Word knowledge Flashcards
amiable
friendly, sociable
misanthrope
a person who hates or distrusts humankind
belligerent
inclined to or exhibiting assertiveness, hostility, or combativeness
bellicose
favoring or inclined to start quarrels or wars
benevolent
marked by or disposed to doing good
secede
to withdraw from an organization
autocrat
a person (such as a monarch) ruling with unlimited authority
bureaucracy
a body of nonelective government officials
cryptogram
a communication in cipher or code
cryptic
having or seeming to have a hidden or ambiguous meaning
precursory
one that precedes and indicates the approach of another
dictator
a person granted absolute emergency power
equanimity
evenness of mind especially under stress
epigram
a concise poem dealing pointedly and often satirically with a single thought or event and often ending with an ingenious turn of thought
elucidate
to make lucid especially by explanation or analysis
malevolent
having, showing, or arising from intense often vicious ill will, spite, or hatred
pseudonym
a fictitious name
evocative
evoking or tending to evoke an especially emotional response
anachronism
a chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs in regard to each other
anhydrous
free from water and especially water of crystallization
abscission
the act or process of cutting off
ambivalent
having or showing simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings toward something or someone
antedate
a date assigned to an event or document earlier than the actual date of the event or document
antipathy
a strong feeling of dislike
oligarchy
a government in which a small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes
cacophony
harsh or jarring sound
corporeal
having, consisting of, or relating to a physical material body
dimorphism
the existence of two different forms (as of color or size) of a species especially in the same population
diatomic
consisting of two atoms : having two atoms in the molecule
dialectic
discussion and reasoning by dialogue as a method of intellectual investigation; specifically
dynamo
a forceful energetic individual
dynasty
a succession of rulers of the same line of descent
epiphyte
a plant that derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and grows usually on another plant
extraneous
existing on or coming from the outside
extemporaneous
composed, performed, or uttered on the spur of the moment
geomancy
divination by means of figures or lines or geographic features
divination
the art or practice that seeks to foresee or foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge usually by the interpretation of omens or by the aid of supernatural powers
ignoble
characterized by baseness, lowness, or meanness
interstellar
located, taking place, or traveling among the stars especially of the Milky Way galaxy
lexicography
the editing or making of a dictionary
liberal
given or provided in a generous and openhanded way
locality
the fact or condition of having a location in space or time
macrophage
a phagocytic tissue cell of the immune system that may be fixed or freely motile, is derived from a monocyte, functions in the destruction of foreign antigens (such as bacteria and viruses), and serves as an antigen-presenting cell
monocle
an eyeglass for one eye
monovalent
having a valence of one
moribund
being in the state of dying : approaching death
Peripatetic
a follower of Aristotle or adherent of Aristotelianism
perineum
an area between the thighs that marks the approximate lower boundary of the pelvis and is occupied by the urinary and genital ducts and rectum
polygamy
marriage in which a spouse of either sex may have more than one mate at the same time
prescient
foreknowledge of events: divine omniscience
subterfuge
deception by artifice or stratagem in order to conceal, escape, or evade
artifice
a clever or artful skill
utilitarianism
a theory that the aim of action should be the largest possible balance of pleasure over pain or the greatest happiness of the greatest number
myalgia
pain in one or more muscles
riparian
relating to or living or located on the bank of a natural watercourse (such as a river) or sometimes of a lake or a tidewater
aviary
a place for keeping birds confined
sapling
a young tree
animalcule
a minute, usually microscopic organism
adolescent
a young person who is developing into an adult
senescence
the state of being old
neurosis
a mental and emotional disorder that affects only part of the personality
baronet
the holder of a rank of honor below a baron and above a knight
lorgnette
a pair of eyeglasses or opera glasses with a handle
bromide
a binary compound of bromine with another element or a radical including some (such as potassium bromide) used as sedatives
puerile
childish, silly
juvenile
physiologically immature or undeveloped
impish
devilish
capitalism
an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market
flautist
one who plays a flute
bowdlerize
to modify by abridging, simplifying, or distorting in style or content
autonomy
the quality or state of being self-governing
taxonomy
the study of the general principles of scientific classification
anthropoid
a person resembling an ape
strata
a dish that is made up of layers of bread, cheese, and meat or vegetables over which a mixture of eggs and milk is poured and that is usually refrigerated before it is baked
rapture
an expression or manifestation of ecstasy or passion
