English Vocabulary List

Vocabulary flashcards generated from lecture notes covering key terms and definitions.

Affinity

a natural liking or connection

•     → I have an affinity for animals because I’ve always loved taking care of them.

Fledgling

new or inexperienced

•    → The fledgling singer was nervous during her first performance.

Hackneyed

overused; no longer interesting

• → His speech was full of hackneyed phrases that everyone had heard before.

Incessant

continuing without stopping

• The incessant barking of the dog kept me awake all night.

Opulence

great wealth or luxury

•     → The mansion was filled with opulence, from its huge chandeliers to its marble floors.

Proximity

nearness; closeness

Because of the school’s proximity to my house, I can walk there.

Sagacious

wise and intelligent

•     → The sagacious teacher always gave us excellent advice.

Supplant

to replace or take the place of

    → The new technology may supplant older machines.

Unassailable

impossible to defeat or criticize

•     → Her argument was unassailable because she had evidence for every claim.

Voluminous

very large in amount or size

•     → She carried a voluminous backpack filled with all her school supplies.

Brusque

blunt or rude in manner

Dispassionate

calm and unbiased

Effervescent

lively, cheerful, and energetic

Indefatigable

never seeming to get tired

Misanthrope

someone who dislikes people or humanity

Morose

gloomy or very sad

Nonchalance

calmness; lack of worry

Progeny

children or offspring

Stoic

calm and unemotional during difficulty

Voracious

extremely hungry or eager

Coalescence

the joining together into one

Decadence

excessive luxury or pleasure

Exemplary

an excellent example to follow

Exuberance

extreme excitement or enthusiasm

Incidental

minor; happening as a side effect

Insolvent

unable to pay debts

Parsimonious

extremely unwilling to spend money

Prodigal

wastefully spending money or resources

Surreptitious

secretive; done secretly

Writhe

to twist or squirm, usually from pain or discomfort