The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks & Educated Vocabulary

Vocabulary list and definitions from Page 1 and Page 2 covering concepts from The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and Educated.

Elusive

hard to comprehend or define

Stagnate

to stop moving or changing

Eccentric

departing from what is usual, conventional; having or showing an odd or whimsical way of thinking

Zeal

eagerness and enthusiastic interest in pursuit of something : fervor

Belligerent

inclined to or exhibiting assertiveness, hostility, or combativeness

Susceptible

capable of submitting to an action, process, or operation; impressionable

Terminal

leading ultimately to death : fatal

Fixated

thinking, talking, or worrying about one single thing, person, or idea all the time in an obsessive or unreasonable way

Epidemic

affecting or tending to affect a disproportionately large number of individuals within a population, community, or region at the same time

Exhumed

To bring something back to light, revive, or uncover something that was forgotten, lost, or ignored for a long time

Ecstatic

feeling or showing overwhelming happiness, joyful excitement, or a state of ecstasy

Chronic

continuing or occurring again and again for a long time

Tedious

tiresome because of length or dullness : boring

Chastise

to severely criticize, scold, or punish someone for doing something wrongoften used in a disciplinary context.

Ascertain

to find out or learn with certainty

Abatement

is the act of reducing, lessening, or ending something

Noninvasive

not tending to spread

Omnipresent

present in all places at the same time; Existing everywhere simultaneously.

agency

The ability or power to act and make decisions independently.

Unassailable

Impossible to challenge, attack, or defeat.

Fundamentalism

Strict and literal adherence to a set of basic principles or beliefs.

Incipient

Beginning to develop or appear; in an early stage.

Impassive

Showing no emotion or feeling; expressionless.

Conviction

A firmly held belief or opinion.

Meticulous

Extremely careful and precise; paying close attention to details.

Divine

Related to or coming from a god; extremely good or beautiful.

Supplication

The act of asking or begging for something earnestly and humbly

Desiccate

to dry out completely; to remove moisture.

Immodesty

lack of humility or decency; behaving in a boastful or improper way.

Abomination

something that causes disgust or hatred.

Despondency

a state of low spirits caused by loss of hope or courage.

Feral

wild and untamed, especially after being domesticated.

Obsequious

Overly eager to please or obey someone important.

Volatile

Likely to change suddenly and unpredictably, especially for the worse.

Capricious

Acting on sudden changes of mood or behavior without reason.

Enraptured

Completely filled with joy or delight.

Indulgent

Willing to allow someone to have or do what they want, often too much.

Discern

To recognize, notice, or understand something clearly, especially something not obvious.

Proximity

Nearness in space, time, or relationship.

Invincibility

The state of being too powerful to be defeated or overcome.

Impregnable

Unable to be broken into, captured, or overcome.

Unperturbed

Calm and not worried or upset, even in difficult situations.

Visceral

Relating to deep inward feelings rather than logic or reason; instinctive and emotional

Bedlam

A scene of chaos, confusion, or uproar.

Vitality

The state of being strong, active, and full of life or energy.

Fetid

Having a strong, unpleasant smell; foul or rotten.

Percipience

The ability to notice and understand things quickly and clearly; keen insight.

Arrondissement

A district or administrative division, especially in French cities like Paris.

Atonement

The act of making up for a wrong or seeking forgiveness for an offense.

Dissociate

To separate or distance oneself from an idea, person, or group.