The Great Gatsby Vocab

complacency

being satisfied with the way things are; smug

supercilious

feeling superior to someone else

bungalow

a little house

proximity

nearness in space, time, or relationship

infinitesimal

extremely small

Threadbare

used so often to be worn, no longer effective, have holes

Nymphs

a mythological character described as a beautiful maiden

sporadic

occurring occasionally or random instances

rajah

a king or prince

infantry

a military that fights on foot

gratified

to give pleasure by satisfying desires

melodious

having a pleasant tune

Somambulatory

sleepwalking

elicited

to elaborate on; to evoke or draw out

penitentiary

jail

juxtaposition

putting two typically contradictory ideas side by side

armistice

a truce

punctilious

showing great attention to detail, or correct behavior

labyrinth

a maze

shirtwaist

a women’s tailored shirt or garment

dilatory

slow to act; intended to cause delay

luminosity

giving off light

prolonged

to lengthen in time; lengthy

irreverent

lacking respect

caravansary

a group of people

contemptuously

expressing contempt, hatred

cynically

believing that people are motivated by self-interest; believing the worst-case scenario

sulkily

moodily silent

portentous

foreshadowing a coming event

expostulation

to discuss; examine

despicable

horrible or unwanted