AFOQT Word Knowledge

Aberration

a deviation from the standard; not typical

Access

a means of approach or admittance (e.g., to an area or an organization)

Accord

agreement

Adage

wise proverb or saying (e.g., "Too soon old, too late smart")

Adversary

enemy, opponent

Advocate

one who speaks in favor of or on behalf of another

Affluence

wealth or abundance

Agenda

list of items to discuss or to accomplish

Alacrity

cheerful willingness or ready response

Alias

an assumed name or pseudonym, used for purposes of deception, as a pen name, or the like

Allusion

an indirect reference to something else, especially literature; a hint

Amity

friendship

Anarchy

lawlessness, disorder; a lack of government control or effectiveness

Anecdote

a brief, entertaining story

Animosity

bitter hostility or open hatred

Anomaly

an abnormality or irregularity

Anthology

collection of writings, songs, or other creative works

Apathy

indifference or lack of caring

Apex

highest point (e.g., of a triangle)

Arbiter

one who decides; a judge

Atlas

book of maps

Audacity

boldness

Avarice

greed, desire for wealth

Awe

deep feeling of respect and wonder

Bastion

stronghold, fortress, fortified place against opposition

Beacon

a guiding light to show the way or mark a spot

Benediction

blessing; often a benediction is given at the end of an event, ceremony, or religious service

Bias

prejudice or tendency in a certain direction; literally, a slant or tilt

Bigot

a person who is prejudiced against someone else because of the person's race, skin color, religion, gender, and so forth; also, a person who is intolerant of others with different opinions or beliefs

Blasphemy

an insult to something held sacred

Blemish

defect, stain, or flaw that takes away from the quality of the rest of the area or item

Bondage

slavery

Boon

benefit or gift

Brawl

a noisy fight

Brevity

shortness, conciseness

Brochure

pamphlet

Bulwark

strong protection or barrier to enemy attacks

Cacophony

a harsh or unpleasant mixture of sounds, voices, or words

Caliber

literally refers to size; the caliber or size of a bullet is referred to in hundredths of an inch, so a ".50 caliber" bullet is half an inch in diameter at the base, and a ".45 caliber" bullet is 45/100 of an inch across at the base; also used figuratively when referring to the quality of something or someone

Camouflage

something that conceals people or things from the enemy by making them blend into their surroundings

Caste

social class or category

Catastrophe

sudden disaster

Chagrin

embarassment or disappointment

Chronicle

historical record or listing, usually in sequential, chronological order

Chronology

an order or listing of events, either written or spoken, in the order in which they happened

Clamor

uproar

Clemency

mercy (e.g., on a prisoner or criminal)

Condolence

expression of sympathy to one who has suffered a loss

Connoisseur

an expert judge of the best of something, such as wine, food, paintings, etc.

Consensus

general or group agreement

Context

the words or ideas surrounding one particular word or idea that give clues or contribute depth to the word's meaning

Conundrum

a perplexing puzzle or riddle

Criterion

standard of judgment or comparison

Crux

the essential point or central part

Cynic

one who mocks or disbelieves the good intentions or values of others; one who believes people are motivated only by selfishness

Data

facts or information

Dearth

scarcity or lack of something

Debacle

large-scale defeat or complete failure

Debut

first appearance, especially before an audience

Deferrence

conceding to another's desire or will; respect or courtesy

Deluge

great flood or overwhelming inflow

Depot

warehouse, large storage place

Depravity

moral corruption

Destiny

predetermined fate

Detriment

damage, loss, or disadvantage

Diagnosis

analysis or determination of the cause of a disease or problem

Diction

the way in which words are used by a speaker

Discernment

insight, ability to see things clearly

Disdain

arrogant scorn or contempt

Dilemma

situation requiring a choice between two or more deeply held values, or between two or more possibly unpleasant courses of action

Din

loud, pervasive, continuous noise

Directive

a general order or instruction

Discord

disagreement, often noisy

Discrepancy

inconsistency or error

Discretion

freedom of choice; also refers to a judicious reserve in one's speech or behavior

Dissent

difference of opinion, especially from a widely held opinion

Drought

long period of dry weather or conditions

Effluvium

a disagreeable or bad-smelling vapor or gas

Egotist

self-centered person

Elite

a part of the whole that is considered to be at or near the top. In society, elite usually refers to the wealthiest or best-educated group; in the military, elite usually refers to units who have special training and/or equipment, and are therefore capable of accomplishing particularly difficult missions

Enigma

mystery, puzzling circumstance

Enterprise

an important project or self-sufficient organization

Environment

general surroundings, either physical or referring to influences

Epitome

a top-level representation of a quality, usually a virtue (e.g., "June is the epitome of beauty and wisdom.")

Epoch

a particular period of history, especially one regarded in some way as remarkable or significant

Era

a period of time, usually of significant length, identified by particular conditions, events, or the influence of a person or group

Essence

basic nature

Etiquette

generally accepted rules of social behavior and manners

Excerpt

passage quoted from a book or other document

Exodus

departure, usually referring to a group or large numbers

Exposition

an explanation or expounding

Facet

a side or aspect of a problem or situation; also refers to a particular angled cut of a diamond or other precious stone

Facsimile

exact copy or representation

Fallacy

mistaken or erroneous idea, assumption, or conclusion

Fantasy

imagined scenario or situation

Fervor

passion or enthusiasm

Feud

long-term disagreement or open hatred between individuals or groups

Fiasco

disaster or complete failure

Fiend

cruel, hateful person

Finale

the last part of a performance