Things Fall Apart Vocab List

Harmattan

a dry, dusty wind from the Sahara.

Improvident

not thinking ahead; wasteful.

Plaintive

sounding sad or mournful.

Ogene

a metal gong used for music or signals.

Imperious

bossy or commanding.

Capricious

unpredictable; changing often.

Cowries

small seashells used as money.

Fibrous

made of tough, stringy fibers.

Distill

to purify or extract the essence of something.

Frond

a large leaf, especially of a palm or fern.

Chirruped

made short, cheerful, birdlike sounds.

Specious

seemingly true but actually false.

Esoteric

understood by only a few people.

Saltpeter

a mineral used in gunpowder and fertilizer.

Incipient

beginning to appear or develop.

Benumbed

made numb or without feeling.

Coiffure

a person’s hairstyle.

Sisal

a plant with strong fibers used for rope or mats.

Callow

inexperienced or immature.

Begets

produces or gives rise to.

Emanation

something that comes out or flows from a source.

Voluble

talking easily and quickly; fluent.

Palavers

long or idle talks; discussions.