Words 876 - 900 Flashcards
seminal
original, important, creating a field
adjective
Stephen Greenblatt’s essays on Shakespeare proved to be seminal, because they initiated the critical school of New Historicism.
sensual
relating to or consisting in the gratification of the senses or the indulgence of the appetite
adjective
Rousseau, in his Confessions, wrote of the sensual pleasure he found in simple meals of peasant cheeses and bread.
sensuous
involving sensory gratification
adjective
Paul found drinking Coke, with all the little bubbles bursting on his tongue, a very sensuous experience.
serendipity
luck, finding good things without looking for them
noun
In an amazing bit of serendipity, penniless Paula found a $20 bill in the subway station.
serene
calm, untroubled
adjective
Louise stood in front of the Mona Lisa, puzzling over the famous woman’s serene smile.
servile
subservient
adjective
The servile porter crept around the hotel lobby, bowing and quaking before the guests.
sinuous
marked by strong, lithe movements
adjective
She moved with sinuous grace.
sobriety
the quality or state of being unhurried or calm
noun
Jason believed that maintaining his sobriety in times of crisis was the key to success in life.
solicitous
concerned, attentive
adjective
Jim, laid up in bed with a nasty virus, enjoyed the solicitous attentions of his mother, who brought him soup and extra blankets.
solipsistic
believing that oneself is all that exists
adjective
Colette’s solipsistic attitude completely ignored the plight of the homeless people on the street.
soluble
able to dissolve
adjective
The plot of the spy film revolved around an untraceable and water-soluble poison.
solvent
- a substance that can dissolve other substances
- able to pay debts
1. noun
2. adjective
- Water is sometimes called the universal solvent because almost all other substances can dissolve into it.
- Upon receiving an unexpected check from her aunt, Annabelle found herself suddenly solvent.
somnolent
sleepy, drowsy
adjective
The somnolent student kept falling asleep and waking up with a jerk.
sophomoric
immature, uninformed
adjective
The mature senior rolled her eyes at the sophomoric gross-out humor of the underclassman.
sovereign
having absolute authority in a certain realm
adjective
The sovereign queen, with steely resolve, ordered that the traitorous nobleman be killed.
speculative
not based on facts
adjective
Tessa was convicted on merely speculative evidence.
spurious
false but designed to seem plausible
adjective
Using a spurious argument, John convinced the others that he had won the board game on a technicality.
stagnant
not advancing or developing
adjective
For most tenured faculty, the worst they are likely to experience is stagnant pay and deferred retirement.
staid
sedate, serious, self-restrained
adjecive
The staid butler never changed his expression no matter what happened.
stingy
not generous, not inclined to spend or give
adjective
Scrooge’s stingy habits did not fit with the generous, giving spirit of Christmas.
stoic
unaffected by passion or feeling
adjective
Penelope’s faithfulness to Odysseus required that she be stoic and put off her many suitors.
stolid
expressing little sensibility, unemotional
adjective
Charles’s stolid reaction to his wife’s funeral differed from the passion he showed at the time of her death.
strenuous
requiring tremendous energy or stamina
adjective
Running a marathon is quite a strenuous task. So is watching an entire Star Trek marathon.
strident
harsh, loud
adjective
A strident man, Captain Von Trapp yelled at his daughter and made her cry.
stupefy
to astonish, make insensible
verb
Veronica’s audacity and ungratefulness stupefied her best friend, Heather.
