Untitled Flashcard Set

A/AN

not, without

agnostic

one who believes the existence of God is not provable

amoral

neither moral nor immoral; having no relation to morality

atrophy

the wasting away of body tissue

abdicate

to renounce or relinquish a throne

abject

cast down; degraded

abstract

conceived apart from concrete realities, specific objects, or actual instances

abstruse

hard to understand; secret, hidden

changeable

able to be changed

combustible

capable of being burned; easily inflamed

acerbic

sour or astringent in taste; harsh in temper

acid

something that is sharp, sour, or ill-natured

acrimonious

caustic, stinging, or bitter in nature

acumen

mental sharpness; quickness of wit

agile

quick and well-coordinated in movement; active, lively

accede

to yield to demand; to enter office

addict

to give oneself over, as to a habit or pursuit

adjoin

to be close or in contact with

alias

an assumed name

allegory

figurative treatment of one subject under the guise of another

altruist

a person unselfishly concerned for the welfare of others

amateur

a person who engages in an activity for pleasure rather than financial or professional gain

amity

friendship; peaceful harmony

amorous

inclined to love, esp. sexual love

ambidextrous

able to use both hands equally well

ambient

moving around freely; circulating

ambiguous

open to various interpretations

ambulance

a vehicle equipped for carrying sick people

ambulatory

of, pertaining to, or capable of walking

perambulator

one who makes a tour of inspection on foot

animosity

a feeling of ill will or enmity

equanimity

mental or emotional stability, especially under tension

magnanimous

generous in forgiving an insult or injury

annals

a record of events, esp. a yearly record

annual

of, for, or pertaining to a year; yearly

perennial

lasting for an indefinite amount of time

antecedent

existing, being, or going before

antedate

precede in time

antediluvian

belonging to the period before the biblical flood; very old or old-fashioned

androgen

any substance that promotes masculine characteristics

androgynous

being both male and female

misanthrope

a person who hates humans or humanity

apocalypse

revelation; discovery; disclosure

apogee

the highest or most distant point

apostasy

a total desertion of one’s religion, principles, party, cause, etc.

anarchy

a state or society without government or law

monarchy

a government in which the supreme power is lodged in a sovereign

oligarchy

a state or society ruled by a select group

ardent

burning; fierce; passionate

ardor

flame; passion

arson

the crime of setting property on fire

autonomy

independence or freedom

autocrat

an absolute ruler

belie

to misrepresent; to contradict

belittle

to make small; to make something appear smaller

bemoan

to lament; to moan for

belle

a beautiful woman

benediction

act of uttering a blessing

benefit

anything advantageous to a person or thing

benign

having a kindly disposition

biennial

happening every two years

bilingual

able to speak one’s native language and another with equal facility

binocular

involving two eyes

bona fide

in good faith; without fraud

bountiful

generous

abbreviate

to shorten

breviloquent

laconic; concise in one’s speech

brevity

shortness

bursar

treasurer

bursary

treasury

disburse

to pay

cascade

a waterfall descending over a steep surface

coincidence

a striking occurrence of two or more events at one time, apparently by chance

recidivist

one who repeatedly relapses, as into crime

capture

to take by force or stratagem

percipient

having perception; discerning; discriminating

precept

a commandment or direction given as a rule of conduct

capital

the city or town that is the official seat of government

capitulate

to surrender unconditionally or on stipulated terms

precipice

a cliff with a vertical face

concord

agreement; peace, amity

concordance

agreement, concord, harmony

discord

lack of harmony between persons or things

accede

to yield to a demand; to enter office

cessation

a temporary or complete discontinuance

incessant

without stop

accelerant

something used to speed up a process

celerity

speed; quickness

certitude

freedom from doubt

discrete

detached from others, separate

hypocrite

a person who pretends to have beliefs that she does not

chromatic

having to do with color

chromosome

genetic material that can be studied by coloring it with dyes

anachronism

something that is out-of-date or belonging to the wrong time

chronic

constant, habitual

chronometer

a highly accurate clock or watch

circuitous

roundabout, indirect

circumspect

cautious; watching all sides

exorcise

to seek to expel an evil spirit by ceremony

incisive

penetrating, cutting