english vocab week 9-12

yay!

gaia G)

the earth

apogee

1. the point in its orbit when a planet or satellite (usually the moon) is farthest from the earth

2. the highest point; culmination; apex

antonym: perigee

geocentric

1. referring to the center of the earth in measurement or observation

2. considering the earth as the center of a planetary system

perigee

the point in its orbit when a planet or satellite (usually the moon) is nearest the earth

antonym: apogee

terra (L)

earth, land, ground

inter

to bury; to place in a grave

terra cotta

1. ceramic clay used in pottery, statuary, and construction (a noun, but can be used as an adjective)

2. referring to the color of the clay, a reddish brown that may vary from gray or orange to dark brown

terrestrial

1. pertaining to the earth and its inhabitants

2. referring to land as distinct from water

antonym: aquatic

humus (L)

earth

exhume

1. to dig out of the ground or from a grave; to disinter

2. to bring to light; to uncover

ant. inter

humus

rich, dark, organic material formed by decay of vegetable matter, essential to soil’s fertility

mons, montis (L)

mountain

mountebank

a swindler; a charlatan; a trickster

paramount

of chief importance; primary; foremost

promontory

a high ridge of land jutting into a body of water; a headland

1. pasco, pascere, pavi, pastum (L)

2. pastor (L)

1. to feed, to nourish

2. shepherd

pastoral

1. pertaining to a Christian minister or the duties accompanying the office

2. referring to life in open country or to fields for farming or grazing

3. pertaining to an idealized rural life

repast

a meal; food served at a meal

rus, ruris (L)

open land, country

rustic

1. typical of country life and people; simple; rough

2. a rural person

rusticate

1. to go to the country

2. to cause to become rustic

1. anima (L)

2. animus (L)

1. wind, air

2. mind, soul

animus

1. a powerful feeling of hostility or antagonism; hatred

2. an animating spirit

equanimity

composure and calm in stressful conditions; equilibrium

pusillanimous

cowardly; fearful

1. aether (L)

2. aither (G)

1. upper air, clear sky

2. air

ether

1. the regions of space beyond the earth’s atmosphere; the heavens

2. a highly flammable liquid anesthetic

v. etherize

ethereal

1. spirit like in lightness and delicacy

2. heavenly; celestial

phainein (G)

to show, to appear

diaphanous

allowing light to show through; translucent; delicate

epiphany

1. a revelatory manifestation of a divine being

2. a revelation; a flash of understanding of the true nature of something

3. (capitalized) A Christian festival, January 6, celebrating the visit of the Wise Men to the Christ Child

phantasm

a phantom; an apparition; something unreal, as in a dream or a vision

sycophant

a flatterer seeking favors or gain; a servile self-seeker

spiritus (L) ; spiro, spirare, spiravi, spiratum (L)

breath; to blow gently

aspiration

1. strong desire for achievement; ambition towards a long-range goal

2. expulsion of breath in speaking

dispirited

dejected; discouraged; gloomy

huper (G)

over, above

hyperbole

an exaggeration; a figure expressing excess

hyperborean

1. far north; Arctic

2. very cold; frigid

ventus (L)

wind

hyperventilation

the condition of taking abnormally fast deep breaths

vent

1. an outlet; an opening for passage of liquids, fumes, or sometimes air

2. to utter; to express, especially in relieving strong feelings

fervo, fervere, fervi (L)

to be boiling hot

fervid

full of intense passion or zeal

effervescent

1. bubbling up from a liquid

2. very excited; bubbling over with high spirits

flagro, flagrare, flagravi, flagratum

to glow, to burn, to blaze

conflagration

a large and destructive fire

flagrant

shockingly evident; outrageously conspicuous

flamma

flame

inflammatory

1. arousing strong emotion, especially anger or hostility

2. pertaining to redness, swelling, or pain following an infection or injury

flamboyant

colored or decorated in a showy way; having a showy appearance or manner

incendo, incendere, incendi, incensum (L)

to set on fire

incendiary

1. designed or intended to cause a fire

2. tending to stir up strife; inflammatory

incense

to infuriate; to enrage

kaiein (G)

to burn

caustic

1. able to burn or eat away by chemical action

2. sarcastic; marked by a biting wit

cauterize

to burn with a hot iron or a chemical to destroy abnormal tissue and/or to stop infection and/or bleeding

pur

fire

pyre

a pile of wood, etc., for burning a corpse as part of a funeral rite; any pile of combustible

pyrotechnics

1. a display of fireworks

2. a spectacular display of virtuosity in music, writing, wit, or other accomplishment

pyromania

a compulsion to set things on fire

scintilla (L)

spark

scintilla

a very small amount; a bit; an iota

scintillate

1. to give off sparks; to flag; to sparkle

2. to be animate or brilliant