Senior Vocabulary Words

Lesson #1

adroit (adj.) skillful, clever

adulterate (verb) to make impure, to contaminate
adventitious (adj.) accidental, nonessential
aegis (noun) a shield; protection, sponsorship
aesthetic (adj.) pertaining to beauty
affectation (noun) a phony attitude; pose
affinity (noun) an attraction to
affluence (noun) wealth; richness
agape (adj.) open-mouthed; surprised; agog
aggrandize (verb) to enlarge or to expand
altruism (noun) a concern for others; generosity
ambiguous (adj.) open to more than one interpretation
amoral (adj.) lacking a sense of right and wrong
amorphous (adj.) shapeless, formless, vague
animosity (noun) hatred

Lesson #2

antipathy (noun) an intense dislike

antithesis (noun) an exact opposite; an opposite extreme
badinage (noun) playful, teasing talk
banal (adj.) common, ordinary
baroque (adj.) overly decorated
bauble (noun) a showy but useless thing
bedlam (noun) a noisy uproar; a scene of wild confusion
beguile (verb) to deceive; to charm; to enchant
besiege (verb) to overwhelm; to surround and attack
besmirch (verb) to make dirty; to stain
bestial (adj.) savage, brutal
bilious (adj.) bad tempered; cross
blanch (verb) to whiten, to make pale
bland (adj.) mild, tasteless, dull
blandishment ( noun) flattery

Lesson #3

bombast (noun) impressive but meaningless language

bona fide (noun) in good faith
boor (adj.) a rude of impolite person
bovine (adj.) pertaining to cows or cattle
bowdlerize (verb) to remove offensive passages of a play, novel, etc.
brevity ( noun) briefness; short duration
bucolic (adj.) pertaining to the countryside; rural, rustic
cajole (verb) to coax, to persuade, to wheedle
callow (adj.) young and inexperienced
carcinogen (noun) causing cancer
carnal (adj.) sensual, sexual
carrion (noun) decaying flesh
cataclysm (noun) a violent change
cataract (noun) 1. large waterfall; 2. abnormality of the eye
caveat (noun) a warning

Lesson #4

celibate (noun) unmarried

censure (verb) to criticize sharply
cessation (noun) a stopping; a discontinuance
chaff (noun) worthless matter
chagrin (noun) embarrassment; or a complete loss of courage
chimerical (adj.) imaginary, fantastic
coalesce (verb) to blend, to merge
debacle (noun) a complete failure; a total collapse
debauchery (noun) corruption; self-indulgence
deference (noun) respect, consideration
defile (verb) to pollute, to corrupt
deign (verb) to lower oneself I before an inferior
delineate (verb) to describe, to depict
demeanor (noun) behavior; manner of conducting oneself
denouement (noun) an outcome, result

Lesson #5

deride (verb) to ridicule, to mock

desiccated (adj.) dried up
despicable (adj.) contemptible, hateful
desultory (adj.) wandering from subject to subject
deviate (verb) to turn aside
diadem (noun) a crown
diaphanous (adj.) very sheer and light
dichotomy (noun) a division into two parts
ebullient (adj.) enthusiastic
eclectic (adj.) choosing from various sources
edify (verb) improve someone morally
effete (adj.) worn out; barren
egregious (adj.) remarkably bad; outrageous
elegy (noun) a sad or mournful poem
elicit (verb) to draw forth; to call forth

Lesson#6

elixir (noun) a supposed remedy for all ailments

elucidate (verb) to make clear
emanate (verb) to come forth; to send forth
emendation (noun) a correction
empathy (noun) an understanding of another's feelings
empirical (adj.) based on practical experience rather than theory
endemic (adj.) confined to a particular country or area
enervate (verb) to weaken
ennui (noun) boredom; a weariness resulting from a lack of interest
ephemeral (adj.) lasting only a brief time; short-lived
epitome (noun) a typical example; a condensed account
ergo (adv.) therefore
erotic (adj.) pertaining to sexual love
eschew (verb) to keep away from; to avoid; to shun
facetious (adj.) comical; jocular; flippant

Lesson #7

factious (adj.) causing disagreement

fastidious (adj.) hard to please; fussy
fatuous (adj.) foolish, inane
fecund (adj.) fertile, productive
ferret (noun) small animal of the weasel family; (verb) to search or drive out
fervent (adj.) eager, earnest
fetish (noun) an object that receives respect or devotion
finesse (noun) diplomacy, tact; artful management
fiscal (adj.) pertaining to finances
fissure (noun) opening; groove, split
flaccid (adj.) flabby
flagellate (verb) to whip, to lash
flaunt (verb) to show off
flout (verb) to ridicule, to show contempt for
foment (verb) to stir up; to incite

Lesson #8

fop (noun) an excessively fashion-conscious man

fortuitous (adj.) lucky; by chance
gambol (verb) to frolic; to romp about playfully
garish (adj.) tastelessly gaudy
garner (verb) to gather, to acquire
garrulous (adj.) talkative
germane (adj.) relevant; fitting
gibe (verb) to scoff, to ridicule
gloat (verb) to look at, or think about with great satisfaction
glower (verb) to stare angrily at
grandiose (adj.) impressive, showy, magnificent
gratuitous (adj.) unnecessary or uncalled for
grotesque (adj.) absurd; distorted
gumption (noun) courage and initiative
hackneyed (adj.) commonplace; overused

Lesson #9

halcyon (adj.) calm, pleasant

hallow (verb) to make holy; (adj.) holy
harbinger (noun) an omen or sign
harlequin (noun) a clown
hector (verb) to bully; to pester
hedonism (noun) pursuit of pleasure, especially of the senses
hegira (noun) flight, escape
hermetic (adj.) tightly sealed
heterogeneous (adj.) different; dissimilar
hiatus (noun) a pause or gap
hoi polloi (noun) common people; the masses
hospice (noun) a shelter
hubris (noun) excessive pride or self-confidence
hybrid (noun) anything of mixed origin; (adj.) mixed, assorted
idiosyncrasy (noun) a peculiar personality trait

Lesson #10

idolatry (noun) excessive or blind adoration; worship of an object

ignoble (adj.) dishonorable, shameful
imminent (adj.) likely to happen; threatening
immolate (verb) to kill someone as a sacrificial victim, usually by fire
immutable (adj.) unchangeable, fixed
impair (verb) to weaken; to cause to become worse
impale (verb) to pierce with a sharp stake through the body
impalpable (adj.) cannot be felt
impecunious (adj.) without money; penniless
impediment (noun) a barrier; obstruction
imperative (adj.) extremely necessary; vitally important
imperious (adj.) domineering; haughty
impinge (verb) to strike; to encroach
impious (adj.) disrespectful towards God
importune (verb) to persistently ask; to beg

Lesson#11

impotent (adj.) powerless; lacking strength

imprecation (noun) a curse
jocular (adj.) humorous, lighthearted
juxtapose (verb) to place side by side for comparison
kinetic (adj.) pertaining to motion
kismet (noun) destiny, fate, fortune (one's lot in life)
knell (noun) a sound made by a bell rung slowly for a death or funeral
labyrinth (noun) a complicated network of wilding passages; a maze
lachrymose (adj.) tearful, weepy
laconic (adj.) using few words; short, concise
lambent (adj.) softly bright or radiant; running or moving lightly over a surface
languid (adj.) sluggish; drooping from weakness
lascivious (adj.) lustful or lewd; inciting sexual desire
legerdemain (noun) sleight of hand; deception
libertine (noun) one who leads an immortal life

Lesson#12

machination (noun) an evil design or plan

macroscopic (adj.) visible to the naked eye
maelstrom (noun) whirlpool, turbulence; agitated state of mind
malapropism (noun) a word humorously misused
malleable (adj.) capable of being changed; easily shaped
martinet (noun) a strict disciplinarian; taskmaster
masochist (noun) one who enjoys his or her own pain and suffering
mendacious (adj.) lying; false, deceitful
meretricious (adj.) attractive in a cheap, flashy way
milieu (noun) environment, setting
miscreant (noun) a vicious person
nebulous (adj.) hazy, vague, uncertain
necromancy (noun) magic, especially that practiced by a witch
neologism (noun) use a new word; making up a new word or definition
nihilism (noun) a total rejection of established laws

Lesson#13

nirvana (noun) a place of great peace or happiness

nonentity (noun) a person of thing or little importance
non sequitur (noun) something that does not logically follow
nubile (adj.) a female suitable for marriage in regard to age and physical development
obdurate (adj.) stubborn, hardhearted
obfuscate (verb) to confuse; to bewilder
obloquy (noun) strong disapproval; a bad reputation resulting from public
obsequious (adj.) excessively submissive or overly attentive
obviate (verb) to prevent; to get around
offal (noun) garbage; waste parts
olfactory (adj.) pertaining to smell
onerous (adj.) burdensome; heavy; hard to endure
onus (noun) a burden, responsibility, obligation
optimum (noun) the best, the most favorable, the ideal
opulent (adj.) rich, luxurious; the trappings of great wealth

Lesson#14

orifice (noun) mouth; opening

orthography (noun) correct spelling
paleontology (noun) a science dealing with prehistoric life through study of fossils
palliate (verb) to ease, to lessen, to soothe
panache (noun) self-confidence; a showy manner
pandemic (adj.) general; widespread
panegyric (noun) an expression of praise
paradigm (noun) a model, an example
parochial (adj.) local; narrow; limited
parody (noun) a work which imitates another in a ridiculous manner
paroxysm (noun) a sudden outburst; a fit
patent (adj.) evident or obvious
peccadillo (noun) a minor offense, a misdeed
pecuniary (adj.) pertaining to money; financial
pedantic (adj.) tending to show off one's learning

Lesson#15
pedestrian (adj.) a person or thing said to be ordinary or dull
pejorative (adj.) having a negative effect; insulting
perdition (noun) damnation; ruin; hell
perfunctory (adj.) done without care; on a routine fashion
perspicacity (noun) keenness of judgment
peruse (verb) to read carefully; scrutinize
quagmire (noun) a swamp; a difficult or inextricable situation
quandary (noun) a puzzling situation; a dilemma
quasi- (adj.) resembling; seeming; half
querulous (adj.) complaining; grumbling
quiddity (noun) an essential quality
raiment (noun) clothing; garments
rakish (adj.) carefree; dashing, jaunty
ratiocinate (verb) to reason; to think
rationalize (verb) to make an excuse for

Lesson#16

rebuke (verb) to scold; to blame

recant (verb) to withdraw or disavow a statement or opinion
recapitulate (verb) to summarize; to repeat briefly
recoil (verb) to retreat; to draw back
recondite (adj.) difficult to understand; profound
recreant (noun) a coward, a traitor
rectify (verb) to correct; to make right
redolent (adj.) having a pleasant odor; suggestive or evocative
redundant (adj.) repetitious; using more words than needed
regale (verb) to delight with something pleasing or amusing
regress (verb) to move in a backward direction
sacrosanct (adj.) extremely holy
sadistic (adj.) deriving pleasure from inflicting pain on others
sagacious (adj.) wise; having keen perception and sound judgment
salacious (adj.) obscene; lusty

Lesson #17

salient (adj.) significant, conspicuous; standing out from the rest

salutary (adj.) healthful; wholesome
sangfroid (noun) calmness; composure or cool self-possession
sanguine (adj.) cheerful; optimistic
sapient (adj.) wise; full of knowledge
saturnine (adj.) gloomy; sluggish
savant (noun) a person of extensive learning; an eminent scholar
scintillate (verb) to sparkle; to twinkle; to sparkle intellectually
scurrilous (adj.) coarsely abusive; vulgar
sedition (noun) rebellion or resistance against the government
sedulous (adj.) hard working; diligent
sentient (adj.) conscious; capable of feeling perception
shard (noun) a fragment
shibboleth (noun) a slogan; a password
sibilant (adj.) a hissing sound