Vocabulary Flashcards
allergen
a substance that causes an allergic reaction
abacus
an ancient counting device
abstain
do without voluntarily
acrophobia
fear of heights
advocate
argue a certain point of view, offer support
aerie
a man-made habitat for birds
aficiando
an enthusiast
agile
moves easily, like an athlete, nimls
alchemist
an early practitioner of chemistry
alchemy
early chemistry
allergy
extreme sensitivity to a particular substance
alliteration
repititoion of the same first letter or sound in a line of poetry
altercation
a dispute that has gotten out of hand
ambiguous
vague, not concise
anecdote
short account of an interesting incident or event
anvil
hard metal surface upon which a blacksmith hammers
arbiter
one who settles a dispute, one who mediates
arouse
awaken, stir to action, excite
arthropods
small wingless insects
article
an essay usually appearing in a newspaper or a magazine, note that an editorial is an example of an article
astrologer
person who claims to interpret the influence of the stars on events and persons
astronomer
one who studies astronomy
atlas
a book of maps
ballad
a story, note that drama is a type of a ballad
banal
commonplace, trite
boulder
a very large stone
bovine
of or like a cow or an ox
burdensome
heavy to bear, oppresive
caliper
instrument used in measuring thickness
calligraphy
handwriting, especially exceptional handwriting
calligrapher
a handwriting expert
campaign
series of related military operations
cartilage
the tough elastic material that forms part of the skeletal structure
cartography
the making of maps or charts
cartographer
one who makes maps or charts
cascade
the tumbling flow of water as in a waterfall
century
one hundred years
chimes
sets of tuned bells, the sounds that tuned bells make
cholesterol
a constituent of animal fats that is important in metabolism; steroids are a class of cholesterol
coarse
rough to the touch; opposite of silky
cobbler
a shoemaker
collonades
strong columns that serve as support for some building or structure
combine
may refer to a machine used to harvest crops
commendable
worthy of praise
conductor
one who directs (especially of an orchestra)
convivial
fond of socializing with friends
cornucopia
a horn shaped container that, when filled, symbolizes plenty
cottage
a small house
credulous
extremely naive or gullible
curator
caretaker (especially of a museum)
dash
can refer to a small amount being added (like a pinch)
decibel
a unit that is used to measure the intensity of sound
deciduous
a type of tree that loses its leaves in winter
diatribe
a bitter outburst aimed at a person or an idea
discreet
carefully sensible in speech and action
disperse
break up a gathering
dispute
disagreement, argument
dogmatic
positive in one’s opinions, overbearingly certain
dormant
inactive, quiet as if asleep
drought
a long period of dry (rainless) weather
ebb
fade, lessen, weaken
emblem
a visible symbol such as a flag
endeavors
attempts at, tries for
engraving
an artistic carving; a form of printing
enterprise
an undertaking or project
enthusiast
person who is carried away by his feelings for a cause
epicure
a person with a refined taste in eating and drinking
epicurean
one who is fond of pleasure and luxury
epilogue
a concluding statement
epitaph
a short statement said in memory of a dead person; an epitaph often appears on a tombstone
equine
of or pertaining to horses
erratic
wildly inconsistent
expand
increase in size; opposite of reduce
facade
the decorative front of a building
facet
a division (cut) of a diamond just as a period is a division of an era
fallow
uncultivated, inactive; an unseeded field is said to be lying fallow
famine
a period of extreme lack of food; a famine might be caused by a drought
feline
of or like a cat
flimsy
very light; lacking substance; not thick
foreman
one who is in charge
frank
honest, straight-forward
gaudy
showy but cheap, flashy
generic
having to do with class (grouping) in general
geyser
a fissure in the ground that spews water
gorged
consumed to excess, overeat
gorgeous
very pretty, beautiful
gourmet
a person who is an expert in judging, choosing, and preparing fine foods
hangar
building in which airplanes are kept
holster
pocket for a gun or pistol
hue
a certain shade of color
humidor
a container for cigars
hyacinth
a type of flower
imbue
fill (especially with moisture or color), inspire
impassive
without feeling or emotion
impede
hinder or halt some movement
impel
thrust forward, the opposite of impede
imperative
an absolute necessity, a requisite
impoverish
make poor, opposite of prosper
insatiable
a hunger that cannot be satisfied
irrigation
man made canals used to bring water to dry land
inept
lacking skill
landlord
property owner who rents said property to others
latex
an important product made from rubber
laud
praise; opposite of criticize
lumen
a unit that is used to measure the intensity of light
languish
diminish, weaken
mammal
a vertebrate animal that gives milk to its young; note that a whale is a mammal
mammoth
a large, extinct mammal; an ancestor of the elephant
mandrill
a type of monkey (baboon)
manifest
a list of passengers for a plane or ship
marsupial
an animal that carries its young in a pouch; note that a kangaroo is a marsupial
metaphysic
one who studies philosophy
metropolis
a large city
minute
very tiny
miser
one who is very cheap, a stingy person
naivete
the tendency to be easily duped or overly innocent
nano
a prefix meaning one billionth of
neurotic
a person suffering from obsessive desires
niacin
a prescription drug that treats heart disease and high cholesterol
nosegay
a bouquet of flowers
numismatics
the study of coins and metals
numismatic
one involved in the study of coins and metals
odometer
instrument used to measure the distance travelled
osteopathy
treatment of disease by manipulation of the bones
ottoman
a foot rest
oxymoron
a phrase that contains an obvious contradiction
palette
thin board upon which colors are mixed by a painter
pane
a plate of glass that is a component of a window
panorama
a wide expansive view
pantry
a storage area for food
parafin
wax-like substance used for making candles
parasite
animal (or person) that lives on (or off) another animal (or person)
parsley
a leafy vegetable like lettuce
pattern
arrangement of forms and colors, design; a dress would be made to a pattern
pebble
a small stone
pedestrian
one who walks rather than drives
penurious
stingy, unwilling to spend money, extremely poor
philatelist
one who collects stamps
physiognomy
facial feature
pica
line of type that is 12 points
piscine
pertaining to fish
pitch
degree of highness or lowness of sound
pituitary
gland that secretes hormones
placid
calm, undisturbed
plankton
tiny creatures found in an ocean or sea
porcine
of or like pigs (hogs)
pragmatist
one who gauges value by practical consequences
precipitation
process of the formation of a less mobile state from a more mobile state (solid formed out of a liquid); or a state of sudden haste
precipitate
result of precipitation; note that snow is a form of precipitate
prehensile
an appendage (like a monkey’s tail or an elephant’s trunk) that is well-suited for grasping or seizing
produce
can mean the vegetables sold by a grocer
profound
very deep, not ordinary; the opposite of banal
prologue
any introductory (preliminary) act or event
prudent
sensible, discreet, wisely cautious
pundit
one known for the rendering of opinions
pyrophobia
fear of fire
raconteur
a skilled teller of stories (anecdotes)
recipe
set of directions for preparing something (especially something to eat)
reclusive
tending to withdraw from the company of others
referee
a judge of the play in games and sports
reflective
easy to see through, clear (like a windowpane)
reflexive
a personal adjective; an example is found in “The boy hurt himself.” In this, himself is a reflexive adjective.
reign
the time period an autocrat (emperor) rules
relativist
one who judges things by their comparative value; a type of pragmatist
sapling
a young tree
satellite
a small planet that revolves around a larger planet
score
one-fifth of a century (20 years)
scurvy
a disease caused by the lack of vitamin C
sensualist
one who is fond of pleasure, a modern epicurean
shoal
a place where the water is shallow and which may cause a ship to run aground
shutter
a device that opens and closes in front of the lens of a camera
sibling
a brother or sister
skyscraper
an extraordinarily tall building
slate
a list of candidates for a particular party (ticket)
slothful
lazy, indolent, not industrious
snore
a loud breathing that occurs during sleep
sonata
a piece of music
spoke
that part of a wheel that connects the center of the wheel to its rim
spouse
mate, husband or wife in a marriage
stable
building in which animals (especially horses) are kept
stolid
impassive, showing no emotion
symphony
a musical composition whose parts are known as movements
tactics
the specific steps taken to execute a strategy
tenant
one who rents a property
term
the time period an elected official is in office
theorist
one engaged in speculations
thesaurus
a type of dictionary
thicket
very close growth of shrubs or bushes
thrash
beat; wheat is thrashed so as to separate the grain
tic
small parasite of the skin often contracted in a forest
tiny
very small
tolerant
accepting of other’s opinions, forbearing; opposite of bigoted or dogmatic
trowel
a tool used by a bricklayer to spread mortar
unquenchable
usually refers to a thirst that cannot be satisfied
vassal
tenant of a lord, servant, follower, slave
verse
the component lines of a poem
vertigo
condition characterized by diziness & loss of balance
village
small community (smaller than a town)
virtuous
exhibiting high moral excellence
wary
very cautious, alert, watchful
zealot
a fanatic, an extreme enthusiast
