2016 Vocabulary #17 – Period 1
1.
sagacity [suh-gas-i-tee]
–noun
acuteness of mental discernment and soundness of judgment.
Origin: 1540–50; < L
2.
rotundity
[roh-tuhn-di-tee]
–noun,
1. the condition or quality of roundness or plumpness, as of an object or
person.
2. fullness, as in tone or speech.
3. a full or rounded tone, phrase, or the like: oratorical rotundities.
Origin: 1580–90; < L
3.
ignominy
[ig-nuh-min-ee, ig-nom-uh-nee]
–noun,
1. disgrace; dishonor; public contempt.
2. shameful or dishonorable quality or conduct or an instance of this.
Origin: 1530–40; < L
4.
ethereal
[ih-theer-ee-uh l]
Spell adjective
1. light, airy, or tenuous: an ethereal world created through the poetic
imagination.
2.extremely delicate or refined: ethereal beauty.
3. heavenly or celestial: gone to his ethereal home.
4. of or relating to the upper regions of space.
Origin: 1505-15; < Latin
5.
pious
[pahy-uh s]
–adjective
1. having or showing a dutiful spirit of reverence for God or an earnest wish
to fulfill religious obligations.
2. characterized by a hypocritical concern with virtue or religious devotion;
sanctimonious.
3. of or pertaining to religious devotion; sacred rather than secular: pious
literature.
4. having or showing appropriate respect or regard for parents or others.
Origin: 1595–1605; < L
6.
sojourn
soh-jurn]
–noun
1. a temporary stay: during his sojourn in Paris.
–verb
2. to stay for a time in a place; live temporarily: to sojourn on the Riviera
for two months.
Origin: 1200–50; (v.) ME
7.
taciturn
[tas-i-turn]
–adjective
1. inclined to silence; reserved in speech; reluctant to join in conversation.
2. dour, stern, and silent in expression and manner.
Origin: 1765–75; < L
8.
abash
[uh-bash]
–verb
to destroy the self-confidence, poise, or self-possession of; disconcert; make
ashamed or embarrassed: to abash someone by sneering.
Origin: 1275–1325; ME
9.
evanescent [ev-uh-nes-uh nt]
–adjective
1.
vanishing; fading away; fleeting.
2. tending to become imperceptible; scarcely perceptible.
Origin: 1745–55; < L
10.
iniquity
–noun,
[ih-nik-wi-tee]
1. gross injustice or wickedness.
2. a violation of right or duty; wicked act; sin.
Origin: 1300–50; ME