Cumulative Vocabulary Flashcards Semester 1

poly

many

polychromatic

multicolored

polyglot

one who can speak or write several languages

polyphony

music consisting of two or more harmonious melodies

ambi

on both sides

ambiguous

unclear in meaning because of being understandable in more than one way

ambient

existing or present on all sides

ambivalent

holding opposite feelings toward someone or something

ambidextrous

able to use both hands equally well

duc

to lead

conducive

tending to promote, encourage, or assist

deduction

the reaching of a conclusion by reasoning

induce

to persuade or influence

grotesque

hideously deformed, extremely ugly

flu

to flow

affluent

very rich or wealthy (has a lot of money flow)

confluence

a flowing together, usually of rivers

effluent

polluting waste discharge into an environment

prehend

to seize

apprehensive

look at the future with anxiety or alarm

prehensile

adapted for grasping, usually by wrapping around

reprehensible

deserving of stern criticism or severe punishment

purg

to clean or cleanse

expurgate

to cleanse of something morally offensive

purgative

cleansing or purifying, especially from sin

purge

get rid of something unwanted or clear guilt or sin

purgatory

a place of state of temporary suffering or misery

acrimonious

bitter, harsh (sometimes in language), behavior, or nature; rancorous

viv

to live or be alive

convivial

fond of feasting, drinking, and companionship

revivify

to give a new life to, to bring back to life

vivacious

lively or sprightly, full of energy

vivisection

an operation on living animals for experimental purposes

clud/clus

to close

occlusion

an obstruction or blockage

preclude

to make impossible, or to rule out, to prevent

recluse

a person who lives completely withdrawn from society

seclusion

a place that is isolated or hidden

pel/pus

to move or drive

compel

to drive or urge with force

expel

to force or drive out, to force to leave

repulsion

a feeling of strong dislike or disgust

behemoth

something of tremendous power or size

mor

death

moribund

in the process of dying

mortify

to embarrass greatly or to humiliate

luc

light

elucidate

to clarify by explaining

lucubration

hard and difficult study

translucent

partly transparent, allowing some light through, but not clearly

pan

all

panacea

a remedy for all ills, a cure-all

pandemonium

a wild uproar or commotion

panegyric

a formal speech giving high praise to someone or something

mal

bad

malevolent

having or showing ill will or hatred

malign

to make harsh or false statements about someone or something

adamant

impervious, immovable, inflexible, unbreakable, unyielding

log

word, speech, reason

eulogy

a speech in praise of someone who has died

monologue

a speech spoken by one person

neologism

a new word or expression

eu

well or good

euphemism

the use of an inoffensive word or phrase instead of an offensive one

euphoria

a feeling of extreme well-being or great elation of joy

curr/curs

to run

concurrent

happening at the same time

cursory

hastily and carelessly done

discursive

passing quickly from one topic to another

precursor

something that goes beforehand and indicates the coming of something else

carn

flesh

carnage

great destruction, huge slaughter

carnivorous

meat-eating, flesh-eating

coagulate

to thicken, to clot

und

wave or waves

inundated

flooded or overflowed

undulant

wavy in form or appearance

redound

to reflect

sacr/sanct

holy

sanction

to give approval to

sacrilege

extreme disrespect toward a revered (holy) person, place, or thing

sacrosanct

most sacred or holy, so holy as to be immune to criticism

sanctuary

a holy place, a place of safety

loc/loque

to talk

circumlocution

using too many words, avoiding a direct answer, evasion in speech

loquacious

apt to talk too much, talkative

elocution

the art of effective public speaking

colloquial

informal in style of writing or speaking

desiccated

dried up, dehydrated

vir

man

triumvirte

a leadership or government of three

virago

a loud, bad-tempered, overbearing woman

virility

vigorous manhood, extreme masculinity

virtuosity

great skill in the fine arts, especially in music

val

strength

prevalent

widely practiced, widespread

valorous

courageous, brave, heroic

validate

to make legally valid, give official approval to

solv/sulu

to loosen, to free, or to release

absolve

to set free from an obligation or from guilt for a sin or mistake