Vocab List 4

Question 1

Euthanasia

Answer 1

The painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or coma
A couple of countries have begun to legalize euthanasia recently.

Question 2

Pejorative

Answer 2

a word expressing contempt or disapproval
The teacher yelled pejoratives at the students

Question 3

Pedagogue

Answer 3

A teacher, especially one who is strict or old fashioned
The man had an air or pedagogy

Question 4

Euphemism

Answer 4

a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered harsh
“Pass away” is a euphemism for dying.

Question 5

Ennui

Answer 5

a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from lack of occupation or excitement
She succumbed to ennui after being home sick for a week

Question 6

Parsimonious

Answer 6

unwilling to spend money
The man was very parsimonious and refused to buy new shoes even though his were falling apart

Question 7

Esoteric

Answer 7

Intended for a small group with a specialized knowledge or interest
The lecture had many esoteric anecdotes

Question 8

Peregrination

Answer 8

a long and meandering journey
She likes to listen to music while on a peregrination

Question 9

etymology

Answer 9

the study of the origin of words and how their meanings have developed
We study the etymology of words derived from Latin in Latin class.

Question 10

Perigee

Answer 10

The point in orbit where an object is closest to Earth
The moon was at its perigee last night

Question 11

Fecundity

Answer 11

the ability to produce an abundance of offspring
There was an increase in fecundity in the population of butterflies last year

Question 12

Filial

Answer 12

of or due from a son or daughter
He was shown a display of filial affection

Question 13

Contiguous

Answer 13

sharing a common border
Maine is located in the contiguous United States

Question 14

Clandestine

Answer 14

kept secret or done secretly
The clandestine meeting was ominous

Question 15

fractious

Answer 15

irritable or quarrelsome
The children were fractious

Question 16

Persiflage

Answer 16

light and slightly contemptuous mockery or banter
The script had an air of persiflage

Question 17

Cognomen

Answer 17

a name or nickname
Publius Cornelius Scipio earned the cognomen “Africanus” after his victory against Hannibal.

Question 18

Perspicacious

Answer 18

having real insight into and understanding of things
The reporter made many perspicacious insights

Question 19

Bovine

Answer 19

cow-like, related to cows
The origin of the leather is bovine

Question 20

Consanguinity

Answer 20

the fact of being descended from the same ancestor
My cousin and I share consanguinity

Question 21

Perquisite

Answer 21

another word for perk
A bonus is a perquisite of the job.

Question 22

Corporeal

Answer 22

relating to a person’s body especially as opposed to their spirit
A ghost is not corporeal but a skeleton is.

Question 23

Pernicious

Answer 23

having harmful effects, especially in a gradual or subtle way
The disease is pernicious

Question 24

Gustatory

Answer 24

concerned with tasting or the sense of taste
The restaurant served many gustatory delights

Question 25

Gregarious

Answer 25

fond of company, sociable
My dog is very gregarious

Question 26

Halcyon

Answer 26

denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful
The halcyon days of childhood are remembered fondly

Question 27

Curmudgeon

Answer 27

A bad tempered person, especially an old one
The old man next door is quite the curmudgeon

Question 28

Pachyderm

Answer 28

a really big animal with thick skin
An elephant is a pachyderm

Question 29

Apropos

Answer 29

with reference to; concerning
We discussed the book, apropos the theme.

Question 30

Nomenclature

Answer 30

devising or choosing names for things
Biology uses a specific nomenclature for species.