Unit 4: Vocabulary

affable

affable

(adj.) courteous and pleasant, sociable, easy to speak to

aggrandize

(v.) to increase in greatness, power, or wealth; to build up or intensify; to make appear greater

amorphous

(adj.) shapeless, without definite form; of no particular type or character; without organization, unity, or cohesion

aura

(n.) that which surrounds (as an atmosphere); a distinctive air or personal quality

contraband

(n.)-illegal traffic, smuggled goods; (adj.) -illegal, prohibited

erudite

(adj.) scholarly, learned, bookish, pedantic

gossamer

(adj.) thin, light, delicate, insubstantial; (n.) a very thin, light cloth

archetype

(n) an original model on which something was patterned or replicated; the ideal example of a particular type of person or thing

inscrutable

(adj.) incapable of being understood; impossible to see through physically

insular

(adj.) relating to, characteristic of, or situated on an island; narrow or isolated in outlook or experience

irrevocable

(adj.) incapable of being changed or called back

propensity

(n.) a natural inclination or predilection toward

querulous

(adj.) peevish, complaining, fretful

remonstrate

(v.) to argue or plead with someone against something, protest against, object to

repudiate

(v.) to disown, reject, or deny the validity of

resilient

(adj.) able to return to an original shape or form; able to recover quickly

reverberate

(v.) to re-echo, resound; to reflect or be reflected repeatedly

scurrilous

(adj.) coarsely abusive, vulgar or low (especially in language), foul-mouthed

sedulous

(adj.) persistent, showing industry and determination

sleazy

(adj.) thin or filmsy in texture; cheap; shoddy or inferior in quality or character; ethically low, mean, or disreputable