equivocate | to use ambiguous or unclear expressions, usually to avoid commitment or in order to mislead |
| superfluous | 1. unnecessary; 2. being more than is sufficient or required
|
| bilateral | two-sided |
| unilateral | one-side |
| circumspect | cautious |
| commensurate | 1. having the same measure; 2. corresponding in amount, magnitude, or degree |
| malevolence | evil intent |
| neophyte | beginner |
| misanthropist | people-hater |
| bellicose | warlike |
| anthropomorphic | Attribution of human motivation, characteristics, or behavior to inanimate objects, animals, or natural phenomena |
| captious | easily notices and makes much of trivial faults or defects; faultfinding; difficult to please. |
| neologism | new word |
| malediction | a curse |
| incredulous | Skeptical; disbelieving |
| omniscient | all-knowing |
| monomania | obsession with one thing |
| specious | 1. false; 2. Having the ring of truth or plausibility but actually fallacious |
| excoriate | To express strong disapproval of; to denounce |
| prototype | the original or model on which something is based or formed |
| xenophobia | fear of foreigners |
| benediction | blessing; an expression of good wishes |
| amorphous | lacking definite form; having no specific shape; formless, shapeless |
| preponderance | superiority in weight, power, numbers, etc.; bulk |
| magnanimous | great-minded; courageously noble in mind and heart |
| mollify | to soften in feeling or temper, as a person; pacify; appease |
| ichthyologist | fish scientist |
| polyglot | able to speak or write several languages; multilingual |
| diaphanous | almost completely transparent or translucent |
| sinecure | an easy profitable job |
| soliloquy | speech to oneself |
| adherent | supporter |
| abjure | renounce; to give up |
| caustic | burning |
| confluence | flowing together |
| depose | to remove from office or position |
| egomania | self-obsession |
| egregious | outrageously bad or reprehensible; blatant, flagrant |
| analgesic | painkiller |
| chiromancy | palm reading |
| oligarchy | government by a few |
| intractable | not easily controlled; stubborn |
| intransigent | not compromising |
| perfidious | treacherous; deceitful |
| perspicuous | clearly expressed or presented; easy to understand |
| ingenuous | innocent and naive |
| circumlocution | a roundabout expression |
| gregarious | sociable |
| discursive | rambling |
| somniferous | bringing sleep |
| egocentric | sef-centered |
| tangible | touchable |
| demagogue | person who gains power and popularity by arousing the emotions, passions, and prejudices of the people |
| preclude | prevent |
| cryptologist | code breaker |
| ethnocentrism | racial or cultural prejudice |
| pedagogue | teacher |
| recant | to withdraw or disavow a statement |
| revoke | cancel |
| pugnacious | combative |
| incisive | sharp; cutting |
| diatribe | abusive criticism |
| anomaly | abnormality |
| enumerate | to list; count |
| circumscribed | limited |
| intercede | mediate |
| disputatious | argumentative |
| loquacious | talkative |
| abrogate | to abolish, do away with, or annul |
| prescience | foreknowledge |
| sacrosanct | sacred |
| androgynous | masculine and feminine |
| acronym | word from initial letters |
| congenital | at birth |
| cacophony | bad sound; harsh or discordant sound |
| advocate | to speak or write in favor of |
| ponderous | weighty |
| retribution | revenge |
| android | robot |
| infidel | unbeliever |
| resurgence | rising again |
| punctilious | precise in conduct |
| condescend | lower oneself |
| collateral | side by side |
| irrevocable | unalterable; unable to be repealed or annulled |
| elucidate | explain |
| epigram | witty comment |
| eccentricity | oddness |
| cognizant | aware |
| stringent | strict; binding |
| anthropoid | manlike |
| diffident | shy |
| pandemonium | tumult or chaos |
| urbane | sophisticated; suave |
| tractable | docile; easily managed or controlled |
| supersede | replace |
| temporize | delay |
| somnambulist | sleepwalker |
| sanguinary | bloody |
| inanimate | lifeless |
| introspective | inward looking |
| intervene | come between |
| syndrome | group of symptoms |
| subordinate | lower |
| dissonant | harsh in sound; inharmonious |
| belligerent | warlike |
| credible | believable |
| impending | about to happen |
| polyphonic | multi-melodic |
| exculpate | free from blame |
| euphemism | pleasant name |
| benefactor | helper |
| megalomania | delusions of greatness |
| magnate | powerful person |
| vivacious | lively |
| heliotropic | sun-following |
| amour-propre | self-esteem; self-love |
| octogenarian | an eighty-year-old |
| cognoscenti | persons who have superior knowledge |
| surfeit | excess |
| primate | monkeys, apes, humans |
| pellucid | crystal clear |
| circumvent | get around |
| hemiplegia | paralysis on one side |
| narcolepsy | attack of sleep |
| delineate | to outline |
| emollient | softener |
| retrograde | moving backward |
| melancholy | dark sadness |
| intracranial | within the skull |
| cardiovascular | of the heart and vessels |
| epiphany | revelation |
| histology | study of living tissues |
| perihelion | orbital point nearest the sun |
| inherent | built-in |
| plutocracy | government of the wealthy |
| sine qua non | essential element |
| corpulent | full-bodied |
| dichotomy | two-part division |
| pathological | diseased |
| cryptic | having hidden meaning |
| isosceles | having two equal sides |
| pathogen | disease-causer |
| vociferous | loudly-voiced |
| rectify | correct |
| sanctimonious | affectedly holy |
| tortuous | twisting |
| rectilinear | right-angled |
| metamorphosis | change of shape |
| petroglyph | rock carving |
| chronic | lasting, constant |
| hyperbole | overstatement |
| sonorous | full-sounding |
| germane | related |
| convivial | jovial, festive |
| cognomen | nickname |
| anarchist | one against government |
| animadversion | criticism |
| pusillanimous | cowardly |
| subterfuge | evasive dodge; deceptive stratagem |
| saturnine | gloomy and remote |
| luminary | person of eminence or brilliant achievement |
| exorbitant | unreasonable |
| filigree | lacy design |
| eulogy | words of praise |
| sedentary | sitting |
| euphoria | joy |
| bonhomie | good-naturedness |
| bona fide | good faith; authentic |
| bon vivant | indulger in luxury |
| mutable | changeable |
| impute | attribute the fault or responsibility to |
| status quo | the present state |
| paradigm | model |
| expatriate | banish, exile |
| schism | division |
| bootless | useless |
| rubicund | red |
| apotheosis | ideal example |
| precursor | forerunner |
| transpose | switch |
| invective | insulting or abusive word or expression |
| prestidigitation | sleight of hand |
| cosmology | study of the universe |
| effusion | outpouring |
| agoraphobia | fear of openness |
| anthology | literary collection |
| posthumous | after death |
| euphony | beautiful sound |
| refractory | stubbornly disobedient |
| platitude | flat trite remark |
| acrophobia | fear of heights |
| veracity | truthfulness |
| verisimilitude | appearance or semblance of truth |
| idiosyncrasy | peculiarity |
| alumni | graduates |
| casus belli | cause for war |
| interregnum | time between rulers |
| infraction | violation; breach |
| condign | worthy |
| colloquy | conversation |
| viable | able to live; workable |
| synopsis | summary |
| terra firma | solid ground |
| sanction | authorize |
| Russophobe | one who fears Russia |
| prognosis | medical forecast |
| polychrome | many-colored |
| philanthropy | love of humankind |
| perspicacity | insight |
| mobocracy | mob rule |
| gerontocracy | government of the old |
| kleptomaniac | pathological thief |
| joie de vivre | joy of living |
| in loco parentis | in place of parents |
| mundane | worldly |
| synthesis | combination |
| unequivocal | unambiguous; clear |
| nihilism | belief in nothing |
| audiophile | stereo buff |
| entomology | scientific study of insects |
| omnifarious | of all kinds |
| invidious | tending to cause ill will, animosity, or envy |
| deduction | reasoning down from principles |
| magniloquence | excessive use of verbal ornamentation; bombastic |
| induction | factual reasoning |
| hagiocracy | government of saints |
| diction | word choice |
| disconsolate | inconsolable |
| disingenuous | insincere |
| fractious | unruly |
| nondescript | of no category |
| prolific | productive |
| chronicle | a history |
| primeval | of the first ages |
| panegyric | elaborate eulogy |
| fidelity | faithfulness |
| magnum opus | great work |
| antediluvian | from before the Flood |
| comport | behave |
| insurgence | uprising |
| expeditiously | rapidly |
| renovate | restore |
| carnage | butchery |
| decadent | unrestrained gratification; self-indulgent |
| supercilious | disdainfully arrogant; haughty |
| inexorable | relentless |
| emissary | messenger |
| improvident | without foresight |
| moribund | dying |