APLit Vocab, S2L9

aesthetic (adj.)

relating to or characterized by a love of beauty, style, and taste

creative, artistic, practical

anomaly (n.)

a deviation from the common rule, type, or form

oddity, abberation

corroborate (v.)

to make certain or confirm

substantiate, authenticate

empirical (adj.)

derived from, guided by, or provably by experience or experiment

practical, factual, ANT: theoretical

exculpate (v.)

to clear from a charge of guilt or fault

vindicate, exonerate

foment (v.)

to instigate or promote the growth of

enflame, foster

illusory (adj.)

causing illusion; deceptive or misleading

false, specious

polemical (adj.)

of or involving dispute or controversy

contentious, belligerent

postulate (adj.)

to claim or assume to be true

hypothesize, posit, assume, claim

tome (n.)

a large, heavy, scholarly book

publication, volume