Wordy Wednesday Vocabulary Review 2025-26

A comprehensive vocabulary review containing terms from Wordy Wednesday lecture notes (2025-26), spanning multiple quarters and including parts of speech and textual definitions.

sanguine

Cheerfully optimistic.

sanguinary

Bloody, related to bloodshed.

machinations

A crafty and involved plot to achieve usually sinister ends; or the process of creating the plot; evil plans.

languidly

Without much energy; moving slowly, lazily, lethargically.

hapless

Unlucky, luckless, unfortunate.

noisome

Smelly, unwholesome, nauseating.

ostentatious

In a manner intended to attract notice and impress others; showy, gaudy.

supercilious

Having an arrogant disdain of those one views as unworthy; snobby, looking down at others.

peregrinations

Travel from one place to another, especially on foot; a journey.

decorous

Dignified, polite and proper in behavior, appearance, and character.

despondent

Hopeless, discouraged, gloomy, depressed.

vilify

To speak ill of, to defame, slander; to spread mean stories about someone, whether true or not; to make someone seem villainous.

polemic

A strong, often controversial argument or attack against a specific opinion, belief, or policy—usually meant to persuade others or spark debate.

detritus

Trash, debris, an accumulation of unwanted materials.

dogma

A specific set of principles authoritatively established, such as by a church.

dogmatic

Asserting opinions in a forceful manner; opinionated (usually a negative connotation).

esoteric

Obscure, arcane; something likely to be understood by people with specialized knowledge or interest.

candid

Frank, outspoken, sincere, straightforward, too truthful.

fastidious

Excessively particular, critical or demanding, hard to please; or characterized by excessive care or attention.

largesse

Generosity in bestowing money or gifts.

quintessential

The most perfect or typical example of a particular quality or class; it embodies the essential characteristics defining a category.

scurrilous

Scandalous, obscene, occasionally coarsely humorous.

denizens

(Long term) inhabitants or residents of a place.

loquacious

Overly talkative.

chimerical

Wildly fanciful; imaginative, delusive; existing only as the product of unchecked imagination.

clandestine

Kept secret or done secretly with the added implication of unacceptable behavior or illegality.

ignominious

Publicly shameful or humiliating; disgraceful.

obsequious

Excessive eagerness to please, fawning attentiveness.

taciturn

Quiet, reserved.

surfeit

Overabundance, excess, plenty, plethora (surplus).

paucity

Scarcity, insufficiency, an inadequate supply, lack of.

dearth

Scarcity, insufficiency, an inadequate supply, lack of.

odious

Extremely repulsive; hateful, vile.

anathema

Something hated; an abomination.

verisimilitude

The appearance of truth; genuineness; authenticity.

affable

Friendly, good natured, easy to talk to.

hackneyed

Language that is overused, unoriginal, tired or trite; cliche.

farrago

A confused mixture, hodgepodge, medley.

vapid

Dull, unstimulating, uninspiring, lacking spirit or zest; aloof.

lugubrious

Sad, mournful, gloomy.

magnanimous

Generous in forgiving an insult (sometimes, it just means 'generous'), positive in the face of criticism.

inscrutable

Not easily understood; mysterious; unfathomable.

spurious

False, inauthentic, untrustworthy, not backed up by facts.

lament

To express sorrow or regret (verb) or the actual regret (noun).

superfluous

Extra, unnecessary.

visceral

Relating to deep, inward feelings rather than intelligence; really powerful in an almost physical way.

peripatetic

Wandering, traveling about, nomadic, roaming.

vanguard

The forefront in any movement, field, activity; literally, the front lines.

quotidian

Ordinary, everyday/boring details, routine items.

quixotic

Exceedingly idealistic, foolishly unrealistic and impractical.

ubiquitous

Being present everywhere at once.

schadenfreude

Satisfaction or pleasure at someone else’s misfortune.

appellation

A name, title or designation before a name, like Mr, Dr, or Sir.

pithy

Full of meaning or substance; a brief, clever expression of an idea; succinct, profound.

conundrum

A confusing and difficult problem or question.

laudatory

Full of or giving praise.

struthious

Ostrich-like; metaphorically deliberately ignoring important things going on around them.

tangential

Only slightly related or relevant.

mercurial

Subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind; erratic, volatile, changeable.

susurration

A soft murmur or whisper.

effusive

Using an unrestrained and heartfelt manner to express feelings of gratitude, pleasure, or approval; enthusiastic.

epitome

A perfect example of something.

ephemeral

Fleeting, short lived.

inchoate

Rudimentary, not yet fully formed, not organized, lacking order.

infamy

Evil reputation brought about by something grossly criminal, shocking or brutal.

infamous

Well-known for a bad quality; having a bad reputation, notorious; famous for something BAD.

apocryphal

Fake; of questionable authenticity.

convoluted

Intricate, (figuratively) twisted or coiled, hard to understand, confusing.

egregious

Outstandingly bad, deplorable, atrocious.

altruistic

Selfless concern for the wellbeing of others.

cogent

Powerfully persuasive, convincing through clear presentation of arguments.

copious

Abundant; plentiful; large in quantity.

ameliorate

To make better, improve.

perfunctory

Conforming to a minimal standard, careless, lacking enthusiasm or attention to detail, done in a listless or lazy way.

oblique

Indirectly stated, not straightforward, confusing, vague.

erudite

Wise, learned, smart, scholarly, intellectual.

pedantic

Showing off one's knowledge, often in an annoying way.

avuncular

Acting like an uncle, as in being kind, patient, generous.

patronizing

Speaking or behaving in a way that seems kind or helpful but actually shows a sense of superiority.

ingratiating

Trying to gain someone’s approval, often in a way that seems overly flattering or insincere.

anachronistic

Out of place in time; chronologically misplaced.

assiduous

Diligent, constant, persevering, unremitting.

variegated

Multicolored, colorful.

alacrity

Cheerful readiness, promptness or willingness.

vicissitudes

Changing phases or conditions of life/fortune; the ups and downs of life.

vitriolic

Caustic, scathing; harsh or corrosive in tone (usually related to speech).

excoriate

Criticize severely, express intense disapproval.