Lord of the Flies – Vocabulary - 1
Lord of the Flies Vocabulary Unit 1
Please research the definitions for each of the words below. To help you determine the correct meaning, quotes from the text have been
provided.
efflorescence – (n) – process of developing and blossoming, as of coming to power
“It was clear to the bottom and bright with the efflorescence of tropical weed and coral.”
impalpable – (adj) – unable to be touched; unable to be defined
“With impalpable organs of sense, they examined this new field.”
effulgence –(n) – of bright radiance or brilliance; brightness
“With that word the head seemed to increase till it became a threatening weight and the lagoon attached them with a blinding
effulgence.”
disinclination – (n) – unwillingness; dislike to do something
“There had grown up among the biguns the opinion that Piggy was an outsider…and a certain disinclination for manual labor.”
mimicry –(n) – act of imitating (mimicking)
“Jack’s voice sounded in bitter mimicry.”
intimidate – (v) –persuasion with a threat or fear
“He was intimidated by this uniformed superiority and the offhand authority in Merridew’s voice.”
askew – (adj) – to one side; off balance
“Some unknown force had wrenched and shattered these cubes so that they lay askew, often piled diminishingly on each other.”
Lord of the Flies – Vocabulary - 2
immure – (v) – to enclose or confine; entomb
“Immured in these tangles, at perhaps their most difficult moment, Ralph turned with shining eyes to the others.”
errant – (adj) – deviating (moving away) from the regular or proper course
“The noise of the errant assembly faded up the mountain.”
pliant – (adj) – flexible; bendable
“Here the roots and stems of creepers were in such tangles that the boys had to thread through them like pliant needles.”
contrite – (adj) – feeling or expressing remorse; guilty
“Simon’s contrite face appeared in the hole.”
specious – (adj) – apparently good but deceptive; beguiling
“Ralph had been deceived before now by the specious appearance of depth in a beach pool and he approached this one preparing to be
disappointed.”
incredulity – (n) – disbelief; is unbelievable (adj is incredulous)
“Simon, waking in front of Ralph, felt a flicker of incredulity – a beast with claws that scratched, that sat on a mountain-top, that left
no tracks and yet was not fast enough to catch Samneric.”
gesticulate – (v) – to use gestures, especially dramatically or to emphasize one’s words
“He gesticulated widely.”
inarticulate – (adj) – unable to speak
“Simon became inarticulate in his effort to express mankind’s essential illness.”
apex – (n) – tip or highest point
Lord of the Flies – Vocabulary - 3
“Then, at the apex, the grass was thick again because no one sat there.”
antagonism – (n) – causing conflict; hostility
“Now the antagonism was audible.”
arid – (adj) – excessively dry
“A great tree, fallen across one corner, leaned against the trees that still stood arid – a rapid climber flaunted red and yellow sprays
right to the top.”
carcass – (n) –dead body or corpse
“The carcass of a pig swung from the stake, swinging heavily as the twins toiled over the uneven ground.”
scavenge – (v) – salvage; look for something
“Like a myriad of tiny teeth in a saw, the transparencies came scavenging over the beach.”