Persepolis: List 3

by Marjane Satrapi
In this memoir, presented in graphic form, Marjane Satrapi describes growing up during the Iranian revolution.

This list covers "The Cigarette"–"The Dowry."

Here are links to our lists for the book: List 1, List 2, List 3
20 words 2965 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. belligerent
    characteristic of an enemy or one eager to fight
    The walls were suddenly covered with belligerent slogans.
  2. slogan
    a favorite saying of a sect or political group
    The walls were suddenly covered with belligerent slogans.
  3. repressive
    restricting action, freedom, or expression
    Naturally, the regime became more repressive.
  4. exterminate
    kill on a large scale
    In the name of that war, they exterminated the enemy within.
  5. blunt
    characterized by directness in manner or speech
    Sometimes it scares me how blunt she is.
  6. pathetic
    inspiring mixed contempt and pity
    Now he's so religious that he won't look a woman in the eye. The pathetic fool!
  7. ransack
    steal goods; take as spoils
    Khosro found his house ransacked.
  8. opt
    select as an alternative over another
    To keep us from forgetting that we were at war, Iraq opted for a new strategy...
  9. ballistic
    of the motion of objects moving under their own momentum
    I heard they are going to use ballistic missiles against us.
  10. optimism
    a general disposition to expect the best in all things
    My natural optimism just leads me to be skeptical.
  11. skeptical
    marked by or given to doubt
    My natural optimism just leads me to be skeptical.
  12. deserted
    forsaken by owner or inhabitants
    The city was deserted.
  13. fatalism
    a doctrine that all events are predetermined in advance
    As for us, we stayed. Not just out of fatalism. If there was to be a future, in my parents' eyes, that future was linked to my French education.
  14. circumspect
    careful to consider potential consequences and avoid risk
    Some people, more circumspect, took shelter in the basements of big hotels, well-known for their safety.
  15. reinforced
    given added strength or support
    Apparently, their reinforced concrete structures were bombproof.
  16. espadrille
    a cloth sandal with a sole made of rope
    Mom, can I have some money? I want to get some jeans and espadrilles.
  17. discreet
    heedful of potential consequences
    When we walked past the Baba-Levy's house, which was completely destroyed, I could feel that she was discreetly pulling me away.
  18. expel
    force to leave or move out
    After I was expelled, it was a real struggle to find another school that would accept me.
  19. veritable
    being truly so called; real or genuine
    Hitting the principal was a veritable crime.
  20. dowry
    money brought by a woman to her husband at marriage
    Traditionally, when a girl gets married, the husband is supposed to pay her a dowry.
Created on Sun Aug 09 19:05:33 EDT 2015 (updated Wed May 11 16:02:09 EDT 2022)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.