Maddie's Vocab

Anathema

a-nath-e-ma

(noun)

/əˈnaTHəmə/

• Something or someone that one vehemently dislikes

• A formal curse by a pope or council of the Church, excommunicating a person or denouncing a doctrine

"Racial hatred was anathema to her"

Parochialism

pa-ro-chi-al-ism

(noun)

/perokee liz(a)m/

A limited or narrow outlook, especially focused on a local area; narrow-mindedness

Bibliolatry

bib-li-ol-a-try

(noun)

\ˌbi-blē-ˈä-lə-trē\

• An excessive adherence to the literal interpretation of the Bible

• An excessive love of books

Apropos

ap-ro-pos

(preposition)

/ˌaprəˈpō/

With reference to; concerning

"The song feels apropos to a midnight jaunt"

Obliquely

o-blique-ly

(adverb)

/əˈblēklē/

• Not in a direct way; indirectly

• In an oblique direction; slantwise

"He referred only obliquely to current events"

Erstwhile

erst-while

(adjective)

/ˈərstˌ(h)wīl/

Former

"His erstwhile rivals"

Libertine

lib-er-tine

(noun)

/ˈlibərˌtēn/

• A person, especially a man, who behaves without moral principles or a sense of responsibility, especially in sexual matters

• A person who rejects accepted opinions in matters of religion; a free-thinker

"His image as an unbridled libertine is a total myth"

Nadir

na-dir

(noun)

/ˈnādər, ˈnāˌdir/

The lowest point in the fortunes of a person or organization

"In 1997, the company's nadir, it built just six boats"

Onerous

on-er-ous

(adjective)

/ˈōnərəs, ˈänərəs/

(Of a task, duty, or responsibility) involving an amount of effort and difficulty that is oppressively burdensome

Ostensibly

os-ten-si-bly

(adverb)

/əˈstensəblē/

Apparently or purportedly, but perhaps not actually

"Troops were sent in, ostensibly to protect the civilian population"

Acumen

a-cu-men

(noun)

/əˈkyo͞omən, ˈakyəmən, ˈakyəˌmen/

The ability to make good judgements and quick decisions, typically in a particular domain

"He will need all his political acumen in these negotiations"

Remunerate

re-mu-ner-ate

(verb)

/rəˈmyo͞onəˌrāt/

Pay (someone) for services rendered or work done

Foment

fo-ment

(verb)

/fōˈment/

Instigate or stir up (an undesirable or violent sentiment or course of action)

Plaintive

plain-tive

(adjective)

/ˈplān(t)iv/

Sounding sad and mournful

Furtively

fur-tive-ly

(adverb)

/ˈfərdəvlē/

In a way that attempts to avoid notice or attention; secretively

Jaded

jad-ed

(adjective)

/ˈjādəd/

Tired, bored, or lacking enthusiasm, typically after having had too much of something

Arbiter

ar-bi-ter

(noun)

/ˈärbədər/

A person who settles a dispute or has ultimate authority in a matter

Dramaturgy

dram-a-tur-gy

(noun)

/ˈdräməˌtərjē, ˈdraməˌtərjē/

The theory and practice of dramatic composition

Acuity

a-cu-i-ty

(noun)

/əˈkyo͞oədē/

Sharpness or keenness of thought, vision, or hearing

Riposte

ri-poste

(noun)

/rəˈpōst/

• A quick, clever reply to an insult or criticism

• A quick return thrust following a parry

Environs

en-vi-rons

(plural noun)

/ənˈvīrənz, ənˈvī(ə)rnz, enˈvīrənz, enˈvī(ə)rnz/

The surrounding area or district

Nacre

na-cre

(noun)

/ˈnākər/

Mother-of-pearl

Triptych

trip-tych

(noun)

/ˈtriptik/

A picture or relief carving on three panels, typically hinged together side by side and used as an altarpiece

Scrupulous

scru-pu-lous

(adjective)

/ˈskro͞opyələs/

(Of a person or process) diligent, thorough, and extremely attentive to details

Salient

sa-li-ent

(adjective)

/ˈsālyənt/

• Most noticeable or important

• (Of an angle) pointing outward

Tenebrous

ten-e-brous

(adjective)

/ˈtenəbrəs/

Dark; shadowy or obscure

Modicum

mod-i-cum

(noun)

/ˈmädəkəm/

A small quantity of a particular thing, especially considered desirable or valuable

"I ask for a modicum of respect"

Pelagic

pe-lag-ic

(adjective)

/pəˈlajik/

• Relating to the open sea

• (Chiefly of fish) inhabiting the upper layers of the open sea

Rictus

ric-tus

(noun)

/ˈriktəs/

A fixed grimace or grin

Prognosticate

prog-nos-ti-cate

(verb)

/präɡˈnästəˌkāt/

Foretell or prophesy a future event

Puerile

pu-er-ile

(adjective)

/ˈpyo͞orəl,ˈpyo͞oˌrīl/

Childishly silly and trivial

Beatific

be-a-tif-ic

(adjective)

/ˌbēəˈtifik/

Blissfully happy

Auspicious

aus-pi-cious

(adjective)

/ôˈspiSHəs/

Conducive to success; favorable

Tenable

ten-a-ble

(adjective)

/ˈtenəb(ə)l/

• Able to be maintained or defended against attack or objection

• (Of an office, position, scholarship, etc) able to be held or used

Compendium

com-pen-di-um

(noun)

/kəmˈpendēəm/

A collection of concise but detailed information about a particular subject, especially in a book or other publication

Rejoinder

re-join-der

(noun)

/rəˈjoindər/

A reply, especially a sharp or witty one

Chicanery

chi-can-er-y

(noun)

/SHəˈkān(ə)rē/

The use of trickery to achieve a political, financial, or legal purpose

Gelid

gel-id

(adjective)

/ˈjelēd/

Icy; extremely cold

Moratorium

mor-a-to-ri-um

(noun)

/ˌmôrəˈtôrēəm/

A temporary prohibition of an activity

Assiduously

as-sid-u-ous-ly

(adverb)

/əˈsij(ə)wəslē/

With great care and perseverance

Scintillate

scin-til-late

(verb)

/ˈsin(t)əˌlāt/

Emit flashes of light; sparkle

Pyrrhic

pyr-rhic

(adjective)

/ˈpirik/

(Of a victory) won at too great a cost to have been worthwhile for the victor

Posit

pos-it

(verb)

/ˈpäzət/

• Assume as a fact; put forward as a basis of argument

• Put in position; place

Perambulate

per-am-bu-late

(verb)

/pəˈrambyəˌlāt/

Walk or travel through a place or area, especially for pleasure and in a leisurely way

Incumbent

in-cum-bent

(adjective)

/inˈkəmbənt/

• Necessary for (someone) as a duty or responsibility

• (Of an official or regime) currently holding office

Bereft

be-reft

(adjective)

/bəˈreft/

• Deprived of or lacking (something)

• (Of a person) sad and lonely, especially through someone's death or departure

Piety

pi-e-ty

(noun)

/ˈpīədē/

The quality of being religious or reverent

Erroneously

er-ro-ne-ous-ly

(adverb)

/eˈrōnēəslē,ēˈrōnēəslē/

In a mistaken way; incorrectly

Incontrovertible

in-con-tro-vert-i-ble

(adjective)

/ˌinˌkäntrəˈvərdəb(ə)l,inˌkäntrəˈvərdəb(ə)l/

Not able to be denied or disputed

Senescence

se-nes-cense

(noun)

/səˈnes(ə)ns/

The condition or process of deterioration with age

Fug

fug

(noun)

/fəɡ/

A warm, stuffy, or smoky atmosphere in a room

Redolent

red-o-lent

(adjective)

/ˈredələnt/

• Strongly reminiscent or suggestive of

• Fragrant or sweet-smelling

Pique

pique

(noun)

/pēk/

A feeling of irritation or resentment resulting from a slight, especially to one's pride

Orthogonal

or-thog-o-nal

(adjective)

/ôrˈTHäɡən(ə)l/

• Of or involving right angles; at right angles

• (Of variables) statistically independent

Portend

por-tend

(verb)

/pôrˈtend/

Be a sign or warning that something (especially something momentous or calamitous) is likely to happen

Pedagogy

ped-a-go-gy

(noun)

/ˈpedəˌɡäjē/

The method and practice of teaching, especially as an academic subject or theoretical concept

Symposium

sym-po-si-um

(noun)

/simˈpōzēəm/

A conference or meeting to discuss a particular subject

Naïf

na-ïf

(adjective)

/nīˈēf,näˈēf/

Naive or ingenuous

Palimpsest

pal-imp-sest

(noun)

/ˈpaləm(p)ˌsest/

A manuscript or piece of writing material on which the original writing has been effaced to make room for later handwriting but of which traces remain

Verboten

ver-bo-ten

(adjective)

/fərˈbōtn,vər-/

Forbidden, especially by an authority

Adulation

ad-u-la-tion

(noun)

/ˌajəˈlāSH(ə)n/

Obsequious flattery; excessive admiration or praise

Massif

mas-sif

(noun)

/maˈsēf/

A compact group of mountains, especially one that is separate from other groups)

Jejune

je-june

(adjective)

/jəˈjo͞on/

• Naive, simplistic, and superficial

• (Of ideas and writings) dry and uninteresting

Miasma

mi-as-ma

(noun)

/mīˈazmə,mēˈazmə/

A highly unpleasant or unhealthy smell or vapor

Trite

trite

(adjective)

/trīt/

(Of a remark, opinion, or idea) overused and consequently of little import; lacking originality of freshness

Hamartia

ha-mar-ti-a

(noun)

/həˈmärdēə/

A fatal flaw leading to the downfall of a tragic hero or heroine

Windfall

wind-fall

(noun)

/ˈwin(d)ˌfôl/

A piece of unexpected good fortune

"A $45,000 windfall"

Demur

de-mur

(verb)

/dəˈmər/

Raise doubts or objections or show reluctance

"Mr. Steed demurred when the suggestion was put to him"

Burgeon

bur-geon

(verb)

/ˈbərj(ə)n/

Begin to grow or increase rapidly; flourish

"The wolf population has burgeoned"

Dialectic

di-a-lec-tic

(noun)

/ˌdīəˈlektik/

The art of investigating or discussing the truth of opinions

"The dialectic of politics was embraced in the classroom"

Coalesce

co-a-lesce

(verb)

/ˌkōəˈles/

To come together to form one mass or whole

"The puddles had coalesced into small streams"

Aphorism

aph-o-rism

(noun)

/ˈafəˌrizəm/

A pithy observation that contains a general truth

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it"

Astute

as-tute

(adjective)

/əˈsto͞ot/

Having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one's advantage

"She proved to be astute in business"

Portmanteau

port-man-teau

(noun)

/pôrtˈmantō/

• A word blending the sounds and meanings of two others

"motel" from motor and hotel "brunch" from breakfast and lunch

• A large trunk or suitcase, typically made of leather, which opens up into 2 equal parts

Accoutrement

ac-cou-tre-ment

(noun)

/əˈko͞odərmənt,əˈko͞otrəmənt/

Additional items of dress or equipment, or other items carried or worn by a person or used for a particular activity

Glaucous

glau-cous

(adjective)

/ˈɡlôkəs/

• Of a dull grayish-green or blue color

• Covered with a powdery bloom like that on grapes

Venerable

ven-er-a-ble

(adjective)

/ˈvenər(ə)b(ə)l,ˈvenrəb(ə)l/

Accorded a great deal of respect, especially because of age, wisdom, or character

"A venerable statesman"

Instantiate

in-stan-ti-ate

(verb)

/inˈstan(t)SHēˌāt/

To represent as or by an instance

"The study of the 2 groups seemed to instantiate productive aspects of this"

Locus

lo-cus

(noun)

/ˈlōkəs/

A particular position, point, or place.

"It is impossible to specify the exact locus in the brain of these neural events"

Nascent

nas-cent

(adjective)

/ˈnās(ə)nt/

(Especially of a process or organization) just coming into existence and beginning to display signs of future potential.

"The nascent space industry"

Holistic

ho-lis-tic

(adjective)

/hōˈlistik/

Characterized by the belief that the parts of something are interconnected and can be explained only by reference to the whole.

"The solution demands a holistic approach and a strategic vision of what can be achieved"

Panacea

pan-a-ce-a

(noun)

/ˌpanəˈsēə/

A solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases; the "universal cure".

"The panacea for all corporate ills”

Hagiography

hag-i-og-ra-phy

(noun)

/ˌhaɡēˈäɡrəfē/

• The writing of the lives of saints

• Biography that idealizes its subject

Zeugma

zeug-ma

(noun)

/ˈzo͞oɡmə/

A figure of speech in which a word applies to two others in different senses.

“John and his license expired last week”

Boffo

bof-fo

(adjective)

/ˈbäfō/

Extremely good or successful

Simulacrum

sim-u-la-crum

(noun)

/ˌsimyəˈlākrəm, ˌsimyəˈlakrəm/

• A superficial likeness or representation

• An unsatisfactory imitation or substitute

Desultory

des-ul-to-ry

(adjective)

/ˈdesəlˌtôrē, dəˈsəltərē/

Lacking a plan or purpose