epistemology
branch of philosophy tha texamines the nature of knowledge
noxious
harmful; poisonous; lethal
sophomoric
immature and overconfident; conceited
abdicate
to give up a position, right, or power
aberrant
deviating from what is normal
abeyance
temporary suppression or suspension
abject
miserable; pitiful
abjure
to reject; abandon formally
abscission
the act of cutting; the natural separation of a leaf or other part of a plant
abscond
to depart secretly
abstemious
moderate in appetite
abysmal
very bad
accretion
growth in size or increase in amount
affected
pretentious; phony
aggrandize
to make larger or greater
alacrity
cheerful willingness; eagerness; speed
allay
to lessen; ease; soothe
ambrosia
something delicious; the food of the gods
amulet
ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits
anachronism
something out of the proper time
analgesic
medication that reduces or eliminates pain
anodyne
something that calms or soothes pain
antecedent
something that comes before
antipathy
dislike; hostility
apex
the highest point
apogee
the point in an orbit most distant from the body being orbited; the highest point
apothegm
a terse, witty saying
appellation
name
apposite
strikingly appropriate and relevant
apprise
to inform
approbation
praise, approval
apropos
relevant
arabesque
ornate design featuring intertwined curves; a ballet position in which one leg is extended in back while the other supports the weight of the body
despot
a dictator with absolute power
argot
a specialized vocabulary used by a group
peccadillo
a minor offense; a misdeed
artless
guileless; natural
asperity
severity; harshness; irritability
aspersion
slander; false rumor
ersatz
artificial; not genuine; fake
assiduous
diligent; hard-working
astringent
harsh; severe
atavism
in biology, the reappearance of a characteristic in an organism after several generations of absence; individual or a part that exhibits atavism; return of a trait after a period of absence
attenuate
to weaken
austere
stern; unadorned; simple
aver
to affirm; declare to be true
mores
norms that are widely observed and have great moral significance
avocation
secondary occupation
bacchanalian
pertaining to riotous or drunken festivity; pertaining to revelry
bawdy
obscene
beatify
to sanctify; to bless; to ascribe a virtue to
bedizen
to dress in a vulgar, showy manner
behemoth
huge creature; anything very large and powerful
blandishment
flattery
blase
bored because of frequent indulgence; unconcerned
bombastic
pompous; using inflated language
boorish
rude; insensitive
bucolic
characteristic of the countryside; rustic; pastoral
burnish
to polish
cacaphonous
unpleasant or harsh-sounding
cadge
to beg; sponge
calumny
false and malicious accusation; slander
canard
false; deliberately misleading story
canon
an established set of principles; a basis or standard for judgment; a group of literary works
cant
insincere talk; language of a particular group
cantankerous
irritable; ill-humored
capricous
fickle
captious
faultfinding; intended to entrap, as in an argument
carping
to find fault; complain
cataclysm
a violent upheaval that causes great destruction and change
caucus
smaller group within an organization
caustic
burning; stinging; causing corrosion
centrifugal
moving away from a center
centripetal
moving or directed toward a center
chasten
to correct by punishment or reproof; to restrain or subdue
chicanery
trickery; fraud
churlish
rude; boorish
circuitous
roundabout
cloister
to confine; seclude
coagulate
thicken; congeal
coda
concluding part of a literary or musical composition; something that summarizes or concludes
codify
to systematize
commensurate
proportional
compendium
brief, comprehensive summary
complaisant
overly polite; willingness to comply with the wishes of others
compliant
yielding
compunction
uneasiness caused by guilt
conciliatory
overcoming distrust or hostility
concomitant
existing concurrently
congenial
similar in tastes and habits; friendly; suited to
conjugal
pertaining to marriage agreement
conscript
a person compulsorily enrolled for military service
continence
self-control; abstention from sexual activity
contrite
very sorrowful for a wrong; seeking forgiveness
contumacious
disobedient; rebellious
convivial
sociable
coquette
woman who flirts
cosmology
study of the universe as a totality; theory of the origin and structure of the universe
cozen
to mislead by trick or fraud; decieve
craven
cowardly
credence
acceptance of something as true
credo
statement of belief or principle; creed
debauchery
corruption
decorum
proper behavior
deference
respect; regard for another's wish
defunct
no longer existing
delineate
to represent or depict
demotic
pertaining to people
demur
to express doubt; question or oppose
denigrate
to slur someone's reputation
denizen
an inhabitant; a regular visitor
denouement
outcome; unraveling of the plot of a play or work of literature
desiccate
to dry completely
desuetude
state of disuse
desultory
random; disconnected; rambling
diaphanous
transparent; vague; insubstancial
diatribe
bitter verbal attack
dichotomy
division into two usually contradictory parts
diffidence
shyness; lack of confidence
digression
act of straying from the main point
dirge
funeral hymn
disabuse
free from a misconception
poultices
a soft, moist mass of material, typically of plant material or flour, applied to the body to relieve soreness and inflammation and kept in place with a cloth.
discordant
not in tune
discrete
constituing a separate thing; distinct
discretion
quality of showing self-restraint in speech or actions
disingenuous
not candid, crafty
disinterested
unpredujiced; objective
disparage
to belittle
dissemble
to pretend; disguise one's motives
dissolution
disintegration;debauchery
dissonance
discord; lack of harmony
distend
to expand; swell out
distill
extract the essential elements
distrait
inattentive; preoccupied
divulge
to make known something that is secret
doggerel
poor verse
dogmatic
stating opinions without proof
dross
waste; worthless matter
ebullient
exhilarated; overly enthusiastic
eclectic
selecting from various sources
effervescence
state of high spirits or liveliness; process of bubling as gas escapes
effete
depleted of vitality; overrefined; decadent
dissident
person who disagrees about beliefs
doctrinaire
dogmatic; unyielding
efficacy
effectiveness; efficiency
effrontery
shameless boldness; presumptuousness
egoism
the tendency to see things in relation to oneself; self-centeredness
egotistical
excessively self-centered; conceited
elegy
poem or song expressing lamentation
elixir
a sustance believed to have the power to cure ills
Elysian
delightful; blissful
emaciated
thin and wasted
embellish
to adorn; enhance
emollient
soothing; mollifying
encomium
a formal expression of praise
endemic
inherent; belonging to an area
enervate
to weaken
entomology
the scientific study of insects
epistemology
branch of philosophy tha texamines the nature of knowledge
equable
steady; unvarying; serene
equanimity
composure; calmness
equivocate
intentionally use vague language
erudite
learned; scholarly
esoteric
hard to understand; known only to a few
essay
to make an attempt; subject to a test
estimable
admirable; possible to estimate
ethnocentric
based on the attitude tha one's group is superior
etiology
causes or origins
eulogy
high praise to a death person
evince
to show plainly; be an indication of
evocative
tending to call to mind or produce a reaction
exact
to force the payment of; demand and obtain by authority
exculpate
to clear of blame; vindicate
execrable
detertable; abhorrent
exhort
to urge by strong appeals
exigency
crisis; urgent requirements
exorcise
to expel evil spirits; free from bad influences
expatiate
to speak or write at length
expatriate
to send into exile
expiate
to atone for
explicate
to explain;interpret;clarify
expository
explanatory
quixotic
overly idealistic; impractical
extant
in existence; not lost
extemporaneous
unrehearsed
extirpate
to root up; to destroy
extraneous
not essential
extrapolation
the act of estimation by projecting known information
extrinsic
not inherent of essential
facilitate
to make less difficult
factotum
a person who does all sorts of work; a handyman
fallacious
based on a false idea or fact; misleading
fallow
plowed but not sowed; uncultivated
fatuous
foolishly self-satisfied
fauna
animals of a period o region
felicitous
suitable expressed; wee-chose; appropiate
feral
existing in a wild or untamed state
fetid
having a bad smell
fetter
to bind; confine
fiat
arbitray order; authorization
fissure
crevice
flag
to droop; grow weak
fledging
beginner; novice
flourish
en embellishment or ornamentation
flout
to treat scornfully
flux
flowing; a continuous moving
foment
to incite; arouse
forbearance
patience
forestall
to prevent; delay
forswear
renounce; repudiate
founder
to sink; fail; colapse
fracas
a loud quarrel; brawl
fractious
quarrelsome; unruly; rebellious
fresco
a painting done on plaster
frieze
ornamental band on a wall
froward
stubbornly contrary; obstinately disobedient
frugality
thrift
fulminate
to attack loudly; denounce
fulsome
so excessive as to be disgusting
florid
ruddy; reddish; flowery
gainsay
to deny; dispute; oppose
gambol
to frolic; leap playfully
garrulous
very talkative; wordy
gauche
coarse and uncouth; clumsy
geniality
cheerfulness; kindliness; sociability
glib
fluent in an insincere way; offhand
gossamer
sheer; light and delicate; like cobwebs
grandiloquent
pompous; bombastic
gregarious
outgoing; sociable
grouse
to complain
gustatory
affecting the sense of taste
halcyon
calm and peaceful; happy; golden; prosperous
harangue
long, pompous speech; tirade
harrowing
extremely distressing; terrifying
hermetic
tighly sealed; magical
heterodox
not widely accepted
hirsute
covered with hair
histrionic
relating to exaggerated emotional behavior calculated for effect; theatrical acts or performances
homeostasis
automatic maintenance by an organism in balance with itself
homily
sermon; tedious moralizing lecture
iconoclastic
attacking cherished traditions
idolatry
idol worship; blind or excessive devotion
igneous
produced by fire; volcanic
imbroglio
complicated situation; an entanglement
impassive
showing no emotion
impecunious
poor; having no money
impinge
to strike; encroach
implacable
inflexible; incable of being pleased or calmed down
imprecation
curse; damnation
impute
to attribute the fault to; relate to a particular cause or source
inchoate
imperfectely formed or formulated
incongruity
state of not fitting
incorporate
introduce something into another thing already in existence
incursion
sudden invasion
indeterminate
uncertain; indefinite
indigence
poverty
indolent
habitually lazy; idle
ineluctable
not to be avoided or escaped; inevitable
inert
unable to move; sluggish
ingenuous
naive and trusting; lacking sophistication
insensible
unconscious; unresponsive
insipid
lacking in flavor; dull
insouciant
indifferent; lacking concern or care
insularity
narrow-mindedness; isolation
insuperable
insurmountable; unconquerable
interdict
to forbid; prohibit
internecine
deadly to both sides
interpolate
to insert; change by adding new words or material
interregnum
interval between reigns; gap in continuity
intransigence
stubbornness; refusal to compromise
inured
hardened; accustomed; used to
munificent
extremely generous, lavish
invective
verbal abuse
inveigh
to disapprove; protest vehemently
inveigle
to win over by flattering or coaxing
inveterate
confirmed; long standing
invidious
likely to provoke ill will
irascible
easily angered
irresolute
unsure of how to act; weak
itinerant
wandering from place to place; unsettled
itinerary
route of a traveler's journey
jaundiced
havind a yellowish discoloration of the skin; affected by envy
jibe
to be in agreement
jocose
fond of joking; jocular
juggernaut
huge froce destrying everything in its path
junta
group of people united in political intrigue
juxtapose
place side by side
kudos
fame; glory; honor
laconic
using few words
lambaste
to trash verbally or physically
lascivious
lustful
lassitude
lethargy; sluggishness
levee
en embankment that prevents a river from overflowing
libertine
one without moral restraint
libido
sexual desire
lilliputian
extremely small
limn
to draw, describe
limpid
clear; transparent
litany
lengthy recitation; repetitive chant
literati
scholarly of learned persons
litigation
legal proceedings
loquacious
talkative
lucre
money or profits
luminous
bright; brilliant; glowing
lustrous
shining
machiavellian
crafty; double-dealing
machinations
plots or schemes
maelstrom
whirpool; turmoil
magnaminity
generosity; nobility
malign
to speak evil of
malinger
to feign illness to escape duty
maverick
dissenter
megalomania
delusions of power or importance
menagerie
a variety of animals kept together
mendacious
dishonest
mendicant
beggar
meretricious
gaudy; specious; flasely attractive
metaphysics
a branch of philosophy tha tinvestigates the ultimate nature of reality
metereological
concerned with the weather
mettle
courage; endurance
mettlesome
full of courage and fortitude
militate
to work against
minatory
threatening; menacing
miscreant
villain; criminal
monolithic
solid and uniform; constituing a single, unified whole
solipsistic
self-centered
morose
ill-humored; sullen
motley
many colored; made up of many parts
multifarious
diverse
neologism
new word or expression
neophyte
novice; beginner
nexus
a means of connection; a center
nonplussed
bewildered
nostrum
medicine or remedy of doubtful effectiveness
nugatory
trifling; invalid
obdurate
stubborn
obsequious
overly submissive
obsequy
funeral ceremony
obviate
to make unnecessary; to anticipate and prevent
occult
relating to practices connected with supernatural phenomena
odyssey
a long, adventurous voyage; a quest
officious
too helful; meddlesome
oligarchy
form of government in which power belongs to only a few leaders
onerous
burdensome
onomatopeia
formation or use of words that imitate sounds of the actions they refer to
opprobium
public disgrace; contempt
ornithologist
scientist who studies birds
ostentatious
showy; pretentious
overweening
presumptuous; arrogant
paean
song of joy or triumph; a fervent expression of joy
paleonthology
study of past geological eras through fossil remains
pallid
lacking color or liveliness
panegyric
elaborate praise; formal hymn of praise
paragon
model of perfection or excellence
pathological
departing from normal condition
patois
jargon; a regional dialect
paucity
scarcity
pellucid
transparent; easily understood
penury
extreme poverty
peregrination
wandering from place to place
peremptory
imperative; leaving no choice
perennial
present throughout the years; persistent
perfidious
faithless; disloyal; untrustworthy
perfunctory
superficial; performed really as a duty
perigee
point in an orbit that is closest to the earth
hoi polloi
the common people; the masses
perturb
to disturb greatly; make uneasy or anxious
petulant
rude; peevish
phlegmatic
unemotional; calm in temperament
phoenix
anything that is restored after suffering great destruction
physiognomy
facial features
piquant
pleasantly pungent; attractive
pique
fleeting feeling or hurt pride
placid
calm
plaintive
melancholy; mournful
platitude
stale; overused expression
platonic
spiritual; theoretical
plumb
to examine deeply; determine the depth
plummet
to fall; plunge
plutocracy
society ruled by the wealthy
prate
to talk idly; chatter
prattle
meaningless, foolish talk
preamble
preliminary statement
precept
principle; law
precipitate
to cause to happen; throw down from a height; rash; hasty; sudden; done without deliberation
preempt
to supersede; appropiate for oneself
prehensile
capable of grasping
premonition
forewarning; presentiment
urbane
refined in manner or style, suave
presage
to foretell; indicate in advance
presumptuous
rude; improperly bold
prevaricate
to quibble; evade the truth
primordial
original; existing from the beginning
probity
honesty; high-mindness
problematic
posing a problem; doubtful
prodigal
wasteful; extravagant; lavish
profound
deep, not superficial
proliferate
to increase rapidly
propensity
inclination, tendency
propitiate
to win over, appease
propriety
correct conduct, fitness
proscribe
to condemn, forbid, outlaw
provident
providing for future need, frugal
puissant
powerful
punctilious
careful in observing rules fo behavior
pungent
penetrating, caustic, to the point
pusillanimous
cowerdly
purport
to profess, suppose, claim
quagmire
marsh, difficult situation
quail
to cower, lose heart
qualified
limited, restricted
qualm
sudden feeling of faintness or nausea
quiescent
inactive, still
quorum
number of memeber necessary to conduct a meeting
raconteur
witty, skillful storyteller
raiment
clothing
ramification
implication, consequence
rarefied
refined
rebu
puzzle in whic pictures or symbols represent words
recalcitrant
resisting authority or control
recant
retract a statement of opinion
recondite
abstruse, profound
redoubtable
formidable, arousing fear
refractory
stubborn, resisting ordinary methods of treatment
refulgent
brightly shining, resplendent
regale
to entertain
relegate
to consign to an inferior position
clandestine
secret, concealed; underhanded
remonstrate
to object or protest
renege
to go back on one's word
repine
fret, complain
reprise
repetition, especially of a piece of music
reproach
to find fault with, blame
reprobate
morally unprincipled person
repudiate
to reject as having no authority
reticent
nor speaking freely, reserved, reluctant
riposte
retaliatory action or retort
rococo
excessively ornate
rubric
protocol, title or heading
salacious
lascivious, lustful
salubrious
healthful
salutary
expecting an improvement, favorable to health
sanction
to approve, ratify, permit
sardonic
cynical, scornfully mocking
sartorial
pertaining to tailors
saturnine
gloomy
sedition
behaviour prompting rebellion
sedulous
diligent, assiduous
seismic
relating to earthquakes
sensual
relating to the senses, gratifying the physical (sexual) senses
sensuous
relating to the senses
sentient
aware, concious, able to preceive
sextant
navigation tool that determines latitude and longitude
sidereal
relating to the stars
simian
apelike, relating to apes
sinecure
well-paying job that requieres little or no work
sinuous
intricate, complex
sodden
thoroughly soaked, saturated
solicitous
concerned, attentive, eager
soliloquy
literary or dramatic speech by one character, not adressed to others
solvent
able to meet financial obligations
somatic
relating to or affecting the body, corporeal
soporific
sleep producing
sordid
filthy, contemptible and corrupt
specious
seeming to be logical and sound, but not really so
squalor
filthy, wretched condition
staccato
marked by abrupt, clear-cut sounds
stanch
to stop or check the flow of
stentorian
extremely loud
stint
to be sparing
stipulate
to specify as an essential condition
stolid
having or showing little emotion
stratified
arranged in layers
striated
marked with thin, narrow grooves or channels
stricture
something that restrains, negative criticism
ape
imitate or mimic (a person's behavior or manner)
ponderous
slow and clumsy because of great weight
cabal
a secret group seeking to overturn something
germane
relevant
strident
loud, harsh, unpleasantly noisy
stultify
to impair or reduce to uselessness
stupefy
to dull the senses of, stun, atonish
stygian
dark and gloomy, hellish
subpoena
notice ordering someone to appear in court
substantiate
to support with proof or evidence
subsume
to include, incorporate
subversive
intended to undermine or underthrow, especially an established government
succor
relief, help in time of distress or want
sundry
various
supersede
to relace, especially to displace as inferior or antiquated
supine
lying in the back, marked by lethargy
supplant
to replace, substitute
suppliant
beseeching
supplicant
one who asks humbly and earnestly
syllogism
a form of deductive reasoning with a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion
sylvan
related to the woods or forest
talisman
charm to bring good luck and avert misfortune
tautology
unnecessary repetition
taxonomy
science of classification
tenuous
weak, insubstantial
theocracy
government by priests representing a god
timbre
voice tone color
toady
flatterer, yes-man
tome
book, usually large and academic
torpor
lethargy, dormancy, sluggishness
tortuous
having many twists and turns, highly complex
travail
work, especially arduous work
treatise
article treating a subject systematically and thoroughly
tremulous
trembling, frugal, timid
trepidation
fear and anxiety
truculence
aggressiveness, ferocity
tryst
agreement between lovest to meet, rendez-vous
tumid
swollen, distended
turbid
muddy, opaque, in a state of great confusion
turgid
swollen, pompous
tutelary
serving as a guardian or protector
untoward
not favorable, troublesome, unruly
usury
a practice of lending money at exorbitant rates
valedictory
pertaining to a farewell
variegated
varied, marked with different colors
vaunt
to boast, drag
venal
mercenary, corruptible
vendetta
prolonged feud marked by bitter hostility
venerate
to adore, honor, respect
veracious
truthful, accurate
vertigo
dizziness
vexation
irritation, annoyance
vindictive
vengeful, unforgiving
visage
appearance, aspect
vitiate
to impair the quality of, corrupt morally
vituperative
using or containing harsh, abusive censure
vivisection
dissection, surgery, or painful experiments performed on a living animal for the purpose of scientific research
vogue
prevailing fashion or practice
volatile
tending to vary frequently, fickle
vortex
whirpool, center of turbulence
welter
wallow or roll, toss about, be in turmoil
wistful
vaguely longing, sadly thoughtful
zealot
one who is fanatically devoted to a cause
outstrip
to get ahead of, do better than, exceed