Vocabulary Units 9 & 10

BeatitudeO NounO A state of perfect happiness or

blessedness; a blessingO Synonym: BlissO Antonym: Misery

Bête Noire O NounO Someone or something that one

especially dislikes, dreads or avoidsO Antonym: Idol

BodeO VerbO To be an omen of; to indicate by

signsO Synonym: Presage

DankO AdjectiveO Unpleasantly damp or wetO Synonym: ClammyO Antonym: Dry

EcumenicalO AdjectiveO Worldwide or universal in influence

or applicationO Synonym: ComprehensiveO Antonym: Parochial

FervidO AdjectiveO Burning with enthusiasm or zeal;

extremely heatedO Synonym: ZealousO Antonym: Cool

FetidO AdjectiveO Having an unpleasant or offensive

odorO Synonym: SmellyO Antonym: Fragrant

GargantuanO AdjectiveO Of immense size, volume, or

capacity; enormous, prodigiousO Synonym: HugeO Antonym: Tiny

HeydayO NounO The period of greatest power, vigor,

success or influence; the prime yearsO Synonym: Golden ageO Antonym: Decline

IncubusO NounO A demon or evil spirit supposed to

haunt human beings in their bedrooms at night; anything that oppresses or weighs upon one, like a nightmare

O Synonym: Burden

InfrastructureO NounO A basic foundation or framework;

permanent military installationsO Synonym: BaseO Antonym: Superstructure

InveigleO VerbO To entice, lure, or snare by flattery or

artful inducementsO Synonym: Induce

KudosO NounO The acclaim, prestige, or renown that

comes as a result of some action or achievement

O Synonym: Glory, Praise, AccoladesO Antonym: Disapproval

LagniappeO NounO An extra or unexpected gift or

gratuityO Synonym: Bonus

ProlixO AdjectiveO Long-winded and wordy; tending to

speak or write in such a wayO Synonym: VerboseO Antonym: Pithy

Protégé O NounO Someone whose welfare, training, or

career is under the patronage of an influential person

O Synonym: WardO Antonym: Mentor

PrototypeO NounO An original pattern or model; a

primitive or ancestral formO Synonym: ArchetypeO Antonym: Imitation

SycophantO NounO Someone who

attempts to win favors or advance him- or herself by flattery or servile behavior; a slanderer, defamer

O Synonym: Flunky

TautologyO NounO Needless repetition of

an idea by using different but equivalent words

O Synonym: Redundancy

TruckleO VerbO To yield or submit tamely or

submissivelyO Synonym: KowtowO Antonym: Resist

AcumenO NounO Keenness of

insight; quickness or accuracy of judgment

O Synonym: Shrewdness

O Antonym: Ignorance, stupidity

AdjudicateO VerbO To act as judge in a matterO Synonym: Mediate

AnachronismO NounO A chronological

misplacing of events, objects, customs, or persons in regard to each other

O Synonym: Chronological Error

ApocryphalO AdjectiveO Of doubtful or questionable

authenticityO Synonym: FictitiousO Antonym: Authentic

DisparityO NounO A difference or

inequality in age, rank, degree, amount or quality

O Synonym: Discrepancy

O Antonym: Similarity

DissimulateO VerbO To hide or disguise one’s true

thoughts, feelings, or intentionsO Synonym: MisrepresentO Antonym: Reveal

EmpiricalO AdjectiveO Derived from, dependent upon, or

guided by practical experience, observation, or experiment, rather than by theory

O Synonym: ObservedO Antonym: Theoretical

FlamboyantO AdjectiveO Highly elaborate or ornate; vividly

colored; strikingly brilliant or boldO Synonym: ShowyO Antonym: Sedate

FulsomeO AdjectiveO Offensively insincere or excessive;

disgusting, sickeningO Synonym: RepulsiveO Antonym: Restrained

ImmolateO VerbO To destroy or renounce for the sake

of anotherO Synonym: SlayO Antonym: Rescue

ImperceptibleO AdjectiveO Extremely slight; incapable of being

perceived by the senses or the mindO Synonym: MinimalO Antonym: Noticeable

LackeyO NounO A uniformed male servant; a servile

followerO Synonym: FootmanO Antonym: Lord

LiaisonO NounO The contact or means of

communication between groups; someone acting as such a contact

O Synonym: Intermediary

MonolithicO AdjectiveO Characterized by massiveness,

solidness, and total uniformityO Synonym: MassiveO Antonym: Diversified

Mot JusteO NounO The most suitable or exact word or

expressionO Synonym: Right wordO Antonym: Misusage

NihilismO NounO A total rejection of

existing laws, institutions, and moral values; extreme radicalism

O Antonym: Conservatism

PatricianO NounO A member of the ruling class; a

person of high or noble rank or of prominent social standing

O Synonym: AristocratO Antonym: Peasant

PropitiateO VerbO To make someone or something

favorably inclined toward oneselfO Synonym: PlacateO Antonym: Provoke

SicO AdverbO Thus so; intentionally written so

Where r [sic] u [sic] 2day [sic]?

SublimateO VerbO To redirect the energy of a biological

or instinctual impulse into a higher or more acceptable channel

O Synonym: Rechannel