Book Pretest Vocabulary

Vocabulary terms and English definitions based on the lecture pretest notes, covering academic and descriptive words.

brusque

abrupt or offhand in speech or manner

eloquent

fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing

incessant

continuing without pause or interruption

indefatigable

persisting tirelessly

misanthrope

a person who dislikes humankind

querulous

complaining in a petulant or whining manner

respite

a short period of rest or relief from something difficult

vacillate

to alternate or waver between different opinions

voracious

wanting or devouring great quantities of food or information

coalesce

to come together to form one mass or whole

dispassionate

not influenced by strong emotion; calm or impartial

exuberance

the quality of being full of energy and excitement

parsimonious

very unwilling to spend money or use resources

peripheral

relating to or situated on the edge; of minor importance

surreptitious

kept secret, especially because it would not be approved

voluminous

occupying or containing much space; large in volume

sagacious

having or showing keen mental discernment and judgment

apocryphal

of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as true

commiserate

to express or feel sympathy or pity

infraction

a violation or infringement of a law or agreement

irascible

having or showing a tendency to be easily angered

peruse

to read or examine something typically in a thorough way

recapitulate

to summarize and state again the main points

scrutinize

to examine or inspect closely and thoroughly

untenable

not able to be maintained or defended against attack

assuage

to make an unpleasant feeling less intense

cognizant

having knowledge or being aware of

desultory

lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm

loquacious

tending to talk a great deal; talkative

paucity

the presence of something only in small amounts

somber

dark or dull in color or tone; gloomy

expedient

convenient and practical (often immoral)

lavish

sumptuously rich, elaborate, or luxurious

acquiesce

to accept something reluctantly but without protest

delineate

to describe or portray something precisely

predilection

a preference or special liking for something

subjugate

to bring under domination or control

supercilious

behaving as if one is superior to others

temerity

excessive confidence or boldness; audacity

vitriolic

filled with bitter criticism or malice

conciliatory

intended or likely to placate or pacify

diffident

modest or shy because of a lack of self- confidence

disparage

to regard as being of little worth

evanescent

quickly fading or disappearing

immutable

unchanging over time or unable to be changed

laconic

using very few words

ponderous

slow and clumsy because of great weight

predecessor

a person who held a job before the current holder

salutary

producing good effects; beneficial

efface

to erase a mark from a surface; to make obscure

aberration

a departure from what is normal or expected

congenital

(of a disease/trait) present from birth

contiguous

sharing a common border; touching

indoctrinate

to teach to accept a set of beliefs uncritically

inexorable

impossible to stop or prevent

irrefutable

impossible to deny or disprove

partisan

biased in favor of a particular cause/party

preclude

to prevent from happening; make impossible

premonition

a strong feeling that something is about to happen

sycophant

a person who acts obsequiously to gain advantage

virulent

extremely severe or harmful in its effects

capitulate

to cease to resist; surrender

debilitate

to make (someone) very weak and infirm

formidable

inspiring fear or respect through being large or powerful

inscrutable

impossible to understand or interpret

taciturn

(of a person) reserved or uncommunicative

trepidation

a feeling of fear or agitation about the future

assiduous

showing great care and perseverance

discrepancy

a lack of compatibility between two or more facts

incontrovertible

not able to be denied or disputed

intangible

unable to be touched; not having physical presence

prerogative

a right or privilege exclusive to a particular group

rectify

to put right; correct

tacit

understood or implied without being stated

tirade

a long, angry speech of criticism or accusation

ameliorate

to make (something bad) better

capricious

given to sudden changes of mood or behavior

elucidate

to make something clear; explain

ephemeral

lasting for a very short time

fallacious

based on a mistaken belief

judicious

having, showing, or done with good judgment

spurious

not being what it purports to be; false

volatile

liable to change rapidly and unpredictably

anomaly

something that deviates from what is normal

astute

having an ability to assess situations or people

aversion

a strong dislike or disinclination

eclectic

deriving ideas from a diverse range of sources

equanimity

mental calmness and composure

paradigm

a typical example or pattern of something

prodigious

remarkably great in extent, size, or degree

recalcitrant

stubbornly uncooperative attitude toward authority

soporific

tending to induce drowsiness or sleep

abstemious

not self-indulgent, especially in eating or drinking

credulous

having too great a readiness to believe things

extraneous

irrelevant or unrelated to the subject

gratuitous

uncalled for; lacking good reason; unwarranted

incipient

in an initial stage; beginning to happen

intractable

hard to control or deal with

nefarious

(typically of an action) wicked or criminal

profusion

an abundance or large quantity of something