Core Flashcards
Ambivalent
Having mixed or opposing feelings at the same time
ROOTS: Ambi
WORDS: ambidextrous, ambiguous
Ambi - both
Ambidextrous- able to use both hands with = ease, skillful, versatile
Ambiguous- having two or more possible meanings, doubtful, dubious, EQUIVOCAL
Anomaly; anomalous
Deviation from the norm or what is expected; atypical
Snide
SARDONIC
Sarcastic, mocking, derisive,taunting, stinging
Paucity
DEARTH
A scarcity or shortage of something
Prattle
To speak in a foolish manner; to babble incessantly
Wry, droll
Dry; humorous with a clever twist and a touch of irony.
JOCULAR is a different kind of humorous, more like a funny bone kind of joke.
Unconventional, unorthodox
Not ordinary or typical; characterized by avoiding customary conventions and behaviors
Fastidious
METICULOUS, PAINSTAKINGLY
Extremely careful; very exacting
Audacious
Fearlessly, often recklessly daring; very bold
Nonchalant
Indifferent, apathetic, marked by a lack of interest or concern
Diffident, self-effacing
Hesitant due to a lack of self-confidence; unassertive; shy; retiring
Pragmatic
Practical; sensible; NOT idealistic or romantic
Evocation
An imaginative re-creation of something; a calling forth
LATIN ROOT: Voc, vok
WORDS: vocation, evocation, evoke, revoke, invoke, provoke, convocation, vociferous, equivocate, irrevocable
call
vocation: your calling, your profession
Evocation: a second calling, hobby
Evoke: to call forth, esp from the past
Revoke: to call back, to rescind, to repeal
Invoke: to call upon
Provoke: to call forth
Convocation: a calling together, gathering
Vociferous: making an outcry, clamorous
Equivocate: to use ambiguous expressions, to mislead
Irrevocable: incapable of being recalled or altered
Presumptuous
Taking liberties; brashly overstepping one’s place; impertinently bold; displaying effrontery
Recalcitrant, obstinate, obdurate, refractory
Stubbornly resistant and defiant; disobedient
Boon/bane
A timely benefit, blessing/a source o f harm and ruin
Clandestine, surreptitious
Secret, covert, not open, not ABOVEBOARD
Affable, amiable, genial, gregarious
Agreeable, marked by a pleasing personality, warm and friendly
LATIN ROOT: AMI
WORDS: amicable, amity
Friend
Amity: friendship, harmony
Amicable: peaceable, harmonious
Austere/austerity
Having no adornment or ornamentation, bare, not ORNATE/ great self denial, economy, discipline; lack of adornment
Altruism
Unselfish concern for the welfare of others
Ambiguity/ambiguous
The quality or state of having more than one possible meaning; doubtful; EQUIVOCAL/unclear; uncertain; open to more than one interpretation; not definitive; DUBIOUS
upbraid, reproach, castigate
To express disapproval, to scold, to rebuke, to CENSURE
Nostalgia
A WISTFUL sentimental longing for a place or time in the past
Conjecture
An inference based upon guesswork; a SUPPOSITION
Obsolete, archaic, antiquated
No longer in use; outmoded in design or style
Auspicious, propitious
Very favorable
Gaffe
A blunder; a faux pas; a clumsy social or diplomatic error
Impasse
A deadlock; stalemate; failure to reach an agreement
Anachronism
The false assignment of an event, person, scene, or language to a time when the event, person, scene, or word did not exist
ROOT: Chrono
WORDS: Chronology, chronic, synchronic, synchronicity, synchronize, chronicle, chronicler
Time
You should know the words
Belie
To contradict, to prove false, used of appearances that are misrepresentative
Mitigate, mollify, assuage
Alleviate, to relieve, to lessen, to ease
Covet/Covetous
To strongly desire; to crave/grasping, greedy, eager to obtain something; AVARICIOUS
Antithesis/antithetical
The direct or exact opposite; extreme contrast; ANTIPODE/exactly opposite; ANTIPODAL
Prototype
An original model; an initial design
Aloof
Detached, distant physically or emotionally, reserved, standing near but apart
Trite, banal, platitudinous, insipid
Unoriginal, commonplace, overused, CLICHED
Antecedent
A preceding event, a forerunner, a precursor
ROOT: ante
Before
Plausible/implausible
Believable, credible/unbelievable, incredible
Prudent
Careful, cautious, sensible
Aesthetic
Beautiful stuff
Paradox
A seemingly contradictory statement that nonetheless expresses a truth
Enigmatic, inscrutable
Mysterious, puzzling, unfathomable, baffling
Acquiesce
To comply, to agree, to give in
Autonomy/autonomous
Independence,self-governance/acting independently, or having the freedom to do so; not controlled by others
Futile
Completely useless, doomed to failure, in vain
Endemic
Indigenous
Dem, demo
The people
Ubiquitous
Prevalent, characterized by being everywhere, omnipresent, widespread, PERVASIVE
Fortitude
Strength of mind that allows one to endure pain or adversity with courage
