Disney's Aladdin

Anna M.
I like the idea of using well-written pop culture for education whenever possible. If you have a kid who loves (or is soon to love) Aladdin, try teaching them a few of these words used in the movie.

There are also phrases (diamond in the rough) and cultural references (midday prayers, Scheherazadie) that aren't listed on Vocabulary.com, but which would also be great to explain to a kid. The key is making sure *you* understand these ideas thoroughly, then making them part of the fun rather than part of a lecture or rote memorization. :-)
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. abject
    showing humiliation or submissiveness
    When confronted by the sultan, Jafar expresses his "most abject and humblest apologies" for "mistakenly" having Aladdin "beheaded." IAGO: Ladies and gentlemen, a warm Agrabah welcome for Sorcerer Jafar! JAFAR: Now where were we? Ah, yes--abject humiliation! (He zaps Jasmine and the sultan with his staff, and they both bow to him. Rajah comes running at him. He zaps Rajah, and the tiger turns into a kitty-cat.)
  2. addendum
    textual matter that is appended to the end of a publication
    JAFAR: I wish for Princess Jasmine to fall desperately in love with me. GENIE: Ah, master-- there are a few addendas, some quid pro quo- Because the subject matter was so confusing and complex in the main text, an addendum was added to explain the essential idea in simpler terms.
  3. addlepated
    stupid and confused
    JAFAR: Soon, I will be sultan, not that addlepated twit. The opposite of the addlepated old man I was expecting, the professor was witty, insightful, and highly knowledgeable.
  4. Allah
    Muslim name for the one and only God
    SULTAN: ...by Allah, this [magic carpet] is quite a remarkable device. Muslims refer to God as Allah, which means "the (al) god (lah)."
  5. alluring
    highly attractive and able to arouse hope or desire
    GENIE (as a town woman): Prince Ali, handsome is he, Ali Ababwa. TOWN WOMEN: There's no question this Ali's alluring. Because she collects designer purses, Erica found the Coach sale highly alluring.
  6. assets
    anything of material value owned by a person or company
    When Jafar reveals that Aladdin isn't really Prince Ali, he claims Aladdin's "assets frozen." In other words, Aladdin can't use any of the wealth or advantages he supposedy has. Our company's assets include both our wide assortment of necessary supplies and our highly motivated and hard working employees.
  7. asunder
    into parts or pieces
    GENIE (as a town woman): Adjust your veil and prepare. TOWN WOMEN: He's about to pull my heart asunder. The sea storm was so incredibly strong that it tore all our sails asunder.
  8. baklava
    dessert made of flaky pastry, nuts, and honey
    GENIE: Say what you wish, it's yours! True dish. How about a little more baklava? After a nice Greek, Egyptian, or Middle Eastern meal, I love to eat a sweet slice of baklava for dessert. It tastes great alone or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
  9. bazaar
    a street of small shops, especially in the Middle East
    GENIE (leading a parade): Hey, clear the way in the old bazaar, ... The local bazaar has a huge variety of food and goods for sale: fish heads, exotic candies, Persian rugs, precious figurines, and even tube socks!
  10. beau
    a man with whom one has a romantic relationship
    As Aladdin tries to romance Jasmine, the genie asks "How's our beau doing?" and the magic carpet motions that he's practically dying. Although he's a bit oldfashioned, my beau (or boyfriend) is very handsome.
  11. bona fide
    not counterfeit or copied
    In "Never Had a Friend Like Me," the genie sings that Aladdin gets three wishes "bona fide, certified." In other words, the genie offering his services isn't a trick or a lie. ALADDIN: Genie, I wish for your freedom. GENIE: One bona fide prince pedigree coming up. I--what? ALADDIN: (He holds the lamp up to GENIE.) Genie, you're free! What idiot thought she's a fake professor? Her bona fide PhD diploma is hanging on the wall where everyone can see it.
  12. Casanova
    any man noted for his amorous adventures
    The genie calls Aladdin a "Casanova" when he's trying to get Jasmine to love him with shows of great wealth and smooth talk. This, of course, in no way impresses Jasmine. There really was an Italian man named Casanova who was famous for his dashing good looks and many romantic affairs, but these days his name is used to describe any man with a similar reputation.
  13. charge d'affaires
    the official temporarily in charge of a diplomatic mission in the absence of the ambassador
    In the Cave of Wonders, the genie promises to become Aladdin's "charge d'affaires" while he sings about doing all he can to help his new master. Until a permanent replacement can be made for the disgraced diplomat, a temporarily appointed charge d'affaires will represent our interests.
  14. cosmic
    pertaining to or characteristic of the universe
    GENIE: It's all part-and-parcel, the whole genie gig. Phenomenal cosmic powers! Itty bitty living space. The TV series Cosmos by astrophysicist Carl Sagan was meant to educate and inspire people hoping to understand cosmic reality.
  15. coterie
    an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose
    In the song "Prince Ali," the genie refers to "Ali Abawa's" coterie of close and trusted friends. Ironically, Aladdin began with a very small coterie of only himself and the monkey Abu. TV shows such as Cheers, Seinfeld, Friends, and Community feature small, tightly knit coteries -- groups of trusted friends with common interests or goals who stick together and rarely (if ever) attempt to bring new friends into the group. Basically, they're cliques.
  16. dumb
    lacking the power of human speech
    When Jafar calls Iago a "dumb animal," he's making an insulting pun. He's saying Iago is dumb (stupid) and dumb (unable to speak like a human). This is saracastic because, of course, the sultan thinks Iago is a stupid bird who can only echo human speech when, in fact, he's so intelligent that he *can* communicate like a human. In the phrase "deaf and dumb," the word "dumb" does not mean the person is stupid but that they cannot speak, likely because being deaf makes this very difficult to learn
  17. ecstatic
    feeling great rapture or delight
    SULTAN: Prince Ali Ababwa! Of course. I'm delighted to meet you. This is my royal vizier, Jafar. He's delighted too. JAFAR: (with obvious, dry sarcasm) Ecstatic. I'm afraid, Prince Abooboo-- When they won Olympic gold, our country's gymnastics team was beyond happy -- they were ecstatic!
  18. effendi
    a former Turkish term of respect
    ALADDIN (to Abu, while sharing stolen bread): And now, esteemed effendi, we feast! Truly, dear effendi, the law would have been a great one if it had passed.
  19. fakir
    a Muslim or Hindu mendicant monk regarded as a holy man
    GENIE (as the parade of people): With his forty fakirs, his cooks, his bakers/ His birds that warble on key/ Make way ... for Prince Ali! I don't know what I'm going to do. Perhaps talking to a wise fakir would help me make this decision.
  20. fez
    a felt cap for a man
    GENIE: First, that fez and vest combo is much too third century. In a formal meeting with an important person, it is good manners to lift or remove one's fez (or other hat) and bow.
  21. freewheeling
    free of restraints or rules
    JASMINE: Unbelievable sights/ Indescribable feeling/ Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling/ Through an endless diamond sky Before his arrest, Mr. Alcala, whom the authorities have described as highly intelligent, assumed the life of a freewheeling bachelor. New York Times (Jun 20, 2012)
  22. genuflect
    bend the knees and bow in a servile manner
    GENIE: Genuflect,/ show some respect/ down on one knee. Roman Catholics often genuflect, bending one knee and making the sign of the cross, when in front of a crucifix or when entering a pew at mass.
  23. gig
    a booking for performers
    ALADDIN: You're a prisoner? GENIE: It's all part-and-parcel, the whole genie gig. Having cancelled gigs in Nashville, Knoxville, Charlotte, Dover, Norfolk and New York, the band will resume their tour in Chicago next month.
  24. grovel
    show submission or fear
    GENIE (sings, as a town woman): To gawk and grovel and stare at Prince Ali! I'm never taking my ex back, no matter how much he grovels and begs!
  25. hummus
    a thick spread made from mashed chickpeas
    GENIE: To be my own master, such a thing would be greater than all the magic and all the treasures in all the world! But what am I talking about, here? Let's get real here. It's not gonna happen. Genie, wake up and smell the hummus. Instead of dip, I love eating pita chips with a spicy hummus.
  26. improvise
    manage in a makeshift way; do with whatever is at hand
    GENIE: Al, I can't help you--I work for senor psychopath, now. ALADDIN: Hey--I'm a street rat, remember? I'll improvise. What impresses me most about talented jazz musicians is their ability improvise complex, creative solos--which are invented on the spot, rather than read off the page.
  27. jot
    write briefly or hurriedly; write a short note of
    GENIE: Mister Aladdin sir,/ What will your pleasure be?/ Let me take your order, jot it down./ You ain't never had a friend like me! Before running out the door to work, he often jots a note or two about errands he'll need to run later.
  28. liege
    a feudal lord entitled to allegiance and service
    SULTAN: Everything...will be...fine. JAFAR: The diamond. SULTAN: Here, Jafar. Whatever you need will be fine. JAFAR: You are most gracious, my liege. Now run along and play with your little toys. JAFAR: (Unrolling a scroll) Right here. "If the princess has not chosen a husband by the appointed time, then the sultan shall choose for her." SULTAN: But Jasmine hated all those suitors! How could I choose someone she hates? JAFAR: Not to worry, my liege. There is more.
  29. maitre d'
    a dining-room attendant who is in charge of the waiters and the seating of customers
    GENIE: Life is your restaurant/ And I'm your maitre d'! Although our waiter was bumbling and rude, the maitre d', or head waiter, replaced our meals and ensured the rest of our dining experience went smoothly.
  30. menagerie
    a collection of live animals for study or display
    GENIE: Has he got a zoo, I'm telling you/ It's a world class menagerie! Monkeys, lions, elephants, and bears are commonly seen in menageries.
  31. merit
    be worthy or deserving
    IAGO: Okay, you marry the princess,all right? Then, uh, you become sultan! JAFAR: Oh! Marry the shrew? I become sultan. The idea has merit! I spent weeks researching for this paper, days writing it, and hours upon hours editing it. By now, it surely merits an A!
  32. mystic
    beyond ordinary understanding
    JAFAR: Ah, but it would require the use of the mystic blue diamond. Upon the altar stood a large wooden cup, filled with small sticks, marked with certain mystic characters, representing both good and ill luck. Dalton, William
  33. mythology
    the body of stories associated with a culture or institution
    GENIE: Hey, Rugman: ciao! I'm history! No, I'm mythology! No, I don't care what I am--I'm free! Greek, Norse, Egyptian, and Native American mythologies all involve supernatural beings whose moods and actions were thought to make life unpredictable.
  34. nabob
    a wealthy man
    GENIE: Mister Aladdin, sir, have a wish or two or three/ I'm on the job, you big nabob./ You ain't never had a friend ... The era of nabobs, returning with vast wealth to astonish the English people, has long since passed away. Kennedy, James
  35. nom de plume
    a name an author uses instead of their real name
    ALADDIN: One jump ahead of the slowpokes/ One skip ahead of my doom/ Next time gonna use a nom de plume. The nom de plume of Samuel Clemens was Mark Twain.
  36. pedigree
    the ancestry or lineage of an individual
    ALADDIN: Genie, I wish for your freedom. GENIE: One bona fide prince pedigree coming up. I--what? ALADDIN: (He holds the lamp up to GENIE.) Genie, you're free! He was such an insufferable snob that he wouldn't even talk to anyone who lacked a royal pedigree.
  37. phenomenal
    exceedingly or unbelievably great
    GENIE: It's all part-and-parcel, the whole genie gig. Phenomenal cosmic powers! Itty bitty living space. The screen writer's jaw dropped at the response to her film. She'd convinced herself it would be a flop, but the critics loved her writing and the public came in record numbers to watch the movie again and again. It had been a surprise, phenomenal success!
  38. proviso
    a stipulated condition
    ALADDIN: You're gonna grant me any three wishes I want? GENIE: Ah, almost. There are a few provisos, a couple of quid pro quos. ... ALADDIN: Ah, provisos? You mean limitations? On wishes? (To Abu) Some all powerful genie. I agreed to go to the country music concert, but only with the proviso that next weekend I get to choose our entertainment.
  39. punch-drunk
    dazed from or as if from repeated blows
    GENIE (when Aladdin teases Jafar, who's transformed into a giant snake, that he isn't as powerful as the genie): The boy is crazy. He's a little punch drunk. One too many hits with the snake. Like a punch-drunk fighter, the injured rabbit dragged itself toward the fence's gate -- safely away from our pet dogs.
  40. quid pro quo
    something given in exchange for something else
    ALADDIN: You're gonna grant me any three wishes I want? GENIE: Ah, almost. There are a few provisos, a couple of quid pro quos. JAFAR: I wish for Princess Jasmine to fall desperately in love with me. GENIE: Ah, master-- there are a few addendas, some quid pro quo- The corrupt governor hoped his appointment for senator would result in some quid pro quo benefits.
  41. red-letter
    memorable for being a special occasion
    ALADDIN: A whole new world! JASMINE: Every turn a surprise. ALADDIN: With new horizons to pursue. JASMINE: Every moment, red-letter. For me, it was a truly red-letter day when I accepted the Nobel Prize for Physics.
  42. riffraff
    common or disreputable people
    GUARDS: (one at a time) Riffraff! Street rat!/ Scoundrel! Take that! ALADDIN: Riffraff, street rat./ I don't buy that./ If only they'd look closer/ Would they see a poor boy? No siree./ They'd find out, there's so much more to me. Disdaining the riffraff, they picked out certain attractive individuals milling outside and beckoned them to cut through the crowd, pay their admission and enter. Millard, Max
  43. ruminate
    reflect deeply on a subject
    GENIE: Master, I don't think you quite realize what you've got here! So why don't you just ruminate, whilst I illuminate the possibilities. Rather than attend parties, watch TV, or gossip with friends, she spent long hours on Saturday nights ruminating about the nature of reality, the fate of the universe, and other grand philosopical topics. He ruminated for weeks, unsure about whether he should run for public office. Ultimately, he decided it was his responsibility as a citizen to try, but
  44. salaam
    a deep bow; a Muslim form of salutation
    PEDDLER (as the movie begins): Ah, Salaam and good evening to you worthy friend. Please, please, come closer. GENIE: Now try your best to stay calm/ Brush up your Sunday Salaam. I wasn't sure if they were Middle Eastern, but my doubts were put to rest when they greeted me with a formal, yet friendly, salaam.
  45. Shah
    title for the former hereditary monarch of Iran
    GENIE: Yes sir, we pride ourselves on service/ You're the boss, the king, the shah! Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last shah of Persia (modern day Iran), officially adopted the title shâhanshâh (literally, "King of Kings"), which, in western languages, is typically translated "Emperor."
  46. sheepish
    marked by docility or stupidity or meekness or timidity
    ALADDIN: Now about my three wishes-- GENIE: Dost mine ears deceive me? Three? You are down by ONE, boy! ALADDIN: Ah, no--I never actually wished to get out of the cave. You did that on your own. GENIE: (thinks for a second, his jaw drops, then he turns into a sheep) Well, don't I feel just sheepish? All right, you baaaaad boy, but no more freebies. After his crush said he was the handsomest, cleverest boy she knew, the shy young man gave a sheepish grin.
  47. shrew
    a scolding nagging bad-tempered woman
    IAGO: Okay, you marry the princess, all right? Then, uh, you become sultan! JAFAR: Oh! Marry the shrew? I become sultan. The idea has merit! The Taming of the Shrew is a play by Shakespeare about two sisters: the sweet and beautiful Bianca, who is adored by many men, and her shrewish older sibling Katherine, whose harsh words and attitude irritate or even frighten every man she meets. The plot begins with their father declaring that Katherine must marry before Bianca will be allowed to do so.
  48. sinister
    wicked, evil, or dishonorable
    GENIE: You know Al, I'm getting (turns and sees JAFAR) reallyyyyyy--I don't think you're him. (He descends and consults a playbill.) Tonight, the role of Al will be played by a tall, dark and sinister ugly man. JAFAR: I am your master now. My niece normally keeps away from sinister places, but on Halloween she searches for the spookiest, creepiest, scariest looking houses because she figures they give the best candy.
  49. suitor
    a man who courts a woman
    SULTAN: Dearest, you've got to stop rejecting every suitor that comes to call. The law says you... SULTAN & JASMINE: ... must be married to a prince. Most teenage girls use the words date or boyfriend these days instead of old words like suitor.
  50. sultan
    the ruler of a Muslim country
    ALADDIN: Just a handful of this stuff would make me richer than the sultan! IAGO: Okay, you marry the princess, all right? Then, uh, you become sultan! JAFAR: Oh! Marry the shrew? I become sultan. The idea has merit!
  51. swaggering
    having or showing arrogant superiority
    JASMINE: Hmm. I'm rich too, you know. ALADDIN: Yeah! JASMINE: The daughter of a sultan ALADDIN: I know. JASMINE: A fine prize for any prince to marry. ALADDIN: Uh, right. Right. A prince like me. BEE: (Buzzing in his ear) Warning! Warning! JASMINE: Right, a prince like you. And every other stuffed shirt, swaggering, peacock I've met!
  52. tassel
    adornment consisting of a bunch of cords fastened at one end
    GENIE: Hey, Rugman! Haven't seen you in a few millennia! Slap me some tassel! Yo! The castle curtains ended in very old, frayed tassels on the bottom.
  53. terminal
    causing or ending in or approaching death
    JAFAR: To send him packing on a one-way trip / So his prospects take a terminal dip / His assets frozen, the venue chosen / Is the ends of the earth, whoopee! Though it merely describes the food venues at the end of the airport, a part of me still finds it disconcerting to eat at the "terminal bar."
  54. turban
    a headdress made of a long scarf wrapped around the head
    GENIE: Hang on to your turban, kid, cause we're gonna make you a star! In Arab and Sikh communities, it's common to see men wearing turbans. In one adventure of Sinbad the Sailor, he unwraps his turban so that he can tie himself to the leg of a giant bird. He figures its his only hope of getting back to humanity and safety.
  55. unimpeachable
    beyond doubt or reproach
    SULTAN: Yes, yes. And you'll be happy and prosperous, and then my boy, you will be sultan! ALADDIN: Sultan? SULTAN: Yes, a fine upstanding youth like yourself, a person of your unimpeachable moral character is exactly what this kingdom needs! Although their motives were unimpeachable, the methods by which they tried to create a utopian commune nevertheless shocked and worried those outside the community.
  56. urchin
    a poor and often mischievous city child
    JAFAR: Prince Ali is nothing more than that ragged urchin Aladdin. He has the lamp, Iago. Street urchins -- very poor homeless kids -- are often depicted as using begging, stealing, and petty crimes to survive.
  57. valet
    someone employed to park and retrieve cars
    ALADDIN: I wonder what it would be like to live there, to have servants and valets ... Although valet parking is nice, most of the time I prefer to park my car myself.
  58. vandal
    someone who willfully destroys or defaces property
    CROWD: Stop, thief! Vandal! / Outrage! Scandal! ALADDIN: Let's not be too hasty! I caught this little punk, this vandal, this defacer of the well-to-do's property spray painting my brand new Mercedes. You'll pay for vandalizing my property!!
  59. venue
    the scene of any event or action
    JAFAR: His assets frozen, the venue chosen / Is the ends of the earth, whoopee! Though a very middle class restaurant during the day, at night this place is the top venue for performances by local hard rock and heavy metal bands.
  60. vile
    morally reprehensible
    SULTAN: Jafar, you vile betrayer. IAGO: That's Sultan Vile Betrayer to you. Rupert was vile in both senses of the word: his clothes stank like a vomit-covered skunk, and his morals were as depraved as a fisherman who baits hooks with morsels of orphans.
  61. vizier
    a high government official in some Muslim countries
    SULTAN: Prince Ali Ababwa! Of course. I'm delighted to meet you. This is my royal vizier, Jafar. He's delighted too. JAFAR: (with obvious, dry sarcasm) Ecstatic. I'm afraid, Prince Abooboo-- JAFAR: If, in the event a suitable prince cannot be found, a princess must then be wed to...hmm...interesting. SULTAN: What? Who? JAFAR: The royal vizier! Why, that would be...me!
  62. warble
    sing or play with trills
    GENIE (as the parade of people): With his forty fakirs, his cooks, his bakers/ His birds that warble on key/ Make way ... for Prince Ali! Only the most talented vocalists can sing with a controlled, pleasing warble -- many singers sound too weak or unsteady to hold a pitch when they attempt to trill or vibrate their voice.
Created on Tue Aug 07 16:38:47 EDT 2012 (updated Mon Jan 13 19:31:31 EST 2014)

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