V.3 10/25/24 Flashcards
morpheme
The smallest grammatical unit in a language that carries meaning.
ad hoc
Created or done for a specific purpose as necessary, often without planning.
sine qua non
An essential condition or element
obfuscate
To deliberately make something unclear or difficult to understand.
castigate
To reprimand someone severely; to criticize or punish.
boilerplate
Standardized text or language that can be reused with little or no modification.
allude, allusion
To refer to something indirectly; an indirect reference to a person, event, or literary work.
conceit
An elaborate or extended metaphor; a central theme or idea that shapes the work.
reification, reify
The process of treating an abstract concept as if it were a concrete thing.
elucidate
To make something clear; to explain.
canon, canonical
A collection or list of works considered authoritative or essential; conforming to accepted standards.
de facto
In fact, or in practice, but not officially established or recognized.
highbrow, lowbrow
Highbrow refers to intellectual or cultured tastes; lowbrow refers to more mainstream or less sophisticated tastes.
trepidation
A feeling of fear or anxiety about something that may happen.
internalize
To incorporate attitudes, values, or beliefs into one’s own mental framework.
