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VOCABULARY LISTS > USER LISTS

Word List Favorites 231 words

August 26, 2009 By Carol M. (Palm Bay, FL)

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Definitions Notes & Examples Words Only
  1. stormy petrel
    sooty black petrel with white markings; of the northern Atlantic and Mediterranean
  2. crepuscular
    like twilight; dim
  3. quiddity
    the essence that makes something the kind of thing it is and makes it different from any other
  4. ephemeral
    anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day in its winged form
  5. etiolate
    make weak by stunting the growth or development of
  6. outre
    conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual
  7. labile
    liable to change
  8. susurrus
    the indistinct sound of people whispering
  9. pulchritude
    physical beauty (especially of a woman)
  10. portend
    indicate by signs
  11. frisson
    an almost pleasurable sensation of fright
  12. impugn
    attack as false or wrong
  13. chimerical
    being or relating to or like a chimera
  14. nescience
    ignorance (especially of orthodox beliefs)
  15. aegis
    armor plate that protects the chest; the front part of a cuirass
  16. grandiloquent
    lofty in style
  17. flummox
    be a mystery or bewildering to
  18. longueur
    a period of dullness or boredom (especially in a work of literature or performing art)
  19. gambol
    play boisterously
  20. jape
    a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter
  21. contretemps
    an awkward clash
  22. osculation
    the act of caressing with the lips (or an instance thereof)
  23. velleity
    a mere wish, unaccompanied by effort to obtain
  24. feckless
    generally incompetent and ineffectual
  25. propinquity
    the property of being close together
  26. tumult
    a state of commotion and noise and confusion
  27. dramaturgy
    the art of writing and producing plays
  28. spoonerism
    transposition of initial consonants in a pair of words
  29. pithy
    concise and full of meaning
  30. veracity
    unwillingness to tell lies
  31. diatribe
    thunderous verbal attack
  32. florid
    elaborately or excessively ornamented
  33. elucidate
    make clear and (more) comprehensible
  34. libation
    the act of pouring a liquid offering (especially wine) as a religious ceremony
  35. cormorant
    large voracious dark-colored long-necked seabird with a distensible pouch for holding fish; used in Asia to catch fish
  36. scintilla
    a tiny or scarcely detectable amount
  37. esoteric
    confined to and understandable by only an enlightened inner circle
  38. inanition
    exhaustion resulting from lack of food
  39. tetchy
    easily irritated or annoyed
  40. ululate
    emit long loud cries
  41. pedestrian
    a person who travels by foot
  42. incisive
    having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
  43. equine
    resembling a horse
  44. bilk
    cheat somebody out of what is due, especially money
  45. martial
    suggesting war or military life
  46. parry
    impede the movement of (an opponent or a ball)
  47. temerity
    fearless daring
  48. acute
    ending in a sharp point
  49. sanguine
    inclined to a healthy reddish color often associated with outdoor life
  50. lampoon
    ridicule with satire
  51. pedant
    a person who pays more attention to formal rules and book learning than they merit
  52. hidebound
    stubbornly conservative and narrow-minded
  53. declaim
    recite in elocution
  54. openhanded
    given or giving freely
  55. peculate
    appropriate (as property entrusted to one's care) fraudulently to one's own use
  56. beseech
    ask for or request earnestly
  57. ellipsis
    omission or suppression of parts of words or sentences
  58. innocuous
    not injurious to physical or mental health
  59. hermetic
    completely sealed; completely airtight
  60. consternation
    fear resulting from the awareness of danger
  61. burnish
    polish and make shiny
  62. interminable
    tiresomely long; seemingly without end
  63. pinchbeck
    an alloy of copper and zinc that is used in cheap jewelry to imitate gold
  64. myopia
    (ophthalmology) eyesight abnormality resulting from the eye's faulty refractive ability; distant objects appear blurred
  65. expurgate
    edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
  66. tome
    a (usually) large and scholarly book
  67. osteopath
    a therapist who manipulates the skeleton and muscles
  68. toady
    a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage
  69. high-handed
    given to haughty disregard of others
  70. denigrate
    charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone
  71. erstwhile
    belonging to some prior time
  72. unwitting
    not aware or knowing
  73. defalcate
    appropriate (as property entrusted to one's care) fraudulently to one's own use
  74. chaff
    material consisting of seed coverings and small pieces of stem or leaves that have been separated from the seeds
  75. victuals
    a source of materials to nourish the body
  76. canine
    any of various fissiped mammals with nonretractile claws and typically long muzzles
  77. bemoan
    regret strongly
  78. acclaim
    enthusiastic approval
  79. wanton
    lewd or lascivious woman
  80. vacuous
    devoid of matter
  81. talisman
    a trinket or piece of jewelry usually hung about the neck and thought to be a magical protection against evil or disease
  82. sallow
    unhealthy looking
  83. rancor
    a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will
  84. pandiculation
    yawning and stretching (as when first waking up)
  85. magnanimous
    noble and generous in spirit
  86. laissez-faire
    with minimally restricted freedom in commerce
  87. kinetic
    relating to the motion of material bodies and the forces associated therewith
  88. jettison
    throw away, of something encumbering
  89. iconoclast
    someone who attacks cherished ideas or traditional institutions
  90. hapless
    deserving or inciting pity
  91. gargantuan
    of great mass; huge and bulky
  92. fastidious
    giving careful attention to detail; hard to please; excessively concerned with cleanliness
  93. eclectic
    selecting what seems best of various styles or ideas
  94. daunt
    cause to lose courage
  95. candor
    the quality of being honest and straightforward in attitude and speech
  96. beleaguer
    annoy persistently
  97. zealous
    marked by active interest and enthusiasm
  98. abstinent
    self-restraining; not indulging an appetite especially for food or drink
  99. xanthous
    of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
  100. wanderlust
    very strong or irresistible impulse to travel
  101. annulment
    the act of abrogating; an official or legal cancellation
  102. rubicund
    inclined to a healthy reddish color often associated with outdoor life
  103. fulmination
    the act of exploding with noise and violence
  104. tacit
    implied by or inferred from actions or statements
  105. sacrilege
    blasphemous behavior; the act of depriving something of its sacred character
  106. ramble
    move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
  107. qualify
    describe or portray the character or the qualities or peculiarities of
  108. paltry
    contemptibly small in amount
  109. pray
    address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer
  110. oblique
    slanting or inclined in direction or course or position--neither parallel nor perpendicular nor right-angled
  111. narcissism
    an exceptional interest in and admiration for yourself
  112. macrobiotic
    of or relating to the theory or practice of macrobiotics
  113. laggard
    someone who takes more time than necessary; someone who lags behind
  114. kibbutz
    a collective farm or settlement owned by its members in modern Israel; children are reared collectively
  115. iambic
    of or consisting of iambs
  116. hackneyed
    repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
  117. gaffe
    a socially awkward or tactless act
  118. ecclesiastical
    of or associated with a church (especially a Christian Church)
  119. dastard
    a despicable coward
  120. cache
    a hidden storage space (for money or provisions or weapons)
  121. beatific
    marked by utter benignity; resembling or befitting an angel or saint
  122. ablaut
    a vowel whose quality or length is changed to indicate linguistic distinctions (such as sing sang sung song)
  123. homologous
    corresponding or similar in position or structure or function or characteristics; especially derived from an organism of the same species
  124. elocution
    an expert manner of speaking involving control of voice and gesture
  125. sepulcher
    a chamber that is used as a grave
  126. loquacious
    full of trivial conversation
  127. sentinel
    a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
  128. dissever
    separate into parts or portions
  129. curio
    something unusual -- perhaps worthy of collecting
  130. caitiff
    a cowardly and despicable person
  131. incursion
    the act of entering some territory or domain (often in large numbers)
  132. bulwark
    an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes
  133. valediction
    a farewell oration (especially one delivered during graduation exercises by an outstanding member of a graduating class)
  134. balustrade
    a railing at the side of a staircase or balcony to prevent people from falling
  135. eminent
    standing above others in quality or position
  136. cadence
    (prosody) the accent in a metrical foot of verse
  137. emollient
    toiletry consisting of any of various substances in the form of a thick liquid that have a soothing and moisturizing effect when applied to the skin
  138. reprobate
    a person without moral scruples
  139. guerdon
    a reward or payment
  140. escutcheon
    a shield; especially one displaying a coat of arms
  141. nabob
    a governor in India during the Mogul empire
  142. grenadine
    thin syrup made from pomegranate juice; used in mixed drinks
  143. brevity
    the attribute of being brief or fleeting
  144. concise
    expressing much in few words
  145. laconic
    brief and to the point; effectively cut short
  146. pithy
    concise and full of meaning
  147. quiescent
    being quiet or still or inactive
  148. reticent
    reluctant to draw attention to yourself
  149. succinct
    briefly giving the gist of something
  150. taciturn
    habitually reserved and uncommunicative
  151. terse
    brief and to the point; effectively cut short
  152. colloquial
    characteristic of informal spoken language or conversation
  153. diffuse
    spread out; not concentrated in one place
  154. digress
    wander from a direct or straight course
  155. eloquence
    powerful and effective language
  156. garrulous
    full of trivial conversation
  157. grandiloquent
    lofty in style
  158. loquacious
    full of trivial conversation
  159. prattle
    speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly
  160. rant
    talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner
  161. rhetorical
    of or relating to rhetoric
  162. verbose
    using or containing too many words
  163. voluble
    marked by a ready flow of speech
  164. arrogant
    having or showing feelings of unwarranted importance out of overbearing pride
  165. braggart
    a very boastful and talkative person
  166. complacent
    contented to a fault with oneself or one's actions
  167. contemptuous
    expressing extreme contempt
  168. disdainful
    having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy
  169. egotistical
    characteristic of those having an inflated idea of their own importance
  170. haughty
    having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy
  171. insolent
    marked by casual disrespect
  172. ostentatious
    intended to attract notice and impress others
  173. presumptuous
    excessively forward
  174. pretentious
    making claim to or creating an appearance of (often undeserved) importance or distinction
  175. supercilious
    having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy
  176. swagger
    to walk with a lofty proud gait, often in an attempt to impress others
  177. banal
    repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
  178. cliche
    a trite or obvious remark
  179. derivative
    a compound obtained from, or regarded as derived from, another compound
  180. insipid
    lacking interest or significance or impact
  181. lackluster
    lacking brilliance or vitality
  182. mundane
    found in the ordinary course of events
  183. platitude
    a trite or obvious remark
  184. prosaic
    lacking wit or imagination
  185. trite
    repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
  186. vapid
    lacking significance or liveliness or spirit or zest
  187. allay
    lessen the intensity of or calm
  188. alleviate
    provide physical relief, as from pain
  189. ameliorate
    to make better
  190. appease
    make peace with
  191. assuage
    provide physical relief, as from pain
  192. conciliate
    cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
  193. mediate
    act between parties with a view to reconciling differences
  194. mitigate
    lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
  195. mollify
    cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
  196. pacify
    cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
  197. lenify
    cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
  198. gruntle
    cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
  199. placate
    cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
  200. quell
    suppress or crush completely
  201. vindication
    the act of vindicating or defending against criticism or censure etc.
  202. fey
    suggestive of an elf in strangeness and otherworldliness
  203. foulard
    a light plain-weave or twill-weave silk or silklike fabric (usually with a printed design)
  204. pernicious
    exceedingly harmful
  205. feldspar
    any of a group of hard crystalline minerals that consist of aluminum silicates of potassium or sodium or calcium or barium
  206. exigency
    a pressing or urgent situation
  207. agnosia
    inability to recognize objects by use of the senses
  208. stolid
    having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited
  209. antipyretic
    preventing or alleviating fever
  210. querulous
    habitually complaining
  211. dyspepsia
    a disorder of digestive function characterized by discomfort or heartburn or nausea
  212. unctuous
    unpleasantly and excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech
  213. margay
    small spotted wildcat found from Texas to Brazil
  214. abnegate
    deny or renounce
  215. primogeniture
    right of inheritance belongs exclusively to the eldest son
  216. odium
    hate coupled with disgust
  217. effendi
    a former Turkish term of respect; especially for government officials
  218. bombinate
    make a buzzing sound
  219. arbitrage
    a kind of hedged investment meant to capture slight differences in price; when there is a difference in the price of something on two different markets the arbitrageur simultaneously buys at the lower price and sells at the higher price
  220. munificent
    very generous
  221. courtly
    refined or imposing in manner or appearance; befitting a royal court
  222. nostrum
    patent medicine whose efficacy is questionable
  223. perpetrator
    someone who perpetrates wrongdoing
  224. aliment
    a source of materials to nourish the body
  225. sessile
    attached directly by the base; not having an intervening stalk
  226. coruscate
    reflect brightly
  227. lugubrious
    excessively mournful
  228. Polaroid
    (trade mark) a plastic film that can polarize a beam of light; often used in sunglasses to eliminate glare
  229. halberd
    a pike fitted with an ax head
  230. quaff
    to swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one draught
  231. nepotism
    favoritism shown to relatives or close friends by those in power (as by giving them jobs)