2016 Vocabulary #16 – Period 3
1.
venerable
[ven-er-uh-buh l]
–adjective
1. commanding respect because of great age or impressive dignity; worthy
of veneration or reverence, as because of high office or noble character: a
venerable member of Congress.
3. (of places, buildings, etc.) hallowed by religious, historic, or other lofty
associations: the venerable halls of the abbey.
4. impressive or interesting because of age, antique appearance, etc.: a
venerable oak tree.
5. extremely old or obsolete; ancient: a venerable automobile.
Origin: 1400–50; late ME < L
2.
contumely [kon-too-muh-lee,
–noun,
1. insulting display of contempt in words or actions; contemptuous or
humiliating treatment.
2. a humiliating insult.
Origin: 1350–1400; ME
3.
edifice
[ed-uh-fis]
–noun
1. a building, esp. one of large size or imposing appearance.
Origin: 1350–1400; ME
4.
inauspicious
[in-aw-spish-uh s]
–adjective
not auspicious; boding ill; ill-omened; unfavorable.
Origin: 1585–95
5.
mien
meen]
noun
1.air, bearing, or demeanor, as showing character, feeling, etc.: a man of
noble mien.
Origin: 1505-1515
indubitably
6.
in-doo-bi-tuh-buh l, -dyoo-]
adjective
that cannot be doubted; patently evident or certain; unquestionable.
Origin: 1615–25; < Latin
sepulchre
7.
[sep-uh l-ker]
–noun
1. a tomb, grave, or burial place.
Origin: 1150–1200; ME
8.
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
augur
[aw-ger]
–verb (used with object)
9.
3. to divine or predict, as from omens; prognosticate.
4. to serve as an omen or promise of; foreshadow; betoken: Mounting sales
augur a profitable year.
Origin: 1540–50; < L
10. physiognomy [fiz-ee-og-nuh-mee, -on-uh-mee]
–noun,
1. the face or countenance, esp. when considered as an index to the
character: a fierce physiognomy.
2.
3.
Also called anthroposcopy. the art of determining character or
personal characteristics from the form or features of the body, esp. of
the face.
the outward appearance of anything, taken as offering some insight into
its character: the physiognomy of a nation.
Origin: 1350–1400