Vocabulary Flashcards by Group

A comprehensive collection of vocabulary terms and definitions categorized by groups from the lecture transcript.

abound

be present in large quantities

austere

1. (of a person) strict and stern in character 2. (of living conditions) lacking luxury; extremely harsh

capricious

having varying moods; fickle

didactic

meant for teaching; educational, sometimes in a condescending manner

loquacious

likely to talk a lot; wordy

alacrity

eagerness to do something

ameliorate

improve a bad feeling or bad situation

anachronistic

of the wrong time or era

calumny

slander and defamation

castigate

scold someone harshly

abate

decrease in intensity; lessen

abjure

strongly reject (an idea); forgo

assuage

1. decrease a negative feeling 2. fulfill a certain desire

bucolic

associated with tranquil rural life

chicanery

using deception to attain a certain goal

corroborate

lend support to; bolster

enervate

sap the energy out of someone; fatigue

ephemeral

extremely short lasting

mitigate

diminish negative feelings or situation

pedantic

overly concerned with (minor) details

enigmatic

hard to understand; mysterious

frivolous

1. lacking in seriousness or importance; silly 2. (of a person) not taking things seriously

imperious

having an arrogant or domineering manner

panache

a stylish and confident manner

restive

demonstrating difficulty in staying still

aesthetic

pertaining to beauty or the appreciation thereof

chauvinistic

excessively patriotic or biased in favor of a group or cause

dissemble

hide or misrepresent one's true feelings or beliefs

probity

the characteristic of having strong ethical standards

specious

seemingly reasonable but actually wrong

dearth

lack of something in a particular area

immutable

not capable of being changed

indolent

habitually lazy; averse to activity

prescient

possessing foresight of upcoming events

salubrious

1. promoting health or well-being 2. (of a place or accommodation) pleasant

egregious

remarkably bad or shocking, to a conspicuous degree

forestall

prevent something by taking strategic action in advance

galvanize

inspire or stir up to action or heightened activity

innocuous

harmless, having no ill effect

sagacious

demonstrating wisdom or sound judgment

circumspect

cautious or wary, especially when considering potential consequences

deleterious

having a harmful effect

erudite

possessing great knowledge, typically from study or research

impetuous

rash or hasty in action or decision

precarious

uncertain and likely to cause danger

acumen

quickness and keenness in understanding and judgment

eschew

intentionally avoid or abstain from

fastidious

showing great care and attention to detail; hard to please

myopic

short-sighted; lacking creativity

stoic

unaffected by pain or distress; showing no emotion

boisterous

energetic, noisy, and lively

cumbersome

large, heavy, slow or complicated

droll

amusing in a quirky or unusual way

ostentatious

showy or designed to impress

panacea

a perfect cure for something

acrimonious

bitter and sharp in language or tone

exacerbate

make a situation or condition worse

laconic

economical with words; quiet and reserved

onerous

involving a heavy burden; challenging or difficult

urbane

refined, sophisticated, and courteous

altruistic

showing generosity and concern for the welfare of others

byzantine

overly complex or intricate

invidious

1. likely to cause resentment or envy 2. unfair; prejudiced against someone or something

pellucid

1. transparently clear in meaning or style 2. (of a body of water or substance) transparent and clear

scathing

harshly or bitterly critical; vitriolic

acquiesce

agree or consent quietly without objection

adroit

deft, dexterous, or skillful

elitist

1. a person who believes in the rule of an elite or privileged group 2. believing oneself or a group to be superior to others

polymath

a person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge

surreptitious

done secretly or stealthily

consensus

general agreement among the members of a group

entrenched

firmly ingrained and unlikely to change

judicious

having, characterized by, or done with good judgment or sound thinking

scintillating

brilliantly or impressively clever, exciting, amusing or witty

veracity

conformity to truth or accuracy

crestfallen

disappointed, dispirited, or depressed

iconoclastic

challenging or overthrowing tradition or established beliefs

lionize

treat someone as a celebrity or hero

profligate

inclined to waste resources or behave extravagantly

vociferous

expressing opinions or feelings loudly and forcefully

circumscribe

limit or restrict something narrowly

contentious

causing or likely to provoke disagreement

disingenuous

pretending to be sincere or straightforward

inveterate

deep-rooted or long-established

pithy

expressing ideas in a concise, meaningful manner

amalgamate

merge or combine two or more things

blithe

showing indifference

efficacious

producing the desired effect; successful

noxious

harmful; injurious

prolix

using an excessive amount of words; long-winded

acolyte

a person who assists or follows another person or cause

coercion

the act of persuading or forcing someone to do something using threats or violence

ebullient

cheerful and joyful

jettison

abandon or discard (something that is no longer needed)

mendacity

dishonesty

digression

an aside that strays from the main subject

duplicitous

deceptive in speech or action

harbinger

a person or thing that foreshadows or foretells the coming of someone or something

largesse

the trait of being willing to donate money or resources; generosity

nascent

in the process of emerging, being born, or starting to develop