GRE Extra Flashcards
reprobate
noun
an unprincipled person (often used humorously or affectionately).
“he had to present himself as more of a lovable reprobate than a spirit of corruption”
Screed
An abusive rant
Miser
A person that doesn’t like to spend
Money
Serendipity
N.
Fortunate chance
Contrite
Adj
To be remorseful
Recondite
1 : difficult or impossible for one of ordinary understanding or knowledge to comprehend : DEEP
a recondite subject
2 : of, relating to, or dealing with something little known or obscure
recondite fact about the origin of the holiday
3 : hidden from sight : CONCEALED
Mawkish
Adj
Overly sentimental
Reticent
adjective
not revealing one’s thoughts or feelings readily.
“she was extremely reticent about her personal affairs”
Laconic
adjective
(of a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words.
“his laconic reply suggested a lack of interest in the topic”
Belie
V
To give false representation or misrepresent
Demur
V
To object
Veracious
Adj
Truthfulness
Effete
Ineffective; effeminate; weak
Diminutive
Unusually small
Querulous
Complaining in a whiny manner
Rapacious
Adj. aggressively greedy or grasping
Imperious
Adj. Assuming power without authority; arrogant
Venal
Adj. corrupt; susceptible to bribery
Occam’s razor
Assuming that most other factors are equal the simplest explanation is likely to be the correct one.
Vaudeville
N. Type of entertainment early in the 20th century combining dance and comedy
Fastidious
Adj. scrupulous; very concerned about accuracy and detail
Bromide (n.)
a platitude or trite saying.
a person who is platitudinous and boring.
Unctuous (adj)
Profusely polite, especially unpleasantly so and insincerely earnest.
Desultory
Adj. lacking a plan; casual
Plenipotentiary
N. a person, especially a diplomat, invested with the full power of independent action on behalf of their government, typically in a foreign country.
Reconnoiter
V. Survey; inspect; make an observation
Largesse
N. generosity; gifting a large amount.
Tautology
N. needless repetition of an idea, especially in words other than those of the immediate context, without imparting additional force or clearness, as in “widow woman.”
Tractable
Adj. (of people) Capable of being easily led, taught, or managed. Synonyms: docile, manageable, governable
(of a problem) Easy to deal with or manage▼
Capable of being shaped;
insouciance
N.
Casual lack of concern
Assiduous
Adj
Diligence; perseverance; great care
Paragon
N. Perfect example
Peripatetic
N. Traveling from place to place; usually for work, short duration.
Misanthrope
N. A person who dislikes, humankind and avoids society.
Apoplectic
Adj. Overcome with anger; extremely indignant.
Compendium
N. A collection of precise information about a particular subject.
Troglodyte
n. A person who lived in a cave;
a person who is regarded as being deliberately ignorant or old-fashioned.
Ebullient
Adj.
Cheerful and full of energy
Stultifying
V. Hamper; bore. Cause to lose enthusiasm and initiative, especially as the result of a tedious routine
Magnanimous
Adj. generous or forgiving, especially towards a rival
Sojourn
N. A temporary stay
V. To stay somewhere temporarily
Cabal
N.
1. the contrived schemes of a group of persons secretly united in a plot (as to overturn a government)
- a political clique
V.
To unite or form a political group
Sallow
Adj. yellowish
Potentate
N. Ruler; especially an autocratic one
Cortège
N. A solemn procession(for a funeral)
Petrichor
a pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather.
verisimilitude
The appearance of being true or real
synchronicity
the coincidental occurrence of events and especially psychic events (such as similar thoughts in widely separated persons or a mental image of an unexpected event before it happens) that seem related but are not explained by conventional mechanisms of causality —used especially in the psychology of Carl Gustav Jung
auteur
oh-tur;
n.
a filmmaker whose individual style and complete control over all elements of production give a film its personal and unique stamp.
Bloviate
V.
To speak or discourse at length in a pompous or boastful manner. quotations
Blithe
Adj.
Casually careless or indifferent; showing a lack of concern.
She had a blithe disregard of cultures outside the United States
Trenchant
adjective
incisive or keen, as language or a person; caustic; cutting:
trenchant wit.
Seedy
(figuratively) Disreputable, run-down.
Synonym: sleazy
Untidy; unkempt.
His seedy, dirt-smudged visage caused her to look at him askance.
Infirm; unwell; gone to seed.
Airy
being light and graceful in movement or manner : SPRIGHTLY, VIVACIOUS
an airy dance
b
: exceptionally light, delicate, or refined
an airy fragrance
4
: open to the free circulation of air
an airy room
: having openings or spaces
airy lacework
kitsch
adj
something that appeals to popular or lowbrow taste and is often of poor quality
: a tacky or lowbrow quality or condition
viridescent
slightly green : GREENISH
ethereal
[ ih-theer-ee-uhl ]
adj
light, airy, or tenuous:
an ethereal world created through the poetic imagination.
extremely delicate or refined
maudlin
Adj
tearfully or weakly emotional; foolishly sentimental:
a maudlin story of a little orphan and her lost dog.
foolishly or mawkishly sentimental because of drunkenness.
sepulchral
[ suh-puhl-kruhl ]
adj
of, relating to, or serving as a tomb.
of or relating to burial
vapid
lacking flavor, zest, interest, animation, or spirit : FLAT, DULL
a gossipy, vapid woman, obsessed by her own elegance
ludic
of, relating to, or characterized by play : PLAYFUL
palpable
capable of being touched or felt : TANGIBLE
palpable lymph nodes
: easily perceptible : NOTICEABLE
a palpable difference
The attraction between them was palpable.
fecund
adjective
producing or capable of producing an abundance of offspring or new growth; highly fertile.
juvenilia
plural noun
ju·ve·nil·ia ˌjü-və-ˈni-lē-ə
: compositions produced in the artist’s or author’s youth
circumspect
Adj. wary; unwilling to take risks
Bespoke
Adj. custom made; made to order;
or indicative of something
evanescent
adj
- Ephemeral;
soon passing out of sight, memory, or existence; quickly fading or disappearing.
“the evanescent Arctic summer”
impecunious
im-pi-ˈkyü-nyəs
: having very little or no money usually habitually : PENNILESS
lacuna
N. A blank space; a gap
Pedantic
Adj. disapproving and giving too much attention to formal rules or small details:
Harlequin
N. Jester
Mountebank
N. Swindler, charlatan
Ululate
ˈəl-yə-ˌlāt
intransitive verb
: to utter a loud, usually protracted, high-pitched, rhythmical sound especially as an expression of sorrow, joy, celebration, or reverence : HOWL
sobriquet
N. Nickname
Seamy
Adj. sordid and disreputable
Soothsayer
N. Fortune-teller; a person who is able to see the future
Mammon
N. ˈma-mən
often capitalized
: material wealth or possessions especially as having a debasing influence
“you cannot serve God and mammon”
—Matthew 6:24
Disjunctive
Adj. lacking connection
Prurient
Adj
ˈpru̇r-ē-ənt
: marked by or arousing an immoderate or unwholesome interest or desire
especially : marked by, arousing, or appealing to sexual desire
Svelte
Adj. slender and elegant
Mien
noun
ˈmēn
: air (see AIR entry 1 sense 3c) or bearing especially as expressive of attitude or personality : DEMEANOR
of aristocratic mien
of somber mien
the mien of a choirboy
2
: APPEARANCE, ASPECT
Trollop
N. A prostitute
Puckish
Adj.
Playful, especially in a mischievous way
Melange
N. Mixture; medley
Leitmotiv
leit·mo·tif also leit·mo·tiv (līt′mō-tēf′)
n.
1. A melodic passage or phrase, especially in Wagnerian opera, associated with a specific character, situation, or element.
- A dominant and recurring theme, as in a novel.
Noisome
It will stink
ˈnȯi-səm
1
: NOXIOUS, HARMFUL
a noisome pestilence
2
a
: offensive to the senses and especially to the sense of smell
noisome garbage
b
: highly obnoxious or objectionable
noisome habits
Verdure
N.
Lush green vegetation
Raiment
n. especially fine or decorative clothing
synonyms:array, regalia
see more
v. provide with clothes or put clothes on
Miasmic
Adj. foul smelling; noxious
Panopticon
N.
The Panopticon theory holds that people can be controlled when they believe themselves to be under constant surveillance even if no one is watching. The theory stems from the intended effect of having a central guard tower in a prison that all the prisoners could see, even though they could not see the guards.
Apotheosis
N.
a
: the perfect form or example of something : QUINTESSENCE
b
: the highest or best part of something : PEAK
2
: elevation to divine status : DEIFICATION
Kompromat
is damaging information about a politician, a businessperson, or other public figure, which may be used to create negative publicity, as well as for blackmail, often to exert influence rather than monetary gain, and extortion.
Vicissitude
n.
-a change or variation occurring in the course of something.
-interchange or alternation, as of states or things.
vicissitudes, successive, alternating, or changing phases or conditions, as of life or fortune; ups and downs:
They remained friends through the vicissitudes of 40 years.
regular change or succession of one state or thing to another.
Profligate
Adj.
Spendthrift; wasteful, excessively extravagant
Trenchant
Adj
Incisive, having a sharp edge
Fallow
adj.
Uncultivated,as in farmland
Taciturn
tas-i-turn
adjective
inclined to silence; reserved in speech; reluctant to join in conversation.
dour, stern, and silent in expression and manner.
Revanchism
noun
a foreign policy aimed at revenge or the regaining of lost territories
desire or support for such a policy
Forlorn
Adj.
Pitifully sad
Hopeless
Surly
Adj.
Bad tempered; moody
Factotum
(dated) A person having many diverse activities or responsibilities.
(dated) A general servant.
Synonym: do-all
An individual employed to do all sorts of duties.
A jack of all trades.
Polemic
puh-lem-ik
noun
a controversial argument, as one against some opinion, doctrine
Adj.
critical, controversial
Blasé
Adj.
1
: apathetic to pleasure or excitement as a result of excessive indulgence or enjoyment : WORLD-WEARY
a blasé traveler
blasé about one’s hometown
2
: SOPHISTICATED, WORLDLY-WISE
3
: UNCONCERNED
tacit
Adj.
1
: expressed or carried on without words or speech
2
: implied or indicated (as by an act
Epicurean
adjective
-hedonistic
fond of or adapted to luxury or indulgence in sensual pleasures; having luxurious tastes or habits, especially in eating and drinking.
Debonair
adjective
courteous, gracious, and having a sophisticated charm:
Lassitude
noun
a state of physical or mental weariness; lack of energy
Fatuous
adjective
silly and pointless.
“a fatuous comment”
Inviolate
adjective
free or safe from injury or violation.
“an international memorial which must remain inviolate”
Halcyon
adjective
denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful.
“the halcyon days of the mid 1980s, when profits were soaring”
savoir faire
noun
the ability to act or speak appropriately in social situations.
“this is a gracious occasion, so try to behave with a bit of savoir faire”
Stolid
adjective
calm, dependable, and showing little emotion or animation.
“a stolid bourgeois gent”
ingenuous
ɪnˈdʒɛnjʊəs/
Not to be confused with “ingenious”
adjective
(of a person or action) innocent and unsuspecting.
“he eyed her with wide, ingenuous eyes”
Similar:
naive
innocent
simple
childlike
doughty
adjective
brave and persistent.
“his doughty spirit kept him going”
Alacrity
n.
Eagerness; brisk and cheerful readiness
Quisling
Traitor; collaborator
Plebiscite
N. The direct vote of all members of an electorate
