H English l Vocab

Acronym

Word formed from the first letter of each word in a series

Affix

To attach something

Coinage

The invention of new words

Colloquial

Typical of informal langauge usage; conversational

Diminutive

Extremely small

Metonymy

Figure of speech that substitutes a word with a different but closely associated word

Oxymoron

Expression that contains contradictory terms

Palindrome

Word or expression that is spelled the same backward and forward

Portmanteau

Word formed by combining the sounds and meanings of two different words

Spoonerism

Often comical switching of the first sounds of two or more words

Apprehensive

Anxious or fearful about the future

Categorical

Without exception or qualification; absolute

Conclusive

Decisive; putting an end to doubt, question, or uncertainty

Dubious

Doubtful; uncertain; questionable as to quality or validity

Indeterminate

Not capable of being determined or established; not precisely known/ Lacking clarity of precision; vague

Precarious

Dangerous; risky; lacking in security or stability

Qualm

A sense of doubt or uneasiness about a course of action

Tentative

Uncertain; not fully worked out or agreed upon; provisional

Unequivocal

Perfectly clear; leaving no room for doubt or misunderstanding

Vacillate

To swing indecisively from one opinion or action to another/ to sway or hesitate in choice of actions or opinions

Beguile

To charm; to delight/ To deceive skillfully

Benevolent

Wishing to do good; kindly; characterized by helpful intentions/ concerned with, or for the benefit of charity

Decorum

Appropriateness of behavior/propriety

Demeanor

The way one behaves or presents oneself; one's manner

Feral

Wild and untamed; savage

Ignoble

Mean, unethical, or dishonorable; not noble in character/ not of the nobility; common

Mores

Accepted standards and customs of a social group

Provincial

Relating to areas that are far from large cities or capitals/ Not sophisticated, fashionable, or informed; culturally limited/ Limited or narrow in perspective

Unseemly

Unfitting and inappropriate; grossly improper

Wily

Cunning; full of trickery or intentions to deceive

Aggrandize

To make greater in power, influence, stature, or reputation/ To exaggerate, or make something greater than it is

Exorbitance

Extreme, unreasonable expense or price; being beyond reasonable or proper limits

Grandiose

Trying to seem important; characterized by pretended grandeur

Gratuitous

Unnecessary; unjustified

Intemperate

Excessive; lacking moderation

Multifarious

Having great variety; diverse

Opulence

Wealth; affluence/ great abundance, often to excess; lavishness

Profligate

Recklessly wasteful; wildly extravagant

Satiate

To fully satisfy an appetite or a desire

Surfeit

An excessive amount

Assertive

Acting with confidence and force; sure of one’s self

Brazen

Extremely bold; shamelessly rude or defiant

Complaisant

Wanting to please; willing to do what pleases others; cheerfully obliging

Docile

Gentle; easily manageable or teachable'; tame

Flamboyant

Showy, flashy, vivid, or dramatic

Intrepid

Fearless; having unwavering courage

Mellow

Relaxed and unhurried; easygoing/ To become more relaxed or pleasant

Pacific

Of a peaceful nature; calm

Strident

Loud, harsh, grating, or shrill (sound usually)

Unabashed

Not embarrassed; composed

Affect

To influence; to change/ to put on a false show or display of/ feeling or emotion, especially as shown in facial expressions or body language (use when it’s a verb)

Effect

A result/ To bring about (use when it’s a noun)

Depredation

A predatory attack; a raid/ damage, destruction, or loss

Deprivation

The state of lacking or doing without something; loss

Disinterested

Impartial; free of bias or self-interest in an outcome

Uninterested

Without interest; having no interest or concern in a matter

Emigrate

To leave one country or region and settle in another (out of)

Immigrate

To settle in a country or region where one is not native (into, coming in)

Precede

To come before

Proceed

To go forward or onward

Didactic

Intended to teach/overly moralistic; preachy

Edify

To instruct for intellectual, moral, or spiritual improvement

Elucidate

To explain or make clear

Erudite

Possessing great knowledge and scholarship

Esoteric

Understood only by an elite, scholarly, or exclusive group; obscure

Imbue

To inspire or influence thoroughly

Indoctrinate

To instruct in or impart certain principles or ideology

Pedagogy

The art or profession of teaching

Pedantic

Overly concerned with or narrowly focused on book learning or formal rules

Pundit

A person of great learning about a particular topic; an expert

Aegis

Protection; sponsorship; guidance (ee-jis)

Amends

Something done to make up for a wrong, an injury, or a mistake; compensation

Conciliatory

Peacemaking; appeasing; intended to overcome distrust, animosity, or conflict

Conducive

Tending to cause or bring about; favorable to

Extricate

To free from difficulty or entanglement

Importune

To annoy with repeated and insistent requests; to ask for urgently or repeatedly

Mediate

To help opposing sides reach an agreement; to intervene in a conflict in order to improve the situation

Mitigate

To make less severe; to soften, lessen, or moderate

Patronize

To support or sponsor/ To go as a customer; to shop at regularly/ To treat as inferior

Renovate

To restore something to an earlier condition, by repairing or remodeling

Austerity

Severe and riding restrictions, especially those brought about by difficult economic times/ The quality of lacking luxury or ornamentation; bareness; simplicity/ The quality of being severe or stern in appearance or manner

Depreciate

To decrease it cause to decrease in value or price

Equity

Net value; the value of a business or property minus dept owed/ Fairness; justice

Frugal

Economical; thrifty; careful or strict in avoiding unnecessary spending

Indigent

Extremely poor; impoverished; lacking basic necessities

Munificent

Generous; liberal in giving

Pecuniary

Having to do with money

Recession

A general decline in business activity

Remunerate

To pay for goods provided, services rendered, or losses incurred; to compensate for

Solvent

Capable of meeting financial obligations; able to pay debts

Acrimonious

Bitter or sharp in language or tone

Chastise

To punish or criticize severely

Debunk

To expose or make fun of a false claim or exaggeration

Derogatory

Insulting; belittling

Disparage

To speak of in a disrespectful or slighting way; to belittle

Harass

To irritate or torment repeatedly

Impugn

To attack or challenge as false or questionable

Innuendo

An indirect or subtle expression of something, usually negatively a hint

Invective (n)

Abusive or strongly critical language

Vilify

To make vicious insulting comments about; to slander