VOCAB FOR JEMAT

Abase – to humiliate, degrade
Abash – to bewilder, confound
Abate – to remove, lessen
Abdicate - to forsake, give up
Aberration – deviation
Abeyance – inactivity
Abhor – to detest, hate
Abject – degraded, miserable
Abjure – to recant, revoke
Abnegate – to deny, denounce
Abominate – to dislike
Abort – to be unsuccessful, fail to develop
Abrade – to scrape out
Abrogate – to abolish
Abscond – to bolt, decamp, flee
Absolve – to pardon
Abstemious – eating or drinking sparingly
Abstract – summary
Abstruse – profound, hidden, hard to under-stand
Accede - to consent
Accessory – accomplice
Acclivity – incline rising slope
Accolade – honor, award
Accord – to grant, allow
Accost – to greet aggressively
Accretion – adhesion, concretion
Accrue – to accumulate
Acerbity – sharpness, bitterness
Acme – summit, peak
Acolyte – attendant, helper
Acrimonious – sharp, acrid
Actuate – to put into action
Adamant – immovable
Adduce – to give as proof
Adjudicate – to decide (a case)
Adjunct – auxiliary, appendage
Adjure – to state on oath
Admonish – to caution, warn
Adroit – skillful, clever
Adulation – flattery
Adulterate – to corrupt, contaminate
Advent – coming
Adventitious – accidental
Advocate – counsel, defender
Aegis – protection
Aesthetic – pertaining to beauty
Affability – politeness, courtesy
Affinity – relation, alliance
Affluence – wealth
Aggrandize – to increase in power
Agnostic – one who doubts the existence of God
Agrarian – relating to farming
Alacrity – willingness, agility
Albeit – although
Alchemy – chemistry of the middle ages
Alimentary – supplying food
Allay – to soothe, calm
Allegory – parable, fable
Allocate – to distribute
Allude – to insinuate, refer
Altercation – quarrel
Alternation - recurrence, succession
Altruism – unselfish devotion
Amalgamate – to combine, unite
Ambidextrous – using both hands equally well
Ameliorate - to amend, improve
Amenable – responsible, liable
Amenity – pleasantness
Amiable – pleasing, loving
Amorphous – shapeless
Anachronism – something misplaced in time
Analogy – similarity, affinity
Anarchy – absence of government
Anathema – ban, curse
Anchorite – hermit
Ancillary – subordinate
Anecdote – tale, story
Animate – to inspire, encourage
Animosity – enmity, hatred
Annals – historical accounts
Anneal – to heat glass, metal, etc.
Annotator – commentator
Anomaly – abnormality, deviation
Antagonist – opponent
Antecede – to come before (in time or place)
Antedate – to assign a date earlier than the actual one
Anterior - front
Antimacassar – cover used to protect furniture
Antipathy – aversion, dislike
Antithesis – contrast, direct opposite
Aperture – opening
Apex – highest point
Aphorism – saying, adage
Apiary – place where bees are kept
Aplomb – self-confidence
Apochryphal – of questionable authenticity
Apogee – farthest orbit point from the earth
Apoplexy – sudden loss of consciousness
Apostasy – abandoning of faith
Apothecary – druggist
Apothegm – short, pithy statement
Appall – to terrify, shock
Appellation – name, title
Apposite – suitable, appropriate
Apprise – to inform
Approbation – approval, consent
Arbiter – arbitrator, judge
Archaic – no longer used
Archipelago – chain of island
Archives – place where records are kept
Arduous – difficult
Argot – slang
Array – rank, order, finery
Arrears – in debt
Articulate – to speak or write clearly
Artifice – mastery, trickery
Asperity – acrimony, harshness
Aspersion – slander, false accusation
Assay – to analyze chemically
Asseverate- to state positively
Assiduity – care, diligence
Assimilate - to absorb
Assuage – to pacify, calm
Astral – starry
Astringent – contracting (tissues), severe
Astute – shrewd
Atheist – one who denies the existence of God
Atrophy – to waste away, deteriorate
Attenuate – to weaken
Attrition – a wearing away, weakening
Audacious – bold
Augment – to increase
Augur – to predict
August – majestic, noble
Auspice – protection
Auspicious – fortunate, favorable
Austere – rigid, severe
Authoritative – powerful, commanding
Autocratic – arrogant, dictatorial
Autonomy – self-government
Auxiliary – assistant, helping
Avarice – greed, cupidity
Aver – assert
Averse – unwilling
Aviary – place where birds are kept
Avidity – eagerness
Avoirdupois – weight
Avow – declare
Awry – crooked, bent
Axiomatic – principle accepted as self-evident

Badger – to harass, nag
Badinage – banter
Baleful – harmful, evil
Balm – something that soothes
Banal – meaningless, commonplace
Bandy – to exchange (word)
Band – cause of harm
Barrister – court lawyer
Bedizen – to dress in a gaudy, vulgar manner
Beguile – to deceive
Belabor – to attack verbally, drag out
Bellicose – warlike
Beneficient – liberal, kind
Benign – gentle, mild
Berate – to scold
Bereft – bereaved, deprived of
Bestial – savage
Bestride – to mount
Bicameral – having two legislative chambers
Biennial - every two years
Bilious – bad-tempered
Biped – two-footed animal
Bivouac – encampment
Bland – mild
Blasé – indifferent
Blasphemy – profane abuse of anything sacred
Blatant – noisy, vociferous
Blazon – to adorn, proclaim
Bluster – to swagger, boast
Bogus – counterfeit
Boisterous – violent, furious
Bombast – pompous speech
Botch – to ruin
Bounty – generosity
Bourgeois – middle class
Bovine – ox or cow
Brandish – to wave menacingly
Bravado – pretense of bravery
Breech – lower part of the body
Brigand – robber, bandit
Broach – to start a discussion
Browbeat – to intimidate
Brusque – abrupt in manner
Bucolic – rustic
Buffoon – clown
Buoyancy – lightness, animation
Bureaucracy – government of specialized functions and hierarchy of officials
Burgeon – bud, sprout
Burnish – to polish
Butte – hill
Buttress – prop, protuberance

Cabal – intrigue, faction
Cache – hiding place
Cacophony – harsh sound
Cadence – measured movement
Cajole – to coax, flatter
Caldron – kettle
Calligraphy – penmanship
Callous – hard, obdurate
Callow – unfledged
Calumny – slander, defamation
Canard – hoax
Canker – ulcer
Cant – tilt, whining speech
Cantilever – supporting bracket
Canvass – to make a survey, solicit
Capacious – roomy, ample
Caper – frolic, mischievous act
Capitulate – to surrender
Caprice – whim, fancy
Captious – touchy, cross
Captivate – to charm, fascinate
Carnage – slaughter, massacre
Carnivorous – flesh-eating
Carom – rebound
Carp – to complain constantly
Carrion – decaying flesh
Castigate – to punish
Casuistry – false reasoning
Cataclysm – violent change or upheaval
Catalyst – agent of change
Cathartic – purifying
Catholic – universal
Caustic – sarcastic, corrosive
Cavil – to quibble
Celerity – rapidity, velocity
Censorious – fault-finding
Censure – to criticize sharply
Centrifugal – moving away from center
Cephalic – of the head
Cerebration – thought process
Chafe – fret, irritate
Chaff – worthless material
Chagrin – embarrassment
Charlatan – faker
Charnel – place where corpses are deposited
Chary – discreetly cautious
Chastise – to castigate, correct
Chattel – slave
Chauvinism – fanatical patriotism
Chicanery – deception
Chimerical – imaginary
Choleric – irascible, easily angered
Chronic – always present
Churlish – ill-bred
Circuitous – roundabout, tortuous
Circumlocution – evasion in speech
Circumspect – watchful, cautious
Circumvent – to avoid
Citadel – fortress
Civility – politeness, affability
Clairvoyant – able to perceive something not readily apparent
Clandestine – secret, hidden
Cloy – to overindulge with an initially pleasing thing
Coagulate – to thicken, clot
Coalesce – to unite, join forces
Coda – ending section distinct from the main body of a work
Coerce – to force
Cogent – forcible, convincing
Cogitate – to think seriously
Cognate – related
Cognizant – aware
Cohesion – a sticking together
Collate to put together in proper order
Colligate – to group together
Collocate – to arrange in position
Colloquy – conversation, dialogue
Collusion – secret agreement to defraud
Colophon – inscription in a book
Colorable – plausible, ostensible
Comestible – edible
Commensurate - proportionate
Commodious – spacious
Commute – alter, exchange
Compatible – consistent
Compendious – spacious
Compendium – abridgment, abstract
Compunction – uneasiness, remorse
Conclave – secret meeting
Concomitant – accompanying
Concupiscence – strong desire
Condign – appropriate
Condone – to overlook as unimportant
Conduce – to lead toward a desired end
Configuration – shape, arrangement
Confiscatory – seized by authority
Conflagration – destructive fire
Confute – to disprove, refute
Congeal – to change to a solid state
Congenital – existing from birth
Congruous – appropriate, in agreement
Coniferous – cone-bearing
Conjecture – guess, conclusion
Conjure – to summon solemnly
Connive – cooperate secretly
Connoisseur – expert, critic
Connote –suggest, imply
Conscript – to force into service, draft
Consecrate – to sanctify, dedicate
Consonance – harmony
Consort – associate, companion
Constellation – group of stars
Consternation – sudden confusion, panic
Constituency – voters in a district
Constrain – to restrict movement, limit
Constrict – to shrink
Consummate – to complete
Contemn – to despise, scorn
Contemptuous – scornful, insolent
Contentious – argumentative
Contiguous – adjacent, touching
Contingency – casualty, occurrence
Contravene – to contradict
Contrition – remorse, repentance
Contrivance – plan, scheme
Controvert – to debate, dispute
Contumely – rudeness
Contusion - bruise
Conundrum – riddle
Conversant – familiar with
Convivial – joyous, festal
Convoke – to assemble
Convulse – to shake violently, agitate
Copious – abundant
Corollary – inference, result
Corona – crown, luminous circle
Corporeal – pertaining to the body
Corpulent – fat, stout
Correlate – to be in mutual relation
Corrigible – amenable, tractable
Corroborate – to strengthen, confirm
Coterie – group
Countenance – facial expression, composure
Countermand – to cancel with a contrary order
Covenant – contract
Covert – clandestine, secret
Covet – to desire, aspire to
Cower – to cringe in feat
Cozen – to trick
Crag – steep projecting rock
Crass – grossly stupid
Credence – belief, faith
Credible – believable
Credulity – simplicity, gullibility
Crimp – to bend into shape, pinch together
Cruciate – cross-shaped
Crux – vital point
Cryptic – mysterious
Cudgel – club
Culmination – highest point, climax
Culpable – deserving blame
Cumbrous – unwieldy
Cupidity – avarice, greed
Curry – to seek favor by flattery
Cursory – hasty, superficial
Cynical – sarcastic, sneering
Cynosure – center of attraction

Dalliance – dawdling
Dank – chilly and wet
Dastard – coward
Dauntless – valiant, intrepid
Dearth – scarcity
Debacle – complete failure, fiasco
Debase – to degrade, lower
Debauch – to corrupt
Debility – weakness
Debonair – affable, jaunty
Decamp – to break camp, depart suddenly
Decant – to pour
Deciduous – shedding (leaves) annually
Declaim – speak, debate
Declaration – announcement
Declivity – descent, slop
Decorous – proper in good taste
Decrepit – run-down, worn-out
Decry – to censure
Deference – honor, respect
Definitive – explicit, conclusive
Defunct – no longer existing
Deign – to condescend
Deleterious – harmful
Delineate – to describe
Demean – to behave properly
Denigrate – to describe
Demean – to behave properly
Denigrate – to define, belittle
Denizen – inhabitant
Denote – to standard for, mean
Denude – to strip, divest
Deposition – removal (from office), testimony
Depraved – sinful
Deprecate – to disapprove of
Depreciate – to lessen the value of
Depute – to appoint, entrust
Derogatory – disparaging
Descry – to discover, make known
Desecrate – to profane, abuse
Desiccate – to dry up
Desist – to cease, stop
Despicable – contemptible
Desultory – loose, rambling
Deterrent – constraint, preventative
Detritus – product of disintegration
Devious – rambling, errant, tricky
Diametric – opposite
Diaphanous – extremely delicate, insubstantial
Dichotomy – division into two parts
Dictum – positive statement
Didactic – instructive
Diffident – lacking confidence, reserved
Diffuse – to spread without restraint
Dilate – to stretch, widen
Dilatory – tardy, lagging
Dilettante – one who dabbles superficially
Diligent – industrious, assiduous
Diluvial – pertaining to feeds
Discern – to observe, perceive
Discompose – to upset the order of
Disconcert – to confound, disturb
Disconsolate – sad, forlorn
Discord – disagreement
Discountenance – disapproval
Discursive – rambling
Disdain – to scorn
Disingenuous – without candor
Disparage – to belittle
Disparate – distinct in quality
Disputation – debase
Disseminate – to spread widely
Dissident – disagreeing
Dissimulate – to put on a false appearance
Dissipate – to scatter or use wastefully
Dissolute – morally loose
Dissonant – lacking harmony
Dissuade – to advise against
Distend – to stretch out
Distrait – absentminded, distracted
Distraught – mentally upset
Diverge – to branch off, deviate
Divers – various
Divest – to deprive, strip off
Doctrinate – impractical theorist
Dogmatic – arrogant stating of opinion
Doldrums – low spirits
Dole – something given sparingly
Doleful – dismal
Dolorous – mournful
Dolt – stupid person
Dotage – senility
Dour – stern, gloomy
Dowdy – shabby, styleless
Dreg – undesirable leftovers
Drivel – silly talk
Droll – funny, amusing
Dross – refuse, waste
Dubious – uncertain
Dubitable – open to doubt
Dupe – to deceive
Duplicity – deception
Duress – restraint, force

Ebony – hard durable wood, black
Ebullient – enthusiastic
Ecclesiastical – pertaining to the church
Echelon – formation of units or troops
Eclectic – made up of elements from a variety of source
Ecology – study of the relationships in an environment
Ecumenical – general, worldwide
Edict – public announcement, decree
Edifice – large building
Edify – to enlighten
Educe – to bring forth
Effable – capable of being expressed
Efface – to wipe out, erase
Efficacious – effective
Effigy – image, crud likeness
Effluence – flowing out
Effrontery – impudence
Effulgent – illuminated
Effusive – highly emotional
Egocentric – self-centered
Egregious – flagrant
Egression – emergence
Electorate – voting body
Elicit – to cause a response
Elision – omission
Eloquent – pleasingly expressive
Elucidate – to make clear
Elusive – hard to grasp
Emaciate – to make thin
Emanate – to come out from
Embellish – to ornament
Embody – to make perceptible, personify
Embroil – to involve in an argument
Emend – to correct or alter (as in a literary work)
Emissary – messenger
Emollient – soothing substance
Emolument – salary, compensation
Emulate – to rival or try to equal
Enclave – distinct unit surrounded by foreign territory
Encomium – glowing praise
Encroach – trespass
Encyclopedia – compendium of knowledge
Endemic – restricted to a given locality
Endogenous – originating from within
Enervate – to lessen the vitality of
Enfranchise – to give the right to vote
Engender – to bring into being
Engross – to take the entire attention of
Engulf – to swallow up
Enigmatic – hard to understand, puzzling
Enjoin – to impose by order, prohibit
Enmesh – to entangle
Enmity – hostility
Enormity – outrageous act
Ensconce – to conceal, settle snugly
Entity – something that exists independently
Entomology – study of insects
Entreat – to implore
Enunciate – to announce, pronounce clearly
Ephemeral – short-lived
Epic – long, narrative poem
Epicure – one who has discriminating tastes for foods and liquors
Epigram – terse, witty saying
Epilogue – closed section of a literary work
Epistle – letter
Epitaph – inscription
Epithet – word or phrase characterizing a person or thing
Epitome – ideal example, embodiment
Epoch – event or time that marks the start of a new period
Equable – uniform, even
Equanimity – composure
Equivocal – purposely deceive
Era – period of time marked by certain events
Ergo – therefore
Ersatz – artificial, substitute
Erudite – learned
Escapement – notched device regulating movement in a mechanism
Escarpment – steep slope between level areas
Eschew – to shun
Esculent – edible
Escutcheon – shield containing a coat of arms
Esoteric – limited to a chosen few
Esthetic – beautiful
Estival – pertaining to summer
Ethereal – airy
Etude – musical composition used for practice
Eulogy – speech in praise of a dead person
Euphemism – substitution of a less offensive word
Euphony – agreeable sounds
Euphoria – feeling of well-being
Evanescent – fading from sight
Evasion – avoidance
Evince – to show plainly
Evoke – to call force, produce
Evolve – to develop gradually
Exacerbate – to aggravate
Exacting – making severe demands
Exclude – to bar
Excoriate – to strip the skin off
Exculpate – to free from blame
Execrable – detestable
Execrate – to curse
Exemplary – serving as a model
Exempt – to excuse from responsibility others are subject to
Exhort – to entreat, appeal urgently
Exhume – to dig up
Exigency – situation making extremely urgent demands
Exigent – urgent
Exiguous – scanty, meager
Exogenous – originating from outside
Exonerate – to clear from blame
Exorcise – to expel (an evil spirit)
Expatiate – to speak or write at length, wander
Expedite – speed up
Expeditious – prompt
Expiate – to make amends
Expound – to state in detail
Expunge – to erase
Expurgate – to remove passages (from a book)
Exquisite – very beautiful, perfected
Extant – still existing
Extemporary – impromptu
Extemporize – to improvise
Extenuate – to lessen the seriousness of
Extirpate – to destroy completely
Extol – to laud
Extraneous – not pertinent to the whole
Extricate – to set free
Extrinsic – to force out
Exude – to discharge
Exult – to rejoice

Fabricate – to manufacture, invent
Fabulous – fictitious
Façade – front or main face of a building
Facetious – lightly joking
Facile – easily done
Facilitate – to make easier
Facsimile – reproduction
Factious – producing dissension
Factitious – artificially produced
Factotum – general worker
Fallacious – tending to mislead
Fallible – capable of erring
Fallow – cultivated land not in use
Fastidious – hard to please, meticulous
Fatuous – foolish
Fawn – to court favor, grovel
Fealty – intense faithfulness
Feasible – possible
Feculent – impure
Fecund – fertile
Fein – to simulate, pretend
Felicitous – appropriate, pleasant
Fell – dangerous, cruel
Ferret – to search out
Fervid – ardent
Fervor – ardor, zeal
Festoon – decorative chain
Fetid – stinking
Fetish – an object believe to have magical powers
Fettle – condition, state of fitness
Fiasco – complete failure
Fickle – capricious
Figment – fine thread
Filch – to pilfer
Finesse – skill
Fissure – cleft or crack
Flaccid – soft and limp
Flagitious – wicked
Flagrant – outrageous
Flail – implement for threshing grain
Flair – aptitude, attractive quality
Flamboyant – showy
Flaunt – to show off
Flex – to bend
Flinch – to draw back
Flippant – lacking proper respect
Florescence – flowering
Floriculture – care of ornamental plants
Flout – to mock or scoff
Fluctuate – to vary
Foible – minor weakness
Foment – to stir up
Foray – to plunder
Forensic – relating to court or public debate
Forerunner – predecessor, sign warning of something to follow
Forlorn – miserable
Formidable – dreadful, awesome
Fortitude – courage
Fortnight – two weeks
Fortuitous – by chance
Fractious – unruly
Fraught – laden
Fray – fight
Frenetic – wildly excited
Frugal – thrifty
Fruition – accomplishment
Fulminate – to explode, denounce
Fulsome – disgusting
Furtive – stealthy

Gainsay – to contradict
Gambol – to frolic
Gamut – entire range
Garble – to distort
Garish – showy, gaudy
Garrulous – talkative
Gastronomy – art of good eating
Gauntlet – glove (medieval), ordeal
Gelid – frozen
Genial – cordial
Genre – sort or type, category
Genus – class, group with similar characteristics
Germane – fitting
Germinate – to develop, sprout
Gestation – development, pregnancy
Gibber – to speak rapidly, chatter
Gibe – to scoff, deride
Gird – to encircle
Glib – superficial, unconvincing
Glut – to oversupply
Glutton – one who overindulges
Goad – spur
Gourmet – expert on good food and drink
Gradient – slope
Grandeur – splendor
Gratuitous – free of charge
Gratuity – tip
Gregarious – sociable
Grimace – expression of pain
Grommet – metal ring
Grueling – very tiring
Guild – organization of persons with common interests
Guile – deceitful behavior
Guise – false pretense
Gyrate – to move in a circular fashion

Hackneyed – overused, trite
Haphazard – not planned, random
Harangue – long speech
Harass – to torment
Harbinger – forerunner
Haughty – extremely proud
Hauteur – disdainful pride
Havoc – great destruction
Hawser – strong rope
Heady – impetuous
Hearth – fireplace floor
Hegemony – dominance of authority
Heinous – hateful, evil
Heptagon – seven-sided polygon
Heresy – anti-religious thought
Hermetic – airtight
Heterodox – differing from the accepted standard
Heterogeneous – differing in structure, mixed
Hexapod – something with six legs
Hiatus – gap
Hibernal – pertaining to winter
Hierarchy – an ordering by rank of grade
Hinder – to thwart, impede
Histrionic – theatrical
Hoax – practical joke, trick
Holocaust – complete destruction
Homily – sermon
Homogeneous – uniform in structure
Homologous – corresponding in structure
Horology – science of measuring time
Hortative – exhorting, pleading
Horticulture – the art of growing flowers, plants, fruits
Huddle – to crowd together
Humus – fertilizer, organic part of soil
Hurtle – to speed
Husbandry – cultivation and care of plants and animals
Hybrid – of mixed origin
Hydrophobia – fear of water
Hyperbole – exaggeration
Hypothesis – assumption

Idiosyncrasy – peculiar mannerism
Idyllic – pleasing, simple, pastoral
Ignoble – mean, base
Ignominious – shameful, degrading
Illicit – unlawful
Illimitable – boundless
Illusory – deceptive
Imbibe – to absorb or drink
Imbroglio – confused situation
Imbue – to permeate
Immolate – to offer in sacrifice
Immutable – unchangeable
Impale – to pierce through
Impalpable – not understood, vague
Impasse – deadlock
Impassioned – ardent, fervent
Impeach – to accuse
Impeccable – flawless
Impecunious – having no money, poor
Imperceptible – slight, subtle
Imperious – domineering
Impertinent – rude
Impervious – not influenced
Impetuous –impulsive
Impious – lacking reverence
Implicit – implied, not appearent
Imply – to indicate by indirect statement
Importune – to urge persistently
Impromptu – insolence
Impugn – to challenge as false
Impunity – freedom harm
Impute – to attribute (something bad) to another
Inadvertence – negligence, oversight
Inalienable – unable to be taken away
Inane – lacking sense
Inarticulate – unable to speak clearly
Incendiary – one who excites or agitates
Inception – beginning
Incessant – never ceasing
Inchoative – just begun, initial
Incipient – beginning to appear
Inclement – stormy
Inclusive – taking all factors into account
Incognito – disguised
Incongruous – unconforming, inconsistent
Inconsiderable – trivial, small
Inconspicuous – not readily apparent
Incorrigible – not able to be corrected, delinquent
Incredulous – not readily apparent
Incorrigible – not able to be corrected, delinquent
Incredulous – skeptical
Increment – increase, addition
Inculpate – to incriminate
Incumbent – officeholder, obligatory
Indefatigable – tireless
Indigenous – native to
Indigent – poor
Indolent – lazy
Indurate – hardened
Ineffable – unspeakable, indescribable
Inert – without power to move or resist
Inexorable – unrelenting
Infamy – unrelenting
Infamy – bad reputation
Inference – conclusion
Infernal – hellish, fiendish
Infinitesimal – immeasurable small
Infrastructure – basic framework of an organization
Infringe – to encroach upon
Ingenious – resourceful, inventive
Ingenuous – frank, naïve
Ingratiate – to seek someone’s favor
Inherent – belonging by nature
Inimical – hostile
Iniquitous – unjust
Injunction – court order, command
Innate – natural, existing from birth
Innocuous – harmless
Innuendo – hint, allusion
Inscrutable – enigmatic, mysterious
Insidious – treacherous
Insinuate – to suggest, hint at artfully
Insipid – dull, tasteless
Insolvent – bankrupt
Instigator – one who incites action
Insular – narrow-minded, limited
Insurgent – one who revolts against established authority
Intangible – incorporeal, vague
Intemperance – excessive indulgence
Interdict – to prohibit
Interment – burial
Interminable – endless
Internment – confinement (of enemies)
Interpolate – to change by inserting new material
Interstice – space, interval
Intractable – unruly, stubborn
Intransigent – refusing to compromise
Intrepid – fearless
Intrinsic – inherent
Introvert – to turn inward
Intuition – insight
Inundate – to overflow overwhelm
Inure – habituate
Invective – denunciation
Inveigh – to complain bitterly
Inveigle – to trick, entice
Investiture – installation in office
Inveterate – firmly established
Invidious – offensive
Invincible – unconquerable
Inviolate – sacred
Irascible – contrary to what was expected, sarcastic
Isthmus – narrow strip of land
Iterate – to repeat over and over
Itinerant – traveling from place to place

Jaundice – yellow pigmentation of the skin
Jaunty – lively
Jettison – to throw overboard, discard as superfluous
Jocose – humorous
Jocund – cheerful
Jocular – playful, jolly
Jostle - to elbow, agitate
Judicious – showing sound judgment
Juggernaut – massive destructive force
Juridical – pertaining to law
Juxtapose – to put side by side

Kaleidoscopic – changing
Kindred – family relationship
Kinetic – active
Kismet – fate
Kith – friends
Knave – credit for an achievement, praise
Labyrinth – maze
Lacerate – to mangle, tear
Laconic – concise
Lambaste – to scold, censure
Lampoon – satirical attack
Languid – weak, dull
Languish – to become weak
Languor – lack of vitality
Larcenous – thievish
Largess – generous giving
Lascivious – lustful
Lassitude – fatigue
Latent – hidden
Laudatory – expressing praise
Lethal – deadly
Lethargic – sluggish
Levity – lightness, frivolity
Lexicon – dictionary
Libation – ceremonial drinking
Licentious – morally unrestrained
Limpid – cleat, transparent
Lineament – a distinctive feature
Lissome – nimble
Litany – prayer, chant
Lithe – flexible
Litigation – lawsuit
Livid – discolored by a bruise, enraged
Location – style of speech
Loquacious – talkative
Lucid – shining, readily understood
Ludicrous – absurd
Lugubrious – affectedly mournful
Luminary – outstanding person
Lurid – sensational

Macabre – gruesome
Machination – evil plot
Macrocosm – entity representing on a larger scale, one of its smaller units
Madrigal – song, ballad
Magistrate – official who administers laws
Magnanimous – generous
Maladroit – awkward
Malefactor – evildoer
Malevolent – arising from an evil will
Malfeasance – wrongdoing
Malign – to slander
Malinger – to feign illness
Malleable – flexible, adaptable
Martinet – very strict disciplinarian
Masticate – to chew up
Maudlin – foolishly sentimental
Megalomania – illusions of grandeur
Meliorate – to make or become better
Mellifluous – flowing sweetly, smoothly
Ménage – household
Mendacious – untruthful
Mendicant – beggar
Menial – servile
Mercurial – changeable, fickle
Meretricious – falsely alluring, gaudy
Meritorious – deserving honor
Mesmerize – hypnotize
Metamorphosis – change of form
Metaphor – figure of speech using one idea in place of another to denote a likeness between the two
Mete – to allot
Meticulous – careful with details
Mettle – spirit, courage
Miasma – pervading corruptive atmosphere
Microcosm – a small unit that is the epitome of a larger entity
Mien – manner, appearance
Militate – to work (for or against)
Millennium – 1000 years
Minion – favored person
Miscreant – villain
Misgiving – doubt
Misnomer – name wrongly applied
Missive – letter
Mitigate – to ease
Mnemonic – memory aid
Modicum – small portion
Modulate – to regulate
Mollify – to appease
Moot – debatable
Mordant – sarcastic
Mores – customs
Moribund – dying
Morose – gloomy
Motley – composed of many elements
Multifarious – diverse
Mundane – worldly
Munificent – generous, lavish
Myopia – nearsightedness
Myriad – very large number

Nadir – lowest point
Nape – back of the neck
Narcissism – self-love
Narrative – story, account
Nascent – coming into being
Nebulous – vague
Nefarious – very wicked
Nemesis – formidable rival, one who inflicts just punishment
Neology – use of an established word in a new way
Neophyte – beginner, convert
Nepotism – favoritism shown relatives
Nettle – irritate
Nexus – link, connection
Niggardly – stingy
Nocturnal – pertaining to night
Noisome – offensive, harmful to health
Nomenclature – system of names
Nonpareil – unequaled
Nonplussed – perplexed
Nostalgia – sentimental yearning for the past
Notorious – widely known
Noxious – harmful
Numismatic – monetary
Nuptial – pertaining to marriage
Nurture – train, rear

Obdurate – stubborn
Obeisance gesture of respect
Obesity – stoutness, fatness
Obfuscate – to obscure
Objurgate – to denounce
Oblation – solemn offering
Oblique – evasive
Obloquy – widespread censure
Obsequious – servile
Obsolescent – falling into disuse
Obstreperous – noisy, unruly
Obstruct – to stop, close
Obtrude – to push out
Obtuse – stupid, blunt
Obviate – to prevent
Occidental – Western
Odious – disgusting
Odoriferous – giving off a smell
Officious – meddlesome
Olfactory – pertaining to smell
Oligarchy – government by a small group often for corrupt purposes
Ominous – threatening
Omnipotent – having unlimited power
Omnivorous – eating all sorts of food
Onerous – burdensome
Onus – burden
Opaque – not translucent
Opprobrious – disgraceful, infamous
Opulent – wealthy
Opus – work, composition
Orbit – revolving path
Ordinance – statute
Ordnance – artillery
Ordure – excrement
Ornate – showy
Ornery – obstinate
Ornithology – study of birds
Oscillate – to fluctuate between two points
Ossify – to change to bone
Ostensible – apparent
Ostentatious – showy
Ostracize – to banish
Overt – done openly
Overweening – arrogant

Palatable – agreeable to the senses
Pall – to lose effectiveness
Palliate – to reduce the intensity of
Pallid – pale
Palpable – obvious, easily perceived
Paltry – pretty
Panacea – remedy for all maladies
Pandemic – widely spread
Parable – short story showing a moral
Paradigm – model, example
Paradox – statement that seems contradictory but may be true in fact
Paragon – model of excellence
Paramount – highest in rank
Paraphernalia – personal belongings
Pariah – outcast
Parity – equality in value
Parody – farcical imitation
Paroxysm – sudden outburst
Parsimony – stinginess, thrift
Parsonage – pastor’s dwelling
Pastoral – of shepherds, rural
Patent – evident
Pathos – something which arouses pity
Patrimony – property inherited from ancestors
Paucity – scarcity
Peculate – to embezzle
Pecuniary – involving money
Pedant – one who emphasizes trivial points of learning
Pejorative – worsening
Penchant – strong liking
Pendant – ganging object
Penitence – sorrow for sins
Penology – study of prisons and prison reform
Pensile – hanging
Penurious – stingy
Perambulate – to walk
Perdition – damnation
Perennial – enduring
Perfidy – treachery
Perforce – of necessity
Perfunctory – routine, superficial
Perigee – point of an orbit nearest the earth
Peripatetic – itinerant
Periphery – outside boundary
Periphrasis – using long phrasing instead of shorter expressions
Permeable – passable, penetrable
Permutation – change, alteration
Pernicious – destructive, fatal
Peroration – end of a speech
Perpetrate – carry out, commit
Perpetuate – cause to continue
Perquisite – something in addition to regular pay, tip, bonus
Personage – important person
Perspective – sense of proportion
Perspicacity – keen judgment
Perspicuous – easily understood
Pert – bold, cocky
Pertinent – relevant
Perturb – to upset, agitate
Peruse – to read carefully
Pervade – to spread throughout
Perverse – deviating from what is considered normal
Petulance – impatience
Phalanx – massed group of individuals
Philander – to court with no intention of marriage
Philistine –one governed by material rather than intellectual values
Philology – study of linguistics
Phlegmatic – sluggish
Phobia – persistent irrational fear
Picayune – of little value, petty
Piebald – marked with splotches of color, heterogeneous
Pillory – to scorn publicly
Piquant – agreeably stimulating, pungent
Pique – to offend, provoke
Piscatorial – pertaining to fish
Pithy – terse
Pixilated – amusingly eccentric
Placate – to appease
Placid – calm
Plaintive – melancholy
Plait – to braid, pleat
Platitude – trite remark
Plaudit – expression of approval
Plausible – seemingly reasonable
Plebiscite – poplar vote
Plenary – full, complete
Plethora – overabundance
Plicate – folded lengthwise
Plumb – straight down, vertically
Ply – to use or practice diligently
Poach – to trespass
Poignant – pungent, touching the emotions
Polemic – involving dispute
Politic – prudent, expedient
Polity – political organization
Ponderous – unwisely, dull
Pontificate – to orate, make dogmatic statements
Portend – to warn, foreshadow
Portentous – ominous
Posit – to postulate
Posterity – future generations
Postulate – hypothesis, axiom
Potable – suitable for drinking
Potpourri – mixture
Poultice – soft heated dressing applied to wounds
Pragmatic – practical, relating to fact
Prate – to chatter
Precarious – uncertain, risky
Precipitous – steep
Precipitate – hasty
Preclude – to shut out, prevent
Precursor – forerunner
Predacious – predatory
Predatory – tending to exploit others for one’s own gain
Predicate – to affirm
Predilection – preconceived liking
Predispose – to make susceptible
Preeminent – outstanding, high-ranking
Preen – to dress up or adorn (oneself)
Premeditation – preplanning
Premise – statement forming the basis of an argument
Preponderate – to surpass in weight or power
Preposterous – absurd, ridiculous
Prerequisite – something needed for performing a function
Prescience - foreboding
Prescribe – to establish as a means of action
Presumptuous – too bold or forward
Pretentious – showy, making unjustified claims
Prevaricate – to evade the truth
Pristine – uncorrupted by society
Probity – integrity, honesty
Proclaim – to declare proudly
Proclivity – inclination
Prodigal – spendthrift
Prodigious – wonderous, enormous
Profane –irreligious
Proffer – to present for approval
Profligate – recklessly wasteful
Progeny – offspring
Prognosticate – to predict
Proliferate to increase in number
Prolific – producing abundantly
Prolix – prolonged unduly
Prominent – noticeable, well-known
Promontory – high peak that overlooks lower land or water
Promulgate – to announce openly
Propensity – natural tendency
Propinquity – neatness
Propitiate – to appease
Propitious – favorable
Proponent – one in favor of
Propound – to present foe discussion
Prorate – to divided proportionately
Prosaic – commonplace, dull
Proscribe – to outlaw, prohibit
Proselytize – to convert from one belief to another
Protagonist – main character in novel
Prototype – standard example
Provincial – having a limited outlook
Prurient – lustful, lewd
Puerile – childish, silly
Pulchritude – beauty
Punctilious – very exact
Pundit – learned person
Pungent – sharp sensation of taste and smell
Pugnacious – belligerent
Purloin – to steal
Purport – to give an appearance of, intend
Pusillanimous – lacking courage and resolve
Putative – assumed to exit
Putrefy – to rot
Pythonic – monstrous

Quadrant – one-quarter of a plane
Quaint – unusual, old-fashioned
Qualm – misgiving
Quandary – perplexed state
Querulous – complaining
Query – inquiry
Quiescent – quite, still
Quintessence – perfect form
Quivering – shaking, trembling slightly
Quixotic – having high romantic or chivalrous ideals

Raillery – playful teasing
Raiment – clothing
Rambunctious – boisterous
Ramification – offshoot, consequence
Rampant – widespread, without restraint
Ramshackle – loosely made, dilapidated
Rancor – ill will
Rankle – to cause resentment
Rapacious – greedy
Rapine – plunder
Ratification – formal approval
Raucous – rough sounding, boisterous
Ravenous – extremely eager foe gratification
Recalcitrant – disobedient
Recant – to renounce
Recidivist – confirmed criminal
Reciprocal – complementary, mutually responsive
Recluse – hermit
Recondite – beyond ordinary understanding, concealed
Reconnoiter – to survey
Recreant – cowardly
Recrimination – countercharge
Rectitude – integrity
Recumbent – lying down
Redact – to edit
Redolent – fragrant
Redoubt – temporary fortification
Redress – to remedy, compensate
Redundant – superfluous, wordy
Refectory – dining hall
Referendum – popular vote on a measure submitted by a legislative body
Refractory – obstinate, unresponsive
Refute – to prove wrong
Refurbish – to renovate
Regale – to entertain
Regent – one who rules
Regicide – killing of a king
Regimen – system of diet, ruling system
Regressive – going backward
Relegate – to exile, to assign to a lower position
Reliquary – container for sacred objects
Remission – pardon, forgiveness, abatement
Remonstrate – to protest
Remunerate – to pay for work done, compensate
Renascent – reborn
Renegade – deserter, outcast
Renege – to go back on a promise
Renunciation – repudiation
Repast – meal
Repine – to long for
Replete – well field
Reprehend – to criticize
Repression – stopping by force
Reprisal – act if retaliation
Reproach – disgrace, cause of blame
Reprobate – depraved, unprincipled
Reproof – rebuke, criticism
Repudiate – to refuse, reject, disown
Repugnant – distasteful, disliked
Requisite – requirement
Requital – suitable repayment
Rescind – to repeal, take back
Resilient – able to spring back into shape
Resplendent – dazzling
Restitution – restoration, refund
Restive – impatient
Resurgent – rising again
Resuscitate – to revive
Retaliate – to get even
Reticence – silence, reserve
Retort – to get even
Retribution – just reward
Retroactive – extending to previous conditions
Retrograde – to go backward
Reverberate – to throw back, echo
Revile – to abuse verbally
Ribald – offensive, vulgar
Rife – widespread, abounding
Rift – opening, breach
Rigor – strictness
Risibility – laughter
Robust – healthly, strong
Rote – mechanical repetition or action
Rotund – rounded
Ruckus – noisy confusion
Rudiment – first principle, beginning of something
Ruminant – meditative
Ruminate – to meditate, ponder

Saccharine – overly sweet, affectedly agreeable
Sacrilege – desecration
Sagacious – shrewdly discerning
Salacious – lustful
Salient – conspicuous
Saline – salty
Sallow – dull greenish-yellow
Salubrious – wholesome
Salutary – curative
Salutatory – welcoming address
Sanctimony – pretended piety
Sanguine – confident, optimistic
Sapient – wise
Sardonic – scornful
Sartorial – pertaining to tailoring
Satiate – to satisfy, glut
Saturate – to soak, fill completely
Saturnine – sullen, sluggish
Savor – to relish, enjoy
Scabbard – sword sheath
Scathing – searing, blasting
Schematic – diagrammatic
Schism – split, difference of opinion
Scintilla – particle, trace
Scion – descendent
Scoff – derision
Scourge – whip, devastation
Scruple – small quantity, principle
Scrutinize – to examine closely
Scurrilous – coarse, vulgar
Secular – worldly, not religious
Sedition – rebellion
Sedulous – diligent
Semblance – appearance
Senescent – growing old
Sententious – given to moralistic expression
Sequester – to isolate
Serrate – having sawlike notches
Shallop – small, open boat
Shamble – to walk clumsily
Shunt – to turn to one side
Sibling – brother or sister
Sidle – to move sidewise
Smile – figure of speech comparing two unlike things
Similitude – likeness
Simony – buying or selling of church pardons
Sinecure – easy job
Sinuous – bending, winding
Slothful – lazy
Sluice – artificial water channel
Sojourn – to remain somewhere temporarily
Solace – to comfort, console
Solicitous – showing care or concern
Soluble – able to be dissolved
Somatic – physical, of the body
Somnolent – sleepy, drowsy
Sonorous – full of sound, resonant
Sophistry – misleading but clever reasoning
Soporific – causing sleep
Sordid – dirty, ignoble
Spasmodic – intermittent
Spawn – to deposit egg, bring forth
Specious – deceptively appealing
Specter – ghost
Sporadic – occasional
Spurious – false, not genuine
Staid – sedate
Stigma – mark of disgrace
Stilted – pompous
Stint – restriction
Stoicism – impassiveness, indifference
Stolid – showing little emotion
Stratagem – trick, device
Strategy – careful plan
Stricture – adverse criticism
Strident – harsh-sounding
Stultify – to appear foolish, impair
Stupor – loss of sensibility
Suave – polite, urbane
Subjoin – to append
Subjugate – to force to submit
Sublimate – to direct actions into more socially acceptable forms
Subservient – inferior, submissive
Subterfuge – deception used to evade something difficult or unpleasant
Subversive – destructive
Succor – to help
Succulent – juicy
Suffuse – to overspread
Sully – to soil, stain
Sumptuous – lavish
Supercilious – haughty, contemptuous
Supernal – exalted celestial
Supersede – to replace
Supervene – to happen additionally or unexpectedly
Supine – indolent, prone
Supple – flexible
Supplicate – to ask for humbly
Suppress – to keep from public knowledge
Surfeit – overindulgence
Surreptitious – acting in a secret and stealthy way
Surrogate – deputy, substitute
Sustenance – nourishment
Sycophant – self-serving flatterer
Syllogism – conclusion based on two premises
Synchronous – occurring simultaneously
Synopsis – summary
Synthesis – combining of elements to make a whole
Synthetic – man-made

Tacit – silent
Taciturn – tending toward silence
Tactic – means of accomplishing a purpose
Tactile – perceived by the sense of touch
Tantamount – equal in value
Tautology – needless repetition of an idea
Tawdry – gaudy, cheap
Taxonomy – classification (of plants and animals)
Temerity – foolish boldness
Temperate – moderate
Temporize – to compromise
Tenacious – persistent, tough
Tenet – doctrine
Tenuous – unsubstantial, flimsy
Termagant – nagging woman
Terminus – end point
Terse – brief, to the point
Tertiary – third in order
Thespian – actor
Thrall – slave
Timorous – timid
Tirade – long, vehement speech or denunciation
Tithe – tenth part of something paid as a tax to a church
Titular – having a title without performing the functions involved
Tome – large book
Torpid – inactive, sluggish
Torrid – very hot
Toxic – pertaining to poison
Tractable – easily managed
Traduce – to slander
Tranquility – calmness, serenity
Transfuse – to transmit, imbue
Transgression – violation
Transitory – temporary
Translucent – permitting the passage of light
Transpire – to become known, happen
Transverse – placed crosswise
Travail – hard work
Travesty – ridiculous representation
Treble – to increase threefold
Tremulous – trembling
Trenchant – sharp, clear-cut
Trepidation – fear
Tribulation - misery, distress
Truculent – cruel, belligerent
Truncated – shortened, curtailed
Truncheon – club
Tumid – swollen, inflated
Tumultuous – violently turbulent
Turbid – muddy
Turgid – swollen
Turpitude – vileness
Tutelage – guardianship
Twit – to taunt

Ubiquitous – present everywhere simultaneously
Ulterior – lying beyond what is openly expressed
Umbrage – offense
Unctuous – oily, suave
Undaunted – determined in spite of adverse conditions
Undulate – to move in waves
Unerring – without fault
Ungainly – awkward, clumsy
Unmitigated – not lessened, absolute
Unobtrusive – not aggressive
Untenable – Unable to be occupied or defended
Untoward – unfavorable
Upbraid – to scold, reproach
Uproarious – boisterous
Urbane – refined
Usurp – to take by force
Uxorial – pertaining to a wife

Vacillate – to show indecision
Vacuous – empty, stupid
Vagary – eccentric idea or action
Valorous – courageous
Vanguard – front part of a movement
Vapid – tasteless, flat
Variegated – marked with different colors
Vaunt – display boastfully
Vegetate – to lead an inactive life
Vehement – impassioned
Venal – open to corruption
Vendetta – extended bitter feud
Venerate – to show deep respect
Venial – excusable
Veracious – honest
Verbosity – wordiness
Verdant – green in color
Verisimilitude – truth
Verity – truth
Vermillion – bright red pigment
Vernacular – native language of a region
Versatile – able to change easily
Versification – metrical structure
Vertex – highest point
Vestige – trace
Viable – capable of living or functioning
Vicarious – experienced through the activity of another person
Vicissitude – changeability
Vilify – to defame
Vindicate – to clear from blame
Vindictive – wanting revenge
Virago – domineering woman
Viridity – greenness, naiveness
Virility – masculinity
Virulent – deadly, hateful
Viscous – sticky, lacking easy movement
Vitiate – to debase
Vitreous – pertaining to glass
Vituperate – to berate
Vivacious – spirited, lively
Vivid – vigorous, clear
Vixen – female fox
Vociferous – noisy
Volatile – quickly evaporating, explosive
Volition – act of determining
Voluble – talkative
Voracious – greedy
Votary – zealous follower
Votive – expressing a wish or vow
Vouchsafe – to grant

Waft – odor or sound carried through the air
Wan – pale
Wanton – reckless, immoral
Weal – well-being
Welter – confusion, turmoil
Wheedle – to coax
Whet – to arouse, stimulate
Windfall – unexpected gain
Wizened – dried up, withered
Wraith – ghost, apparition
Wragle – to quarrel
Wroth – angry
Wry – twisted

Zany – fool, clown
Zealot – fanatic
Zephyr – mild breeze