ROOT
CANT
LUD/LUS
PHAN/PHEN
VER
TURB
VOLU/VOLV
FAC/FEC/FIC
UT/US
UMBR
VEST
THE/THEO
DEFINITION
From the Latin verbs canere and cantare, meaning
"sing," produces several words that come
directly from Latin, and others that come by way
of French and add an h to the root: for example
chant and chantey.
Comes from the Latin verb ludere, "to play," and
ludum, "play" or "game." An interlude thus is
something "between games" (inter-meaning
"between"). A delusion or an illusion plays
tricks on a person.
From the Greek verb that mean "to appear or
seem" or "to present to the mind," has to do
with the way things seem or appear rather than
the way they really are. From these roots come
words such as fanciful and fantasy, in which the
imagination plays an important part.
Comes from the Latin word for "truth." A
verdict in a trial is "the truth spoken." But a
just verdict may depend on the veracity, or
"truthfulness," of the witnesses.
Comes from the Latin verb turbare, "to throw
into confusion or upset," and the noun turba,
"crowd" or "confusion." A disturbance, for
example, confuses and upsets normal order or
routine.
Comes from the latin verb volvere, meaning "to
roll, wind, turn around, or twist around. From
this source come words like volume, which was
originally the name of a scroll or roll of
papyrus, and revolve, which simply means "turn
in circles"
Comes from the Latin verb facere, meaning "to
make or do." Thus a benefactor is someone who
does good. To manufacture is to make, usually
in a factory.
Comes from the Latin verb uti, "to use, make use
of, employ," and the related adjective utilis,
"useful, fit." It is used in such words as
abuse, "improper use," and reuse, "to use
again."
From the Latin umbra, "shadow," is a shady
customer. The familiar umbrella, with its
ending meaning "little," casts a "little shadow"
to keep off the sun or the rain.
Comes from the Latin verb vestire, "to clothe"
or "to dress," and the related noun vestis,
"clothing" or "garment," Vest is the shortest
English word we have from this root, and is the
name of a rather small piece of clothing.
Comes from the Greek word meaning "god."
Theology is the study of gods or religion.
Monotheism is the worship of a single god;
someone who is polytheistic, however, worships
many gods.
DE/DIV
DEMO
POPUL
POLIS/POLIT
CIRCU/CIRCUM
CORD
CULP
DIC
GNI/GNO
APT/EPT
Comes from two related Roman words, dues, "god,"
and divus, "divine." Deism, a philosophy that
teaches natural religion, emphasizes morality,
and denies that the creator god interferes with
the laws of the universe, was the basic faith of
man of America's Founding Fathers.
Comes from the Greek word meaning "people." A
demagogue leads the people, usually into
trouble, by lying and appealing to their
prejudices.
Comes from the Latin word meaning "people," and
in fact forms the basis of the word people
itself. Popular means not only "liked by many
people" but also "relating to the general
public." Popular culture is thus the culture of
the general public and the population is the
people of an area.
Comes from the Greek word for "city." "Citystates" operated much like separate nations in
ancient Greece, so all their politics was local,
like all their public policy, and even all their
police!
Means "around" in Latin. So circumnavigate is
"to navigate around," often describing a trip
around the world, and circumambulate means "to
walk around." A circuit can be a tour around an
area or territory, or the complete path of an
electric current.
From the Latin word for "heart," turns up in
many common English words. For example, the
word concord (which includes the prefix con-,
"with") means literally that one heart is with
another heart, and thus that they are in
agreement. So discord (with its prefix dis-,
"apart") means "disagreement" or "conflict."
Comes to English from the Latin word for
"guilt." A culprit is someone who is guilty of
a crime, though his or her culpability, or
guilt, should not be assumed before it is
proved.
From dicere, the Latin word meaning "to speak,"
says a lot. A contradiction (with the prefix
contra-, "against") speaks against or denies
something. A dictionary is a treasury of words.
A diction is another word for speech.
Comes from a Greek and Latin verb meaning "to
know" (and led to the word know itself). In the
group of words built from this root, you may
recogniaze ("know again") some and be ignorant
of ("not know") others. An agnostic is someone
who claims that whatever is divine cannot be
known. An ignoramus is a person who knows
absolutely nothing.
From aptare, "to fit,", and aptus, "fit," is
endlessly adaptable, changing itself to fit many
ART
CAD/CID/CAS
CIS
CRYPT/CRYPH
AB/ABS
PED
NASC/NAT/NAI
FER
TRANS
words and purposes. You are apt, or "likely,"
to come upon them when you least expect so adept
are they at fitting in.
Comes from the Latin word for "skill." Until a
few centuries ago, almost no one made a strong
distinction between skilled craftsmanship and
what we would call "art." Art could also mean
simply "cleverness." The result is that this
root appears in some words where we might not
expect it.
All come from the same Latin verb, cadere,
meaning "to fall, fall down, drop," or from the
related noun casus, "fall or chance." An
accident happens to you out of the blue. By
coincidence, things fall together in a pattern.
Casual dress is what you put on almost by
chance. A cascade is a rushing down of
something.
Comes from the Latin verb meaning "to cut, cut
down, or slay." An incisor is one of the big
front teeth; beavers and woodchucks have
especially large ones. A decision "cuts off"
previous discussion and uncertainty.
Comes from the Greek word for "hidden." To
encrypt a message is to encode it-that is, to
hide its meaning in code language. A medical
term beginning with crypto- always means there
is something hidden about the condition
Comes to us from Latin, and means, "from,"
"away," or "off." Abuse is the use of something
in the wrong way. To abduct is to "lead away
from" or kidnap. Aberrant behavior is behavior
that "wanders away from" what is usually
acceptable. But there are so many words that
include these roots, it would be absurd to try
to list them all there.
Comes from the Greek word for "child" this time.
See also its "foot" meaning in Unit 4. The two
usually aren't hard to tell apart-but don't
mistake a pediatrician for a podiatrist.
Comes from the Latin verb nasci, meaning "to be
born." Words that have come directly from Latin
carry the root nasc- or nat-, but those that
took a detour through French bear a telltale
nai- words like renaissance, "rebirth," or
naïve, "unsophisticated."
From the Latin verb ferre, means, "to carry."
If you refer to an incident in your past, you
"carry back" to that time. And transfer means
"to carry across."
Comes from Latin to indicate movement "through,
across, or beyond" something. Translation
carries the meaning from one language to
another. A television signal is sent or
transmitted through the air (or a cable) to your
PON/POS
TEN/TIN/TAIN
MONO
UNI
TERM/TERMIN
VINC/VICT
SPHER
VERT/VERS
MORPH
set. When making your way through a city on
public transportation, you may have to transfer
from one bus or subway across to another.
From the Latin verb ponere, means “put” or
“place.” You expose film by “placing it out” in
the light. You oppose an apponent by “putting
yourself against” him or her. You postpone a
trip by “placing it after” its original date.
From the Latin verb tenere and the related word
tenax, basically means “hold” or “hold on to.”
A tenant is the “holder” of an apartment, house,
or land, but not necessarily the owner. A
lieutenant governor may “hold the position” or
serve in lieu” of the governor when necessary.
Is the Greek for “one” or “only.” So a monorail
is a railroad that has only one rail, a
monotonous voice seems to have only one tone,
and a monopoly puts all ownership in the hands
of a single company, eliminating any
competition.
Comes from the Latin word for “one.” A uniform
is a single design worn by everyone. A united
group has one single opinion or forms a single
unit. A unitard is a one-piece combination
leotard and tights, very good for skating,
skiing, dancing-or riding a one-wheeled
unicycle.
Comes from the Latin verb terminare, “to limit,
bound, or set limits to, “or the related noun
terminus, a “limit or boundary.” In English,
those boundaries or limits tend to be final: to
terminate a sentence or a meeting or a ballgame
means to end it, and a term goes on for a given
amount of time and then ends.
Comes from the Latin verb vincere, which means
“to conquer” or “to overcome.” The victor
defeats an enemy, whether on a battlefield or a
football field. To convince someone that you’re
right is a victory of another kind.
Comes from the Greek word for “ball,” and it
appears in words for things that have something
round about them. A ball is itself a sphere.
The stratosphere and the ionosphere are parts of
the atmosphere that encircles the earth.
From the Latin verb vertere, means “to turn” or
“to turn around.” An advertisement turns your
attention to a product or service. Vertigo is
the dizziness that results from turning too
rapidly or that makes you feel as if everything
else is turning.
Comes from the Greek word for “shape.” Morph is
itself an English word with a brand-new meaning;
by morphing, filmmakers can now alter
photographic images or shapes digitally, making
them move or transform themselves in astonishing
FORM
DOC/DOCT
TUT/TUI
DI/DUO
BI/BIN
TOP
CENTR/CENTER
DOM
HABIT/HIBIT
PRO
ways.
Is the Latin root meaning “shape” or “form.”
Marching in formation is marching in ordered
patterns. A formula is a standard form for
expressing information, such as a recipe or a
rule written in mathematical symbols.
Comes from the Latin docere, which means “to
teach.” A doctor is a highly educated person
capable of instructing others in the doctrines,
or basic principles, of his or her field-which
is not necessarily medicine.
From the Latin verb tueri, originally meant “to
look t, “but the English meaning of the root
gradually came to be “to guide, guard, or
teach.” A tutor guides a student (or tutee)
through a subject, saving the most careful
tutoring for the most difficult area.
The Greek and Latin prefixes meaning “two,” show
up in both technical and nontechnical terms. A
duel is a battle between two people. A duet is
music for a duo, or a pair of musicians. If you
have dual citizenship, you belong to two
countries at once. Most birds are dimorphic,
with feathers of one color for males and another
color for females.
Also means “two” or “double.” A bicycle has two
wheels; binoculars consist of two little
telescopes; bigamy is marriage to two people at
once. A road through the middle of a
neighborhood bisects it into two pieces.
Comes from topos, the Greek word for “place.” A
topic is the subject of a paper or discussion.
Its root originally meant “commonplace”-that is,
a common subject.
Comes from the Greek kentron and the Latin
centrum, meaning “sharp point” or exact middle
of a circle.” A centrifuge is a spinning
machine that throws things outward from the
center; the apparent force that pushes them
outward is called centrifugal force.
Comes from the Latin domus, “house,” or dominus,
“master.” A domain is the area where a person
has authority or is dominant. Unfortunately,
dominant people can also be domineering, seeing
themselves as the masters of those they live and
work with.
Comes from the Latin habere, “to have” or “to
hold.” A habit, bad or good, has a hold on you.
To prohibit is to “hold back” or prevent.
Comes from Greek and Latin, where it means
“before,” “forward,” or “for.” As a prefix, it
can also mean “earlier than,” “front,” or “in
front of.” A lifetime of anger or bitterness
can proceed or “come forth,” from an unhappy
childhood. An ambitious army officer expects to
RETRO
TEMPOR
CHRON
TRI
ANIM
FIG
ANN/ENN
EV
CORP
TANG/TACT
CODI/CODE
be promoted, or “moved forward,” rapidly. Those
who provide for the future by laying away money
are “looking ahead.”
Means “back,” “behind,” or “backward” in Latin.
Retro is itself a fairly new word in English,
meaning “nostalgically old-fashioned” usually
when describing styles or fashions. A nation
retrocedes a territory by giving it back to the
country it originally belonged to.
Comes from the Latin tempus, meaning “time.”
The Latin phrase tempus fugit means “time
flies,” an observation that somehow seems more
true during summer vacation than in the dead of
winter. A temporary repair is meant to last
only a short time. The tempo, or speed, of a
country-and-western ballad is usually different
from that of a heavy metal song.
Comes from the Greek word for “time.” A
chronicle records the events of a particular
time. A chronometer is a device for measuring
time, usually one that’s more accurate (and more
expensive) than an ordinary watch or clock.
Means “three,” whether derived from Greek or
Latin. A tricycle has three wheels. A triangle
has three side and three angles. And a
triumvirate is a board or government of three
people.
Comes from the Latin anima, meaning "breath" or
"soul," and it generally describes something
that is alive or lively. An animal is a living,
breathing thing. Animism is the belief that
inanimate things have a spirit and an awareness.
Comes from the Latin verb fingere, which means
"to shape or mold," and the related noun figura,
meaning "a form or shape." A transfiguration
changes the shape or appearance of nature of
something. A disfiguring injury changes the
shape of part of the body.
Comes from Latin annus and means "year." An
annual event occurs yearly. A wedding or
birthday anniversary is an example.
Comes from the Latin aevum, "age" or "lifetime."
This root occurs in only a few English words,
but it is related to the Greek aion, "age," from
which we get the English word eon, meaning a
very long period of time.
Comes from corpus, the Latin word for "body." A
corporation is one kind of body, a corpse is
another, and a corps, such as the Marine Corps,
is yet another.
Comes from the Latin verb tangere, "to touch."
A person who shows tact has a delicate touch
when it comes to dealing with other people. To
make contact is to touch or "get in touch."
Comes from the Latin codex, meaning "trunck of a
SIGN
QUADR/QUART
TESSAR/TETR
CAPIT
ANTHROP
CUMB/CUB
DYNAM
GRAD
tree" or "document written on wooden tablets. A
code can be either a set of laws or a system of
symbols used to write messages. To encode a
message is to write it in code. A genetic code,
transmitted by genes, is a set of instructions
for everything from blood type to eye color.
Comes from the Latin noun signum, "sign or
mark." An architect's design marks out the
pattern for a building; if the owner designates
that design as the one he wants, he so indicates
by putting a signature, his own special mark, on
an agreement.
Comes from Latin words meaning "four" or
"fourth." In English, a quart is one-fourth of
a gallon, just as a quarter is one-fourth of a
dollar. A quadrangle has four sides but is not
necessarily square; quadruplets are four babies
born at the same time.
Comes from the Greek word for "four." A tessera
is the small and usually four-sided piece of
rock or the tile used to make mosaics.
Tessellation is the technique of making mosaic,
or of covering a surface with identical shapes
that fit exactly without covering or overlapping
each other; a floor covered with square tiles is
a simple example.
From the Latin word for "head," caput, turns up
in some pretty important places. The captain of
a ship is the head of the whole operation; the
capital of a state or country is the seat of
government, where the head of state is located.
A capital letter stands head and shoulders above
a lowercase letter, as well as at the head of a
sentence.
Comes from the Greek word for "human being." An
anthropomorphic god, such as Zeus or Athena,
basically looks and acts like a human. People
often anthropomorphize their pets, seeing them
as small, furry human beings rather than as
animals.
Can be traced to the Latin verb stems cumb-, "to
lie down," and curb-, "to lie." A cubicle was
originally a small room for sleeping ("lying
down") that was separated from a larger room,
though now it can be any small area set off by
partitions, as in an office. An incubus is an
evil male spirit that was once believed to seek
out women in order to "lie on" them in their
sleep.
Comes from Greek and means "to be able" or "to
have power." Dynamite has enough power to blow
up the hardest granite bedrock. A dyne is a
unit used in measuring force. An instrument
that measures force is called dynamometer.
Comes fro the Latin noun gradus, "step" or
LAT
CRIT
JUR
PENT
QUINT
BIO
GEN
FUNG/FUNCT
MUT
"degree," and the verb gradi, "to step, walk."
A grade is a step up or down on a scale of some
kind. A gradual change takes place in small
steps. The gradient of a steep might be 45
degrees.
Comes from a Latin verb that means "to carry or
bear." From this root come relation and
relative, a person you are related to, whether
you like it or not. You might be elated, or
"carried away by joy," to get free tickets to a
rock concert, but your elderly relative might
not share your elation.
Comes from a Greek verb that means "to judge" or
"to decide." A film critic judges a movie and
tells u what is good or bad about it. Her
critical opinion may convince us not to go, or
we may overlook any negative criticism and see
it anyway.
Comes from the Latin verb jurare, "to swear or
take an oath," and the stem of the noun jus,
"right or law." A jury, made up of jurors,
makes judgments based on the law. A personal
injury caused by another person is "not right."
Comes from the Greek word for "five." The
Pentagon in Washington, headquarters of the
Defense Department, has five sides like any
other pentagon. A pentatonic scale in music has
five pitches, rather than the seven in a major
or minor scale.
Comes from the Latin word meaning "five."
Quintuplets are babies that come in sets of
five. A quintessence is literally the "fifth
essence," the fifth and highest element of
ancient and medieval philosophy, which was
supposed to be in the celestial bodies.
Comes from the Greek word for "life." It forms
the base for many English words; a biosphere is
a body of life forms in an environment; biology
is the study of all living forms and life
processes; and biotechnology uses the knowledge
acquired through biology.
Generates many English words. Their basic
meaning is "come into being" or "be born." The
root occurs in gene, the most fundamental of
biological architects, and in genealogy, the
study of family roots.
Comes from the Latin verb fungi, "to perform,
carry out, or undergo." A car that is
functional is able to perform its function of
providing transportation. A functional
illiterate is a person who manages to get by a
society without the reading and writing skills
possessed by most other members of the society.
Comes from the Latin mutare, "to change."
Plenty of science-fiction movies have been made
on the subject of weird mutations, changes in
normal people or animals that end up causing to
end of death and destruction. More often than
not, it is some mysterious or alien force that
causes the unfortunate victim to mutate.
FRAG/FRACT
Comes from the Latin verb frangere, "to break or
shatter." A fraction is one of the pieces into
which a whole can be broken; recipes typically
call for fractional parts of a stick of butter
or a cup of flour. The dinnerware on which food
is served is often fragile or easily broken. A
person whose health is easily broken might be
described as frail.
TELE
Has as its basic meanings "distant" or "at a
distance." A telescope looks at faraway
objects, a telephoto lens on a camera magnifies
distant objects for a photograph, and a
television, for better or worse, allows us to
watch things taking place far away.
PHIL
Comes from the Greek word meaning "love."
NEG
And its variants nec- and ne- are the prefixes
of denial or refusal in Latin.
DEC
Comes from both Greek and Latin and means "ten."
CENT
Means "one hundred," from the Latin centum.
NOM
Comes from the Latin word for "name." A nominee
is "named" –or nominated-to run for or serve in
office.
PATER/PATR
From both the Greek and the Latin word for
"father."
LEGA
Comes from the Latin legare, meaning "to
appoint" or "to send as a deputy."
GREG
Comes from the Latin grex, "herd" or "flock."
Bees, wolves, people-any creatures that like to
live together in flocks or herds-are gregarious
animals.
FLU/FLUCT
Comes from the Latin verb fluere, "to flow." A
flume is a narrow gorge with a stream flowing
through it.
PREHEND/PREHENS Comes from the Latin verb prehendere, "to
seize." It is the root of such English verbs as
apprehend and comprehend.
TEMPER
Comes from the Latin verb temperare, "to
moderate or keep within limits" or "to mix." It
comes into English in words like temperature.
PURG
Comes from the Latin verb purgare, "to clean or
cleanse"
MILL
Means either "one thousand" or "a thousandth."
HEMI/SEMI
Means "half."
HYPER
Is a Greek prefix that means "above or beyond it
all."
PRE
One of the most common of all English prefixes,
comes from prae, the Latin word meaning "before"
or "in front of."
PARA
Can mean "beside"; parallel lines run beside
META
PER
ANT/ANTI
CONTRA
ACERB/ACRI
STRING/STRICT
STRU/STRUCT
PROP/PROPRI
TORS/TORT
VIV
SERV
CLUD/CLUS
TEXT
PLAC/PLAIS
AUT/AUTO
GRAT
CLAM/CLAIM
CRAC/CRAT
PUNG/PUNC
PLIC
MAND/MEND
each other. It can mean "beyond or outside":
paranormal activity is beyond normal experience.
Is a prefix in English with several different
meanings. It can mean "after" or "behind." It
can also mean "change," as in metamorphosis.
And it can mean "beyond": metalanguage is
language used to talk about language, which
requires going beyond normal language.
A Latin preposition that generally means
"through," "throughout," or "thoroughly."
Is opposite to or opposes something else.
Is the Latin equivalent of anti- and it too
means essentially "against" or "contrary to" or
"in contrast to."
Comes from the Latin adjective acer, meaning
"sharp" or "sour."
From the Latin verb stringo, stringere, "to draw
tight, bind, or tie."
Comes from the Latin verb struere, meaning "to
put together," "to put in order," and "to build
or devise."
Comes from the Latin word proprius, meaning
"own."
Comes from the two forms of the Latin verb
torquere, meaning "to twist" or "to wind" or "to
wrench."
Comes from vivere, the Latin verb meaning "to
live or be alive."
Means "to be subject to."
From the Latin claudere, "to close," appears in
include, which originally meant "to shut up or
enclose" and now means "to contain."
Comes from a Latin verb that means "to weave."
Individual words are "woven" into sentences and
paragraphs to form a text.
Comes from the Latin placere, "to please or be
agreeable to," or placare, "to soothe, or calm."
Comes from the Greek word for "same" or "self."
Comes from gratus, the Latin word meaning
"pleasing, welcome, or agreeable," or from
gratia meaning "grace, agreeableness, or
pleasantness."
Comes from the Latin verb clamare, meaning "to
shout or cry out."
Comes from the Greek word meaning "power."
Comes from the Latin verb pungere, meaning "to
prick or stab," and the noun punctum, meaning
"point."
Comes from the Latin verb plicare, "to fold." A
complicated subject has many folds ad wrinkles.
A person who is implicated in a crime is
"wrapped up" in it somehow.
Comes from mandare, Latin for "entrust" or
"order."
UND
SACR/SANCT
LOC/LOQU
VIR
VAL
CRE/CRET
FUND/FUS
VERB
SIMIL/SIMUL
SCAND/SCEND
TEN/TENU
SCRIB/SCRIP
MENS
SOLV/SOLU
HYDR
Comes into English from the Latin words unda,
"wave," and undare, "to rise in waves," "to
surge or flood."
Meaning "holy," comes from the Latin words sacer
and canctus.
Comes from the Latin verb loqui, "to talk."
Is Latin for "man." A virtue is a good qualityoriginally, the kind of quality an ideal man
possessed.
Has as its basic meaning "strength," from the
Latin verb valere, meaning "to be worthy,
strong, or healthy" and "to have power or
influence." A valid proof is one that provides
strong evidence and can be used to validate or
invalidate a claim.
Comes from the Latin verb crescere, which means
both "to come into being" and "to grow."
From the Latin verb fundere, "to pour out" or
"to melt," pours forth English words.
Comes from the Latin verbum, meaning "word."
Looks very similar to each other and, not
surprisingly, come from a similar source. Simil
comes fro the Latin adjective similes, meaning
"like," "resembling," or "similar."
Comes from the Latin verb scandere, "to climb."
Ascend, "go up," and descend, "go down."
Comes from the Latin adjective tenuis, meaning
"thin."
Comes from the Latin verb scribere, "to write."
Comes from the Latin noun mensura, "measure."
And the verb metirl, "to measure."
Comes from the Latin verb solvere, "to loosen,
free, release."
Flows from the Greek word for "water."
Abate
Aberrant
Abjure
Abrogate
Abscission
Abscond
Accolade
Accretion
Acerbic
Acumen
Admonish
Adroit
Adulation
Adulterate
Adumbrate
Aesthetic
Verb
To lessen in intensity
or degree
Adjective
Deviating from the norm
Verb
To renounce or reject
solemnly
Verb
To renounce or reject
solemnly; to recant; to
avoid
Noun
Act of cutting off or
removing
Verb
To depart clandestinely;
to steal off and hide
Noun
An expression of praise;
an award
Noun
Growth, increase by
successive addiction,
building up
Adjective
Having a sour or bitter
taste or character
Noun
Quick, keen, or accurate
knowledge or insight
Verb
To reprove; to express
warning or disapproval
Adjective
Adept, dexterous
Noun
Excessive praise;
intense adoration
Verb
To reduce purity by
combining with inferior
ingredients
Verb
To foreshadow vaguely,
intimate, suggest, or
outline sketchily
Adjective
Dealing with,
appreciative of, or
Aggrandize
Alacrity
Alchemy
Alloy
Amalgamate
Ameliorate
Amenable
Anachronism
Anathema
Anodyne
Anomaly
Antipathy
Antithetical
Apocryphal
responsive to art or the
beautiful
Verb
To increase in
intensity, power, or
prestige; to make appear
greater
Noun
Eager and enthusiastic
willingness
Noun
A medieval science aimed
at the transmutation of
metals, especially base
metals into gold; any
magical or wonderful
transformation
Verb
To commingle; to debase
by mixing with something
inferior.
Also Noun
The mixture itself
Verb
To combine several
elements into a whole
Verb
To make better or more
tolerable
Adjective
Agreeable; responsive to
suggestion
Noun
Something or someone out
of place in terms of
historical or
chronological context
Noun
A solemn or
ecclesiastical
(religious) curse;
accursed or thoroughly
loathed person or thing
Adjective
Soothing
Noun
Deviation from the
normal order, form, or
rule; abnormality
Noun
Aversion, dislike
Adjective
Diametrically opposed,
as in antithesis
Adjective
Apogee
Apostate
Apotheosis
Apposite
Apprise
Approbation
Appropriate
Arabesque
Arcane
Archaic
Arduous
Arrant
Arrest
Artless
Ascetic
Of dubious authenticity
or origin; spurious
Noun
Farthest or highest
point; culmination;
zenith
Noun
One who abandons longheld religious or
political convictions, a
betrayer of a cause
Noun
Deification,
glorification to
godliness, the perfect
example
Adjective
Appropriate, pertinent,
relevant apropos
Verb
Give notice to, inform
Noun
An expression of
approval or praise
Verb
To take for one’s own
use, confiscate
Noun
Complex, ornate design
Adjective
Mysterious, abstruse,
esoteric, knowable only
to initiates
Adjective
Outdated; associated
with an earlier, perhaps
more primitive time
Adjective
Strenuous, taxing,
requiring significant
effort
Adjective
Impudent; in every way,
being completely such,
barefaced, utter
Verb
To suspend; to engage
Adjective
Completely without
guile; natural; without
artificiality
Noun
One who practices rigid
self-denial, especially
as an act of religious
Asperity
Aspersion
Assiduous
Assuage
Astringent
Attenuate
Audacious
Augury
August
Auspice
Auspicious
Austere
Avarice
Aver
Axiom
Axiomatic
Baleful
devotion
Adjective
Severity, rigor,
roughness, harshness;
acrimony, irritability
Noun
An act of defamation or
maligning
Adjective
Diligent, hard-working
Verb
To ease or lessen; to
appease or pacify
Adjective
Having a tightening
effect on living tissue;
harsh; severe
Verb
To rarefy, weaken or
make thinner, lessen
Adjective
Daring and fearless;
recklessly bold
Noun
Omen, portent, the
reading of omens
Adjective
Majestic, venerable
Noun
Protection or support,
patronage
Adjective
Favorable, propitious,
successful, prosperous
Adjective
Without adornment; bare;
severely simple; ascetic
Noun
Greed, especially for
wealth
Verb
To state as a fact; to
confirm or support
Noun
A universally recognized
principle; a generally
accepted or common
saying
Adjective
Taken as a given;
possessing self-evident
truth
Adjective
Sinister, pernicious,
ominous
Bane
Beatify
Bedizen
Belie
Bellicose
Bent
Blandish
Blithe
Boisterous
Bolster
Bombastic
Broach
Brook
Bucolic
Burgeon
Burnish
Byzantine
Cacophony
Adjective
Cause of injury, source
of harm; source of
persistent frustration
Verb
To bless, make happy, or
ascribe a virtue to; to
regard as saintly
Verb
To adorn, especially in
a cheap, showy manner,
festoon, caparison
Verb
To give a false
impression of, to
misrepresent
Adjective
Belligerent, pugnacious,
warlike
Noun
Leaning, inclination,
proclivity, tendency
Verb
To coax with flattery,
toady or fawn
Adjective
Carefree, merry
Adjective
Loud, noisy, rough,
lacking restraint
Verb
To provide support or
reinforcement
Adjective
Pompous; grandiloquent
Verb
Bring up, announce,
begin to talk about
Verb
To tolerate, endure,
countenance
Adjective
Rustic and pastoral;
characteristic of rural
areas and their
inhabitants
Verb
To grow rapidly or
flourish
Verb
To polish, rub to a
shine
Adjective
Labyrinthine, complex
Noun
Cadge
Cajole
Calumniate
Cannon
Capricious
Cardinal
Caret
Castigation
Catalyst
Caustic
Censure
Chary
Chasten
Chauvinist
Chicanery
Chimera
Harsh, jarring,
discordant sound;
dissonance
Verb
To sponge, beg, or mooch
Verb
To inveigle, coax,
wheedle, sweet-talk
Verb
To slander, make a false
accusation
Noun
An established set of
principles or code of
laws, often religious in
nature.
Adjective
Inclined to change one’s
mind impulsively;
erratic; unpredictable
Adjective
Of basic importance or
consequence, primary
Noun
An insertion mark (^)
used by editors and
proofreaders
Noun
Severe criticism or
punishment
Noun
A substance that
accelerates the rate of
a chemical reaction
without itself changing;
a person or thing that
causes change
Adjective
Burning or stinging;
causing corrosion
Verb
To criticize severely;
to officially rebuke
Adjective
Wary; cautious; sparing
Verb
To chastise or correct;
subdue
Noun
One blindly devoted to a
group of which one is a
member
Noun
Trickery or subterfuge
Noun
Churlish
Coalesce
Coda
Cogent
Color
Commensurate
Complaisance
Connoisseur
Consequential
Contemn
Contentious
Contiguous
Contrite
Convention
Convoluted
An illusion; originally,
an imaginary firebreathing she-monster
Adjective
Boorish, vulgar,
loutish; difficult and
intractable
Verb
To come together; to
fuse or unite
Noun
Concluding section to a
musical or literary
piece, something that
concludes or completes
Adjective
Appealing forcibly to
the mind or reason;
convincing
Verb
To change as if by
dyeing, influence,
distort, or gloss over
Adjective
Matching, corresponding,
or proportionate in
degree, size, amount or
other property
Noun
The willingness to
comply with the wishes
of others
Noun
An informed and astute
judge in matters of
taste; expert
Adjective
Pompous, self-important
Verb
To scorn or despise
Adjective
Argumentative;
quarrelsome; causing
controversy or
disagreement
Adjective
Sharing a border;
touching; adjacent
Adjective
Regretful; penitent;
seeking forgiveness
Noun
A generally agreed-upon
practice or attitude
Adjective
Corrigible
Countenance
Cozen
Craven
Credulous
Culpable
Cynicism
Damp
Daunt
Dearth
Debacle
Decorum
Demur
Denigrate
Denouement
Deprecate
Depredate
Complex or complicated
Adjective
Capable of being set
right, correctable,
reparable
Verb
To approve of or
tolerate
Verb
To deceive, beguile,
hoodwink
Adjective
Contemptibly
fainthearted,
pusillanimous, lacking
any courage
Adjective
Tending to believe too
readily; gullible
Adjective
Deserving blame
Noun
An attitude or quality
of belief that all
people are motivated by
selfishness
Verb
To diminish the
intensity or check
something, such as a
sound or feeling
Verb
To intimidate or dismay
Noun
Smallness of quantity or
number; scarcity; lack
Noun
Rout, fiasco, complete
failure
Noun
Politeness or
appropriateness of
conduct or behavior
Verb
To question or oppose
Verb
Blacken, belittle,
sully, defame, disparage
Noun
An outcome or solution;
the unraveling of a plot
Verb
To disparage or belittle
Verb
To plunder, pillage,
Derision
Derivative
Desiccate
Desuetude
Desultory
Detraction
Diaphanous
Diatribe
Didactic
Die
Diffident
Digress
Dilatory
Dilettante
Din
Disabuse
Discomfit
Discordant
ravage or destroy; to
exploit in a predatory
manner
Noun
Scorn, ridicule,
contemptuous treatment
Adjective
Unoriginal, obtained
from another source
Verb
To dry out or dehydrate;
to make dry or dull
Noun
Disuse
Adjective
Random; thoughtless;
marked by a lack of plan
or purpose
Noun
Slandering, Verbal
attack, aspersion
Adjective
Transparent, gauzy
Noun
A harsh denunciation
Adjective
Intended to teach or
instruct
Noun
A tool used for shaping
Adjective
Reserved, shy,
unassuming; lacking in
self-confidence
Verb
To stray from the point;
to go off on a tangent
Adjective
Causing delay,
procrastinating
Noun
One with an amateurish
or superficial interest
in the arts or a branch
of knowledge
Noun
Loud sustained noise
Verb
To undeceive; to set
right
Verb
To defeat, put down
Adjective
Conflicting; dissonant
or harsh in sound
Discretion
Disinterested
Disparage
Disparate
Dissemble
Dissolution
Distrait
Divulge
Doggerel
Dogmatic
Dross
Dulcet
Dynamo
Ebullience
Eccentric
Eclectic
Noun
Cautious reserve in
speech; ability to make
responsible decisions
Adjective
Free from self-interest;
unbiased
Verb
To slight or belittle
Adjective
Fundamentally distinct
or dissimilar
Verb
To disguise or conceal;
to mislead
Noun
Disintegration,
looseness in morals
Verb
Distracted; absentminded, especially due
to anxiety
Verb
To disclose something
secret
Noun
Trivial, poorly
constructed verse
Adjective
Authoritatively and or
arrogantly assertive of
principles, which often
cannot be proved;
stubbornly opinionated
Noun
Slag, waste or foreign
matter, impurity,
surface scum
Adjective
Melodious, harmonious,
mellifluous
Noun
Generator; forceful,
energetic person
Adjective
The quality of lively or
enthusiastic expression
of thoughts and feelings
Adjective
Departing from norms or
conventions
Adjective
Composed of elements
drawn from various
sources
Edifying
Effrontery
Effusive
Egress
Elegy
Eloquent
Emollient
Empirical
Encomium
Endemic
Enervate
Engender
Enigmatic
Ennui
Enormity
Adjective
Enlightening,
informative
Noun
Extreme boldness;
presumptuousness
Adjective
Gushing; excessively
demonstrative
Noun
Exit
Noun
A mournful poem,
especially one lamenting
the dead; any mournful
writing or piece of
music
Adjective
Well-spoken; expressive;
articulate
Adjective
Soothing, especially to
the skin; making less
harsh; mollifying
Adjective
Based on observation or
experiment
Noun
Glowing and enthusiastic
praise; panegyric,
tribute, eulogy
Adjective
Characteristic of or
often found in a
particular locality,
region, or people;
restricted to or
peculiar to that region;
indigenous
Verb
To weaken; to reduce in
vitality
Verb
To cause, produce, give
rise to
Adjective
Mysterious; obscure;
difficult to understand
Noun
Dissatisfaction and
restlessness resulting
from boredom or apathy
Noun
Excessive wickedness;
evilness
Ephemeral
Epicure
Episodic
Epithet
Epitome
Equanimity
Equivocate
Errant
Erudite
Eschew
Esoteric
Essay
Estimable
Eulogy
Evanescent
Evince
Exacerbate
Exact
Adjective
Brief, fleeting, shortlived
Noun
One devoted to sensual
pleasure, particularly
in food and drink;
gourmand, sybarite
Adjective
Loosely connected, not
flowing logically,
occurring at intervals
Noun
Disparaging word or
phrase
Noun
Embodiment; quintessence
Noun
Composure, selfpossession
Verb
To use ambiguous
language with a
deceptive intent
Adjective
Traveling, itinerant,
peripatetic
Adjective
Very learned; scholarly
Verb
To shun or avoid
Adjective
Intended for or
understood by a small,
specific group
Verb
To test or try; attempt,
experiment
Adjective
Worthy, formidable
Noun
A speech honoring the
dead
Adjective
Tending to disappear
like vapor; vanishing
Verb
To show clearly, to
indicate
Verb
To make worse or more
severe
Verb
To demand, call for,
require, take
Excoriate
Exculpate
Exemplar
Exhort
Exigent
Exonerate
Expatiate
Expiate
Expurgate
Extant
Extemporaneou
s
Extirpate
Facetious
Fallacy
Fallow
Fatuous
Fawn
Feckless
Verb
To censure scathingly,
to upbraid
Verb
Exonerate; to clear of
blame
Noun
Typical or standard
specimen; paradigm,
model
Verb
To incite, to make
urgent appeals
Adjective
Urgent; pressing;
requiring immediate
action or attention
Verb
To remove blame
Verb
Discuss or write about
at length; to range
freely
Verb
To atone or make amends
for
Verb
To remove obscenity,
purify, censor
Adjective
Existing, not destroyed
or lost
Adjective
Improvised; done without
preparation
Verb
To destroy, exterminate,
cut out, pull out by the
roots
Adjective
Playful; humorous; not
serious
Noun
An invalid or incorrect
notion; a mistaken
belief
Adjective
Untilled, inactive,
dormant
Adjective
Silly, inanely foolish
Verb
To flatter or praise
excessively
Adjective
Felicitous
Fell
Fervent
Fetid
Fetter
Filibuster
Filigree
Flag
Flip
Florid
Flout
Foment
Forbearance
Ford
Forestall
Ineffectual;
irresponsible
Adjective
Apt; suitably expressed,
well chosen, apropos,
delightful
Noun
A barren or stony hill;
an animal’s hide
Adjective
Greatly emotional or
zealous
Adjective
Stinking, having a heavy
bad smell
Verb
To shackle, put in
chains, restrain
Noun
Intentional obstruction,
usually using prolonged
speechmaking to delay
legislative action
Noun
An ornamental work,
especially of delicate
lacelike patterns;
resembling such a
pattern
Verb
To sag or droop, to
become spiritless, to
decline
Adjective
Sarcastic, impertinent
Adjective
Flushed with color,
ruddy, ornate
Verb
To demonstrate contempt
for
Verb
To stir up, incite,
rouse
Noun
Patience, willingness to
wait
Verb
To wade across the
shallow part of a river
or stream
Verb
To act in a way to
hinder, exclude or
prevent an action; to
Forswear
Fortuitous
Fracas
Fractious
Forward
Fulminate
Furtive
Gainsay
Gambol
Garner
Garrulous
Gauche
Germane
Glib
Gossamer
Grandiloquenc
e
Gregarious
circumvent or thwart
Verb
To renounce, disallow,
repudiate
Adjective
Happening by fortunate
accident or chance
Noun
Noisy fight or quarrel,
brawl
Adjective
Quarrelsome, rebellious,
unruly, cranky
Adjective
Intractable, not willing
to yield or comply,
stubbornly disobedient
Verb
To attack loudly or
denounce
Adjective
Marked by stealth;
covert; surreptitious
Verb
To deny, dispute,
contradict, oppose
Verb
To skip about playfully,
frolic
Verb
To gather and save,
store up, acquire
Adjective
Pointlessly talkative,
talking too much
Adjective
Crude, awkward,
tasteless
Adjective
Relevant to the subject
at hand; appropriate in
subject matter
Adjective
Marked by ease or
informality; nonchalant;
lacking in depth;
superficial
Adjective
Delicate, insubstantial
or tenuous; insincere
Noun
Pompous speech or
expression
Adjective
Sociable; outgoing;
Grouse
Guile
Guy
Hackneyed
Halcyon
Hallow
Harangue
Harrow
Hedonism
Hegemony
Heretical
Hermetic
Heterodox
Hirsute
Homily
Hubris
enjoying the company of
other people
Verb
To complain or grumble
Noun
Trickery, duplicity,
cunning
Noun
A rope or cord attached
to something as a brace
or guide
Adjective
Rendered trite or
commonplace by frequent
usage
Adjective
Calm and peaceful,
prosperous
Verb
To set apart as holy
Verb
To deliver a loud,
pompous speech or tirade
Verb
To distress, create
stress or torment
Noun
Devotion to pleasurable
pursuits, especially to
the pleasures of the
senses
Noun
The consistent dominance
or influence of one
group, sate, or ideology
over others
Adjective
Violating accepted dogma
or convention,
unorthodox
Adjective
Airtight, impervious to
outside influence
Adjective
Unorthodox, heretical,
iconoclastic
Adjective
Hairy, shaggy
Noun
A sermon or morally
instructive lecture, a
platitude
Noun
Arrogant presumption or
pride
Hyperbole
Iconoclast
Idolatrous
Idyll
Ignominious
Imbroglio
Imminent
Immutable
Impassive
Impecunious
Imperious
Imperturbable
Impetuous
Implacable
Importune
Noun
An exaggerated
statement, often used as
a figure of speech
Noun
One who attacks or
undermines traditional
conventions or
institutions
Adjective
Given to intense or
excessive devotion to
something
Noun
A carefree, lighthearted pastoral or
romantic episode or
experience; a literary
or musical piece
describing such
Adjective
Shameful, dishonorable,
ignoble, undignified,
disgraceful
Noun
Difficult or
embarrassing situation
Adjective
About to happen;
impending
Adjective
Not capable of change
Adjective
Revealing no emotion or
sensibility
Adjective
Lacking funds; without
money
Adjective
Commanding, masterful,
arrogant, domineering,
haughty
Adjective
Marked by extreme calm,
impassivity and
steadiness
Adjective
Hastily or rashly
energetic; impulsive and
vehement
Adjective
Not capable of being
appeased or
significantly changed
Verb
Impugn
Impunity
Impute
Inchoate
Incipient
Indefatigable
Indifferent
Indolent
Ineluctable
Inert
Infelicitous
Ingenuous
Inherent
Inimical
Inimitable
To ask incessantly, beg,
nag
Verb
Attack or assail
Verbally, censure,
execrate, deny
Noun
Immunity from
punishment, penalty or
harm
Verb
To attribute to a cause
or source, ascribe,
assign as a
characteristic
Adjective
In an initial stage, not
fully formed
Adjective
Beginning to come into
being or to become
apparent
Adjective
Not easily exhaustible,
tireless, dogged
Adjective
Having no interest or
concern, apathetic;
showing no bias or
prejudice
Adjective
Lazy, listless, torpid
Adjective
Certain, inevitable
Adjective
Unmoving, lethargic,
sluggish, not reactive
chemically
Adjective
Unfortunate;
inappropriate
Adjective
Artless, frank and
candid, lacking in
sophistication
Adjective
Ingrained within one’s
nature, intrinsic,
firmly established,
essential
Adjective
Damaging, harmful,
injurious, hostile,
unfriendly
Adjective
Iniquity
Innervate
Innocuous
Inscrutable
Insensible
Insipid
Insouciant
Insular
Interdict
Intimate
Intractable
Intransigent
Intrepid
Inured
Inveigh
Inveigle
Inveterate
Irascible
One of a kind, peerless
Noun
Wickedness, gross
injustice
Verb
To supply with nerves,
energize
Adjective
Harmless; causing no
damage
Adjective
Incapable of being
discovered or
understood, mysterious
Adjective
Unconscious,
unresponsive, unaware,
unaffected, numb
Adjective
Without taste or flavor,
lacking in spirit, dull
Adjective
Unconcerned, carefree,
nonchalant
Adjective
Parochial, narrowminded, like an island
Verb
Prohibit, forbid, ban,
halt
Verb, to imply, suggest
in insinuate
Adjective
Not easily managed or
directed, stubborn,
obstinate
Adjective
Refusing to compromise
Adjective
Steadfast, courageous
Adjective
Accustomed to accepting
something undesirable
Verb
To attack Verbally,
denounce, deprecate
Verb
To obtain by deception
or flattery
Adjective
Deep rooted, ingrained
habitual
Adjective
Easily angered; prone to
temperamental outbursts
Itinerate
Jejune
Jibe
Jocose
Kinetic
Labile
Lachrymose
Laconic
Lassitude
Laud
Libertine
Limn
Limpid
List
Loquacious
Lucid
Lumber
Luminous
Verb
To travel from place to
place
Adjective
Vapid, uninteresting;
childish, immature;
lacking nutrition
Verb
To agree, to be in
accord
Adjective
Given to joking;
humorous
Adjective
Having to do with
motion; lively; active
Adjective
Readily open to change,
unstable
Adjective
Causing tears, tearful,
showing sorrow
Adjective
Using few words; terse
Noun
Listlessness, languor,
weariness
Verb
To praise highly
Noun
Someone unrestrained by
morality or convention
or leading a dissolute
life
Verb
To draw, outline in
detail
Adjective
Transparent, serene,
clear and simple in
style, untroubled
Verb
To tilt or lean to one
side
Adjective
Extremely talkative
Adjective
Intelligible, sound,
clear
Verb
To move heavily and
clumsily or with a
rumbling sound
Adjective
Characterized by
Magnanimity
Malevolent
Malinger
Malleable
Martial
Maunder
Maverick
Mellifluous
Mendacity
Mendicant
Mercurial
Meretricious
Meticulous
Mettlesome
brightness and the
emission of light,
enlightened, clear
Noun
The quality of being
generously noble in mind
and heart, especially in
forgiving
Adjective
Having or showing often
vicious ill will, spite,
or hatred
Verb
To feign illness so as
to avoid work
Adjective
Capable of being shaped
or formed, easily
influenced
Adjective
Associated with war and
the armed forces
Verb
To talk or move
aimlessly, mutter
Noun
An independent
individual who does not
go along with a group or
party
Adjective
Sweetly flowing, usually
used to describe words
or sounds
Noun
The condition of being
untruthful, dishonesty
Noun
A beggar, supplicant
Adjective
Characterized by rapid
and unpredictable change
in mood
Adjective
Tawdry, pretentious,
attractive but false,
showy, having to do with
prostitution
Adjective
Characterized by extreme
care and precision,
attentive to detail
Adjective
Courageous, highspirited
Militate
Milk
Minatory
Mince
Misanthrope
Misogynist
Mitigate
Mollify
Morose
Multifarious
Mundane
Nadir
Nascent
Natty
Nebulous
Neologism
Neophyte
Verb
To have weight or
bearing on, to argue
(against)
Verb
To exploit, to squeeze
every last ounce of
Adjective
Menacing, threatening
Verb
Pronounce or speak
affectedly or too
carefully, euphemize,
take tiny steps, tiptoe
Noun
One who hates humankind
Noun
One who hates women
Verb
To make or become less
severe or intense,
moderate
Verb
To calm or soothe,
reduce in emotional
intensity
Adjective
Sad, sullen, melancholy
Adjective
Varied, motley, greatly
diversified
Adjective
Of the world, typical of
or concerned with the
ordinary
Noun
Low point, perigee
Adjective
Coming into being; in
early developmental
stages
Adjective
Trimly neat and tidy,
dapper
Adjective
Vague, cloudy, lacking
clearly defined form
Noun
A new word, expression,
or usage; the creation
or use of new words or
senses
Noun
A recent convert; a
beginner; novice
Nexus
Nice
Noisome
Nonplussed
Nostrum
Noxious
Obdurate
Obfuscate
Obsequious
Obstinate
Obstreperous
Obtain
Obtuse
Obviate
Occlude
Occult
Officious
Noun
A connection, tie, or
link; center or focus
Adjective
Exacting, extremely or
even excessively
precise; done with
delicacy or skill
Adjective
Offensive, especially to
one’s sense of smell,
fetid
Adjective
Baffled, in a quandary,
at a loss for what to
say, do or think
Noun
Cure-all, placebo,
questionable remedy
Adjective
Harmful; injurious
Adjective
Unyielding, hardhearted,
inflexible
Verb
To deliberately obscure,
to make confusing
Adjective
Exhibiting a fawning
attentiveness;
subservient
Adjective
Stubborn; hardheaded;
uncompromising
Adjective
Noisy, loudly stubborn,
boisterous
Verb
To be established,
accepted, or customary,
prevail
Adjective
Lacking sharpness of
intellect, not clear or
precise in thought or
expression
Verb
To anticipate and make
unnecessary
Verb
To obstruct or block
Adjective
Hidden, concealed,
beyond comprehension
Adjective
Onerous
Opprobrium
Oscillation
Ossified
Ostensible
Ostentatious
Overweening
Paean
Palliate
Panegyric
Paradigm
Pariah
Parody
Meddlesome, pushy in
offering one’s services
where they are unwanted
Adjective
Troubling, burdensome
Noun
Disgrace, contempt,
scorn
Noun
The act or state of
swinging back and forth
with a steady,
uninterrupted rhythm
Adjective
Changed into bone; made
rigidly conventional and
unreceptive to change
Adjective
Seeming, appearing as
such, professed
Adjective
Characterized by or
given to pretentiousness
Adjective
Presumptuously arrogant,
overbearing, immoderate
Noun
A song or expression of
praise and thanksgiving
Verb
To make something appear
less serious, gloss
over, mitigate
Noun
Formal expression of
praise
Noun
Something that serves as
a model, example, or
pattern; the framework
of assumptions and
understandings shared by
a group or discipline
that shapes its
worldview
Noun
An outcast, a rejected
and despised person
Noun
A humorous imitation
intended for ridicule or
comic effect, especially
in literature and art,
also something so bad as
to be potentially
Parry
Parsimonious
Partisan
Paucity
Peccadillo
Pedagogy
Pedantic
Pedestrian
Penchant
Penurious
Peremptory
Perennial
Perfidy
Perfunctory
Peripatetic
mistaken for an
intentional mockery
Verb
To block, evade or ward
off, as a blow
Adjective
Cheap, miserly
Adjective
One-sided, committed to
a party, biased or
prejudiced
Adjective
Scarcity, a lacking of
Noun
A slight offense,
literally, a minor sin
Noun
The art or profession of
training, teaching, or
instructing
Adjective
Ostentations display of
learning, excessive
attention to minutiae
and formal rules,
unimaginative
Adjective
Commonplace, trite,
unremarkable
Noun
Strong inclination, a
liking
Adjective
Penny-pinching;
excessively thrifty;
ungenerous
Adjective
Admitting of no
contradiction, putting
an end to further
debate, haughty,
imperious
Adjective
Recurrent through the
year or many years,
happening repeatedly
Noun
Intentional breach of
faith, treachery
Adjective
Cursory, done without
care or interest
Adjective
Itinerant, traveling,
nomadic
Pernicious
Personable
Perspicacious
Peruse
Pervade
Petrous
Petulant
Philistine
Phlegmatic
Picaresque
Pied
Pillory
Pine
Pious
Piquant
Pique
Pirate
Pith
Adjective
Extremely harmful,
potentially causing
death
Adjective
Pleasing in appearance,
attractive
Adjective
Acutely perceptive,
having keen discernment
Verb
To examine with great
care
Verb
To permeate throughout
Adjective
Like a rock, hard, stony
Adjective
Impatient, irritable
Noun
A crass individual
guided by material
rather than intellectual
or artistic values
Adjective
Calm, sluggish,
unemotional, stoic
Adjective
Involving clever rogues
or adventurers
Adjective
Multi-colored, usually
in blotches
Verb
To punish, hold up to
public scorn
Verb
To yearn intensely, to
languish, to lose vigor
Adjective
Extremely reverent or
devout
Adjective
Agreeably pungent,
spicy, stimulating
Noun
Resentment, feeling of
irritation due to hurt
pride
Verb
To use or reproduce
illegally
Noun
The essential or central
part
Placate
Plaintive
Plangent
Plastic
Platitude
Plethora
Pluck
Plumb
Plummet
Poignant
Polemical
Pragmatic
Prate
Prattle
Precarious
Precept
Precipitate
Verb
To appease, to calm by
making concessions
Adjective
Mournful, melancholy,
sorrowful
Adjective
Pounding, thundering,
resounding
Adjective
Moldable, pliable, not
rigid
Noun
A superficial or trite
remark, especially one
offered as meaningful
Noun
An overabundance, a
surplus
Noun
Courage, spunk,
fortitude
Verb
To measure the depth (as
with a plumb line), to
examine critically
Verb
To plunge or drop
straight down
Adjective
Distressing, pertinent,
touching, stimulating,
emotional
Adjective
Controversial,
argumentative
Adjective
Practical rather than
idealistic
Verb
Chatter, babble
Verb
To babble meaninglessly;
to talk in an empty and
idle manner
Adjective
Uncertain, risky,
dangerous
Noun
Rule establishing
standards of conduct, a
doctrine that is taught
Adjective
Acting with excessive
haste or impulse
Precursor
Predilection
Preempt
Preen
Prescience
Presumptuous
Prevaricate
Pristine
Prize
Probity
Proclivity
Prodigal
Prodigious
Profligate
Profuse
Proliferate
Prolific
Noun
Something that precedes
and indicates or
announces another
Noun
A disposition in favor
of something, preference
Verb
To replace, to
supersede, to
appropriate
To dress up, primp,
groom oneself with
elaborate care; in
animals, to clean fur or
feathers
Noun
Knowing of events prior
to their occurring
Adjective
Overstepping bounds, as
of propriety or
courtesy; taking
liberties
Verb
To deliberately avoid
the truth, mislead
Adjective
Pure, uncorrupted, clean
Verb
To pry, press or force
with a lever
Adjective
Adherence to highest
principles, uprightness
Noun
A natural predisposition
or inclination
Adjective
Recklessly wasteful,
extravagant, profuse,
lavish
Adjective
Abundant in size, force,
or extent; extraordinary
Adjective
Excessively wasteful;
recklessly extravagant
Adjective
Given or coming forth
abundantly, extravagant
Verb
To grow or increase
swiftly and abundantly
Adjective
Prolix
Propensity
Propinquity
Propitiate
Propitious
Prosaic
Proscribe
Provident
Puerile
Pugnacious
Punctilious
Pundit
Pungent
Pusillanimous
Putrefy
Quaff
Quail
Qualify
Producing large volumes
or amounts, productive
Adjective
Long-winded, Verbose
Noun
A natural inclination or
tendency, penchant
Adjective
Nearness in time or
place, affinity of
nature, kinship
Verb
To appease, conciliate
Adjective
Auspicious, favorable
Adjective
Dull, unimaginative
Verb
To outlaw or prohibit
Adjective
Frugal, looking to the
future
Adjective
Childish, immature
Adjective
Contentious,
quarrelsome, given to
fighting, belligerent
Adjective
Precise, paying
attention to
trivialities, especially
in regard to etiquette
Noun
An authority on a
subject, one who gives
opinions
Adjective
Characterized by a
strong, sharp smell or
taste, penetrating, to
the point
Adjective
Cowardly, craven
Verb
To rot, decay and give
off a foul odor, become
gangrenous
Verb
To drink deeply
Verb
To shrink back in fear,
lose courage
Verb
To limit
Qualms
Queries
Querulous
Quiescence
Quixotic
Quotidian
Rail
Ramify
Rancorous
Rapacious
Rarefy
Rebus
Recalcitrant
Recant
Recondite
Reconnoiter
Noun
Misgivings,
reservations, causes for
hesitancy
Noun
Questions, inquiries,
reservations
Adjective
Prone to complaining or
grumbling, quarrelsome
Noun
Stillness,
motionlessness, quality
of being at rest
Adjective
Foolishly impractical,
marked by lofty romantic
ideals
Adjective
Occurring or recurring
daily, commonplace
Verb
To complain about
bitterly
Verb
To be divided or
subdivided, branch out
Adjective
Characterized by bitter,
long-lasting resentment
Adjective
Voracious, greedy,
plundering, subsisting
on prey
Verb
To make or become thin,
less dense, refine
Noun
Riddle, a representation
of words by pictures or
symbols that sound like
the words
Adjective
Obstinately defiant of
authority or guidance,
difficult to manage
Verb
To retract, especially a
previously held belief
Adjective
Hidden, concealed,
difficult to understand,
obscure
Verb
To engage in
Recumbent
Redolent
Redoubtable
Refulgent
Refute
Regale
Relegate
Remonstrate
Renege
Rent
Repine
Repudiate
Rescind
Resolute
Reticent
Reverent
reconnaissance, make a
preliminary inspection
of
Adjective
Leaning, resting, prone
Adjective
Fragrant, suggestive or
evocative
Adjective
Awe-inspiring; worthy of
honor
Adjective
Radiant; shiny;
brilliant
Verb
To disprove,
successfully argue
against
Verb
To delight or entertain,
feast
Verb
To forcibly assign,
especially to a lower
place or position
Verb
To protest, object
Verb
To fail to honor a
commitment, go back on a
promise
Verb
Torn, split apart,
pierced as by a sound
Verb
To feel or express
dejection or discontent,
long for
Verb
To refuse to have
anything to do with,
disown
Verb
To invalidate, repeal,
retract
Adjective
Adamant, steadfast,
determined
Adjective
Quiet, reserved,
reluctant to express
thoughts and feelings
Adjective
Marked by, feeling, or
expressing a feeling of
Rhetoric
Rubric
Rue
Sagacious
Salacious
Salient
Salubrious
Salutary
Sanctimony
Sanction
Sanguine
Sap
Satiate
Satire
Saturnine
Scurvy
profound awe and respect
Noun
The art or study of
effective use of
language for
communication and
persuasion
Noun
Authoritative rule,
heading, title, or
category
Verb
Regret, feel remorse
Adjective
Having sound judgment,
perceptive, wise
Adjective
Appealing to or causing
sexual desire, bawdy
Adjective
Prominent, protruding,
conspicuous, highly
relevant
Adjective
Promoting health or
well-being
Adjective
Remedial, wholesome,
causing improvement
Noun
Self-righteousness,
pretended piety
Noun
Authoritative permission
or approval; a penalty
intended to enforce
compliance
Adjective
Cheerful, confident,
optimistic
Verb
To enervate or weaken
the vitality of
Verb
To overindulge, satisfy
to excess
Noun
A literary work that
ridicules or criticizes
human vice through humor
or derision
Adjective
Gloomy, dark, sullen,
morose
Adjective
Sedulous
Seine
Sere
Seminal
Shard
Simper
Sinecure
Singular
Sinuous
Slake
Sodden
Solder
Solicitous
Solvent
Sophistry
Sophomoric
Contemptible, despicable
Adjective
Diligent, persistent,
hard-working
Noun
A large net hung out and
dragged in to catch fish
Adjective
Withered, arid
Adjective
Like a seed,
constituting a source,
originative
Noun
A piece of broken
pottery or glass, any
small piece or part
Verb
To smirk, to say
something with a sill,
coy smile
Noun
Position requiring
little or no work and
usually providing an
income
Adjective
Exceptional, unusual,
odd
Adjective
Winding, curving, moving
lithely, devious
Verb
To satisfy, quench,
lessen the intensity of
Adjective
Soaked or drenched,
unimaginative, dull
Verb
To weld, fuse or join,
as with a soldering gun
Adjective
Concerned and attentive,
eager
Adjective
Able to meet financial
obligations
Noun
Fallacious reasoning;
plausible but faulty
logic
Adjective
Exhibiting immaturity,
lack of judgment,
pretentious
Soporific
Sordid
Sparse
Specious
Spendthrift
Splenetic
Sporadic
Spurious
Squalid
Squander
Stanch
Static
Steep
Stentorian
Stint
Stoic
Striated
Adjective
Causing drowsiness,
tending to induce sleep
Adjective
Characterized by filth,
grime, or squalor, foul
Adjective
Thin, not dense,
arranged at widely
spaced intervals
Adjective
Seeming true, but
actually false,
misleadingly attractive
Noun
One who spends money
wastefully
Adjective
Bad-tempered, irritable
Adjective
Occurring only
occasionally, or in
scattered instances
Adjective
Lacking authenticity or
validity, false,
counterfeit
Adjective
Sordid, wretched and
dirty as from neglect
Verb
To waste by spending or
using irresponsibly
Verb
To stop the flow of a
fluid
Adjective
Not moving, active or in
motion; at rest
Verb
To saturate or
completely soak
Adjective
Extremely loud and
powerful
Verb
To restrain, be sparing
or frugal
Adjective
Indifferent to or
unaffected by pleasure
or pain, steadfast
Adjective
Striped, grooved, or
banded
Strut
Stupefy
Stygian
Stymie
Subpoena
Subtle
Succinct
Succor
Sundry
Supercilious
Superfluous
Supine
Supplant
Suppliant
Supplicant
Surfeit
Sycophant
Noun
A structural support
used to brace a
framework
Verb
To stun, baffle, or
amaze
Adjective
Gloomy, dark
Verb
To block, thwart
Noun
A court order requiring
appearance and/or
testimony
Adjective
Not obvious, elusive,
difficult to discern,
crafty or sly
Adjective
Brief, concise
Noun
Assistance, relief in
time of distress
Adjective
Various, miscellaneous,
separate
Adjective
Disdainful, arrogant,
haughty, characterized
by haughty scorn
Adjective
Exceeding what is
sufficient or necessary
Adjective
Inactive, lying on one’s
back, apathetic,
mentally or morally
slack
Verb
To take the place of,
supersede
Adjective
Asking humbly,
beseeching
Noun
Beggar, one who prays or
begs for something
Verb
To feed or supply in
excess
Noun
Someone who tries to
flatter or please for
personal gain, parasite
Synthesis
Table
Tacit
Taciturn
Tamp
Tautology
Tawdry
Tenacity
Tendentious
Tender
Tenuous
Terse
Timorous
Tirade
Toady
Torpid
Torque
Noun
The combination of parts
to make a whole
Verb
To remove (as a
parliamentary motion)
from consideration
Adjective
Implied, not explicitly
stated
Adjective
Not talkative, silent
Verb
To plug, to drive in or
down by a series of
blows
Noun
A repetition, a
redundancy, a circular
argument
Adjective
Cheap, gaudy, showy,
tacky, indecent
Noun
The quality of adherence
or persistence to
something valued
Adjective
Biased, showing marked
tendencies
Verb
To offer formally
Adjective
Having little substance
or strength, flimsy,
weak
Adjective
brief and concise in
wording
Adjective
Timid, fearful,
diffident
Noun
A long and extremely
critical speech, harsh
denunciation
Noun
Sycophant, flatterer,
yes-man
Adjective
Lethargic, sluggish,
dormant
Noun
A force that causes
rotation
Torrid
Tortuous
Tout
Tractable
Transient
Travesty
Trenchant
Truculent
Tumid
Turbid
Turgid
Turpitude
Tyro
Ubiquitous
Umbrage
Undulate
Unfeigned
Adjective
Scorching, ardent,
passionate, hurried
Adjective
Winding, twisting,
excessively complicated
Verb
To publicly praise or
promote
Adjective
Docile, obedient, easily
led
Adjective
Fleeting, passing
quickly, brief
Noun
Mockery, caricature,
parody
Adjective
Sharply perceptive,
keen, penetrating,
biting, clear cut
Adjective
Fierce, scathing, eager
to fight
Adjective
Swollen
Adjective
Muddy, having sediment
stirred up, clouded to
the point of being
opaque, in a state of
turmoil
Adjective
Swollen, bloated,
pompous, excessively
ornate
Noun
Depravity, baseness
Noun
Novice, beginner in
learning
Adjective
Existing everywhere at
the same time,
constantly encountered,
widespread
Noun
Offense, resentment
Verb
To move in wavelike
fashion, fluctuate
Adjective
Genuine, not false or
hypocritical
Untenable
Untoward
Upbraid
Urbane
Usury
Vacillate
Variegated
Vaunt
Venal
Venerate
Veracity
Verisimilitud
e
Veritable
Vexation
Vigilant
Vilify
Virulent
Viscous
Vitiate
Adjective
Indefensible, not
viable, uninhabitable
Adjective
Troublesome, unruly,
unseemly, adverse
Verb
To scold, censure,
rebuke, chastise
Adjective
Sophisticated, refined,
elegant
Noun
Charging an exorbitant
or illegal rate of
interest
Verb
To waver indecisively
between one course of
action or opinion and
another, sway from one
side to the other
Adjective
Multicolored,
characterized by a
variety of patches of
different color
Verb
To brag or boast
Adjective
Capable of being brought
or bribed, mercenary
Verb
To revere
Noun
Truthfulness, honesty
Noun
Appearing true or real
Adjective
Authentic, real, genuine
Noun
Annoyance, irritation
Adjective
Alertly watchful
Verb
To defame, characterize
harshly
Adjective
Extremely harmful or
poisonous, bitterly
hostile or antagonistic
Adjective
Thick, sticky
Verb
Vituperate
Volatile
Voracious
Waft
Waver
Welter
wend
Zealous
To reduce the value of,
debase, spoil, make
ineffective
Verb
To use harsh
condemnatory language;
abuse or censure
severely
Adjective
Readily changing to a
vapor; changeable,
fickle, explosive
Adjective
Having an insatiable
appetite for an activity
or pursuit, ravenous
Noun
A light breeze, a puff
Verb
To move to and fro, to
way; to be unsettled in
opinion
Verb
To writhe, to toss
about, to be in turmoil
Verb
To go, proceed, walk
Adjective
Fervent, ardent,
impassioned