SAT/ACT VOCABULARY: "Appearances and Attitudes"

pedantic

stressing trivial points of learning; lacking a sense of proportion in scholarship; a narrow-minded teacher who insists on rigid adherence to a set of arbitrary rules.

pertinacious

stubborn; unyielding; holding firmly to some belief.

pontificial

orante; stiff; having the pomp and dignity of a high priest or pope.

pretentious

making claims to some distinctions; showy. pretentious people put on airs, try to appear more important than they are.

prolix

wordy; long-winded

puerile

childish; silly; young/

quiescent

inactive; in response; latent.

recalcitrant

unruly; refusing to obey authority.

restive

hard to control; restless; contrary

ribald

coarse; vulgar in language; irreverent.

sardonic

sarcastic; bitterly sneering. it is believed that this word can be traced back to a Sardinian plant whose bitter taste caused facial distortion.

sedulous

busy; working hard; diligent

sleazy

flimsy or thin in texture or substance; of poor quality. this word can be traced back to cloth made in Silesia, Germany.

supercilious

naughty; arrogant; contemptuous.

voluptuous

sensuous; full of sensual delights and pleasures.