Majortest - Vocab - A2T Flashcards
Abate
Abate
become less in amount or intensity - [v]make less active or intense - [v]
The storm abated
Something that abates becomes fewer or less intense. Your enthusiasm for skiing might abate after falling off a ski lift and getting a mouthful of snow.
Abate comes from the Old French verb abattre, “to beat down,” and means to reduce or become less intense or numerous. As an intransitive verb, it is often used with something physically, emotionally, or figuratively violent, as in “the flood of fan mail began to abate.” Using it transitively, if you take measures to abate pollution or noise, you reduce them. Pronounce abate with the stress on the second syllable (uh-BATE).
Aberration
Aberration
a state or condition markedly different from the norm - [n]a disorder in one’s mental state - [n]an optical phenomenon resulting from the failure of a lens or mirror to produce a good image - [n]
An aberration is a noun that means something that is not normal or is very typical at all. An example of an aberration is when the temperature hits 90 degrees in January — it’s nice and warm, but it’s really strange.
The noun aberration often refers to something that doesn’t fit with current moral standards, or is something that shows a mental lack of control. Aberration comes from the Latin word that means “to wander, go astray.” Today, you’d say it was an aberration to send little children to work in coal mines and factories and not to school, which was common in the nineteenth century. There’s a very old poem called “The Chimney Sweep” about a boy who cleans chimneys and is only about five years old!
Abeyance
Abeyance
temporary cessation or suspension - [n]
An abeyance is a temporary halt to something, with the emphasis on “temporary.” It is usually used with the word “in” or “into”; “in abeyance” suggests a state of waiting or holding.
The word abeyance has a legal ring to it, and for a good reason — appearing in English in the 16th century, it comes from the Anglo-French word abeiance, a legal term for waiting or hoping to receive property. Nowadays, the word is used in a similar way. Different legal rights, like property rights, can be held in abeyance until matters are resolved.
Abhor
Abhor
find repugnant - [v]
She abhors cats
If you abhor something, it gives you a feeling of complete hatred. Chances are you abhor that kid who used to torture the frogs in biology class.
Abhor is from Latin abhorrere — “to shrink back in horror.” It is the strongest way in English to express hatred, even stronger than loathe. We only use abhor in formal contexts; you might say “I abhor that man,” but you would be less likely to say “I abhor spinach” unless you tend to express yourself in highfalutin terms no matter what the occasion.
Abjure
Abjure
formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure - [v]
She abjured her beliefs
- Abjure* means to swear off, and it applies to something you once believed. You can abjure a religious faith, you can abjure your love of another person, and you can abjure the practice of using excessive force in interrogation.
- Abjure* is a more dramatic way to declare your rejection of something you once felt or believed. When you see its Latin roots, it makes sense: from ab- (meaning “away”) and jurare (“to swear”). When you abjure something, you swear it away and dissociate yourself with it. You might abjure the field of astrology after receiving a bad fortune, or you might abjure marriage after a bitter divorce.
Abrasive
Abrasive
causing abrasion - [adj]sharply disagreeable; rigorous - [adj]a substance that abrades or wears down - [n]
an abrasive character
What does an obnoxious person have in common with sandpaper? Both are abrasive. Anything that grates or irritates — physically or metaphorically — can be described using this adjective.
The history of the word abrasive illustrates how a word typically enters the English language and then changes with time. The English verb abrade “to wear down by scraping” entered the language from Latin abradere “to scrape off” in the late 1600s. Some 200 years later, the adjective form of the word — abrasive — came into use to describe a type of grinding tool. By the 1920s, abrasive had acquired the more figurative sense of annoying and infuriating. If you find someone abrasive, he or she grinds away at your nerves.
Abrogate
Abrogate
revoke formally - [v]
Abrogate means to abolish or avoid. When someone cuts in front of you in line, they are abrogating your right to be the next one served. When you cut in line, you are abrogating your responsibility to those who were in line before you.
The Latin root of this word is made up of the prefix ab- “away” and rogare “to propose a law.” What does it mean if you propose a law away? You repeal it, of course, so abrogate means to officially revoke, cancel or abolish. The meaning of this word has expanded a bit since its earliest usage, but it still appears most often in a legal or political context, or when serious rights and responsibilities are being discussed.
Abscission
Abscission
the act of cutting something off - [n]shedding of flowers and leaves and fruit following formation of scar tissue in a plant - [n]
When an apple ripens and then falls off a tree, it’s called an abscission. It means the cutting off or removal of something, like an unsightly mole on the chin.
You can remember that abscission is all about cutting when you see how close it looks to the word scissors. If you are a public speaker who habitually cuts yourself off, your speeches may suffer from abscission. If you’re wounded in the leg in battle and gangrene sets in, you will be faced with the abscission of a limb. Layoffs at work are the abscission of workers.
Abstain
Abstain
choose not to consume - [v]refrain from voting - [v]
I abstain from alcohol
If you abstain from something, you restrain yourself from consuming it. People usually abstain from things that are considered vices — like drinking alcohol or eating chocolate.
Roots of the word abstain are from the 14th-century French, “to withhold oneself,” and the word often refers to people who abstain or keep themselves from drinking liquor. The noun form abstinence also pops up often in reference to abstinence programs that urge teens to abstain from premarital sex. Abstain can also mean to withhold a vote, and sometimes a difficult decision is held up when government representatives abstain from voting one way or another.
Abstemious
Abstemious
marked by temperance in indulgence - [adj]sparing in consumption of especially food and drink - [adj]
abstemious with the use of adverbs
““the pleasures of the table, never of much consequence to one naturally abstemious”- John Galsworthy”
Reserve abstemious for someone who exercises restraint, especially with regard to alcohol. A rock musician may sing about enjoying wine and women, but in his private life he may be abstemious.
You might get the idea that abstemious is a relative of abstain with a change of consonant, but in fact the two words only share the abs- prefix, meaning “away.” The -temious bit in this adjective is from Latin temetum, “intoxicating drink,” so it came to refer to someone who keeps alcohol (or other temptations) at arm’s length. This word has the vowels a, e, i, o and u in alphabetical order; the adverb abstemiously adds the y!
Abstruse
Abstruse
difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge - [adj]
the professor’s lectures were so abstruse that students tended to avoid them
Abstruse things are difficult to understand because they are so deep and intellectually challenging. It might be hard to figure out how a toilet flushes but the technology that goes into making the Internet function is abstruse.
The Latin roots of the word abstruse are about concealing or hiding something, which is a good way to remember the meaning of this word. It is useful when describing something that is overly confusing, or if someone is deliberately making a story or a situation more complicated than necessary. It sounds and looks like obtuse, but abstruse is almost its opposite. Obtuse is dull or lacking a sharpness of intellect. While Abstruse is president of the chess club, Obtuse is hanging out by the parking lot smoking cigarettes.
Abut
Abut
lie adjacent to another or share a boundary - [v]
When something borders something else, it is said to abut it. The term is often used in real estate to refer to a lot line. Wouldn’t it be nice to have your back yard abut a forest preserve or park?
The Old French word but meant “end” — think of “butt” for a crude way to remember that! — and it was joined to a-, from the Latin ad- “near to.” The result was abuter, which meant “to touch at an end.” The word eventually became abouter, meaning “to join at the ends, or border on.” The idea of abut suggesting a common boundary comes from the late Middle English, and today we use the word when anything touches something else.
Abysmal
Abysmal
resembling an abyss in depth; so deep as to be unmeasurable - [adj]very great; limitless - [adj]
abysmal misery
“abysmal stupidity”
If you want to say something is really, really bad — then call it abysmal. If one person shows up to your party, well then that is an abysmal turnout. The 1958 Ford Edsel? An abysmal failure.
When someone describes the hole you just dug as abysmal, you may not know whether to take it as positive or negative feedback. That’s because starting in the 1650s, abysmal simply meant “resembling an abyss in depth.” By that definition you’ve just received a compliment on your deep digging skills. But since the early twentieth century, abysmal has been more commonly used to identify something as “extremely bad.” So it’s more likely that your hole has just been insulted.
Accolade
Accolade
a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction - [n]
A knight being honored with the tap of a sword-blade was the earliest form of accolade. Today, an accolade is more than a way to bestow knighthood, it is a form of praise or an award.
In the early 17th century, the French accoler meant to “embrace the neck,” which was done as part of a knighthood ceremony. By the 19th century, accolade came to mean “award.” A person who achieves a goal in research or service may receive an official paper certificate or trophy, an accolade of achievement, while a performer or speaker might get an accolade in the form of applause from the audience. Rarely does either of these types of accolade involve a sword.
Accretion
Accretion
an increase by natural growth or addition - [n](geology) an increase in land resulting from alluvial deposits or waterborne sediment - [n](biology) growth by addition as by the adhesion of parts or particles - [n](astronomy) the formation of a celestial object by the effect of gravity pulling together surrounding objects and gases - [n](law) an increase in a beneficiary’s share in an estate (as when a co-beneficiary dies or fails to meet some condition or rejects the inheritance) - [n]
he scraped away the accretions of paint
“the central city surrounded by recent accretions”
The process of increasing can be called accretion. Although you may say that stalactites “grow” from the ceilings of caves, they actually form from an accretion of limestone and other minerals.
So what’s the difference between an addition and an accretion? Addition implies adding to something that already exists, such as an addition to the cast (when a new actor joins an existing show). The noun accretion, on the other hand, implies an accumulation that causes increase, such as “an accretion of frost on the windows” or “an accretion of plaque on your teeth.” The latter, of course, is why the dentist always begs you to floss and brush.
Acquiesce
Acquiesce
to agree or express agreement - [v]
To acquiesce is to agree to something or to give in. If your kid sister is refusing to hand over the television remote, you hope she acquiesces before your favorite show comes on.
The verb acquiesce comes from the Latin word acquiescere, meaning “to rest.” If you “rest” or become passive in the face of something to which you object, you are giving tacit agreement, you acquiesce. If you want to go hiking with your family and your children are not interested, it will be a very tough day on the trail until they acquiesce.
Acrid
Acrid
strong and sharp;”the pungent taste of radishes” - [adj]harsh or corrosive in tone - [adj]
the acrid smell of burning rubber
“her acrid remarks make her many enemies”
Acrid is almost always used to describe a smell, and it ain’t a pretty one. Acrid is the nasty sting that you feel in your nose when you walk by a building that just burned down––it’s sulfur mixed with smoke.
You can also use acrid to describe someone’s tone or general demeanor when they are being nasty. Someone about to do something evil might first give an acrid sneer, or speak in a chillingly acrid tone of voice, or even shudder as if they’d just bit into something with an acrid taste.
Acrophobia
Acrophobia
a morbid fear of great heights - [n]
Want to go to the top of the Empire State Building? You must not have acrophobia. Someone who is terrified of heights will just wait for you in the gift shop — which is on the ground floor.
You can see the word phobia, or extreme fear, in acrophobia. Acro comes from the Greek word akron, which means “summit” or “high point.” When you put it all together, you have a word that means “fear of heights.” Whoever named Akron, Ohio, must have studied Greek; it is located on a plateau in Summit County.
Acuity
Acuity
sharpness of vision; the visual ability to resolve fine detail (usually measured by a Snellen chart) - [n]a quick and penetrating intelligence - [n]
Acuity has to do with sharpness and smartness. Do you always get A’s in math? Then you have an acuity for numbers.
People often talk about “mental acuity,” which is a fancy way of saying intelligence, brains, or smartness. There are specific kinds of acuity, too. As people become very old, they tend to lose their acuity in many areas, including their vision, which is one reason very old people don’t drive as well. A 40-year-old quarterback isn’t going to have the same acuity for seeing receivers and throwing the ball as a 25-year-old quarterback.
Adamant
Adamant
very hard native crystalline carbon valued as a gem - [n]impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, reason - [adj]
he is adamant in his refusal to change his mind
If you stubbornly refuse to change your mind about something, you are adamant about it.
This word’s story begins in ancient Greece, where philosophers spoke about a legendary unbreakable stone or metal they called adamos (literally, “invincible”). In English, people began to use the word to refer to something that cannot be altered, and then in the twentieth century — after adamant had been in English for about a thousand years — it came to be used as an adjective to mean “unyielding as stone.” If you’re adamant about something, no amount of persuasion is going to convince you otherwise.
Adroit
Adroit
quick or skillful or adept in action or thought - [adj]
an exceptionally adroit pianist
“an adroit technician”
“his adroit replies to hecklers won him many followers”
Someone who is adroit is clever and skillful. An adroit leader will be able to persuade people to go with his ideas. An adroit sculptor can turn a lump of clay into an object of great beauty.
If you’ve ever studied French you know that droit means “right,” both as in “right of free speech” and as in “left and right,” and à droit means both “turn right” and “properly.” Once English people borrowed à droit, they changed the meaning slightly, from doing something “properly” to “doing something well.” You may have heard the expression “surprisingly adroit,” as in, “For a guy whose wife does all the cooking, he is surprisingly adroit in the kitchen.”
Adulation
Adulation
servile flattery; exaggerated and hypocritical praise - [n]
If you’ve ever been to a pop concert filled with screaming fans you’ve probably been exposed to adulation — praise so over-the-top it’s almost embarrassing.
The Latin word adulatio means “flattery.” It’s made up of the roots ad (“to”) and ulos (“tail”), and if you’re thinking of a dog wagging its tail to and fro to get a treat from its owner, you’re on the right track. As anyone who’s seen a crazed fan drooling over a celebrity knows, adulation is one of the more doglike of human behaviors.
Adversity
Adversity
a state of misfortune or affliction - [n]a stroke of ill fortune; a calamitous event - [n]
debt-ridden farmers struggling with adversity“a period marked by adversities”
When circumstances or a situation works against you, you face adversity.
Adversity, a noun which has been part of the English language for over 800 years, comes from the Latin adversitatem “opposition” and is related to the preposition, versus, a word common in legal or battle language meaning “against.” When things seem against you — circumstances or a stoke of bad luck — you are facing adversity. Sometimes people use a form of the phrase, “turning adversity into opportunity/advantage.” This refers to the ability some people or companies have to take a bad situation and make it into a successful one.
Advocate
Advocate
a person who pleads for a cause or propounds an idea - [n]a lawyer who pleads cases in court - [n]speak, plead, or argue in favor of - [v]push for something - [v]
The doctor advocated a smoking ban in the entire house
You can refer to a person who’s a public supporter of a cause as an advocate.
As a noun, advocate (AD-və-kit) can mean a person who represents someone’s interests, such as a lawyer. It can also mean someone who supports or works toward a particular course of action, as in “an advocate for civil rights.” The verb advocate (AD-və-kate) means “to argue for” or “to publicly recommend”: “I advocate stricter standards of online safety.” The word comes from Latin advocare, “to call,” as a witness in court.
Aesthetic
Aesthetic
concerning or characterized by an appreciation of beauty or good taste - [adj]aesthetically pleasing - [adj]relating to or dealing with the subject of aesthetics - [adj](philosophy) a philosophical theory as to what is beautiful - [n]
the aesthetic faculties
“an aesthetic person”
“aesthetic feeling”
The adjective aesthetic comes in handy when the subject at hand is beauty or the arts. A velvet painting of dogs playing poker might have minimal aesthetic appeal.
Aesthetic, from a Greek word meaning “perception,” comes to us from German philosophers who used it for a theory of the beautiful. From this technical sense, it soon came to refer to good taste and to artistry in general; if something has “aesthetic value,” it has value as a work of art (even if nobody will pay much for it). It does not, however, refer to the objects themselves; do not talk about an “aesthetic painting.”
Affable
Affable
diffusing warmth and friendliness - [adj]
an affable smile
Affable means friendly, pleasant, and easy to talk to. An affable host offers you something to drink and makes you feel at home.
The adjective affable entered English by way of the Latin word affābilis, which means “kind, friendly.” If you’re stuck on an airplane next to someone affable, the trip won’t be so bad because that person will be easy to chat with but won’t talk your ear off. Synonyms of affable also refer to a pleasant and mild friendliness, such as genial, hospitable, and gracious. Affable people generally seem like they’re in a good mood and are happy to see you.
Agog
Agog
highly excited - [adj]
The word agog means with great excitement and interest. When you’re falling over yourself with excitement and curiosity to see who’s coming up the red carpet next, you’re agog about celebrities.
At Christmas time, you are probably agog to see what’s in all the beautiful presents. An easy way to remember what agog means is to think of it as goggle-eyed, which it sounds a bit like. When you’re agog, you’re goggle-eyed with excitement about something, whatever that happens to be. In truth, the word has nothing to do with goggle-eyes, but instead relates to the Middle French word en gogues which means “full of mirth, good humor, and joyfulness.”
Alacrity
Alacrity
liveliness and eagerness - [n]
he accepted with alacrity
Someone with alacrity shows cheerful willingness and eager behavior, like a kid whose mother has told him he can buy anything in a candy store.
While the noun alacrity normally refers to someone’s peppy behavior, it can also describe a certain mood or tempo of a musical composition, indicating how the music should be played. Alacrity comes from the Latin alacritas, and the Italian musical term allegro is a near relation.
Alchemy
Alchemy
a pseudoscientific forerunner of chemistry in medieval times - [n]the way two individuals relate to each other - [n]
a mysterious alchemy brought them together
If your favorite but perpetually losing team picks up a couple of new players and the result is suddenly an unbeatable combo, that’s alchemy — any seemingly magical act involving the combining of elements into something new.
In medieval times alchemy meant the mysterious science of trying to convert one form of matter into another using fire, potions, spells, and all kind of other tricks. Alchemists often got a bad rap for their obsession with trying to turn base metals into gold, but in fact true alchemy was concerned with a far loftier ideal — that of finding a “universal elixir” that could overcome death.
Allay
Allay
lessen the intensity of or calm - [v]satisfy (thirst) - [v]
The verb allay is used when you want to make something better or eliminate fears and concerns.
When you allay something, you are calming it or reducing difficulties. It is used commonly in the context of to allay concerns and to comfort and some of its many synonyms are alleviate, decrease, mitigate, assuage and mollify. Allay comes from the Old English word alecgan, which means “to put down,” as in literally “to lighten.” So, if you can allay someone’s fears, you are lightening their mood!
Alleviate
Alleviate
provide physical relief, as from pain - [v]make easier - [v]
Do all these words make your head ache? If so, take an aspirin to alleviate, or relieve, your pain.
The verb, alleviate, stems from the Latin root, levis “light” and is related to modern English words such as elevator and levitate — both words implying a lightening of one’s load. Alleviate also has this sense of lightening a burden such as physical pain or emotional duress. You can take medicine to alleviate symptoms or do exercise to alleviate stress. Or if you want a bigger challenge: try alleviating traffic congestion or world hunger.
Allure
Allure
the power to entice or attract through personal charm - [n]dispose or incline or entice to - [v]
If you find yourself making eyes at that stranger across the coffee shop, chances are there is an allure about him or her — something mysteriously, powerfully attractive and tempting.
You’ve probably noticed that allure contains lure, from the German word luder meaning “bait.” A well-made lure is so alluring to a fish that it won’t notice the hook. First used in the 15th century, this word has even landed its own fashion magazine — “Allure,” which tries to tempt people to buy it by putting powerfully attractive people on the cover and hoping you’ll believe that if you buy it, you’ll have some allure as well.
Aloof
Aloof
remote in manner - [adj]in an aloof manner - [adv]
stood apart with aloof dignity
“the local gentry and professional classes had held aloof for the school had accepted their sons readily enough”
That emotionally cold and detached fellow who keeps to himself, smoking clove cigarettes and reading French philosophy, would best be described as aloof.
In Middle English, aloof was originally a nautical term; the loof (now spelled luff) is the windward side of a ship. Smart sailors wanting to avoid a hazard on the leeward side would give the order, “A loof!” From this command we get the idea of steering clear of something (or someone). In modern usage the word has taken on a negative connotation: an aloof person is certainly not one most of us want to associate with.
Amalgamate
Amalgamate
to bring or combine together or with something else - [v]joined together into a whole - [adj]
To amalgamate is to combine different things to create something new. Institutions — such as banks, schools, or hospitals — often join forces and amalgamate with one other. But other things — like musical genres — get amalgamated as well.
The verb amalgamate original referred specifically to the mixture of metals, now however, it refers to any mixing or blending. A school board might decide to amalgamate two schools into one school due to a decrease in the student population, but amalgamating their mascots would be impossible.
Amass
Amass
collect or gather - [v]get or gather together - [v]
She is amassing a lot of data for her thesis
Amass means bring together or assemble. It can be a real shock to enter a room and see your amassed friends shouting “Surprise!”
Although the word amass should not be confused with “a mass,” as in the thing you never want to hear has been found on your lung, they both derive from the Latin massa “lump.” When you think about it, this makes sense. Whether soldiers or cancer cells, things that come together to form a whole — in this case, a tumor or an army — are amassed.
Ambidextrous
Ambidextrous
equally skillful with each hand - [adj]marked by deliberate deceptiveness especially by pretending one set of feelings and acting under the influence of another - [adj]
an ambidextrous surgeon
Ambidextrous people have the ability to use both hands with equal dexterity. But the ambidextrous probably prefer to write with their right hands, since lefties always smudge what they’ve written as they drag their hand across the page.
Coming from the Latin word ambidexter, which means “right-handed on both sides,” ambidextrous describes someone who can use either hand to write, swing a bat or catch a ball. Lucky ducks. In a broader sense ambidextrous means “facile” or “skillful.” But when it first came into use in the 1530’s, ambidextrous had more sinister connotations with the practice of deceitful double-dealing.
Ambiguous
Ambiguous
having more than one possible meaning - [adj]open to two or more interpretations; or of uncertain nature or significance; or (often) intended to mislead - [adj]having no intrinsic or objective meaning; not organized in conventional patterns - [adj]
ambiguous words
“frustrated by ambiguous instructions, the parents were unable to assemble the toy”
“the polling had a complex and equivocal (or ambiguous) message for potential female candidates”
Look to the adjective ambiguous when you need to describe something that’s open to more than one interpretation, like the headline “Squad helps dog bite victim.”
Newspaper headlines can be unintentionally funny when they’re ambiguous. In “Squad helps dog bite victim,” is the squad helping a victim of a dog bite or helping a dog bite a victim? The ambi- prefix means “both ways,” while the guous part is from the Latin verb agere, “to lead or drive.” Thus an ambiguous sentence or situation drives us in two different directions at once. The accent is on the second syllable, “big,” which you can remember since something that’s ambiguous can lead to big misunderstandings.
Ambivalence
Ambivalence
mixed feelings or emotions - [n]
Someone who shows ambivalence about a person or thing has conflicting feelings. If you love your mom but find her totally embarrassing you might feel ambivalent about having her give a presentation at your school.
Originally a psychological term, ambivalence was borrowed from the German word Ambivalenz, coined in 1910 by the Swiss psychologist Eugen Bleuler. The German word was formed from the Latin prefix ambi- “in two ways” plus Latin valentia “vigor, strength.”
Ambulatory
Ambulatory
able to walk about - [adj]relating to or adapted for walking - [adj]a covered walkway (as in a cloister) - [n]
the patient is ambulatory“an ambulatory corridor”
“it has an ambulatory and seven chapels”
An ambulatory surgery is the kind of procedure where the patient walks in and walks out. Ambulatory means able to walk, or related to walking.
To remember ambulatory, think of ambulance, which essentially means a walking hospital. (Its meaning derives from the time when it was pulled by horses, which would be walking.) You can also think of the old fashioned word for baby carriage, perambulator (it’s been shorted to “pram”) which means a carriage you push by walking.
Ameliorate
Ameliorate
to make better - [v]get better - [v]
To ameliorate is to step in and make a bad situation better. You could try introducing a second lollipop to ameliorate a battle between two four-year-olds over a single lollipop.
The verb ameliorate comes from the Latin word meliorare, meaning “improve.” Food drives can ameliorate hunger. Aspirin can ameliorate a headache. A sympathy card can ameliorate grief. Family therapy can ameliorate severe sibling rivalry. Anything that can lift a burden can ameliorate.
Amiable
Amiable
diffusing warmth and friendliness - [adj]disposed to please - [adj]
an amiable gathering
““an amiable villain with a cocky sidelong grin”- Hal Hinson”
A friendly, pleasant person could be described as amiable. Airline flight attendants tend to be amiable. The people monitoring the school’s cafeteria? Maybe not.
An amiable person is good-natured and easy to get along with. Add one letter and you get amicable, a word with a common ancestor (Latin amicabilis) and a similar meaning. But while amiable refers to friendly people, amicable refers to friendly relations between them; two amiable people who no longer want to be married to one another might have an amicable divorce.
Amity
Amity
a state of friendship and cordiality - [n]a cordial disposition - [n]
The word amity refers to a peaceful, friendly nature, much like the French word for friend — “ami.”
From the Latin amicus “friend,” amity means “friendly relations.” That strong sense of friendship lends irony to the name of the book, and later the movie, called “The Amityville Horror,” about a horrifying town with a weirdly cheerful name. In truth, though, amity means mutual understanding and peace. Wouldn’t it be nice if all of the world’s nations lived in amity?
Amorphous
Amorphous
having no definite form or distinct shape - [adj]without real or apparent crystalline form - [adj]lacking the system or structure characteristic of living bodies - [adj]
amorphous clouds of insects
“an amorphous mineral”
“amorphous structure”
In a scientific sense amorphous means lacking a crystalline structure, something without solid form. In a broader sense, the word describes anything that lacks a distinct shape or organizing theme, be it a work of art, a political movement, or even someone’s direction in life.
The Latin roots of this word are clear — morph means form and a means lacking. Lacking form. When used to describe creative works or ideas, it usually refers to a lack of organization and would rarely be considered a compliment. If your writing is amorphous, it’s probably not fully formed. An amorphous crowd of people seem to be random and unconnected, until they all start dancing the Macarena in unison.
Analgesic
Analgesic
capable of relieving pain - [adj]a medicine used to relieve pain - [n]
an analgesic effect
An analgesic is a medicine that takes away physical pain. If you ask for pain relief, and the nurse says “Here’s an analgesic,” she’s not trying to worsen your headache with a difficult word; she’s just giving you a painkiller.
Breaking apart the word analgesic helps with pronunciation, ann-ull-JEE-zick. This isn’t a proper root-word study, but the last three letters of the word look like “sick.” If you’re sick and have some pain and discomfort, you might get relief from an analgesic. As a noun, analgesic is the actual medicine, and as an adjective, it describes the effect of the medicine — a pill will have an analgesic effect, relieving the pain — unless it’s really bad pain, in which case you’ll need two.
Analogous
Analogous
similar or equivalent in some respects though otherwise dissimilar - [adj]corresponding in function but not in evolutionary origin - [adj]
brains and computers are often considered analogous“salmon roe is marketed as analogous to caviar”
“the wings of a bee and those of a hummingbird are analogous”
Use the adjective analogous to describe something that is similar to something else and can be compared to another.
Analogous things can be compared to each other, so a near synonym is the adjective comparable. Analogous is a term used in biology to refer to body parts that have a similar function but differ in structure, such as the wings of a bird and the wings of an airplane. Analogous is from Latin analogus, from Greek analogos, meaning “according to a proper ratio or proportion.”
Anarchy
Anarchy
a state of lawlessness and disorder (usually resulting from a failure of government) - [n]
Use the noun anarchy to describe a complete lack of government — or the chaotic state of affairs created by such an absence. A substitute teacher might worry that an unruly classroom will descend into anarchy.
From the Greek for “without a ruler” we get this word for the political philosophy that the best government is no government at all — a movement that enjoyed surprising success worldwide in the early and middle parts of the twentieth century. Today, the word is more commonly used to describe not a political ideal but a state of total disorder, chaos and even violence: “A type of bloody anarchy is beginning to reign.” A good synonym would be “lawlessness.”
Anecdote
Anecdote
short account of an incident (especially a biographical one) - [n]
A short, amusing true story is an anecdote. You might come back from a crazy spring break with a lot of anecdotes to tell.
The roots of anecdote lie in the Greek word anekdota, meaning “unpublished.” The word’s original sense in English was “secret or private stories” — tales not fit for print, so to speak. It can still have connotations of unreliability, as in the phrase “anecdotal information.” But the most common sense today is that of “a funny story about something that happened.”
Animosity
Animosity
a feeling of ill will arousing active hostility - [n]
- Animosity* is hatred. If your (supposed) best buddy embarrasses you in front of a big crowd, your friendship could turn into animosity.
- Animosity* comes from the Latin word animus, meaning “spirit” or “mind.” That’s also the root of the word animated — literally, “full of spirit.” So how did animosity get so negative? Over the centuries, the original meaning of “high spirits” soured into “hatred.” Today we most often speak of animosity toward, between, among, or against people. Keeping your animosity in check might make steam come out your ears.
Anomaly
Anomaly
deviation from the normal or common order or form or rule - [n](astronomy) position of a planet as defined by its angular distance from its perihelion (as observed from the sun) - [n]
An anomaly is an abnormality, a blip on the screen of life that doesn’t fit with the rest of the pattern. If you are a breeder of black dogs and one puppy comes out pink, that puppy is an anomaly.
The noun anomaly comes from the Greek word anomolia, meaning “uneven” or “irregular.” When something is unusual compared to similar things around it, it’s the anomaly. If you are an Olympian who comes from a family of bookish types who all find it strenuous to walk the dog, you are an anomaly.
Antagonism
Antagonism
an actively expressed feeling of dislike and hostility - [n]a state of deep-seated ill-will - [n]the relation between opposing principles or forces or factors - [n](biochemistry) interference in or inhibition of the physiological action of a chemical substance by another having a similar structure - [n]
the inherent antagonism of capitalism and socialism
Antagonism means hostility. You might feel antagonism to the teacher who gave you a D on your last test, and she might be angry at you for not working harder––there’s antagonism between you.
Antagonism is one of the few things you can share easily with someone you don’t like. You might feel antagonism toward your school, or at least the idea of going to school. If you’re an antagonistic person, you feel antagonism to lots of people and things.
Antediluvian
Antediluvian
of or relating to the period before the biblical flood - [adj]so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period - [adj]any of the early patriarchs who lived prior to the Noachian deluge - [n]a very old person - [n]
antediluvian man
“a ramshackle antediluvian tenement”
“antediluvian ideas”
Antediluvian means “before the flood” — that is, the Biblical flood with Noah’s ark. Generally, though, the word is used — often humorously — to describe something really, really old.
In popular language, antediluvian is almost always used to exaggerate how comically, ridiculously old and out-of-date something is. You may laugh at your parents’ antediluvian ideas of what’s proper for going out on a date. And how about those antediluvian computers they still insist are fine! When the word was coined in the seventeenth century, however, it was meant literally. Back then, the science of reconstructing the Earth’s history used the Bible as a frame of reference.
Anthology
Anthology
a collection of selected literary passages - [n]
A collection of writings is an anthology. The heavy textbooks that span the literature of an entire culture and that school children transport in over-sized backpacks with wheels? Those are anthologies.
An anthology used to be just a collection of poetry, and the word came from the 17th-century Greek word anthologia for “flower gathering” or “collecting.” A contemporary anthology can include anything from classic literature to rap music lyrics. Often an anthology focuses on one type, or genre, of writing, as in an anthology of horse riding haikus, or even an anthology of writings on writing. However, sometimes textbook-style anthologies — like Global Literature — will ambitiously try to include works from writers throughout the ages and from throughout the world.
Antipathy
Antipathy
a feeling of intense dislike - [n]the object of a feeling of intense aversion; something to be avoided - [n]
cats were his greatest antipathy
An antipathy is a deep-seated dislike of something or someone. Usually it’s a condition that is long-term, innate, and pretty unlikely to change — like your antipathy for the Red Sox.
If you look at the Greek roots of this word — anti- (meaning “against”) and pathos (meaning “feeling”), you can see that antipathy is a feeling against someone or something. In general, antipathies are considered feelings that are kept at least somewhat under wraps and are not out on the surface.
Antiquated
Antiquated
so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period - [adj]
Something is antiquated when it is so old that it is no longer useful. If your parents believe that you shouldn’t use the Internet when you write papers for school, you might call their ideas antiquated.
Something is antiquated when it is so old, it’s like an antique or recognizable from another era and has the negative feel of being thoroughly outmoded. Things like typewriters, sealing wax for letters, and ideas of proper etiquette all seem antiquated in modern society. Currently, things get antiquated ever faster — 5-inch floppy disks for computers and dial-up modems were very modern fifteen years ago, but now they’re antiquated.
Apathy
Apathy
an absence of emotion or enthusiasm - [n]the trait of lacking enthusiasm for or interest in things generally - [n]
Use the noun apathy when someone is not interested in the important things that are happening. You might feel apathy for the political process after watching candidates bicker tediously with one another.
Although apathy is a lazy-sounding word that indicates a lack of interest, action or emotion towards something, it has traveled through many languages to arrive in English. Originating from the Greek apatheia meaning “without emotion,” the word has been a part of the English language since the 17th century. Not only a single person, but a whole segment of the population can be accused of inaction, indifference or emotional detachment: the expressions voter apathy, student apathy, and consumer apathy show just how unenthusiastic large groups of people can be.
Apocryphal
Apocryphal
being of questionable authenticity - [adj]
Urban legends — stories about phantom hitchhikers, deep-fried rats, and spider eggs in bubblegum — are classic examples of apocryphal tales. They’re told as if they’re true, but no one can ever identify their origins.
Today, any dubious or unverifiable story may be dismissed as apocryphal. If it can’t be verified, it is seen as not real, true or authentic. Originally, however, apocryphal was reserved for religious writings that were not included in the Torah or the New Testament of the Bible because the divinity of the texts was not certain. These texts are knows as the Apocrypha and are included in the Septuagint (a Greek version of the Hebrew Bible) and the Vulgate (a Latin Bible edited in the 4th century).
Appease
Appease
make peace with - [v]cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of - [v]overcome or allay - [v]
Appease means to make or preserve peace with a nation, group, or person by giving in to their demands, or to relieve a problem, as in “the cold drink appeased his thirst.”
The word often implies abandoning your moral principles to satisfy the demands of someone who is greedy for power: Think of British Prime Minister Chamberlain’s attempt to appease the Nazis at Munich. The cold drink appeased his thirst. Appease is from Middle English apaisen, from apaisier, formed from the prefix a- “to” plus pais “peace,” from Latin pax.
Apposite
Apposite
being of striking appropriateness and pertinence - [adj]
the successful copywriter is a master of apposite and evocative verbal images
Something apposite is fitting or relevant. It is apposite that radio stations play Christmas carols on Christmas Eve, and that your tax accountant takes vacation after April 15th. It all makes sense.
The adjective apposite is derived from the Latin terms appositus and apponere. Ponere means to place, and thus apponere is “well-placed or well-put.” Don’t confuse apposite with opposite; they have almost opposite meanings!
Apprehensive
Apprehensive
in fear or dread of possible evil or harm - [adj]quick to understand - [adj]
apprehensive for one’s life
“apprehensive of danger”
“apprehensive about her job”
If you’re apprehensive, you’re anxious or fearful. If you just got run over by a crazy bicyclist, you might be a bit apprehensive crossing the street.
Apprehensive is from a Latin word meaning “to seize,” and it originally meant “quick to seize impressions or ideas, perceptive, intelligent.” Now it means “anticipating something bad, fearful of what may happen.” Synonyms are afraid, which suggest a more immediate fear, and fearful, which suggests a more general temperament (“a fearful child”). You can be apprehensive about a situation while being an optimistic and courageous person in general.
Approbation
Approbation
official approval - [n]official recognition or approval - [n]
Approbation is an official, important-sounding, and somewhat old-fashioned word for approval or praise. A princess, for example, might only consider marrying a prince that is met with her father’s, the King’s, approbation.
How is it possible that approbation means approval when probation is a form of being in trouble in school? Remember that probation is a testing period, to see if you can be good. Approbation means it’s all good. Or you can remember this rhyme: “Filled with approbation, the audience gave a standing ovation.”
Arable
Arable
(of farmland) capable of being farmed productively - [adj]
If you describe land as arable, it means that something can grow there. If you’re looking to raise crops, you better find yourself a patch of arable land.
Arable has its Latin roots in the word arare, which means “to plow.” Arable soil is ground that can be plowed and cultivated. Chances are — if you are using the word arable, then either the word land or the word soil is following it; however, you might also see the phrase “arable crops” — meaning those crops that are able to be grown on arable land.
Arbitrary
Arbitrary
based on or subject to individual discretion or preference or sometimes impulse or caprice - [adj]
an arbitrary decision
“the arbitrary rule of a dictator”
“an arbitrary penalty”
Something that’s arbitrary seems like it’s chosen at random instead of following a consistent rule. Team members would dislike their coach using a totally arbitrary method to pick starting players.
Even though arbitrary comes from a word meaning “judge” (arbiter), that doesn’t mean judges are always fair. Calling a decision-maker arbitrary is usually a negative thing, suggesting the person is making rules based on whim rather than justice. A coach who selects starting players arbitrarily isn’t strictly applying a rule; he could just be picking names out of a hat.
Arcane
Arcane
requiring secret or mysterious knowledge - [adj]
the arcane science of dowsing
Something arcane is understood or known by only a few people. Almost everyone knows the basics of baseball, but only an elite few possess the arcane knowledge of its history that marks the true fan.
A near synonym is esoteric, as in remote information or knowledge. Experts in academic fields often show off the depth of their knowledge by mentioning some arcane and esoteric fact as if it was common for everyone to know. The origin of arcane is Latin arcānus “secret, closed,” from arca “a chest, box.” Arcana (singular arcanum) are pieces of mysterious knowledge or information.
Archaic
Archaic
so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period - [adj]little evolved from or characteristic of an earlier ancestral type - [adj]
archaic laws
“archaic forms of life”
If you use the adjective archaic you are referring to something outmoded, belonging to an earlier period. Rotary phones and cassette players already seem so archaic!
The adjective archaic means something that belongs to an earlier or antiquated time. It can also mean something that is outdated but can still be found in the present and therefore could seem out of place. The word comes from Greek, archaikos, and literally means “from Classical Greek culture,” though it’s meaning has broadened as it’s been used in English. So, while Greek clay pots and urns are archaic, so are the parents of all teenagers!
Archetype
Archetype
something that serves as a model or a basis for making copies - [n]
An archetype is a perfect example of something. If you have blond hair, a perfect size six body and are on the cheerleading squad, you’re the archetype of a high school cheerleader.
In the psychology of Carl Jung, an archetype is an inherited pattern of thought derived from the past experience of the whole race and present in our unconscious minds––Cinderella might be an archetype for girls in our culture; the boogey man is another. This noun is from Latin archetypum, from Greek archetypon, from archetypos “of the first mold,” from archein “to begin” plus typos “type.”
Archives
Archives
collection of records especially about an institution - [n]
- Archives*, a noun, refers to records or historical documents, or the place where those records are kept, like the famous writer’s archives that scholars can see by visiting the library archives.
- Archives* are typically records or documents used when researching an event, a person, or even a building. Use archives to research your family tree, which might include birth, marriage, and death certificates, immigration records, tax files, and so on. The noun is also used to describe where historical documents and records are kept, like the National Archives and Record Administration, which holds important records of the Federal government.
Arduous
Arduous
characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort - [adj]difficult to accomplish; demanding considerable mental effort and skill - [adj]taxing to the utmost; testing powers of endurance - [adj]
worked their arduous way up the mining valley
“the arduous work of preparing a dictionary”
““your willingness after these six arduous days to remain here”- F.D.Roosevelt”
Use the adjective, arduous, to describe an activity that takes a lot of effort. Writing all those college essays and filling out the applications is an arduous process!
Arduous was first used in English to mean “steep” or “difficult to climb.” If you’re an outdoorsman, hiking up a mountain is a lot of fun, but if you’re a couch potato, it’s an arduous trek. Today, the word can be used figuratively for something that is difficult or takes a lot of work. If you spend an arduous week studying for your final exams, you’ll do well because you’ve worked really hard!
Armada
Armada
a large fleet - [n]
If an armada is looking for you, that’s not good news — it’s a fleet of warships.
Even though armada sounds a little old-fashioned, they still exist. In fact, some armadas look for pirates — another old-fashioned-sounding group that still exists. Though an armada is part of a navy, armada sounds similar to “army,”, and it should: they both come ultimately from the same source, the Latin word armata, “armed.” Armies and navies are two of the oldest branches of a military power, and an armada is a military fleet — another word for a group of boats or ships.
Articulate
Articulate
express or state clearly - [v]consisting of segments held together by joints - [adj]
articulate speech
“an articulate orator”
“articulate beings”
To articulate is to say something. And, if you say it well, someone might praise you by saying you are articulate. Confused yet? It’s all in the pronunciation.
Reach for articulate when you need an adjective meaning “well-spoken” (pronounced ar-TIC-yuh-lit) or a verb (ar-TIC-yuh-late) meaning “to speak or express yourself clearly.” The key to understanding articulate’s many uses is to think of the related noun article: an articulate person clearly pronounces each article of his or her speech (that is, each word and syllable), and an articulated joint is divided up into distinct articles, or parts.
Artifice
Artifice
a deceptive maneuver (especially to avoid capture) - [n]
If a politician pretends to be angry as a way of rousing the anger of the voters and getting more votes, he’s guilty of artifice — a subtle and crafty trick.
Before taking on its current meaning, artifice meant a skilled piece of workmanship. A beautiful diamond bracelet might have been considered a piece of artifice, for example; now it would only be called artifice if the diamonds were fake.
Artisan
Artisan
a skilled worker who practices some trade or handicraft - [n]
An artisan has both the creativity and the skill to make a product. Wandering around a local craft fair, you will often see artisans selling handicrafts like pot holders or beaded jewelry.
In medieval times, blacksmiths, carpenters, and masons were artisan trades. Unskilled laborers were not. The hierarchy of skill and prestige among artisans, from apprentice to journeyman to master, is sometimes reflected in ranks among today’s trade union members. But today an artisan can just be someone who makes attractive and creative work with their hands, like jewelry or pottery. Although, if they’re trying to sell their goods, it probably helps if they’re very skilled.
Artless
Artless
simple and natural; without cunning or deceit - [adj](of persons) lacking art or knowledge - [adj]
an artless manner
“artless elegance”
“an artless translation”
Yes, artless could mean lacking in art, but more often it means lacking in superficiality or deceit. An artless person could never make a living as a con artist.
Originally meaning “unskillful” or “uncultured,” artless evolved into meaning not skilled or cultured in the art of deceit. If you are artless, you are natural and uncontrived. Young people, animals, the socially inept — these can all be artless in the way they express themselves. They seem to mean exactly what they say.
Ascetic
Ascetic
someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline - [n]practicing great self-denial - [adj]pertaining to or characteristic of an ascetic or the practice of rigorous self-discipline - [adj]
Be systematically ascetic…do…something for no other reason than that you would rather not do it”- William James”
“ascetic practices”
Want to live an ascetic lifestyle? Then you better ditch the flat panel TV and fuzzy slippers. To be ascetic, you learn to live without; it’s all about self-denial.
Ascetic is derived from the Greek asketes, meaning “monk,” or “hermit.” Later that became asketikos, meaning “rigorously self-disciplined,” which gives us the Modern English ascetic. Ascetic can be a noun: a person with incredible self-discipline and the ability to deprive herself, or an adjective that describes such a people or their lifestyle.
Asperity
Asperity
harshness of manner - [n]something hard to endure - [n]
the asperity of northern winters
Asperity is the harsh tone or behavior people exhibit when they’re angry, impatient, or just miserable. When your supervisor’s “Late again!” greeting causes your entire future to pass before your eyes, he is speaking with asperity.
The harshness that asperity implies can also apply to conditions, like “the asperities of life in a bomb shelter.” Or even more literally to surfaces, like “the asperity of an unfinished edge.” But, most often, you will see asperity used in reference to grumpy human beings.
Assay
Assay
a quantitative or qualitative test of a substance (especially an ore or a drug) to determine its components; frequently used to test for the presence or concentration of infectious agents or antibodies etc. - [n]make an effort or attempt - [v]
they made an assay of the contents
An assay is a breakdown of a material, examining the individual parts that make up the whole. When you assay a situation, you look at all the elements that created the problem in order to come up with a solution.
The word assay comes from the French word essai, which means “trial,” an appropriate sense for a word that means to examine for analysis. As a noun, assay means a test or appraisal to determine the components of a substance or object. As a verb, it refers to the act of analyzing, or of conducting that test. It is usually used in chemistry-related fields like metallurgy and pharmaceuticals, but you can also assay a poem.
Assiduous
Assiduous
marked by care and persistent effort - [adj]
her assiduous attempts to learn French
“assiduous research”
If you call someone assiduous, it’s a compliment. It means they’re careful, methodical and very persistent. Good detectives are classically assiduous types.
Assiduous comes from two Latin words: assiduus, meaning “busy incessant, continual or constant,” and assidere, meaning “to sit down to” something. (Funnily enough, we also get the word sedentary, meaning someone who doesn’t move around much, a lazy couch potato, from this same last word.) Although we tend to think of sedentary types as being the very opposite of assiduous ones, many assiduous activities (like writing, thinking, or detective work) are best done sitting in a chair.
Assuage
Assuage
provide physical relief, as from pain - [v]satisfy (thirst) - [v]cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of - [v]
If you assuage an unpleasant feeling, you make it go away. Assuaging your hunger by eating a bag of marshmallows may cause you other unpleasant feelings.
The most common things that we assuage are fears, concerns, guilt, grief, anxiety, and anger. That makes a lot of sense — these are all things we seek relief from. The word comes from Old French assouagier, from the Latin root suavis, “sweet” — think of adding a bit of honey to something unpleasant. A word with a similar meaning is mollify.
Astute
Astute
marked by practical hardheaded intelligence - [adj]
an astute tenant always reads the small print in a lease
Someone who is astute is clever and has good judgment. The kid running around with a bucket stuck on his head? Not so astute.
Astute (from Latin) is a formal and flattering adjective for someone with a good head on their shoulders. It differs from its synonym shrewd in placing less emphasis on hardheadedness than on sensitivity: we talk about a shrewd bargainer but an astute interpretation. Other synonyms are perceptive (emphasizing insight) and discerning (emphasizing an ability to distinguish).
Asylum
Asylum
a shelter from danger or hardship - [n]a hospital for mentally incompetent or unbalanced person - [n]
Any mom taking care of the kids day in and day out is probably more than ready to seek asylum, or refuge, at a local spa.
You may have heard asylum used to describe an institution where insane people are housed, but did you know that an asylum can also be somewhere you’d happily and willingly go? An asylum offers shelter and protection, like the awning of a building in a downpour. Or a country that takes in refugees in danger of persecution — otherwise known as “political asylum.”
Atavism
Atavism
a reappearance of an earlier characteristic - [n]
Atavism is a return to a previous way of doing, saying, or seeing things. It can be casual, like wearing retro clothing and listening to vinyl records, or committed, like living in a straw hut without electricity.
It makes sense that atavism comes from a Latin word meaning “forefather,” since it refers to a way of doing things like our ancestors did them. It’s often used negatively, though, to refer to behavior the speaker finds primitive or unacceptable. Atavists are often called “throwbacks.” In biology, the term atavism or “evolutionary throwback” is used when animals are born with features that had disappeared, such as legs on a whale.
Atrophy
Atrophy
a decrease in size of an organ caused by disease or disuse - [n]any weakening or degeneration (especially through lack of use) - [n]undergo atrophy - [v]
Muscles that are not used will atrophy
Wearing a cast on a broken leg can cause atrophy, or withering, in the leg, because it is immobilized and gets no exercise.
Appearing in English in the 17th century, the word atrophy originally described a lack of nourishment. Atrophy occurs in parts of the body that can’t move or be “fed” because of disease or injury. It also is used to describe things that go dull through lack of use, like skills in sports or artistic creativity. The (unrelated) word “trophy” refers to something that sits on a shelf and is admired, while atrophy is a condition of being “shelved,” or made inactive and lifeless.
Attenuate
Attenuate
become weaker, in strength, value, or magnitude - [v]weaken the consistency of (a chemical substance) - [v]reduced in strength - [adj]
Attenuate is a verb that means to make or become weaker. The effects of aging may be attenuated by exercise. (Or by drinking from the fountain of youth.)
The versatile word attenuate denotes a weakening in amount, intensity, or value. As a verb, attenuate is usually transitive, meaning it needs an object to be complete, such as in the sentence: “This tanning process tends to attenuate the deer hide, making it softer.” The word can be intransitive in past tense, as in “The rain attenuated, ending the storm.” And it can even be used as an adjective to describe something weakened: “Even an attenuated solution will remove the stain.”
Augment
Augment
enlarge or increase - [v]grow or intensify - [v]
The recent speech of the president augmented tensions in the Near East
“The pressure augmented”
Do you need to make something bigger, better, or stronger? Then you need to augment it. To augment is to increase the amount or strength of something.
Maybe your bike isn’t getting around very well on hills: the bike needs to be augmented with a better set of tires. People augment their computers and phones all the time, adding new gadgets and apps. They augment the storage space in their cars by buying roof racks. If the President decides to augment taxes, taxes are going up. When you see the word augment, think “More!”
Augury
Augury
an event that is experienced as indicating important things to come - [n]
he hoped it was an augury
Is your team losing 15-0? Has your girlfriend just slapped your face? Dude, these are auguries — signs of how things are going to work out in the future. And these two examples don’t look good.
In fact, not every augury is an ill omen, as the common phrase “augers well for the future” suggests, but more often than not, it seems, an augury is a sign that the future will be none too rosy. Auguries are signs of what’s to come, and it’s wise not to ignore them.
Auspicious
Auspicious
auguring favorable circumstances and good luck - [adj]
an auspicious beginning for the campaign
Use the adjective auspicious for a favorable situation or set of conditions. If you start a marathon by falling flat on your face, that’s not an auspicious start.
If something seems likely to bring success — either because it creates favorable conditions or you just consider it a lucky sign — label it auspicious. The word is related to auspice, “a divine omen,” an old word with a colorful history. In Latin, an auspex was a person who observed the flight of birds to predict things about the future. Luckily, you no longer have to be a bird-watching fortune-teller to guess whether something is auspicious or not.
Austere
Austere
of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect - [adj]practicing great self-denial - [adj]severely simple - [adj]
an austere expression
“a desert nomad’s austere life”
The adjective austere is used to describe something or someone stern or without any decoration. You wouldn’t want someone to describe you or your home as austere.
Austere is not usually a positive word because it means that a person or a thing isn’t pleasurable. For example, if you go on an austere diet, it’s likely you wouldn’t ever get to have candy. The adjective comes into English by way of French, Latin, and Greek, meaning “harsh” and “dry.” It’s pronounced as “o-stir,” with an emphasis on the second syllable.
Aver
Aver
to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true - [v]report or maintain - [v]
To aver is to declare something is true or to state. This verb has a serious tone, so you might aver something on a witness stand or you might aver that you won’t back down to a challenge.
The verb aver comes to English via the Latin root words ad, meaning “to,” and verus, meaning “true.” The word can have the sense of formally declaring something is true, but it can also mean to report positively: “The grandmother averred that her granddaughter would make a fine veterinarian because of her love and caring for animals.”
Aversion
Aversion
the act of turning yourself (or your gaze) away - [n]a feeling of intense dislike - [n]
If you have an aversion to something, you have an intense dislike for it. Commonly its food, but you could have an aversion to black and white movies, driving with the windows open, taking calls from salespeople or being barefoot outdoors.
An aversion is also the person or thing that is the object of such intense dislike: her aversions included all kinds of vegetables and fruits. This noun is from Latin avertio, ultimately from avertere “to turn away,” from the prefix a- “from” plus vertere “to turn.” Near synonyms are repugnance and antipathy.
Baleful
Baleful
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments-(adj)
a baleful look
Baleful means the foreshadowing of tragic or evil events. If no one’s listening in class and your teacher reprimands you with a baleful glance, expect a pop quiz.
If your car breaks down and you take refuge in adeserted mansion, you might huddle under a dusty blanket and findyourself thinking that the wind moaning at the windows sounds baleful —maybe it’s really the voice of a young woman murdered in the very bedwhere you sleep?
Balk
Balk
refuse to comply-(v)
an illegal pitching motion while runners are on base-(n)
the area on a billiard table behind the balkline-(n)
one of several parallel sloping beams that support a roof-(n)
If you balk at your mother’s suggestion that you take on more responsibility, you’re saying no to added chores. To balk means to refuse to go along with.
A donkey balks when it refuses to move forward. This is a good picture for balk which is often used in conjunction with demands. Demands are somethingpeople often balk at like a donkey refusing to move. In baseball, apitcher balks when he or she begins a pitch by winding up, but does notcomplete it. It is as if he is refusing to complete a started pitch, and it is against the rules.
Balm
Balm
semisolid preparation (usually containing a medicine) applied externally as a remedy or for soothing an irritation-(n)
If your lips are cracked and dry, lip balm will make them feel better. A balm is a soothing substance with a consistency somewhere between solid and liquid.
The ointment-like consistency is part of what the word balm means. It comes down from the word, balsam, which is a gummy substancethat comes from trees. You can use the word metaphorically too. If yourmother’s cooking always makes you feel better no matter how bad thingsget, you can say her home cooking has been a balm for you in tryingtimes.
Banal
Banal
repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse-(adj)
If something is boring and unoriginal, it’s banal. Banal things are dull as dishwater.
Ever notice how some TV shows, songs, and even phrases are boring and unoriginal? It’s like you’ve seen or heard the samething a million times. Anything that’s unoriginal and dull is banal — a fancy word for things that bore you to tears. When you’re writing,try not to be banal. Clichés and dull topics are banal. New ideas, fresh language, and unusual subject matter can keep your writing from beingdreary and banal.
Bane
Bane
something causing misery or death-(n)
the bane of my life
The noun bane refers to anything that is acause of harm, ruin, or death. But we often use it for things thataren’t that bad, just feel like it. You might say mosquitoes are the bane of your existence.
The source of this word is Middle and Old Englishbana, meaning “destroyer, murderer.” The now obsolete meaning of “deadly poison” is seen in the names of poisonous plants such as wolfsbane and henbane. Although “bane of my existence” is a commonly heard phrase, there’s something deliciously archaic about the word bane. It conjures up villages preyed upon by dragons, or witches adding one bane or another to a steaming kettle.
Bard
Bard
a lyric poet-(n)
an ornamental caparison for a horse-(n)
If you’ve heard the word bard, it was probably in English class. William Shakespeare has been known as “The Bard”since the nineteenth century, but the word has a much older history,and, when it’s not capitalized, it simply means “lyric poet.”
In civilizations without written histories, poets andsingers were the ones to spread the word from place to place and acrossgenerations. In ancient and medieval Gaelic societies, the professionalstorytellers were called bards (or bardds, in Wales).Irish bards were part of a chieftain’s household, and their job was torecord and proclaim the exploits of their lord — although a bard mightalso compose blistering satires if he was displeased with his employer.
Barrage
Barrage
the heavy fire of artillery to saturate an area rather than hit a specific target-(n)
the rapid and continuous delivery of linguistic communication (spoken or written)-(n)
address with continuously or persistently, as if with a barrage-(v)
they laid down a barrage in front of the advancing troops
“a barrage of questions”
“The speaker was barraged by an angry audience”
A barrage is something that comes quickly and heavily — as an attack of bullets or artillery, or a fast spray of words.
Sometimes in movies or news footage, the audience gets a glimpse from behind a mounted weapon and sees a heavy rain of bombsor bullets — called a barrage — going toward a target, sending as much POW! as possible to hit a wide area. Words become a barrage whenspoken or written in uncontrollable anger or with overflowing emotion:”Her human-rights speech was a barrage of passion. It was hard to keep up with, but we felt the intensity of her cause.”
Bastion
Bastion
projecting part of a rampart or other fortification-(n)
a group that defends a principle-(n)
When the battle is getting long and the odds are getting longer, retreat to your bastion to regroup and prepare for the next round of fighting. A bastion is a stronghold or fortification that remains intact.
French Independence Day, or Bastille Day (July 14),commemorates the storming in 1789 of the French king’s prison/fort, theBastille. Bastion and Bastille share the root bast, which means “build.” Bastion can refer to any place to which one turns for safety; that can includenot only buildings but also concepts, ideas, and even beliefs. TheChurch, for example, is a bastion of many religious beliefs.
Befuddle
Befuddle
be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly-(v)
This question befuddled even the teacher
To befuddle is to confuse. A sticky exam question can befuddle you, or an awkward question about your whereabouts the night before (how can you remember? You were befuddled, after all.)
In sixteenth century Britain a popular thing to do(about the only thing to do) after the hogs had been fed and thechickens put away for the night was fuddle — in other words get pretty drunk. Befuddled was simply the confused state too many pots of mead put your poor brain in, and that’s still its basic meaning today. Nowadays, befuddle has a more general meaning of confusion and uncertainty not necessarily caused by too much booze.
Begrudge
Begrudge
be envious of; set one’s heart on-(v)
To begrudge someone something is to wish them ill for it or to envy them. Try not to begrudge his getting the promotion over you — he’s been at the company longer.
An understudy might begrudge the lead her roleand even go so far as to put glass in her shoes so she can’t perform. An easy way to remember the meaning of this verb is to note the noun grudge lurking inside it. A grudge is ill will that you hold toward someone:to begrudge is to hold that grudge. If you begrudge your friend hishappiness because he got the nicer car, your friendship will suffer.
Beguile
Beguile
attract; cause to be enamored-(v)
influence by slyness-(v)
To beguile is to trick someone, either with deception or with irresistible charm and beauty. You could be beguiled by a super model or by a super con artist.
Beguile doesn’t always mean that the person orthing beguiling is tricking you, but there is a sense with this word ofenchantment that takes away the viewer’s normal powers of judgment. Abeautiful place or idea can beguile as easily as a person. You might beso beguiled by the idea of a picnic on the beach that you forgot thereare two feet of snow on the ground.
Belabor
Belabor
beat soundly-(v)
to work at or to absurd length-(v)
- Belabor* means to go at something with everything you’ve got. When you say, “Don’t belabor or agonize over the decision,” it means, “Move on.”
- Belabor* is made up of the Latin roots be and labor meaning “to exert one’s strength upon.” You can belabor a point byusing excessive detail, or you could belabor the obvious by stating over and over what everyone already knows. Belaboring can be a physicalattack as well. A person can belabor or beat the living daylights out of you with a club.
Beleaguer
Beleaguer
annoy persistently-(v)
surround so as to force to give up-(v)
- Beleaguer* means to pester or badger with persistence. A babysitter might find annoying the children who beleaguer her with requests for candy, cookies, games, and piggyback rides all at the same time.
- Beleaguer* originally meant to lay siege to, and originates from a 16th century Dutch term which meant to camp allaround. It was not until later that beleaguer came to mean harass or bother in a determined way. Remember that there is a league in the middle of be-league-r and the spelling will be easy.
Belie
Belie
be in contradiction with-(v)
represent falsely-(v)
To belie means to contradict. If you are 93 but look like you are 53, then your young looks belie your age.
We get belie from the Old English beleogan, which meant “to deceive by lying.” It suggests characteristics orbehavior that inadvertently or deliberately hide the truth. To rememberit, just think “be lying.” Snow White’s decision to barge into the Seven Dwarfs’ home without invitation belied her gentle nature.
Belittle
Belittle
cause to seem less serious; play down-(v)
express a negative opinion of-(v)
Don’t belittle his influence
To belittle means to put down, or to makeanother person feel as though they aren’t important. Saying mean thingsabout another person literally makes them feel “little.”
To belittle someone is a cruel way of making someoneelse seem less important than yourself. A candidate for office mightbelittle his opponent by pointing out during a press conference that his fellow candidate has an inferior intellect. Belittling doesn’t have tocome in the form of verbal abuse. A manager who forces hisadministrative assistant to scrub his office floor with a toothbrushbelittles her as well.
Bellicose
Bellicose
having or showing a ready disposition to fight-(adj)
bellicose young officers
If you walk into a high school where you know no one, find the toughest looking girl in the halls and tell her she’s ugly,them’s fighting words. Or bellicose ones. Bellicose means eager for war.
Bellicose is from Latin bellum “war.” A near synonym is belligerent, from the same Latin noun. You may wonder if they’re connected to the Latin bellus “pretty, handsome,” which gives us the names Bella or Isabella, as well as belle “a beautiful woman.” They’re not. War and beauty are not related, except in the case of Helen of Troy.
Belligerent
Belligerent
characteristic of an enemy or one eager to fight-(adj)
someone who fights (or is fighting)-(n)
a belligerent tone
If someone is belligerent, they’re eager to fight. It’s a good idea to avoid hardcore hockey fans after their team loses — they tend to be belligerent.
Belligerent comes from the Latin word bellum, for “war.” You can use it to talk about actual wars — the nations taking part in a war are called belligerents — but usually belligerent describes a psychological disposition. If you’re running a school foraggressive boys, do plenty of arts and crafts to prevent them frombecoming too belligerent. The stress is on the second syllable:bə-LIJ-ə-rənt.
Bemoan
Bemoan
regret strongly-(v)
Some people love to complain, don’t they? Complainers also tend to bemoan things, which can be translated to “Oh no! Why me?”
A more casual expression for bemoan is to moanand groan. If you step in a puddle and get your shoes wet, you mightmoan and groan about, or bemoan, your bad luck to whoever will listen.Just about any bad or annoying thing can be bemoaned. In fact, peoplelove to bemoan how much other people are moaning and groaning aboutthings!
Benevolent
Benevolent
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity-(adj)
generous in providing aid to others-(adj)
a benevolent society
“a benevolent contributor”
Choose the adjective benevolent for someone who does good deeds or shows goodwill. If your teacher collects homework with a benevolent smile, she’s hoping that you’ve done a good job.
Benevolent comes from the Latin bene “well” and volent from the verb “to wish” so you can imagine that this word bringsgoodness with it. A benevolent society is a charity group organized toserve a community through programs, sponsorships and donations. Theexpression, benevolent dictatorship, may seem like an oxymoron, but itis a political term for an authoritative government that works for thegood of the people under its rule.
Benign
Benign
kindness of disposition or manner-(adj)
pleasant and beneficial in nature or influence-(adj)
the benign ruler of millions
“a benign smile”
Someone or something that is benign is gentle, kind, mild, or unharmful: a benign soul wouldn’t hurt a fly.
Benign describes a range of qualities, all ofthem positive. When talking about a person, it means “gentle.” Inreference to weather or climate, it means “mild.” In some othercontexts, it simply means “not harmful”; you might speak of “a benigntumor” or “an environmentally benign chemical.” The word comes from aLatin root benignus meaning “well born,” but the implied meaningis “kind” or “pleasant” — it’s hard to get mad at someone who has abenign disposition.
Bequeath
Bequeath
leave or give by will after one’s death-(v)
My aunt bequeathed me all her jewelry
To bequeath is to leave your possessions toanother person after you die. A man might love his classic cars butwould be happy to bequeath them to his grandsons when he writes out hislast will and testament.
Bequeath often is used about making plans togive away property and possessions after a person’s death: “It wasstrange to leave a house to a one-year-old baby, but he planned what hewould bequeath in his will while he was young, and the baby would be 23 when he finally did die.” Sometimes bequeath is used for things handed down without death, as when living parentsand grandparents pass, or bequeath, a legacy of stories or family traits and talents as an inheritance.
Berate
Berate
censure severely or angrily-(v)
A strong verb for harshly cutting someone down with words is berate. “He didn’t just correct the cashier who gave him the wrong change, he started to berate her, calling her names in front of the whole store.”
When you berate someone it is more than just raising your voice at them; it implies putting them down by insulting their character. Berate comes from the 16th-century English and French for “to scold” or “toblame.” Often the anger behind the scolding seems over-the-top, as in”When the young man behind the counter dropped the scoop of vanilla, the manager berated him excessively by declaring him worthless and weak.”
Bestial
Bestial
resembling a beast; showing lack of human sensibility-(adj)
a bestial nature
- Bestial* sounds like beast, and that is precisely what it means, beast-like. When a human acts like an animal, their behavior is called bestial.
- Bestial* is often used to describe behavior that is primitive or uncivilized. If someone living on a desert island tookto grunting and crawling on all fours searching for bugs in dirt, youcould say she had descended to the bestial.
Bilk
Bilk
cheat somebody out of what is due, especially money-(v)
escape, either physically or mentally-(v)
hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of-(v)
Ever paid a restaurant bill only to discover they charged you for stuff you never had? What they did was bilk you — cheat you out of money that was justly yours. Shady companies are forever bilking their investors.
To bilk someone is slightly different from plainrobbing them, though the effect is the same; it implies a non-violent,subtle and devious method masquerading as legitimate. Bernie Madoff, the Ponzi scheme king, was a classic bilker. On a more enjoyable note, oneof the greatest bilkers in TV history was the appropriately namedSergeant Bilko, played by the comedian Phil Silvers. His eternal cardgames, promotions and get-rich-quick schemes were all designed to partsome poor sucker from their cash. Watch and learn from the master.
Billowing
Billowing
characterized by great swelling waves or surges-(adj)
the restless billowing sea
If you’ve ever seen a space shuttle launch, you probably remember seeing all the white smoke billowing, or swelling and rolling forth, underneath.
You’ll most often see the word billowing when someone is talking about smoke, steam, or the wind blowing through something, like hair or a flag. The word bylgja, from which billow derives, comes from an unusual source for English words: Old Norse.
Blandishment
Blandishment
flattery intended to persuade-(n)
When you hear a blandishment come your way, you may feel flattered, as that’s what a blandisher intends to do. However, beware because that flattery may come with the underlying intention of persuading you to do something!
The noun blandishment is related to the old-fashioned verb blandish meaning “to coax with flattery, or kind words.” A blandishment is often teasing in tone, and the intention to persuade is usually thinlyveiled. Your brother may use a blandishment or two to get you to do hischores, and you’re going to know exactly what he’s after. But the saying “You get more flies with honey” just might hold true if you findyourself taking out the trash when it’s not your turn.
Blasphemy
Blasphemy
blasphemous language (expressing disrespect for God or for something sacred)-(n)
Saying offensive things about God or religion is blasphemy. Blasphemy can be used for offensive ideas in other areas too.
If you’re saying something bad about a god, or takingthe Lord’s name in vain, or questioning a religious institution in anyway, you could be accused of blasphemy — insulting something sacred. You can use this word in a lot of other ways too. At a meeting ofconservatives, a liberal idea could be considered blasphemy (and viceversa). You might even jokingly cry “Blasphemy!” if a friend said yourfavorite ice cream flavor stinks.
Blatant
Blatant
without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious-(adj)
blatant disregard of the law
Something blatant is very obvious and offensive. Don’t get caught in a blatant lie, because you won’t be able to weasel your way out of it.
Blatant acts are done without trying to hide them. This adjective is probably from Latin blaterare “to chatter, croak” or Latin blatīre “to chatter, gossip.” A near synonym is flagrant.
Blighted
Blighted
affected by blight; anything that mars or prevents growth or prosperity-(adj)
a blighted rose
Use the adjective blighted to describe something that has a condition that makes it weak or unable to grow, like a blighted lawn with more brown patches than green.
Language experts can’t agree on the exact origins of the word blighted, but when it entered English in the sixteenth century it was used todescribe a skin condition. Today, you’ll hear the word applied to plants that are affected by a condition that causes them to wither and die,like a blighted tomato crop, or to describe the neglect and decay ofplaces, such as blighted buildings that pose safety hazards.
Blithe
Blithe
carefree and happy and lighthearted-(adj)
was loved for her blithe spirit
The adjective blithe used to mean happy andcarefree, but over time it’s acquired a new understanding of someone who isn’t paying attention the way they should.
If you have a blithe disregard for authority,you might just smile vaguely when a teacher is yelling at you tocontinue writing on the lockers with a Sharpie. If you’re dancing tomusic while driving, and pass blithely through a red light, chances are you will be pulled over and given either a ticket or a talking to.
Blowhard
Blowhard
a very boastful and talkative person-(n)
A blowhard is someone who always brags or boasts about himself. If you get stuck sitting next to your blowhard cousin at the family holiday dinner, you may wish he didn’t think he was quite so amazing.
Blowhard is an informal word describing someone who can’t stop talking about themselves or their accomplishments, realor imagined. You might know a blowhard at school, at work, or even inyour family. And usually everyone knows at least one blowhard sportsfan, who during the game can’t stop talking about the unprecedentedgreatness of his favorite team or player.
Bolster
Bolster
support and strengthen-(v)
a pillow that is often put across a bed underneath the regular pillows-(n)
bolster morale
When you cheer up a friend who’s feeling down, you bolster them. To bolster is to offer support or strengthen.
A bolster is also the name of a long pillow you mightuse to make your back feel better. And the two uses are not dissimilar.When you bolster your friends, you support them and prop them up, justlike the pillow does for your back. When you’re trying to bolster yourcredibility, you find people and/or documents that support you or yourview. Bolster efforts to learn this word!
Boorish
Boorish
ill-mannered and coarse and contemptible in behavior or appearance-(adj)
was boorish and insensitive
If you cousin tells revolting jokes, belches, and smells like he spent the winter in a cave, he could be described as boorish — an adjective used for people with bad manners and a sloppy appearance.
We almost always use the word boorish for men.This may be because it can be traced back to a 13th century word for”herdsman.” Herdsmen spent a lot of time alone with their sheep,sleeping in tents and cooking over open fires, so it was no wonder thatthey didn’t have the same refined manners as city folk. If someoneoffends you by acting boorishly — say, by cutting you off in traffic —you could exclaim, “What a boor!” Just don’t confuse boor with bore: bad manners may be offensive, but they’re rarely boring.
Bourgeois
Bourgeois
(according to Marxist thought) being of the property-owning class and exploitive of the working class-*(adj)* belonging to the middle class-*(adj)* a member of the middle class-*(n)* a capitalist who engages in industrial commercial enterprise-*(n)*
a bourgeois mentality
The adjective bourgeois means relating to or typical of the middle class. If someone says, “Oh, how bourgeois!” it’s probably an insult, meaning you’re preoccupied with middle class small mindedness.
As a noun, a bourgeois is a member of themiddle class, originally a member of the middle class in France. Theword was borrowed from French, from Old French burgeis “citizen of a town,” from borc “town, village,” from Latin burgus “fortress, castle.” The derived word bourgeoisie “the middle class” is a later borrowing from French.
Boycott
Boycott
a group’s refusal to have commercial dealings with some organization in protest against its policies-(n)
refuse to sponsor; refuse to do business with-(v)
To boycott means to stop buying or using the goods or services of a certain company or country as a protest; the noun boycott is the protest itself.
This noun comes from the name of Charles C. Boycott, an English land agent in 19th century Ireland who refused to reducerents for his tenant farmers. As a result, the local residents did notwant to have any dealings with him. Boycotts are an effective way to use your spending dollars to affect change.
Braggart
Braggart
a very boastful and talkative person-(n)
exhibiting self-importance-(adj)
If you know someone who is a real show off and is always bragging about how great they are, then you might call this boaster a braggart.
Braggart is a pejorative word, which means it is used as an insult, so you shouldn’t call your boss or your teacher a braggart — unless you’re looking for trouble. Braggart is similar to other pejoratives like blowhard or bigmouth. Braggarts are characterized by talking loudly (usually in praise ofthemselves, their possessions, or their accomplishments) and are quickto assert their superiority over others.
Brevity
Brevity
the attribute of being brief or fleeting-(n)
The noun brevity means shortness orconciseness. If you give a report on agriculture in the northernhemisphere in 3 minutes, you have done it with incredible brevity.
Brevity comes from brevis, which means”brief” in Latin. You can use brevity for things that are literallyshort, like the brevity of an elevator meeting, or the quality offleetingness, like the brevity of youth. Brevity is also a style ofspeaking or writing with economy. “Brevity is the soul of wit,” remarksPolonius in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” suggesting that witty people knowhow to make a point without unnecessary words.
Broach
Broach
bring up a topic for discussion-(v)
a decorative pin worn by women-(n)
As a verb, broach means to bring up or introduce a sensitive issue. As a noun, a broach is one of those dowdy pins your Great Aunt Edna wears. Telling her not to wear it is a subject you should probably not broach.
Let’s say you want to go on vacation with a friend and you ask your dad because he is more likely to say yes. He will probably tell you that he will broach the subject with your mom and let youknow. In a less common (and older) usage of broach, if you put ahole in something in order to get out what’s inside you broach it. Thepiercing tool you use is also called a broach. Think of piercing someone with your idea the next time you broach a touchy issue.
Brook
Brook
a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)-(n)
put up with something or somebody unpleasant-(v)
A brook is a small stream, as in “burbling brook.” It also a stuffy way of saying “put up with.” The lord of the manor might say, “I will brook no trespassing on my land.”
Brook is tailor-made for talking about what you won’t stand for—it’s always “brook no…” If you brook no criticism of your friend, it means you won’t let people speak ill of her. If you brook no brooks, it means you’vedeveloped a bizarre stream-hating fetish and will spend the rest of your days trying to stop their flow.
Brusque
Brusque
marked by rude or peremptory shortness-(adj)
try to cultivate a less brusque manner
If you ask a salesperson with help finding somethingand all you get in response is a brusque “Everything’s out on theshelves,” you’ll probably take your business elsewhere. A brusque manner of speaking is unfriendly, rude, and very brief.
Brush and brusque are not related, butthey sound similar––when someone is brusque, you often feel that theyare trying to give you the “brush off.” Near synonyms for brusque are curt, short, and gruff. Brusque (pronounced “brusk”) was borrowed from the French word meaning “lively, fierce,” from Italian brusco “coarse, rough.”
Bulwark
Bulwark
an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes-(n)
defend with a bulwark-(v)
A bulwark is a wall built for protection or defense. If you and your pals build a secret fort for girls only, you might want to build a bulwark to surround it — with a “No Boys Allowed” sign posted prominently.
A seawall that runs perpendicular to the shore issometimes called a bulwark, because it defends the beach, not againstinvaders, but against beach erosion. Although the noun bulwark can refer to any fortified wall, it often specifically refers to an earthen wall, like a rampart. As a verb, bulwark means to fortify with a wall or to provide protection: “The volunteers used sandbags to bulwark the levee in an attempt to prevent the flooded river from overflowing its banks.”
Bureaucracy
Bureaucracy
a government that is administered primarily by bureaus that are staffed with nonelective officials-(n)
any organization in which action is obstructed by insistence on unnecessary procedures and red tape-(n)
A bureaucracy is an organization made up ofmany departments and divisions that are administered by lots of people.If you’ve ever had to deal with health insurance or financial aid,you’re familiar with the dark side of bureaucracy.
Bureaucracy has a bad reputation because it has come to mean an organization or government that is chin-deep in redtape and unnecessary procedures. When dealing with a bureaucracy, expect to fill out lots of forms and wait. Bureaucracies are mocked in the hilarious film “Brazil,” where people have mind-numbing jobs they do while sitting at desks. Bureaucracy is an organization administered by people behind desks, or bureaus. Bureaus, get it?
Burgeon
Burgeon
grow and flourish-(v)
The burgeoning administration
Use the verb burgeon to describe somethingthat is growing, expanding, and flourishing. If you have a green thumb,in the spring your flower gardens will burgeon in a cacophony of color. If you don’t have a green thumb, your collection of plastic plants will burgeon.
Although burgeon means to grow and flourish, it doesn’t necessarily have to apply only to plants. Your town can haveburgeoning downtown development. Your tiny retirement account canburgeon into an excellent emergency fund if you invest even a smallamount each month. You may have a burgeoning career as a villain if youoverthrow a planet by using your mind-controlling ray gun on thepopulace.
Burlesque
Burlesque
a theatrical entertainment of broad and earthy humor;consists of comic skits and short turns (and sometimes striptease)-(n)
a composition that imitates or misrepresents somebody’s style, usually in a humorous way-(n)
make a parody of-(v)
relating to or characteristic of a burlesque-(adj)
burlesque theater
In contemporary usage, burlesque is aplayfully nostalgic form of striptease — think fans and feather boasrather than explicit nudity — but this is just the latest form of anironic style of entertainment dating back to medieval times.
Burlesque comes from burla, Spanish for”joke.” Comedy has always been an essential part of burlesque art, butit’s comedy of a particular kind. Burlesque is satirical, and it usesexaggeration that can be extreme. Early examples of burlesque in English literature can be found in the Canterbury Tales. By the eighteenthcentury, the word was used to describe often risqué parodies of seriousoperas or plays. Burlesque became associated with striptease in themusic halls and vaudeville theaters of nineteenth-century America.
Burnish
Burnish
polish and make shiny-(v)
the property of being smooth and shiny-(n)
That seductive gleam on that Porsche behind the dealer’s window? It’s called a burnish, a gloss only achieved by loads of polishing. Likewise, you can burnish resume, by polishing it until it’s perfect.
A caution about usage: burnish in the physical sense is usually reserved for inanimate objects — a woman will not be happy to hear that her appearance is “burnished to perfection.” But your car will thank you. Also, one of the mostcommon non-physical things to be burnished? A reputation. People areforever burnishing them — and its opposite, besmirching them (i.e., making them dirty).
Buttress
Buttress
a support usually of stone or brick; supports the wall of a building-(n)
reinforce with a buttress-(v)
Buttress the church
You can buttress an argument with solid factsor your financial portfolio with safe investments. You may find thatgiving compliments to everyone you meet buttresses your popularity. To buttress is to sustain or reinforce.
A buttress is a structure that adds stabilityto a wall or building, and this innovation played a significant role inthe evolution of architecture. Think of a medieval cathedral. It’s anincredibly tall, open building filled with light from vast windows.Without buttresses supporting the walls and carrying the weight of theceiling away from the building and down to the ground, this cathedralwould be impossible. Picture this when you use buttress figuratively as a verb meaning to strengthen and support.
Cajole
Cajole
influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering - [v]
To cajole someone is to persuade them by using insincere compliments or promises. If you say “Please, pretty-please, I’ll be your best friend,” when asking for a stick of gum, you are cajoling the gum holder.
The origin of this word is probably a blend of two French words meaning “to chatter like a jaybird” and “to lure into a cage.” When you cajole that guy into lending you some money, picture him as the bird going into the cage. In fact, the word cajole may be associated with another French word meaning “to put in jail.”
Caldron
Caldron
a very large pot that is used for boiling - [n]
A caldron is a large cooking pot, often with handles. If you’re planning to cook chili for an entire Super Bowl crowd, it is recommended you use the caldron and not the saucepan.
A famous scene from William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth shows the three witches casting a spell as they add ingredients into a caldron. Each time they add something to the big pot, like eye of newt or lizard’s leg, they repeat the chorus of their spell in unison: “Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and caldron bubble.”
Callow
Callow
young and inexperienced - [adj]
If you’re a rookie or new to something, you could be described as callow — like callow freshmen in high school or the callow receptionist who can’t figure out how to transfer a call.
The word callow comes from the Old English word calu, which meant “bald or featherless.” It was used to describe young, fledgling birds. Over time, the meaning expanded to include young, inexperienced people. You’ll most often see the adjective paired with the noun youth. Think of the callow youth as people who haven’t tested their wings yet.
Candor
Candor
the quality of being honest and straightforward in attitude and speech - [n]ability to make judgments free from discrimination or dishonesty - [n]
Candor usually means the quality of being open, honest, and sincere. If someone tells you they think you are dumb, you might reply with, “While I appreciate your candor, I don’t think we need to be friends anymore.”
The corresponding adjective is candid, as in “I want you to be candid. Do these pants make me look fat?” Candor is from French candeur, from Latin candor, from candēre “to shine, be white.” The color white is associated with purity, which is a now obsolete meaning of candor.
Cant
Cant
a slope in the turn of a road or track; the outside is higher than the inside in order to reduce the effects of centrifugal force - [n]two surfaces meeting at an angle different from 90 degrees - [n]a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves) - [n]insincere talk about religion or morals - [n]
Cant is language repeated so often and so mechanically that it’s essentially empty of meaning. Cant can also mean the specialized jargon of a particular group — like the “cant of piracy” (e.g., Ahoy! Lubber! Arrr!).
Possible sources for cant exist in both Irish Gaelic and Latin, and the meanings of both are similar: caint is “speech,” while cantare is “to sing.” In broader English, the word was first used to mock the singing of monks (who makes fun of monks?). As it evolved, cant became the whining of beggars and then the secret language of thieves, and the negative connotations persist in modern usage. Just think of the clichés and catchphrases parroted by politicians during election season!
Cantankerous
Cantankerous
stubbornly obstructive and unwilling to cooperate - [adj]having a difficult and contrary disposition - [adj]
a cantankerous and venomous-tongued old lady- Dorothy Sayers
If someone is cantankerous he has a difficult disposition. Take care not to throw your ball into the yard of the cantankerous old man down the street — he’ll cuss you out and keep your ball.
The origin of cantankerous is unclear (it may be at least partly from Middle English contek ‘dissension’), but ever since it first appeared in plays from the 1770s, it’s been a popular way to describe someone who is quarrelsome and disagreeable. It is usually applied to people, but stubborn animals like mules are also described as cantankerous. Events can be cantankerous too, like a cantankerous debate. Some synonyms are cranky, bad-tempered, irritable, irascible.
Capacious
Capacious
large in capacity - [adj]
she carried a capacious bag
When something is really big and holds a lot it is capacious, like a woman’s capacious purse that is so big, people mistake it for a piece of luggage.
Have you ever seen a Fourth of July hot dog eating contest? As you watch people wolf down 60 or more hot dogs in a matter of minutes, you must be thinking, “Where do they put all that food?” Well, it helps to have a capacious stomach. The suffix -ous adds “full of” to capacity; capacious is literally “full of capacity.” If something is capacious, it has plenty of extra room.
Capitulate
Capitulate
surrender under agreed conditions - [v]
Capitulate means to give in to something. “The teachers didn’t want to have class outside, but the students begged so hard, she capitulated.”
Because capitulate relates to the military, and Romans were all about their military, Latin has a lot to say about this word. In Latin, caput means head, capitulum little head. Think with this word how, at the end of a battle, someone bows their head in defeat, and often that is when heads roll.
Cardinal
Cardinal
a variable color averaging a vivid red - [n]serving as an essential component - [adj]being or denoting a numerical quantity but not order - [adj](Roman Catholic Church) one of a group of more than 100 prominent bishops in the Sacred College who advise the Pope and elect new Popes - [n]
a cardinal rule
cardinal numbers
In Catholicism, a cardinal is a high-ranking bishop. In math, you use cardinal numbers to count. A cardinal rule is one that is central and should not be broken.
Okay, that’s a lot of definitions. How exactly are they related? In all cases, cardinal means central or essential. It’s a cardinal principle that you use it to describe words of behavior like rule or sin. In the Church, cardinals form the central governing body, and in math the cardinal numbers (one, two, three) are the numbers you learn and use first.
Carping
Carping
persistent petty and unjustified criticism - [n]
Carping is petty and unjustified criticism that just won’t stop. People who find fault with you at every turn, who appreciate nothing and complain, complain, complain, are carping. Enough already!
Your annoying aunt Mildred who constantly picks on you, listing all the things she thinks are wrong about the way you dress, the style of your hair, who you’re dating, and where you’re working? She’s carping. Carping can also be used as an adjective, to describe someone who is overly critical and impossible to please — like that carping food critic who ruined the debut of your new restaurant.
Carrion
Carrion
the dead and rotting body of an animal; unfit for human food - [n]
The noun carrion refers to the dead and rotting flesh of an animal. Ever seen a dead opossum or cat in the road? You can call that road kill carrion.
The word carrion comes from a Latin word caro, which means “meat,” but carrion is usually considered unfit for human consumption. Birds of prey and other opportunistic animals will often have carrion as part of their diet, however. Sometimes the word carrion is used a little more metaphorically: “The soldiers were unable to retrieve the bodies of their fallen brothers, so they were left on the field of battle like so much carrion.”
Cartographer
Cartographer
a person who makes maps - [n]
Unless you’re the one guy in America who actually asks for directions, you’ve probably broken down and used a map at some point in your life. The cartographer is the person you should thank for getting you un-lost — the mapmaker.
A cartographer is a person who creates maps, whether they’re of the world, the local bus routes, or buried pirate treasure. It comes to us from the Latin word charta-, which means tablet or leaf of paper, and the Greek word graphein, meaning to write or draw. These days, a cartographer doesn’t have to work on paper––it’s all computers, making electronic maps as part of GPS software. Technically, a cartographer can make charts, too.
Catharsis
Catharsis
purging the body by the use of a cathartic to stimulate evacuation of the bowels - [n](psychoanalysis) purging of emotional tensions - [n]
Use the noun, catharsis, to refer to the experience a person can have of releasing emotional tension and feeling refreshed afterwards.
Conceived by Aristotle as the cleansing effect of emotional release that tragic drama has on its audience, catharsis stems from a Greek verb meaning “to purify, purge.” Today, it can be used to describe any emotional release, including a good long laugh or cry that is followed by a sense of balance and freshness afterwards.
Caucus
Caucus
meet to select a candidate or promote a policy - [v]a closed political meeting - [n]
The noun caucus is a closed meeting of members from the same political party. The Iowa caucuses get a lot of attention during the presidential primary season.
Who knows how we got the noun caucus? One theory is that it comes from an Algonquin word that means an elder or leader of the tribe. Another theory is that the word comes from a social and political club in Boston in the 1700s that was perhaps named for the Greek word for drinking cup. However the word slipped into American English, today it refers to a closed political meeting, often used to choose party leaders.
Caulk
Caulk
a waterproof filler and sealant that is used in building and repair to make watertight - [n]seal with caulking - [v]
caulk the window
- Caulk* is the sealant. It comes in a tube and is used commonly by plumbers and carpenters trying to seal up cracks where air or water might push through. When a plumber caulks a tub, he’s applying caulk to its seams to make it watertight.
- Caulk* can be used to describe both the process of applying caulk and the sealant itself. The word caulk comes from the Old Northern French cauquer, meaning “to press down.” After you lay the caulk down over the seam you press it down by either running your finger over it or using a specific tool to force the caulk to settles into the hole you’re trying to cover.
Caustic
Caustic
of a substance, especially a strong acid; capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action - [adj]harsh or corrosive in tone - [adj]any chemical substance that burns or destroys living tissue - [n]
caustic jokes about political assassination, talk-show hosts and medical ethics
Use the adjective caustic to describe any chemical that is able to burn living tissue or other substances, or, figuratively, a statement that has a similarly burning effect. Caustic in this sense means harshly critical.
In the chemical sense, a near synonym is corrosive. In the figurative sense, near synonyms are biting, scathing, and sarcastic. The source of the word caustic is Latin causticus, from Greek kaustikos, from kaiein “to burn.”
Cavalcade
Cavalcade
a procession of people traveling on horseback - [n]
If you are traveling with a procession of people on horseback, you are part of a cavalcade.
The word cavalcade comes from the Latin word for horse, caballus. The word cavalry, which means soldiers on horseback, comes from the same Latin root. So strictly speaking, a cavalcade is group of people on horseback or in horse-drawn carriages, moving together in some kind of ceremony or parade. But cavalcades can include vehicles or people walking, like the motorcycle cavalcades that sometimes accompany a funeral procession.
Celerity
Celerity
a rate that is rapid - [n]
While it looks a lot like celery, celerity means something that vegetables are not — fast moving. Gossip often travels with celerity, as do children trying to get to a big plate of cookies.
When you see the word celerity, think accelerate, like a car when you step on the gas. Both words share the Latin root celer which means swift. You may want to study for exams with celerity, but using a slower, more methodical approach will often yield better results.
Censorious
Censorious
harshly critical or expressing censure - [adj]
was censorious of petty failings
- Censorious*, an adjective, describes people who are so critical, they find something wrong in everything. Do not let censorious guests come to your next dinner party!
- Censorious*, pronounced “sen-SOAR-ee-us,” comes from the Latin word censura, meaning “judgment.” Someone who is censorious judges everyone and everything, ruining everyone’s good time with harsh criticisms. The sky is too blue. Your dog is too friendly. The zebra has too many stripes. You get the idea. A censorious person makes others say, “So…is there anything you do like?”
Censure
Censure
harsh criticism or disapproval - [n]the state of being excommunicated - [n]rebuke formally - [v]
Censure is a noun referring to very strong criticism; the verb means to criticize very strongly. If you take your dad’s car without telling him, you can expect him to censure you severely, and maybe even ground you as well.
The noun and verb are most closely associated with official expressions of disapproval, as when Congress censures a senator. The noun is from Latin cēnsūra “censorship,” from cēnsor “an ancient Roman censor.” The job of a Roman censor was to take the census and to supervise public morals and behavior. Our English word censor––which means to suppress speech or other forms of expression––is from this Latin word.
Centrifuge
Centrifuge
an apparatus that uses centrifugal force to separate particles from a suspension - [n]rotate at very high speed in order to separate the liquids from the solids - [v]
That ride at the fair that spins you around until you stick to the walls? The device in your washing machine that spins your clothes around quickly to get the water out of them? Those are centrifuges.
Centrifuges are used mostly in science. In this application, centrifugal force — the force from spinning that moves things away from the center — separates liquids that have different weights. For example, a centrifuge is used to separate blood cells from plasma cells. When the blood is spun in the centrifuge, the heavier plasma cells separate from the lighter blood cells, and can be collected for other uses.
Centurion
Centurion
(ancient Rome) the leader of 100 soldiers - [n]
A centurion is a kind of soldier in the Roman army responsible for the command of a century, or one hundred, men.
Centurion lives on in common language as the typical Roman soldier––countless generations of fifth graders have been asked to sketch their costumes. Their resilience in popular imagination may be ascribed to the role the centurion soldiers played in the Christian gospel story of the life of Jesus Christ.
Cerebral
Cerebral
of or relating to the cerebrum or brain - [adj]involving intelligence rather than emotions or instinct - [adj]
cerebral hemisphere
cerebral activity
a cerebral approach to the problem
If you are a cerebral person, no one would ever call you a drama queen. You make decisions using your intelligence and cold, hard facts, instead of your emotions.
The word cerebral gets its meaning from cerebrum, which is Latin for brain. Cerebral people use their brains instead of their hearts. The cerebrum is a particular section of the brain, and anything related to that part is also cerebral, like in medicine. A cerebral hemorrhage, for example, means a hemorrhage has occurred in the brain — a phrase you’d never want to hear coming from a doctor.
Certitude
Certitude
total certainty or greater certainty than circumstances warrant - [n]
If you’re absolutely convinced your team is going to the Super Bowl, you state it with certitude or confidence.
Your team didn’t make it? Oh dear, you were guilty of certitude — an absolute conviction that the outcome of the game did not support. In other words, you were a tad cocky. Certitude is very similar to certainty, and often used interchangeably, but there’s a hint of danger about certitude; someone who displays it may well be overconfident. Certainty is more certain.
Charlatan
Charlatan
a flamboyant deceiver; one who attracts customers with tricks or jokes - [n]
A charlatan is a quack, a person who is trying to deceive you with false claims. Beware of charlatans who try to sell you access to the fountain of youth or to a Ponzi scheme disguised as an exclusive investment fund.
A charlatan is one who pretends to possess knowledge he or she lacks. From the 16th century Italian ciarlatano “a quack,” the usage of charlatan has not shifted much. Other words for charlatan are impostor, cheat, or pretender. Charlatans are marked by the elaborate schemes they cook up. Russian playwright Anton Chekhov said, “No psychologist should pretend to understand what he does not understand…Only fools and charlatans know everything and understand nothing.”
Chary
Chary
characterized by great caution and wariness - [adj]
chary of the risks involved
a chary investor
Being chary (pronounced CHAIR-ee) is being wary or cautious. If you lost two teeth in last year’s rugby season, you should be chary of signing up again this year.
Chary comes from the Old English word cearig for “sorrowful, careful,” which is basically what you are if you’re chary. If you’re a little suspicious of something and mulling it over, you’re being chary. A synonym of chary is wary, and both include caution, but some definitions suggest that it’s obvious when someone is wary — it shows — while being chary is more of an inside, or hidden, distrust.
Chauvinist
Chauvinist
a person with a prejudiced belief in the superiority of his or her own kind - [n]an extreme bellicose nationalist - [n]
A chauvinist is someone who blindly and enthusiastically believes in the superiority of his cause or people. If you grew up in New York and refuse to eat at any pizzeria beyond a five-mile radius of the Empire State Building, you could be described as a New York pizza chauvinist.
The word chauvinist comes from Nicholas Chauvin, a French soldier — probably fictional — who was so devoted to Napoleon that he continued to zealously support the emperor even after Napoleon rejected him. The put-down male chauvinist pig describes a man who believes that women are not as intelligent or worthy of respect as men. Often when we hear the word chauvinist, we think of arrogant men.
Chicanery
Chicanery
the use of tricks to deceive someone (usually to extract money from them) - [n]
Have you ever gotten the sense that politicians or corporate leaders will say anything to turn public opinion their way? This tricky kind of deceit and manipulation is called chicanery.
Besides chicanery, another funny-sounding word for trickery is shenanigans. Whereas the former is always used in the singular and involves deceptive language, the latter is usually used in the plural and refers to the actions of a person. Your crazy neighbor is up to his old shenanigans if he has begun doing weird stuff again, but if a politician’s chicanery is exposed, he will lose public trust and not be returned to office in the next election cycle.
Chimerical
Chimerical
being or relating to or like a chimera - [adj]produced by a wildly fanciful imagination - [adj]
his Utopia is not a chimerical commonwealth but a practical improvement on what already exists- Douglas Bush
Use the adjective chimerical to describe something that is wildly fanciful or imaginative — like the chimerical illustrations of unicorns in a children’s book.
A chimera was a fire-breathing monster from Greek mythology made from three different animals: a lion at its head, a goat in the middle, and a serpent at the end. The first surviving mention of the beast is in Homer’s The Iliad. From this fantastical creature, English created the adjective chimerical to describe wild figments of the imagination.
Choleric
Choleric
characterized by anger - [adj]quickly aroused to anger - [adj]easily moved to anger - [adj]
a choleric outburst
“men of the choleric type take to kicking and smashing”- H.G.Wells
Are you easy to tick off? Known to have a short fuse? Then, you could be described as choleric. Don’t worry; it’s not a disease related to cholera. Choleric just means you’re testy and irritable.
Before the advent of modern medicine, most folks believed that health and disease were the result of the balance of “humors” in the body. If you were quick to anger, you were thought to have too much choler in your system. You were called choleric. W. C. Fields, Richard Nixon, and Ebinezer Scrooge are just a few people famous for being choleric, easy to tick off.
Chronic
Chronic
being long-lasting and recurrent or characterized by long suffering - [adj]of long duration - [adj]habitual - [adj]
chronic indigestion
a chronic shortage of funds
a chronic invalid
If you smoke a cigarette once, you’ve simply made a bad choice. But if you’re a chronic smoker, you’ve been smoking for a long time and will have a hard time stopping.
The word chronic is used to describe things that occur over a long period of time and, in fact, comes from the Greek word for time, khronos. If you have chronic asthma, it is a recurring health issue for you. No one likes a chronic liar! A problem that cannot be solved can also be called chronic - think of the chronic food shortages in certain parts of the world.
Circuitous
Circuitous
deviating from a straight course - [adj]marked by obliqueness or indirection in speech or conduct - [adj]
a long and circuitous journey by train and boat
the explanation was circuitous and puzzling
- Circuitous* means indirect or roundabout. If you’re in a hurry to get to the hospital where your wife is having a baby, you want to take the straightest, fastest way, not a circuitous one!
- Circuitous* comes from the Latin word circuitus meaning basically “a going around.” If you’re being circuitous it’s like you’re going around and around in circles. It can also refer to someone’s manner or speech, if they are not being direct. For example, if you want someone to get you another piece of cake but just you sit there looking longingly at your empty plate, saying “More cake sure would be nice,” then you’re being circuitous. And annoying.
Circumlocution
Circumlocution
an indirect way of expressing something - [n]a style that involves indirect ways of expressing things - [n]
- Circumlocution* is a long, complicated word which means a long, complicated way of expressing something. To cut to the chase, circumlocution means to beat around the bush.
- Circumlocution* comes from the Latin words circum, “circle,” and loqui, “to speak.” So circumlocution is speaking in circles, going round and round in a wordy way without ever getting to the heart of the matter. It’s an evasive style of argument, best employed when you really don’t want to say what’s on your mind.
Circumscribe
Circumscribe
to draw a geometric figure around another figure so that the two are in contact but do not intersect - [v]restrict or confine, “I limit you to two visits to the pub a day” - [v]
To circumscribe is to limit or restrict. If you spend too much time watching TV instead of fulfilling other obligations, you might circumscribe your TV-watching time to one hour daily (or two hours, if your favorite show is on).
Circumscribe comes from the Latin words circum, meaning “around,” and scribere, meaning “to write.” If the word circumscribe causes you to think of geometry class, give yourself a pat on the back. In geometry, circumscribe means to draw one geometric figure around another figure so that the two figures touch but don’t intersect. If you studied geometry but this sounds unfamiliar, perhaps you should have taken our advice about watching too much TV.
Circumspect
Circumspect
heedful of potential consequences - [adj]
circumspect actions
physicians are now more circumspect about recommending its use
If you are circumspect, you think carefully before doing or saying anything. A good quality in someone entrusted with responsibility, though sometimes boring in a friend.
The word circumspect was borrowed from Latin circumspectus, from circumspicere “to be cautious.” The basic meaning of Latin circumspicere is “to look around.” Near synonyms are prudent and cautious, though circumspect implies a careful consideration of all circumstances and a desire to avoid mistakes and bad consequences.
Circumvent
Circumvent
surround so as to force to give up - [v]avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues) - [v]beat through cleverness and wit - [v]
To circumvent is to avoid. Someone who trains elephants but somehow gets out of picking up after them has found a way to circumvent the cleaning of the circus tent.
Circum in Latin means “around” or “round about,” and vent- comes from venire, “to come,” but painting a picture from these two parts of the word helps. Picture someone circling around a barrier instead of climbing over it. That’s what you do when you circumvent. You find a smart way around rules or barriers, or avoid doing something unpleasant altogether.
Clairvoyant
Clairvoyant
someone who has the power of clairvoyance - [n]perceiving things beyond the natural range of the senses - [adj]foreseeing the future - [adj]
If you can predict the future, you may want to keep your clairvoyant powers to yourself. Otherwise everyone will be knocking down your door asking for the next winning lotto numbers.
A clairvoyant individual is believed to possess psychic abilities or a higher level of insight than other humans who can only use the regular old five senses. Through dreams, visions, Ouija boards and crystal balls, they can see what happens in the future. But before 1851, clairvoyant didn’t have the same mystical meaning that it does today — it merely meant a clear-sighted person.
Clamor
Clamor
utter or proclaim insistently and noisily - [v]make loud demands - [v]compel someone to do something by insistent clamoring - [v]loud and persistent outcry from many people - [n]a loud harsh or strident noise - [n]
The delegates clamored their disappointment
he clamored for justice and tolerance
They clamored the mayor into building a new park
To clamor is to make a demand — LOUDLY. It’s usually a group that clamors — like Americans might clamor for comprehensive health care coverage.
The noun clamor is often used specifically to describe a noisy outcry from a group of people, but more generally, the word means any loud, harsh sound. You could describe the clamor of sirens in the night or the clamor of the approaching subway in the tunnel.
Clandestine
Clandestine
conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods - [adj]
clandestine intelligence operations
Pick the adjective, clandestine, to describe something that is done in secret, like your clandestine attempts to steal your brother’s Halloween candy.
Clandestine, an adjective imported from Latin, describes a secret, usually illegal activity. Often these things have to do with political and spy organizations. The CIA might run a clandestine operation to infiltrate terrorist organizations. Words with similar meanings include secret; covert, used especially for military matters; undercover, common in espionage; and surreptitious which emphasizes a person’s efforts to keep something secret.
Clemency
Clemency
leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice - [n]good weather with comfortable temperatures - [n]
Say you’re playing a role-playing game and you end up in one of the other player’s dungeons. You could try begging him for clemency — compassion shown by people in power towards people who rebel or break the law.
Clemency is also a weather word, though nowadays it’s much more common to hear people talk about “inclement weather” than, say, “the clemency of the storm.” Derived from the Latin for “gentle”, it came into usage in the 1550s. If you have trouble remembering its meaning, get rid of the “cle” and replace the “n” with an “r”. You’re left with “mercy”, which more or less means the same thing.
Clientele
Clientele
customers collectively - [n]
they have an upper class clientele
Your customers are your clientele. If you own a pet food store, your clientele might be two-footed and four-pawed.
The noun clientele is often preceded by an adjective to describe the exact type of customer. Little boutiques in upscale neighborhoods probably cater to an exclusive clientele, while the kids’ hair salon might have Barney on video to keep the young clientele motionless in their chairs. Regardless of business type, you are always trying to please the clientele.
Coalesce
Coalesce
fuse or cause to grow together - [v]mix together different elements - [v]
Waiting for a plan to come together? You’re waiting for it to coalesce. Coalesce is when different elements of something join together and become one.
In coalesce, you see co-, which should tell you the word means “together.” The other half of the word, alesce, appears in expressions having to do with growth. So if you are trying to start up a photography club at school, once you have an advisor, some interested students and support from the administration, things will be coalescing or growing together. Another way to remember that? An adolescent is one who is growing. A lot!
Coda
Coda
the closing section of a musical composition - [n]
A coda is a concluding segment of a piece of music, a dance, or a statement. It’s usually short and adds a final embellishment beyond a natural ending point. Like this.
Coda comes from the Italian word couda, and it’s good to think of it as a tail tacked onto something that in and of itself is already a whole. If you tell a story about your crazy experience getting lost in the country and sleeping at a farmer’s house, you might add, as a coda, that the farmer ended up visiting you too, a year later.
Coddle
Coddle
cook in nearly boiling water - [v]treat with excessive indulgence - [v]
coddle eggs
While it is okay for parents to coddle, spoil, or pamper a young child, it’s a little unnerving when parents coddle, or pamper adult children. And downright weird when adult children wear Pampers.
Coddle is an old word. Originally, it meant to cook gently in water that is near boiling, as in coddling an egg. It most likely gained its association with pampering and taking care of someone via a drink made for invalids that was prepared by coddling. Mollycoddle, a synonym for coddle, originally meant a person who coddles himself, or an effeminate man.
Coercion
Coercion
using force to cause something to occur - [n]the act of compelling by force of authority - [n]
they didn’t have to use coercion
- Coercion* is making something happen by force, like when bullies use coercion to make kids give them their lunch money.
- Coercion* can be a threat, “The shady lawyer uses coercion when he threatens to get the waiter fired if he doesn’t rat out his boss,” or it can be actual brute force, as when the gangster breaks the messenger’s leg to keep her from talking to the police. The police might use coercion, too, to get a confession. The prefix co- is derived from the Latin word for “together.” So you can’t use coercion on yourself; you need someone else to force into doing something.
Cogent
Cogent
powerfully persuasive - [adj]
a cogent argument
When you make a cogent argument, it means your argument is clear and persuasive. In these days of 24-hour entertainment news and sound-bite sized explanations of complex government policy, it’s hard to find a cogent argument amidst all the emotional outbursts.
Cogent comes from a Latin word meaning to drive together, so cogent thinking is well-organized: it hangs together. If you try to convince your mayor to build a new park by saying that playgrounds are good, seeing the sky is nice, and raccoons are cool…well that’s not a cogent argument; it’s just random. But you could cogently argue that parks contribute to civic happiness by providing space for exercise, community, and encounters with nature.
Cogitate
Cogitate
consider carefully and deeply; reflect upon; turn over in one’s mind - [v]use or exercise the mind or one’s power of reason in order to make inferences, decisions, or arrive at a solution or judgments - [v]
- Cogitate* is a fancy was of saying think hard on. If you spend a lot of time figuring out exactly how your French teacher does her hair, you are cogitating in order to avoid conjugating.
- Cogitate* can be used both transitively or intransitively, which means you can cogitate on something, like your history project or your why your computer never seems to work the way you want it to. Or you can simply sit in your room and cogitate.
Cognitive
Cognitive
of or being or relating to or involving cognition - [adj]
- *cognitive** psychology
- *cognitive** style
If it’s related to thinking, it’s considered cognitive. Anxious parents might defend using flashcards with toddlers as “nurturing their cognitive development.”
The adjective, cognitive, comes from the Latin cognoscere “to get to know” and refers to the ability of the brain to think and reason as opposed to feel. A child’s cognitive development is the growth in his or her ability to think and solve problems. Many English words that involve knowing and knowledge have cogn- in them such as cognizant “aware of” and recognize “to know someone in the present because you knew them from the past.”
Colander
Colander
bowl-shaped strainer; used to wash or drain foods - [n]
Most cooks would agree that a colander is an essential piece of equipment for even the most basic kitchen. It’s a bowl, usually made of plastic or metal, with holes in it to allow liquid to drain away from the food.
Colanders are used for draining anything — for instance, if you’re washing fruit, a colander would make the job quick and easy. If you’re cooking pasta, you toss the pasta into a pot of boiling water, then when it’s cooked, you pour the contents of the pot through a colander, and what’s left behind in the colander, drained and ready to eat, is the pasta.
Collage
Collage
a paste-up made by sticking together pieces of paper or photographs to form an artistic image - [n]any collection of diverse things - [n]
he used his computer to make a collage of pictures superimposed on a map
a collage of memories
Have you ever cut out a bunch of pictures from magazines and pasted them together to make a big picture? If you have, you have made a collage.
Collage came to English through French from the Greek word for glue, kolla, about 100 years ago. A collage is not only made from magazine pictures. In the world of fine art, it refers to a work made with various small objects sometimes with paint sometimes without. The word can also be used to mean a collection of different things. If it’s very loud in your house, you might come home to a collage of sounds from the dog, the TV, your mom on the phone and your brother on the guitar. Years after you graduate, high school might just seem like a collage of memories.
Colloquial
Colloquial
characteristic of informal spoken language or conversation - [adj]
wrote her letters in a colloquial style
Colloquial language is casual and conversational: it’s the difference between “What are you going to do?” and “Whatchagonnado?”
The word colloquial comes from the Latin word colloquium, which means “speaking together.” The roots are the prefix com-, which means “together,” and the suffix -loqu, which means “speak.” Some may think that colloquial language is not good, when in fact it may just not be appropriate for the context. While it is OK to be colloquial and chatty with friends, it is not acceptable to be colloquial in an essay for school or work.
Commandeer
Commandeer
take arbitrarily or by force - [v]
The Cubans commandeered the plane and flew it to Miami
What is that person doing, interrupting everyone and changing the subject every minute? He is trying to commandeer, or take control, of the conversation.
You can probably tell from the look of the word that commandeer is somehow related to commander in meaning. A commander is someone who is officially in charge, giving orders and making decisions for a group such as a nation or a military. Many groups don’t have a commander, but this doesn’t stop some people from trying to take charge. If you commandeer something — whether it’s a car or a conversation — you use force to try to take over.
Commensurate
Commensurate
corresponding in size or degree or extent - [adj]
pay should be commensurate with the time worked
The word commensurate has to do with things that are similar in size and therefore appropriate. Many people think the death penalty is a commensurate punishment for murder. In other words, the penalty fits the crime.
When things are commensurate, they’re fair, appropriate, and the right size. If you got a ticket for jaywalking, you shouldn’t get ten years in prison — that penalty is not commensurate with the crime. The word commensurate is usually followed by with or to; one thing is commensurate with or to another.
Compliant
Compliant
disposed or willing to comply - [adj]
children compliant with the parental will
If you are willing to submit to someone’s request, then you are compliant. Parents like it when their teenagers are compliant and follow the rules. Teenagers, on the other hand, are probably not as compliant as parents would like to think!
The adjective compliant can also describe something that is agreeable. “The lawyers made sure that the man’s will was fully compliant with state law, so that his children could not contest his desire to leave his entire estate to his dog, Fluffy.” Or: “That software is not compliant with your operating system; you’ll have to buy a different version.”
Concatenate
Concatenate
add by linking or joining so as to form a chain or series - [v]combine two strings to form a single one - [v]
- *concatenate** terms
- *concatenate** characters
Did you just link together several memories of your brother to form one longer story for his wedding toast? If so, you concatenated without knowing it! That’s because concatenate means to link things together to form a series or chain.
In truth, the word concatenate is really a mouthful. It’s hard to imagine anyone using it when they could use a synonym, such as link for the verb form and linked for the adjective form, just as well. But if you’re looking to impress with big words, try it out! To understand the situation in the Middle East, you have to concatenate the events of the past 50 years. You can tell others about that book you really love which is really a concatenate series of related poems.
Concise
Concise
expressing much in few words - [adj]
a concise explanation
If something is concise, it’s short and gets right to the point. A concise edition of your diary might be 50 pages of the most important entries.
Concise comes from the Latin word concidere, which means to cut down. When we use concise, we’re talking about words that have been cut down. There are no concise trees, but there are concise works of political philosophy. A concise Italian-English dictionary, is shorter than an unabridged one. If you’re good at quick explanations, you have a concise manner. A good synonym is succinct.
Condescend
Condescend
behave in a patronizing and condescending manner - [v]treat condescendingly - [v]do something that one considers to be below one’s dignity - [v]debase oneself morally, act in an undignified, unworthy, or dishonorable way - [v]
A snooty waiter might condescend to serve you dinner at a fancy restaurant, meaning that he’d consider himself far too important to carry out the mundane task of delivering your hamburger and fries.
You might have noticed that condescend contains the word descend, meaning to move down from a higher place. You can think of condescend as lowering yourself to do a task that you feel is far beneath you. Kings and queens would never condescend to do their own laundry at the palace, for example. If they even knew how to do the laundry, you can be sure they’d do it in a condescending, or superior, way to let everyone know that housework is no task for a monarch.
Condone
Condone
excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with - [v]
She condoned her husband’s occasional infidelities
If you condone something, you allow it, approve of it, or at least can live with it. Some teachers condone chewing gum, and some don’t.
Things that are condoned are allowed, even if everyone isn’t exactly thrilled about it. People often say, “I don’t condone what he did, but I understand it.” Condoning is like excusing something. People seem to talk more about things they don’t condone than things they do condone. Your mom might say, “I don’t condone you staying up till 10, but I know you need to read.” That’s a way of giving approval and not giving approval at the same time.
Conflagration
Conflagration
a very intense and uncontrolled fire - [n]
A conflagration isn’t just a few flames; it’s an especially large and destructive fire that causes devastation.
That tiny campfire that somehow turned into a raging forest inferno? You could call that intense, uncontrolled blaze a conflagration. Mrs. O’Leary’s cow knew a thing or two about conflagrations: It was that unknowing animal that kicked over a kerosene lamp in the night, setting the O’Leary’s barn on fire and sending four square miles of the Windy City into that blistering conflagration known as the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.
Confound
Confound
be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly - [v]mistake one thing for another - [v]
If you have an identical twin, you’ve probably tried dressing alike so that people confound you with, or mistake you for, one another. You’ve also probably learned that, unfortunately, this trick doesn’t work on your mom.
The verb confound means both “to mistake” and “to confuse.” If you decide to treat yourself to a delicious dessert, you might find yourself confounded by the overwhelming number of choices. If you end up ordering the chocolate cake but the waiter brings you chocolate mousse, the waiter has somehow confounded those two options. Another meaning you may come across in literature is “to damn,” as in “Confound it! You are the most exasperating person on the planet.”
Congeal
Congeal
become gelatinous - [v]
Congeal means to jell — to solidify or become gelatinous. Sounds gross? But wiggly Jell-O is actually congealed liquid, so it can’t be that bad, right?
This word comes to us from the Old French word congeler, which means “to freeze.” So when something congeals it goes from liquid to solid form, almost like freezing. No one usually likes congealed anything — whether it’s chunkified old soup in the fridge or dried blood on a wound. See? Pretty gross. Jell-O is about as good as congealed gets!
Congenital
Congenital
present at birth but not necessarily hereditary; acquired during fetal development - [adj]
- Congenital* refers to something present at birth but not necessarily inherited from the parents. Babies with heart disorders developed in utero can live long and productive lives, in spite of their congenital birth defect.
- Congenital* derives from the Latin genus, to beget. Something that is present at one’s begetting, during fetal development, or at birth is congenital. Fetal alcohol syndrome, which develops in fetuses if their mothers are drinking heavily while pregnant, is a congenital disorder. You might also use congenital to describe something seemingly inborn “a congenital sense of humor,” or a “congenital faith.”
Congruent
Congruent
corresponding in character or kind - [adj]coinciding when superimposed - [adj]
The adjective, congruent fits when two shapes are the same in shape and size. If you lay two congruent triangles on each other, they would match up exactly.
Congruent comes from the Latin verb congruere “to come together, correspond with.” Figuratively, the word describes something that is similar in character or type. Are your actions congruent with your values? If a friend says something outrageous that you don’t want to agree with but don’t want to disagree with either, say that your friend’s idea is congruent with what you think. That way you can agree with him but change your mind later if you have to.
Connoisseur
Connoisseur
an expert able to appreciate a field; especially in the fine arts - [n]
A connoisseur is a person who, through study and interest, has a fine appreciation for something, like the connoisseur who can identify the clarinet player on a jazz recording by the sound of his inhalations alone.
A connoisseur is an authority in his field, someone who has expert knowledge and training, especially in the arts. A connoisseur may also be someone with an extremely developed sense of taste, like the connoisseur who can identify rare wine by a flavor others can’t even detect. Then again, some people call themselves connoisseurs of just about anything they like — pizza, old vinyl albums, even cartoons — because they know so much about it.
Conscript
Conscript
enroll into service compulsorily - [v]someone who is drafted into military service - [n]
The men were conscripted
If you’re ever drafted into the Turkish army, then you could be called a conscript, someone who is forced to join the military.
At the root of conscript is the Latin word conscriptus, meaning enroll. Conscript does involve enrollment — but it’s a forced enrollment, used to describe someone who has been forced to join the military, such as someone who has been drafted. As a verb, conscript means “force to join,” like a military that conscripts new soldiers. In contrast, those who choose to join are recruited; when they enter the service, they enlist.
Consecrate
Consecrate
give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause - [v]dedicate to a deity by a vow - [v]render holy by means of religious rites - [v]appoint to a clerical posts - [v]solemnly dedicated to or set apart for a high purpose - [adj]
consecrate your life to the church
Consecrate means to make holy or to dedicate to a higher purpose. You need to consecrate a building to turn it into a church, but you can also consecrate a week in New York City to the pursuit of the perfect bagel.
The secr part of consecrate comes from the Latin sacer “sacred.” Remember that something consecrated is dedicated to God and thus sacred. And then remember that the meanings of words tend to stretch; over time this one moved from “dedicated to God” to “dedicated to whatever”: jelly donuts, the perfect tan, finding a solution to Rubik’s Cube.
Consensus
Consensus
agreement in the judgment or opinion reached by a group as a whole - [n]
the lack of consensus reflected differences in theoretical positions
those rights and obligations are based on an unstated consensus
When there’s a consensus, everyone agrees on something. If you’re going to a movie with friends, you need to reach a consensus about which movie everyone wants to see.
Ever notice how people disagree about just about everything, from who’s the best baseball player to how high taxes should be? Whenever there’s disagreement, there’s no consensus: consensus means everyone is on the same page. When you’re talking about all the people in the world, it’s hard to find a consensus on anything. There are just too many opinions. However, in a smaller group, reaching a consensus is possible.
Consummate
Consummate
having or revealing supreme mastery or skill - [adj]fulfill sexually - [v]
a consummate artist
- *consummate** skill
- *consummate** happiness
If a restaurant is a consummate example of fine dining, you might say there’s nothing more to say about fine dining that what this restaurant represents. Consummate means complete or finished.
Consummate can be used to describe something good or bad: consummate joy, a consummate liar. To consummate means to bring something to completion, but it often refers specifically to making a marriage complete by having sexual relations. The adjective is pronounced KÄN-sə-mit, but the verb is pronounced KÄN-sə-māt.
Contentious
Contentious
inclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree, even to engage in law suits - [adj]involving or likely to cause controversy - [adj]
a style described as abrasive and contentious“a central and contentious element of the book”- Tim W.Ferfuson
A contentious issue is one that people are likely to argue about, and a contentious person is someone who likes to argue or fight.
Some issues — like abortion, the death penalty, and gun control — are very controversial. They’re also contentious, because people tend to argue about them, and the arguments will probably go on forever. Contentious issues get people angry and in a fighting mood. On the other hand, some people always seem to be in a fighting mood, no matter what the issue is. People like that are contentious too.
Contiguous
Contiguous
having a common boundary or edge; abutting; touching - [adj]connecting without a break; within a common boundary - [adj]very close or connected in space or time - [adj]
Utah and the contiguous state of Idaho
the contiguous 48 states
contiguous events
Use the adjective contiguous when you want to describe one thing touching another thing, or next to it but not actually touching.
Things that are contiguous are near or next to but not actually touching and yet they are also defined as “touching, sharing a border.” You can use this adjective to describe people or things related to and nearby others. It comes from the Latin word contiguus, which means pretty much the same thing, “bordering upon.” Because the word has two meanings that are very similar but not always the same it can be a bit confusing. This is an example of what’s called “semantic ambiguity,” when something can mean more than one thing or a word or phrase is not precise.
Contrite
Contrite
feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses - [adj]
We are sorry to inform you that the adjective contrite means to feel regret, remorse, or even guilt.
Someone who feels remorse or guilt is contrite and in addition to feeling sorry, part of the definition includes wanting to atone for a having done something wrong. The word comes from the Latin roots com- meaning “together” and terere which means “to rub.” It’s also related to the Latin word conterere and is defined as “to bruise.” In the field of theology being contrite is “being remorseful for past sin and resolved to avoid future sin.”
Contumacious
Contumacious
wilfully obstinate; stubbornly disobedient - [adj]
That ornery horse that keeps heading back to the barn, no matter how much you coax and kick and try and convince him to stay on the trail? He’s showing you his contumacious side, meaning he’s stubbornly resisting authority.
You might hear the word contumacious used in a courtroom to describe an uncooperative witness or someone who willfully disobeys an order given by the court. If you have a glove compartment full of unpaid parking tickets, when you finally land in court your disobedient behavior may cause the judge to tell you that you’re a contumacious lout. You’ll not only have to pay the tickets, you’ll also be slapped with a big fine, and you’ll never be contumacious again.
Contusion
Contusion
an injury that doesn’t break the skin but results in some discoloration - [n]the action of bruising - [n]
the bruise resulted from a contusion
Contusion is really just a fancy word for a bad bruise. Professional athletes are often benched suffering from contusions. After all, if they’re being paid millions, it sounds kinda wimpy to pull them because they’re suffering from a…bruise.
A contusion is any damage to the body that doesn’t break the skin but ruptures the blood capillaries beneath, resulting in a handsome-looking discoloration. For once, it’s a medical term not used widely to describe a broader emotional or psychological state. You could talk about an “emotional contusion,” but please, better not to. There are better terms around (see heartbroken, wounded, forlorn, etc.). Your audience will thank you.
Conundrum
Conundrum
a difficult problem - [n]
The tricky word conundrum is used to describe a riddle or puzzle, sometimes including a play on words or pun.
One of the most famous conundrums is the riddle of the Sphinx, famously in the play Oedipus the King by Sophocles. Oedipus encounters the Sphinx, a mythical beast, who asks him, “What walks on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three in the evening?” The answer is “A person”: crawling as a child, walking as an adult, and using a cane in old age. The scary thing is that if the Sphinx asked you the riddle and you didn’t know, she’d eat you!
Conventional
Conventional
following accepted customs and proprieties - [adj]represented in simplified or symbolic form - [adj](weapons) using energy for propulsion or destruction that is not nuclear energy - [adj]
conventional wisdom
she had strayed from the path of conventional behavior
conventional forms of address
Conventional is an adjective for things that are normal, ordinary, and following the accepted way. Ho-hum.
This word describes what is typical and ordinary and that which follows accepted standards of behavior or taste. This is a word that’s current definition is still very similar to its Latin root, conventionalis, which is “pertaining to an agreement.” One way this word is used is with respect to conventional weapons, as in those “not using, making, or involving nuclear weapons or energy; nonnuclear.”
Cornucopia
Cornucopia
a goat’s horn filled with grain and flowers and fruit symbolizing prosperity - [n]the property of being extremely abundant - [n]
A grocery store with a large selection of fruits and vegetables could be said to have a cornucopia of produce. A cornucopia is a lot of good stuff.
Around Thanksgiving in the United States, you’ll often see cornucopias or horn-shaped baskets filled with fruit and other goodies as centerpieces. Originally, a cornucopia was a goat’s horn filled with corn and fruit to symbolize plenty. Nowadays, a cornucopia is probably made of some kind of plaster or wicker, but it still symbolizes the same thing — a good harvest season.
Corpulent
Corpulent
excessively fat - [adj]
Corpulent is a formal word that describes a fat person. If you are trying to be respectful when describing a fat man, you might refer to him as a “corpulent gentleman.”
There are certainly many other ways to describe a fat person: obese, overweight, and stout are only a few. Corpulent is from Latin corpulentus, from corpus “body.” The Latin suffix -ulentus, corresponding to English -ulent, has the meaning “full of, having in quantity.”
Corroborate
Corroborate
give evidence for - [v]support with evidence or authority or make more certain or confirm - [v]establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts - [v]
To corroborate is to back someone else’s story. If you swear to your teacher that you didn’t throw the spitball, and your friends corroborate your story by promising that you were concentrating on math homework, she might actually believe you.
For example, a witness in court corroborates the testimony of others, and further experimentation can corroborate a scientific theory. Near synonyms are substantiate and confirm. Corroborate, originally meaning “to support or strengthen,” was borrowed from Latin corrōborāre, formed from the prefix cor- “completely” plus rōborāre “to strengthen” (from rōbur “strength”).
Corrugated
Corrugated
shaped into alternating parallel grooves and ridges - [adj]
the surface of the ocean was rippled and corrugated
Corrugated means molded into tight ridges and valleys. You’ve probably seen corrugated cardboard, or corrugated metal roofs.
Materials are put into a corrugated shape to ensure elasticity and strength––cardboard boxes hold their shape because the cardboard is reinforced with a corrugated layer inside the two flat pieces. To remember corrugated, think about corduroy pants––which also have ridges and valleys. If you’re lucky enough to have had ribbon candy, that’s corrugated as well.
Coterie
Coterie
an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose - [n]
Have you noticed how so many of the best TV shows concentrate on a group of friends who seem to mesh together perfectly, to the exclusion of all others? This, then, is a coterie, an exclusive group with common interests.
The modern spelling and meaning of coterie developed in the 18th century from a French word rooted in the feudal system. When the farmers working the land of a feudal lord established an organization, they were called cotiers, or “tenants of a cote” (think “cottage”), and that idea of a select group led to the word coterie. There’s just something so French about the idea of exclusivity, isn’t there?
Covert
Covert
secret or hidden; not openly practiced or engaged in or shown or avowed - [adj](of a wife) being under the protection of her husband - [adj]a flock of coots - [n]
covert actions by the CIA
covert funding for the rebels
the brush provided a covert for game
Think soldiers in masks secretly infiltrating an enemy stronghold, a covert operation is one that no one but the president and a few generals know is happening.
Covert is the opposite of overt, which means obvious, something in full view. “The teachers weren’t impressed by the students’ overt attempt to derail the discussion. ‘You aren’t even pretending to try to like Shakespeare,’ she complained.”
Cower
Cower
crouch or curl up - [v]show submission or fear - [v]
To cower is to shrink in fear. Whether they live in the country or city, any mouse will cower when a huge, hungry cat approaches.
When you cower, you’re not just afraid. You’re so terrified that your whole body cringes, crouches, and shrinks in on itself to hide from the source of your fear. Victims of a school bully cower whenever he comes near. They’re in no rush to have their lunch money stolen again, or to get another wedgie, so they cower to avoid being seen. Although a coward might cower in fear, the two words aren’t related.
Cringe
Cringe
draw back, as with fear or pain - [v]show submission or fear - [v]
When you cringe, your body language shows you don’t like what you see and hear. You close your eyes and grimace. You may even jerk your body away from the offensive sight or sound, like the old picture of you in an “awkward stage” that makes you cringe whenever you see it.
Whether it’s a song you hate or someone mentioning an embarrassing moment from the past, you cringe at things that are unpleasant. If you think about the way your body involuntarily flinches or bends in those situations, you won’t be surprised to learn that the word cringe can be traced back to the Old English word cringan, meaning give way, fall (in battle), become bent. That’s exactly what your body does when you cringe!
Cryptic
Cryptic
having a secret or hidden meaning - [adj]of an obscure nature - [adj]having a puzzling terseness - [adj]
cryptic writings
the new insurance policy is written without cryptic or mysterious terms
a cryptic note
White bunny. Moon. Square. Do you understand what that means? Of course not! It’s totally cryptic. Cryptic comments or messages are hard to understand because they seem to have a hidden meaning.
Cryptic is from Late Latin crypticus, from Greek kryptikos, from kryptos “hidden.” This Greek adjective is the source of our English word crypt, referring to a room under a church in which dead people are buried. That might account for why the word cryptic has an eerie tone to it.
Cumbersome
Cumbersome
difficult to handle or use especially because of size or weight - [adj]not elegant or graceful in expression - [adj]
a cumbersome piece of machinery
his cumbersome writing style
You have to wrestle a bit with the longish word cumbersome; it’s cumbersome, or kind of long and clumsy, to tumble out in a sentence. It’s hard to use it gracefully.
A “cumber” is something that slows you down, and though the words aren’t related, “lumber” includes big pieces of heavy wood, which might slow down the person carrying them. Moving lumber is cumbersome, because it’s a heavy and awkward job. Getting your laundry down the stairs or putting a Rottweiler in the bathtub can be cumbersome too.
Curmudgeon
Curmudgeon
a crusty irascible cantankerous old person full of stubborn ideas - [n]
Old, cranky, and more than a little stubborn, a curmudgeon is the crusty grey haired neighbor who refuses to hand out candy at Halloween and shoos away holiday carolers with a “bah humbug!”
As fickle and stubborn as the type of person it describes, curmudgeon comes to us without a history, its origins undisclosed. It was originally believed to have come from coeur mechant, the French phrase for evil heart, but that theory has been long discarded. Don’t worry though, you’ll know a curmudgeon when you see one: He’ll be ill-tempered and miserly, eager to shake his fist and spout disagreeable opinions.
Curtail
Curtail
terminate or abbreviate before its intended or proper end or its full extent - [v]place restrictions on - [v]
Personal freedom is curtailed in many countries
curtail drinking in school
To curtail something is to slow it down, put restrictions on it, or stop it entirely. If I give up cake, I am curtailing my cake-eating.
Curtail is an official-sounding word for stopping or slowing things down. The police try to curtail crime — they want there to be less crime in the world. A company may want to curtail their employees’ computer time, so they spend more time working and less time goofing around. Teachers try to curtail whispering and note-passing in class. When something is curtailed, it’s either stopped entirely or stopped quite a bit — it’s cut short.
Cynical
Cynical
believing the worst of human nature and motives; having a sneering disbelief in e.g. selflessness of others - [adj]
If you think public officials are nothing but a bunch of greedy buffoons, you have a cynical attitude about politics.
A cynical person has a bleak outlook about others, always imagining that people are ruled by their worst instincts. H.L. Mencken was famous for saying cynical things like, “Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.” The original Cynics were ancient Greek philosophers who never had a good word to say about anyone. The Greek word kynikos actually means “canine,” maybe because all of that sneering seemed a little dog-like.
Dally
Dally
behave carelessly or indifferently - [v]talk or behave amorously, without serious intentions - [v]
Get busy–don’t dally!
Dally means “to waste time.” When you dally, you will cause a delay because of your dawdling.
You have probably heard the expression ““to dilly-dally”” — which means “to dawdle.” Well, if you take the dilly out of dilly-dally to get just dally — you still have pretty much the same meaning. Dally has other common definitions, such as “to flirt” (especially without care of the result) or “to play.” The light tone is probably an echo of its origin, which is likely the French word dalier, meaning “to amuse oneself.”
Debacle
Debacle
a sudden and violent collapse - [n]flooding caused by a tumultuous breakup of ice in a river during the spring or summer - [n]a sound defeat - [n]
Use debacle to refer to a violent disaster or a great failure. If the flower gardens come toppling down during prom, strangling some students and tripping others, you might call the evening a debacle.
Debacle is often used to describe a military defeat. If your army retreats, that’s one thing. If your army is outmaneuvered and ends up huddled in a valley, surrounded on all sides by the enemy, forced to sing 70s sitcom theme songs by their savage captors––that’s a debacle. Debacle comes from French débâcler “to clear,” from Middle French desbacler, from the prefix des- “completely, utterly” plus bacler “to block.”
Decorum
Decorum
propriety in manners and conduct - [n]
Decorum is proper and polite behavior. If you let out a big belch at a fancy dinner party, you’re not showing much decorum.
This noun is from Latin decōrus “proper, becoming, handsome,” from décor “beauty, grace,” which is also the source of English décor. The corresponding adjective is decorous, meaning “well-behaved in a particular situation.” Both decorum and decorous are often used to describe behavior in a classroom or courtroom.
Decoy
Decoy
something used to lure fish or other animals into danger so they can be trapped or killed - [n]a beguiler who leads someone into danger (usually as part of a plot) - [n]lure or entrap with or as if with a decoy - [v]
A decoy is a fake version of something used to play a trick or lead you into danger, like the cork duck decoys hunters put on the pond to make the real ducks think it’s safe to stop by.
Decoy most often refers to bait used for trapping or killing an animal, but it can be any object or plan used to lead someone or something into trouble. Fisherman use worm decoys on their lures to catch fish, just like police use people as undercover decoys to catch criminals. While etymologists aren’t positive, they suspect decoy comes from the Dutch kooi, which means “a cage.” So think of luring a mouse into a cage with a big slice of decoy cheese.
Deference
Deference
courteous regard for people’s feelings - [n]a courteous expression (by word or deed) of esteem or regard - [n]a disposition or tendency to yield to the will of others - [n]
in deference to your wishes
“his deference to her wishes was very flattering”
Sure you wear ripped jeans to school every day, but you don’t wear them to your grandmother’s house out of deference to her. When you show deference to someone, you make a gesture of respect.
The noun deference goes with the verb defer, which means “to yield to someone’s opinions or wishes out of respect for that person.” If you and your dad disagree about the best route to the grocery store, you might defer to him, and take his route. You’re taking his route out of deference to his opinion and greater experience.
Defoliate
Defoliate
deprived of leaves - [adj]strip the leaves or branches from - [v]
defoliate the trees with pesticides
Defoliate means to take the leaves or branches off of a tree or bush. When your mom asks you to defoliate the rose bushes, she wants you to trim them back.
In defoliate you see part of the word foliage, which means “leaves.” When your family takes a trip to Vermont to look at the foliage, you’re going leaf peeping. If the trees of Vermont are defoliated, there’ll be nothing to look at on your leaf peeping trip except the poor quality black and white television in your motel room. The adjective defoliated describes a tree or bush that has had its leaves stripped.
Defunct
Defunct
no longer in force or use; inactive - [adj]having ceased to exist or live - [adj]
a defunct law
“a defunct organization”
“the will of a defunct aunt”
Defunct describes something that used to exist, but is now gone. A magazine that no longer publishes, like Sassy, the girl-power mag from the ’90s, is defunct, for example.
Although defunct comes from the Latin word defunctus meaning “dead,” it’s not usually used to describe a person who’s no longer with us, but rather institutions, projects, companies and political parties — you know, the boring stuff. Keep digging and you’ll find that defunctus comes from defungi, meaning, “to finish,” which is closer to how it’s used today. Defunct can also refer to a rule or law that’s no longer used or has become inactive, like prohibition.
Degradation
Degradation
changing to a lower state (a less respected state) - [n]a low or downcast state - [n]
Degradation is the act of lowering something or someone to a less respected state. A president resigning from office is a degradation. It’s also a downcast state. Once the president has resigned, he might feel degradation.
The noun degradation is related to the verb degrade, which comes from the Latin degradare. Degradare comes from de-, meaning “down,” and gradus, meaning “step.” You can think of a degradation as a step down, or feeling as though you’re a step below.
Deign
Deign
do something that one considers to be below one’s dignity - [v]
- Deign* means to reluctantly agree to do something you consider beneath you. When threatened with the loss of her fortune, an heiress might deign to get a job, but she might look down her nose at the people she’d have to work with.
- Deign* has the same origins as dignity. Both descend from the Latin word, dignare, meaning “to deem worthy.” If you deign to do something, you don’t feel it’s worthy of your lofty stature, but you do it anyway — it’s like you’re doing someone a really big favor. Instead of admitting his wrongdoing, the politician who is accused of taking bribes might indignantly declare, “I won’t deign to dignify your ridiculous accusations with a response!”
Deleterious
Deleterious
harmful to living things - [adj]
deleterious chemical additives
If something is deleterious, it does harm or makes things worse. Smoking has obvious deleterious effects on your health, not to mention your social life.
My parents were worried that their divorce would have a deleterious effect on us kids, but in the end it was less harmful than watching them fight all the time. For most plants, a lack of sunlight has very deleterious consequences, but there are some plants that actually do very well in the dark. It’s a wonder, given how well-established the science is, that we continue to do things that are deleterious to the fragile ecosystem. We must be willing to live with the deleterious effects.
Deliberate
Deliberate
carefully thought out in advance - [adj]unhurried and with care and dignity - [adj]think about carefully; weigh - [v]discuss the pros and cons of an issue - [v]
with all deliberate speed
To deliberate means to carefully think or talk something through — it also means slow and measured, the pace of this kind of careful decision making. If you chose deliberately, you make a very conscious, well-thought-through choice.
The verb deliberate ends with an “ate” sound — at the end of a trial, after the evidence is presented, the twelve members of a jury retreat to a room to deliberate, i.e., talk through the trial and come to a verdict. The adjective deliberate ends with an “it” sound. If you walk with a deliberate pace, you’re slow and steady.
Demagogue
Demagogue
a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular passions and prejudices - [n]
A demagogue is someone who becomes a leader largely because of skills as a speaker or who appeals to emotions and prejudices.
Though the Greek root for demagogue literally means “a leader of the people,” the word has for centuries had a negative connotation: it actually means a leader who has manipulated the emotions and prejudices of the rabble. The reason for the negative connotation is that in ancient Athens, “the people” were considered to be an uncivilized mob. Two of the most famous historical demagogues are said to be Adolf Hitler and Josef Stalin.
Demur
Demur
take exception to - [v](law) a formal objection to an opponent’s pleadings - [n]enter a demurrer - [v]
he demurred at my suggestion to work on Saturday
Your mother asks you to pick up your room. You refuse: you demur. Your friend wants to go to the Death Metal Forever concert, but you hesitate: you demur. Whether you strongly object, politely disagree, or hesitate to agree, you demur.
If Aunt Tilly offers to knit you a sweater, you might politely demur, being reluctant to accept. When she describes the bunnies she plans for the sweater, you would want to strongly demur, explaining that you plan to move to Texas next week and will no longer need sweaters. And if you find yourself the defendant in a civil suit, you might file a demurrer to object to the plaintiff’s complaint. When you file that demurrer, you demur.
Denigrate
Denigrate
charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone - [v]cause to seem less serious; play down - [v]
To denigrate is to say bad things — true or false — about a person or thing. Your reputation as a math whiz might be hurt if your jealous classmate manages to denigrate you, even though the accusations are unfounded.
The verb denigrate comes from the Latin word denigrare, which means “to blacken.” To sully or defame someone’s reputation, or to spread negative or hurtful information about a company or a situation, is to denigrate it. Your neighbors may denigrate your proposal for mandatory recycling in an attempt to stop your plan. Denigrate can also mean that you’re making something seem less important, like when your brother tries to denigrate your athletic achievements.
Denounce
Denounce
speak out against - [v]announce the termination of, as of treaties - [v]
He denounced the Nazis
“He denounced the government action”
To denounce is to tattle, rat out, or speak out against something. When you stand on your desk and tell the class that your partner is cheating, you denounce him or her.
The prefix de- means “down,” as in destroy or demolish (tear down). Add that to the Latin root nuntiare, meaning “announce,” and destroy plus announce equals denounce. It’s a word that shows up in the headlines often, as a country might denounce a corrupt election. Politicians love to denounce each other’s shady doings, or denounce some underhanded activities of people in their party in order to separate themselves. Denounce can also mean the official end of something, like a treaty.
Deplete
Deplete
use up (resources or materials) - [v]
To deplete is to use up or consume a limited resource. Visiting relatives might deplete your refrigerator of food, or a pestering friend might deplete your patience.
The verb deplete is used like “to drain.” A long, exhausting day can deplete your body of energy and a summer drought can deplete a region’s water supply. If you deplete your body of hydration after a lot of exercise, be sure to replete yourself with a nice glass of water.
Deplore
Deplore
express strong disapproval of - [v]regret strongly - [v]
We deplore the government’s treatment of political prisoners
“I deplore this hostile action”
The verb deplore is used to express strong disapproval of something. If you really, really hate the way your mom makes meatloaf, then it’s safe to say you deplore it.
Deplore comes from Latin roots that mean to bewail or lament. So if you deplore something, you object to it because it brings you sorrow or grief. People often deplore things that they regret or feel bad about. You might deplore the inhumane treatment of animals or the deforestation of the Amazon. Or maybe you just deplore your wardrobe choices from middle school.
Depravity
Depravity
moral perversion; impairment of virtue and moral principles - [n]a corrupt or depraved or degenerate act or practice - [n]
its brothels, its opium parlors, its depravity
Depravity goes beyond mere bad behavior — it is a total lack of morals, values, and even regard for other living things, like the depravity of a serial killer.
You can see the verb deprave in depravity. To deprave is to make something bad, often to the point of moral corruption, like the parental fear that a bad influence will deprave their good kids. So, depravity is behavior that is morally corrupt or otherwise deemed wicked. Don’t confuse depravity with deprivation, meaning “being denied something that is necessary.”
Deprecate
Deprecate
express strong disapproval of; deplore - [v]belittle - [v]
The teacher should not deprecate his student’s efforts
To deprecate is to show disapproval or to make someone feel unimportant by speaking to them disrespectfully, like seniors who deprecate younger students just for fun.
To deprecate is to diminish, or to oppose, like when someone deprecates your dream of climbing Mt. Everest by calling it “a little walk up a hill.” Some people deprecate themselves, which is called being self-deprecating. People who do are self-deprecating play down their abilities because they are humble — or want to appear that way. So if you do climb Everest and you are self-deprecating, you’ll say it wasn’t such a big deal, even if it was the proudest moment of your life.
Deride
Deride
treat or speak of with contempt - [v]
He derided his student’s attempt to solve the biggest problem in mathematics
The verb deride means to show a low opinion of someone or something. The jerk would deride the other kids on the bus by calling them names or pulling their hair until the driver decided to de-ride him by kicking him off the bus.
To “ride” people is to get on their case or give them a hard time, and to deride is to do the same with insulting language or poor treatment. Deride comes from the Latin root dērīdēre, meaning “to ridicule, to scorn,” and it’s often used to express dislike or even hatred. Criticizing something with words is a common way to deride, and politicians often deride each other in their speeches during election campaigns.
Derogatory
Derogatory
expressive of low opinion - [adj]
derogatory comments
Something that’s derogatory is insulting or disrespectful. If you make derogatory comments, that means you say things that are unflattering, unkind, or demeaning.
Derogatory means about the same as insulting. Derogatory language is meant to hurt, and it usually does. If you feel offended or insulted by what someone says, the person probably said something derogatory. Racial, sexist, and homophobic slurs are all derogatory. Insults that mean someone is stupid or crazy are derogatory. Making a joke about someone’s mother is derogatory.
Descry
Descry
catch sight of - [v]
If you spot something, you descry it. When you spy it, you descry it. It’s a good verb to use when you catch a glimpse of a rare bird in the trees. Or when you finally spot Waldo in a “Where’s Waldo?” book.
Descry is very similar to “see” or “discern,” but involves more than just keeping your eyes open. Usually you descry something after observing carefully for a while. Wrote Ovid, the Ancient Roman poet and author: “Time on time revolving we descry, so moments flit, so moments fly.” Apparently, even in antiquity people complained about seeing the time go by too quickly.
Desecrate
Desecrate
violate the sacred character of a place or language - [v]remove the consecration from a person or an object - [v]
desecrate a cemetery
To desecrate means to treat a sacred place or thing with violent disrespect. The news sometimes reports on vandals who have desecrated tombstones or places of worship.
The word consecrate from the Latin consecrare means “to make sacred.” Substituting the prefix con- with de- reverses the meaning. When preparing for a foreign occupation, the military instructs troops not to desecrate sacred sites and risk offending the local population. You can also desecrate someone’s memory if you spread malicious lies about him after his death.
Despondent
Despondent
without or almost without hope - [adj]
despondent about his failure
If you are despondent, you are discouraged, very sad, and without hope. If you are depressed, you might describe your mood as despondent.
This adjective is often followed by over or about: He was despondent over the loss of his job. If you want a noun, use the words despondency or despondence. The adjective despondent is from Latin despondens, from despondere “to lose courage, give up,” from the prefix de- “from” plus spondere “to promise.” The Latin words originally referred to promising a woman in marriage.
Desultory
Desultory
marked by lack of definite plan or regularity or purpose; jumping from one thing to another - [adj]
desultory thoughts
“the desultory conversation characteristic of cocktail parties”
If you lack a definite plan or purpose and flit from one thing to another, your actions are desultory. Some people call such desultory wanderings spontaneous. Others call it “being lost.”
The adjective desultory comes from the word desultor, which was a circus rider who would leap from the back of one galloping horse onto another. From this literal sense of jumping from one thing to another, we get the modern meaning of desultory as jumping between things without a logical purpose.
Detrimental
Detrimental
(sometimes followed by `to’) causing harm or injury - [adj]
Detrimental is a formal way of saying “harmful.” Anything detrimental hurts, hinders, or puts a damper on something. Detrimental things do damage.
Have you ever heard “Smoking may be detrimental to your health” and wondered what it meant? It means that smoking is bad for your health: it’s going to harm you in a bunch of ways. Detrimental is a more official, formal way of talking about things that do harm. A dog who likes digging holes can be detrimental to a garden. If you’re writing a paper and want to pick an alternative to harmful that sounds more formal, detrimental is a great choice.
Dexterous
Dexterous
skillful in physical movements; especially of the hands - [adj]
dexterous of hand and inventive of mind
If you’re dexterous, you’re good with your hands. To be dexterous is an essential trait for knitters and sleight-of-hand magicians.
The adjective dexterous often refers to skill and agility with the hands, but it can mean any skillful or clever physical movement. A kid’s dexterous ball handling and footwork can aid him on the soccer field. Dexterous can also be used to describe mental skill and agility — like the dexterous handling of an uncomfortable situation at work.
Diaphanous
Diaphanous
so thin as to transmit light - [adj]
a hat with a diaphanous veil
If a dress is so see-through that light shines through it revealing the goods beneath, it’s diaphanous. Also known as “sheer,” “transparent,” or just plain “sexy,” but diaphanous is so much classier.
If you want a classic example of diaphanous clothing check out all those nineteenth century Romantic paintings of voluptuous Goddesses clad in clearly insufficient lightweight gowns flouncing around in the middle of forests at night or storm-tossed fields. Those gowns are diaphanous all right, but because it’s a classical allusion there’s obviously nothing naughty about it. From the ancient Greek word diaphanes, meaning “transparent” — a style the Greeks were much in favor of.
Diatribe
Diatribe
thunderous verbal attack - [n]
It’s totally overwhelming when you ask someone a seemingly innocuous question, like “Do you like hot dogs?” and they unleash a diatribe about the evils of eating meat. A diatribe is an angry speech that strongly criticizes a person or thing.
This noun is from Latin diatriba “learned discourse,” from Greek diatribē “pastime, lecture,” from diatrībein “to waste time, wear away,” from the prefix dia- “thoroughly” plus trībein “to rub.” So the origin of the word diatribe is connected to both serious study and the spending or wasting of time. In English, the original meaning of diatribe was a long and formal debate or discussion.
Dichotomy
Dichotomy
being twofold; a classification into two opposed parts or subclasses - [n]
the dichotomy between eastern and western culture
A dichotomy is an idea or classification split in two. When you point out a dichotomy, you draw a clear distinction between two things.
A dichotomy is a contrast between two things. When there are two ideas, especially two opposed ideas — like war and peace, or love and hate — you have a dichotomy. You often hear about a “false dichotomy,” which occurs when a situation is unfairly represented as an “either/or” scenario. For example, the statement “All cars are either small and efficient or large and polluting” creates a false dichotomy because there are some cars that don’t fit into either category.
Didactic
Didactic
instructive (especially excessively) - [adj]
When people are didactic, they’re teaching or instructing. This word is often used negatively for when someone is acting too much like a teacher.
When you’re didactic, you’re trying to teach something. Just about everything teachers do is didactic: the same is true of coaches and mentors. Didactic is often used in a negative way. If you heard that a movie is overly didactic, that’s probably not good. Most people want to see a story and be entertained when going to the movies, and if it feels like the movie is just telling you what to think, that’s didactic in a bad way.
Dilatory
Dilatory
wasting time - [adj]
Something dilatory creates a delay. If you are a high school student, once in a while you might have used dilatory tactics if you forgot to do your homework.
The adjective dilatory comes from the Latin root word dilator, a noun that means someone who puts off things, or a procrastinator. If you are always late to appointments, people may accuse you of being dilatory, especially if they think you don’t have a good excuse.
Dilemma
Dilemma
state of uncertainty or perplexity especially as requiring a choice between equally unfavorable options - [n]
A dilemma is a tough choice. When you’re in a difficult situation and each option looks equally bad, you’re in a dilemma.
Dilemma is from a Greek for “double proposition.” It was originally a technical term of logic, but we use it now for any time you have a problem with no satisfactory solution. If you’re at the mall choosing between red or blue socks, that’s not really a dilemma. But if you have to choose whether to save your cat or your dog from a burning building, that’s an awful dilemma.
Dilettante
Dilettante
an amateur who engages in an activity without serious intentions and who pretends to have knowledge - [n]showing frivolous or superficial interest; amateurish - [adj]
Though dilettante might sound like a nice French word, don’t use it on your friend who thinks he can play the guitar after several short lessons. A dilettante is an amateur, often one who pretends to be very knowledgeable.
The meaning of dilettante has changed since it was borrowed from the Italian in the mid 1700s. Originally, it meant “lover of the arts,” but began to take on a negative slant as the idea of doing something as a professional took hold strongly during the 18th century. A dilettante was a mere lover of art as opposed to one who did it professionally. Today, the word implies you’re pretending to be more of an artist than you’re interested in or capable of being, so if you call your friend who likes to paint a dilettante, it’s like you’re calling him or her a poser.
Diorama
Diorama
a picture (or series of pictures) representing a continuous scene - [n]
If you use a shoebox and tiny toys to recreate the Battle of Normandy, you are creating a diorama, or three dimensional model, of the event.
At the Museum of Natural History in New York, you’ll see dioramas, or scenes of animals or ancient peoples in their habitats. Before things like movies, television, and computers became common, the best way for large numbers of people to get an idea of what a lion might look like devouring its prey was by diorama.
Dirge
Dirge
a song or hymn of mourning composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person - [n]
A dirge is a song of mourning, performed as a memorial to someone who’s died. As you might imagine, a dirge is usually quite sad. Another word with a similar meaning that you might know is “requiem.”
The noun dirge comes from the Latin dirige, which means “direct,” and is the beginning of a prayer that translates as “Direct my way in your sight, O Lord my God.” Dirge can still have a religious meaning, but it can also be any sad and mournful song, poem, or hymn composed or performed in memory of someone who has died. You can also say that something mournful sounds like a dirge, using the word in a more poetic sense.
Disabuse
Disabuse
free somebody (from an erroneous belief) - [v]
- Disabuse* means to free someone of a belief that is not true. Many teachers of health find that when they teach, they spend as much energy disabusing kids of false beliefs as they do giving them the facts.
- Disabuse* is often connected to the word notion or idea. In singing lessons, you must disabuse young singers of the idea that they can sing better by singing louder. In the first year of college, many people are disabused of the idea that they way they are is “normal,” by meeting so many people who represent other ways to be.
Disapprobation
Disapprobation
an expression of strong disapproval; pronouncing as wrong or morally culpable - [n]
If you show up for Thanksgiving dinner an hour late and covered in mud from a tag football game, your parents will give you a look of disapprobation. This means they seriously disapprove of your actions, despite the fact that you scored the winning touchdown.
Disapprobation is a noun for the state of total disapproval and condemnation. It is often used in conjunction with a moral or social offense. Acts such as stealing an old lady’s purse, defying your teachers or parents, vandalizing, or being a lying sneak are all things that are going to earn you disapprobation. But if you decide to change your evil ways and do something wonderful to earn praise, you’ll find yourself back on the side of approbation.
Discord
Discord
lack of agreement or harmony - [n]disagreement among those expected to cooperate - [n]strife resulting from a lack of agreement - [n]a harsh mixture of sounds - [n]be different from one another - [v]
- Discord* is the strife and tension that arises when two sides disagree on something, like the high pitched screaming of two kids fighting over the front seat of the car.
- Discord* can be broken down into the prefix dis, meaning “different,” and cord, which stems from an old word for “heart.” So that leaves us with “different hearts.” So if we’re talking about music, discord means a lack of harmony — tones that clash so badly your ears bleed. But when there’s discord between people, their hearts are in different places — which usually results in more than a few raised voices clashing disharmoniously.
Discrepancy
Discrepancy
a difference between conflicting facts or claims or opinions - [n]an event that departs from expectations - [n]
A discrepancy is a lack of agreement or balance. If there is a discrepancy between the money you earned and the number on your paycheck, you should complain to your boss.
There is a discrepancy when there is a difference between two things that should be alike. For example, there can be a wide discrepancy or a slight discrepancy between two objects, stories, or facts. The noun discrepancy is from Latin discrepare “to sound differently,” from the prefix dis- “from” plus crepare “to rattle, creak.”
Discrete
Discrete
constituting a separate entity or part - [adj]
a government with three discrete divisions
Discrete means separate or divided. A discrete unit is a separate part of something larger. A room is a discrete space within a house, just as the transmission is a discrete part of a car engine.
If something is discrete, it has its own space. An ice cube comes from an ice tray, but it has its own discrete compartment. A student government might have discrete committees for different projects. Don’t confuse discrete with its close cousin discreet, which means “appropriately private.” Billionaire Bruce Wayne, for example, is very discreet about his secret life as Batman. You could say Batman is a discrete, or separate, part of Bruce Wayne’s identity. Anything distinct and separated is discrete.
Disdain
Disdain
lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike - [n]a communication that indicates lack of respect by patronizing the recipient - [n]look down on with disdain - [v]reject with contempt - [v]
If you feel that something isn’t worthy of your consideration, you may disdain it (or treat it with disdain).
In Old French, deignier meant “to treat something as worthy.” To disdain something, then, is to treat it with contempt: “Management at [the company] displayed a certain disdain for safety and appeared to regard safety-conscious workers as wimps in the organization.” As a verb, disdain carries an air of self-righteousness not associated with similar words like despise, abhor, detest, loathe and scorn. So if you disdain something, you might reject it with a haughty scoff, “Ha!”
Disingenuous
Disingenuous
not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness - [adj]
an ambitious, disingenuous, philistine, and hypocritical operator, who…exemplified…the most disagreeable traits of his time”- David Cannadine”
“a disingenuous excuse”
Use the adjective disingenuous to describe behavior that’s not totally honest or sincere. It’s disingenuous when people pretend to know less about something than they really do.
Disingenuous combines dis-, meaning not, with ingenuous (from the Latin gen-, meaning born) which was originally used to distinguish free-born Romans from slaves, and later came to mean honest or straightforward. So disingenuous means dishonest. Ingenuous is less common now than disingenuous, but we still use it for someone who is sincere to the point of naiveté. A good synonym is insincere.
Disinter
Disinter
dig up for reburial or for medical investigation; of dead bodies - [v]
To “inter” a body is to bury it or place it in a mausoleum, so to disinter someone is to take the body out again — usually to find out how they died, to make sure it’s really who we think it is, or to move the body to a new burial site.
You might think you got away with murder, but once they disinter the body, the medical examiners will find out that the guy was a victim of your evil plot. A vampire sleeps all day in his own coffin and then disinters himself at night to go in search of blood. One way to remember the meaning of disinter is to think of “dis-entering” a body. When someone dies, their body is “entered” into the grave. If the body is removed, it’s being “dis-entered,” in a sense. But disinter is spelled — and pronounced — differently (diss-in-TUR), of course.
Disinterested
Disinterested
unaffected by self-interest - [adj]
If you can’t decide whether to purchase the shirt with orange polka dots or the purple paisley-patterned one, you might seek input from a disinterested, or unbiased, party (who will probably tell you not to buy either one).
Depending on whom you ask, disinterested is either one of the most commonly misused words in the English language, or a perfect example of usage experts and English teachers being way too uptight. While everyone agrees that disinterested can mean “unbiased,” the debate rages on as to whether it can also mean “uninterested” or “indifferent.” Sticklers are vehemently opposed to this secondary meaning. (Of course, you’ll also find the disinterested — or uninterested? — folks who couldn’t care less.)
Disparage
Disparage
express a negative opinion of - [v]
She disparaged her student’s efforts
If you haven’t got anything nice to say, then it’s time to disparage someone. It means to belittle or degrade a person or idea.
Disparage is a specific way to describe a certain kind of insult, the kind that secures the insulter’s place as superior. It often refers to an opinion or criticism lobbed in print or via word of mouth, not necessarily an act done to someone’s face. If someone or something is being disparaged, you will often find a competing interest in the wings.
Disparity
Disparity
inequality or difference in some respect - [n]
If there is a disparity between how great you think you are at tennis, and how you actually play, you are probably surprised by how often you lose. Disparity is the condition of being unequal, and a disparity is a noticeable difference.
Disparity usually refers to a difference that is unfair: economic disparities exist among ethnic groups, there is a disparity between what men and women earn in the same job. This noun derives from Latin dispar “unequal.” The opposite of disparity is parity, the condition of being equal or the same.
Dispassionate
Dispassionate
unaffected by strong emotion or prejudice - [adj]
a journalist should be a dispassionate reporter of fact
- Dispassionate* describes someone who is not getting carried away by—or maybe not even having—feelings. It’s something you’d want to see in a surgeon, who keeps cool under pressure, but not in a romantic partner.
- Dispassionate* is the opposite of passionate, and while passions are said to run “hot,” dispassionate people are often described as “cold.” A city marshal whose job is it to evict people behind on their rents must conduct their job with dispassionate fairness, but still, no one wants to be their friend.
Dispatch
Dispatch
the act of sending off something - [n]an official report (usually sent in haste) - [n]
it was done with dispatch“He dispatched the task he was assigned”
“the traitor was dispatched by the conspirators”
Anything that needs to be mailed, sent off, or quickly shipped needs to be dispatched. Letters, official reports, teams of police — if it has somewhere to be, you can dispatch it to get there.
Sometimes spelled despatch, this word was first used in the early 1500s as a verb meaning “to send off in a hurry.” These days we get hurried dispatches in noun and verb form, from journalists sending in their war zone stories to emergency squads getting dispatched to the scene of an accident. And in its most sinister sense, dispatch means to kill off without delay.
Dissemble
Dissemble
behave unnaturally or affectedly - [v]make believe with the intent to deceive - [v]hide under a false appearance - [v]
To dissemble is to hide under a false appearance, to deceive. “When confronted about their human rights record, the Chinese government typically dissembles.”
Dissemble is a little more complicated than a straight lie or denial. When you dissemble, you disguise your true intentions or feelings behind a false appearance. To dissemble is to pretend that you don’t know something, to pretend that you think one way when you act another way. “My boyfriend was dissembling the whole time. He was a married father of two.”
Dissident
Dissident
a person who dissents from some established policy - [n]characterized by departure from accepted beliefs or standards - [adj]disagreeing, especially with a majority - [adj]
If you are a dissident, you are a person who is rebelling against a government. Dissidents can do their work peacefully or with violence.
Dissident is closely related to the word, dissent, which means objecting. People who are dissidents show their dissent. Catholic priests who advocate allowing women into the priesthood could be called dissidents, as could the Puritans who left England to live in colonial America. As an adjective, a dissident member of a group is one who disagrees with the majority of members.
Dissonance
Dissonance
disagreeable sounds - [n]the auditory experience of sound that lacks musical quality; sound that is a disagreeable auditory experience - [n]a conflict of people’s opinions or actions or characters - [n]
Disagreeable sounds can be called dissonance. You know it’s dissonance if you have the strong desire to cover your ears with your hands.
Racket, noise, dissonance — all can describe sounds that are not pleasant. While some musicians purposely add a little dissonance into their melodies to create an unexpected sound, others, like someone who just started drum lessons, creates dissonance by accident. Dissonance can also be a conflict between people or opinions, like the dissonance you feel when you want to do something but your parents say “no.”
Diurnal
Diurnal
having a daily cycle or occurring every day - [adj]of or belonging to or active during the day - [adj]
diurnal rotation of the heavens
“diurnal animals are active during the day”
“diurnal flowers are open during the day and closed at night”
If it’s 9:00 at night and your mom wants you to do the dishes, you could try to put it off until the next day by politely pointing out that you are a diurnal animal. That means you get most of your activities done during the day.
The adjective diurnal can be used to describe anything that takes place in the daytime, but it is most often used in the field of biology to describe animals that are active during the day and then sleep at night. Animals with the opposite schedule are said to be nocturnal, which means they’re active at night and sleep in the daytime. Diurnal can also be used to describe something that has a daily cycle, such as a diurnal tide that occurs once each day.
Divest
Divest
take away possessions from someone - [v]remove (someone’s or one’s own) clothes - [v]
The company decided to divest“the board of trustees divested $20 million in real estate property”
“he was divested of his rights and his title”
It could be your wine portfolio, your stake in a mining company, or even the extra coats that are taking up space in your closet. Whatever it is, when you divest something, you get rid of it.
Divest is sort of a fancy way to say “dispose of.” It’s often used in a business context to describe companies or governments that divest some of their holdings by selling them off. It can also be used in the sense of taking something away from someone. For example if your boss becomes insane and power mad, his handlers may divest him of his title, meaning his position is taken away from him.
Docile
Docile
easily handled or managed - [adj]willing to be taught or led or supervised or directed - [adj]ready and willing to be taught - [adj]
a gentle old horse, docile and obedient
“the docile masses of an enslaved nation”
“docile pupils eager for instruction”
If someone is docile, he is easily taught or handled. If you suddenly became a trouble-maker in class, your teachers would long for the days when you were sweet and docile.
Docile comes from Latin root for teaching, docere, so someone docile is easy to teach. A docile student is willing to be taught. A docile animal is easy to handle. If you behave well and do what people tell you to do, you’re a docile person. Docile might be a word of praise, but it can also be a criticism of someone for being overly submissive. Some synonyms are amenable and compliant.
Doff
Doff
remove - [v]
He doffed his hat
Use the verb doff to describe removing something. You probably always doff your cap before the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
The word doff and its antonym don date to the mid-14th century. Doff is a contraction of “do (take) off,” and don is short for “do (put) on.” By 1755, these words were all but obsolete, but they came back into vogue thanks to Sir Walter Scott, author of works like Ivanhoe, Rob Roy, and The Lady of the Lake. The popular Scottish author used them frequently, and he and his readers kept doff and don alive.
Dogmatic
Dogmatic
of or pertaining to or characteristic of a doctrine or code of beliefs accepted as authoritative - [adj]relating to or involving dogma - [adj]characterized by assertion of unproved or unprovable principles - [adj]
dogmatic writings
Someone who is dogmatic has arrogant attitudes based on unproved theories. If you dogmatically assert that the moon is made of green cheese, you’ll just get laughed at.
The most basic definition of the adjective dogmatic is that it is related to dogma — doctrines relating to morals and faith — but what it has come to mean is attitudes that are not only based on unproved theories but are also arrogant in nature. The root of dogmatic is the Greek word dogmatikos. A synonym of dogmatic is “dictatorial” and because there are religious associations to the root word dogma, someone who is dogmatic tends to “pontificate.”
Dolt
Dolt
a person who is not very bright - [n]
Dolt refers a person who isn’t very smart. You might be called a dolt if you do something dumb, like stand outside your car complaining that you locked your keys inside — even though the window is wide open.
Let’s be honest — you never want to be called a dolt. And if you’re a kind person, you’ll never call anyone else a dolt — unless they do something so frustratingly stupid that you can’t take it anymore. Dolt probably came from the Middle English word dullen, meaning “to dull, make or become dazed or stupid.” To help remember what dolt means, say it out loud, with gusto. With its guttural sound, the word itself sounds not very bright.
Don
Don
teacher at a university or college (especially at Cambridge or Oxford) - [n]the head of an organized crime family - [n]put clothing on one’s body - [v]
The princess donned a long blue dress
To don means to put on, as in clothing or hats. A hunter will don his camouflage clothes when he goes hunting.
What is the opposite of don, an old-fashioned word meaning “to put on?” Doff another old-fashioned word meaning “to take off.” These two words have something else in common - both are contractions from the 14th century English expressions do on and do off respectively. Don your boots before going out in the snow and doff them when you come inside again! A don is also a Spanish nobleman and a dean of a college at Oxford or Cambridge, but these meanings come from the Latin dominus meaning “master.”
Dote
Dote
shower with love; show excessive affection for - [v]be foolish or senile due to old age - [v]
Grandmother dotes on her the twins
Who doesn’t love to have someone dote on them? If you dote on someone, you shower them with love and attention. Sounds like the life!
Parents that dote on their children too much might find themselves in trouble down the road; all that unadulterated devotion is a surefire way to spoil your kid. The problem is that those who are doing the doting are often too smitten to see when the object of their affection is acting like a complete jerk. No wonder dote is related to a German word that means “to be foolish.” That connection might also explain the use of dote to mean acting senile in one’s later years.
Drivel
Drivel
saliva spilling from the mouth - [n]a worthless message - [n]let saliva drivel from the mouth - [v]
Drivel is useless, boring information. If you drivel, you talk stupidly or actually drool. Your parent might think the articles in your favorite fashion magazine are drivel.
Etymologists suspect drivel comes to us from the Old Norse word draf, meaning “malt dregs.” This would make sense, given that drivel is usually talk or writing about as useless as dregs. If you don’t prepare for an oral report, the unfortunate result may be that your teacher finds your disorganized ramblings to be pure drivel. Drivel also means to dribble saliva. If a friendly dog licks your hand, leaving it wet and gooey, you can assume he driveled on it.
Droll
Droll
comical in an odd or whimsical manner - [adj]
a droll little man with a quiet tongue-in-cheek kind of humor
Need a mental picture for the word droll? Think of one of those cute-homely troll dolls — blend those two words together — “doll” and “troll” — and you get droll, a description of a figure that is adorably strange and whimsically cute.
The word droll comes from the archaic French word drolle, referring to a jolly good fellow. The French word comes perhaps from the Middle Dutch drolle, or “imp.” The word came into English as both noun (“funny person, buffoon”) and adjective (“funny, quaint, strange”) in the 17th century.
Drone
Drone
an unchanging intonation - [n]stingless male bee in a colony of social bees (especially honeybees) whose sole function is to mate with the queen - [n]someone who takes more time than necessary; someone who lags behind - [n]
The harmonium was droning on
A drone is a male bee whose only job — and only purpose in life — is to fertilize the Queen Bee’s eggs. That’s why some workers who do their jobs robotically, not trying to innovate but just get through each day, are sometimes, and negatively, called drones.
Drone can be a noun and a verb: it is both a low, monotonous sound, like the drone of a boring teacher that makes students struggle to stay awake, and the act of making that sound — that teacher drones on and on, never noticing that everyone is staring out the window. Drone can also be a synonym for “worker bee,” either the insect or the worker whose low level of ambition suggests he or she will never rise through the ranks to become a top decision-maker at the company.
Dross
Dross
worthless or dangerous material that should be removed - [n]the scum formed by oxidation at the surface of molten metals - [n]
Things that are a total loss — really worthless or damaging — are dross. You could call that gunk between your teeth that comes out when you floss, dross. No one wants it, and it’s harmful if it stays.
While dross is a noun for stuff that’s physically left over or useless, like the nonmetallic stuff left when metal gets refined, it’s also used for people and forms of art. A really bad movie can be called dross, and a low or despicable person can be dross. Debris, or trash, is another form of dross. “Searching the backyard for unexploded fireworks — the dross of Chinese New Year celebrations — was a tradition for the kids and a safeguard for the dogs.”
Dubious
Dubious
fraught with uncertainty or doubt - [adj]open to doubt or suspicion - [adj]not convinced - [adj]
dubious about agreeing to go
“he has a dubious record indeed”
“what one found uncertain the other found dubious or downright false”
Choose the adjective dubious for something you have doubts about or you suspect is not true. That bridge you just “bought” might be of dubious value.
Dubious stems from Latin dubiosus “doubtful” or “uncertain” and contains the Latin root duo in this case meaning “of two minds.” This is apparent in that dubious generally describes something that appears one way but is truly another. A dubious claim is probably not true, whereas a dubious website or character is of questionable quality. Dubious can also be synonymous with doubtful when referring to a person as in “she was dubious about the idea.”
Dupe
Dupe
fool or hoax - [v]a person who is tricked or swindled - [n]
The immigrant was duped because he trusted everyone
A dupe is a furry, ceremonial hat occasionally worn during ancient pagan rituals… or not. Dupe actually means “trick or deceive.” We’re sorry we tried to dupe you into believing the wrong definition.
Dupe can also refer to the victim of a trick or hoax, and — used in this sense — it sometimes conveys the idea that the victim is easily fooled. Dupe comes from the French word for a type of bird called the hoopoe, which has an extravagant crest and a reputation for being dim-witted. (And no, that’s not another attempt to dupe you; it’s the truth!)
Duplicity
Duplicity
acting in bad faith; deception by pretending to entertain one set of intentions while acting under the influence of another - [n]a fraudulent or duplicitous representation - [n]
Though he said he didn’t know anything about the footprints in the new sidewalk, his duplicity, or deceitfulness, was obvious from the cement caking his shoes. His mouth said one thing, his feet said another.
Many words with “du” have meanings with “two” or “duo.” Duplicity is from a Latin word meaning “twofold, having two parts.” Someone who shows duplicity is two-faced — maybe showing one side in public and another in private — or is just a liar, saying something known to be untrue or misleading. A fraud uses duplicity to gain something with false promises, and someone described as “fake” might use duplicity just to fit in or be accepted.
Dynamic
Dynamic
an efficient incentive - [n]characterized by action or forcefulness or force of personality - [adj]of or relating to dynamics - [adj](used of verbs (e.g. to run') and participial adjectives (e.g. running’ in `running water’)) expressing action rather than a state of being - [adj]
they hoped it would act as a spiritual dynamic on all churches
“a dynamic market”
“a dynamic speaker”
If a person, place, or thing is energetic and active, then it’s dynamic. When things are dynamic, there’s a lot going on.
Even the most exciting rural town won’t be as dynamic as a big city: there are just more things happening in a city. Someone with a dynamic personality is probably funny, loud, and excitable; a quiet, mousy person isn’t dynamic. You can also talk about the dynamic aspect of music, which has to do with how the music uses dynamics, which means “changes in volume.” When things are dynamic, changes and energy are in the air.
Ebullient
Ebullient
joyously unrestrained - [adj]
More than chipper, more than happy, more than delighted is ebullient — meaning bubbling over with joy and delight.
There are two senses of the word of ebullient. One describes an immediate, and ultimately short-lived, reaction to a particular event — for example if you’ve just won the lottery, you are ebullient. The other describes someone who is perpetually upbeat and cheerful, for example, as in “an ebullient personality.” Watch out for ebullient personalities: they can often be “over the top” as well.
Eccentric
Eccentric
conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual - [adj]not having a common center; not concentric - [adj]
famed for his eccentric spelling
“a friendly eccentric”
“eccentric circles”
You’re most likely to encounter the adjective eccentric in a description of an unusual or quirky person — like a scatter-brained aunt who leaves her life savings to her cat.
From the Greek ekkentros, “out of the center,” this word originally had to do with the orbits of planets that were observed to be slightly out of whack. Eventually it came to describe people who were a little kooky, both as an adjective and as a noun, too: an eccentric is an unconventional, odd person. Think of them as following a slightly different orbit from the rest of society.
Eclectic
Eclectic
selecting what seems best of various styles or ideas - [adj]someone who selects according to the eclectic method - [n]
She listens to hip-hop, Gregorian chant, and folk music from the ’60s. He’s been seen wearing a handmade tuxedo jacket over a thrift-store flannel shirt. They both have eclectic tastes.
The English word eclectic first appeared in the seventeenth century to describe philosophers who did not belong to a particular school of thought, but instead assembled their doctrines by picking and choosing from a variety of philosophical systems. Today, the word can refer to any assemblage of varied parts. You can have an eclectic group of friends (friends from diverse groups), eclectic taste in furniture (a mixture of 18th-century French chairs, Andy Warhol paintings, and Persian rugs), or enjoy eclectic cuisine (fusion cooking that uses ingredients from different national cuisines).
Eddy
Eddy
a miniature whirlpool or whirlwind resulting when the current of a fluid doubles back on itself - [n]flow in a circular current, of liquids - [v]
An eddy is a whirlpool — what you stare at as a kid when the water is draining out of the bathtub.
Pronounced exactly like the name, “Eddie,” this word means to swirl in a direction opposite of the current. Any substance like water, fog, smoke, or air can create an eddy, but it is most commonly seen as a term related to water. Books from the “flapper” era of the 1920s often include a description of a nightclub with “an eddy of cigarette smoke above a woman’s head.”
Efface
Efface
remove by or as if by rubbing or erasing - [v]remove completely from recognition or memory - [v]make inconspicuous - [v]
efface the memory of the time in the camps
“efface oneself”
If something is erased or rubbed out, it has been effaced. Teachers get annoyed to find that someone has effaced the blackboard — even the part clearly marked, “Do Not Erase!”
You can also efface things that are not physical — like effacing feelings, impressions, or memories. When you efface a memory, you wipe it out as well. Some people believe that their good deeds are able to efface their past wrongs. They’ll have to rely on others’ opinions to see how well that works.
Efficacy
Efficacy
capacity or power to produce a desired effect - [n]
concern about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine
The degree to which a method or medicine brings about a specific result is its efficacy. You might not like to eat it, but you can’t question the efficacy of broccoli as a health benefit.
Efficacy is a more formal way to say effectiveness, both of which stem from the Latin verb efficere “to work out, accomplish.” The effectiveness, or efficacy, of something is how well it works or brings the results you hoped for. A scientist does research to determine the efficacy of a vaccine or medicine under development. If it is efficacious, it will cure or prevent a disease.
Effigy
Effigy
a representation of a person (especially in the form of sculpture) - [n]
the coin bears an effigy of Lincoln
In modern usage, effigy most often refers to a likeness, such as a dummy, that is hanged, burned, or otherwise abused when protesting the despised person’s actions.
If you’ve encountered the phrase “in effigy,” it’s probably been in a news report about protesters burning a stuffed figure made to look like a loathed corporate leader or head of state. Since the 18th century or longer, effigies have been destroyed in place of individuals who, as far as the angry crowd is concerned, have escaped justice. Effigy can also refer to a sculptural portrait of the deceased reclining upon a burial monument.
Effrontery
Effrontery
audacious (even arrogant) behavior that you have no right to - [n]
If you rudely behave as if you have a right to something that you have no right to, you’re committing effrontery. When a couple stroll into a crowded restaurant, demand the best table, and threaten the staff unless they’re seated right away, that’s effrontery.
People have been guilty of outrageously self-centered behavior at least since 1715, when effrontery was coined. Tracing to the French word effronté, meaning “shameless,” the word effrontery is also connected to brazen, which means “of brass,” and describes someone so accustomed to effrontery that he’s hardened to it and has no concern for the harm done to others.
Effusive
Effusive
uttered with unrestrained enthusiasm - [adj]extravagantly demonstrative - [adj]
insincere and effusive demonstrations of sentimental friendship
Getting a compliment from your effusive Aunt Sally can be a little embarrassing. Since she’s so effusive, Aunt Sally holds nothing back, gushing with enthusiasm.
The adjective effusive means “extravagantly demonstrative,” and if you know someone who know who expresses positive emotions in a heartfelt, bubbly way, you understand just what it means. The word effusive has a surprisingly similar definition in geology; it describes a particular kind of volcanic eruption, one in which lava bubbles up out of the volcano and flows around it.
Egregious
Egregious
conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible - [adj]
an egregious lie
Something that is egregious stands out, but not in a good way — it means “really bad or offensive,” like a tattoo on a man misspelling his girlfriend’s name.
My massage therapist gave me bruises, someone complained recently on Twitter, asking, “When does it cease to be deep tissue massage therapy and become egregious and unabashed manhandling?” An egregious error is hardly forgivable. Some synonyms are shocking, appalling, and intolerable. The word has made a 180-degree turn from its original sense in Latin, when it meant “exceptionally good.” Word historians have speculated that the negative usage was originally meant to be ironic, but it is the only sense that has survived. Be careful not to use it to mean “outstanding,” since no one wants to be called egregious.
Egress
Egress
the act of coming (or going) out; becoming apparent - [n]the becoming visible - [n](astronomy) the reappearance of a celestial body after an eclipse - [n]come out of - [v]
If you want to leave a place, you need a means of egress, or a way to exit, such as a door or window. It was a beautiful old house, but without enough ways of egress, they needed outdoor fire-stairs for reaching the upper floors.
Egress comes from a Latin word meaning “going out.” An egress is basically the same thing as an exit. (Egress can also be used as a verb, “to exit,” but less frequently than as a noun.) When buildings undergo inspection, one of the main safety features under review is the number and placement of doors and windows, the “means of egress,” in case of fire or other emergency.
Elegy
Elegy
a mournful poem; a lament for the dead - [n]
An elegy is a sad poem, usually written to praise and express sorrow for someone who is dead. Although a speech at a funeral is a eulogy, you might later compose an elegy to someone you have loved and lost to the grave.
The purpose of this kind of poem is to express feelings rather than tell a story. Thomas Gray’s “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” is a poem that reflects on the lives of common people buried in a church cemetery, and on the nature of human mortality. The noun elegy was borrowed in the 16th century from Middle French élégie, from Latin elegīa, from Greek elegeia, from elegos “mournful poem or song.”
Ellipsis
Ellipsis
omission or suppression of parts of words or sentences - [n]
An ellipsis is punctuation that is used to show where words have been left out. The ellipsis is usually formed by three periods (four if the ellipsis comes at the end of a sentence).
The word ellipsis comes to English via a Greek word, elleipein, meaning to fall short or leave out. The plural of the noun is ellipses. In the sentence, “‘What the . . . !’ she exclaimed.”, the ellipsis replaces an expletive. The severity of the expletive is left to the reader’s imagination.
Elucidate
Elucidate
make clear and (more) comprehensible - [v]make free from confusion or ambiguity; make clear - [v]
If you elucidate something, you explain it very clearly. If you don’t understand fractions, a visit to the pie shop may elucidate the subject for you.
Elucidate is from Late Latin elucidare, from the Latin prefix e- “thoroughly” plus lucidus “clear, bright.” This Latin adjective is the source of English lucid, which describes someone who thinks clearly or something that is clear enough to understand.
Elusive
Elusive
skillful at eluding capture - [adj]difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze - [adj]making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe - [adj]
a cabal of conspirators, each more elusive than the archterrorist”- David Kline”
“that elusive thing the soul”
“a haunting elusive odor”
Things that are elusive hard to find, pin down, or remember. They slip right out of your grasp.
Ever try to catch a mouse? It’s not easy, because mice are quick and elusive — they’re tough to catch. Rabbits are speedy, so they’re elusive too. Also, things that are tough to understand or describe are elusive — like the concepts of love and beauty. If you had an idea and then forgot it, the idea is elusive: it slipped away. Anything you can’t get hold of, with your hands or with your brain, is elusive.
Emaciated
Emaciated
very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold - [adj]
Someone who is dangerously skinny and skeletal-looking can be described as emaciated. It’s probably how you’d start to look after a few weeks in the wilderness with only berries and bugs for dinner.
The adjective emaciated evolved from the Latin emaciatus, meaning to “make lean, waste away.” An emaciated person or animal isn’t just thin. They’re bony, gaunt, and most likely undernourished, often from illness. So if an emaciated stray cat shows up on your doorstep, give it a bowl of milk and maybe pay a visit to the vet.
Emancipate
Emancipate
free from slavery or servitude - [v]give equal rights to; of women and minorities - [v]
If you emancipate someone, you set them free from something. At the end of the Civil War, slaves were emancipated and became free men and women.
If you break down emancipate, you have e- “out,” -man- from the Latin manus “hand,” and -cip- from the Latin verb “to take.” Put it together, and you have “to be taken out of someone’s hands” — a good definition of freedom. The American Revolution was about colonists emancipating themselves from British rule. As a legal term, if a child is emancipated, he or she is declared independent from parental control.
Emboss
Emboss
raise in a relief - [v]
embossed stationery
- Emboss* means to carve with a design. A silver tray might be embossed with your initials and wedding date. You might give your teacher a plaque with “World’s Best Teacher” embossed under their name.
- Embossing* and engraving have similar effects––a raised surface. But embossing pushes the paper or metal up, working from behind, while engraving actually cuts into the surface, cutting away a bit of the media as it makes its mark.
Embroil
Embroil
force into some kind of situation, condition, or course of action - [v]
To embroil is to drag someone in to a mess. If you’re embroiled, you’re in … DEEP. It’s far worse, far messier, and generally far more long-term, than simply being “involved” with something. Nothing good can come of being embroiled.
Embroil can refer to any sort of situation — love affairs, political events, scandals — but it’s probably most commonly used in reference to law suits. The classic law suit that embroiled its participants was the fictional one of Jarndyce. v. Jarndyce, in Dickens’s novel Bleak House — which went on for so many generations that all the characters’ money was eaten up entirely by lawyers’ fees. Let us repeat: nothing good comes of getting embroiled.
Emollient
Emollient
toiletry consisting of any of various substances in the form of a thick liquid that have a soothing and moisturizing effect when applied to the skin - [n]having a softening or soothing effect especially to the skin - [adj]
An emollient is a cream or ointment with a thick, gooey texture. When your hands are dry and cracked in the winter, you probably apply an emollient to make them softer.
Emollient comes from a Latin word with the same spelling, which means “to make soft.” The noun form of emollient refers to a substance that makes something soft. However, emollient can also be an adjective used to describe something with a softening or soothing effect. For example, the annoying child on the airplane might be soothed by the emollient sound of the pilot’s voice over the intercom.
Empirical
Empirical
derived from experiment and observation rather than theory - [adj]relying on medical quackery - [adj]
an empirical basis for an ethical theory
“empirical laws”
“empirical data”
If knowledge is empirical, it’s based on observation rather than theory. To do an empirical study of donut shops, you’ll need to visit every one you can find.
Empirical looks like empire comes from a completely different origin: it is from the Greek empeirikos, meaning experienced. It was originally used in medicine for doctors making choices based on observation and experiment rather than theoretical ideas. It’s now used for any kind of knowledge that comes from experience. Meditate all day on the origins of donuts, but until you visit the donut bakery you’ll lack empirical knowledge of donut creation.
Emulate
Emulate
strive to equal or match, especially by imitating - [v]compete with successfully; approach or reach equality with - [v]imitate the function of (another system), as by modifying the hardware or the software - [v]
He is emulating the skating skills of his older sister
“This artist’s drawings cannot emulate his water colors”
When you emulate someone, you imitate them, especially with the idea of matching their success.
When someone is impressive because of their great skills, brains, strength, or accomplishments, other will emulate. To emulate is to imitate and model yourself after someone. People emulate role models — people they want to be like. After Michael Jordan retired from the NBA, player after player tried to emulate Jordan’s game and success. It’s hard to be as good as someone like that, but having a hero to emulate can be helpful in many areas of life.
Encomium
Encomium
a formal expression of praise - [n]
An encomium is a fancy word for a formal speech or piece of writing that warmly praises someone or something.
Encomium comes from the Greek word enkomion which, in a nutshell, is to honor someone or something at a party in a poetic speech. It used to refer to the song for the winner of the Olympic Games, sung at a victory celebration. You might hear an encomium at a retirement party, after you publish a fabulous book, or even at a funeral (a eulogy, or speech at a funeral about the person who died, is a kind of encomium). It’s pronounced with a long O, en-CO-mium.
Endorse
Endorse
be behind; approve of - [v]sign as evidence of legal transfer - [v]
endorse a new project
“endorse cheques”
To endorse is to give support to someone or something. “I endorse this!” means “I think this is a good thing, and so should you.”
People endorse in many ways. When someone endorses a politician, it means “You should vote for this person, and I’m putting my reputation on the line to say so.” When someone endorses a product in a commercial, it means “Go buy this! You’ll like it.” To endorse is to give support. You can also endorse a check, which means writing your name or someone else’s on the back so that you or the other person can cash or deposit it.
Enduring
Enduring
unceasing - [adj]patiently bearing continual wrongs or trouble - [adj]
an enduring disposition
Many people have an enduring love for ice cream, that is, they have loved it for a long time and will continue to love it into the future. Enduring means long-lasting.
Enduring has roots that go back about 1,500 years to the Late Latin period. It is quite an enduring word! The original root meant hard, so your enduring friendship or your enduring interest in sports is solid enough to stand the test of time. Besides meaning long-lasting, enduring sometimes means long-suffering as when someone has an enduring disposition, but this meaning is found in the verb more than in the adjective.
Enervate
Enervate
weaken mentally or morally - [v]disturb the composure of - [v]
When you enervate something, you disturb it, possibly weakening it mentally or morally. Perhaps knowing that its gambling and nightlife has been known to enervate some visitors, a certain desert city’s slogan is a promise to keep their antics a secret.
The verb enervate can mean “to faze or unnerve,” like public speaking, which is known to enervate many people, or “make weak,” like crazy bargains that enervate holiday shoppers. Don’t confuse enervate with innervate. The words are antonyms: something that enervates saps your energy, while something that innervates stimulates, or gives you energy.
Enfranchise
Enfranchise
grant freedom to; as from slavery or servitude - [v]grant voting rights - [v]
Slaves were enfranchised in the mid-19th century
The verb enfranchise is used when a group of people are given voting rights or freedoms they didn’t have before. Many people under the age of 18 would like lawmakers to enfranchise their peer group so they can vote.
Enfranchise traces back to the Old French word enfranchiss, a combination of en-, meaning “make, put in,” and enfranchir, meaning “to set or make free.” In the 1680s, enfranchise came to mean “to admit to membership in a state,” something that usually came with the right to vote. You may know the word disenfranchised, an adjective that describes people who lack rights or liberties. To enfranchise is to give or restore rights to the disenfranchised.
Engender
Engender
make children - [v]call forth - [v]
Engender is a fancy way of saying “to make happen,” like when you engender the spirit of teamwork and cooperation by encouraging others and doing your share of the group’s work.
The verb engender has nothing to do with being male or female, though originally, it did mean “beget, procreate.” Today, engender means “to produce or bring about.” When students come to class prepared, meaning they’ve read their assignment, this engenders better class discussions, just as mutual trust and the desire to help each other engenders a meaningful friendship.
Enhance
Enhance
increase - [v]make better or more attractive - [v]
This will enhance your enjoyment
“This sauce will enhance the flavor of the meat”
Many people use the expression “enhance your chance” to point out ways to increase your chances of winning or earning a contest or prize. When you enhance something, you heighten it or make it better.
Hance is not a word, but the addition of “en-“ does something to enhance it and improve its sound. You can enhance the size of something, too, by altering it or raising it, which is what the word original meant (the “hance” part came via French from Latin altus, meaning “high”). When you enhance something you take it to a higher level, like adding salt to French fries to enhance flavor or adding words to enhance your vocabulary.
Enigma
Enigma
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained - [n]a difficult problem - [n]
Take the noun, enigma, for something that is a puzzle or a mystery. Why do you have to learn difficult words like this? That is an enigma.
Traveling to English from the Greek through the Latin words for “riddle,” enigma refers to something or someone that is mysterious, puzzling or difficult to figure out. As a funny-sounding word with an interesting meaning, many things have been named enigma such as a rock band, a video game, a rollercoaster ride, and a very famous coding machine used in World War II.
Enigmatic
Enigmatic
not clear to the understanding - [adj]resembling an oracle in obscurity of thought - [adj]
I didn’t grasp the meaning of that enigmatic comment until much later
“prophetic texts so enigmatic that their meaning has been disputed for centuries”
“so enigmatic that priests might have to clarify it”
Something that’s enigmatic is tough to figure out. It’s puzzling and even mysterious, like those weird secret college societies, Mona Lisa’s smile or the New York Times crossword.
It’s no mystery where the adjective enigmatic comes from: It’s rooted in the Greek word for riddle. Something that’s enigmatic is obscure, unclear and not an easy nut to crack. Translating the Rosetta Stone, with its ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and mysterious foreign writings, was certainly an enigmatic challenge for the archaeologists that found it.
Ensconce
Ensconce
fix firmly - [v]
He ensconced himself in the chair
If you ensconce yourself somewhere, you settle in for quite a while, such as when you’re home with the flu and ensconce yourself on the couch with the remote control, tissues, your phone, and a big glass of orange juice.
Ensconce dates to the 1580s, when it literally meant “to cover with a fort.” It isn’t quite clear whether the word can be traced to French or Dutch, which has a word schans that describes “earthwork.” Today, you don’t need a protective structure like a fort in order to be ensconced, but the idea of being surrounded is key to the word’s meaning.
Epaulet
Epaulet
adornment consisting of an ornamental cloth pad worn on the shoulder - [n]
An epaulet is a decoration that is attached to the shoulders of a uniform. If you are a guard at Buckingham Palace, you have pretty nice epaulets on your uniform, but they aren’t as amazing as that hat.
The noun epaulet comes from the Late Latin meaning of spatula, “shoulder blade.” Any fancy extras attached on the exterior shoulders of a garment can be called an epaulet. Epaulets often have gold braided embroidery. Or stars. Some have fringe. The epaulets on the uniforms of airline pilots have four rows of braids, which distinguishes them as a higher rank than co-pilots, who wear three braids.
Ephemeral
Ephemeral
anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day in its winged form - [n]lasting a very short time - [adj]
the ephemeral joys of childhood
Something that is fleeting or short-lived is ephemeral, like a fly that lives for one day or text messages flitting from cellphone to cellphone.
Ephemeral (ə-FEM-ər-əl) was originally a medical term with the specific meaning “lasting only one day,” as a fever or sickness (Hemera means “day” in Greek.) The word became more general, coming to mean “lasting a short time,” covering the life spans of plants or insects and then eventually anything that is fleeting or transitory. A related word is the plural noun ephemera, meaning “things that are meant to last for only a short time.” Posters for a rock concert are often ephemera, unless the band is so famous that they get saved and sold on eBay.
Epicure
Epicure
a person devoted to refined sensuous enjoyment (especially good food and drink) - [n]
We call a person who truly loves food—food at the highest levels—an epicure. Occasionally, you might find the word epicure used for a person who loves something else, but an epicure is usually someone who delights in fine food.
Epicurus was the Greek philosopher whom we credit with thinking the most about cooking and food. So any time you see the word epicure, remember that that person follows the philosopher Epicurus and therefore loves food. Being an epicure ain’t cheap. Most fine restaurants these days will charge you an arm and a leg for a meal good enough to satisfy a real epicure: a good bottle of wine alone could cost the choosy epicure a couple of Benjamins ($100 bills).
Epigram
Epigram
a witty saying - [n]
An epigram is a short, clever remark. One of Oscar Wilde’s many memorable epigrams is “I can resist everything but temptation.”
Epigram comes from the Latin word epigramma, which means “an inscription.” If you’ve ever seen an inscription on, say, the back of a watch, you know the writing has to be brief. It won’t surprise you, then, that epigrams are very short poems, sayings, or famous quotations, like Benjamin Franklin’s “Little strokes fell great oaks,” a memorable reminder to keep working toward big goals or to pay attention to little details, the opposite of an epigram from our era: “Don’t sweat the small stuff.”
Epithet
Epithet
descriptive word or phrase - [n]a defamatory or abusive word or phrase - [n]
The noun epithet is a descriptive nickname, such as “Richard the Lionhearted,” or “Tommy the Terrible.” When it takes a turn for the worse, it can also be a word or phrase that offends.
Don’t let epithet’s bad reputation fool you — that’s only half the story. An epithet can be harmless, a nickname that catches on, like all hockey fans knowing that “Sid the Kid” is Sidney Crosby. On the flip side, an epithet can be an abusive word or phrase that should never be used, like a racial epithet that offends and angers everyone.
Equivocal
Equivocal
open to two or more interpretations; or of uncertain nature or significance; or (often) intended to mislead - [adj]uncertain as a sign or indication - [adj]open to question - [adj]
an equivocal statement
“the officer’s equivocal behavior increased the victim’s uneasiness”
“popularity is an equivocal crown”
Try to remember that uncertain means equivocal and certain means unequivocal. That’s a tricky movement the un- is making, and a lot of people get stumped.
From the Latin aequus ‘equal, the same’ + vocare “to call,” equivocal describes when something is too close to call. Whose hand first touched the last brownie on the plate? We asked everyone but the answers were equivocal.
Equivocate
Equivocate
be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information - [v]
When you are unwilling to make a decision and almost intentionally go back and forth between two choices, you are equivocating. When politicians equivocate, they are often afraid of upsetting, and thus alienating, voters with their decisions.
A key part of equivocate is the root vocate which come from the Latin vocare or “voice.” When you give your voice to two opposing views in order to mislead or keep your options open, you’re equivocating. Think of the expression, to talk out of both sides of your mouth. If you want to go to a party and your parents keep saying “maybe, it depends,” tell them to stop equivocating and give you a straight answer.
Errant
Errant
straying from the right course or from accepted standards - [adj]uncontrolled motion that is irregular or unpredictable - [adj]
errant youngsters
“an errant breeze”
Something or someone described as errant has gone astray or done wrong by going in an unexpected direction. An errant bird might end up in northern Canada while his friends fly to southern Mexico for the winter.
Although errant is commonly used as a synonym for “misbehaving” or “naughty,” it also refers to things that are just out of place. An errant bomb can hit a house instead of an army base, and an errant lock of hair can get in your eyes. Errant can be intentional, as in “the errant boys skipped school to go to the movies,” or unintentional, as in “an errant snowball hit your neighbor instead of your arch enemy.”
Erratic
Erratic
liable to sudden unpredictable change - [adj]likely to perform unpredictably - [adj]having no fixed course - [adj]
erratic behavior
“erratic winds are the bane of a sailor”
“an erratic comet”
The adjective erratic describes things that are unpredictable, unusual, and that deviate from the norm. An erratic quarterback might completely confuse his receivers waiting for a pass.
Like its linguistic relative, error, the adjective erratic means “deviating from the norm,” or “wrong.” It also implies behavior or qualities that are unpredictable or odd. The word comes from the Latin verb errare, or “to wander” off course. In the field of geology, a rock that is erratic is unlike others in its environment because it has been transported by glacial activity. Likewise, someone driving a car that veers out of its lane is said to be driving erratically.
Eschew
Eschew
avoid and stay away from deliberately; stay clear of - [v]
If you eschew something, you deliberately avoid it. If you live the bohemian life in the city, then most likely you eschew the suburbs.
Eschew comes from a word meaning dread, or shun. So to eschew something isn’t simply to avoid it, the way you would avoid walking in a puddle––it’s stronger than that. You eschew things that you find morally or aesthetically wrong, or that you have chosen to find wrong. A dieter might eschew a chocolate sundae, not because he doesn’t like it, but because he’s afraid of what it will do to his waistline.
Esoteric
Esoteric
confined to and understandable by only an enlightened inner circle - [adj]
a compilation of esoteric philosophical theories
Pssst… do you know the secret handshake? If you haven’t been brought into the inner circle of those with special knowledge, esoteric things will remain a mystery to you.
In the olden days, achieving esoteric knowledge meant getting initiated into the mystical arts, learning secrets unknown to regular folks. Now when a subject is called esoteric it’s usually something not so mystical but still hard to penetrate: financial accounting might seem esoteric for people who get easily stumped filling out their tax forms. Americans might find the sport of cricket to be esoteric, but the rules of baseball can be just as impenetrable to outsiders. The infield fly rule? Totally esoteric.
Espouse
Espouse
choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans - [v]take in marriage - [v]
The candidate espouses Republican ideals
Use the verb espouse to describe the actions of someone who lives according to specific beliefs, such as your friends who espouse environmentalism and as a result walk whenever possible instead of taking the car.
You can see the word spouse in espouse, so you may be wondering what husbands and wives have to do with it. Originally espouse did mean “to marry,” but its meaning has evolved to include other long-term commitments as well, such as support for a principle or a cause. Similar to marriage, if you espouse a belief system, the idea is that you’ve chosen to wed yourself to it.
Etymology
Etymology
a history of a word - [n]the study of the sources and development of words - [n]
Since you’re reading this, then you probably have some interest in etymology, because it’s the study of the history and derivations of words.
What genealogy is to a family, etymology is to words. A genealogist studies the history of a family. A person who studies etymology does the same thing with words. Etymology looks at the roots of words — for example, whether they started out as Latin, Greek, or as some other language — and how they took on their current meaning. When you learn that the -logy part of etymology almost always means “the study of,” that is, in itself, etymology.
Eulogy
Eulogy
a formal expression of praise for someone who has died recently - [n]a formal expression of praise - [n]
At every funeral, there comes a moment when someone who knew the dead person speaks about their life. They are delivering what is known as a eulogy. A eulogy is a formal speech that praises a person who has died.
Usually a eulogy makes the dead person sound a lot more impressive than they really were. A couple of less common synonyms for this kind of “praise the dead” speech are panegyric and encomium. Sometimes the dead person was so unimpressive that there’s nothing nice to say. And sometimes they were so awful that the only appropriate speech is a dyslogy that describes their faults and failings.
Euphemism
Euphemism
an inoffensive or indirect expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive or too harsh - [n]
Pardon me, but when a polite term is substituted for a blunt, offensive one, you should call it a euphemism.
Euphemism is from Greek euphemismos, meaning “good speech,” and it’s a way that we paper over uncomfortable things with more pleasant-sounding words. These days we tend to use euphemisms when talking about anything having to do with elimination of bodily waste: toilet, bathroom, and water closet were all originally euphemisms. The military is also notorious for using euphemisms, like saying “neutralizing the target” instead of “killing someone.”
Euphony
Euphony
any agreeable (pleasing and harmonious) sounds - [n]
Shakespeare’s language is a good example of euphony: pleasant, musical sounds in harmony, as with “To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow / Creeps in this petty pace from day to day.”
Use euphony to describe music or poetry. To understand it, break it down: eu- means good; phon- means sound or voice. Of course, just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, euphony is in the ear of the listener — it’s subjective. Kids and their parents rarely find euphony in the same song.
Evanescent
Evanescent
tending to vanish like vapor - [adj]
evanescent beauty
A beautiful sunset, a rainbow, a wonderful dream right before your alarm clock goes off — all of these could be described as evanescent, which means “fleeting” or “temporary.”
Evanescent comes from the Latin ex, meaning “out of,” and vanescere, meaning “to vanish.” When pronouncing this word, emphasize the third syllable and note that the c is silent. You might want to practice saying evanescent a few times right now; if you stumble over pronunciation when you need this word the most, whatever you’re describing — be it a shooting star or a whiff of fragrant perfume — will be gone.
Exacerbate
Exacerbate
make worse - [v]exasperate or irritate - [v]
For a formal-sounding verb that means to make worse, try exacerbate. If you’re in trouble, complaining about it will only exacerbate the problem.
Exacerbate is related to the adjective acrid, often used to describe sharp-smelling smoke. Think of exacerbate then as a sharp or bitter thing that makes something worse. A drought will exacerbate a country’s food shortage. Worsen, intensify, aggravate and compound are similar, but exacerbate has the sense of an irritant being added in to make something bad even worse.
Exceptionable
Exceptionable
liable to objection or debate; used of something one might take exception to - [adj]
a thoroughly unpleasant highly exceptionable piece of writing
If something is exceptionable, someone is bound to find something wrong with it.
Be careful not to confuse exceptionable with exceptional, which means something remarkable and particularly unusual, or with unexceptionable, which means the exact opposite of exceptionable — something quite ordinary and hardly to be noticed. “Puppies are cute” is about as unexceptionable a sentence as you are likely to find. Unless you’re a puppy hater, of course.
Exculpate
Exculpate
pronounce not guilty of criminal charges - [v]
To exculpate means to find someone not guilty of criminal charges. If you’ve been wrongly convicted of robbery, you better hope a judge will exculpate you, unless you want to go to jail because you’ve heard prison food is amazing.
Exculpate comes from two Latin words: ex-, meaning “from,” and culpa, meaning “blame.” Exculpate is similar in meaning to exonerate. When you exonerate someone, you clear a person of an accusation and any suspicion that goes along with it. Exculpate usually refers more directly to clearing the charges against someone. So if that judge exculpates you from the robbery charge, everyone in town might still think you did it. Get him to exculpate and exonerate you.
Execrable
Execrable
unequivocally detestable - [adj]of very poor quality or condition - [adj]deserving a curse - [adj]
execrable crimes
If something’s execrable it’s really and truly, unbelievably, absolutely the worst.
Execrable is often used as a harshly critical term in the arts, when a reviewer really wants to throw the book at something. Not surprisingly, the word comes from a Latin word meaning “to utter a curse; to hate or abhor.” Tough words for bad art. Perhaps part of the power and nastiness of execrable lies in the word’s similarity to excrement — but that’s a vocabulary word we’re not touching in this entry!
Exegesis
Exegesis
an explanation or critical interpretation (especially of the Bible) - [n]
If your teacher gives an explanation of a difficult text you are reading, she is giving you an exegesis on it. An exegesis is a critical look at a text.
Exegesis comes from the Greek word for interpret and it’s often used in connection with the Bible. Often times, religious rules are based on an exegesis of a text. For instance, some Jewish people do not eat meat and dairy in the same meal based on an exegesis of a law in the Torah that says you should not eat a calf cooked in its mother’s milk.
Exemplary
Exemplary
worthy of imitation - [adj]being or serving as an illustration of a type - [adj]serving to warn - [adj]
exemplary behavior
“an action exemplary of his conduct”
“an exemplary jail sentence”
Exemplary people excel at what they do and are excellent examples to others. Something exemplary is so good that it is an example for others to follow.
When something is the best it can be or reaches the highest point, it is exemplary and thus worth imitating. Exemplary comes from the Latin exemplum, meaning “sample” or “example.” While some people and things are held as examples of what not to do, an exemplary person or thing is always a positive example. A country can have an exemplary record of preventing pollution, and a person may have an exemplary reputation just for being all-around praiseworthy or noble.
Exemplify
Exemplify
be characteristic of - [v]clarify by giving an example of - [v]
This compositional style is exemplified by this fugue
If you exemplify something, you’re the perfect example of it. Say you wear frilly shirts, knee-high boots, and black eye-make-up — you exemplify the fashion world’s obsession with pirates.
Exemplifying something can also mean make it clearer by offering an illustration or an example. If you want to exemplify your argument that, say, pirate gear is fashionable, you might want to show your friends some pictures of celebrities wearing eye patches.
Exigency
Exigency
a pressing or urgent situation - [n]a sudden unforeseen crisis (usually involving danger) that requires immediate action - [n]
the health-care exigency
Think of a mix of excitement and emergency, and you have exigency, a sudden, urgent crisis. The very word conjures up danger and intrigue that demand a cool head and an immediate effort at a solution.
The meaning of exigency is obvious from its source, the Latin noun exigentia, which means “urgency” and comes from the verb exigere, meaning “to demand or require.” An emergency situation, or exigency, is urgent and demands immediate action. Our lives are filled with exigencies, both large and small, from a child stuck in a tree to lightning striking your house to catastrophic river flooding. Each is an exigency — it’s all a matter of perspective.
Expatiate
Expatiate
add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing - [v]
The verb expatiate means “to add details to in order to clear up.” If your story is confusing to everyone who hears it, certain key parts must be missing. Better expatiate so that people can understand it.
To pronounce expatiate correctly, accent the second syllable: “ex-PAY-she-ate.” When you expatiate, you add details, usually to something you are writing. The goal is to make your ideas clearer to readers, perhaps by offering an example to help them understand. Teachers can tell when you are expatiating and when you are just adding to what you’ve written, say, reach a certain length requirement. That’s usually called “padding.”
Expatriate
Expatriate
a person who is voluntarily absent from home or country - [n]expel from a country - [v]move away from one’s native country and adopt a new residence abroad - [v]
American expatriates
An expatriate is someone who lives in another country by choice. If you leave your split-level ranch in Ohio and move to a writers’ commune in Paris for good, you’ve become an expatriate.
Expatriate can also be a verb, so that American in Paris has expatriated. There was a scene of expatriates, or expats, living in Paris in the roaring ’20s that included writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Gertrude Stein. The word used to mean to get kicked out of your native country — it’s from the French word expatrier which means “banish.” The prefix ex means “out of” and the Latin patria “one’s native country,” but the word took a turn and now refers to people who left without getting shoved out.
Expedient
Expedient
appropriate to a purpose; practical - [adj]serving to promote your interest - [adj]a means to an end; not necessarily a principled or ethical one - [n]
in the circumstances it was expedient to express loyalty
“was merciful only when mercy was expedient”
The adjective expedient describes something that provides an easy way to achieve a goal or result, but it’s not necessarily a moral solution.
Politically expedient means something you do to advance yourself politically. Use expedient when you want to hint that a particular solution or strategy has certain benefits and advantages but is not completely fair. However, expedient can also be used to describe something practical for a particular purpose.
Expedite
Expedite
process fast and efficiently - [v]speed up the progress of; facilitate - [v]
I will try to expedite the matter
“This should expedite the process”
To expedite something is to make it go faster or speed up the process. Expediting that package might get it to Alaska by tomorrow, instead of next Tuesday.
If someone says, “Let me expedite the process,” that’s probably a good thing: they’re offering to speed things up. If you’ve ever waited in line a long time, then you must have wished someone could expedite things. A driver can expedite his commute by going in the faster car-pool lane. Whenever there’s a lot of paperwork for something, it’s nice to know someone who can expedite the process. When you see the word expedite, think “Make faster!”
Expiate
Expiate
make amends for - [v]
expiate one’s sins
In the fairy tale, the baker must expiate his father’s sins by bringing the witch three ingredients for a magic potion: a cow, a cape and a slipper. Expiate means to make amends or atone for a wrong you or someone else has committed.
After the incident on the hill, a mortified Jill expiated her guilt by buying Jack a brand new crown. The shiny new crown served as compensation, or expiation, for the broken one. That it cost her so dearly made the expiatory gesture especially meaningful to poor Jack.
Extant
Extant
still in existence; not extinct or destroyed or lost - [adj]
extant manuscripts
““specimens of graphic art found among extant barbaric folk”- Edward Clodd”
Use the adjective extant to describe old things that are still around, like your extant diary from third grade or the only extant piece of pottery from certain craftspeople who lived hundreds of years ago.
Extant is the opposite of extinct: it refers to things that are here — they haven’t disappeared or been destroyed. Use extant to describe things that it may be surprising to learn are still around — you wouldn’t say jeans you bought last year are extant, but a pair of jeans worn by Marilyn Monroe back in the 1950s? Definitely extant.
Extirpate
Extirpate
destroy completely, as if down to the roots - [v]surgically remove (an organ) - [v]
The verb extirpate originally literally meant “to weed out by the roots.” Now you’d use it when you want to get rid of something completely as if pulling it up by the root.
Use the verb extirpate when you mean to destroy completely or get rid of completely. You can try to extirpate all the bedbugs that came home with you from your vacation, but you will probably be afraid that some resisted the exterminator to munch on you later.
Extol
Extol
praise, glorify, or honor - [v]
extol the virtues of one’s children
If you have a crush on a guy who likes your best friend, it can be very depressing to listen to him extol your friend’s virtues, while you just nod and smile. If you extol something, you praise it very highly.
The Bible says: “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven…” Nebuchadnezzar II was king of the second Babylonian Empire, the one who sent the Jews into exile. In some translations of the Bible, the word honor is replaced with glorify. Praise, extol, honor, glorify all mean about the same. The Bible often uses five words when one would be enough.
Extraneous
Extraneous
not belonging to that in which it is contained; introduced from an outside source - [adj]coming from the outside - [adj]not pertinent to the matter under consideration - [adj]not essential - [adj]
water free of extraneous matter
“extraneous light in the camera spoiled the photograph”
“relying upon an extraneous income”
Extraneous means coming from or belonging to the outside—extraneous noise is what you hear when you’re in a theater and a train passes by, extraneous wires bring your cable connection into the house.
In Latin, extra means outside, as in extraordinary “outside the ordinary,” or extraterrestrial ‘coming from outside earth.’ (Bonus points––ding! ding!––if you knew that terra is Latin for “earth.”) The meaning of extraneous also extends to more abstract things that come from the outside: extraneous details are ones that don’t matter.
Extrinsic
Extrinsic
not forming an essential part of a thing or arising or originating from the outside - [adj]
extrinsic evidence
“an extrinsic feature of the new building”
“that style is something extrinsic to the subject”
Extrinsic means not connected to the essential nature of something. New cleats are extrinsic to making the soccer team. How you play is what gets you on the team, whether your cleats are old or new.
If the ex in extrinsic makes you think of external or extra you’re on the right track––all these ex words are talking about something that is outside, or above and beyond. You often hear extrinsic paired with its opposite, intrinsic, which means part of something or someone’s essential nature. If being sweet-tempered is intrinsic to your personality, you might not even know how to get mad.
Facetious
Facetious
cleverly amusing in tone - [adj]
facetious remarks
Someone who is facetious is only joking: “I was being facetious when I told my mother I want Brussels sprouts with every meal, but she took me seriously!”
Facetious is a useful word to describe something that’s humorous, or meant to be humorous. If a joke falls flat, then you can back off from it by saying you’re only being facetious. There are limits to this use of the word: if you stage an elaborate prank on your friend, making him run out into the street in his underwear because he thinks his house is on fire, calling the joke facetious will probably earn you a punch in the face.
Fallacious
Fallacious
containing or based on a fallacy - [adj]based on an incorrect or misleading notion or information - [adj]intended to deceive - [adj]
fallacious reasoning
“fallacious hope”
“fallacious testimony”
Something fallacious is a mistake that comes from too little information or unsound sources. Predictions that the whole state of California will snap off from the rest of North America and float away have proven to be fallacious — for now, anyway.
Fallacious comes ultimately from the Latin fallax, “deceptive.” The word fallacious might describe an intentional deception or a false conclusion coming from bad science or incomplete understanding. “Her assumption that anyone that old — over 20 — could understand her tween dilemma was fallacious; her sister had been young once too.”
Fallible
Fallible
wanting in moral strength, courage, or will; having the attributes of man as opposed to e.g. divine beings - [adj]likely to fail or make errors - [adj]
I’m only a fallible human
“everyone is fallible to some degree”
As humans we are all fallible, because fallible means likely to make errors or fail. Nobody’s perfect, after all.
Fall down on the job and you’re fallible. It’s a forgiving way to say you screwed up. If a scientific experiment’s data is fallible, that means you can’t trust the numbers. More than just locking your keys in the car, fallible can allude to a lack of moral strength. If in addition to locking your keys in the car, you kissed your best friend’s husband, you might try using “I’m fallible” as your defense.
Fallow
Fallow
left unplowed and unseeded during a growing season - [adj]undeveloped but potentially useful - [adj]cultivated land that is not seeded for one or more growing seasons - [n]
fallow farmland
“a fallow gold market”
Something that is fallow is left unused. If you’re smart but lazy, someone might say you have a fallow mind.
We use the word to talk about any unused resource, it started as a work about land. Fallow comes from the old English word for plowing, and refers to the practice of leaving fields unplowed in rotation––when a field lies fallow, the soil regains nutrients that are sucked up by over-planting.
Falter
Falter
move hesitatingly, as if about to give way - [v]be unsure or weak - [v]
The speaker faltered when he saw his opponent enter the room
“Their enthusiasm is faltering”
Falter means to hesitate, stumble, or waver, and everything from faith to voices can do it. So if you want to keep your bride or groom happy, it’s best not to falter when it’s your turn to say “I do.”
Experts may falter if you ask them where falter came from, because the origins are pretty unclear. But everyone agrees on the current meaning: someone who falters is unsteady, wobbly, or unsure. You might falter while reciting a poem if you forget some of the lines, or falter crossing a rickety rope bridge when fear gets the most of you. But you certainly won’t falter when someone asks you the meaning of this word.
Fanaticism
Fanaticism
excessive intolerance of opposing views - [n]
- Fanaticism* occurs when someone is unwilling or unable to accept a differing point of view. You can use the word to describe the endless war between fans of the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees.
- Fanaticism* come from the Latin word fanaticus, a word with a meaning that includes the word mad — in both senses. If you’re mad, you might be angry — or you might be insane. Fanaticism involves both kinds of madness. Anger at those who disagree with you, taken so far that there’s a desire to stop or even harm the dissenters? That’s madness — and also fanaticism.
Fastidious
Fastidious
giving careful attention to detail; hard to please; excessively concerned with cleanliness - [adj]having complicated nutritional requirements; especially growing only in special artificial cultures - [adj]
a fastidious and incisive intellect
“fastidious about personal cleanliness”
“fastidious microorganisms”
If you want to describe a person who insists on perfection or pays much attention to food, clothing and cleanliness, the right word is fastidious.
Fastidious is a funny-sounding adjective from the Latin fastidium “loathing” that has several equally strange-sounding synonyms — persnickety, fussbudgety, finicky and punctilious. Fussy and hard to please will also do the trick. Fastidious is occasionally used as a compliment to describe someone whose attention to detail gives them good organizing abilities, but it is usually used as a disapproving term.
Fatuous
Fatuous
devoid of intelligence - [adj]
- Fatuous* means lacking intelligence. When your mother outlaws calling your brother stupid, use fatuous instead.
- Fatuous* derives from the Latin fatuus meaning “foolish.” It sounds like it should have something to do with being fat, but it actually has no relation to size. Back in Old English times, when the word fat was emerging, food was a lot more scarce than it is today, and the word fat meant simply plump or well-fed. Times have changed, and now that we have more food than we know what to do with, fat people are thought to lack self control, which makes them seem foolish, or even fatuous, which is hardly the case.
Feasible
Feasible
capable of being done with means at hand and circumstances as they are - [adj]
If something is feasible, then you can do it without too much difficulty. When someone asks “Is it feasible?” the person is asking if you’ll be able to get something done.
Feasible things are possible. If you have enough time, money, or energy to do something, it’s feasible. Something might be feasible at one time and then not feasible at another time. Because of technological advances and competition with the Russians, going to the moon was feasible for the United States in the sixties. Often, people disagree about what’s feasible, especially in politics, where how feasible a project is counts for a lot.
Feint
Feint
any distracting or deceptive maneuver (as a mock attack) - [n]deceive by a mock action - [v]
The midfielder feinted to shoot
Did you ever tell your parents you were going off to school, grabbed your book bag, and headed out the door… only to spend the rest of the day hanging out with your friends? Well, that was a feint, a super sneaky move designed to fool someone.
Although military and political tactics are big on feints, their most common use is probably in sports — particularly boxing, where opponents are continually trying to fake each other out. As in Dundee’s account of an Ali-Frazier match: “Ali feinted with a jab, and Frazier threw one of his own, missing.” Not to be confused with faint, meaning “weak or feeble.” However, a feint can be deliberately faint, as Ali knew and Frazier found out when the real right hook made contact.
Felicitous
Felicitous
exhibiting an agreeably appropriate manner or style - [adj]marked by good fortune - [adj]
a felicitous speaker
“a felicitous life”
- Felicitous* describes something that’s really pleasant. If someone behaves in a felicitous manner, she’s being agreeable and appropriate. You know, the way you should behave when your great aunt offers you those stale candies.
- Felicitous* also describes something that’s happy or lucky. When you plan a trip to the amusement park and it turns out that the sun is shining, that’s felicitous. If you need to mail a package by a certain date and you make it to the post office just in time, that’s also felicitous. Felicitous can also describe something that’s well chosen. Planning an outdoor wedding for the dead of winter would not be felicitous.
Fervent
Fervent
characterized by intense emotion - [adj]extremely hot - [adj]
a fervent desire to change society
“a fervent admirer”
““the fervent heat…merely communicated a genial warmth to their half-torpid systems”- Nathaniel Hawthorne”
Use fervent to describe a person or thing that shows very strong feelings or enthusiasm. If you have a fervent desire to become an actress, you’ll stop at nothing to realize your dream.
The adjective fervent and the noun fervor are often associated with the feelings aroused by patriotism, religion, or a belief that you support or oppose. A near synonym for the adjective is ardent. Fervent is from Middle English, from Old French, from the Latin verb fervēre “to boil, glow.”
Fervid
Fervid
characterized by intense emotion - [adj]extremely hot - [adj]
set out…when the fervid heat subsides”- Frances Trollope”
Fervid can be used to describe something that is physically hot such as “a fervid day in August,” but it is more often used to describe heated emotions like anger, love, or desire.
When passions and emotions run wild, you should expect to hear some fervid language thrown about. The adjective fervid comes from the Latin fervidus which means “glowing, burning, or boiling.” It is often used like the word fiery. You might hear a politician deliver a “fervid speech” if he or she is particularly worked up over an issue.
Fervor
Fervor
feelings of great warmth and intensity - [n]the state of being emotionally aroused and worked up - [n]
Use fervor to describe an intensity of emotion or expression. Fans of the Los Angeles Dodgers show so much fervor that they “bleed Dodger blue.”
This noun comes to us from Latin fervere, meaning “to boil, glow.” In the English word fervor, the suffix –or means “a condition or property of something.” There is another –or suffix that means “a person or thing that does the thing expressed by the verb.” A corresponding adjective is fervent; synonyms of the noun and adjective are ardor and ardent.
Fickle
Fickle
liable to sudden unpredictable change - [adj]marked by erratic changeableness in affections or attachments - [adj]
fickle weather
“fickle friends”
People who are fickle change their minds so much you can’t rely on them. If your best friend suddenly decides that she doesn’t like you one week, and then the next week she wants to hang out again, she’s being fickle.
Fickle comes from the Old English word ficol, for deceitful. We usually use fickle to talk about people, but it can also be used for abstract things that alternately favor you and abuse you, like the weather. If you win the lottery and then lose everything else in the world that’s important to you, fate is being fickle.
Filibuster
Filibuster
(law) a tactic for delaying or obstructing legislation by making long speeches - [n]a legislator who gives long speeches in an effort to delay or obstruct legislation that he (or she) opposes - [n]obstruct deliberately by delaying - [v]
As a verb, filibuster means “to obstruct legislation by talking at great length.” As a noun, it can refer to that oppositional speech. “The Senator prevented a vote on the bill by reading the dictionary from aardvark to zyzzyva.”
As a parliamentary tactic, the filibuster dates back to at least the first century B.C.E. The rules of the Roman Senate required that all business must be completed by nightfall, and, on more than one occasion, the senator Cato the Younger spoke until dark to delay a vote. In the Parliament of the United Kingdom, a minister may “talk out” a bill, but his speech must pertain to the bill. In the United States, by contrast, a Senator may forestall action on a bill by speaking on any topic.
Finesse
Finesse
subtly skillful handling of a situation - [n]
Having finesse means you can handle difficult situations with diplomacy and tact, like the finesse it takes to help two friends work out their differences — without taking sides or alienating either one.
Finesse is having grace under pressure. It’s handling the rantings of an angry customer with a smile and a calm tone. Someone who has finesse says the right thing at the right time — or knows when to say nothing at all. Finesse looks like fineness and in fact comes from the Middle French word that means exactly that — delicate in nature. People with finesse can handle anything — with a delicate approach that really works.
Fitful
Fitful
occurring in spells and often abruptly - [adj]intermittently stopping and starting - [adj]
fitful bursts of energy
“fitful (or interrupted) sleep”
An adjective that sounds a little like what it means, fitful means stopping and starting, on-again off-again, switching suddenly. I had a fitful night’s sleep: I woke up several times throughout the night.
A fit is a disturbance that happens without warning, like a tantrum, tremor, or spasm. If something is fitful, it’s “full of fits.” A night at the opera is a night of fitful pleasures: the arias are cool, but the rest of the show is boring. I’ve made only fitful progress trying to lose weight, because I lose only a few pounds at a time, and they almost always come right back: my progress is fitful because it comes in “fits and starts.”
Flagrant
Flagrant
conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible - [adj]
flagrant violation of human rights
Something flagrant is bad — so bad you can’t ignore it. A flagrant foul in sports might send you to the bench, and a flagrant violation of the law might send you to the slammer.
The current meaning of the adjective flagrant — “obviously offensive or disgraceful” — is thought to derive from the Latin legal term in flagrante delicto, which literally meant “with fire still blazing” and is used figuratively to describe a situation in which the criminal is caught red handed. Aside from a flagrant abuse of the law, the word can also be used to describe anything that is obviously bad — like flagrant bad taste or flagrant abuse of the rules of grammar.
Flail
Flail
an implement consisting of handle with a free swinging stick at the end; used in manual threshing - [n]move like a flail; thresh about - [v]give a thrashing to; beat hard - [v]
Her arms were flailing
To flail means to wave around wildly. If you are stranded on a deserted island and you see a ship in the distance, it’s a good idea to flail your arms in the air to get the captain’s attention.
Flail originates with the Latin word flagellum, which is a whip. It is also related to the noun flail, a stick with a swinging attachment to it, used to thresh grain. As a verb, it most often refers to arms, but can also involve the whole body, especially if someone is a very wild dancer. Other things can flail as well. If someone admits that his business is flailing, it’s probably lacking direction and not doing very well.
Flamboyant
Flamboyant
marked by ostentation but often tasteless - [adj]showy tropical tree or shrub native to Madagascar; widely planted in tropical regions for its immense racemes of scarlet and orange flowers; sometimes placed in genus Poinciana - [n]
flamboyant handwriting
Flamboyant means elaborate and ostentatious. When you think of flamboyant, think of Las Vegas showgirls: feathers, sequins, three-inch heels, enough make-up to disguise any irregularity.
Flamboyant means showy, and though we often roll our eyes at it, it’s not a hateful thing. Liberace was flamboyant. So was Elvis. The word comes from the French flamboyer, to flame. Think of passion and pageantry all rolled into one, and you’ll have a good idea what flamboyant should mean at its best. If that doesn’t do it for you, think of a man playing a shiny white grand piano at a rock concert, wearing a white satin jump suit and 8-foot wide, fully-feathered wings. See? Flamboyant.
Flaunt
Flaunt
display proudly; act ostentatiously or pretentiously - [v]the act of displaying something ostentatiously - [n]
his behavior was an outrageous flaunt
Flaunt is “to display proudly or show off,” like when you flaunt your new Italian leather jacket by wearing it to the beach and pretending you’re cold to make sure everyone sees it.
Although we love it when a peacock flaunts his colorful feathers, when a person does the same thing we feel bad. Flaunt is like bragging, which can bum people out because they don’t have whatever you’re showing off, like that cool jacket. When rich people flaunt their wealth by speeding past you in their limo, they may as well splash a mud puddle on your white clothes. Leave the flaunting for peacocks and stars in bad reality TV shows.
Flippant
Flippant
showing inappropriate levity - [adj]
When a parent scolds a teenager for missing a curfew or blowing off a test and the teen snaps back, “Whatever,” you could say the teen is being flippant. His reply was casual to the point of sarcasm and disrespect.
When it first showed up in the English language around the 17th century, flippant meant glib and talkative. But over the years it has developed a more negative connotation. Today flippant is used to describe a blasé attitude or comment in a situation that calls for seriousness. Make a flippant comment about your friend’s mother and the odds are good that they’ll be offended.
Flout
Flout
treat with contemptuous disregard - [v]laugh at with contempt and derision - [v]
flout the rules
To flout is to scorn or show contempt for. “I flout the law and the concept of civilian safety by making a concerted effort to jaywalk every time I cross a street.”
Oddly enough, when flout came into existence in the 1550s, it had a much different sense to it than it does now; it’s believed that it evolved from the Middle English flowten “to play the flute.” As a verb, it means to scorn, as in, for example, to scorn a law, person, or social norm by defying it. As a noun, it is a contemptuous remark or insult. Wrote William Shakespeare, “Flout ‘em, and scout ‘em; and scout ‘em and flout ‘em; Thought is free.”
Foible
Foible
a behavioral attribute that is distinctive and peculiar to an individual - [n]the weaker part of a sword’s blade from the forte to the tip - [n]
If you repeat foible out loud enough times, it sounds so funny that you can laugh at it and maybe remember to laugh at the odd and distinctive weaknesses of others — the foible or two or a hundred that we all have.
Sometimes a foible helps make a person who they are, even if the foible, or weakness (“feeble” is a close relative), is a little odd. Synonyms for foible in a negative sense are “failing,” “shortcoming,” and in a more positive sense “quirk,” “eccentricity.” It can likewise be annoying or endearing. Most people have a foible, or idiosyncrasy, that stands out to others, but interestingly, a person rarely sees his or her own characteristic foible.
Foment
Foment
try to stir up public opinion - [v]bathe with warm water or medicated lotions - [v]
His legs should be fomented
Stand outside the school cafeteria passing out flyers with nutritional details on school food, and you may foment a revolution––foment means stirring up something undesirable, such as trouble.
You would never say, “Hooray, we fomented a revolution.” Instead you’d say, “Those good for nothing scalawags fomented the rebellion.” Don’t confuse foment and ferment. Ferment can mean “to stir up” in a good way––a football game can ferment excitement in a town, or foment trouble through traffic tie-ups and litter.
Foolhardy
Foolhardy
marked by defiant disregard for danger or consequences - [adj]
foolhardy enough to try to seize the gun from the hijacker
If you decide you are going to scale Mt. Everest next weekend without any training or experience, that would be a foolhardy decision. Use the adjective foolhardy when someone rushes into action without considering the consequences.
Foolhardy is a combination of the noun fool and the adjective hardy, meaning “brave” or “bold.” Put them together and you’ve got “foolishly brave.” Someone who is foolhardy throws caution to the wind and takes reckless chances. A foolhardy mistake is typically the result of this kind of impulsive behavior. But foolhardy doesn’t always imply foolishness or stupidity; foolhardy can convey courage and romance, as in the case of a foolhardy passion or desire.
Foppish
Foppish
affecting extreme elegance in dress and manner - [adj]
A man who is constantly checking out his outfit in the mirror might be foppish, or someone who loves dressing up in fancy clothes.
For some reason, foppish is almost always used to describe men (not women), and that’s why the word might make you think of an elegant suit, vest, and tie, and probably some over-the-top details like a flower in a buttonhole and a polka-dotted handkerchief. The word foppish also implies that this guy probably thinks he looks pretty good.
Forensic
Forensic
used or applied in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law - [adj]of, relating to, or used in public debate or argument - [adj]
forensic photograph
“forensic ballistics”
The adjective forensic describes scientific methods used to investigate crimes. If you’re looking for forensic evidence, you’re using your scientific know-how to find proof that will help solve crimes.
The adjective forensic comes from the Latin word forensis, meaning “in open court” or “public.” When you describe something as forensic you usually mean that is has to do with finding evidence to solve a crime. It could also mean that it has to do with the courts or legal system. You could have a forensic advantage — meaning an advantage in court — if the forensic team — meaning the investigators — found no forensic evidence of you being involved.
Fortitude
Fortitude
strength of mind that enables one to endure adversity with courage - [n]
Fortitude refers to strength in the face of adversity or difficulty. Eating fried worms might require a lot of intestinal fortitude.
When someone has fortitude it means that they have emotional power or reserves and the ability to withstand adversity. People who have fortitude are described in an admiring way for their courage and this word comes from the Latin word fortitudo, meaning “strength.” Jacueline Bisset, someone who knows about beauty, said, “Character contributes to beauty. It fortifies a woman as her youth fades. A mode of conduct, a standard of courage, discipline, fortitude and integrity can do a great deal to make a woman beautiful.”
Fortuitous
Fortuitous
occurring by happy chance - [adj]having no cause or apparent cause - [adj]
profits were enhanced by a fortuitous drop in the cost of raw materials
“fortuitous encounters–strange accidents of fortune”
Fortuitous means by chance, like a lucky accident. If you and your best friend’s families happen to go on vacation to the same place at the same time, that’s a fortuitous coincidence!
Something fortuitous is random like an accident, but there’s no downside. A rock falling on your head is an accident, dollar bills falling on your head is fortuitous. The meaning of fortuitous is changing from “happening by chance” to “lucky chance” because people get it mixed up with fortunate. But watch out: If you say fortuitous to mean just plain lucky without the element of chance –– that’s a usage error.
Fracas
Fracas
noisy quarrel - [n]
If your marching band gets into a fight with another school’s pep squad, your principal might say the fracas was uncalled for and undignified. A fracas is a noisy quarrel.
Fracas comes from an Italian word meaning uproar or crash. Two people in a quiet little spat is not a fracas, but a schoolyard rumble definitely qualifies as one! Sometimes fracas means the large amount of outraged discussion that an event causes. Imagine the fracas if your school decided to ban sneakers!
Fractious
Fractious
easily irritated or annoyed - [adj]stubbornly resistant to authority or control - [adj]unpredictably difficult in operation; likely to be troublesome - [adj]
an incorrigibly fractious young man
“a fractious animal that would not submit to the harness”
“rockets were much too fractious to be tested near thickly populated areas”
If you’re prone to picking fights, making snarky comments, and being frustratingly stubborn, you’re fractious. And odds are you’re not invited to too many parties.
Someone who is fractious is cranky, rebellious and inclined to cause problems. Tempers and children are commonly described as such. In To Kill A Mockingbird, author Harper Lee uses the word to describe the trouble-making Calpurnia: “She had always been too hard on me, she had at last seen the error of her fractious ways, she was sorry and too stubborn to say so.”
Fraudulent
Fraudulent
intended to deceive - [adj]
a fraudulent scheme to escape paying taxes
Something fraudulent is intentionally false and meant to harm or deceive. That email message from the Sultan of Brunei offering you millions of dollars just might be fraudulent.
From the fact that the word fraudulent is frequently teamed with the word scheme, you can get the idea that something fraudulent is sneaky, snarky, and just plain wrong. A fraudulent scheme is one designed to gain something at the expense of someone else. It might be small — trying to use an expired coupon — or bigger — lying on your taxes. Whatever its form, planning something fraudulent is cheating, and it’s wrong.
Frieze
Frieze
an architectural ornament consisting of a horizontal sculptured band between the architrave and the cornice - [n]a heavy woolen fabric with a long nap - [n]
A frieze is a decorative band, usually, but not always, above a doorframe or on the wall near the ceiling. You may find a frieze of sculptured angels too formal for the trim of your bedroom wall.
You might not think of a frieze in the same category as a painting or a statue, but it can be a true work of art. One famous frieze is painted in a large circle on the inside of the United States Capitol building; it shows famous events in American history. Another is at the Parthenon, a temple from ancient Greece. Don’t confuse frieze with the more common term freeze, though they are pronounced the same way.
Frivolous
Frivolous
not serious in content or attitude or behavior - [adj]
a frivolous novel
“a frivolous remark”
“a frivolous young woman”
Frivolous things are silly or unnecessary. If something is frivolous, then you don’t need it.
Frivolous things are goofy, useless, or just plain dumb. The word is often used to describe lawsuits. A frivolous lawsuit has no value and will be a waste of the court’s time, like someone suing McDonald’s for making the coffee too hot (which actually happened). If someone is frivolous, that person shouldn’t be taken seriously because he’s always fooling around and never gets anything done. Frivolous is pretty much the opposite of essential.
Fulminate
Fulminate
cause to explode violently and with loud noise - [v]a salt or ester of fulminic acid - [n]
the disease fulminated“He fulminated against the Republicans’ plan to cut Medicare”
Watch a bomb fulminate or explode and hope you’re under safe cover. Have your parents fulminate or blow up at you for coming home past curfew and hope you’re not grounded for too long.
The word fulminate is made up of the Latin root fulmen meaning “lightning flash.” Look up at the sky during a violent thunderstorm and chances are you’ll catch thunder and lightning fulminate or explode loudly and violently overhead. But you needn’t look to the sky alone for this kind of intensity. If you find yourself in a room with passionate Republicans and Democrats debating, you might see them fulminate or severely rail against each other’s beliefs.
Furtive
Furtive
secret and sly or sordid - [adj]marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed - [adj]
furtive behavior
“a furtive manner”
If you’re looking for a formal adjective to describe something sly or secret, sneak in furtive. Let’s hope the teacher doesn’t see your furtive attempts to pass notes in class!
The adjective, furtive, is related to fūrtum, the Latin word for theft or robbery. This is apparent as the expressions “to give someone a furtive glance” and “to steal a glance at someone” mean the same thing. If a person’s manner is furtive, he or she is acting suspiciously. Secret, stealthy and sly are all similar in meaning, but they lack this image of a thief’s actions.
Fusillade
Fusillade
rapid simultaneous discharge of firearms - [n]attack with fusillade - [v]
our fusillade from the left flank caught them by surprise
When you watch an action movie, the hero’s deadly fusillade often results in at least one of his enemies being shot. The noun fusillade describes a quick round of gunfire.
To correctly pronounce fusillade, say “FEW sill ahd.” The word probably reminds you of fuselage, the part of an aircraft where crew members and passengers sit. But the words only sound alike. Fuselage gets its name from its cylinder shape, while fusillade comes from the French word fusil, meaning “musket.” Fusillade also can be used in a figurative sense to describe a rapid series of anything, such as a fusillade of punches or a fusillade of questions.
Futile
Futile
producing no result or effect - [adj]unproductive of success - [adj]
a futile effort
“futile years after her artistic peak”
When something fails to deliver a useful result, you can call it futile. Hopefully all the time you’re spending studying vocabulary won’t turn out to be futile!
Futile comes from the Latin futilis, which originally meant “leaky.” Although we use futile to talk about more than buckets, the image of a leaky vessel is a good illustration of the adjective. Pouring water into a leaky bucket is futile. Your exercise program will be futile if you don’t stop chowing down on chocolate. Futile fancier than its synonym useless. Other synonyms are fruitless or vain. The i can be either short (FYOO-t’l) or long (FYOO-tile).
Gaffe
Gaffe
a socially awkward or tactless act - [n]
A gaffe is mistake that embarrasses you in front of others. If you run into a friend out with her grey-haired father, and you blurt out, “Oh, hi, you must be Tara’s grandfather!” then you’ve made a gaffe.
Gaffe rhymes with laugh, and you’ll be lucky if that’s how people respond to your social blunder. A gaffe seems to occur most often when you literally don’t know your audience — you make a joke about the mayor; you didn’t know you were talking to his sister. That’s definitely a gaffe. And who knew your hosts come from a culture that takes offense if you refuse to try every dish?
Gainsay
Gainsay
take exception to - [v]
- Gainsay*, a verb, means “contradict” or “speak out against.” When you challenge authority, you gainsay, as in teachers don’t like it when unruly students gainsay them.
- Gainsay* comes from an Old English word that means “contradict” or “say against,” as in, no one dared gainsay the principal, who is well-known for giving detention to students who so much as frown at him. If you know someone who constantly corrects others, tells them that they’re wrong, and says, “That’s not true,” more than anyone else, you have first-hand experience with the art of the gainsay.
