Word Power Vocabulary Book Gail Symington School of Languages and Literatures SLL1002F 1 Table of Contents: 1. Vocabulary for Chapter 6: War and Peace…………………………………2 2. Vocabulary for Chapter 7: The Law…………………………………………9 3. Vocabulary for Chapter 8: Animals and Family……………………..….....18 4. Vocabulary for Chapter 9: Latin Number Words……………………..……20 5. Vocabulary for Chapter 10: Senses and Action…………………………...24 6. Vocabulary for Chapters 11 & 12: Power and People…………………....32 7. Vocabulary for Chapter 13: Greek Numbers………………………………37 8. Vocabulary for Chapter 14: General Knowledge………………………….39 9. Vocabulary for Chapter 15: Words and Phrases from Mythology……….44 10. Vocabulary for Chapter 16: Medicine……………………………………….47 2 Vocabulary for chapter 6 – War and peace: NOTE: ** indicates that there is some interesting information which you should write down! bellicose – aggressive, warlike belligerent – hostile, aggressive rebel (v) – to resist authority or control rebellion – resistance to government or control antebellum – existing before a war pacify – make peaceful pacifist – one who believes in peace not war peace – freedom from disturbance appease – make peaceful, satisfy, placate Pacific Ocean ** amicable/amiable - friendly inimical - unfriendly amorous - loving paramour – lover on the side! enemy – person or country actively opposed to someone or something hostile – showing dislike or opposition BUT: host – person who receives or entertains guests (f. L. hospes, hospitis, ‘host, guest’) ➢ hospital, hospice, hostel, hospitable regal – kingly, royal 3 regent – ruler during absence or incapacity of monarch regime – system of government or administration; systematic way of doing something regimen – systematic course of therapy; administration or rule regiment – military unit regicide – killing of a king rector – head of school, college, parish regulate – control regulation – rule; principle regular – normal; usual; conforming to rule rectitude – moral correctness rectify – correct; make right correct – right; free from error rectangle – having right/straight angles incorrigible – unable to be corrected duct – channel; pipe conduct – (v) behave; (n) - behaviour conducive – leading to induce – bring on; persuade introduce – bring into; present reduce – make smaller; bring (back) down seduce – lead astray;; persuade to engage in sexual intercourse traduce – slander; speak badly of (lead over; disgrace) military – characteristic of soldiers militant – aggressive in support of a cause militia – force of citizen (not professional) soldiers used in times of emergency 4 militate (for or against) – have influence victor, victory, victorious invincible – unable to be conquered or overcome convince - persuade convict – (v) pronounce someone guilty of an offence; (n) person serving a prison sentence conviction – firmly held belief evict – expel from a property **province – territory, part of a country or empire; area of knowledge provincial – connected with a province; unsophisticated; narrow-minded non sequitur - ‘it does not follow’; an illogical statement, having little relevance to what preceded sequence - order sequel – a novel, play or film that follows a previous one; a following/consequence consecutive – following; successive consequence – result; significance or importance obsequious – attentive in a servile, ingratiating manner; over-flattering execute – carry out; follow through; put a condemned person to death executive – person or group responsible for carrying out a project or business executor/executrix – person appointed by testator to carry out his will MONEY: ***** add notes to this section on money! pecuniary – relating to money impecunious – without money; penniless mint – place where money is coined by governmental authority money – currency 5 monetary – pertaining to currency capital – seat of government of a government or country; material wealth owned by an individual or business capitalize – take advantage of; write in capital (head) letters sterling – British money salary – fixed payment made by employer confiscate – seize property fiscal matters – matters relating to government revenue, especially taxes fiscal shrike – Lanius collaris, butcher bird (‘bird with a collar’) grave - serious gravity – seriousness; force of attraction that moves bodies to the centre of the earth gravitate – be influenced or drawn gravid - pregnant annihilate – destroy completely nil - nothing cede – yield, surrender; transfer concede – yield; give in accede – to give in; consent; enter (office, right etc.) access – way of entry precede – go before precedent – a legal decision that serves as an authority for deciding a later case; an example used to justify a later similar occurrence give precedence to – a right for preferential treatment succeed – achieve an aim (success, successive, succession etc.); go/come after 6 proceed – go forward; continue (procedure, process, procedure, proceeding, procession etc.) recede – go back intercede – go between; ; act as mediator cease – stop (f. L. cessare f. cedere) decedent/deceased – dead person finish - end finite – having an end/limit infinity – endless; having no end definite – exact; clearly defined (f L. definire, to set bounds to f. finire, to end) affinity – natural liking in loco parentis – in the place of a parent locum tenens – holding the position, one who stands in temporarily local – relating to a place location - place allocate – assign to localize –restrict to a place locate – discover the place sedentary – characterized by sitting session – a meeting of court, parliament etc. sedate/sedation - calm sediment – matter that settles to bottom of liquid subside - settle subsidence – gradual sinking of land 7 subsidy/subsidize – financial aid subsidiary – of lesser importance; serving to supplement assiduous – diligent; hard-working supersede – take the place of temporary – for the time being; provisional contemporary/contemporaneous – at the same time extempore/extemporaneous – without preparation tempo – speed at which music is played solve – find answer solution – answer; mixture of two or more substances solvent – liquid capable of dissolving another substance; able to meet financial obligations insolvent – not able ot meet financial obligations dissolve – become liquid; dismiss dissolution – ending of a meeting, assembly, marriage etc. dissolute – debauched; having ‘loose’ morals status - standing stationary – not moving stationery – writing materials static – lacking movement; physics: denoting electric charges acquired by objects that cannot conduct a current; crackling sound on telephone, radio etc. state – condition of someone or something; a nation; v. express clearly consist – be composed of consistent – unchanging in standard over time insist – demand forcibly 8 desist – stop resist – withstand; struggle against/oppose (make a stand) **take notes re slavery serve, service, servant – all to do with ‘serving’ from ‘servire’, to serve servile – submissive; like a slave subservient –like a slave; in a subordinate way servitude – condition of slavery; burden on property obliging the owner to allow access to another party emancipate/liberate/manumit – to set free patron – protector/supporter patronise – treat with apparent kindness which betrays a feeling of superiority paternal - like a father paternalism – restricting the freedom of subordinates or dependants in their supposed best interests **preserve, reserve, conserve from ‘servare’, to keep civil – relating to a citizen civic – relating to a citizen or citizenship civilize – to make into a citizen (i.e. intellectual, cultural, moral refinement) **Gladiators – take notes. 9 Vocabulary for Chapter 7 - The Law: legal - lawful legalise –to make lawful legality - lawfulness legitimate – conforming to the law or rule; child born of parents lawfully married legislate, legislation, legislative – enact laws etc. jury (jurors) – body of people sworn to give a verdict in court of law perjury – lying under oath jurisprudence – theory of law abjure – renounce an oath jurisdiction – official power to make legal decisions; territory over which legal authority extends just – morally right and fair justice – fair treatment; administration of the law justify – prove to be right or reasonable judge – public officer appointed to decide cases in a law court; person who decides result of a competition judgemental – excessively critical judicial – relating to administration of justice judiciary – body of judges in a country judicious – using good judgement, sensible adjudicate–make a formal judgement in a dispute; judge a competition prejudice – a judgement formed beforehand, not based on reason; biased prejudicial – harmful, detrimental testify – give evidence as a witness 10 testament – person’s will; evidence of a fact or quality testate/intestate – having made a valid will before death testator/testatrix - person who has made a will testimony–formal statement; evidence testimonial – formal statement testifying to person’s character and qualifications attest – testify contest–competition or conflict; v. to challenge (contestari – ‘to call to witness’) protest – statement or action expressing disapproval (protestari – ‘to bear witness in public’) testicle – literally ‘little witness’ arbitrate – achieve a settlement in a dispute arbitrator/arbiter – judge in a dispute **arbitrary–based on personal judgement or whim court – contraction of Latin cohortis, now ‘court of law’ is place where legal proceedings take place prosecutor – one who ‘pursues’ the case; one who conducts a case against a defendant defendant – one who ‘wards off’ the charge; the accused plaintiff – the complainant, the one who initiates the case attorney – a lawyer, qualified to act for another in legal matters advocate – one who pleads a case on someone’s behalf **solicitor (British) = attorney **barrister (British) = advocate candid – honest, frank incandescent – shining brightly 11 candle, candelabra candidate person who applies for a job or is nominated for election; a person taking an examination **Add notes here about the history of ‘candidate’ and the information about the five words listed below: ominous augur inaugurate auspicious under the auspices of Other associated words: crimen criminis: crime, criminal, criminology incriminate – imply the guilt of someone **recriminate – to return an accusation against someone; to engage in mutual accusations culpable - blameworthy inculpate – cause blame to be attributed to someone exculpate – free from blame; exonerate exonerate – free from blame or a criminal charge culprit – person responsible for an offence mea culpa– ‘my fault’, I apologise; an acknowledgement of guilt custody - guardianship custodian – guardian **Quis custodiet custodies ipsos? 12 verb – doing word verbose – using too many words verbal – pertaining to words verbatim – word for word loquacious – talkative eloquent – speaking or writing fluently elocution – art of public speaking interlocutor – person taking part in a conversation colloquium – a gathering for discussion; academic seminar colloquial – conversational; using informal language circumlocution – indirect way of saying something somniloquist – sleep talker diction – choice of words in speech or writing dictionary – book consisting of alphabetical list of words and their definitions dictate – order authoritatively; say aloud dictator – ruler with total power; autocratic person interdict – court order forbidding an act indict, indictment–formally accuse or charge someone with a crime valedictory – saying goodbye; occasion of farewell contradict - assert the opposite edict – formal decree or proclamation equity – fairness (adj. equitable – fair, just) inequity – lack of fairness or justice iniquity, iniquitous – highly unfair or immoral 13 equal, equality – same in quantity, size, value or status equilateral – having equal sides equivalent – equal in value, function, meaning etc. equilibrium – state of being balanced equivocal(unequivocal) – open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous; vague equivocate – use ambiguous or evasive language equanimity- calmness juvenile – relating to young people, birds or animals; childish rejuvenate – make younger or more vigorous senior - older senile – having the weaknesses or diseases of old age senate – legislative body of a state, university or college senator – member of senate senescent – becoming old Homo sapiens – specific name of modern man according to Binomial Classification homicide, suicide, regicide, patricide, matricide, fratricide, parricide, infanticide, genocide, herbicide human – relating to mankind humane – characterized by kindness, sympathy etc. humanitarian - having the interests of mankind at heart humanity – the human race; kindness, mercy incision – cutting into incisive – penetrating; sharp excision, excise – cutting out 14 circumcision – a cutting around! decide(decision, decisive) – come to a resolution precise(precision) – marked by exactness and accuracy cadence – the rhythmic beat of something; the fall in the pitch of a voice case – an example of something that has happened or befallen someone deciduous – losing leaves annually recidivism – habitual relapse into crime or bad habit **Occident – the West (where the sun sets) ; opposite? decadent – characterized by moral or cultural decline; luxurious self-indulgence capture(captive) - seize receive, reception, recipient, receipt - take; accept receptive – able to understand or receive new ideas quickly incipient – just beginning inception – the beginning (of a project or undertaking) perceive- become aware; understand perception – point of view perceptive – observant; able to understand deceive/deception, - deliberately mislead deceptive - misleading conceive/conception - have an idea; become pregnant contraception – intentional prevention of conception mental – involving the mind mentality – way of thinking; intellectual ability **mentor – wise, trusted advisor 15 dementia/demented – state of serious mental deterioration sentiment/sentimental – susceptibility to tender emotion; exaggerated emotion territory – land; area terra incognita – unexplored land/area extraterrestrial – outside the earth; alien inter - bury disinter – exhume; dig up corporal – relating to the body corporeal vs incorporeal – physical vs spiritual corpse – dead body corps – body of people with a specific function (also gives ‘corporal in the army’) corporation – large company incorporate - include corpulent – fat grade – level of rank, progression or quality gradient - inclination gradual – developing in stages (step by step) graduand – a person about to graduate graduate – person who has been awarded a degree ingredient – component in a mixture progress, progression, progressive - advance regress – go backwards digress– depart from main subject in speaking or writing congress - formal meeting (Congress = national legislative body in US) 16 transgress – break the law; overstep tenable(untenable) – able to be maintained tenacious/pertinacious – keeping firm hold; stubborn tenant – person occupying rented property contain - hold continent (incontinent) – one of earth’s large land masses; able to hold in urination etc. pertain/pertinent – have relevance retain/retentive – hold back; keep in one’s possession; ability to remember abstain/abstinence – keep away from fact/factual – an event or thing that has happened factory – a place where things are made manufacture – make something from raw material (now using machinery) factotum – a person employed to do all kinds of work facsimile – exact copy factor – element that contributes to a result faction – dissenting group proficient – skilled; expert (L. proficere, ‘to make progress’) efficient–functioning effectively (L. efficere, ‘to achieve’) deficient/ defect/defective – lacking some essential (L. deficere, ‘to lack’) affect – influence; put on appearance of effect/effective – result; to produce a result genre – kind, category especially in literary or artistic work gender – masculine, feminine or neuter general – common; usual 17 generalize/generalise generic – not having a trademark generate – to produce; create generation – production; all people of approximately the same age, sharing certain attitudes etc. degenerate/degeneration – decline; deteriorate regenerate – to renew indigenous – native; originating naturally in a place benign – kind; favourable; (of tumour: not malignant) malign – slander, defame, traduce malignant – evil; having a desire to harm others; (of tumour: resistant to therapy; deadly) Vocabulary for Chapter 8 – Animals and Family: 18 ***all the words concerning animals (including bees and birds) are simply adjectives meaning ‘having the quality of’. We shall discuss in class the human characteristics implied in most of them. Animals: apian, apiary, apiculture – bee avian, aviary, aviation, aviator – bird aquiline – eagle asinine – ass/donkey bovine – cow/cattle canine – dog caprine – goat **capricious: equine – horse feline – cat leonine – lion lupine – wolf ovine – sheep piscine – fish porcine – pig simian – monkey taurine – bull vulpine – fox 19 The Family: paternal – appropriate of a father; fatherly paternity – (legal) state of being one’s father paternalism – policy of restricting the freedom and responsibilities of subordinates or dependants in their supposed best interests patrician – aristocrat or nobleman patrilineal – descent through the male line patrimony – property inherited from one’s father; heritage patronymic – name derived from one’s father maternal – typical of a mother; motherly maternity – motherhood matrimony – state or ceremony of being married matrilineal – descent through the female line matronymic – name derived from mother avuncular – like an uncle in being kind and friendly to a younger or less experienced person nepotism – the favouring of relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs fraternal – of or like a brother fraternal twins – developed from separate ova, thus not identical fraternity – group of people sharing a common interest; male students’ residence (USA) fraternize – be on friendly terms sorority – female students’ residence (USA) puerile – childish adolescent – process of developing from a child into an adult adult – fully grown up person; (law) person who has reached the age of majority filial – appropriate of a son or daughter 20 Vocabulary for Chapter 9 – Latin Number Words: septuagenarian – a person aged between 70 and 79 years sesquicentenary – 150th anniversary of an event sesquipedalian – a very long word; characterized by long words prime – first in importance or quality; main primary – first in importance, rank, position, time etc.; first stage; fundamental primate – mammal of ‘First’ order (Primates) typically having flexible hands, good eyesight and a highly developed brain primitive – belonging to the beginning; relating to an early stage of development primogenitor – a forefather, ancestor primogeniture – state of being first born; (Law) right of an eldest son to succeed to the estate of his ancestor to the exclusion of all others principle – a standard or rule principled – having high moral standards principal – fist in importance, rank etc.; main unit – a single undivided entity; a system that performs a specific function (a production unit) unite – to make into a single group uniform – ‘one shape’ > prescribed identifying set of clothing; not varying unison – ‘one sound’; complete agreement unicameral – having one legislative chamber in parliament unify – make into one unique – being the only one of a particular kind universe – all existing matter and space considered as a whole; the cosmos universal – typical of the whole of mankind or nature; existing everywhere university – higher education institution (L. group of scholars) 21 duo – a pair of people or things duel – contest between two people dual – relating to two duet – performance by two; musical composition for two duplex – flat on two floors; residential building divided into two apartments duplicate – make or be an exact copy of duplicity – double-dealing; deceitfulness bisect – divide into two parts bicycle – vehicle with two wheels bigamy – offence of being married to two people at the same time triangle – three angles trident – three-pronged spear **trivia/trivial – of little importance trimester – period of three months triple – three-fold triumvirate – joint rule by three men quart – quarter (1/4th ) of a gallon of liquid quarter – one of four equal parts quadrangle – four angles; rectangular courtyard quadruple – multiply by four quadruplets – four babies born at one birth quadrilateral – four-sided **quintessence/quintessential – most typical example bonus – something given above what is expected benefit/ beneficial – advantage or profit gained beneficiary – person who gains benefit or advantage benevolent – well-meaning and kind 22 benign – kind (tumour = not malignant) benefactor/ beneficent - person who gives money or other help to a person or institution; doing good benediction - blessing malice/malicious – desire to do harm malign – slander, traduce malignant- tending to cause harm (tumour: resistant to therapy/cancerous) malediction – curse; slanderous accusation mal- - bad or badly paucity – insufficiency; fewness optimal, optimum, optimist – best optimize – take full advantage of pessimism – tendency to expect the worst magnify – make big; increase magnificent –splendid or impressive magnate – person of power magnitude – great size or importance magnanimous – ‘great soul’; generous magnum opus – most important or best work of an artist, composer or writer major – bigger; significant, important or serious majority – the greater number; age at which a person is legally a full adult minor – lesser in importance or seriousness minority – the smaller number **minister – clergyman; head of government department minus – less; subtraction **minuscule – very small minimal, minimum – the smallest amount possible 23 maximum – the greatest amount possible quantity – a certain amount or number > ‘how big, how much’ quantify – measure or specify the quantity of multi-: multiply, multiplication, multilingual, multiple, - many…… multitude/multitudinous – a large number of people or things multiparous – a woman or female animal that has had more than one viable offspring oviparous – producing young by means of eggs which are hatched after they have been laid viviparous – producing live offspring ovoviviparous – producing young by means of eggs which are hatched within the body omnibus - volume containing several works of same author; series contained in one edition; clipped for = ‘bus’, a vehicle ‘for all’ omnipotent – all powerful omniscient – all-knowing omnivorous – feeding on all kinds of food annual - yearly **biannual **biennial perennial – throughout the year; lasting for a long time; continually recurring millennium – period of a thousand years millimetre - 1/1000th of a metre millipede – ‘ having a thousand feet’ **Add notes re: THE CALENDAR: 24 Vocabulary for Chapter 10 - Senses and Action: patient – tolerant, understanding; person receiving medical care passion/passionate – strong affection/feeling for something; intense sexual love impassioned – filled with passion; fiery compassion – feeling of pity for suffering or misfortune of others passive – not active or participating impassive – not revealing emotion; reserved mortuary – building for dead bodies mortal/immortal – able to die post mortem – after death mortified – feeling humiliated moribund- near death; in terminal decline **morbid – abnormal and unhealthy interest in death or unpleasant events pedal – foot-operated lever **pedlar (US peddler) pedestrian – person travelling on foot pedicure – treatment of feet **impede – hinder, restrict the progress impediment – hindrance, obstruction **expedite - facilitate the progress; speed up expeditious – done with speed and efficiency expedient/expediency – convenient; inclined towards methods or solutions that are advantageous rather than fair 25 expedition – organized journey impeach – to charge a public official with an offence committed in office (USA) carnivorous – meat eating carnage – extensive slaughter carnal – of the flesh; relating to the passions of the body incarnation/incarnate – ‘in the flesh’; possessing bodily form reincarnation – belief that on the death of the body, the soul transmigrates to or is born again in another body **carnival – festive period marked by merrymaking; fair with sideshows and merry-gorounds etc. current – (adj.) happening in the present concurrent – happening at the same time excursion – short journey recur/recurrence – happening again cursor – movable indicator on a computer screen cursive – joined letters in writing vs printed letters cursory – hasty; superficial precursor – person or thing that precedes something else curriculum vitae - outline of person’s educational and professional history course – route or direction followed; prescribed lectures in an educational curriculum; area on which a sport is played or race is run courier – messenger who delivers documents swiftly recourse – act of resorting to a person or course of action for help concourse – large open space for gathering of people in a public area legible/illegible – able/unable to be read lectern – reading desk in a church or lecture theatre 26 lecture – educational talk to an audience eligible – satisfying appropriate conditions select – carefully choose as being the best or most suitable elect – choose predilection – preference or special like for something include – comprise; allow someone to share in an activity or privilege exclude – keep out seclude – keep someone away from other people conclude – bring to an end; arrive at a decision preclude – prevent from happening or prevent someone from doing something occlude – obstruct fracture – a crack or break (bone or rock); to break or cause to break fraction – small piece; any aprt or subdivision fractious – irritable fragment – small part broken off; incomplete part fragile – easily broken; delicate/weak frail – physically weak and delicate; weak infringe/infringement – break (a law or agreement); encroach on (right or privilege) science – investigation of physical and natural phenomena; systematically organized body of knowledge conscience – person’s moral sense of right and wrong conscientious – wishing to do what is right conscious/unconscious – aware of and responding to one’s surroundings; deliberate/knowing unconscionable – not right or reasonable; unprincipled 27 prescient/prescience – knowing beforehand omniscient – having very great knowledge; knowing everything incognito – in disguise recognize – know again; acknowledge the existence, validity or legality of cognitive/cognition – mental act or process by which knowledge is acquired take cognizance of – acknowledge; take notice of ignorant – lacking knowledge audible - able to be heard audience – those listening; formal interview auditorium – place where audience sits auditory – relating to sense of hearing audition – interview for a musician, actor etc. audit/auditor – official inspection of an organization’s accounts video – system of recording visual – relating to seeing or sight visible – able to be seen television – ‘seen from far away’ provide/provision – make available for use; make adequate preparation (‘see ahead’) provident - making preparation for the future improvident – careless; lacking foresight improvise – create and perform spontaneously voice – sound produced through larynx and uttered through the mouth; express in words vocal – relating to the human voice; expressing opinions loudly or freely 28 evoke/evocative – elicit; recall strong image, memory or feeling invoke – call on a god or spirit in prayer; appeal to as an authority vociferous – vehement; loudly expressing opinions revoke - cancel irrevocable – cannot be called back or changed provoke/provocation – deliberately anger; to incite (‘bring forth’) provocative – intending to incite, especially to anger or sexual desire equivocal – ambiguous; open to more than one interpretation equivocate- use ambiguous or evasive language tract – large area of land tractor – vehicle for hauling farm equipment detract – take away; diminish protracted – extended; dragged out retract/retraction – take back; withdraw intractable – difficult to influence or control agent – person who provides a particular service agenda – list of items to be discussed at a meeting actor – person whose profession is acting transact/transaction – conduct business navigate – sail or travel over; guide fumigate – purify with fumes of certain chemicals litigate – go to the law/drive a lawsuit intransigent – unwilling to change one’s views or agree exigent – pressing; demanding; urgent exigency/exigencies – urgent needs 29 ambiguous – having more than one meaning; open to different interpretations exit – way out ambience – atmosphere of a place sedition – conduct or speech inciting rebellion ambit – scope, extent of something ambition – strong desire to do or achieve something fas - right nefas - wrong nefarious – wicked or criminal ineffable – too great or extreme to be spoken in words **the Fates fate – predetermined course of events fatal – resulting in death; leading to failure or disaster fatalism – belief that all events are predetermined and thus inevitable profane –secular rather than religious; (of speech) blasphemous or obscene profanity – swear word fanatic – person with excessive and obsessive enthusiasm for something infant – very young child or baby salient – most noticeable or important resilient – able to bounce back/recover quickly from difficult conditions noxious – harmful; poisonous innocent – not guilty of a crime or offence; not corrupted; without experience innocuous – not harmful or offensive 30 adhere– stick to; follow the practice of adherent – supporter of a particular party, person or set of ideas adhesive – sticky; able to stick to a surface coherent – (of an argument of theory) logical and consistent cohesion – action or fact forming a united whole inherent – intrinsic; existing as an inseparable part divert/diversion – turn aside; amuse/distract avert – turn away (one’s eyes or thoughts) averse – strongly disliking adverse – unfavourable adversity – difficulty or misfortune versatile – able to adapt to many different functions or activities convert - change revert/reversion/reverse – go back; return to an earlier practice or condition converse – engage in conversation with OR opposite; contrary conversant – experienced in; familiar with conversion – change in form, function or character advertise/advertisement – present goods, service etc. to encourage sales controversy/controversial – dispute, argument, debate diverse/diversity – having variety diversify – to create different forms of; vary inadvertent - unintentional incontrovertible – cannot be contradicted or disputed; undeniable valid – strong; legally acceptable invalid weak; legally unacceptable OR person suffering from ill-health or injury etc. 31 validate – strengthen; give legal force to invalidate – weaken; take away legal force; annul convalesce – recover from illness ambivalent – having mixed feelings or opinions about 32 Vocabulary for Chapters 11 and 12 – Power and People: catalogue – list of items cataclysm – violent upheaval; disaster catastrophe – sudden extensive disaster or misfortune catalyst – something that brings about or speeds up change Catholic – relating to the Roman Catholic religion **catholic - universal epilogue – concluding section of a play or novel epitaph – inscription on a tomb **epithet – descriptive word or phrase describing a person epigraph – inscription on a building; short quote introducing a chapter /book epigraphy – study of ancient inscritions paradigm – pattern, model, typical example paradigm shift fundamental change in approach paralegal, paramedic, paramilitary – people who assist qualified lawyers, doctors or the military paranormal – beyond normal experience parallel – alongside one another parasite – organism living off another; person who lives off and exploits others parameter – limit or boundary paranoia – unjustifiable suspicion of others **parachute – **paradox – a statement that seems to go against common sense but is true; seemingly contradictory **Hellenologophobia – sesquipedaliophobia – 33 triskaidekaphobia selachophobia – aichmophobia – amathophobia – **hydrophobia **psephology – study of voting and elections (page 82) **bureaucracy – a system of administration based upon organization into departments, division of labour, a hierarchy of authority; any administration in which action is impeded by unnecessary official procedures androgynous – having male and female characteristics **hermaphrodite – misogynist – hater of women misandrist – hater of men gynaecology – study of the functions and diseases specific to women android – resembling a man anthropomorphic – god, animal or object in shape of humans anthropology – study of human society, cultures and origins anthropophagi – cannibals, eaters of human beings philanthropist – one who performs charitable or benevolent actions (lover of fellow man) misanthrope – one who dislikes and distrusts fellow man psychic – relating to the mind or soul; mental as opposed to physical; a person sensitive to paranormal forces to psych (inf.) – to prepare mentally psychology – study of the mind and its functions; study of all forms of human and animal behaviour psychiatrist – one who specialises in diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders psychosis/psychotic – severe mental disorder in which person’s contact with reality becomes highly distorted 34 psychopath – person with a diseased mind; one with a personality disorder characterized by a tendency to commit antisocial and sometimes violent acts without feeling guilt psychometrics - concerned with the design and use of psychological tests monogamy – single marriage; having only one husband or wife at a time bigamy – crime of marrying a person while still legally married to another polygamy – being married to several people at the same time polygyny – being married to more than one wife at the same time polyandry – being married to more than one husband at the same time endogamy – marriage within one’s tribe or cultural/religious group exogamy – marriage outside one’s tribe or cultural/religious group biology – study of living forms microbiology – study of tiny living forms biography – writing about someone else’s life autobiography – writing about one’s own life amphibian – lives on land but breeds in water symbiosis – close association of two interdependent animal or plant species; interdependent relationship between two persons or groups geology – study of the origin, structure and composition of the earth geography – study of natural features of the earth’s surface, including topography, climate, soil, vegetation geochronology – concerned with ordering and dating events in the earth’s history **geometry – branch of maths concerned with measurement of points, lines, curves, and surfaces theology – study of religion theogony – origin and descent of the gods monotheism – belief in one God polytheism – belief in many gods 35 atheism – rejection of belief in God or gods pantheon – all the gods; collection of important or famous people hierocracy – rule by the sacred/priests hieroglyphics – ancient form of writing using pictures or symbols to represent objects; sacred carvings hierarchy – ranking system hagiology – study of the lives and legends of saints hagiography – the writing of the lives and legends of saints democracy – government by the people or their elected representatives demagogue – political agitator who appeals to the prejudice and passions of the mob demography – scientific study of human populations demotic – relating to the common people gynecocracy – rule by a woman epidemic – widespread occurrence of a disease; rapid development, spread of something endemic – present within a localized area; peculiar to people in such an area pandemic – affecting people over a very wide geographical area; extensively epidemic politics – relating to matters concerning the administration of the city, state or government policy – course of action adopted or proposed by an organization or individual politic – wise; sensible police – civil force responsible for the prevention of crime and maintenance of public order metropolis – very large and busy city chronic – lasting a long time or recurring frequently chronicle – record; written account of events in order of their occurrence 36 chronology – sequence of events in order they occurred synchronous – simultaneous; happening at the same time anachronism – error of placing a person or thing in the wrong time period philosophy – study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality and existence; theory or attitude that guides one’s behaviour philology – study of the structure, historical development and relationships of a language or languages philanderer – a man who readily enters into casual sexual relationships with women philodendron - tropical climbing plant sophist/sophistic – person who uses clever but fallacious arguments sophisticated – showing worldly experience; (of a machine, system or technique) highly complex sophomore – second-year American university student phantom – ghost; figment of the imagination epiphany – a moment of sudden and great revelation emphasis – special importance, value or prominence given to something diaphanous – light, delicate and translucent phenomenon – remarkable person or thing; fact or event that can be observed phenomenal – remarkable, extraordinary amorphous – without shape metamorphosis – transformation **morphine - a pain-killing medication 37 Vocabulary for Chapter 13 – Greek Numbers: tachometer – instrument which measures speed of an engine, usually in revolutions per minute photometer – measures intensity of light thermometer – measures temperature dynamometer – measures power output of an engine spirometer – measures the air capacity of the lungs altimeter – measures altitude, especially in aircraft barometer – measures atmospheric pressure; an indicator of change odometer – measures distance travelled monogamy, monorail, monosyllable monotheism, monotonous, monochrome monolingual – speaking only one language monologue – long speech by one actor in a play or film; long, tedious speech by one person during a conversation monopoly – exclusive possession or control of the supply of or trade in a commodity or service; exclusive possession or control prototype – preliminary form from which other forms are copied protocol – official procedure governing affairs of state or diplomatic occasions; accepted code of procedure or behaviour in certain situations protagonist – leading character in a drama, film or novel; advocate of a cause or idea **protea flower – south African indigenous shrub/flower dilemma – situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives dichotomy – contrast between two entirely different things tetrapod – object with four feet, legs or supports tetrahedron – a solid having four flat triangular faces tetralogy – four related literary or operatic works 38 tetrarch – one of four joint rulers **tetragram – a word with four letters Tetragrammaton – the Hebrew name of God transliterated in four letters YHWH or JHVH and pronounced as Yahweh or Jehovah **pentagram/pentacle – five-pointed star often used as a mystic and magical symbol hexagon – figure having six straight sides and angles hexameter – line of verse consisting of six metrical feet heptathlon, heptagon hebdomadal - weekly hectare – metric unit equal to 10,000 square metres chiliad – period of a thousand years; group of a thousand things kilometre, kilogram, kilowatt myriad – innumerable bit – computing unit of information expressed as either a 0 or 1 in binary notation byte – group of binary digits operated on as a unit megabyte - unit of information = one million bytes gigabyte = 1000 million bytes terabyte = one million million bytes nanoscopic – extremely small nanosecond = one thousand millionth of a second nanometre = one thousand millionth of a metre nanotechnology – technology on an atomic or molecular scale, concerned with dimensions of less than 100 nanometres 39 Vocabulary for Chapter 14 – General Knowledge: archaeology – study of people, customs and life of ancient times archaic – very old or old-fashioned archaism – word or expression no longer in general use neologism – newly coined word or expression neophyte – a person new to a subject or activity neonatal – relating to new-born children mnemonic – designed to aid the memory amnesia – loss of memory amnesty – official pardon for people convicted of political offences dogma – a set of principles laid down by an authority; established and accepted opinion dogmatic – inclined to assert opinions as incontrovertible true ethic, ethics, ethical – relating to moral principles; morally correct ethos – the characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community ethnic – relating to a group of people having a common national or cultural tradition; characteristic of belonging to a non-Western cultural tradition ethnic cleansing – mass expulsion or killing of members of one ethnic or religious group ethnocentrism – practice of regarding one’s own race or culture as superior ethnology – study of the characteristics, culture, customs and institutions of different peoples synonym – word or phrase that means the same as another word antonym – word or phrase that means the opposite of another word acronym – word formed from the initial letters of other words metonym – word or expressions used as a substitute for something with which it is closely associated 40 homograph – two or more words spelled the same but having different meanings homophone – two or more words having the same pronunciation but different meanings homonym – two or more words having the same spelling or pronunciation but different meanings onomatopoeia – formation of a word from a sound pseudonym – fictitious name, especially of an author or performer cryptonym – code name toponym – word derived from the name of a place eponym – word derived from the name of a person mononym – single name oxymoron – figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction topic – subject of a text, speech, conversation etc. topical – relating to current affairs; applied directly to a part of the body **utopia/utopian – an imagined perfect place or state of things topography – arrangement of the natural and artificial features of an area; detailed representation on a map of such features type – category of people or things having common characteristics; (v.) to write using a keyboard typical – having the distinctive qualities of a particular type prototype – first or preliminary form from which others are copied typography – art or process of setting and arranging types and printing from them orthodontics – treatment of irregularities in the teeth and jaws orthography – conventional spelling system of a language **orthopaedics – branch of medicine concerned with treatment of disorders and injuries of bones and muscles paradox- seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement that may in fact be true orthodox – conventional; conforming with traditional beliefs 41 heterodox – not conforming with traditional standards or beliefs lexis – total stock of words in a language lexical – relating to words of a language lexicography – practice of compiling dictionaries lexicon – vocabulary of a person or language; a dictionary synergy – interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations etc.; collaboration energy – strength and vitality required for sustained activity ergonomics , ergonomical – study of people’s efficiency in their working environment economy –state of a country or area in terms of production and consumption of goods and services and the supply of money; careful management of available resources economical/economize – sparing in the use of money or resources; giving good value in relation to the resources or money spent ecology – branch of biology concerned with the relations of organisms to one another and their environment thesis – opinion or proposition that a person presents and tries to prove by argument; extended paper containing original research hypothesis – proposed explanation made on basis of limited evidence as starting point for further investigation hypothetical – supposed but not necessarily true antithesis – direct opposite synthesis – combination synthetic – made by chemical synthesis; not genuine; unnatural synthesize – combine into a coherent whole; make by synthesis anathema – something that one vehemently dislikes genealogy – study of lines of descent/family tree homogeneous – of the same kind heterogeneous – different in kind; not alike; varied 42 gene – minute part of a chromosome which is transferred from a parent to offspring and determines some characteristic of the offspring **-gen – producing genesis – origin, creation pedagogy, pedagogical – relating to teaching and education pedagogue – a teacher synagogue - building where Jewish congregation meets for religious observance demagogue – political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than by using rational argument euphoria – intense happiness and elation **Christopher – protagonist – leading character in a drama, film or novel antagonist – person who actively opposes someone or something; adversary antagonize – arouse dislike in; to oppose actively agony – extreme physical or mental suffering agonize – undergo great mental anguish through worrying over something diagnosis - identification of illness or other problem by examination of the symptoms prognosis – forecast of the likely course of a disease or problem agnostic – person who believes that nothing is known about the existence of God prognosticate – to foretell; prophesy pathos – quality that evokes pity or sadness pathetic – arousing pity; (inf.) miserably inadequate pathetic fallacy – attribution of human feelings and responses to inanimate things or animals sympathy – feelings of pity or sorrow for someone else’s misfortune empathy – the ability to understand and share the feelings of another apathy – without feeling; lack of interest or enthusiasm 43 pathology – branch of medicine concerned with the causes and effects of disease pathological – involving the nature of disease; (inf.) compulsive pathogen – a bacterium or virus causing disease telepathy – supposed communication of one mind with another without using speech, hearing or sight catalyst – a substance that causes a chemical reaction without itself changing; person or thing that precipitates some change analyse – examine methodically and in detail taxonomy – scheme of classification taxidermy – art of preparing, stuffing and mounting the skins of animals critic, criticize – person who judges merits of literary or artistic works; person who expresses unfavourable opinion of something criterion standard by which something is judged critical – adverse or disapproving opinion; at a point of crisis, extremely ill; having a decisive importance in the success or failure of something critique – a detailed analysis or assessment crisis - a time of intense difficulty or danger prophet – one who predicts the future; inspired teacher of the will of God prophecy – prediction euphemism – mild or less direct word or phrase substituted for that is harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing encrypt – convert into code cryptic mysterious or obscure in meaning cryptography – art or writing or solving codes crypt – underground room or vault beneath a church used as a chapel or burial place cryptonym – code name **apocryphal – of doubtful authenticity; false 44 Vocabulary for Chapter 15 – Words and Phrases from Mythology: theogony – offspring of the gods theology – study of religion atheist – not believing in God monotheism – belief in one God polytheism – belief in many gods pantheon – all the gods; collection of important or famous people genealogy – family tree chaos/chaotic confusion; disorder cosmos – the universe (order) cosmogony – branch of science concerned with origin of the universe cosmopolitan – familiar with many different countries and cultures (‘citizen of the world’) titanic – of exceptional strength, size or power titanium – hard grey metal parthenogenesis – reproduction from an ovum without fertilization jovial - happy Junoesque – tall and shapely woman martial – warlike martial arts – various sports to do with self-defence and attack martial law – military government, involving the suspension of ordinary law aphrodisiac – food, drink or drunk that stimulates sexual appetite venereal – relating to disease caused by sexual activity with an infected person erotic – tending to arouse sexual desire mercurial – changeable, fickle cereal – breakfast foodstuff made from grains 45 volcano – mountain with a crater from which lava erupts cupidity - greed muse – to ponder, be absorbed in thought a muse – a woman who is a source of inspiration for a creative artist amuse – entertain. make someone laugh music Bacchanalian - drunken iridescent – showing different colours when seen from different angles Herculean – requiring great strength or effort a labour of Hercules – hard task hydra – persistent evil, difficult to eradicate Pandora’s box – a process that once begun generates many problems narcissicism – extreme vanity and self-interest stygian - gloomy tantalise - tease Sisyphean task – endless task Trojan War: judgement of Paris – difficult decision a Helen – beautiful woman the face that launched a thousand ships to work like a Trojan – work very hard beware Greeks bearing gifts – don’t trust your enemies Achilles’ heel – weakness or vulnerable point Trojan horse – something intended to undermine or overthrow an enemy or opponent; programme designed to breach security of a computer system while appearing to perform an innocuous operation 46 to hector – talk to someone in a bullying way stentorian – very loud odyssey – long, adventure-filled journey a Circe – a bewitching woman a siren – device that makes long warning sound; a woman who is alluring but dangerous between Scylla and Charybdis – between a rock and a hard place! mentor – wise and trusted advisor a Penelope – a loyal woman 47 Vocabulary for Chapter 16 – Medicine: surgeon/surgery – branch of medicine concerned with operative procedures chiropractor – one who manipulates the spine using his/her hands chiropodist – one who trests the feet using his/her hands chiromancy – palm-reading contraception – intentional prevention of conception/pregnancy abortion – termination of pregnancy exposure – abandon a child in the open to die hysteria – frenzied, emotional state hypochondria – chronic abnormal anxiety about one’s health cytopathogenic * faciocephalgia* melanoma – malignant tumour occurring especially in the skin sarcoma – tumour in soft tissue myosarcoma – tumour in muscle and soft tissue osteoma – benign tumour composed of bone or bone-like tissue hepatoma – tumour in liver haematoma – benign tumour or swelling of clotted blood myalgia – muscle pain neuralgia – severe nerve pain pyrexia - fever cephalalgia - headache otitis- inflammation of ear dermatitis – inflammation of skin myoencarditis inflammation of heart muscle encephalitis – inflammation of brain 48 encephalosis - abnormal condition in the brain haemangiomatosis – abnormal condition of blood vessels neurosis – abnormal condition of nervous system, characterized by hysteria, anxiety, depression or obsessive behaviour cardiopathy – heart disease pathology – study of disease and its causes homoeopathy – method of treating disease by use of small amounts of a drug that, in healthy persons, produces symptoms similar to those of the disease being treated cardiotomy – incision into heart enterotomy – incision into intestine hysterectomy – excision of womb appendectomy – excision of appendix nephrectomy – excision of kidney thermometer – measures temperature cephalometer – measures head circumference electroencephalograph – instrument to record the electrical activity of the brain polygraph – lie-detector diarrhoea – frequent and copious discharge of abnormally liquid faeces otopyorrhoea – discharge of pus from ear haemorrhage – profuse bleeding from ruptured blood vessels cystorrhagia – profuse discharge from bladder psychotherapy – treatment of nervous disorders physiotherapy – treatment of disease, injury etc. by physical means such as massage, exercise, rather than by drugs leukocyte – white blood-cells cytotoxin – poisonous for cells, especially cancer cells cytology – study of cells atrophy – wasting away of an organ or part 49 hypotrophy – undernourished organ or part hypertrophy – excessive growth of organ or part dystrophy – any of various bodily disorders characterized by wasting of tissues rhinoplasty – plastic surgery to the nose rhinometer – measures nasal cavities rhinoscope – instrument to measure nasal cavities rhinoceros * otorhinolaryngologist – ear, nose and throat specialist haematology – study of blood leukaemia – acute or chronic disease characterized by proliferation of white blood cells septicaemia – rotten blood/blood poisoning anaemia – deficiency of red blood cells haemophilia – inheritable disease, usually affecting only males, characterized by impairment of blood-clotting ability paediatrician – specialist in children and their diseases psychiatrist – specialist who treats mental disorders psychosomatic –illness thought to be caused by psychological factors such as stress cancer – any type of malignant growth or tumour caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division 50
