Cummings
1st Nine Weeks Vocabulary
Set One
1. surrealistic—dreamlike; consisting of odd and inharmonious elements
2. inordinate—excessive; beyond the normal limits of good taste
3. chastise—to scold or discipline severely
4. devious—deceitful or tricky
5. perfunctory—done superficially as a matter of routine
6. precocious—unusually mature or mentally developed for one’s age
7. reiterate—to repeat or say again
8. fastidious—hard to please; fussy
9. eulogy—tribute; speech in praise of a recently deceased person
10. servile—submissive; characteristic of a slave
11. crescendo—gradual increase in loudness
12. dirge—mourning music; sad song or poem
13. euphony—pleasing combination of sounds
14. aficionado—enthusiastic fan or supporter
15. facsimile—exact copy or reproduction
16. implode—to burst or collapse violently inward
17. indelible—permanent; incapable of being erased
18. stymie—to hinder or thwart; prevent from doing something
19. genial—kind, pleasant, or cheerful
20. militant—aggressive and vigorous in support of a cause
Set Two
1. albatross—a persistent difficulty or burden
2. catharsis—a spiritual or emotional purification or cleansing
3. exacerbate—to make worse or aggravate
4. personify—to represent or embody
5. stupefy—to stun or daze from shock
6. exemplify—to illustrate; show or serve as an example
7. compatible—harmonious; working well together
8. facilitate—to make a task easier by removing obstacles
9. accolade—praise, award, or high honor
10. cordiality—sincere graciousness and friendliness
11. beguile—to charm, enchant, or delight
12. humane—kind, compassionate, considerate
13. tranquil—calm, quiet, or peaceful
14. improvise—to work with what you have, often on the spur of the moment
15. immobilize—to keep from moving
16. sallow—relating to an unhealthy yellowish complexion
17. cerulean—sky blue in color
18. iridescent—colors resembling a rainbow with shifting hues and patterns
19. omniscient—all knowing
20. scour—to search thoroughly and quickly
Cummings
1st Nine Weeks Vocabulary
Set Three
1. malaise—vague feeling of sickness or uneasiness
2. stamina—ability to withstand prolonged physical or mental hardships
3. enamored—captivated or fascinated by something or someone
4. deferential—respectful; yielding to someone else’s wishes
5. snide—malicious, nasty, or spiteful
6. extemporaneous—unrehearsed or offhand; spur of the moment
7. blasphemous—profane; showing disrespect for anything held sacred
8. vista—a view; especially one stretching in the distance
9. misnomer—incorrect or unsuitable name
10. venerable—worthy of respect because of old age or intellect
11. spiel—a persuasive speech
12. abject—low in spirit or hope
13. autonomous—having the right or power of self-government
14. insipid—dull; lacking flavor or zest
15. abode—one’s home or residence
16. disparage—to lower in rank or reputation; to belittle
17. rapport—relations that are harmonious
18. oblivious—lacking mindful attention; unaware
19. ilk—sort or kind of something
20. billow—to rise and roll in waves; to swell out
Set Four
1. nonchalant—not caring or indifferent
2. docile—teachable or submissive
3. thwart—to prevent something from happening
4. vivacious—full of zest and life
5. vindicate—to clear of accusation or blame
6. inundate—to completely cover or drown
7. reclusive—preferring solitude or one’s own company
8. infamy—relating to a bad reputation
9. grandiose—in large scale
10. idiosyncrasy—something uniquely strange about one’s behavior or character
11. lucid—clear; easy to understand
12. permeate—able to penetrate through
13. presumptuous—excessively forward; almost to the point of being improper
14. tumultuous—noisy or disorderly
15. dogmatic—abiding by a set of strict, authoritative rules
16. brusque—blunt in speech; harsh or gruff
17. anomaly—deviation from the norm; something very strange
18. gargantuan—huge
19. exemplary—serving as a perfect example
20. fervent—having and showing great emotion
Cummings
1st Nine Weeks Vocabulary
Set Five
1. aesthetics—having to do with beauty
2. charlatan—an imposter; someone pretending to be something he is not
3. orthodox—leaning towards tradition; the way something has always been done
4. tenacious—determined
5. haughty—arrogant and condescending in speech or manner
6. mundane—ordinary; commonplace
7. pretentious—pretending to be important, intellectual, or cultured
8. rancorous—bitter or hateful
9. surreptitious—secret or stealthy
10. adulation—high praise given to someone for an accomplishment
11. anecdote—a short, funny account of an event
12. benevolent—friendly and helpful
13. camaraderie—the feeling of trust and sociability among friends
14. empathy—identifying with the feelings of others
15. emulate—to imitate; to follow as an example
16. mores—customs or traditions
17. moot—unable to resolve
18. acrid—sharp or bitter
19. acumen—one’s mental sharpness or intelligence
20. loquacious—extremely talkative
Set Six
1. macabre—gruesome or horrific in nature
2. maudlin—overly sentimental
3. arduous—difficult or challenging
4. berate—to scold or criticize
5. cacophony—a harsh, displeasing sound
6. cataclysm—a disaster
7. incessant—constant; not stopping
8. insipid—dull or tasteless
9. indigent—poor or needy
10. emaciated—very thin; almost to the point of wasting away
11. enigma—a riddle or puzzle
12. eschew—to avoid
13. impeccable—perfect; entirely without sin or fault
14. cursory—quick or hasty
15. decadence—moral decay; the decline of a civilization’s values
16. expunge—to erase or cancel
17. formidable—menacing or threatening in appearance
18. fruition—fulfillment or completion
19. germane—relevant to the point or task at hand
20. hiatus—break or interruption, usually from work
Cummings
1st Nine Weeks Vocabulary
Set Seven
1. gregarious—sociable or outgoing
2. zenith—the highest point in the sky
3. succinct—brief; concise; to the point
4. zephyr—a gentle breeze
5. recalcitrant—stubborn; hard to train
6. revere—to worship or respect
7. risqué—improper
8. pragmatic—practical
9. profound—deep in meaning; insightful
10. diverge—to part from the set course
11. reciprocate—to give something back in return
12. utopia—an ideally perfect place
13. prolific—producing much; abundant
14. dubious—filled with uncertainty; doubtful
15. obsolete—no longer in use; outdated
16. nuance—a subtle difference
17. fathom—to understand in great depth or detail
18. nadir—the lowest point of something
19. vicarious—something done or experienced through someone else
20. malevolence—having ill will or wishing harm
Set Eight
1. diadem—crown or royal headband
2. ascertain—to learn with absolute certainty
3. diffident—lacking confidence
4. poignant—drawing pity or compassion
5. vignette—a short, descriptive literary sketch, usually of an author
6. evasive—trying to get away from something or hide from something
7. prosperity—great wealth
8. calamity—great distress or misfortune
9. archaic—seldom used; old-fashioned
10. articulate—expressing oneself clearly and easily
11. beseech—to beg urgently or to plead
12. demure—shy or modest
13. genteel—refined or polite
14. insinuate—to hint at indirectly; to imply
15. myriad—countless or innumerable
16. suffice—to be enough
17. derisive—showing scorn or contempt
18. brazen—shamelessly bold
19. plausible—seemingly true
20. lethargic—having no energy; lazy