HONORS ENGLISH I
VOCABULARY
LESSON 12: TEACHING AND EXPLAINING
DIDACTIC
• (adjective)
• a. Intended to teach or instruct.
• b. Teaching a moral lesson.
• c. Inclined to teach or moralize too much.
• Example: In Winnie the Pooh, Owl’s didactic
speeches cause everyone to roll their eyes.
EDIFY
• (Trans Verb) To instruct in order to bring about
intellectual, spiritual, or moral improvement.
• Example: Superman always believes in the best of
people and tries to edify them for the better, even
Lex Luthor.
ELUCIDATE
• (trans verb) To make clear or plain
• (intrans verb) To give an explanation that makes
something clear.
• Example: The footnotes help to elucidate the
difficult text.
ERUDITE
• (adjective)
• a. Possessing deep and extensive learning, especially
learning from books
• b. Showing or marked by extensive learning or knowledge.
• Example: Indiana Jones is an erudite professor in
archaeology.
EXPLICIT
• (adjective)
• a. Expressed clearly and precisely, without any possibility of
misunderstanding.
• b. Forthright and unambiguous in expression.
• Example: Students must explicitly state their thesis
statements in their essays.
IMBUE
• (trans verb)
• a. To pervade or permeate as with a dye or stain.
• b. To dye or stain intensely.
• Example: After falling into a vat of acid, Joker’s skin
was imbued with a white color.
INDOCTRINATE
• (transitive verb)
• a. To instruct in the beliefs or principles of a party, sect, or
other special group.
• b. To teach a body of doctrine to.
• Example: The majority of the society in Fahrenheit
451 was indoctrinated to believe books were a bad
influence.
INSTILL
• (trans verb) To introduce gradually.
• Example: Every English teacher wishes to instill a love
a reading in her or his students.
PEDAGOGY
• (noun) The art or profession of teaching.
• Example: All certified teachers must take classes in
pedagogy.
PEDANTIC
• (adjective)
• a. Marked by a concern for minute, often unimportant and
uninteresting details.
• b. Making a show of scholarship of book learning.
• Example: Though she often comes through when it
counts, Hermione Granger can often come across
pedantic in her knowledge.