed material patent obvious pathos that which evokes compassion or sorrow patrician aristocratic, highborn peccadillo petty offense or trivial fault peculate to embezzle pecuniary pertaining to money pedagogue schoolteacher pedant one who shows off his learning, a nitpicker pediculosis state of being infested with lice pejorative disparaging, belittling pellucid transparent, translucent, clear penultimate next to last penumbra a partial shadow between areas of light and darkness penurious A: stingy; B: destitute, poverty-stricken peregrination traveling or journey peremptory imperious, dictatorial perfidious faithless, disloyal, treacherous peripatetic traveling from place to place peripeteia a sudden reversal of circumstances in a literary work peroration conclusion of a discourse perquisite fringe benefit persiflage banter, a light-hearted way of dealing with a subject perspicacious having keen insight peruse read through carefully pettifoggery quibbling over petty details petulant impatient, prone to irritation pharisaical rigid adherence to outward forms rather than the true spirit philistine indifferent or antagonistic to culture, a lowbrow phlegmatic apathetic, sluggish phylogeny the evolutionary development of a species picaresque involving or relating to rogues and adventurers pillory to expose to public ridicule or abuse piquant agreeably provocative or stimulating piscine of or resembling fish pithy succinct, meaty, full of substance plaintive expressing sorrow, grief or melancholy plangent resounds in a mournful way platitude trite remark plaudits applause, enthusiastic approval plumb to examine closely; probe into; to fathom pluvious anything pertaining to rain; rainy poetaster a second-rate poet, a mere rhymester polemic a verbal attack on a doctrine; argumentative polity a politically organized unit, a nation polyglot multilingual polymath a person of great and diversified learning pontificate to speak pompously portend to foreshadow portmanteau a suitcase that opens into two halves potter to keep busy aimlessly prate to babble, to talk too much prattle to babble, chatter away praxis practice (as opposed to theory); practical application preen primping, grooming (or congratulating) oneself presage an omen prestidigitator magician prevaricate to lie priapic over-concerned with male sexuality primogeniture system where eldest son inherits all primus inter pares the first among equals privation lacking the necessities of life privy having knowledge of something private or secret probity honesty, integrity procreate to generate offspring procrustean anyone promoting conformity at any cost, even violently profligate utterly immoral; recklessly extravagant prolegomenon a long introductory essay proleptic dealing with an event before it could have taken place prolix wordy and tedious propinquity nearness propitious favorable prosaic commonplace prosody the study of versification, accents, meters, rhythms protean capable of assuming many different forms, versatile provenance the place from which something comes; source; origin proviso a clause that establishes a limiting condition prurient having or susceptible to lewd thoughts psephologist one who by use of statistics evaluates election returns puckish impish, mischievous, whimsical puerile childish, immature, silly pugilist one who fights with his fists; a boxer puissant mighty; powerful; potent pulchritude beauty pullulate teem, swarm pummel beat with fists punctilious strict in observing all formalities, attentive pundit an expert, a learned person purloin steal, filch pusillanimous cowardly, timid quaff drink heartily in long drafts quail to flinch or to cower quash to annul quaver to quiver or tremble; to sing or speak tremulously quay a strengthened bank querulous complaining, grumbling query question or mental reservation quid pro quo something for something; a trade off quiddity essential quality of a thing; its whatness quixotic idealistic to an impractical degree quotidian daily raffish low-class, crude, vulgar rake a dissolute person rancor bitter, rankling resentment and ill will rapacious greedy rapt absorbed and enraptured ratiocination reasoning methodically and logically realpolitik practical politics, power politics (Ger.) rebarbative grim, unattractive, forbidding, repellent recant to disavow recidivism repeated, habitual backsliding, relapse recondite hard to understand, profound recrudescence starting all over again, a revival recuse disqualify (in the legal sense) redolent smelling of, or sweet-smelling redoubt a small defensive fortification redoubtable formidable (adversary) redress setting right of something that is wrong refulgent radiant, shining, glowing regale to entertain lavishly, to amuse or delight reify give definite, concrete form to something abstract rejoinder an answer to a reply remand to order back remonstrate pleading in protest against something repartee conversation full of fast, witty replies reprobate an unprincipled person reprove to scold (with a view to correcting a fault) restive resisting control, balky, refractory reticent reserved, keeping quiet revanchism a foreign policy motivated by irredentism reveille a bugle call to get up in the morning revenant one that returns after an absence; ghost, specter ribald given to vulgar or indecent humor riposte a swift, sharp reply risible laughable, ludicrous riven torn apart rubicund ruddy (complexion) rue regret deeply sacrosanct extremely sacred sagacity keen judgment salacious lewd salubrious health giving, wholesome salvo a burst of gunfire sanctify to render sacred sanctimonious hypocritically pious sang-froid calm, cool-head sanguine optimistic sapient wise sardonic sarcastic sartorial pertaining to clothing saturnine gloomy, sluggish saurian lizardlike savoir-faire tact, sophistication saw proverb, well-known saying, wise adage scabrous A. having a rough surface; B. obscene scarify to make superficial incision; to leave an emotional scar schadenfreude feeling of enjoyment derived from misfortunes of others schism a split scholiast annotator, commentator sciolist one who pretends to scholarship or knowledge scion descendant, usually a son scourge a whip, one who cause great damage, to whip screed a lengthy discourse, usually used to describe opinions scurrilous nasty, abusive scuttle to destroy, to sink by open seacock seamy disagreeable, sordid sec dry secular worldly sedulous diligent, assiduous, industrious segueing uninterrupted transitioning sempiternal eternal, everlasting, imperishable sententious fond of aphoristic utterances, terse and pithy sentient capable of perceiving by means of the senses sequester to remove and keep separate serendipity making a pleasant discovery by accident seriatim point by point; one after another; in a series servile slavish, submissive sesquicentennial a period of 150 years sesquipedalia a long word (literally a "foot and a half") shibboleth slogan empty of real meaning, outworn dogma sibilant hissing sound sine qua non an essential or indispensable ingredient sinecure a job that requires little or no work, yet paying well sinuous curved, winding, undulating skittish frisky, extremely lively, easily startled slake quench slattern a woman untidy or slovenly in person or habits; slut slew an abundance slugfest a fight marked by a vicious exchange of blows smug self-satisfied (irritatingly so) sobriquet assumed name or nickname sodden thoroughly soaked, saturated solecism erroneous or ignorant use of words; a breach of manners soliloquy speaking thoughts to oneself (as in a play) solipsism self-centeredness sop a bread soaked with a palatable liquid given to pacify sophism a specious statement or argument made to deceive sophomoric overconfident, intellectually pretentious soporific sleep-inducing spate a sudden outpouring spleen spiteful bad temper stentorian having a loud voice stolid unemotional, impassive strident loud and harsh (sounds) stultify to render dull, ineffectual or useless; to make stupid sub rosa in secret or private suborn to bribe for criminal purpose, esp. for perjury subsumed included within a larger group subvention subsidy, endowment sulk to be sullenly aloof or withdrawn, as in silent protest sully to stain or blemish supercilious haughty and contemptuous supererogatory superfluous; over and above what is asked for supplicate to beg or petition humbly and prayerfully supposititious spurious; counterfeit; substituted with fraudulent intent surcease a temporary respite or end to; cessation surfeit an excess susurrus a low whisper (an example of onomatopoeia) sybarite one who lives for pleasure and luxury sycophant a flatterer sylph a slim, graceful girl syzygy the near alignment of three celestial bodies tabescent referring to progressive wasting or withering away taciturn inclined to keep silent tantivy a fast and furious gallop; top speed tautology needless repetition of same sense in different words tawdry cheap, gaudy, and showy tectonics the art or science of construction, esp. of large buildings tellurian of pertaining to, or inhabiting the earth; terrestrial tendentious biased tenebrous dark and gloomy tenet a belief, opinion, or doctrine held as true tenuous very thin tepid lukewarm tergiversation changing of sides, desertion of a cause, apostasy testy impatient, irritable, easily annoyed theophany divine manifestation; visible appearance of a deity threnody a song of lamentation, funeral song timorous full of apprehensiveness, timid tinnient anything that has a clear ringing or clinking sound tirade harangue; a speech of denunciation toady an obsequious flatterer tocsin an alarm sounded on a bell; a warning bell topiary of trees and shrubs clipped or trimmed into decorative shapes torpid slow, sluggish, lacking vigor traduce to slander, malign, vilify falsely transmogrify to change into a grotesque or bizarre shape or form trenchant forceful, incisive, effective, caustic trencherman a heavy eater, one with a hearty appetite troglodyte prehistoric cavedweller truculent aggressively hostile, belligerent turpitude disgraceful conduct, shameless behavior twit to taunt, ridicule or tease tyro beginner, novice ululate wail, howl, lament loudly umbrage a feeling of offense, resentment unctuous oily; affectation of sincerity for ulterior purpose unfettered unrestricted unflagging untiring, persistently determined unseemly improper (behavior or manners) untrammeled not restricted or hampered uxorious excessively submissive or devoted to one's wife vacillate to waver, hesitate vacuous inane, empty-headed, without substance vapid insipid, flat, dull variegated motley, dappled, parti-colored; diversified vassal one subject or subservient to another; a subordinate vatic prophetic velleity the slightest wish venal susceptible to bribery, capable of being bought venery the pursuit of sexual pleasure or indulgence venial pardonable, forgivable veracious true; truthful veridical speaking the truth verisimilitude appearing to be true or real veritable unquestionably true vicissitude unpredictable changes of fortune vignette a brief literary sketch virago a noisy, domineering woman; a scolding shrew visage the face or facial expression of a person vitiate corrupt, spoil, invalidate, render ineffective vitriolic scathing, savagely hostile, venomously biting vituperative harsh or abusive (speech or language) voluble talkative, usually rapidly so; loquacious votary an ardent adherent votive anything given in fulfillment of a pledge or vow waft to travel or carry lightly through the air wag roguish wit, a person given to droll humor waspish ill-tempered, sharp-tongued, ready to snap at others welter a condition of turmoil, wild confusion whittle to reduce or eliminate gradually winnow separating the desirable part from the worthless winsome engagingly attractive wittol a man who knows and tolerates his wife's infidelity wizened shriveled, full of wrinkles, withered wont custom, practice yahoo a ruffian, a crude or brutish person yen a powerful desire or craving, a longing or yearning