The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay Vocab 1

assuage

(verb) to mitigate or lessen an unpleasant feeling

disrepute

(adjective) held in low esteem — dishonored — especially by the public

erudite

(adjective) showing great knowledge or learning gained by studying

incandescent

(adjective) glowing as a result of being heated

incantation

(noun) magical spell or charm

insalubrious

(adjective) unhealthy, unpleasant (especially of a climate or location)

irrefutable

(adjective) impossible to deny or disprove

laconic

(adjective) using very few words (of a person, speech, or writing style)

permeate

(verb) to spread (likely something intangible) throughout

peroration

(noun) the concluding part of a speech

philistine

(noun) a person who is hostile or indifferent to culture and the arts, or has no understanding of them

prosaically

(adverb) having the style of prose; lacking poetic beauty

querulous

(adjective) a kind of whiny or child-like complaining

recalcitrant

(adjective) having a defiant or uncooperative attitude, especially towards authority

transient

(adjective/noun) lasting only a short time; someone who is staying for a short time