N Flashcards

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1
Q

nadir

A

n. lowest point

Jim’s life reached its nadir when he went bankrupt.

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2
Q

naïve

A

adj. lacking sophistication and worldliness

The naïve customer believed everything that the salesperson told her.

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3
Q

naiveté

A

n. lack of sophistication and worldliness

For an adult, Florence displays remarkable naiveté.

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4
Q

narcissistic

A

adj. having excessive love for oneself

Narcissistic Ray loved to stand in front of the mirror admiring himself.

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5
Q

narrative

A

n. account, story

The book is largely a narrative of the explorer’s life.

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6
Q

nascent

A

adj. starting to develop, coming into existence

The government is supporting the nascent industory.

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7
Q

natal

A

adj. relating to birth

The astrologer calculated his client’s natal chart.

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8
Q

nebulous

A

adj. vague, cloudy

The argument is nebulous.

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9
Q

necromancy

A

n. black magic

Necromancy is widely practiced on the island.

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10
Q

necropsy

A

n. autopsy

The Roman physician Antistius performed one of the earliest necropsies on record when in 44 B.C. he examined Julius Caesar and documented twenty-three wounds, including a final fatal stab to the chest.

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11
Q

nafarious

A

adj. vicious, evil

The nefarious plot to blow up the building was uncovered.

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12
Q

negate

A

v. cancel out; nullify

The team’s victory in the second game negated their opponent’s victory in the first game.

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13
Q

negligent

A

adj. careless, inattentive

There is evidence that the defendant was negligent in performing his duties.

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14
Q

negligible

A

adj. not worth considering

It is a negligible amount of money for a rich person.

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15
Q

nemesis

A

n. an unbeatable enemy; a source of injury

The team suffered its sixth straight loss to its nemesis.

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16
Q

neologism

A

n. new word or expression

The dictionary is updated regularly to include recent neologisms.

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17
Q

neonate

A

n. newborn child

The parents are caring for the neonate.

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18
Q

neophyte

A

n. novice, beginner

Despite being a neophyte at tennis, Gail put up a good fight in her first match.

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19
Q

ne plus ultra

A

n. the perfect or most extreme example of its kind

Many people consider Jimi Hendrix the ne plus ultra of electric guitarists.

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20
Q

nepotism

A

n. favoritism to a relative

The law makes nepotism in hiring illegal.

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21
Q

nescience

A

n. absence of knowledge; ignorance

“No student will leave my class in a state of nescience,” the teacher told her class.

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22
Q

Nestorianism

A

n. a religious belief system holding that with in Jesus are two distinct persons, divine and human, rather than a single divine person

Nestorianism was condemned at the Council of Ephesus in 431.

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23
Q

nether

A

adj. located under or below

Hell is often pictured as located in the nether regions of the Earth.

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24
Q

nettle

A

v. to irritate

I was nettled by the continually ringing cell phones.

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25
Q

neurosis

A

n. a mental disorder arising without evidence of organic disease

In The Future of an Illusion Sigmund Freud describes religion as “the universal neurosis.”

26
Q

nexus

A

n. a means of connection; a connected group or series; a center

The enhance security, the army’s communication system does not have a nexus.

27
Q

nicety

A

n. elegant or delicate feature; minute distinction

The legal niceties of his case were of little interest to the condemned man.

28
Q

niche

A

n. recess in a wall; best position for something

It is important for a person to find his own niche in society.

29
Q

niggardly

A

adj. stingy

We received niggardly portions of food.

30
Q

nihilism

A

n. belief that existence and all traditional values are meaningless

The book explores the topic of nihilism in Western thought.

31
Q

nihilistic

A

adj. relating to the belief that existence and all traditional values are meaningless

Nihilistic thought might increase during times of social stress.

32
Q

nirvana

A

n. an ideal condition of rest, harmony, or joy

Deep in meditation, the holy man sought nirvana.

33
Q

noblesse oblige

A

n. obligation of persons of high birth or rank to act nobly and benevolently

A strong sense of noblesse oblige motivated the billionaire to donate half of his fortune to charity.

34
Q

nocturnal

A

adj. pertaining to night; active at night

The expedition was studying nocturnal animals.

35
Q

noisome

A

adj. stinking, putrid

We live by a noisome swamp.

36
Q

nomadic

A

adj. moving from place to place

The nomadic tribe moves with the seasons.

37
Q

nomenclature

A

n. terms used in a particular science or discipline

Before each physics unit our teacher goes over the important nomenclature in it.

38
Q

nominal

A

adj. existing in name only; negligible

I didn’t mind paying the nominal entrance fee.

39
Q

nonchalant

A

adj. casual, unconcerned

Tim is nonchalant about his studies.

40
Q

nondescript

A

adj. lacking interesting or distinctive qualities; dull

The suspect wore a nondescript coat.

41
Q

nonpareil

A

adj. having no match or equal

He is a movie director nonpareil.

42
Q

nonplussed

A

adj. bewildered; confused

Harry stood, nonplussed, the letter still in his hand.

43
Q

non sequitur

A

n. conclusion not following from apparent evidence

The essay is filled with non sequiturs.

44
Q

norm

A

n. standard or model considered typical for a group

The norm for this school is a class size of thirty.

45
Q

normative

A

adj. related to or prescribing a norm or standard

The sociologist believes that her job is to describe society and not make normative judgments.

46
Q

nostalgia

A

n. a sentimental longing for a pastime

The movie appeals to people who feel nostalgia for the 1960s.

47
Q

nostrum

A

n. a medicine or remedy of doubtful effectiveness; supposed cure

The advertisement claims that the nostrum cures a cold.

48
Q

notoriety

A

n. disrepute; ill fame

The criminal gained notoriety for stealing more money than anyone in history.

49
Q

notorious

A

adj. known widely and unfavorably

The criminal is notorious for stealing more money than anyone else in history.

50
Q

nouveau riche

A

n. one who has recently become rich

As so often happens, the long-established families in the town resent the intrusion of the nouveau riche.

51
Q

novel

A

adj. new or original

This essay takes a novel approach to the subject.

52
Q

novice

A

n. apprentice, beginner

For a novice, he’s doing rather well.

53
Q

novitiate

A

n. state of being a beginner or novice

During their novitiate the men kept a vow of silence.

54
Q

noxious

A

adj. harmful, unwholesome

The truck spewed out noxious fumes.

55
Q

nuance

A

n. shade of meaning; subtle distinction

The teacher explained the nuances of the words.

56
Q

nugatory

A

adj. of no value or importance

The lack of funds for the new program will render it nugatory.

57
Q

nullify

A

v. to make invalid

The score was nullified by a penalty.

58
Q

numismatic

A

n. coin collecting

Sean has learned a lot about history from his hobby, numismatics.

59
Q

nuptial

A

adj. relating to marriage

The nuptial arrangements are going well except for the selection of bridesmaids.

60
Q

nurture

A

v. to nourish; foster; educate

The school has nurtured young people for over one hundred years.

61
Q

nutritive

A

adj. relating to nutrition or health

This snack has little nutritive value.