6/30 Flashcards
Acumen
n.
keen, accurate judgement or insight
Latin
acuere: sharpen
Adulterate
v.
to reduce purity by combining with inferior ingredients
Latin
ad: to
versus: true
Amalgamate
v.
to combine several elements into a whole
n. amalgamation
malagma: (GR) softening substence
(alchemy) a blend of mercury with other metal
Aver
v.
to state as a fact; to declare or assert
ad- (LT) : to
verus (LT) : true
Bolster
v.
to provide support or reinforcement
Bombastic
adj.
pompous; grandiloquent
n. bombast
Diatribe
n.
a harsh denunciation
Greek
dia: through
tribein: rub
Dissemble
v.
to disguise or conceal; to mislead
Endemic
adj.
characteristic of or often found in a particular locality, region, or people
Greek
demos: people
endemios: native
Evanescent
adj.
tending to disappear like vapor; vanishing
Exacerbate
v.
to make worse or more severe
Latin
ex-
acerbes: harsh, bitter
Fervent
adj.
greatly emotional or zealous
n. fervor
Latin
fervent-: boiling
Fortuitous
adj.
happening by accident or chance
Latin
fors: chance, luck
Germane
adj.
relevant to the subject at hand; appropriate in subject matter
Latin
german: having the same parents
Grandiloquence
n.
pompous speech or expression
adj. grandiloquent
Latin
grandis: big
loqui: to speak
Hackneyed
adj.
rendered trite or commonplace by frequent usage
Halcyon
adj.
calm and peaceful
Greek
hals: sea
kuon: conceiving
Hegemony
n.
the consistent dominance of one state or group over others
Greek
hegemon: leader
Iconoclast
n.
one who attacks or undermines traditional conventions or institutions
Greek
eikon: likeness
klan: to break
Idolatrous
adj.
given to intense or excessive devotion to something
n. idolatry
Impassive
adj.
revealing no emotion
Imperturbable
adj.
marked by extreme calm, impassivity, and steadiness
Latin
in-: not
perturbare: to confuse, disturb
Implacable
adj.
not capable of being appeased or significantly changed
Latin
in-: not
placere: to appease
Impunity
n.
immunity from punishment or penalty
Latin
in-: not
punire: punish
Inchoate
adj.
in an initial stage; not fully formed
v. incohere
in-
cohum (LT): strap (to the oxen’s yoke)
Infelicitous
adj.
unfortunate; inappropriate
in-
felicite (FR): happiness
Insipid
adj.
lacking in qualities that interest, stimulate, or challenge
Latin
in-: not
sapidus: tasty
Loquacious
adj.
extremely talkative
n. loquacity
Latin
loqui: to talk
Mendacity
n.
the condition of being untruthful; dishonesty
Latin
mendac-: lying
Misanthrope
n.
one who hates all other humans
adj. misanthropic
Greek
misein: to hate
anthropos: man
Mitigate
v.
to make or become less severe or intense; to moderate
Latin
mitis: mild
Obdurate
adj.
unyielding; hardhearted; intractable
Latin
durus: hard
Obsequious
adj.
exhibiting a fawning attentiveness
Latin
ob- (LT) : after
sequi (LT) : to follow
Occlude
v.
to obstruct or block
Latin
occludere: to shut up
Opprobrium
n.
disgrace; contempt; scorn
Latin
ob-: against
probrum: disgraceful act
Pedagogy
n.
the profession or principles of teaching, or instructing
pedo- (GR) : child
agogos (LT) : to lead
Pedantic
adj. overly concerned with the trivial details of learning or education; show-offish about one’s knowledge
Penury
n.
poverty; destitution
Latin
penuria: need, scarcity
paene: almost
Pervasive
adj.
having the tendency to permeate or spread throughout
Latin
pervas-: passed through
Pine
v.
to yearn intensely; to languish; to lose vigor
Latin
poena: punishment, penalty