Name: _________________________________
Hour: ___________ Date: _____________
Scarlet Letter vocabulary
Words and definitions
Directions:
You are responsible for knowing the following vocabulary words and their
definitions.
Words and definitions:
Amenable
Open or willing to follow advice or suggestions; willing to cooperate
The newly elected senator, who was quite amenable to bribes, quickly found himself
under investigation.
Besides the hope of making money, why else might someone be amenable?
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Arduous
Hard to accomplish or achieve; demanding; strenuous
I greatly admired his ambition, but I am skeptical that he will really be able to complete
the Iron Man triathlon. Though he is in shape, I just don’t feel like he has trained enough
for such an arduous and hazardous competition.
Besides a triathlon, what are two other things that could be considered arduous?
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Auspicious
A good omen; predicting success; giving promise of a favorable result
Though the other team was heavily favored to beat us, our opening drive was so strong
that I took it as an auspicious sign for how the rest of the game might go.
Name: _________________________________
Hour: ___________ Date: _____________
Describe another event that could be interpreted as an auspicious sign.
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Capricious
Changing suddenly or irregularly; inconsistent
The weather around here changes so capriciously that I never know whether I need to
wear short sleeves for the hot weather or bring an umbrella with me for the rain.
Besides whether, what are two other things that could change capriciously?
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Edifice
Having an existence, position, or status apart; separate, distinct
After the fire, the remnants of this edifice barely hint at the magnificent castle that once
stood here.
Give two examples of real buildings or monuments that could be described as edifices.
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Esoteric
Understood only be a select few; something only understood once you are part of a select
group; secret or highly confidential
When I first moved to France, I could not understand their esoteric language; however,
after living there for four years, I can understand it almost perfectly now.
Name: _________________________________
Hour: ___________ Date: _____________
Besides a language you do not know, describe one other thing or idea that might appear
esoteric to someone.
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Describe one other action or event that could relent.
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Ignominy
Dishonor, disgrace, shame; infamy; the condition of being in disgrace
When it was revealed that the CEO and the board of directors of the company had lied to
its employees and its customers, the entire company was branded with ignominy.
Besides lying, how else might a person bring shame and ignominy upon a group that he
or she is a part of?
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Insidious
Dangerous in a secretive sort of way; slowly and subtly harmful; sly, treacherous, or
deceitful
During the Cold War, many people at the highest levels of government were concerned
that communism was insidiously making its way into American politics and culture.
Besides a political ideology, what is one other thing that can insidiously creep into a
community?
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Name: _________________________________
Hour: ___________ Date: _____________
Loquacious
Talkative
Though normally shy, George must have been in a loquacious mood as he voluntarily
answered every question that the teacher asked.
What is one reason why someone might be more loquacious than normal?
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Melancholy
A gloomy state; dejected;
The letter from her father, who was always a harsh critic of her, threw her into a state of
melancholy.
How might a melancholic person act or behave?
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Misanthrope
A person who hates mankind in general; a person who distrusts and avoids other people
In A Christmas Carol, Scrooge is a misanthropic man who, over the course of the novel,
becomes more caring and open-hearted.
Besides Scrooge, think of two other people or characters who could accurately be labeled
a misanthrope.
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Name: _________________________________
Hour: ___________ Date: _____________
Opaque
Not allowing light to pass through; or, difficult to understand
Though everyone told me that they loved the book, I found the writing to be so confusing
and opaque that I never understood what I was even reading.
List three more things that someone might consider to be opaque.
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Placid
Mild; gentle; calm; peaceful
I grew up in a placid town out in the country, away from the hustle of a large city and
surrounded by nature in all its peaceful beauty.
List three more things that could be considered placid.
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Precocious
Unusually advanced or mature in development; a child advanced in some ability
Adults were always charmed by my little brother, whose precocious nature endeared him
to them.
Describe two ways a child might show a precocious maturity.
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Name: _________________________________
Hour: ___________ Date: _____________
Predilection
A preference for something; a bias towards something
With the growth of the Internet, advertisements can now be tailored to your individual
predilections.
List three personal predilections that you have.
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Sagacious
Wise; discerning; highly observant; having a special ability to discover truth
The dog’s sagacious sense of smell led the detectives immediately to where the criminal
was hiding.
Describe two sagacious abilities a person may have.
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Scintillating
Sparkling; shining; flashing
On my first trip to New York City I was immediately enthralled by the towering buildings
and the scintillating lights of the city.
Besides a city, list two other things that could be described as scintillating.
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Name: _________________________________
Hour: ___________ Date: _____________
Sedulous
Diligent; persistent
Though my brother is not the best athlete, his sedulous work ethic has helped him earn a
starting spot on the baseball team.
Name two people who are well-known for their sedulous behavior.
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Torpid
Inactive; sluggish; no movement, motion, or activity
Bears are one of many animals that become torpid in the winter.
Describe a reason why a person may become torpid.
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Wan
pale, unhealthy; looking faint
I knew my brother wasn’t feeling too well, but seeing the wan look on his face before he
ran into the bathroom to throw up this morning was quite disheartening.
Besides being sick, why else might someone look wan?
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Source: Most definitions from OED.com
Most example sentences based off of OED.com examples