Word List 31 Flashcards
aberration
n. wandering or staying away; in optics, failure of rays to focus
abnegation
n. repudiation; self-sacrifice
abut
v. border upon’ adjoin
acclimate
v. adjust to climate
acephalous
adj. headless
acerbity
n. bitterness of speech and temper
acquiescence
n. submission; compliance
adjunct
n. something attached to but holding an inferior position
adjure
v. request solemnly
admonition
n. warning
advert
v. refer to
adulterated
adj. made impure or spoiled by the addition of inferior materials
advent
n. arrival
aegis
n. shield’ defense
affable
adj. courteous
aeon
n. long period of time; an age
afferent
adj. carrying toward the center
affidavit
n. written statement made under oath
afflatus
n. ispiration
agrarian
adj. pertaining to land or its cultivation
agronomist
n. scientist engaged in the management of land
amazon
n. female warrior
ambivalence
n. the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes
amoreal
adj. nonmoral
amortization
n. act of reducing a debt through partial payments
anachronism
n. an error involving time in a story
analgesic
adj. causing insensitivity to pain
animus
n. hostile feeling or intent
anneal
v. reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling
anodyne
n. drug that relives pain; opiate
aphasia
n. loss of speech due to injury
apologue
n. moral fable
apropos
prep. witch reference to; properly
archetype
n. prototype; primitive pattern
arrogate
v. claim without reasonable grounds
arroyo
n. gully
aseptic
adj. preventing putrefaction or blood poisoning by killing bacteria
atavism
n. resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents
atelier
n. workshop; studio
aureole
n. sun’s corona; halo
auroral
adj. pertaining to the aurora borealis
auscultation
n. act of listening to the heart or lungs to discover abnormalities
avocation
n. secondary or minor occupation
