Vocabulary #4 – Periods 1, 3 and 5
1. incendiary [in-sen-dee-er-ee]
–adjective
1. used or adapted for setting property on fire: incendiary bombs.
2. of or pertaining to the criminal setting on fire of property.
3. tending to arouse strife, sedition, etc.; inflammatory: incendiary
speeches.
4. tending to inflame the senses: an incendiary extravaganza of music and
dance.
Origin: 1600–10; < L
2.
egregious
[ih-gree-juh s, -jee-uh s]
–adjective
extraordinary in some bad way; glaring; flagrant: an egregious mistake;
an egregious liar.
Origin: 1525–35; < L
3. frivolous
[friv-uh-luh s]
–adjective
1. characterized by lack of seriousness or sense: frivolous conduct.
2. self-indulgently carefree; unconcerned about or lacking any serious
purpose.
3. (of a person) given to trifling or undue levity: a frivolous, emptyheaded person.
4. of little or no weight, worth, or importance; not worthy of serious
notice: a frivolous suggestion
Origin: 1425–75; late ME < L
4. archaism [ahr-kee-iz-uh m]
–noun
1. something archaic, as a word or expression.
2. the use of what is archaic, as in literature or art: The archaism of the
novelist's style provided a sense of the period.
3. the survival or presence of something from the past: The art of letter
writing is becoming an archaism.
Origin: 1635–45
5. slovenliness [sluhv-uh n-lee]
–noun
1. untidy or unclean in appearance or habits.
2. characteristic of a sloven; slipshod: slovenly work.
Origin: 1505–15;
6.
chauvinistic
[shoh-vuh-niz-uh m]
–noun
1. zealous and aggressive patriotism or blind enthusiasm for military
glory.
2. biased devotion to any group, attitude, or cause.
Origin: 1865–70; < F
7.
moribund [mawr-uh-buhnd, mor-]
–adjective
1.
in a dying state; near death.
2.
on the verge of extinction or termination.
3. not progressing or advancing; stagnant: a moribund political party.
Origin: 1715–25; < L
8.
nefarious[ni-fair-ee-uh s]
–adjective
extremely wicked or villainous; iniquitous: a nefarious plot.
Origin: 1595–1605; < L
9. clairvoyance[klair-voi-uh ns]
–noun
1. the supernatural power of seeing objects or actions removed in
space or time from natural viewing.
2. quick, intuitive knowledge of things and people; sagacity.
Origin: 1840–50; < F
10.
n.
1.
fiat(fē'ət, -āt', -ät', fī'āt', -ət)
An arbitrary order or decree.
2. Authorization or sanction: government fiat.
[Medieval Latin