All Vocabulary Terms 1-1500 Flashcards
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a priori
- DEDUCTIVE
- being without examination or analysis: PRESUMPTIVE
abbé
a member of the French secular clergy in major or minor orders —used as a title
aberration
- A deviation from what is typical or normal
- The apparent displacement of the position of a celestial body in the direction of motion of an observer on Earth, caused by the motion of Earth and the finite velocity of light
- Genetics A deviation in the normal structure or number of chromosomes in an organism.
absolution
- The act of absolving or the state of being absolved.
- The formal remission of sin imparted by a priest, as in the sacrament of penance.
acrid
- Unpleasantly sharp, pungent, or bitter to the taste or smell.
- Caustic in language and tone.
adipose tissue
A type of connective tissue that contains stored cellular fat.
adjuration
An earnest, solemn appeal.
aide-mémoire
- A memorandum setting forth the major points of a proposed discussion or agreement, used especially in diplomatic communications.
- Something, such as a mnemonic device, that serves as an aid to memory.
albatross
- Any of several large web-footed birds constituting the family Diomedeidae, chiefly of the oceans of the Southern Hemisphere, and having a hooked beak and long narrow wings.
2.
a. A source of worry or distress.
b. An obstacle to success.
aleatory
- Dependent on chance, luck, or an uncertain outcome
- Of or characterized by gambling
algophobia
Excessive fear of pain.
altiplano
A high plateau, as in the Andean regions of Bolivia, Peru, and Argentina.
amaurosis
Total loss of vision.
amicable
Characterized by or exhibiting friendliness or goodwill.
amniotic
A tough, thin membrane that forms a sac enclosing the embryo or fetus of a mammal, bird, or reptile. It is filled with a serous fluid in which the embryo or fetus is suspended.
amphora
A two-handled jar with a narrow neck used by the ancient Greeks and Romans to carry wine or oil.
anaclisis
Psychological dependence on another or others.
analemma
A graduated scale in the shape of a figure eight, indicating the sun’s declination and the equation of time for every day of the year, often found on sundials and globes.
angelology
The branch of theology having to do with angels.
Anglo-Saxon
- A member of one of the Germanic peoples, the Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes, who settled in Britain in the fifth and sixth centuries.
- Any of the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons, who were dominant in England until the Norman Conquest of 1066.
- A person of English ancestry.
apotropaic
Intended to ward off evil
apparition
- A ghostly figure; a specter
- A sudden or unusual sight
- The act of appearing; appearance
appurtenance
- Something associated with another, more important thing; an accessory.
- Equipment, such as clothing, tools, or instruments, used for a specific purpose or task; gear.
- Law A right, privilege, or property that is considered incident to the principal property for purposes such as passage of title, conveyance, or inheritance.
arbovirus
Any of a large group of RNA viruses that are transmitted by arthropods, such as mosquitoes and ticks, and include the causative agents of encephalitis, yellow fever, and dengue.
arthrotomy
Surgical incision into a joint
asthenopia
Weakness or fatigue of the eyes, usually accompanied by headache and dimming of vision.
astutely
Having or showing shrewdness and discernment, especially with respect to one’s own concerns.
bacteriostasis
The inhibition of growth, but not the killing, of bacteria.
ballottement
A palpatory technique for detecting or examining a floating object in the body
bandoleer (bandolier)
A belt fitted with small pockets or loops for carrying cartridges and worn across the chest by soldiers.
belletrist
A writer of belles-lettres
Bell’s palsy
A unilateral facial muscle paralysis of sudden onset, resulting from trauma, compression, or infection of the facial nerve and characterized by muscle weakness and a distorted facial expression.
bereavement
- To take a loved one from (a person), especially by death
- To take something valuable or necessary from (a person or thing)
Bhopal
The capital of Madhya Pradesh, India, in the west-central part of the state north-northwest of Nagpur. Founded in the early 18th century, it is an industrial and trade center. In 1984 a toxic gas leak at an insecticide plant killed more than 3,000 people.
biathlon
- An athletic competition that combines events in cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.
- Any of various other athletic competitions combining two successive events, such as long-distance swimming and running.
bioclimatology
The study of the effects of climatic conditions on living organisms
bissextile
- Of or relating to a leap year
- Extra day falling on a leap year
bordure
A border around a shield
bossa nova
- A style of popular Brazilian music derived from the samba but with more melodic and harmonic complexity and less emphasis on percussion.
- A lively Brazilian dance that is similar to the samba.
Botswana
A country of south-central Africa. Originally inhabited by the San and later (after the 18th century) by the Tswana, the region became a British protectorate as Bechuanaland (1885) and gained full independence in 1966. Gaborone is the capital and the largest city.
Bouivier des Flandres
A dog of a large breed developed in Belgium for herding cattle, having a thick, fawn to black coat.
bouzouki
A Greek stringed instrument having a long fretted neck and usually pear-shaped body.
bravissimo
Used to express great approval, especially of a performance.
bruxism
The habitual, involuntary grinding or clenching of the teeth, usually during sleep.
cainotophobia
Fear of newness or change
calathus
A vase-shaped basket represented in Greek painting and sculpture.
callowness
Lacking adult maturity or experience; immature
cameoing
1.
a. A gem or shell carved in relief, especially one in which the raised design and the background consist of layers of contrasting colors.
b. The technique of carving in this way.
c. A medallion with a profile cut in raised relief.
2. A brief vivid portrayal or depiction: a literary cameo.
3. A brief appearance of a prominent actor or celebrity, as in a single scene of a motion picture. Also called cameo role.
capriole
- An upward leap made by a trained horse without going forward and with a backward kick of the hind legs at the height of the leap.
- A playful leap or jump; a caper.
carabao
See water buffalo
Caracas
The capital and largest city of Venezuela, in the northern part of the country near the Caribbean coast. Founded by the Spanish in 1567, it grew rapidly during the oil boom of the 1950s, and is the country’s commercial, industrial, and cultural hub.
cartouche, cartouch
- A structure or figure, often in the shape of an oval shield or oblong scroll, used as an architectural or graphic ornament or to bear a design or inscription.
- An oval or oblong figure in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics that encloses characters expressing the names or epithets of royal or divine personages.
- A heavy paper cartridge case.
categorical
Being without exception or qualification; absolute
cecropia moth
A large North American silkworm moth (Hyalophora cecropia) having brownish wings with red and white markings.
cenacle
- A clique or circle, especially of writers.
- A small dining room, usually on an upper floor.
Cezanne
French artist and leading postimpressionist figure. His most famous paintings include Mont Sainte-Victoire (1885-1887) and The Card Players (1890-1892).
chador
A long, loose cloak worn over other garments by Muslim women, especially in Iran and South Asia, consisting of a semicircular piece of cloth draped over the hair and shoulders to cover the body while leaving the face uncovered or partially concealed.
charmeuse
A satin-finished silk fabric.
cheval glass
A long mirror mounted on swivels in a frame.
Cimmerian
Very dark or gloomy.
citrine
- A pale yellow variety of crystalline quartz resembling topaz.
- A light to moderate olive.
clinquant
Glittering with gold or tinsel
cogitable
Thinkable, conceivable
collusion
An often secret action taken by two or more parties to achieve an illegal or improper purpose.
commingle
To become blended
complaisant
Exhibiting a desire or willingness to please; cheerfully obliging.
concordance
- Agreement; concord.
- An alphabetical index of all the words in a text or corpus of texts, showing every contextual occurrence of a word: a concordance of Shakespeare’s works.
- Genetics The presence of a given trait in both members of a pair of twins.
contemn
To view with contempt; despise
