MYSTERY WORD OF THE DAY List 1 - astrobiology: the branch of biology concerned with the study of life on earth and in space. - congeal: to make thick or hard, especially by cooling or freezing - condole: to express sympathy or sorrow for one suffering misfortune or pain - commiserate: express or feel sympathy or pity; sympathize - belligerence: a very aggressive or hostile attitude; warlike nature List 2 - automation: the use of machines rather than people to do work - bibliophil: a lover or collector of books - incompatible: not able to be together in a peaceful or happy way - impetuous: done suddenly and without much thought; impulsive - simulated: to imitate or reproduce the appearance, sound, or other external characteristics or qualities of List 3 - benediction: a blessing, esp. the one pronounced over the congregation by the clergyman at the end of a religious service - biohazard: a biological substance or condition that endangers human life or health - diabolical: having qualities like those of the Devil or a devil; fiendish; malevolent - subsatellite: an object carried into orbit in and subsequently released from a satellite or spacecraft. - pediatrician: a medical practitioner specializing in children and their diseases. List 5 - vociferous: crying out, esp. in protest; vocal; clamorous - monocle: an eyeglass for only one eye - inflexible: not able to be bent, or not easy to bend; stiff - immeasurable: impossible to measure; very great - monarch: a ruler such as a king, queen, or emperor List 6 - bicentennial: occurring once every two hundred years, lasting for two hundred years or a two hundred year anniversary - triathlon: an athletic contest in which contestants participate in three continuous events, usually swimming, cycling, and running, timed as one race - fortification: something that adds strength or fortifies - geothermal: having to do with the heat produced inside the earth - protuberance: a thing that protrudes from something else List 7 - decarbonize: to remove carbon from - susceptibility: the state or fact of being likely or liable to be influenced or harmed by a particular thing - orthography: the art of correct spelling - monogram: a motif of two or more letters, typically a person's initials, usually interwoven or otherwise combined in a decorative design, used as a logo or to identify a personal possession. - Supercilious: behaving or looking as though one thinks one is superior to others List 10 - hydroplane: A seaplane; a boat that can rise or light on water - gratuitous: given or done free of charge - reiterate: say something again or a number of times, typically for emphasis or clarity. - perfunctory: carried out with a minimum of effort or reflection - hydraulic: operated, moved, or brought about by means of water List 11 - emancipate: Release; set free - mellifluous: having a smooth rich flow - disseminate: to spread abroad as though sowing seed - interloper: one that intrudes in a place or sphere of activity - dutiful: filled with or motivated by a sense of duty List 12 - missive: A note which can be sent by messenger - mediator: a negotiator who acts as a link between parties - bemusement: to make confused - anagram: a word or phrase made by transposing the letters of another word or phrase - solidify: to make solid, compact, or hard List 14 - cacophonous: having an unpleasant sound - necropolis: A cemetery, especially a large and elaborate one belonging to an ancient city - misconstrue: to interpret (something, such as a statement or action) wrongly - abrasion: a wearing, grinding, or rubbing away by friction - plentitude: Abundance; state of fullness List 15 - salutation: A polite expression of greeting or goodwill. - circumspect: careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences: prudent - paraphernalia: personal belongings: articles of equipment - phosphorescence: luminescence that is caused by the absorption of radiations (such as light or electrons) and continues for a noticeable time after these radiations have stopped - expediency: an enterprise requiring haste or caution List 16 - sentry: guard, watch - deconstruct: destroy , demolish - contravene: to go or act contrary to: violate - biosphere: The part of the earth and its atmosphere in which living organisms exist or that is capable of supporting life. - autobiographic: he biography of a person narrated by himself or herself List 19 - unequivocal: admitting of no doubt or misunderstanding - unanimity: everyone being of one mind - perpetrate: to be responsible for; commit - extraction: To draw or pull out, often with great force or effort - scrimmage: a minor battle : skirmish List 20 - vacuole: A small cavity in space or tissue which contains air or fluid - inadvertently: Something that is done inadvertently is not intentionally done but is an accident because one is not being attentive to one’s surroundings. - extemporaneous: Something that is extemporaneous such as an action, speech, or performance is done without any preparation or practice beforehand. - dauntless: incapable of being intimidated or subdued: fearless - subversive: A subversive act is one undertaken usually to overthrow or do significant harm to a government or other institution. List 21 - vivarium: A place, such as an enclosure or facility, used for keeping living animals for observation or research. - revitalize: to give new life or vigour to - enamour: To inspire with love; captivate - preexist: To exist before (something); precede - adamantly: with great insistence or determination List 23 - provenance: The provenance of something is its birthplace or the place from which it originally came. - adventitious: Something that happens unexpectedly and by chance that is not inherent or natural to a given item or situation - pericope: An extract or selection from a book, especially a reading from a Scripture that forms part of a church service. - hypothetical: based on possible situations or events rather than actual ones - enslavement: the act of making slaves of your captives List 24 - altercation: A heated, sometimes violent quarrel or conflict - antescript: a note added before or above - surreal: marked by the intense irrational reality of a dream - contextualize: to place (something, such as a word or activity) in a context - imminent: ready to take place: happening soon List 25 - chronological: of, relating to, or arranged in or according to the order of time - Omnium-gatherum: a miscellaneous collection (as of things or persons) - antipathy: a deep-seated dislike of something or someone - unabridged: not shortened by condensing or rewriting - empower: to give official authority or legal power to List 28 - telemarketer: the marketing of goods or services by telephone - theocracy: Government directed by priests or clergy representing God - endothermic: characterized by or formed with absorption of heat - obtuse: slow to understand things, or deliberately does not try to figure things out. - tomfoolery: foolish behaviour; something trivial or foolish; nonsense List 29 - transcript: a usually typed copy of dictated or recorded material - epidemic: A widespread disease that comes “upon” people - felicitous: pleasant, delightful - cacophonous: harsh-sounding (Antonyms: harmonious, melodious, musical) - obnoxious: odiously or disgustingly objectionable; highly offensive (Antonym: agreeable, attractive) List 30 - proclivity: the tendency to behave in a particular way or to like a particular thing. - wretchedness: deeply afflicted, dejected, or distressed in body or mind - nutritionist: a specialist in the study of nutrition - prodigious: causing wonder or astonishment (synonyms: amazing, marvellous) - protrude: to extend outward beyond a usual point (synonym: bulge, poke, swell) List 32 - posterior: situated behind - posterity: all future generations - insignificant: lacking meaning or import - traditionalism: adherence to the doctrines or practices of a tradition - Homynyms: can, bear, kind (have the students come up with the definitions) - Homonyms: same spelling, same pronunciation, different definitions - Homophones: spelled differently, sound the same - Homographs: same spelling, different pronunciation List 33 - interior: the inside; the inner part - influx: an inward flow - catacomb: underground burial place - catapult: an ancient apparatus for hurling stones - Homographs: entrance, bow, desert (have students come up with the definitions)
