Vocab Workout

Question 1

Define:

esoteric

(es-uh-ter-ik)

Answer 1

adj. intended for or understood only by a particular group

adj. not publicly disclosed; confidential

The esoteric ideas of the cult failed to enlighten many outsiders.

Question 2

Define:

callous

(kal-uhs)

Answer 2

adj. insensitive; having no feeling

The callous remark upset the entire family.

Question 3

Define:

androgynous

(an-drodj-uh-nuhs)

Answer 3

adj. not distinguishable between male and female

The names Sam is androgynous because it could stand for Samantha or Samual.

Question 4

Define:

precocious

(prih-koh-shuhs)

Answer 4

adj. unusually quick development or maturation, especially in intelligence

The child’s precocious understanding of calculus stunned his teachers.

Question 5

Define:

alchemy

(al-kuh-me)

Answer 5

n. the medieval study of transforming lead into gold

Alchemy is in many ways related to the chemistry we study today.

Question 6

Define:

allude

(uh-lewd)

Answer 6

v. to refer to another concept indirectly

She would occasionally allude to a summer house, though nobody knew exactly where it was.

Question 7

Define:

altruism

(al-true-iz-um)

Answer 7

n. selfless concern for others

Many charities were formed thanks to Rajiv’s altruism and generosity.

Question 8

Define:

ambivalence

(am-biv-uh-lunce)

Answer 8

n. indifference or confused feelings

The bride’s ambivalence towards the color of the roses meant the groom had to decide.

Question 9

Define:

ameliorate

(uh-meal-yuh-rate)

Answer 9

v. to make better

The new medicine _ameliorate_d her condition rather quickly.

Question 10

Define:

amenable

(uh-men-ih-bull)

Answer 10

adj. open to suggestion or criticism

adj. accountable

A good manager is amenable to his employee’s new ideas.

Question 11

Define:

didactic

(die-dak-tick)

Answer 11

adj. intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive.

A didactic novel that set out to expose social injustice.

Question 12

Define:

hedonism

(heed-in-iz-um)

Answer 12

n. dedication to pursuing pleasure

Jake’s hedonism became apparent when he quit his job rather than cancel his trip to the Bahamas.

Question 13

Define:

opaque

(owe-peyk)

Answer 13

adj. blocking all light

adj. hard to understand

The windows became so dirty they were almost opaque.

Question 14

Define:

superfluous

(suh-per-flu-us)

Answer 14

adj. more than necessary; unnecessary

The student’s essay was full of superfluous phrases that needed to be deleted.

Question 15

Define:

surreptitious

(ser-up-tish-us)

Answer 15

adj. secretive

Since they were not allowed to speak, the couple exchanged surreptitious glances from across the room.

Question 16

Define:

symbiotic

(sim-bee-ott-ik)

Answer 16

adj. related to a relationship that is beneficial for all involved

The whale and the small fish that cling to its body have a symbiotic relationship.

Question 17

Define:

tacit

(tass-it)

Answer 17

adj. implied or unspoken

There was a tacit agreement between the two companies that neither would expand into the other’s city.

Question 18

Define:

exacerbate

(ig-zass-er-bate)

Answer 18

v. to make worse

The children’s screaming _exacerbate_d their father’s headache.

Question 19

Define:

exonerate

(ig-zawn-ih-rate)

Answer 19

v. to clear of blame or guilt

Though the defendant had clearly done something wrong, the court had no choice but to exonerate her on the present charges.

Question 20

Define:

expedite

(ek-spuh-dahyt)

Answer 20

v. to speed up

For an extra fee, the post office can expedite your package’s delivery.

Question 21

Define:

extemporaneous

(ik-stem-puh-ray-nee-us)

Answer 21

adj. made up on the spot, ad-libbed

To be a news anchor, she would have to improve her extemporaneous speaking skills.

Question 22

Define:

circumvent

(sir-kum-vent)

Answer 22

v. to get around an obstacle

She managed to circumvent security and approached her favorite actor backstage.

Question 23

Define:

jocular

(jock-yuh-lur)

Answer 23

adj. related to jokes

The boy was popular with his classmates due to his cheerful, jocular nature.

Question 24

Define:

pithy

(pith-ee)

Answer 24

adj. concise and relevant

Satya’s pithy keynote speech was more enlightening than the endless lectures that had preceded it.

Question 25

Define:

candor

(kan-der)

Answer 25

n. the quality of being frank, sincere, or impartial in expression

Giorgio was known for his candor, so it surprised no one when he began to talk at length about his love life.

Question 26

Define:

cache

(kash)

Answer 26

n. a hidden place, a secret storage

n. a place for valuables

The bomb shelter had a cache of resources capable of supporting the family.

Question 27

Define:

terse

(turs)

Answer 27

adj. succinct, curt

Your terse apology does not even begin to give an adequate explanation for your behavior.

Question 28

Define:

trite

(trahyt)

Answer 28

adj. uninteresting due to overuse; hackneyed

Though some may find Valentine’s Day chocolates trite, I look forward to every box I get.

Question 29

Define:

equivocate

(i-kwiv-uh-keyt)

Answer 29

v. to make vague, unclear statements

The mayor _equivocate_d when confronted about his use of public funds.

Question 30

Define:

cacophony

(kuh-kof-uh-nee)

Answer 30

n. unpleasant, discordant sounds

The orchestra’s first attempt to play together was a cacophony of jarring notes.

Question 31

Define:

perdition

(per-dish-uhn)

Answer 31

n. a state of final spiritual ruin, loss of soul, damnation

n. hell

Poor moral choices led Johnny down the road to perdition.

Question 32

Define:

semantic

(suh-man-tick)

Answer 32

adj. related to the meaning of words

Susan felt that the abortion debate had become too focused on semantic arguments.

Question 33

Define:

emulate

(em-yuh-lehyt)

Answer 33

v. to try to imitate or exceed another’s actions

Nancy wanted to emulate her older sister and so began to study more often.

Question 34

Define:

endemic

(in-dem-ik)

Answer 34

adj. originating in, native to, particular to

There are some deadly diseases that are endemic to the tropics.

Question 35

Define:

veracity

(vur-rass-ih-tee)

Answer 35

n. truthfulness

In order to have her article published, Susan needed to prove the veracity of her claims.

Question 36

Define:

vestige

(ves-tidge)

Answer 36

n. a small remnant

That abandoned well is a vestige of the manor that once stood here.

Question 37

Define:

virtuoso

(vur-chew-owe-so)

Answer 37

n. a highly-skilled artist

Even at a young age, it was clear that Beethoven was a virtuoso in the making.

Question 38

Define:

meticulous

(muh-tick-yuh-luss)

Answer 38

adj. paying great attention to detail

He was a meticulous sculptor, sometimes spending hours perfecting a single fingernail on one of his figures.

Question 39

Define:

proliferate

(pruh-lif-er-ehyt)

Answer 39

v. to grow and spread quickly

Tensions in the area _proliferate_d after the civilian casualties.

Question 40

Define:

prone

(prone)

Answer 40

adj. lying face or front downward

adj. tending to behave or act a certain way

Lucy was prone to cheat on tests, so the teachers placed her in a separate room.

Question 41

Define:

prudent

(proo-dent)

Answer 41

adj. practical; careful

His assistant was particularly prudent when it came to keeping the company’s secrets.

Question 42

Define:

misogynist

(mih-sodj-uh-nist)

Answer 42

n. one who hates women

The song contained several lyrics that were so offensive to women that the singer was immediately labeled a misogynist.

Question 43

Define:

pedagogy

(ped-uh-goh-djee)

Answer 43

n. the art or profession of training, teaching, or instructing

Training in pedagogy can’t prepare you for manic third graders.

Question 44

Define:

grovel

(gruhv-uhl)

Answer 44

v. to behave in a servile manner

v. to indulge in unworthy pursuits

The servants _grovel_ed at the king’s throne.

Question 45

Define:

covert

(koe-vert)

Answer 45

adj. hidden; secret

The government’s covert operations were laid bare by the shocking article.

Question 46

Define:

eugenics

(yoo-djen-iks)

Answer 46

n. the study of heredity improvements by genetic control

Nazi Germany is known to have carried out many eugenics experiments that provoked outrage once they came to light.

Question 47

Define:

decadent

(deck-ih-dunt)

Answer 47

adj. in a state of decline

adj. self-indulgent

Louis XIV was known for his decadent displays of wealth and power.

Question 48

Define:

decorous

(dek-core-us)

Answer 48

adj. conforming to what is acceptable to society

adj. marked by propriety and etiquette

One must always behave in a decorous manner at formal events.

Question 49

Define:

emasculate

(uh-mass-kyuh-leyt)

Answer 49

v. to castrate or make effeminate

v. to weaken

Wearing the frilly pink shirt made him feel _emasculate_d.

Question 50

Define:

dormant

(door-munt)

Answer 50

adj. inactive for a period of time

The dormant volcano erupted unexpectedly, injuring many.

Question 51

Define:

eclectic

(ih-klek-tik)

Answer 51

adj. composed of parts from many different sources

The girl’s fashion sense was an eclectic mix of conservative Victorian and colorful modern styles.

Question 52

Define:

debauchery

(dih-baw-chuh-ree)

Answer 52

n. extreme sensual indulgence

The debauchery in the movie was enough to make me blush.

Question 53

Define:

visceral

(viss-er-uhl)

Answer 53

adj. felt in one’s stomach

adj. emotional, rather than intellectual

Jeb’s visceral response to his mother’s racist ramblings was visible to all of us.

Question 54

Define:

sanguine

(sang-gwin)

Answer 54

adj. cheerfully optimistic

Samantha had a sanguine attitude towards life that enriched those around her.

Question 55

Define:

furtive

(fur-tiv)

Answer 55

adj. secretive, sly

At the party, Julia cast furtive glances around the room to make sure her older sister was not around to send her back home.

Question 56

Define:

quotidian

(kwoh-tid-ee-uhn)

Answer 56

adj. everyday, commonplace, habitual

Joe’s small, quotidian pleasures seemed more substantial than Mattias’s high-profile jet-setting.

Question 57

Define:

volition

(voh-lish-uhn)

Answer 57

n. a conscious decision or the capability of choosing

n. willingness

Though his friends had egged him on, it was determined that Pat stole the sunglasses of his own volition.

Question 58

Define:

pariah

(puh-rahy-uh)

Answer 58

n. an outcast; a rejected or despised person

Alex left the party feeling like a pariah.

Question 59

Define:

indigenous

(in-didj-ih-nuss)

Answer 59

adj. originating in a certain place

The Aborigines are a people indigenous to Australia.

Question 60

Define:

malevolent

(muh-lev-uh-lunt)

Answer 60

adj. wishing evil on others

The malevolent old woman was always trying to make her neighbors miserable.