Vocabulary list--#6

The next listing by POSP stringer Tim.

aestivate

es-te-vayt

verb intransitive

1. Spend the summer, to summer somewhere.
2. To spend the summer in a dormant state (antonym of hibernate). Bears hibernate through the winter to avoid the seasonal severity; desert amphibians aestivate in the summer for the same reason.


animalcule

an-uh-MAL-kyool

noun

A minute or microscopic animal, nearly or quite invisible to the naked eye.


autodidact

aw-toh-DY-dakt

noun

One who is self-taught. A graduate of Autodidact University.


axiomatic

ak-see-uh-MAT-ik

adjective

1. Taken for granted : self-evident.
2. Based on or involving an axiom or system of axioms.


Cassandra

kuh-sun-druh

noun

1. A daughter of Priam endowed with the gift of prophecy but fated never to be believed.
2. One that predicts misfortune or disaster


clinquant

KLING-kunt

adjective

Glittering with gold or silver; tinseled.

noun

Tinsel; imitation gold leaf.


dudgeon

DUH-juhn

noun

A state or fit of intense indignation; resentment; ill humor -- often used in the phrase "in high dudgeon."


effloresce

EF-luh-res

verb

1. To burst into bloom; blossom.
2. In chemistry, to change either throughout or on the surface to a mealy or powdery substance upon exposure to air, as a to change either throughout or on the surface to a mealy or powdery substance upon exposure to air, as a crystalline substance through loss of water of crystallization.


eisegesis

ahy-si-JEE-sis

noun

An interpretation that expresses the interpreter's own ideas, bias, or the like, rather than the meaning of the text.


epigamic

ep-i-GAM-ik

adjective

Attracting the opposite sex, as the colors of certain birds.


farrago

fe-rah-go

noun

A disorganized assortment, hotchpotch, salmagundi, miscellany, clumsy mixture, gallimaufry, or jumble of odds and ends.


forthy

for-thee

adjective

1. Open, affable, and forthcoming in nature.
2. Forward, frank, outspoken, or presumptuous in behavior.


fungible

FUHN-juh-buhl

adjective

1. (Law) Freely exchangeable for or replaceable by another of like nature or kind in the satisfaction of an obligation.
2. Interchangeable.

noun

Something that is exchangeable or substitutable. Usually used in the plural.


imbriferous

im-bri-fe-res

adjective

Rainy, showery, rain-bearing, auguring rain.


incommodious

in-kuh-MOH-dee-uhs

adjective

Inconvenient, as not affording sufficient space or room; uncomfortable.


irenic

eye-REN-ik; -REE-nik

adjective

Tending to promote peace; conciliatory.


ken

KEN

noun

1a. The range of vision
1b. Sight, view.
2. The range of perception, understanding, or knowledge.


longueur

long-GUR

noun

A dull and tedious passage in a book, play, musical composition, or the like.


lucubrate

LOO-kyoo-breyt

verb

1. To work, write, or study laboriously, especially at night.
2. To write learnedly.


marginalia

mahr-juh-NEY-lee-uh

noun

Notes in the margin of a book, manuscript, or letter.


misnomer

mis-NO-muhr

noun

1. The misnaming of a person in a legal instrument, as in a complaint or indictment.
2. Any misnaming of a person or thing; also, a wrong or inapplicable name or designation.


nictitate

NIK-tuh-tayt

verb

Wink.


ochlocracy

aw-klah-kra-see

noun

Mob rule, government by the rabble.


onychophagia

ah-neke-fay-ji-e

noun

The nervous habit of biting the nails, usually those on the fingers, since our nerves seldom drive us to nibble those on our toes.


pecksniffian

pek-SNIF-ee-uhn

adjective

Hypocritically and smugly affecting benevolence or high moral principles.


physiognomy

fiz-ee-OG-nuh-mee; -ON-uh-mee

noun

1. The art of discovering temperament and other characteristic qualities of the mind from the outward appearance, especially by the features of the face.
2. The face or facial features, especially when regarded as indicating character.
3. The general appearance or aspect of a thing.


plangent

PLAN-juhnt

adjective

1. Beating with a loud or deep sound, as, "the plangent wave."
2. Expressing sadness; plaintive.


polymorphous

pol-ee-MAWR-fuhs

adjective

Having, assuming, or passing through many or various forms, stages, or the like.


pomaceous

poh-MAY-shus

adjective

1. Of or relating to apples.
2. Resembling a pome.


pullulate

PUHL-yuh-leyt

verb

1. To exist abundantly; swarm; teem.
2. To send forth sprouts, buds, etc.
3. To increase rapidly; multiply.


purlieu

PUR-loo

noun

1. A place where one may range at large; confines or bounds.
2. A person's haunt or resort.
3. An outlying district or region, as of a town or city.
4. A piece of land on the edge of a forest, originally land that, after having been included in a royal forest, was restored to private ownership, though still subject, in some respects, to the operation of the forest laws.

refulgent

ree-ful-jent

adjective

Shining brightly, resplendent, illustrious.


resile

ri-zail

verb intransitive

To draw back, to retreat, to recoil from something. 2. To return or spring back to an original state, condition, or position.


sough

saew

noun

1. A rushing, susurrous sound like the rustling wind over leaves or water over stones.
2. A soft murmuring soothing sound; a sigh.


splenetic

spli-NET-ik

adjective

1. Irritable; peevish; spiteful.
2. Of the spleen.
3. Archaic: Affected with, characterized by, or tending to produce melancholy.


tmesis

te-mee-sis

noun

Splitting a word in two and sandwiching an emphatic modifier between the two parts, as in abso-bloody-lutely or abso-doggone-lutely. Like the plural of all English words borrowed from Latin that end on -is, the plural of this word is tmeses.


torrefy

TAWR-uh-fahy

verb

1. To subject to fire or intense heat.
2. In pharmacology, to dry or parch drugs with heat.
3. To roast, as metallic ores.


venal

VEE-nul

adjective

1. Capable of being bought or obtained for money or other valuable consideration; especially : open to corrupt influence and especially bribery.
2. Originating in, characterized by, or associated with corrupt bribery.


vertiginous

vur-TIJ-uh-nuhs

adjective

1. Affected with vertigo; giddy; dizzy.
2. Causing or tending to cause dizziness.
3. Turning round; whirling; revolving.
4. Inclined to change quickly or frequently; inconstant.


vilipend

vi-le-pend

verb transitve

To abase, to hold worthless or in low esteem, to vastly underestimate. 2. To vilify, to verbally abuse or chastise.


vitrine

vuh-TREEN

noun

A glass showcase or cabinet especially for displaying fine wares or specimens.


xenogenic

zen-uh-JEN-ik

adjective

1. To be completely different from either parent, or from the source of an object's creation.
2. In biology, originating outside the organism or from a foreign substance introduced into the organism.


yarely

YAIR-lee

adverb

With quickness or agility.


Zeitgeist

TSYT-guyst;ZYT-guyst

noun

[Often capitalized] The spirit of the time; the general intellectual and moral state or temper characteristic of any period of time.


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