Persepolis Vocab

IB lit book

asylum

place of safety or refuge

avant-garde

innovative or ahead of time

belligerent

war-like or aggressive

cadaver

dead body or corpse

carnage

the slaughter of a great number of people

clandestine

conducted with secrecy

console

comfort

coup d’etat

overthrow (usually military) of government

decadence

excessive indulgence

degenerate

immoral or corrupt person

diabolical

relating to evil

dialectic

of reasoning that arrives at truth by exchanging arguments

dowry

property or money brought by a bride to her husband on their marriage

effigy

crude image of a despised person

euphoria

extreme happiness

fanatics

excessive supporters of religion or politics

flagellate

to whip

frivolities

characterized by lack of seriousness or sense

guerillas

independent militants who attack in small groups

imperialists

someone associated with taking over the power of another country or leader

martyr

person who suffers or sacrifices for their religious or other beliefs

nuptial

marriage

obligatory

required

Persia

empire in southern Asia created by Cyrus the Great in the 6th century BC (modern Iran)

proletariat

working class people, commoners

putsch

forcible and illegitimate attempt to seize power

regime

government, generally imposed upon the people

republic

form of government in which the people elect representatives to govern them and make laws

secular

not pertaining to or connected with religion

Shah

title of the former monarch of Iran

Shiite

a member of the branch of Islam that regards Ali as the legitimate successor to Mohammed

subversive

seeking to disrupt established system or order

veritable

true or genuine

vintner

wine maker