Word Lists 29-32 Flashcards
naivete
quality of being unsophisticated
narrative
related to telling a story
mavigale
wide and deep enough to allow ships to pass through
nebulous
vague; hazy
negligence
neglect; failure to take reasonable care
negligible
so small, trifling, or unimportant that it may be easily disregarded
neologism
new or newly coined word or phrase
neophyte
recent convert; beginner
nocturnal
relating to, occurring, or active in the night
nonchalance
indifference
nondescript
undistinctive; ordinary
nonentity
person or thing of no importance
nostalgia
homesickness
notable
conspicuous; important
notorious
disreputable; widely known
novelty
something new
novice
beginner
nozzle
projecting spout
nuclear
central point or core
nullify
to make invalid
nurture
nourish; educate
nutrient
nourishing substance
obdurate
stubborn
obfuscate
confuse; muddle, make unclear
objective
not influenced by emotions; fair
objective
goal; aim
obligatory
required; legally or morally binding
oblique
indirect
obliterate
destroy completely
oblivion
obscurity
oblivious
inattentive
obnoxious
offensive
obscure
dark; vague
obscure
darken; make unclear
obsequious
slavishly attentive
obsessive
related to thinking about something constantly
obsolescent
going out of use
obsolete
outmoded
obtrude
push (oneself or one’s ideas) forward or intrude; butt in
offensive
attacking
officious
meddlesome; excessively pushing in offering one’s services
olfactory
concerning sense of smell
ominous
threatening
omnivorous
eating both plant and animal food
opaque
not transparent; impenetrable to light
opportunist
individual who sacrifices principles for expediency by taking advantage of circumstances
opprobrium
public disgrace or reproach
opt
decide in favor of
optimist
person who looks on the good side
opulence
extreme wealth
orator
public speaker
ordeal
severe trial or affliction
ornate
excessively or elaborately decorated
ostentatious
showy; pretentious
outlandish
bizarre
outmoded
no longer stylish
outwit
outsmart; trick
overbearing
bossy
overt
open to view
pacifist
one opposed to force
pacify
soothe; make calm or quiet
painstaking
expending or showing diligent care and great effort
palatable
agreeable; pleasing to the taste
pallid
pale; wan
panacea
cure-all
pandemonium
wild tumult
parable
short tale illustrating moral principle
paradox
something apparently contradictory in nature
paragon
model of perfection
paramount
foremost in importance
parched
extremely dry; very thirsty
parody
humorous imitation; spoof
partial
incomplete
partison
one-sided; prejudiced
partition
divide into parts
passive
not active
pastoral
rural
patronize
support
paucity
scarcity; lack
pedantic
showing off learning; bookish
pedestrian
ordinary
peerless
having no equal
pendulum
suspended body that swings freely
penitent
feeling regret or sorrow for one’s offenses
perceptive
insightful; aware
perdition
damnation; complete ruin
peremptory
demanding and leaving no choice
perfidious
treacherous
perfunctory
superficial
perjury
false testimony under oath
permutation
transformation
pernicious
very destructive
perpetrate
commit an offense
perpetual
everlasting
perpetuate
make something last
peruse
read with care
pervasive
pervading; spread throughout every part
perverse
stubbornly wrongheaded
pessimism
belief that life is bad
petulant
touchy; peevish
phenomena
observable facts or events
philanthropist
lover of making
phlegmatic
not easily excited to action or emotional displays; calm; sluggish
pique
provoke or arouse; annoy
pique
irritation resentment
pivotal
crucial; key
placate
pacify; conciliate
placid
calm; peaceful
plagiarize
steal another’s ideas and pass them off as one’s own
platitude
trite remark
plausible
having a show of truth but open to doubt
plethora
excess
pliable
flexible; yielding
plight
condition
pluck
courage
plunder
loot
podium
pedestal
polemical
aggressive in verbal attack
ponderous
weighty; unwieldy