Words I Don't Know 2

Question 1

Gregarious

Answer 1

(Of a person) fond of company, sociable
Ex: He was a gregarious man, always throwing dinner parties and inviting over friends.

(Of animals) living in flocks or loosely organized communities
Ex: The sheep flocked gregariously.

(Of plants) growing in open clusters or in pure associations
Ex: After years and years of new bulbs splitting off of the parent plant, the old daffodil beds were stuffed with gregarious clumps of the yellow flowers.

Question 2

Prurient

Answer 2

Having or encouraging an excessive interest in sexual matters

Ex: His personal life, and the many people involved, were of prurient interest to his potential boyfriend.

Question 3

Mendacious

Answer 3

Not telling the truth; lying

Ex: Nestle released a mendacious study showing their water bottling plants had little impact on indigenous peoples’ access to water.

Question 4

Vituperative

Vie-too-per-ative

Answer 4

Bitter and abusive

Ex: After a performance review full of vituperative remarks, I realized I was doing a fine job, my boss just hates me.

Question 5

Perfidious

Answer 5

Deceitful and untrustworthy

Ex: My perfidious co-lab mates were always looking for a way to destroy me after I blew the cover off of their schemes.

Question 6

Mimesis

Mih-mee-sis

Answer 6

Representation or imitation of the real world in art and literature

Ex: As a writer, I love using mimesis to provide commentary on contemporary social issues.

Also, a word for mimicry in zoology

Question 7

Antecedent

Answer 7

A thing or event that existed before, or logistically precedes, another

Ex: Examining early hominid skeletons, it’s easy to see how they’re an antecedent to modern humans.

Question 8

Inchoate

In-coe-et

Answer 8

Just begun, and so not fully formed or developed, rudimentary
Ex: My inchoate knowledge of nutrition led to some interesting beliefs about fat consumption, but over time I’ve developed a more nuanced understanding of diet and health.

In law, refers to an act anticipating or preparatory to a further criminal act.

Question 9

Copacetic

Cope-a-see-dick

Answer 9

In excellent order

Ex: According to Vinnie, everything on the dock was copacetic!

Question 10

Irascible

Answer 10

Having or showing a tendency to be easily angered

Ex: Never let your dog walk on the lawn of the irascible old man next door!

Question 11

Diffidence

Answer 11

Modesty or shyness resulting from a lack of self confidence

Ex: The new lifter’s unwillingness to squat in front of seasoned athletes was a result of his diffidence.

Question 12

Laconic

Answer 12

Adjective, using very few words

Ex: The laconic comments left on my work implied my mentor didn’t read it very closely.

Question 13

Tractable

Answer 13

Adjective, a person or situation east to control/influence/deal with

Ex: Though my work rival thinks she’s a manipulative mastermind, I’ve found her quite tractable and non threatening.

Question 14

Cupidity

Answer 14

Noun, greed for money or possessions.

Ex: His cupidity was thwarted by his laziness; you can’t accrue wealth if you won’t work for it.

Question 15

Indelible

Answer 15

Adjective, making marks that can’t be removed, or can’t be forgotten

Ex: Watching the dam cannibalize her living pups left an indelible memory.

Question 16

Purblind

Answer 16

Adjective, having impaired or defective vision, or slow/unable to understand, dim witted

Ex 1: The old purblind dog didn’t make for a very affective guard dog anymore.

Ex 2: My purblind colleagues just didn’t recognize the value of investing in new infrastructure now rather than in 5 years.

Question 17

Pullulating

Answer 17

Adjective, very crowded and lively, teeming, or spreading/multiplying prolifically or rapidly

Ex: I started out with only a few duckweed leaves, but after a few weeks the surface of my fish tank was pullulating with the green sprouts.

Question 18

Verity

Answer 18

noun, a true principle or belief, especially one of fundamental importance

Ex: A fundamental verity of the lifter’s dogma is the importance of sufficient protein.

Question 19

Recalcitrant

Answer 19

Adjective: having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline

Ex: Despite being an authoritative stickler herself, my sister is surprising recalcitrant to every authority figure in her life.

Noun: a person with an obstinately uncooperative attitude

Ex: My brother can be a total recalcitrant when we work together.

Question 20

Clandestine

Answer 20

Adjective, kept secret or done secretively, especially because it is illicit

Ex: My clandestine plot to max out my vacation hours flew right under the radar of the department HR rep.

Question 21

Viviparous

Answer 21

Adjective

Of an animal: bringing forth live young that developed inside the parent

Of plants: reproducing from buds that grow on a parent plant, or reproducing from seeds that sprout in the fruit

Question 22

Ressentiment (French)

Ray-sen-teh-mon

Answer 22

Noun

A psychological state arising from suppressed feelings of envy and hatred that cannot be acted upon, frequently resulting in some form of self-abasement.

Ex: Kevin’s ressentiment resulted in a furious, bitter article about the legitimacy of the entire student council, the whole piece a sad veneer for his hatred for me.

Question 23

Gauche

Goe-sh

Answer 23

Adjective

Lacking ease or grace, unsophisticated and socially awkward

Ex: I got too “in my head” before the interview, and my experience and knowledge was completely overshadowed by my gauche first impression.

Question 24

Nadir

Nay-der

Answer 24

Noun

The lowest point in the fortunes of a person or organization

Ex: I thought I’d finally hit my nadir after a series of bad investments, car troubles, and a burst water main, and then a loose pebble
in my bulk lentils broke a molar.

Question 25

Vouchsafe

Pronounced as written

Answer 25

Verb

1) To give or grant something in a gracious or condescending manor
2) To divulge or reveal information

Ex 1) My boss is such a self-righteous asshole; you’d think he was Jesus, the way he vouchsafes small favors in every meaning of the word.

Ex 2) Kat and i conspiratorially vouchsafed the most recent rumors we’d heard about Aaron.