Unit 9 Vocab

avatar

(n) an embodiment (as of a concept or philosophy) often in a person; an electronic image that represents and is manipulated by a computer user

beatitude

(n) perfect state of happiness or blessedness; a blessing

bête noire

(n) someone or something that one especially dislikes, dreads, or avoids

bode

(v) to be an omen of; to indicate by signs

dank

(adj) unpleasantly damp or wet

fervid

(adj) burning with enthusiasm or zeal; extremely heated

ecumenical

(adj) worldwide or universal in influence or application

fetid

(adj) having an unpleasant or offensive odor

gargantuan

(adj) of immense size, volume, or capacity; enormous, prodigious

heyday

(n) the period of greatest power, vigor, success, or influence; the prime years

incubus

(n) a demon or evil spirit supposed to haunt human beings in their bedrooms at night; anything that oppresses or weighs upon one, like a nightmare

infrastructure

(n) a basic foundation or framework; a system of public works; the resources and facilities required for an activity; permanent military installations

inveigle

(v) to entice, lure, or snare by flattery or artful inducements; to obtain or acquire by artifice

kudos

(n) the acclaim, prestige, or renown that comes as a result of some action or achievement

lagniappe

(n) an extra or unexpected gift or gratuity

prolix

(adj) long-winded and wordy; tending to speak or write in such a way

protégé

(n) someone whose welfare, training, or career is under the patronage of an influential person; someone under the jurisdiction of a foreign country or government

sycophant

(n) someone who attempts to win favors or advance him- or herself by flattery or servile behavior; a slanderer, defamer

tautology

(n) needless repetition of an idea by using different but equivalent words; a redundancy

truckle

(v) to yield or submit tamely or submissively