English III AP Vocabulary: Words for Test 2

Abstruse (adj)

Very difficult to understand, abstract

Curmudgeon (n)

A bad tempered person

Disingenuous (adj)

Lacking in sincerity

Ecumenical (adj)

Worldwide or universal in influence

Exigency / Exigencies (n)

Urgency, pressing need, emergency

Flotsam (n)

Floating debris; a homeless person

Glean (v)

To gather bit by bit; to collect grain leftover from reaping

Hallow (v)

To honor something as sacred, revere, sanctify

Harbinger (n / v)

A thing or person that signals or reports the approach of another; to signal the approach of something

Idiosyncrasy (n)

A peculiarity or attribute that sets something apart from others

Imbue (v)

To soak or stain; to fill the mind (with knowledge, information)

Inane (adj)

Empty of meaning or value; silly, stupid

Lampoon (n / v)

Ridiculing satire; to satirize

Maudlin (adj)

Excessively emotional or sentimental, mushy

Mundane (adj)

Relating to practical and material affairs, worldly; ordinary, dull

Protocol (n)

Regulations that control official, and often bureaucratic, behavior; a set of rules usually applied in court, government, and related official environments

Pusillanimous (adj)

Contemptibly cowardly

Rapacity (n)

Excessive greed; a characteristic quality of acquiring one's desires through force or plunder

Vagary (n)

An unpredictable / unexpected occurrence, action, or change in one's behavior

Wizened (adj)

Shriveled, weakened, or wrinkled, often by old age

Acuity (n)

Sharpness of the mind and senses

Bastion (n)

Fortified place, stronghold; an institution strongly upholding certain beliefs

Concord (n)

State of agreement; a treaty

Derelict (n/adj)

Something abandoned (as n); abandoned (as adj)

Diatribe (n)

A rant, prolonged verbal attack

Enervate (v)

To weaken the mental, moral, or physical vigor of

Fastidious (adj)

Overly demanding; excessively careful in regard to details; easily disgusted

Expound (v)

To explain

Garner (v)

To acquire from great effort; to gather and store

Ignominy (n)

Shame, disgrace

Incumbent (adj / n)

required; holder of office

Indubitable (adj)

certain, not to be doubted

Mordant (adj)

Burning in manner or thought; bitterly harsh

Neophyte (n)

A novice

Overweening (adj)

Failing to see the appropriate limits; immoderate

Pecuniary (adj)

Related to money

Penchant (n)

A strong inclination

Sophistry (n)

Reasoning that seems plausible but is in reality flawed; a fallacy

Stigmatize (v)

To mark something as disgraceful

utilitarian (adj)

Stressing practicality over other considerations; belief that the usefulness is the best quality in something

Atrophy (n./v.)

Wasting away of organs or tissue; any progressive decline; to waste away

Complicity (n.)

The involvement in an action (often bad)

Cognizant (adj.)

Aware; having jurisdiction

Delineate (v.)

To describe in detail; to represent with a picture

Efficacy (n.)

Effectiveness

Esoteric (adj.)

Intended for only a select few; secret

Fecund (adj.)

Productive regarding offspring or intellect

Frenetic (adj.)

Highly agitated, hurried

Grouse (n./v.)

A complaint; to complain

Indictment (n.)

A charge, accusation, serious critisism

Jocular (adj.)

Joking, humorous

Moot (adj.)

Of little or no practicle meaning

Nemesis (n.)

A force inflicting punishment; an considerable rival

Nettle (n./v.)

A prickly plant; to annoy, disturb

Nuance (n.)

A subtle variation or characteristic in something

Perspicacity (n.)

Keenness in observation or understanding

Recumbnt (adj.)

Reclining

Reputed (adj.)

According to general belief or regard; having widespread acceptance

Stratagem (n.)

A strategy used to outwit an opponent

Ubiquitous (adj.)

Existing everywhere