Outliers vocab

Egalitarian

Definition: A person who believes in and advocates for the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities​

Synonyms: equalitarian, humanist, democrat, leveler​

Example: "As an egalitarian, he worked tirelessly to ensure that everyone in the community had the same access to education and healthcare."

Ethos

• the distinguishing character, sentiment, moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a person, group, or institution​

• Synonyms: Ethics, morals, morality, principles​

• They are working to keep a democratic ethos alive in the community.- Merriam Webster

Meritocracy

system, organization, or society in which people are chosen and moved into positions of success, power, and influence on the basis of their demonstrated abilities and merit.​

​

Synonyms: excellence, immaculateness, refinement ​

Larger workforce inequality in tech and startups and tech's failure to be a meritocracy play strong roles in the lack of gender equity and female leadership in tech.

crucible

A place or situation in which concentrated forces interact to cause or influence change or development.

Synonyms:​ initiation, trial, gauntlet

His character was formed in the crucible of war”.​

Paradigm

a philosophical or theoretical framework of any kind

Synonyms: principle, ideal, standard, exemplar

Those questions will eventually be resolved, and a new paradigm will emerge.

Cohort

a group of individuals having a statistical factor (such as age or class membership) in common in a demographic study​

​Synonyms: associate, colleague, peer, fellow, friend​

This cohort was the grit of the game — the desire to own your own destiny.

abstruse

Definition: Difficult to comprehend​

​

Synonyms: obscure ,arcane ,esoteric​

​

The procedures are so abstruse that a parliamentarian must sit below the presiding officer and, essentially, tell him or her what to say.

cognitive

Definition: involving conscious intellectual activity (includes remembering, thinking, or reasoning)​

​

Synonyms: reasonable, empirical, analytical, logical​

​

Contextual sentence: Researchers are debating whether heading balls can dent the cognitive skills of young soccer players for life. ​

Threshold

Definition: The beginning point of something

Synonym- doorway, entrance, gateway

She stood at the threshold of the house and knocked on the door.

subversive

Seeking or intended to undermine an established system or institution.​

Synonyms: disruptive, treacherous, revolutionary​

The novel was banned for a subversive portrayal of political ideations and call for governmental change through the people.

Inquisitive

inclined to ask questions

Synonyms:​ curious, prying, probing

​Read, be inquisitive, ask for help, then roll up your sleeves and do the work.

savvy

having or showing a practical cleverness or judgment​

Synonyms:​ astute, knowing, shrewd

The shift to screen life has been decades in the making, and generations of tech-savvy artists have been charting those changes.

consequential

Following as a result or effect

Synonyms: resulting, ensuing, subsequent​

"The lawyer warned that any breach of the contract could have serious consequential effects." ChatGPT

submissive

submitting to others​

synonyms:​ obedient, compliant, docile​

His submissive compliance to outdated traditions masked a quiet rebellion that would later redefine his family's legacy.

Brevity

Shortness of duration

synonyms:​ Shortness, briefness, diminishing

In spite of that brevity, some preliminary research suggests DMT can have long-lasting psychological and even therapeutic effects”.

antecedent

Definition: a thing or event that existed before or logically precedes another.​

Synonyms: precursor, forerunner, predecessor​

Historians often debate whether the Enlightenment served as a true antecedent to modern democratic ideals or merely a parallel intellectual movement.

credential

something that gives a title to credit or confidence

Synonyms: qualification, capability, expertise, ability

My experience as a manager is my strongest credential.

WASP

An American of Northern European and especially British ancestry and of Protestant background especially : a member of the dominant and the most privileged class of people in the U.S.

Synonyms : Upper class, High society , Old Money, Blue Blood, Elite​

Sentence : Most of the members of the club were wealthy WASP

purported

"Purported" means claimed or stated, but not necessarily true or proven; alleged. It suggests that something is said to be a certain way, but there's doubt or uncertainty about its validity​

Synonyms: intended. alleged. supposed. Planned.​

Sentence: "the ring is purported to be of pure gold"

Imperious

Assuming power or authority without justification

 Synonyms: authoritative, domineering, arrogant

With no fear of losing, lawmakers become more arrogant and imperious, less open to compromise."

Confederate

A person one works with, especially in something secret

synonyms:​ Accomplice, supporter, ally

To execute the delicate plan without detection, she relied on a trusted confederate who shared her commitment to secrecy.

Nonchalant

having an air of easy unconcern or indifference​

​

Synonyms: ​ Cool, composed, collected​

​

“She gave a nonchalant shrug”

Mitigate

Make less severe, serious, or painful

Synonyms: Reduce, lessen, diminish, ease​

The company tried its best to mitigate their bad PR by putting out an apology

Indelible

Definition: that which cannot be removed, washed away, or erased.​

Synonyms: Memorable, Unforgettable, Notable Remarkable, Noteworthy​

Reese was a vibrant part of our architecture community and left an indelible mark on her peers and our college through her creativity, kindness, and energy.

idealist

a person who believes in or strives for high ideals, often to the point of being considered unrealistic or impractical​

Synonyms:​ Dreamer, visionary, optimist, theorist​

He is an idealist who believes the world can be made better through kindness

Daunting

​tending to overwhelm or intimidate​

Synonyms: discouraging, troublesome, dismaying, disconcerting

​

For today's high school graduates, the path to true independence can seem  daunting.

Concubine

1. a woman with whom a man cohabits without being married: such as​

​

2.  one having a recognized social status in a household below that of a wife

Synonyms: Mistress, Lover 

Archaeologists uncovered a burial site believed to belong to a royal concubine, adorned with artifacts that suggested a life of both privilege and confinement

Miscegenation

A mixture of races​

Synonym-​ Intermarriage, Mixed Marriage​

Ex:​ Miscegenation, the interbreeding of people from different racial backgrounds, was long commended by society and law, reflecting deep-rooted prejudices.

progeny

1. Offspring of animals or plants​

2. A body of followers, descendants, or successors

Synonym: Offspring 

As the last surviving progeny of the ancient house of Valmont, she bore the weight of centuries of legacy, tradition, and unspoken expectations. 

Fetish

Definition: An object, idea, or activity that is given excessive or irrational devotion, attention, or reverence; in a sexual context, a fixation on a specific object, body part, or activity that causes arousal.​

Synonyms: obsession, fixation, fascination, compulsion, preoccupation​

Ex: His obsession with vintage watches had become almost a fetish, with him spending hours each day polishing and studying them.