Semester 2 Vocabulary

Aphrodisiac

A substance that increases sexual desire. (Aphrodite)

Arachnoid

anything resembling a spiders web (Arachne/Athena)

Palladium

A precious metal, potent safeguard: From Pallas (Athene)

Euphemism

A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh.

Plutocracy

Government by the wealthy. Comes from Pluto, God of the underworld and wealth

Icarian

Related to Icarus; bold and ambitious

Jovial

Happy and healthy, comes from Jove: Jupiter

Junoesque

Having the stately beauty, regality, nobleness of the Queen of Gods: Juno

Labyrinth

A complicated network of paths or tunnels; a maze.

Mercurial

Swift, unstable, changeable: From Mercury (trickster, messenger god)

Muse

A source of inspiration for a creative artist, describing thinking or meditating

Orator

A skilled public speaker. From Oracle, which means to pray

Panacea

A solution or remedy for all difficulties. Comes from “pan” meaning all.

Stygian

Related to the River Styx; dark and gloomy, from the Underworld.

Apartheid - a meaning without

A policy or system of segregation or discrimination on grounds of race.

Abstinent - ab meaning off

Restraining oneself from indulging in something.

Acrimonious - acr meaning bitter

Angry and bitter in speech or tone.

Alloy - Al meaning other

A mixture of metals.

Agile - ag meaning to drive

Able to move quickly and easily.

Altercation - alter meaning other

A noisy argument or disagreement.

Amiable - am meaning like

Having a friendly and pleasant manner.

Amble - amb meaning to go

To walk at a slow, relaxed pace.

Ambient - amb meaning around

Relating to the surrounding area.

Ambiguous - amb meaning more than one

Open to more than one interpretation.

Magnanimous - anim meaning life

Very generous or forgiving.

Antebellum - ante meaning before, bel meaning war

Existing before a war, especially the American Civil War.

Antediluvian - ante meaning before

Extremely old-fashioned or primitive.

Philanthropy - phil meaning love, anthro meaning human

The desire to promote the welfare of others.

Aptitude - apt meaning skill

Natural ability to do something.

Archetype - arch meaning chief

A very typical example of a certain person or thing.

Augment - Aug meaning to increase

To make something greater by adding to it.

Beguile - be meaning to be

To charm or enchant someone.

Belligerent - bel meaning war

Hostile and aggressive.

Benevolent - Ben meaning good

Well-meaning and kindly.

Abridge - bri meaning brief

To shorten a text without losing its basic contents.

Candor - cand meaning to burn

The quality of being open and honest.

Incantation - cant meaning to sing

A series of words said as a magic spell or charm.

Discord - cord meaning heart

Disagreement between people.

Discern - di meaning apart, cern meaning to judge

To perceive or recognize something.

Circuitous - circu meaning around

Longer than the most direct way.

Proclivity - cli meaning lean

A tendency to choose or do something regularly.

Cryptography - crypt meaning hidden

The art of writing or solving codes.

Exculpate - culp meaning blame

To show or declare that someone is not guilty.

Succumb - cumb meaning to lie down

To fail to resist pressure or an attack.

Demographics - dem meaning people

Statistical data about a population.

Dichotomy - di meaning apart

A division or contrast between two things that are represented as being opposed.

Indignant - in meaning not, dign meaning worth

Feeling or showing anger due to unfair treatment.

Didactic - dac meaning to teach

Designed or intended to teach.

Indubitable - dub meaning doubt

Certain; unquestionable.

Obdurate - dur meaning hard

Stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion.

Nefarious - fabfam meaning speak

Wicked or criminal.

Effervescent - ferv meaning to boil

Giving off bubbles; fizzy; lively and enthusiastic.

Affluent - flu meaning to flow

Having a great deal of money; wealthy.

Fortuitous - fort meaning luck

Happening by accident or chance rather than design.

Agnostic - root gno meaning know

A person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence of God.

Gregarious - greg meaning herd

Fond of company; sociable.

Hyperbole - hyper meaning extra

Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

Idiosyncrasy - id meaning ones own

A characteristic or habit that is peculiar to an individual.

Colloquial - loq meaning word/speak

Used in ordinary or familiar conversation.

Loquacious - loq meaning word/speak

Tending to talk a great deal; talkative.

Malediction - male meaning bad

A curse.

Matriculate - matr meaning woman

To enroll at a college or university.

Anthropomorphic - anthro meaning human, morph meaning shape

Attributing human characteristics to non-human entities.

Pseudonym - nym meaning name

A fictitious name, especially one used by an author.

Innocuous - in meaning not, noc meaning harm

Not harmful or offensive.

Omniscient - Omni meaning all

Knowing everything.

Punitive - pun meaning to pay

Inflicting or intending punishment.

Philanthropy - philo meaning love, anthro meaning human

The practice of giving money and resources to help others.

Cacophony - phone meaning sound

A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds.

Querulous - que meaning to seek

Complaining in a petulant or whining manner.

Desultory - sult meaning to leap

Lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm.

Dissolution - sol meaning to loosen

The closing down or dismissal of an assembly, partnership, or official body.

Assuage - sua meaning smooth

Make an unpleasant feeling less intense.

Supercilious - super meaning above

Behaving or looking as though one thinks they are superior to others.

Assiduous - sid meaning sit/plot/plan

Showing great care and perseverance.

Tendentious - tend meaning to stretch

Expressing or intending to promote a particular cause or point of view.

Usurp - us meaning to use

To take a position of power or importance illegally or by force.