Senior Vocabulary Words
Lesson #9
halcyon (adj.) calm, pleasant
hallow (verb) to make holy; (adj.) holy
harbinger (noun) an omen or sign
hector (verb) to bully; to pester
hedonism (noun) pursuit of pleasure, especially of the senses
hegira (noun) flight, escape
hiatus (noun) a pause or gap
hoipolloi (noun) common people; the masses
hubris (noun) excessive pride or self-confidence
idiosyncrasy (noun) a peculiar personality trait
Lesson #10
ignoble (adj.) dishonorable, shameful
imminent (adj.) likely to happen; threatening
immutable (adj.) unchangeable, fixed
impair (verb) to weaken; to cause to become worse
impalpable (adj.) cannot be felt
impediment (noun) a barrier; obstruction
imperative (adj.) extremely necessary; vitally important
imperious (adj.) domineering; haughty
impinge (verb) to strike; to encroach
importune (verb) to persistently ask; to beg
Lesson#11
imprecation (noun) a curse
jocular (adj.) humorous, lighthearted
juxtapose (verb) to place side by side for comparison
kismet (noun) destiny, fate, fortune (one's lot in life)
labyrinth (noun) a complicated network of wilding passages; a maze
lachrymose (adj.) tearful, weepy
laconic (adj.) using few words; short, concise
languid (adj.) sluggish; drooping from weakness
legerdemain (noun) sleight of hand; deception
libertine (noun) one who leads an immoral life
Lesson#12
machination (noun) an evil design or plan
maelstrom (noun) whirlpool, turbulence; agitated state of mind
malapropism (noun) a word humorously misused
martinet (noun) a strict disciplinarian; taskmaster
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
a new word
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
nonsequitur (noun) something that does not logically follow
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
onerous (adj.) burdensome; heavy; hard to endure
onus (noun) a burden, responsibility, obligation
Lesson#14
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
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
pedantic (adj.) tending to show off one's learning
Lesson#15
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
quagmire (noun) a swamp; a difficult or inextricable situation
quandary (noun) a puzzling situation; a dilemma
querulous (adj.) complaining; grumbling
quiddity (noun) an essential quality
rakish (adj.) carefree; dashing, jaunty
ratiocinate (verb) to reason; to think
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
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
sagacious (adj.) wise; having keen perception and sound judgment
Lesson #17
salient (adj.) significant, conspicuous; standing out from the rest
sangfroid (noun) calmness; composure or cool self-possession
sanguine (adj.) cheerful; optimistic
sapient (adj.) wise; full of knowledge
saturnine (adj.) gloomy; sluggish
scintillate (verb) to sparkle; to twinkle; to sparkle intellectually
scurrilous (adj.) coarsely abusive; vulgar
sedulous (adj.) hard working; diligent
sentient (adj.) conscious; capable of feeling perception
shard (noun) a fragment