12th Grade Vocabulary List 7

Acolyte

one who attends or assists

Aura

a distinctive atmosphere surrounding a given source

Coda

something that serves to round out, conclude, or summarize and usually has its own interest, often concludes a musical section or a literary or dramatic work

Commandeer

to take arbitrary or forcible possession of

Dike

an artificial watercourse; a raised causeway

Dilemma

a usually undesirable or unpleasant choice

Exact

to call for forcibly or urgently and obtain

Existentialism

a form of thought that stresses existence or experience over essence or meaning

Hallow

to make holy or set apart for holy use

Hamper

to interfere with the operation of

Inundate

to cover with a flood; overwhelm

Inure

to accustom to accept something undesirable

Meretricious

tawdrily and falsely attractive; superficially significant

Parsimony

the quality of being careful with money or resources; stingy

Prune

to remove as superfluous

Psychosis

fundamental derangement of the mind often characterized by disconnection from reality

Serendipity

finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for

Serration

a formation resembling the toothed edge of a saw

Vapid

lacking liveliness, briskness, or force

Vortex

something that resembles a whirlpool