Word Definitions Flashcards
Palimpsest (define)
A manuscript or document that has been erased or scraped clean, for reuse of the paper, parchment, vellum, or other medium on which it was written - Something bearing the traces of an earlier, erased form
Sartorial (define)
Of or relating to the tailoring of clothing - The sartorius is also a muscle running down the thigh, the longest in the human body
Denouement (define)
The conclusion or resolution of a plot; in which the strands of plot are drawn together y matters explained y resolved
Apotheosis (define)
The fact or action of becoming or making into a god; deification.
Bildungsroman (define)
From German “bildung” (to shape) + “roman” (novel) - A novel tracing the spiritual, moral, psychological, or social development and growth of the main character, usually from childhood to maturity - A subset of the coming-of-age story - Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship (1796) by Goethe considered the 1st example
Roman à clef (define)
From French for “novel with a key” - A piece of fiction, especially a novel, containing real-life people and/or events, overlaid with a façade of fiction
Caisson (define)
(engineering) An enclosure, from which water can be expelled, in order to give access to underwater areas for engineering works etc. - A temporary watertight structure that is pumped dry to enclose an area underwater and allow construction work on a ship, bridge, or rig to be carried out - Similar to a cofferdam
Palanquin (define)
A covered type of litter for a stretched-out passenger, carried on four poles on the shoulders of four or more bearers, as formerly used in Eastern Asia
Milieu (define)
A person’s social setting or environment
Parsimony (define)
Great reluctance to spend money unnecessarily - The principle of using the least resources or explanations to solve a problem - From Latin word parsimonia (frugality)
Genitive (define)
(grammar) Of or pertaining to the case (as the second case of Latin and Greek nouns) which expresses origin or possession, corresponding to the possessive case in English - An inflection pattern (of any given language) that expresses origin or ownership y possession
Dative (define)
(grammar) The case of a noun which expresses the remoter or indirect object, generally indicated in English by “to” or “for” with the objective
Gestalt (define)
In psychology, an organized whole that is perceived as more than the sum of its parts - In theory, when the human mind forms a “gestalt”, the whole has a reality of its own, independent of the parts
Largess (define)
Generosity in the giving of gifts or money - The gifts or money given in such a way - A benevolent demeanor
Pragmatic (define)
Practical; concerned with making decisions and actions that are useful in practice, not just theory
Didactic (define)
Instructive or intended to teach or demonstrate, especially with regard to morality - Excessively moralizing - From Greek for “skilled in teaching”
Psyche (define)
The human soul, mind, or spirit - (psychology) The human mind as the central force in thought, emotion, and behavior of an individual
Polemic (define)
A person who writes in support of one opinion, doctrine, or system, in opposition to another; one skilled in polemics; a controversialist; a disputant - A strong verbal or written attack on someone or something - From Ancient Greek for “of war”
Esoteric (define)
Intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest, or an enlightened inner circle - Having to do with concepts that are highly theoretical and without obvious practical application; often with mystical or religious connotations
Pneumatics (define)
The branch of mechanics that deals with the mechanical properties of gases - From Greek pneumatikos (“relating to wind or air”)
Ontology (define)
The branch of metaphysics that addresses the nature or essential characteristics of being and of things that exist; the study of being as being
Equivocal (define)
Having two or more equally applicable meanings; capable of double or multiple interpretation; ambiguous; uncertain
Erudite (define)
Learned, scholarly, with emphasis on knowledge gained from books - From Latin ērudītus, participle of ērudiō (“educate, train”), from e- (“out of”) + rudis (“rude, unskilled”)
Luddite (define)
Someone who opposes technological change - From Ned Ludd, the folkloric leader of a group of early 19th-century English textile workers who destroyed machinery because it would harm their livelihood
