Great Gatsby Vocab

deft (adj)

skillful; dexterous

extemporize (verb)

to speak or perform with little preparation; improvise

contemptuous (adj)

feeling that a person is beneath consideration or worthless; scornful

staid (adj)

sober; sedate

intimation (noun)

an indirect, usually subtle suggestion, indication, or hint

sumptuous (adj)

costly, lavish, magnificent, splendid

apathetic (adj)

lacking emotion, indifferent, listless

strident (adj)

harsh-sounding, shrill, grating

impetuous (adj)

acting or done suddenly with little thought; rash

prodigality (noun)

reckless or extreme wastefulness, extreme abundance

ascertain (verb)

to find out with certainty

peremptory (adj)

insisting on immediate attention or obedience, especially in a brusquely imperious way

supercilious (adj)

coolly and patronizingly haughty

levity (noun)

a lack of seriousness, often at an improper time; frivolity

fractious (adj)

tending to be troublesome, unruly, quarrelsome, irritable

languid (adj)

drooping or flagging from as if from exhaustion, sluggish in character or disposition, listless, lacking force or quickness of movement

punctilious (adj)

marked by or concerned about precise accordance with the details of codes or conventions

meretricious (adj)

tastelessly showy and falsely attractive, superficially significant, pretentious

ingratiate (verb)

to gain favor or favorable acceptance for by deliberate effort, usually followed by “with”

ineffable (adj)

incapable of being expressed in words, indescribable, not to be uttered, taboo