new words Flashcards
vacuity
lack of thought or intelligence, empty-handedness
vanity
inflated pride in oneself or one’s appearance
banal
so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring
irreverent
showing a lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously
solipsistic
focused on their own wants and needs that they don’t think about other people at all
elusive
difficult to find, to catch, to achieve
maligners
pretend to be ill in order to escape duty or work
cynicism
an inclination to believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest; scepticism
allay
diminish or put at rest (fear, suspicion, or worry)
obfuscation
the action of making something obscure, unclear, or unintelligible
aesthete
a person who has or affects to have a special appreciation of art and beauty
penultimate
last but one in a series of things; second last
patina
an appearance or aura that is derived from association, habit, or established character
ennui
a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement
Desolation
a state of complete emptiness or destruction
great unhappiness or loneliness
Squalor
the state of being extremely dirty and unpleasant, especially as a result of poverty or neglect
Ontology
the branch of metaphysics dealing with the nature of being
The study of existence
Non sequitur
A non sequitur is a conversational literary device, often used for comedic purposes. It is something said that, because of its apparent lack of meaning relative to what preceded it, seems absurd to the point of being humorous or confusing
Pretensions
a claim or assertion of claim to something
Alienation
Sense of disconnection or separation from one’s self, others or society
Isolation
Physically or emotionally seperated from others
Ambient
Relating to the immediate surroundings of something
Entropy
lack of order or predictability; gradual decline into disorder
Disenchantment
a feeling of disappointment about someone or something you previously respected or admired; disillusionment
staid
sedate, respectable, and unadventurous
Desolation
A state of complete emptiness or destruction
Great unhappiness or loneliness
drudgery
hard, dull work
menial
eponymous
(of a person) giving their name to something
(of a thing) named after a particular person
pastiche
an artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist, or period
beset
to trouble with problems
atrophy
to be reduced in size and therefore strength, or, more generally, to become weaker
efficaciously
in a way that is able to produce the intended result
nihilism
the rejection of all religious and moral principles, in the belief that life is meaningless
decadent
characterized by or reflecting a state of moral or cultural decline
a person who is luxuriously self-indulgent
enigmatic
difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious
ontological
relating to the branch of metaphysics dealing with the nature of being
sordid
dirty, filthy
panoptic
showing or seeing the whole at one view
pastiche
an artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist, or period
quotidian
of or occurring every day; daily
vacillate
alternate or waver between different opinions or actions; be indecisive
reticent
not revealing one’s thoughts or feelings readily
amalgam
a mixture, a blend of
transcendental
relating to a spiritual relm
ineffable
too great or extreme for words
paucity
the presence of something in only small or insufficient quantities or amounts
Decadence
Moral or cultural decline, characterised by excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury
plight
a dangerous, difficult, or otherwise unfortunate situation
pseudo
fake, not genuine
spurious
not what it’s intended to be
plebiscite
direct vote of all members of an electorate on an important public question such as a change in the constitution
experiential
based on experience /observation
enumerating
mention (a number of things) one by one
penance
punishment inflicted on oneself as an outward expression of repentance for wrongdoing
a sacrament in which a member of the Church confesses sins to a priest and is given absolution
mythic
exaggerated or idealised
incorrigibility (incorrigible)
bad and impossible to change or improve
inexplicable
unable to be explained or accounted for
peroration
the concluding part of a speech, typically intended to inspire enthusiasm in the audience
oration
a formal speech, especially one given on a ceremonial occasion
utilitarian
designed to be useful or practical rather than attractive.
enumeration
the action of mentioning a number of things one by one
pseudo
not genuine
transgressive
going beyond acceptable boundaries of taste, convention, or the law
epochal
extremely important, significant, influential
providentialism
the belief that all events on Earth are controlled by God.
christian humanism
