Acronym
A word formed from the first letter of each word in a series. (noun)
Affix
A prefix or suffix (noun); to attach a part to the beginning or end of a word (verb); to attach something (verb).
Coinage
The invention of new words; the making of metal currency. (noun)
Colloquial
Conversational; typical informal language. (adjective)
Diminutive
A suffix that indicates small size, youth, familiarity, affection, or contempt (noun); a nickname indicating affection or familiarity (noun); extremely small (adjective).
Oxymoron
An expression that contains contradictory terms. (noun)
Portmanteau word
A word formed by combining the sounds and meanings of two different words. (noun) Ex: Chunnel formed by channel and tunnel
Spoonerism
An often comical switching of the first sounds of two or more words. (noun) Ex: Lack of pies and pack of lies
Denouement
The resolution or conclusion, French for the untying of the knot.
Epiphany
Some moment of insight, discovery, or revelation, by which a character's life or view of life is greatly altered.
Beguile
To charm; to delight; to deceive skillfully. (verb)
Benevolent
Wishing to do good; kindly; characterized by helpful intention; concerned with, or for the benefit of charity. (adjective)
Decorum
Appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety. (noun)
Demeanor
The way one behaves or presents oneself; one's manner. (noun)
Feral
Wild and untamed; savage; having returned to an untamed state from domestication. (adjective)
Ignoble
Mean, unethical, or dishonorable; not noble in character; not of the nobility; common. (adjective)
Mores
Accepted standards and customs of a social group. (noun)
Provincial
Relating to areas that are far from large cities or capitals; not sophisticated, fashionable, or informed; culturally limited; limited or narrow in perspective. (adjective)
Unseemly
Unfitting and inappropriate; grossly improper. (adjective)
Wily
Cunning; full of trickery or intentions to deceive. (adjective)
Apprehensive
Anxious or fearful about the future; uneasy. (adjective)
Categorical
Without exception or qualification; absolute; done according to types. (adjective)
Conclusive
Decisive; putting an end to doubt, question, or uncertainty. (adjective)
Dubious
Doubtful; uncertain; questionable as to quality or validity. (adjective)
Intermediate
Not capable of being determined or established; not precisely known; lacking clarity or precision; vague. (adjective)
Precarious
dangerous; risky; lacking in security or stability; based on uncertain or questionable premises. (adjective)
Qualm
A sense of doubt or uneasiness about a course of action. (noun)
Tentative
Uncertain; not fully worked out or agreed upon; provisional. (adjective)
Unequivocal
Perfectly clear; leaving no room for doubt or misunderstanding. (adjective)
Vacillate
To swing indecisively from one opinion or action to another; to sway or hesitate in choice of actions or opinions. (verb)
Aggrandize
To make greater in power, influence, stature, or reputation. To exaggerate, or make something seem 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 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.
Unabashed
Not embarrassed; composed.
Affect
To influence; to change. To put on a false show or display of. (noun (AF-ekt)): Feeling or emotion, especially shown in facial expressions or body language.
Effect
A result. To bring about.
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.
Immigrate
To settle in a country or region where one is not native.
Precede
To come before.
Procede
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. To stain or dye 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 (often used in the phrase "under the __ of")
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.
Patronize
To treat as inferior.
Renovate
To restore something to an earlier condition, by repairing or remodeling.
Mitigate
To make less severe; to soften, lessen, or moderate.
Austerity
Severe and rigid 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 or cause to decrease in value or price.
Equity
Net value; the value of a business or property minus debt 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. The act of withdrawing or going back.
Remunerate
To pay for goods provided, services rendered, or losses incurred; to compensate for.
Solvent
Capable of meeting financial obligations; able to pay debts.
Congruence
Agreement, harmony, or correspondence
Deviate
To depart or turn aside from a path, direction, or course of action
Disparity
The condition or fact of being unequal or different; inequality
Heterogeneous
Consisting of many different elements or types; varied
Homogeneous
Similar in kind or nature; uniform
Nuance
A subtle or slight degree of difference
Tantamount
Equivalent in significance, effect, or value
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 an exaggeration