NSF nationals vocabulary W19 Flashcards
poky
Small, slow, cramped
pollster
a person who conducts polls for the public
polygamy
having more than one spouse at a time
pontificate
the role or job of a pontiff
portent
a sign of something about to happen
portentous
the nature of portent, momentous, marvelous
posit
to place, put, or to set
post mortem
after death
potsherd
a shard of pottery
pragmatic
character that emphasizes practicality
precept
a rule of personal conduct, a doctrine that is taught
precis
a concise summary
predacious
hunting other animals for food
pre-empt
a high bid that is intended to stop other players from bidding
preen
to dress or groom elaborately
preponderance
exceeding in heaviness
prepossessing
creating a favorable impression
preternatural
unordinary, supernatural
primeval
existing from the beginning
primogeniture
being the first born children of the same parents
primordial
having existed from the beginning
pro forma
as a matter of form
procurement
the act of getting possession of something
proffer
an offer or proposal
progeny
the immediate descendants of somebody
prognostication
knowledge of the future
prolix
to speak or write at long lenths
prologue
an introduction to a play
propitiate
make peace with
propitious
presenting favorable circumstances
propriety
appropriate behavior
prorate
to make a distribution
proscription
the act of banning or prohibition
protagonist
the principle character in a work of fiction
protract
lengthen in time, last longer
protrude
to bulge outwards
provisional
under terms, not final or fully worked out
proviso
a stipulated condition
provocateur
a person who provokes trouble
prudery
excessive modesty
