ELA Sophomore Vocab

Camaraderie

rapport or goodwill

Frangible

fragile or easy to break

Litany

any long, repetitive, or dull recital

Moratorium

a suspension of activity; an authorized delay

Zealous

fervent; fanatical

Desiccate

to dry out; to remove moisture

Wrenching

causing mental or physical pain

Replete

full; abundant

Interminable

tiresome and long; seemingly endless

Arable

suitable for cultivation of land

Lugubrious

mournful; gloomy

Truncate

to shorten

Ubiquitous

occuring or seeming to occur everywhere; omnipresent

Vernacular

everyday language

Equanimity

composure; calmness

Metamorphosis

a transforamtion or dramatic change

Donnybrook

a fight; an uproar

Nonchalant

unconcerned, indifferent

Vestige

a trace or evidence of something that once existed

Interlocutor

someone who participates in a conversation

Procrustean

strictly disregarding individual differences

Stygian

dark and forbidding

Sophistry

a deliberately deceptive or misleading argument

Carte Blanche

boundless authority; unlimited power

Incantation

a chant; a recited magical spell

Cosmopolitan

familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures

Rife

abundant; prevalent

Nomenclature

technical names or naming system in an art or science

Brigand

a robber or bandit

Contemptuous

haughty; scornful

Scapegoat

one who bears blame for others

Peremptory

not allowing refusal or delay; imperative

Atalier

an artist's or designer's workshop

Axiom

a universal truth; an established rule

Dulcet

melodious; pleasing to the ear

Usurp

to take over; to seize power

Patronizing

treating with condescension; acting superior

Iniquity

an evil or wicked act

Archaic

no longer current or acceptable; antiquated

Vacillate

to waver; sway indeceisively

Perspicacious

keen; mentally sharp

Abstemious

using or consuming sparingly

Talisman

a magic charm or superstitious object for protection or good luck

Expurgate

to remove vulgar or objectionable material

Pellucid

transparent; clear

Efficacious

effective; producing the desired outcome

Catharsis

a release of emotional tension

Inundate

to overwhelm; to fill beyond capacity

Revere

to regard with respect, awe, or adoration

Internecine

mutually destructive

Risible

relating to laughter; laughable

Sybaritic

marked by luxury or pleasure

Crepuscular

pertaining to twilight

Kudos

acclaim or praise

Estrange

to alienate

Intrinsic

of or relating to a thing's basic nature; inherent

Maxim

an established principal; a truth or rule of conduct

Putrid

rotten and foul smelling

Servile

submissive; slavish

Apocryphal

of questionable authenticity, but widely believed