-
avuncular
being or relating to an uncle
-
ambient
completely enveloping
-
symbolic
relating to or using or proceeding by means of symbols
-
symbolism
the practice of investing things with symbolic meaning
-
psychoneurotic
affected with emotional disorder
-
neurosis
a mental or personality disturbance not attributable to any known neurological or organic dysfunction
-
neurotic
characteristic of or affected by neurosis
-
phobic neurosis
an anxiety disorder characterized by extreme and irrational fear of simple things or social situations
-
specious
plausible but false
-
spurious
plausible but false
-
meretricious
tastelessly showy
-
bowdlerise
edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
-
bowdlerize
edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
-
castrate
remove the testicles of a male animal
-
neology
a newly invented word or phrase
-
neologism
a newly invented word or phrase
-
lexicon
a reference book containing an alphabetical list of words with information about them
-
mental lexicon
a language user's knowledge of words
-
lexicon
a reference book containing an alphabetical list of words with information about them
-
neology
a newly invented word or phrase
-
disambiguation
clarification that follows from the removal of ambiguity
-
disambiguate
state unambiguously or remove ambiguities from
-
elucidation
an act of explaining that serves to clear up and cast light on
-
obscurantism
a policy of opposition to enlightenment or the spread of knowledge
-
dissimulation
the act of deceiving
-
dissembling
pretending with intention to deceive
-
obscurantist
a person who is deliberately vague
-
beguiler
a person who charms others (usually by personal attractiveness)
-
slicker
a macintosh made from cotton fabric treated with oil and pigment to make it waterproof
-
intransigent
impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, reason
-
saccade
an abrupt spasmodic movement
-
ebullient
joyously unrestrained
-
exuberant
joyously unrestrained
-
oenophile
someone who appreciates wine
-
refractory
stubbornly resistant to authority or control
-
mawkish
effusively or insincerely emotional
-
ratiocinative
based on exact thinking
-
remonstrate
argue in protest or opposition
-
nutation
uncontrolled nodding
-
nutate
rock, sway, or nod; usually involuntarily
-
vicissitude
a variation in circumstances or fortune at different times in your life or in the development of something
-
detritus
loose material (stone fragments and silt etc) that is worn away from rocks
-
amentia
extreme mental retardation
-
mistral
a strong north wind that blows in France during the winter
-
spectral
resembling or characteristic of a phantom
-
compendium
a publication containing a variety of works
-
vaticinate
predict or reveal through, or as if through, divine inspiration
-
necromancy
conjuring up the dead, especially for prophesying
-
felucca
a fast narrow sailing ship of the Mediterranean
-
confabulate
unconsciously replace fact with fantasy in one's memory
-
simper
smile affectedly or derisively
-
serrate
notched like a saw with teeth pointing toward the apex
-
propitious
presenting favorable circumstances; likely to result in or show signs of success
-
facetious
cleverly amusing in tone
-
senescent
growing old
-
senesce
grow old or older
-
senescence
the property characteristic of old age
-
lingual
pertaining to or resembling or lying near the tongue
-
gerontocracy
a political system governed by old men
-
Miwok
a member of the North American Indian people living in the central Sierra Nevada in California
-
expurgated
having material deleted
-
cathartic
strongly laxative
-
purgative
strongly laxative
-
evacuate
move out of an unsafe location into safety
-
aleatory
dependent on chance
-
Dormition
celebration in the Eastern Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary's being taken up into heaven when her earthly life ended; corresponds to the Assumption in the Roman Catholic Church and is also celebrated on August 15th
-
emblematic
serving as a visible symbol for something abstract
-
salver
a tray (or large plate) for serving food or drinks; usually made of silver
-
aureate
elaborately or excessively ornamented
-
philter
a drink credited with magical power; can make the one who takes it love the one who gave it
-
ersatz
an artificial or inferior substitute or imitation
-
deprecate
express strong disapproval of; deplore
-
vilipend
belittle
-
pelagic
relating to or occurring or living in or frequenting the open ocean
-
archipelago
a group of many islands in a large body of water
-
neologism
a newly invented word or phrase
-
autolatry
the worship of yourself
-
chiffon
a sheer fabric of silk or rayon
-
French leave
an abrupt and unannounced departure (without saying farewell)
-
Welsh rarebit
cheese melted with ale or beer served over toast
-
encapsulate
enclose in a capsule or other small container
-
scrimshaw
a carving (or engraving) on whalebone, whale ivory, walrus tusk, etc., usually by American whalers
-
sidereal
of or relating to the stars or constellations
-
raconteur
a person skilled in telling anecdotes
-
supposititious
based primarily on surmise rather than adequate evidence
-
despot
a cruel and oppressive dictator
-
coterminous
being of equal extent or scope or duration
-
lexical
of or relating to words
-
lexis
all of the words in a language; all word forms having meaning or grammatical function
-
noesis
the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning
-
noetic
of or associated with or requiring the use of the mind
-
confect
make or construct
-
sylphlike
moving and bending with ease
-
lithe
moving and bending with ease
-
lithesome
moving and bending with ease
-
svelte
being of delicate or slender build
-
capacious
large in capacity
-
miscreant
a person without moral scruples
-
redoubtable
inspiring fear
-
pedantry
an ostentatious and inappropriate display of learning
-
pedantic
marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning especially its trivial aspects
-
ostentation
pretentious or showy or vulgar display
-
drudge
a laborer who is obliged to do menial work
-
succubus
a female demon believed to have sexual intercourse with sleeping men
-
incubus
a male demon believed to lie on sleeping persons and to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women
-
ethereal
characterized by lightness and insubstantiality; as impalpable or intangible as air
-
nonplussed
filled with bewilderment
-
dystopia
state in which the conditions of life are extremely bad as from deprivation or oppression or terror
-
eviscerate
remove the entrails of
-
devitalize
sap of life or energy
-
visceral
relating to or affecting the viscera
-
emblematic
serving as a visible symbol for something abstract
-
patina
a fine coating of oxide on the surface of a metal
-
farrier
a person who shoes horses
-
prandial
of or relating to a meal
-
paucity
an insufficient quantity or number
-
acumen
shrewdness shown by keen insight
-
demarcate
set, mark, or draw the boundaries of something
-
eventuate
come out in the end
-
manacle
shackle that consists of a metal loop that can be locked around the wrist; usually used in pairs
-
addled
confused and vague; used especially of thinking
-
brigand
an armed thief who is (usually) a member of a band
-
fiduciary
relating to or of the nature of a legal trust (i.e. the holding of something in trust for another)
-
maelstrom
a powerful circular current of water (usually the result of conflicting tides)
-
vortex
a powerful circular current of water (usually the result of conflicting tides)
-
chattel
personal as opposed to real property; any tangible movable property (furniture or domestic animals or a car etc)
-
tit for tat
an equivalent given in return
-
redoubtable
inspiring fear
-
beatific
marked by utter benignity; resembling or befitting an angel or saint
-
eschatology
the branch of theology that is concerned with such final things as death and Last Judgment; Heaven and Hell; the ultimate destiny of humankind
-
nebbish
(Yiddish) a timid unfortunate simpleton
-
scatological
dealing pruriently with excrement and excretory functions
-
expatiate
add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing
-
lucubrate
add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing
-
cenotaph
a monument built to honor people whose remains are interred elsewhere or whose remains cannot be recovered
-
felicitous
exhibiting an agreeably appropriate manner or style
-
infelicitous
not appropriate in application; defective
-
felonious
involving or being or having the nature of a crime
-
nota bene
a Latin phrase (or its abbreviation) used to indicate that special attention should be paid to something
-
pro bono
done for the public good without compensation
-
sophist
someone whose reasoning is subtle and often specious
-
sophism
a deliberately invalid argument displaying ingenuity in reasoning in the hope of deceiving someone
-
sophistry
a deliberately invalid argument displaying ingenuity in reasoning in the hope of deceiving someone
-
specious
plausible but false
-
meretricious
tastelessly showy
-
spurious
plausible but false
-
esplanade
a long stretch of open level ground (paved or grassy) for walking beside the seashore
-
promenade
a leisurely walk (usually in some public place)
-
tutelage
attention and management implying responsibility for safety
-
corrigendum
a printer's error; to be corrected
-
irascible
quickly aroused to anger
-
choleric
characterized by anger
-
redoubtable
inspiring fear
-
redolent
having a strong pleasant odor
-
resonance
having the character of a loud deep sound; the quality of being resonant
-
grandiloquence
high-flown style; excessive use of verbal ornamentation
-
countervail
compensate for or counterbalance
-
inculcate
teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions
-
polymath
a person of great and varied learning
-
traumatophobia
a morbid fear of battle or physical injury
-
social phobia
any phobia (other than agoraphobia) associated with situations in which you are subject to criticism by others (as fear of eating in public or public speaking etc)
-
phobic disorder
an anxiety disorder characterized by extreme and irrational fear of simple things or social situations
-
phobic neurosis
an anxiety disorder characterized by extreme and irrational fear of simple things or social situations
-
presage
a foreboding about what is about to happen
-
augur
predict from an omen
-
vinify
convert a juice into wine by fermentation
-
vinification
the process whereby fermentation changes grape juice into wine
-
visceral
relating to or affecting the viscera
-
viscera
internal organs collectively (especially those in the abdominal cavity)
-
viral
relating to or caused by a virus
-
declination
a condition inferior to an earlier condition; a gradual falling off from a better state
-
tousle
disarrange or rumple; dishevel
-
homunculus
a tiny fully formed individual that (according to the discredited theory of preformation) is supposed to be present in the sperm cell
-
sacrament
a formal religious ceremony conferring a specific grace on those who receive it; the two Protestant ceremonies are baptism and the Lord's Supper; in the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church there are seven traditional rites accepted as instituted by Jesus: baptism and confirmation and Holy Eucharist and penance and holy orders and matrimony and extreme unction
-
unction
anointing as part of a religious ceremony or healing ritual
-
smarm
excessive but superficial compliments given with affected charm
-
inunction
anointing as part of a religious ceremony or healing ritual
-
perturbation
the act of causing disorder
-
compunction
a feeling of deep regret (usually for some misdeed)
-
casuistry
argumentation that is specious or excessively subtle and intended to be misleading
-
casuistic
of or relating to or practicing casuistry
-
biodiversity
the diversity of plant and animal life in a particular habitat (or in the world as a whole)
-
confute
prove to be false
-
specious
plausible but false
-
meretricious
tastelessly showy
-
spurious
plausible but false
-
interstice
small opening between things
-
suborn
incite to commit a crime or an evil deed
-
apostasy
the state of having rejected your religious beliefs or your political party or a cause (often in favor of opposing beliefs or causes)
-
apostolic
of or relating to or deriving from the Apostles or their teachings
-
apostle
an ardent early supporter of a cause or reform
-
ensconce
fix firmly
-
preterist
a theologian who believes that the Scripture prophecies of the Apocalypse (the Book of Revelation) have already been fulfilled
-
stochastic
being or having a random variable
-
stochastically
by stochastic means
-
aperiodic
not recurring at regular intervals
-
dysgraphia
impaired ability to learn to write
-
exogamy
marriage to a person belonging to a tribe or group other than your own as required by custom or law
-
centripetal
tending to move toward a center
-
expurgate
edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
-
crevice
a long narrow opening
-
crevasse
a deep fissure
-
crevice
a long narrow opening
-
porcine
relating to or suggesting swine
-
solemnize
observe or perform with dignity or gravity
-
metaphor
a figure of speech in which an expression is used to refer to something that it does not literally denote in order to suggest a similarity
-
simile
a figure of speech that expresses a resemblance between things of different kinds (usually formed with `like' or `as')
-
trope
language used in a figurative or nonliteral sense
-
resonance
having the character of a loud deep sound; the quality of being resonant
-
viscid
having the sticky properties of an adhesive
-
viscous
having a relatively high resistance to flow
-
avuncular
being or relating to an uncle
-
striation
any of a number of tiny parallel grooves such as: the scratches left by a glacier on rocks or the streaks or ridges in muscle tissue
-
refectory
a communal dining-hall (usually in a monastery)
-
epigram
a witty saying
-
sally
a military action in which besieged troops burst forth from their position
-
promulgation
a public statement containing information about an event that has happened or is going to happen
-
promulgate
state or announce
-
indolent
disinclined to work or exertion
-
otiose
serving no useful purpose; having no excuse for being
-
faineant
disinclined to work or exertion
-
egalitarian
favoring social equality
-
sociopath
someone with a sociopathic personality; a person with an antisocial personality disorder (`psychopath' was once widely used but has now been superseded by `sociopath')
-
psychopath
someone with a sociopathic personality; a person with an antisocial personality disorder (`psychopath' was once widely used but has now been superseded by `sociopath')
-
feckless
generally incompetent and ineffectual
-
abstemious
marked by temperance in indulgence
-
blandishment
flattery intended to persuade
-
palaver
loud and confused and empty talk
-
cajolery
flattery intended to persuade
-
scriptorium
a room in a monastery that is set aside for writing or copying manuscripts
-
jocose
characterized by jokes and good humor
-
jocular
characterized by jokes and good humor
-
atmometer
an instrument that measures rate of evaporation of water
-
plenum
a meeting of a legislative body at which all members are present
-
plenary
full in all respects
-
pellucid
transmitting light; able to be seen through with clarity
-
luculent
(of language) transparently clear; easily understandable
-
limpid
clear and bright
-
lucid
(of language) transparently clear; easily understandable
-
implacable
incapable of being placated
-
antithesis
exact opposite
-
edify
make understand
-
reticent
reluctant to draw attention to yourself
-
baneful
deadly or sinister
-
reverberate
ring or echo with sound
-
antipathy
a feeling of intense dislike
-
groyne
a protective structure of stone or concrete; extends from shore into the water to prevent a beach from washing away
-
jetty
a protective structure of stone or concrete; extends from shore into the water to prevent a beach from washing away
-
aplomb
great coolness and composure under strain
-
belles-lettres
creative writing valued for esthetic content
-
polysemous
of words; having many meanings
-
lexical ambiguity
the ambiguity of an individual word or phrase that can be used (in different contexts) to express two or more different meanings
-
invigilator
someone who watches examination candidates to prevent cheating
-
parody
a composition that imitates or misrepresents somebody's style, usually in a humorous way
-
paradoxical
seemingly contradictory but nonetheless possibly true
-
simile
a figure of speech that expresses a resemblance between things of different kinds (usually formed with `like' or `as')
-
amatory
expressive of or exciting sexual love or romance
-
staid
characterized by dignity and propriety
-
tautological
repetition of same sense in different words
-
anterior
of or near the head end or toward the front plane of a body
-
posterior
located at or near or behind a part or near the end of a structure
-
hermetic
completely sealed; completely airtight
-
astringent
tending to draw together or constrict soft organic tissue
-
ruminate
reflect deeply on a subject
-
besotted
very drunk
-
derogate
cause to seem less serious; play down
-
ameliorate
to make better
-
inanition
exhaustion resulting from lack of food
-
lassitude
a feeling of lack of interest or energy
-
lethargy
inactivity; showing an unusual lack of energy
-
extirpation
the act of pulling up or out; uprooting; cutting off from existence
-
extirpate
destroy completely, as if down to the roots
-
ululation
a long loud emotional utterance
-
miscreant
a person without moral scruples
-
confabulate
unconsciously replace fact with fantasy in one's memory
-
serrate
notched like a saw with teeth pointing toward the apex
-
circumflex
a diacritical mark (^) placed above a vowel in some languages to indicate a special phonetic quality
-
diacritical
capable of distinguishing
-
assiduous
marked by care and persistent effort
-
miasma
an unwholesome atmosphere