Vocab List #5 Flashcards
Inept
Unable to do something
The offense seemed confused and downright inept.
Banal
Dull, Lacluster, Routine
The janitor makes his banal rounds around the school
Prolific
Producing a great number
In two days the prolific writer wrote five essays.
Laconic
Tense, using few words
SInce the professor laconically lectured his students, many of them did not understand him
Mollify
To calm a situation or person down
The new CEO should mollify panicking shareholders.
Matrix
A structure in which something can grow
The Greco-Roman world was the matrix for western civilization
Gist
The essential point
The speaker did not clearly explain his topic but the audience did get the gist of it.
Fecundity
Fertility of Productivity
Frogs have a high fecundity however most of the eggs not survive to become adult frogs
Sub Rosa
Secret, Hidden
The mission was planned sub rosa behind in a secure military base
Cupidity
Greed
A lot of people have cupidity when it comes to money
Stymie
To prevent, to thwart
It is a common myth that coffee stymies growth in children
Vitiate
To weaken
The houses were vitiated by the storm
Apogee
The highest point
The execution of Louis XVI marked an apogee in the French Revolution
Nadir
The lowest point
The nadir point of the Great Recession was in 2008
Compliant
Adaptable
The building was compliant with current building codes
Derelict
An adandonned wreck
The is an airplane derelict at the bottom of the ocean
Erudite
Very sophisticated
The controls of the new Mercedes are erudite and complex.
Fledgling
A young human/animal ready for independence
After the fledgling stage, the young Rhinoceros is ready to leave the pack
Usury
Charging excessive monetary interest rates
Usury laws limit the amount a lender can charge in interest
Sagacious
Wise, Sage
Most old people are sagacious because of the experiences that they have experienced in their life
Propitious
Promising a good outcome
The propitious CEO calmed investors by reassuring them that the company will not go bankrupt
Precedent
a decision that is the basis of a future decision
Henry Ford set a new precedent by being the first to use an assembly line to produce cars.
Meander
To wonder aimlessly
It is dangerous when patients with dementia walk outside because they can easily meander in the neighborhood
Inclement
Bad weather
Inclement weather forced the flight to be rerouted though Las Vegas
