Advanced English Vocabulary

English 7

ecumenical

worldwide or universal in influence or application

obsteperous

noisy; unruly, disorderly

quiescent

quiet; still; inactive

sonorous

full, deep, or rich in sound; impressive in style

truculent

(adj.) fierce and cruel; aggressive; deadly, destructive; scathingly harsh

obdurate

stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action

imbroglio

complicated situation; an entanglement

perspicacious

wise; insightful; acutely intelligent

numinous

supernatural, spiritual, elevated; with a sense of supernatural presence; filled with divine will, power, or presence (numen)

quisling

traitor; collaborator

mnemonic

assisting memory

Jirble

to pour carelessly (Scottish)

queach

thicket, mingle-jumble of vegetation

Xenoglossy

knowledge of a language one has never learned; a paranormal or supernatural phenomenon, "speaking in tongues"

tintinnabulation

the ringing or sound of bells

gegenschein

glow of light seen opposite the sun, also called "counterglow"

Positivistic

empiricism, quanitifiable, experience-based, observation and the senses; definite, certain

praetorian

resembling the Roman imperial bodyguard

sangfroid

composure or coolness, especially in trying circumstances (French)

advent

arrival or creation of something, usually historic

austere

(adj.) severe or stern in manner; without adornment or luxury, simple, plain; harsh or sour in flavor

promulgate

(v.) to proclaim or issue officially; to make known far and wide; to put into law

ramify

to divide and spread out like branches; to separate into divisions

reproach

to scold

repudiate

(v.) to disown, reject, or deny the validity of

erudite

having or showing profound knowledge

indolent

lazy, disinclined to work

insular

isolated; narrow-minded

abeyance

a state of being temporarily inactive, suspended, or set aside

abraded

rubbed off worn away by friction

abrogate

(v.) to annul, repeal, cancel, declare null and void; to fail to do what is required

abscission

the act of cutting; the natural separation of a leaf or other part of a plant

abstemious

(adj.) moderate, sparing (as in eating and drinking); characterized by abstinence and self-discipline

abstruse

difficult to understand; obscure; concealed

accretion

a growth in size; an increase in amount

adumbrate

(v.) to sketch out in a vague or shadowy way

anodized

electroplated; coated with thin layer of metal

anthropocentrism

putting man at the center of one's philosophy

apposite

appropriate; fitting

asperity

harshness of tone or manner

assay

test, analyze, evaluate, determine

assiduous

(adj.) persistent, attentive, diligent.

Syn.: industrious, unremitting, sedulous.

Ant.: lazy, lackadaisical, shiftless.

atavism

(noun) resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback

attenuate

(v.) to make thin or slender; to weaken or lessen in force, intensity, or value

banal

so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring

benignity

compassion; gentleness; fondness

bilk

to cheat or swindle; to thwart

blandishment

(n.) anything designed to flatter or coax; sweet talk

cadge

get by begging

capacious

(adj.) able to hold much, roomy

chary

wary; cautious; sparing

cloture

closure; terminating a debate by voting

contumacious

disobedient, rebellious

contusion

bruise, injury

credulous

gullible; ready to believe anything

crepuscular

of, resembling, or relating to twilight

descry

discriminate or discern; catch sight of (something distant)

desultory

aimless; inconsistent in effort; haphazardly wandering

diaphanous

very sheer and light; almost completely transparent

dilatory

(adj.) tending to delay or procrastinate, not prompt; intended to delay or postpone

ebullient

(adj.) overflowing with enthusiasm and excitement; boiling, bubbling

emollient

softening; soothing; mollifying

effervescent

bubbly, lively

encomium

a formal expression of praise, a lavish tribute

enervate

(v.) to weaken or lessen the mental, moral, or physical vigor of; enfeeble, hamstring

engender

to produce, cause, or bring about

epicure

person with refined taste in food and wine

epistemology

A branch of philosophy that investigates the origin, nature, methods, and limits of human knowledge.

equivocal

Ambiguous; intentionally misleading

evanescent

(adj.) vanishing, soon passing away; light and airy

execrable

loathsome, detestable

exigency

urgency, pressure; urgent demand, pressing need; an emergency

extant

still existing; not exterminated, destroyed, or lost

extirpate

to tear up by the roots; to destroy totally

fastidious

very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail; finicky

fatuous

(adj.) stupid or foolish in a self-satisfied way

feckless

(adj.) lacking in spirit and strength; ineffective, weak; irresponsible, unreliable

fecund

fruitful in offspring or vegetation; intellectually productive

felicitous

(adj.) appropriate, apt, well chosen; marked by well-being or good fortune, happy

fledge

grow feather; decorate with feathers; raise birds to fly

fulminate

To attack with words; denounce; explode noisily

fusillade

simultaneous firing or outburst (of missiles, questions, etc.)

gainsay

to deny, contradict, controvert; to dispute, oppose

garrulous

excessively talkative in a rambling, roundabout manner, especially about trivial matters.

gaucherie

a socially awkward or tactless act

gerontocracy

government ruled by old people

gustatory

relating to the sense of taste

halcyon

calm, peaceful, happy, golden, prosperous - especially the middle of summer

harangue

noisy, attacking speech

hegemony

leadership or dominance, especially by one country or social group over others.

hidebound

(adj.) narrow-minded and rigid, especially in opinions or prejudices; stubbornly and unthinkingly conservative

histrionic

(adj.) pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical, artificial; melodramatic

hoary

very old; whitish or gray from age

homiletics

art of preaching and giving sermons

hortatory

encouraging; inciting; exhorting

iconoclast

one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions; opposes orthodoxy