Am Lit Vocab - Great Gatsby

Affected

Affected

not natural or genuine; phony, "try-hard"

Condescend

to lower yourself to a level considered humbler than your own; to act like you consider yourself better than other people

tact

the ability to deal with others without offending them; "social skills"

Unaffected

genuine, sincere, or natural

Common

falling below ordinary standards; "basic"

Conspicuous

attracting attention, often due to a violation of good taste

Contemptuous

feeling or showing deep dislike or disapproval

Disdain

a feeling of scorn for something or someone regarded as beneath oneself; to treat (someone) as unworthy of your attention

Feign

to give a false appearance of

Provincial

limited in outlook, narrow; lacking the ways and manners of city people. This word reflects the prejudice of city-dwellers, especially Parisians, for those who live outside the city (in the provinces).

Regal

suitable for a king, magnificent, splendid

Haughty

arrogant; rudely proud in a manner that expresses scorn for others

Hauteur

Noun form of haughty; haughtiness

Staid

calm and serious; not bold, bright, or showy; not easily changed. This word implies moral correctness, but also a boring quality

Supercilious

coolly and disdainfully proud; snobbish. The Latin roots literally mean "with raised eyebrows"

Anemic

lacking force, vitality, or spirit; lacking interest or flavor; lacking in substance or quality. This word literally describes a medical condition (low iron in the blood).

Endow

to provide with something (especially money) freely or naturally

Proprietor

an owner, especially of a store.

Shiftless

lacking in resourcefulness, ambition, or incentive; lazy. This word is sometimes used pejoratively to blame the poor for their poverty.

Sumptuous

extremely costly, rich, luxurious, or magnificent. The Latin roots of this word literally mean "to spend under," implying that you are sinking all your money into something.

Vitality

energy of mind or body; the capacity to go on living and developing

Facade

Noun, a false or misleading appearance. Literally the front of a building; this word implies that the false impression is better or grander than the reality.

Ingratiate

Verb, to gain favor or acceptance by deliberate effort. This word is used reflexively with "with": "She ingratiated herself with her new teacher by raising her hand every day."

Subterfuge

Noun, a plan or trick that employs sly deception.

Punctilious

following exactly the details of proper ways of behaving

Conscientious

Adj., guided by one's conscience; using careful attention being careful about your actions in order to be kind and moral.

Meretricious

Adj., related to prostitution; falsely attractive. Cheap.

Modish

Adj., fashionable, stylish. This word is related to the expression à la mode, which is borrowed from French and originally meant the same thing, but is now used to mean "topped with ice cream."

Threadbare

Adj., worn so much that the thread shows; shabby; overused ("overplayed").

Corpulent

Adj., having a large, bulky body. This word means "obese" but has a positive connotation, as it dates back to a time when body fat was a sign of wealth.

Desolate

Adj., empty, abandoned, lonely; lacking signs of life.

Florid

Adj., very flowery in style; elaborately decorated. Or, tinged with red, healthy (describing a healthy complexion for a light-skinned person).

Prodigal

Adj., carelessly wasteful. Strongly associated with the "prodigal son" story from the Bible: a son asks to receive his inheritance early, goes off and wastes it on sinful pleasures, and is nevertheless welcomed back by his father.

Scanty

Adj., very small in size or amount; not enough. The word scant is more common and is used in the same way.

Pomp

Noun, a show of magnificence; a showy display. Associated with royalty and formality.

Saunter

Verb, to walk along in an idle or leisurely manner; to stroll

Debauchery

Noun, extreme indulgence in bodily pleasures and especially sexual pleasures; behavior involving sex, drugs, alcohol, etc. that is often considered immoral.

Laudable

Adj., worthy of praise.

Libertine

Noun, a person who is unrestrained by convention or morality and therefore leads an immoral life.

Prig

Noun, a person who annoys others by being too careful about conforming to what is socially acceptable (as in speech and manners). A prig is the opposite of a libertine, yet both are negative words.

Commensurate

Adj., equal or proportional. While you'd say one thing is proportional to another, we say one thing is commensurate with another.

Lethargic

Adj., lacking energy; sluggish; slow to act.

Magnanimous

Adj., generous and forgiving. The Latin roots of this word literally mean "full of great spirit."

Menagerie

Noun, a varied mixture; a collection of animals for exhibition

Profusion

Noun, a plentiful supply; a great quantity. The adjective form is profuse, meaning plentiful.

Redolent

Adj., full of a specified fragrance. This word is usually used with "of" e.g. "redolent of orchids" means "full of the smell of orchids."