2017-18 Spelling List

Euromarket

1. The money market in Eurocurrency or Eurobonds. 2. The Common Market.

magnanimity *

1. The quality of being magnanimous. 2. A magnanimous act.

intonate *

1. To intone. 2. To utter with a particular tone of voice: pleas that were intonated with desperation. [Medieval Latin intonāre, intonāt-; see INTONE.]

retrofit

1. To outfit (a device, vehicle, building, or system) with newly developed or previously unavailable parts or equipment: retrofit cars with new safety features. 2. To install or fit (a device or system, for example) for use in or on an existing structure, especially an older dwelling. n. 1. An instance of retrofitting: a retrofit for the heating system. 2. Something that has been retrofitted.

inurn

1. To put in an urn: inurned the ashes of the deceased. 2. To bury or entomb; inter.

unkennel

1.a. To drive from a lair or den. b. To loose from a kennel. 2. To bring to light; uncover or disclose.

myasthenia *

1. Abnormal muscular weakness or fatigue. 2. Myasthenia gravis.

cummerbund *

A broad sash, especially one that is pleated lengthwise and worn as an article of formal dress, as with a dinner jacket. [Hindi kamarband, from Persian : kamar, waist + band, band; see BUND1.]

cashier's check

A check drawn by a bank on its own funds and signed by the bank's cashier.

Kirkuk *

A city of northeast Iraq southeast of Mosul. Built on the site of a settlement dating to 3000 BC, it is an agricultural market in an oil-producing region.

Tucson

A city of southeast Arizona south-southeast of Phoenix. A Spanish mission was founded nearby in 1700, and the present city was first settled in 1776 as a walled presidio. It became part of the United States after the Gadsden Purchase (1853) and served as territorial capital from 1867 until 1877.

Graves' disease

A condition usually caused by excessive production of thyroid hormone and characterized by an enlarged thyroid gland, protrusion of the eyeballs, a rapid heartbeat, and nervous excitability. Also called exophthalmic goiter. [After Robert James Graves (1797-1853), Irish physician.]

khapra beetle

A dermestid beetle (Trogoderma granurium) that is a destructive pest of stored grain, especially in South Asia and Africa. [Hindi khaprā, from khapnā, to destroy, ultimately from Sanskrit kṣāpayati, he destroys.]

matrilineage

A descent group traced through women on the maternal side of a family.

kedgeree *

A dish consisting of flaked fish, boiled rice, and eggs. [Hindi and Urdu khicṛī, rice boiled with split lentils or other pulse, from Prakrit khicca-, from Sanskrit khiccā, of unknown origin.]

coadjutant *

A helper; an assistant.

juvenile delinquent

A juvenile guilty of antisocial or criminal behavior.

monteith

A large basin with a notched rim on which cups or glasses can be hung, typically used as a punch bowl. [Possibly after Monteith (Monteigh), an eccentric 17th-century Scotsman who wore a cloak scalloped at the hem.]

latifundium

A large landed estate, especially of the ancient Romans. [Latin lātifundium : lātus, broad + fundus, estate, base.]

swordfish

A large marine food and game fish (Xiphias gladius) having a long swordlike extension of the upper jaw.

Komodo dragon

A large monitor lizard (Varanus komodoensis) native to Indonesia. It is the largest living lizard, sometimes growing to a length of 3 meters (10 feet). [After Komodo, an island of south-central Indonesia.]

dramatic monologue

A literary, usually verse composition in which a speaker reveals his or her character, often in relation to a critical situation or event, in a monologue addressed to the reader or to a presumed listener.

crapehanger

A morose, gloomy, or pessimistic person.

Khyber pass

A narrow mountain pass on the border between eastern Afghanistan and northern Pakistan. It has long been a strategic trade and invasion route. The highest point of the pass is about 1,070 m (3,510 ft).

mitral stenosis

A narrowing of the mitral valve, usually caused by disease and resulting in an obstruction to the flow of blood from the left atrium to the left ventricle.

Hoosier

A native or resident of Indiana. [Origin unknown.]

coho salmon

A salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) with silvery sides and a dark back, native to northern Pacific waters and introduced into the Great Lakes. Also called silver salmon. [Alteration of cohose, from Halkomelem (Salishan language of southwestern British Columbia) k'wəxwəθ.]

beurre blanc

A sauce made with butter, shallots, and vinegar, white wine, or lemon juice. [French : beurre, butter + blanc, white, not browned.]

epaulet, epaulette

A shoulder ornament, especially a fringed strap worn on military uniforms. [French épaulette, diminutive of épaule, shoulder, from Old French espaule, from Late Latin spatula, shoulder blade; see ESPALIER.]

langoustine

A small edible lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) of the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, having slender claws. Also called Norway lobster, scampi. [French, diminutive of langouste, langouste; see LANGOUSTE.]

melodeon

A small harmonium. [Probably alteration of melodium, from MELODY.]

microchip

A small, thin piece of semiconductor bearing numerous circuits integrated into its substrate. A chip smaller than a fingernail can hold millions of circuits. Most of a computer's circuitry is built from chips mounted on circuit boards. Also called chip. v. microchipped, microchipping, microchips tr.v. To implant a microchip in: All of the animals in this shelter have been microchipped.

longueur

A tedious passage in a work of literature or performing art: "longueurs and passages of meretricious vulgarity" (Stephen Schiff). [French, from Old French longor, a protracted discussion, from long, long, from Latin longus; see LONGITUDE.]

desipramine

A tricyclic antidepressant drug, C18H22N2, used in its hydrochloride form. [desmethyl (des- variant of DE- + METHYL) + (IM)IPRAMINE.]

microampere

A unit of electric current equal to one millionth of an ampere.

vasculum *

A usually metal case used for carrying collected plant specimens. [Latin vāsculum, small vessel; see VASCULAR.]

chemin de fer

A variation of baccarat. [French, railroad : chemin, way + de, of + fer, iron.]

bacteriophage

A virus that infects and lyses certain bacteria.

Guadalcanal

A volcanic island of the western Pacific Ocean, the largest of the Solomon Islands. Visited by English navigators in 1788, the island became a British protectorate in 1893. It was occupied by the Japanese in World War II, leading to an invasion by US troops in August 1942. After fierce jungle fighting, the island was captured by the Allies in February 1943.

megacephaly

Abnormal largeness of the head.

law-abiding

Adhering to the law.

featherstitch

An embroidery stitch that produces a decorative zigzag line.

aquacade

An entertainment spectacle of swimmers and divers, often performing in unison to the accompaniment of music. [AQUA- + (CAVAL)CADE.]

ancylostomiasis

An infestation with hookworms, usually in the small intestine, marked by gastrointestinal discomfort, diarrhea, and progressive anemia.

means test (noun)

An investigation into the financial well-being of a person to determine the person's eligibility for financial assistance.

dedifferentiation

Biology Reversion of a specialized cell or tissue to an unspecialized form. Dedifferentiation may occur before the regeneration of appendages in plants and certain animals and in the development of some cancers.

dilatation

Dilation.

damage control

Efforts made to minimize damage or loss.

interscholastic

Existing or conducted between or among schools.

nonintervention

Failure or refusal to intervene, especially in the affairs of another nation.

Nostradamus

French physician and astrologer noted for his several volumes of cryptic prophecies in verse.

cacophonous *

Having a harsh, unpleasant sound; discordant. [From Greek kakophōnos : kakos, bad; see kakka- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + phōnē, sound; see bhā-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

irrefutable

Impossible to refute or disprove; incontrovertible: irrefutable arguments; irrefutable evidence of guilt.

irremediable

Impossible to remedy, correct, or repair; incurable or irreparable: irremediable errors in judgment.

Balthazar, Balthasar

In Christian tradition, one of the three Magi.

blepharitis

Inflammation of the eyelids.

comportment *

Manner of behaving; bearing; deportment. See Synonyms at behavior.

invariable *

Not changing or subject to change; constant.

atypical

Not conforming to type; unusual or irregular.

long-standing, longstanding

Of long duration or existence: a long-standing friendship.

pallbearer

One of the persons carrying or attending a coffin at a funeral.

allottee

One to whom something is allotted.

obstructionist

One who systematically blocks or interrupts a process, especially one who attempts to impede passage of legislation by the use of delaying tactics, such as a filibuster.

paraparesis

Partial paralysis of the lower limbs.

irreproachable

Perfect or blameless in every respect; faultless: irreproachable conduct.

loci

Plural of locus.

isolable

Possible to isolate: isolable viruses

antemortem

Preceding death.

intrepid

Resolutely courageous; fearless. See Synonyms at brave. [Latin intrepidus : in-, not; see IN-1 + trepidus, alarmed.]

Ciceronian

Roman statesman, orator, and philosopher. A major figure in the last years of the Republic, he is best known for his orations against Catiline and for his mastery of Latin prose. His later writings introduced Greek philosophy to Rome.

majoritarianism

Rule by simple numerical majority in an organized group.

Dostoyevsky, Dostoevski

Russian writer whose works, such as the novels Crime and Punishment (1866), The Idiot (1869), and The Brothers Karamazov (1880), combine religious mysticism with profound psychological insight.

Cabeza de Vaca

Spanish explorer and colonial administrator who explored parts of present-day Florida, Texas, and Mexico and aroused Spain's interest in the region with his vivid stories of opportunities.

quartile

Statistics 1. Any of the groups that result when a frequency distribution is divided into four groups of equal size. 2. Any of the values that separate each of these groups. [Middle English, 90 degrees apart (of the relative position of two celestial bodies), from Old French quartil, from Medieval Latin quārtīlis, of a quartile, from Latin quārtus, fourth; see QUART.]

caliphate

The office or jurisdiction of a caliph. The last caliphate was held by Ottoman Turkish sultans until it was abolished by Kemal Atatürk in 1924.

acclimatization

The physiological adaptation of an organism to changes in climate or environment, such as light, temperature, or altitude.

authenticity

The quality or condition of being authentic, trustworthy, or genuine.

cosmetology

The study or art of cosmetics and their use. [French cosmétologie : cosmétique, cosmetic; see COSMETIC + -logie, -logy.]

briarroot *

The woody root of the briar.

ad nauseam

To a disgusting or ridiculous degree; to the point of nausea. [Latin ad, to + nauseam, accusative of nausea, sickness.]

preordination

To appoint, decree, or ordain in advance; foreordain.

misattribution

To attribute incorrectly: misattributed the quotation to Dickens.

reunification

To cause (a group, party, state, or sect) to become unified again after being divided.

predecease

To die before (another person).

trivialize

To make or cause to appear trivial: tried to trivialize their criticisms.

intenerate

To make tender; soften. [IN-2 + Latin tener, tender; see TENDER1 + -ATE1.]

factionalize

To split (a group, for example) into disputatious factions.

undergird

To support or strengthen from beneath.

distaff side

a. A staff that holds on its cleft end the unspun flax, wool, or tow from which thread is drawn in spinning by hand. b. An attachment for a spinning wheel that serves this purpose.

persnickety *

adj. 1. a. Overparticular about trivial details; fastidious. b. Snobbish; pretentious. 2. Requiring strict attention to detail; demanding: a persnickety job.

valgus *

adj. 1. Characterized by an abnormal outward turning of a bone, especially of the hip, knee, or foot. 2. Knock-kneed. n. A valgus bone. [Latin, bowlegged.]

nonuple

adj. 1. Consisting of nine parts or members. 2. Nine times as much in size, strength, number, or amount. n. A ninefold amount or number. [French nonuple (on the model of quadruple, quadruple), from Latin nōnus, ninth; see NONA-.]

weather-beaten

adj. 1. Damaged or worn by exposure to the weather. 2. Lined or coarsened from being outdoors: a weather-beaten face.

noncustodial

adj. 1. Not having custody of one's children after a divorce or separation: a noncustodial parent. 2. Of or relating to a lack of child custody: noncustodial households.

nomothetic *

adj. 1. Of or relating to lawmaking; legislative. 2. Of or relating to the study or discovery of general laws, as of nature or of human behavior. [Greek nomothetikos : nomos, law; see nem- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + thetikos, thetic; see THETIC.]

stellar

adj. 1. Of, relating to, or consisting of stars. 2. a. Of or relating to a star performer. b. Outstanding; principal. [Late Latin stēllāris, from Latin stēlla, star; see ster-3 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

fluvial

adj. 1. Of, relating to, or inhabiting a river or stream. 2. Produced by the action of a river or stream. [Middle English, from Latin fluviālis, from fluvius, river, from fluere, to flow; see bhleu- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

usurious

adj. 1. Practicing usury. 2. Of or constituting usury: usurious interest rates.

regnant *

adj. 1. Reigning; ruling: a queen regnant. 2. Predominant. 3. Widespread; prevalent. [Probably from Middle English, a sovereign, from Old French, from Latin rēgnāns, rēgnant-, present participle of rēgnāre, to reign, from rēgnum, reign; see REIGN.]

millesimal

adj. 1. Thousandth. 2. Consisting of a thousandth. 3. Relating to thousandths. n. A thousandth. [From Latin mīllēsimus, from mīlle, thousand; see gheslo- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Panglossian *

adj. Blindly or naively optimistic. [After Pangloss, an optimist in Candide, a satire by Voltaire.]

applicable *

adj. Capable of being applied; relevant or appropriate: a rule not applicable in all cases; added the applicable sales tax.

unipotent *

adj. Capable of developing into only one type of cell or tissue.

cravenly *

adj. Characterized by abject fear; cowardly. n. A coward. [Middle English cravant, perhaps from Old French crevant, present participle of crever, to burst, from Latin crepāre, to break.]

semilogarithmic

adj. Having one logarithmic and one arithmetic scale: semilogarithmic graph paper.

ultraliberal *

adj. Liberal to an extreme, especially in political beliefs; radical. n. One who is extremely liberal.

species-specific

adj. Limited to or found only in one species: a species-specific antibody; a species-specific virus.

submontane

adj. Located under or at the base of a mountain or mountain range.

sporiferous

adj. Producing spores.

occasionally

adv. Now and then; from time to time.

lief *

adv. lief·er, lief·est Readily; willingly: I would as lief go now as later. adj. liefer, liefest Archaic 1. Beloved; dear. 2. Ready or willing. [Middle English leve, lef, dear, willingly, from Old English lēof, dear; see leubh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

plethysmograph

n. An instrument that measures variations in the size of an organ or body part on the basis of the amount of blood passing through or present in the part. [Greek plēthusmos, increase (from plēthūnein, to increase, from plēthūs, quantity, from plēthein, to be full; see pelə-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + -GRAPH.]

trattoria *

n. An informal restaurant or tavern serving simple Italian dishes. [Italian, from trattore, host, from trattare, to treat, from Latin tractāre; see TREAT.]

spherometer *

n. An instrument for measuring the curvature of a surface, as of a sphere or cylinder.

embryectomy

n. pl. em·bry·ec·to·mies Surgical removal of an embryo, especially one implanted outside of the uterus.

fool's errand

n. pl. fools' errands A fruitless undertaking.

frivolity

n. pl. fri·vol·i·ties 1. The quality or condition of being frivolous. 2. A frivolous act or thing.

haruspex *

n. pl. ha·rus·pi·ces (hə-rŭspĭ-sēz′) also a·rus·pi·ces (ə-rŭspĭ-sēz′) A priest in ancient Rome who practiced divination by the inspection of the entrails of animals. [Latin; see gherə- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

hors d'oeuvre *

n. pl. hors d'oeuvres (ôr dûrvz) or hors d'oeuvre An appetizer served before a meal. [French hors d'œuvre : hors, outside + de, of + œuvre, (the main) work.]

homogeneity *

n. pl. ho·mo·ge·ne·i·ties The state or quality of being homogeneous.

icosahedron *

n. pl. i·co·sa·he·drons or i·co·sa·he·dra (-drə) A polyhedron having 20 faces. [Greek eikosaedron, from neuter of Greek eikosaedros, twenty-sided : eikosi, twenty; see wīktī- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + -edros, -sided; see -HEDRON.]

plateau

n. pl. pla·teaus or pla·teaux (-tōz) 1. An elevated, comparatively level expanse of land; a tableland. 2. A relatively stable level, period, or state: Mortgage rates declined, then reached a plateau. intr.v. pla·teaued, pla·teau·ing, pla·teaus To reach a stable level; level off: "The tension seemed to grow by degrees, then it plateaued" (Tom Clancy). [French, from Old French platel, platter, from plat, flat; see PLATE.]

sonneteer

n. 1. A composer of sonnets. 2. An inferior poet.

solenoid

n. 1. A current-carrying coil of wire that acts like a magnet when a current passes through it. 2. An assembly used as a switch, consisting of a coil and a metal core free to slide along the coil axis under the influence of the magnetic field. [French solénoïde, from Greek sōlēnoeidēs, pipe-shaped : sōlēn, pipe + -oeidēs, -oid.]

white paper

n. 1. A government report. 2. An authoritative report on a major issue, as by a team of journalists.

quatrefoil *

n. 1. A representation of a flower with four petals or a leaf with four leaflets, especially in heraldry. 2. Architecture Tracery or an ornament with four foils or lobes. [Middle English quaterfoile : Old French quatre, four; see QUATRAIN + Old French foil, leaf; see FOIL2.]

grandstanding

n. 1. A roofed stand for spectators at a stadium or racetrack. 2. The spectators or audience at an event. intr.v. grand·stand·ed, grand·stand·ing, grand·stands To perform ostentatiously so as to impress an audience.

undercarriage

n. 1. A supporting framework or structure, as for the body of a motor vehicle. 2. The landing gear of an aircraft.

Wellington boot

n. 1. A waterproof boot of rubber or sometimes leather reaching to below the knee and worn in wet or muddy conditions. 2. Archaic A boot extending to the top of the knee in front but cut low in back.

odalisque, odalisk

n. 1. A woman slave in a harem. 2. An artistic representation, often highly eroticized, of such a slave. [French, from alteration of Turkish odalık, chambermaid, female slave attending women of the harem : oda, room (from Old Turkic otāǧ, tent, temporary dwellling of nomads, probably originally meaning "place where a fire is lit" and akin to ōt, fire) + -lık, suff. expressing function.]

songstress *

n. 1. A woman who performs songs, especially ballads or popular songs. 2. A woman who writes songs. See Usage Note at -ess.

zareba, zareeba

n. 1. An enclosure of bushes or stakes protecting a campsite or village in northeast Africa. 2. A campsite or village protected by such an enclosure. [Arabic zarība, cattle pen.]

xylograph

n. 1. An engraving on wood. 2. An impression from a woodblock. tr.v. xy·lo·graphed, xy·lo·graph·ing, xy·lo·graphs To print from a wood engraving.

prerogative *

n. 1. An exclusive right or privilege held by a person or group, especially a hereditary or official right. See Synonyms at right. 2. The exclusive right and power to command, decide, rule, or judge: "Encyclicals became direct exercises of papal prerogative" (Garry Wills). adj. Of, arising from, or exercising a prerogative. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin praerogātīva, feminine of praerogātīvus, asked first, from praerogātus, past participle of praerogāre, to ask before : prae-, pre- + rogāre, to ask; see reg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

rhetorician *

n. 1. An expert in or teacher of rhetoric. 2. An eloquent speaker or writer. 3. A person given to verbal extravagance.

mousse

n. 1. Any of various chilled, airy desserts made with flavored whipped cream, gelatin, or eggs: chocolate mousse. 2. A molded dish containing meat, fish, or shellfish combined with whipped cream or egg whites and often gelatin. 3. An aerosol foam used to control and style the hair. tr.v. moussed, mouss·ing, mouss·es To apply a styling foam to (the hair). [French, foam, mousse, from Old French, moss, foam, partly of Germanic origin and partly from Latin mulsa, hydromel, from feminine of mulsus, honey-sweet; see melit- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

tenantry

n. 1. Tenants considered as a group. 2. The condition of being a tenant; tenancy.

retinitis pigmentosa

n. A hereditary degenerative disease of the retina, characterized by night blindness, pigmentary changes within the retina, and eventual loss of vision. [New Latin pigmentōsa, feminine of pigmentōsus, pigmented.]

vizier *

n. A high officer in a Muslim government, especially in the Ottoman Empire. [Turkish vezir, from Arabic wazīr, burdened, minister, from 'āzara, to help, derived form of 'azara, to surround; see ʾzr in the Appendix of Semitic roots, or from wazara, to carry a burden; see wzr in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

sallet

n. A light, late medieval helmet with a brim flaring in the back, sometimes fitted with a visor. [Middle English salet, from Old French sallade, from Old Spanish celada or Old Italian celata, both probably from Latin caelāta (cassis), engraved (helmet), feminine past participle of caelāre, to engrave, from caelum, chisel; see kaə-id- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

potboiler

n. A literary or artistic work of poor quality, produced quickly for profit. [From the phrase boil the pot, to provide one's livelihood.]

tirade

n. A long angry speech, usually of a censorious or denunciatory nature; a diatribe. [French, from Old French, act of firing, from tirer, to draw out, endure, probably back-formation from martirant, present participle of martirer, to torture (influenced by mar, to one's misfortune, and tiranz, executioner, tyrant), from martir, martyr, from Late Latin martyr; see MARTYR.]

rubella

n. A mild contagious eruptive disease caused by a virus and capable of producing congenital defects in infants born to mothers infected during the first three months of pregnancy. Also called German measles. [From Latin, neuter pl. of rubellus, red, from ruber; see reudh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

reappraisal

n. A new appraisal or evaluation.

ticqueur

n. A person affected with a tic. [French tiqueur, from tic, tic.]

motorcade

n. A procession of motor vehicles, as in a parade.

sommelier

n. A restaurant employee who orders and maintains the wines sold in the restaurant and usually has extensive knowledge about wine and food pairings. [French, from Old French, officer in charge of provisions, pack-animal driver, alteration of *sommerier, from sommier, beast of burden, from Vulgar Latin *saumārius; see SUMMER2.]

unguent

n. A salve for soothing or healing; an ointment. [Middle English, from Latin unguentum, from unguere, to anoint.]

organ of Corti

n. A specialized structure located on the inner surface of the basilar membrane of the cochlea containing hair cells that transmit sound vibrations to the nerve fibers. [After Alfonso Corti (1822-1888), Italian anatomist.]

Stanford-Binet test

n. A standard intelligence test adapted from the Binet-Simon scale for use in the United States, especially in the assessment of children. [After Stanford University in western California near Palo Alto.]

Polaris

n. A star located at the end of the handle of the Little Dipper, in the constellation Ursa Minor, approximately 408 light years from Earth, and almost at the north celestial pole. Also called North Star, polar star, polestar. [New Latin (Stēlla) Polāris, polar (star), from Latin polus, pole; see POLE1.]

pique

n. A state of vexation caused by a perceived slight or indignity; a feeling of wounded pride. tr.v. piqued, piqu·ing, piques 1. To cause to feel resentment or indignation. 2. To provoke; arouse: The portrait piqued her curiosity. 3. To pride (oneself): He piqued himself on his stylish attire. [French, a prick, irritation, from Old French, from piquer, to prick, from Vulgar Latin *piccāre, ultimately of imitative origin.]

plumb bob

n. A usually conical metal weight attached to the end of a plumb line. Also called plummet.

telomere

n. Either of the sections of DNA occurring at the ends of a chromosome.

ultraism

n. Extremism, especially in politics or government; radicalism.

vers libre *

n. Free verse.

scriptwriter

n. One who writes copy to be used by an announcer, performer, or director in a film or broadcast.

roentgenography

n. Photography with the use of x-rays.

sadhu, saddhu

n. Hinduism An ascetic holy man. [From Sanskrit sādhu-, right, holy.]

ihram

n. Islam 1. The sacred dress of Muslim pilgrims, consisting of two lengths of white cotton, one wrapped around the loins, the other thrown over the left shoulder. 2. The state of ritual purity of Muslims in wearing this dress for pilgrimage or for other acts of worship, especially the daily worship. [Arabic 'iḥrām, prohibition, ihram, infinitive of 'aḥrama, to enter the state of ihram, from ḥarama, to prohibit; see x̣rm in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

snollygoster

n. Slang One, especially a politician, who is guided by personal advantage rather than by consistent, respectable principles. [Perhaps alteration of snallygaster, a mythical beast said to prey on poultry and children, perhaps from Pennsylvania Dutch schnelle geeschter : Middle High German snēl, quick (from Old High German) + Middle High German geist, spirit (from Old High German).]

ampulla

n. pl. am·pul·lae (-plē, -pŭlē) 1. A nearly round bottle with two handles used by the ancient Romans for wine, oil, or perfume. 2. Ecclesiastical A vessel for consecrated wine or holy oil. 3. Anatomy A small dilatation in a canal or duct, especially one in the semicircular canal of the ear. [Middle English, from Old English, from Latin, diminutive of amphora; see AMPHORA.]

acerbity

n. pl. a·cer·bi·ties Sourness or acidness of taste, character, or tone.

columbarium

n. pl. col·um·bar·i·a (-ē-ə) also col·um·bar·ies 1. a. A vault with niches for urns containing ashes of the dead. b. One of the niches in such a vault. 2. a. A dovecote. b. A pigeonhole in a dovecote. [Latin columbārium, sepulchre for urns, dovecote, from columba, dove.]

patelliform

adj. Shaped like a shallow pan or dish: the patelliform shell of the limpet. [Latin patella, small plate, pan; see PATELLA + -FORM.]

stelliform

adj. Shaped like a star. [New Latin stēllifōrmis : Latin stēlla, star; see STELLAR + Latin -fōrmis, form (from fōrma).]

sphenic

adj. Shaped like a wedge.

rotiform

adj. Shaped like a wheel. [Latin rota, wheel; see ret- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + -FORM.]

resplendent *

adj. Splendid or dazzling in appearance; brilliant. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin resplendēns, resplendent-, present participle of resplendēre, to shine brightly : re-, re- + splendēre, to shine.]

patulous

adj. Spreading or expanded: patulous branches. [From Latin patulus, from patēre, to be open; see petə- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

unpaginated

adj. Unpaged.

scrobiculate

adj. Biology Marked with many shallow depressions, grooves, or pits. [Latin scrobiculus, diminutive of scrobis, trench; see sker-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + -ATE1.]

scalariform

adj. Biology Resembling the rungs of a ladder; ladderlike. Used of certain tissues and cells. [Latin scālāris, of a ladder; see SCALARE + -FORM.]

obovate

adj. Botany Egg-shaped and flat, with the narrow end at the base: an obovate leaf.

straticulate

adj. Geology Having thin layers.

rogatory

adj. Law Requesting evidence, especially from a foreign court: a rogatory letter. [French rogatoire, from Medieval Latin rogātōrius, from Latin rogātus, past participle of rogāre, to ask; see reg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

stringendo *

adj. Music Played with an accelerating tempo. Used chiefly as a direction. [Italian, gerund of stringere, to draw tight, from Latin; see streig- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

procryptic

adj. Zoology Having a pattern or coloration that acts as camouflage to protect against predation. [Probably PRO(TECTIVE) + CRYPTIC.]

tridactyl

adj. Zoology Having three digits on each extremity. [Greek tridaktulos, three-fingered : tri-, tri-; see trei- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + daktulos, finger.]

cerebration

ntr.v. cer·e·brat·ed, cer·e·brat·ing, cer·e·brates To use the power of reason; think. See Synonyms at think. [Back-formation from cerebration, act of thinking, from Latin cerebrum, brain; see CEREBRUM.]

deliquescence

ntr.v. del·i·quesced, del·i·quesc·ing, del·i·quesc·es 1. a. To melt away. b. To disappear as if by melting. 2. Chemistry To dissolve and become liquid by absorbing moisture from the air. 3. Botany a. To become fluid or soft on maturing, as certain fungal structures. b. To branch out into numerous subdivisions that lack a main axis, as the trunk of an elm. [Latin dēliquēscere : dē-, de- + liquēscere, to melt, inchoative of liquēre, to be liquid.]

octosyllabic

oc·to·syl·la·ble (ŏktə-sĭl′ə-bəl) Share: n. 1. also oc·to·syl·lab·ic (ŏk′tō-sĭ-lăbĭk) a. A line of verse containing eight syllables. b. A poem having eight syllables in each line. 2. A word of eight syllables.

periodontia

peridontics

res gestae

pl.n. 1. Things done; deeds. 2. Law Evidence of incidental facts that would otherwise be inadmissible in a trial as irrelevant or hearsay but that is admitted because it helps explain and give context to a more central evidentiary fact. [Latin rēs gestae : rēs, pl. of rēs, thing + gestae, feminine pl. past participle of gerere, to carry, show.]

acidify

tr. & intr.v. a·cid·i·fied, a·cid·i·fy·ing, a·cid·i·fies To make or become acid.

adulate

tr.v. ad·u·lat·ed, ad·u·lat·ing, ad·u·lates To praise or admire excessively; fawn on.

aggrieve

tr.v. ag·grieved, ag·griev·ing, ag·grieves 1. To distress; afflict. 2. To inflict an injury or injuries on. [Middle English agreven, from Old French agrever, from Latin aggravāre, to make worse; see AGGRAVATE.

asperse

tr.v. as·persed, as·pers·ing, as·pers·es 1. a. To spread false or damaging accusations or insinuations against (someone). b. To slander or libel; defame. 2. To sprinkle, especially with holy water.

bureaucratize

tr.v. bu·reauc·ra·tized, bu·reauc·ra·tiz·ing, bu·reauc·ra·tiz·es To make into a bureaucracy or bring under bureaucratic control: "The failure of communication is built—or ... bureaucratized—into the legal system" (Anatole Broyard).

calque

tr.v. calqued, calque·ing, calques To make a loan translation from (a word in another language). [French, from calquer, to trace, copy, from Italian calcare, to press, from Latin calcāre, to tread on, from calx, heel.]

constringe

tr.v. con·stringed, con·string·ing, con·string·es To cause to contract; constrict. [Latin cōnstringere, to compress; see CONSTRAIN.]

debarred

tr.v. de·barred, de·bar·ring, de·bars 1. To exclude or shut out; bar. 2. To forbid, hinder, or prevent. [Middle English debarren, from Old French desbarer, to unbar : des-, de- + barer, to bar (from barre, bar; see BAR1).]

enouncement

tr.v. e·nounced, e·nounc·ing, e·nounc·es 1. To declare formally; state. 2. To pronounce clearly; enunciate. [From French énoncer, from Latin ēnūntiāre, to speak out; see ENUNCIATE.] e·nouncement n.

evincible

tr.v. e·vinced, e·vinc·ing, e·vinc·es To show or demonstrate clearly; manifest: evince distaste by grimacing. [Latin ēvincere, to prevail, prove; see EVICT.] e·vinci·ble adj.

deterioration

v. de·te·ri·o·rat·ed, de·te·ri·o·rat·ing, de·te·ri·o·rates v.tr. To diminish or impair in quality, character, or value: Time and neglect had deteriorated the property. v.intr. 1. To grow worse; degenerate: The weather deteriorated overnight. 2. To weaken or disintegrate; decay: The nation's highways are deteriorating at a rapid pace. [Late Latin dēteriōrāre, dēteriōrāt-, from Latin dēterior, worse; see de- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

elegize

v. el·e·gized, el·e·giz·ing, el·e·giz·es v.intr. To compose an elegy. v.tr. To compose an elegy upon or for.

particularize

v.tr. 1. To mention, describe, or treat individually; itemize or specify. 2. To make particular as opposed to general or universal. v.intr. To go into or give details or particulars.

subtilize

v.tr. To render subtle: "I need to tell stories. I find new friends, new listeners, subtilize my lies" (Helen Yglesias). v.intr. To argue or discuss with subtlety; make fine distinctions.

estoppel

Law A bar that prevents a person from presenting evidence contradicting a certain established fact. [Obsolete French estouppail, from Old French estouper, to stop up, from Vulgar Latin *stuppāre; see STOP.]

lipectomy

Surgical excision of subcutaneous fatty tissue.

nephrotomy

Surgical incision into the kidney.

mastectomy

Surgical removal of all or part of a breast, sometimes including excision of the underlying pectoral muscles, associated skin, and regional lymph nodes, usually performed as a treatment for cancer.

varicotomy

Surgical removal of varicose veins.

academia

The academic community; academe. [New Latin acadēmīa, from Latin, the Academy; see ACADEMY.]

condonation *

The act of condoning, especially the implied forgiveness of an offense by ignoring it.

somniloquy

The act or habit of talking in one's sleep. [SOMNI- + Latin loquī, to speak; see SOLILOQUY.]

agrology

The applied science of soils in relation to crops.

glyptography

The art or process of carving or engraving on precious stones.

epicycloid *

The curve described by a point on the circumference of a circle as the circle rolls on the outside of the circumference of a second, fixed circle.

chemurgy

The development of new industrial chemical products from organic raw materials, especially from those of agricultural origin.

archdiocese

The district under an archbishop's jurisdiction.

kendo *

The Japanese martial art of fencing with bamboo swords. [Japanese kendō : ken, sword (from Middle Chinese kiam`; also the source of Mandarin jiàn) + dō, way; see AIKIDO.]

Côte d'Azur

The Mediterranean coast of southeast France. It is known for its fashionable resorts.

eluviation

The lateral or downward movement of dissolved or suspended material within soil when rainfall exceeds evaporation. [ELUVI(UM) + -ATION.]

Grendel

The male monster, descended from Cain, slain by Beowulf in the Old English epic Beowulf.

Hegelianism *

The monist, idealist philosophy of Hegel in which the dialectic of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis is used as an analytic tool in order to approach a higher unity or a new thesis.

supercilious

adj. Feeling or showing haughty disdain. See Synonyms at arrogant. [Latin superciliōsus, from supercilium, eyebrow, pride : super-, super- + cilium, lower eyelid; see kel-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

repetitious *

adj. Filled with repetition, especially needless or tedious repetition.

contradistinguish *

To distinguish by contrasting qualities.

opalesce

To exhibit an iridescent shimmer of colors. [Back-formation from OPALESCENCE.]

tessellate *

To form into a mosaic pattern, as by using small squares of stone or glass. [From Latin tessellātus, of small square stones, from tessella, small cube, diminutive of tessera, a square; see TESSERA.]

manumit

To free from slavery or bondage; emancipate. [Middle English manumitten, from Old French manumitter, from Latin manūmittere : manū, ablative of manus, hand; see man-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + mittere, to send from.]

Sinicize

To make Chinese in character or to change or modify by Chinese influence.

placable

adj. Easily calmed or pacified; tolerant. [Middle English, agreeable, from Old French, from Latin plācābilis, from plācāre, to calm; see plāk-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

phytophagous

adj. Feeding on plants or plant material. Used especially of insects.

transliterate

To represent (letters or words) in the corresponding characters of another alphabet. [TRANS- + Latin littera, lītera, letter + -ATE1.]

jury-rigged

To rig or assemble for temporary emergency use; improvise: The survivors of the wreck jury-rigged some fishing gear. [From jury-rig, jury-rigging, improvised rigging on a ship, modeled on jury-mast, temporary mast, perhaps ultimately from Old French ajurie, help, from aider, to help; see AID.]

levitate *

To rise or cause to rise into the air and float in apparent defiance of gravity. [From Latin levis, light (on the model of GRAVITATE); see LEVITY.]

digitalis, Digitalis

2. A drug prepared from the dried leaves of Digitalis purpurea, used as a cardiac stimulant. [New Latin Digitālis, genus name of foxglove, from Latin digitālis, of a finger (from the finger-shaped corollas of foxglove), from digitus, finger; see DIGIT.]

pontiff *

n. 1. a. The pope. b. A bishop. 2. A pontifex. [French pontife, from Old French pontif, from Latin pontifex, pontifex; see pent- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Marquesan

n. 1. a. A native or inhabitant of the Marquesas Islands. b. A person of Marquesan ancestry. 2. The Austronesian language of the Marquesans. adj. Of or relating to the Marquesas Islands or their people, language, or culture.

collateralize

r.v. col·lat·er·al·ized, col·lat·er·al·iz·ing, col·lat·er·al·iz·es 1. To secure (a loan) through use of collateral. 2. To pledge (property, for example) as collateral.

conglobate *

r.v. con·glo·bat·ed, con·glo·bat·ing, con·glo·bates To form into a globe or ball. [Latin conglobāre, conglobāt- : com-, com- + globus, ball.]

emendate

r.v. e·men·dat·ed, e·men·dat·ing, e·men·dates To make textual corrections in. [Latin ēmendāre, ēmendāt-, to emend; see EMEND.]

equiponderate

r.v. e·qui·pon·der·at·ed, e·qui·pon·der·at·ing, e·qui·pon·der·ates 1. To counterbalance. 2. To give equal balance or weight to. [Medieval Latin aequiponderāre, aequiponderāt- : Latin aequi-, equi- + Latin ponderāre, to weigh; see (s)pen- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

imperturbable *

Unshakably calm and collected: "His ... facial expression never deviated from the imperturbable mask" (Molly Worthen). See Synonyms at cool.

chatelaine

. a. The mistress of a castle. b. The mistress of a large, fashionable household. 2. A clasp or chain worn at the waist for holding keys, a purse, a watch, or other small household items. [French châtelaine, feminine of châtelain, chatelain, from Old French chastelain; see CHATELAIN.]

Dachau

A city of southeast Germany north-northwest of Munich. It was the site of a Nazi concentration camp built in 1933 and captured by the Allies in April 1945.

assumptive *

1. Characterized by assumption. 2. Taken for granted; assumed. 3. Presumptuous; assuming.

heavy-handed

1. Clumsy; awkward. 2. Tactless; indiscreet. 3. Oppressive; harsh.

discursive

1. Covering a wide field of subjects; rambling. 2. Proceeding to a conclusion through reason rather than intuition. [Medieval Latin discursīvus, from Latin discursus, running about; see DISCOURSE.]

denomination

1. A large group of religious congregations united under a common faith and name, usually organized under a single administrative and legal hierarchy. 2. One of a series of kinds, values, or sizes, as in a system of currency or weights: Cash registers have slots for bills of different denominations. The stamps come in 40¢ and 70¢ denominations. 3. A name or designation, especially for a class or group.

gigot

1. A leg of mutton, lamb, or veal for cooking. 2. A leg-of-mutton sleeve. [French, from Old French, diminutive of gigue, fiddle, from Middle High German gīge, from Old High German gīga.]

a posteriori

1. Derived by or designating the process of reasoning from facts or particulars to general principles or from effects to causes; inductive; empirical. 2. a. Justified by appeal to experience. b. Knowable from experience.

catamaran

1. A boat with two parallel hulls or floats, especially a light sailboat with a mast mounted on a transverse frame joining the hulls. 2. A raft of logs or floats lashed together and propelled by paddles or sails. [Tamil kaṭṭumaram : kaṭṭu, to tie + maram, wood, log.]

kinescope

1. A cathode-ray tube in a television; a picture tube. 2. A film of a transmitted television program. tr.v. kin·e·scoped, kin·e·scop·ing, kin·e·scopes To make a film of (a transmitted television program). [Originally a trademark.]

velour, velours (singular)

1. A closely napped fabric resembling velvet, used chiefly for clothing and upholstery. 2. A felt resembling velvet, used in making hats. [Alteration of French velours, velvet, from Old French velour, alteration of velous, from Old Provençal velos, from Latin villōsus, hairy, from villus, shaggy hair.]

talipes *

1. A congenital deformity of the foot, usually marked by a curled shape or twisted position of the ankle, heel, and toes.

simulacrum *

1. An image or representation. 2. An unreal or vague semblance. [Latin simulācrum (from simulāre, to simulate; see SIMULATE) + -crum, n. suff.]

causerie *

1. An informal discussion or chat, especially of an intellectual nature. 2. A short conversational piece of writing or criticism. [French, from causer, to talk, from Latin causārī, to plead, discuss, from causa, case, cause.]

flotsam

1. Goods floating on the surface of a body of water after a shipwreck or after being cast overboard to lighten the ship. 2. Discarded or unimportant things: "Keyrings, bookmarks ... gum, scissors, paper clips ... pencils and pads stolen from various hotels: all this detritus, this flotsam of a life being lived at full throttle" (David Leavitt). 3. People who are considered to be worthless or to have been rejected by society. [Anglo-Norman floteson, from Old French floter, to float, of Germanic origin; see pleu- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

bombastically

1. Grandiloquent, pompous speech or writing. 2. Grandiose or overpowering expression, as in music or painting. [Alteration of obsolete bombace, cotton padding, from Old French, from Medieval Latin bombax, bombac-, cotton; see BOMBAZINE.]

Delphic

1. Greek Mythology Of or relating to Delphi or to the oracle of Apollo at Delphi. 2. Obscurely prophetic; oracular: made a great deal of Delphic pronouncements.

Elysian

1. Greek Mythology Of or relating to Elysium. 2. Blissful; delightful.

prosy

1. Matter-of-fact and dry; prosaic. 2. Dull; commonplace

cycloid

1. Resembling a circle. 2. Zoology a. Relating to or being a kind of fish scale that is thin, rounded, and smooth-edged and often shows concentric growth rings. b. Having cycloid scales. 3. Psychology Afflicted with or relating to cyclothymia. n. Mathematics The curve traced by a point on the circumference of a circle that rolls on a straight line. [Frenchcycloïde, fromGreekkukloeides, circular : kuklos, circle; see kwel-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + -oeides, -oid.]

baccalaureate

1. See bachelor's degree. 2. A farewell address in the form of a sermon delivered to a graduating class. [Medieval Latin baccalaureātus, from baccalārius, bachelor (influenced by laureātus, crowned with laurel); see BACHELOR.]

lumpectomy

1. Surgical excision of a tumor from the breast with the removal of a minimal amount of surrounding tissue. Also called tylectomy. 2. Surgical excision of a mass.

decoupage, découpage

1. The technique of decorating a surface with cutouts, as of paper, and finishing with layers of lacquer or varnish. 2. A creation produced by this technique. [French découpage, from découper, to cut up or out, from Old French descolper : des-, de- + colper, to cut (from colp, stroke; see COUP).]

rebuke *

1. To criticize (someone) sharply; reprimand. See Synonyms at admonish. 2. To express sharp criticism regarding (an act, for example): "a series of sweeping decisions that rebuked the investigators' presumptions" (Donald A. Ritchie). 3. Obsolete To check or repress. n. An expression of strong disapproval. [Middle English rebuken, from Old North French rebuker : re-, back (from Latin; see RE-) + *buker, to strike, chop wood (variant of Old French buschier, from busche, firewood, of Germanic origin).]

redacted *

1. To draw up or frame (a proclamation, for example). 2. To make ready for publication; edit or revise. 3. To delete or remove (private or sensitive information) from a document in preparation for publication. [Middle English redacten, from Latin redigere, redāct-, to drive back : re-, red-, re- + agere, to drive; see ACT.]

inculcate

1. To impress (something) upon the mind of another by frequent instruction or repetition; instill: inculcating sound principles. 2. To teach (others) by frequent instruction or repetition; indoctrinate: inculcate the young with a sense of duty. [Latin inculcāre, inculcāt-, to force upon : in-, on; see IN-2 + calcāre, to trample (from calx, calc-, heel).]

schussing

1. To make a fast straight downhill run on skis or a snowboard. 2. Informal To ski, especially at a fast pace. n. 1. A fast straight downhill run in skiing or snowboarding. 2. A straight steep course for skiing or snowboarding. [From German, shot, schuss, from Middle High German schuz, shot, from Old High German scuz; see skeud- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

necessitate *

1. To make necessary or unavoidable. 2. To require or compel. [Medieval Latin necessitāre, necessitāt-, from Latin necessitās, necessity; see NECESSITY.]

obfuscation

1. To make so confused or opaque as to be difficult to perceive or understand: "A great effort was made ... to obscure or obfuscate the truth" (Robert Conquest). 2. To render indistinct or dim; darken: The fog obfuscated the shore. [Latin obfuscāre, obfuscāt-, to darken : ob-, over; see OB- + fuscāre, to darken (from fuscus, dark).]

prognosticator

1. To predict according to present indications or signs; foretell. See Synonyms at predict. 2. To foreshadow; portend: urban renewal that prognosticates a social and cultural renaissance. [Middle English pronosticaten, from Medieval Latin prognōsticāre, prognōsticāt-, from Latin prognōsticum, sign of the future, from Greek prognōstikon, from neuter of prognōstikos, foreknowing; see PROGNOSTIC.]

substantiate

1. To prove the truth of or support with proof or evidence: substantiate an accusation. See Synonyms at confirm. 2. To give substance to; make real or actual. [New Latin substantiāre, substantiāt-, from Latin substantia, substance; see SUBSTANCE.]

incarcerate

1. To put in a prison or jail. 2. To shut in; confine. [Medieval Latin incarcerāre, incarcerāt- : Latin in-, in; see IN-2 + Latin carcer, prison.]

aversion

1.a. A fixed, intense dislike; repugnance: formed an aversion to crowds. b. The cause or object of such a feeling: "I jumped up, and ran out of the room ... because a newspaper writer is my aversion" (Fanny Kemble). 2. The avoidance of a thing, situation, or behavior because it has been associated with an unpleasant or painful stimulus. 3. The act or fact of averting: the aversion of a disaster.

falafel, felafel

1.a. A mixture of ground spiced chickpeas or fava beans that is shaped into balls and deep-fried. b. A fried ball made of such a mixture. 2. A sandwich filled with such balls. [Levantine colloquial Arabic falāfil, perhaps from pl. of earlier *filfal, from Aramaic pilpāl, small round thing, peppercorn, from palpēl, to be round, roll.]

aikido

A Japanese art of self-defense that employs holds and locks and that uses the principles of nonresistance in order to debilitate the strength of the opponent. [Japanese aikidō : ai, meeting, matching, verbal noun of au, to meet, match + ki, spirit (from Middle Chinese khi`; see CHI2) + dō, art (from Early Middle Chinese daw').]

zaibatsu

A Japanese conglomerate, especially a powerful family-controlled monopoly before World War II. [Japanese : zai, wealth (from Early Middle Chinese dzəj; also the source of Mandarin cái) + batsu, powerful person or family (from Early Middle Chinese buat; also the source of Mandarin fá).]

Lag b'Omer

A Jewish feast celebrated on the 33rd day of the Omer (the 18th day of Iyar). [Mishnaic Hebrew lag bā-'ōmer : lag, conventional pronunciation of lg, the number 33 when written with the Hebrew letters lamedh (having the numerical value 30) and gimel (having the numerical value 3) + bā, in the (bə, in + hā, the) + 'ōmer, the Omer; see OMER.]

E. coli

A bacterium (Escherichia coli) normally found in the human gastrointestinal tract and existing as numerous strains, some of which are responsible for diarrheal diseases. Some strains have been used experimentally as model organisms for the study of biochemistry, molecular biology, and genetics. [New Latin E(scherichia) colī, species name : after Theodor Escherich (1857-1911), German physician + Latin colī, genitive of colon, colon; see COLON2.]

mellophone

A brass wind instrument, similar to the French horn, often used in military or marching bands.

atamasco lily

A bulbous plant (Zephyranthes atamasca) of the family Amaryllidaceae, native to the southeast United States and having a showy, solitary, white to pinkish flower on a long stalk. [Virginia Algonquian attamusco.]

booboisie *

A class of people regarded as stupid and gullible.

cretinism *

A congenital condition caused by a deficiency of thyroid hormone during prenatal development and characterized by small stature, intellectual disability, dystrophy of the bones, and a low basal metabolism.

minié ball

A conical rifle bullet used in the 1800s and designed with a hollow base that expanded when fired. [After Claude Étienne Minié (1814?-1879), French army officer.]

Centaurus

A constellation in the Southern Hemisphere near Vela and Lupus. [Latin Centaurus, centaur; see CENTAUR.]

Mercator projection

A cylindrical map projection in which the meridians and parallels appear as lines crossing at right angles and in which areas appear greater farther from the equator. Stght line segments represent true bearings, thus making this projection useful for navigation. [AfterGerhardus Mercator.]

melanoma

A dark-pigmented, usually malignant tumor arising from a melanocyte and occurring most commonly in the skin.

knock-kneed

A deformity of the legs in which the knees are abnormally close together and the ankles are spread widely apart.

Negev

A desert region of southern Israel. Long inhabited chiefly by nomadic Bedouin, it became part of the state of Israel in 1948.

miniature schnauzer

A dog of a small breed developed in Germany, similar in appearance to but smaller than the standard schnauzer.

linoleum *

A durable, washable material made in sheets by pressing a mixture of heated linseed oil, rosin, powdered cork, and pigments onto a burlap or canvas backing. Linoleum is used as a covering especially for floors. [Originally a trademark.]

astrakhan, astrachan (fur)

A fabric with a curly looped pile, made to resemble karakul.

Muskogean, Muskhogean

A family of Native American languages of the southeast United States that includes Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Alabama.

Khoisan

A family of languages of southern Africa, including those of the Khoikhoi and the San. [Nama khoe(khoe-n), the Nama people; see KHOIKHOI + Nama san, the San people; see SAN.]

tour de force (singular)

A feat requiring great virtuosity or strength, often deliberately undertaken for its difficulty: "In an extraordinary structural tour de force the novel maintains a dual focus" (Julian Moynahan). [French : tour, turn, feat + de, of + force, strength.]

euphoric

A feeling of great happiness or well-being. [New Latin, from Greek, from euphoros, healthy : eu-, eu- + pherein, to bear; see bher-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

metonymy

A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted for another with which it is closely associated, as in the use of Washington for the United States government or of the sword for military power. [Late Latin metōnymia, from Greek metōnumiā : meta-, meta- + onuma, name; see n-men- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

carbon-14 dating

A form of radiometric dating used to determine the age of organic remains in ancient objects, such as archaeological specimens, on the basis of the half-life of carbon-14 and a comparison between the ratio of carbon-12 to carbon-14 in a sample of the remains to the known ratio in living organisms.

Marfan syndrome

A genetic disorder principally affecting the connective tissues of the body, manifested in varying degrees by excessive bone elongation and joint flexibility and by abnormalities of the eye and cardiovascular system. [After Antonin Bernard Jean Marfan (1858-1942), French pediatrician.]

ball-peen hammer *

A hammer having one end of the head hemispherical and used in working metal.

altercation *

A heated, sometimes violent quarrel or conflict: "[An] altercation with one of Nekrasov's colleagues ... even led Tolstoy to challenge him to a duel" (Rosamund Bartlett).

brocade

A heavy fabric interwoven with a rich, raised design. [Spanish or Portuguese brocado, from Italian brocato, from brocco, twisted thread, from Vulgar Latin *brocca, spike, from Latin brocchus, projecting, of Celtic origin.]

beryllium *

A high-melting, lightweight, corrosion-resistant, rigid, steel-gray metallic element used as an aerospace structural material, as a moderator and reflector in nuclear reactors, and in a copper alloy used for springs, electrical contacts, and nonsparking tools. Atomic number 4; atomic weight 9.0122; melting point 1,287°C; boiling point 2,470°C; specific gravity 1.848; valence 2. See Periodic Table.

führer, fuehrer

A leader, especially one exercising the powers of a tyrant. [German, from Middle High German vüerer, from vüeren, to lead, from Old High German fuoren; see per-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

mangonel

A military machine used during the Middle Ages for hurling stones and other missiles, often employing a wooden arm with a container at one end. [Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin mangonellus, diminutive of Late Latin manganum, catapult, from Greek manganon, war machine.]

masjid

A mosque. [Arabic, from Aramaic *masgid, place of worship, from səged, to bow down, worship; see sgd in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

enokidake

A mushroom (Flammulina velutipes) native to North America and eastern Asia that has a brown cap with a velvety stem when growing outdoors and a small white cap with a long thin stem when cultivated. [Japanese : enoki, Japanese hackberry tree (Celtis sinensis var. japonica), on whose stumps the mushroom commonly grows + take, mushroom.]

chiffonier *

A narrow high chest of drawers or bureau, often with a mirror attached. [French, from chiffon, rag; see CHIFFON.]

ibuprofen

A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, C13H18O2, commonly used for its analgesic and antipyretic properties. [Alteration of i(so)bu(tyl)phen(yl) pro(pionic acid).]

mortuary

A place, especially a funeral home, where dead bodies are kept before burial or cremation. adj. 1. Of or relating to burial practices. 2. Relating to or characteristic of death. [Middle English mortuarie, gift to a parish priest from the estate of the deceased, funeral service, from Anglo-Norman, from Latin mortuārium, receptacle for dead things, neuter of mortuārius, of the dead, from mortuus, dead, past participle of morī, to die; see mer- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

threnody

A poem or song of mourning or lamentation. [Greek thrēnōidiā : thrēnos, lament + aoidē, ōidē, song; see ODE.]

klieg light

A powerful carbon-arc lamp producing an intense light and used especially in making movies. [Alteration of Klieglight, trademark for such a lamp, after John H. Kliegl (1869-1959) and his brother Anton Tiberius Kliegl (1872-1927), German-born American lighting experts.]

deism

A religious belief holding that God created the universe and established rationally comprehensible moral and natural laws but does not intervene in human affairs through miracles or supernatural revelation. [French déisme, from Latin deus, god; see dyeu- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

cuesta *

A ridge with a gentle slope on one side and a cliff on the other. [Spanish, from Latin costa, side; see kost- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

condyle *

A rounded prominence at the end of a bone, most often for articulation with another bone. [Latincondylus, knuckle, fromGreekkondulos.]

mirepoix *

A seasoning composed of finely diced sautéed vegetables and herbs and sometimes diced ham, bacon, or salt pork. [After Charles Pierre Gaston François de Lévis, Duc de Mirepoix (1699-1757), French diplomat.]

platypuses

A semiaquatic egg-laying mammal (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) of eastern Australia and Tasmania, having a broad flat tail, webbed feet, a snout resembling a duck's bill, and in the male, venomous spurs on the hind legs. Also called duckbill, duck-billed platypus. [New Latin Platypūs, former genus name, from Greek platupous, flat-footed : platu-, platy- + pous, foot; see ped- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

kylix *

A shallow, wide drinking cup with two handles and a stem, used in ancient Greece. [Greek kulix.]

favela

A shantytown or slum, especially in Brazil. [Brazilian Portuguese, after the Morro da Favela, a ramshackle housing area constructed on a hill in Rio de Janeiro in 1897 by impoverished soldiers returning from the suppression of a separatist movement in northeast Brazil, after the Morro da Favela, literally, "hill of the favela," a hill in northeast Brazil fortified by the soldiers during the conflict, from favela, the Brazilian shrub Cnidoscolus quercifolius of the spurge family bearing seeds resembling fava beans, from diminutive of Portuguese fava, fava bean, from Latin faba; see bha-bhā in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

conspiracy theory

A theory seeking to explain a disputed case or matter as a plot by a secret group or alliance rather than an individual or isolated act.

hoisin sauce

A thick, sweet, pungent sauce used in Chinese cooking. [Cantonese hoi2 sin1, seafood, from Middle Chinese xaj´ sian (also the source of Mandarin hǎixiān) : Cantonese hoi2, sea, ocean (from Middle Chinese xaj´) + Cantonese sin1, fresh, delicious (from Middle Chinese sian, fresh, ultimately from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *sar; akin to Tibetan gsar).]

Andorra *

A tiny country of southwest Europe between France and Spain in the eastern Pyrenees. Although it pays nominal yearly homage to its suzerains in France and Spain, it is an independent republic. Andorra la Vella is the capital.

Scarborough

A town of northeast England on the North Sea north of Hull. Site of a Bronze Age village and a fourth-century AD Roman signaling tower, it is a noted seaside resort.

libration

A very slow oscillation, real or apparent, of a satellite as viewed from the larger celestial body around which it revolves. [Latin lībrātiō, lībrātiōn-, oscillation, from lībrātus, past participle of lībrāre, to balance, from lībra, balance.]

mazzard *

A wild sweet cherry tree, especially one used as grafting stock. [Perhaps alteration of Middle English mazer, goblet, hard wood; see MAZER.]

mirador

A window, balcony, or small tower affording an extensive view. [Catalan, from mirar, to view, from Latin mīrārī, to wonder at; see MIRAGE.]

mestiza

A woman of mixed racial ancestry, especially of mixed European and Native American ancestry. [Spanish, feminine of mestizo; see MESTIZO.]

fiancée (female)

A woman to whom one is engaged to be married. [French, feminine of fiancé, fiancé; see FIANCé.]

Manxwoman

A woman who is a native or inhabitant of the Isle of Man.

cellulitis

An acute, spreading, bacterial infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissues. Cellulitis often originates from an infected wound and can lead to serious illness in the elderly or those with compromised immune systems.

Vanderbilt *

American transportation magnate and financier who amassed a great fortune in shipping and the development of railroads. His descendants, noted for their lavish lifestyles and for their philanthropy, were among the most socially prominent members of the 19th-century American upper class.

ringhals

An African snake (Hemachatus haemachatus) that has one or two whitish bands across the neck and sprays venom at the eyes of an attacker, occasionally causing blindness. [Obsolete Afrikaans : ring, ring (from Middle Dutch rinc; see sker-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + hals, neck (from Middle Dutch; see kwel-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

hypnophobia *

An abnormal fear of falling asleep.

astraphobia

An abnormal fear of lightning and thunder. [Greek astrapē, lightning; see ster-3 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + -PHOBIA.]

leukocytosis, leucocytosis

An abnormally large increase in the number of white blood cells in the blood, often occurring during an acute infection or inflammation.

apéritif

An alcoholic drink taken as an appetizer before a meal. [French, from Old French aperitif, purgative, from Medieval Latin aperitīvus, from Late Latin apertīvus, from Latin apertus, past participle of aperīre, to open; see wer-4 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

codeine *

An alkaloid narcotic, C18H21NO3, derived from opium or morphine and used as a cough suppressant, analgesic, and hypnotic. [French codéine : Greek kōdeia, poppy head (from kōos, cavity; see keuə- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + -ine, alkaloid; see -INE2.]

écorché *

An anatomical representation of all or part of a human or animal body with the skin removed so as to display the musculature. [French, from past participle of écorcher, to flay, from Latin excorticāre : ex-, off, away; see EX- + cortex, cortic-, bark, skin; see CORTEX.]

Archimedean screw

An ancient apparatus for raising water, consisting of either a spiral tube around an inclined axis or an inclined tube containing a tight-fitting, broad-threaded screw. Also called Archimedes' screw.

theophany

An appearance of a god to a human; a divine manifestation. [Medieval Latin theophania, from Late Greek theophaneia : Greek theo-, theo- + Greek phainein, phan-, to show; see bhā-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Gadsden Purchase

An area in extreme southern New Mexico and Arizona south of the Gila River. It was purchased by the United States from Mexico in 1853 to ensure territorial rights for a practicable southern railroad route to the Pacific Coast.

australopithecine

An australopith. [New Latin Austrālopithēcus, genus name, -INE1.]

metatarsal

adj. Of or relating to the metatarsus. n. Any of the bones of the metatarsus.

Monticello *

An estate of central Virginia southeast of Charlottesville. Designed by Thomas Jefferson, it was begun in 1770 and was his home for 56 years. Owned by other families from shortly after Jefferson's death until 1923, it is now a national shrine.

Tiananmen Square

An extensive open area in central Beijing, China, the world's largest public square. Adjacent to the Forbidden City, it has long been the site of festivals, rallies, and demonstrations. In 1989 Chinese troops fired on student demonstrators, killing an estimated 2,000 or more.

Kurdistan

An extensive plateau region of southwest Asia. Since the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, it has been divided among southeast Turkey, northeast Iraq, and northwest Iran, with smaller sections in Syria and Armenia.

ornithosis

An infectious disease of parrots and related birds caused by the bacterium Chlamydia psittaci, that is communicable to humans, in whom it produces high fever, severe headache, and symptoms similar to pneumonia

miliaria

An inflammatory skin condition caused by obstruction of the ducts of the sweat glands, resulting from exposure to high heat and humidity and characterized by the eruption of small red papules accompanied by an itching or prickling sensation.

egotism *

An inflated sense of one's own importance; conceit. See Synonyms at conceit. [EGO + -tism (as in NEPOTISM).]

postexilic

adj. Of or relating to the period of Jewish history following the Babylonian captivity (after 586 BC).

brouhaha

An uproar; a hubbub. [French, of imitative origin.]

glaucomatous

Any of a group of eye diseases characterized by abnormally high intraocular fluid pressure, damage to the optic disk, and gradual loss of vision. [Latin glaucōma, cataract, from Greek glaukōma, from glaukos, gray.] glau·coma·tous (-kōmə-təs) adj.

peccary

Any of several piglike hoofed mammals of the family Tayassuidae, found in North, Central, and South America and having stiff bristles and short, straight tusks. [Ultimately from Carib pakira.]

mandala *

Any of various ritualistic geometric designs symbolic of the universe, used in Hinduism and Buddhism as an aid to meditation. [Sanskrit maṇḍalam, circle.]

lucubrate

Archaic To study or write in a scholarly fashion. [Latin lūcubrāre, lūcubrāt-, to work at night by lamplight; see leuk- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

aromaticity

Aromatic quality or character, especially the distinctive structure or properties of the aromatic chemical compounds.

mediagenic *

Attractive as a subject for reporting by news media: "a minor leaguer of bumptious manner and mediagenic good looks" (Larry Martz).

Schrödinger

Austrian physicist. He shared a 1933 Nobel Prize for developing the theory of quantum wave mechanics.

biodegradation

Capable of being decomposed by biological agents, especially bacteria: a biodegradable detergent.

devoid

Completely lacking; destitute or empty: a novel devoid of wit and inventiveness. [Middle English, past participle of devoiden, to remove, eliminate, from Old French desvoidier : des-, de- + voidier, to empty (from voide, empty; see VOID).]

jobbery

Corruption among public officials.

Batista y Zaldívar

Cuban solider and statesman who ruled as a dictator from 1933 to 1940 and as president from 1940 to 1944 and again from 1954 to 1958. His corrupt authoritarian regime was overthrown on New Year's Day, 1959, by a revolutionary movement led by Fidel Castro.

musique concrète

Electronic music composed of instrumental and natural sounds often altered or distorted in the recording process. [French : musique, music + concrète, concrete.]

intravasation

Entry of foreign matter into a blood vessel. [INTRA- + (EXTRA)VASATION.]

angiocardiography

Examination of the heart and associated blood vessels using x-rays following the injection of a radiopaque substance.

ex post facto

Formulated, enacted, or operating retroactively: "When we apply today's morality to yesterday's mores, we indulge in ex post facto judgment" (William Safire). [Latin ex postfactō : ex, from + postfactō, ablative of postfactum, that which is done afterward.]

altricial

Hatched or born with the eyes closed and with little or no down or hair, and requiring parental care. Used of birds and mammals. [From Latin altrīx, altrīc-, feminine of altor, nourisher, from alere, to nourish; see al-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Zambian

From country of south-central Africa. The original San inhabitants were pushed out by migrating Bantus between the 16th and 18th centuries, and the area was explored by David Livingstone in the 1850s. It was administered after 1889 by the British South Africa Company, founded by Cecil Rhodes, becoming the protectorate of Northern Rhodesia in 1911 and passing to British administration in 1924. From 1953 to 1963 it was part of the colonial federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, gaining independence in 1964 as the republic of Zambia. Lusaka is the capital and the largest city.

Hephaestus

Greek Mythology The god of fire and metalworking.

mellifluous

Having a pleasant and fluid sound: "The Headmaster read a rather lengthy passage from Stephen Vincent Benet's 'The Devil and Daniel Webster' in his engaging, mellifluous voice" (John Knowles). [Middle English, from Late Latin mellifluus : Latin mel, mell-, honey; see melit- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + Latin -fluus, flowing; see bhleu- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

sannyasi *

Hinduism A wandering mendicant and ascetic. [Hindi sannyāsī, from Sanskrit saṃnyāsī, from saṃnyasyati, he renounces : sam, together; see SANSKRIT + ni, down + asyati, he throws.]

in medias res

In or into the middle of a sequence of events, as in a literary narrative. [Latin in mediās rēs : in, into + mediās : accusative pl. feminine of medius, in the middle of + rēs, accusative pl. of rēs, thing.]

ad valorem *

In proportion to the value: ad valorem duties on imported goods. [New Latin ad valōrem : Latin ad, to, according to + Late Latin valōrem, accusative of valor, value.]

noumenon

In the philosophy of Kant, an object as it is in itself independent of the mind, as opposed to a phenomenon. Also called thing-in-itself. [German, from Greek nooumenon, from neuter present passive participle of noein, to perceive by thought, from nous, mind.]

rickettsiosis

Infection with or disease caused by rickettsiae.

enteritis *

Inflammation of the intestinal tract, especially of the small intestine.

Jekyll and Hyde

Informal One who has a dual personality that alternates between phases of good and evil behavior. [After The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson.]

leisurewear

Informal, comfortable clothing designed for wear while resting or relaxing.

Dantesque

Italian poet whose masterpiece, The Divine Comedy (completed 1321), details his visionary progress through Hell and Purgatory, escorted by Virgil, and through Heaven, guided by his lifelong idealized love, Beatrice.

magniloquent

Lofty and extravagant in speech; grandiloquent. [Back formation from magniloquence, grandiloquence, from Latin magniloquentia : magnus, great; see meg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + loquēns, loquent-, present participle of loquī, to speak; see tolkw- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

akinesia

Loss of normal motor function, resulting in impaired muscle movement. [Greek akinēsiā : a-, without; see A-1 + kīnēsis, motion; see -KINESIS.]

mezzo-soprano *

Music 1. a. A voice having a range between soprano and contralto. b. A vocal part calling for a voice having such a range. 2. A woman having a mezzo-soprano voice. [Italian : mezzo, half (from Latin medius; see MEDIUM) + soprano, soprano; see SOPRANO.]

fermata *

Music 1. The prolongation of a tone, chord, or rest beyond its indicated time value. 2. The sign indicating this prolongation. [Italian, from feminine past participle of fermare, to stop, from Latin firmāre, to make firm, from firmus, firm; see dher- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

acciaccatura *

Music An ornament note that is one half step or one whole step higher or lower than a principal note and is sounded at the same time as the principal note, adding dissonance to a harmony.

con spirito *

Music With spirit and vigor. Used chiefly as a direction. [Italian : con, with + spirito, spirit, soul.]

inauspicious

Not favorable; not auspicious.

dispassionate

Not influenced by strong feelings or emotions; impartial: a dispassionate reporter.

impartial

Not partial or biased; unprejudiced. See Synonyms at fair1.

able-bodied

Not physically disabled; strong and healthy: "It required an immediate end to welfare for the able-bodied poor" (David A. Stockman).

filiopietistic

Of or relating to an often immoderate reverence for forebears or tradition. [Latin fīlius, son; see FILIAL + PIETISTIC.]

catoptric

Of or relating to mirrors and reflected images. [Greek katoptrikos, from katoptron, mirror; see okw- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

eyes-only

Of or relating to privileged information: "Never before ... had he been ordered to write a secret eyes-only memo" (Jeff Kamen). [From the phrase for your eyes only.]

pampean, Pampean

Of or relating to the pampas of South America or to their inhabitants.

consubstantial

Of the same substance, nature, or essence. [Middle English consubstancial, from Late Latin cōnsubstantiālis : Latin com-, com- + Late Latin substantiālis, substantial; see SUBSTANTIAL.]

cognitive

Of, characterized by, involving, or relating to cognition: "For the person experiencing cognitive decline, the slow loss of coherent speech will be compounded by a declining ability to draw conclusions" (Joanne Koenig Coste).

gram-negative, Gram-negative

Of, relating to, or being a bacterium that does not retain the violet stain used in the Gram stain method.

Hebraic *

Of, relating to, or characteristic of the Hebrews or their language or culture. [Middle English Ebraik, from Late Latin Hebrāicus, from Greek Hebraikos, from Hebraios; see HEBREW.]

brumal

Of, relating to, or occurring in winter. [Latin brūmālis, from brūma, winter, from *brevima (diēs), the shortest (day) or winter solstice, archaic superlative of brevis, short; see mregh-u- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

limacine

Of, relating to, or resembling a slug. [From Latin līmāx, līmāc-, slug, snail; akin to līmus, slime; see lei- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

metabolically *

Of, relating to, or resulting from metabolism. [Greek metabolikos, changeable, from metabolē, change; see METABOLISM.]

en brochette *

On a skewer: lamb en brochette. [French : en, on + brochette, stick, skewer.]

imputable

Possible to impute or ascribe; attributable: imputable oversights.

hereditament

Property that can be inherited. [Middle English, from Medieval Latin hērēditāmentum, from Late Latin hērēditāre, to inherit, from Latin hērēs, hērēd-, heir; see ghē- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

comprehensible

Readily comprehended or understood; intelligible. [Latin comprehēnsibilis, from comprehēnsus, past participle of comprehendere, to comprehend; see COMPREHEND.]

bresaola *

Salt-cured, air-dried beef, often served sliced and dressed with olive oil, lemon juice, and black pepper. [Italian, diminutive of Italian dialectal *bresada, past participle of brasare, to braise, from French braiser; see BRAISE.]

excelsior *

Slender, curved wood shavings used especially for packing. [Originally a trademark.]

bradycardia

Slowness of the heart rate, usually fewer than 60 beats per minute in an adult human. [BRADY- + Greek kardiā, heart; see CARDIA.]

lambda *

The 11th letter of the Greek alphabet. See Table at alphabet. [Greek, of Phoenician origin; see lmd in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

counterintelligence *

The branch of an intelligence service charged with keeping sensitive information from an enemy, deceiving that enemy, preventing subversion and sabotage, and collecting political and military information.

pediatrics

The branch of medicine that deals with the care and treatment of infants, children, and adolescents.

epistemology

The branch of philosophy that examines the nature of knowledge, its presuppositions and foundations, and its extent and validity. [Greek epistēmē, knowledge (from epistasthai, epistē-, to understand : epi-, epi- + histasthai, middle voice of histanai, to place, determine; see stā- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + -LOGY.]

Riyadh *

The capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia, in the east-central part of the country east-northeast of Mecca. Situated in a desert oasis, it was a walled city until the oil boom of the 1950s led to the demolition of older structures to make way for commercial expansion.

Islamabad

The capital of Pakistan, in the northeast part of the country northeast of Rawalpindi. Construction began on the city in 1960, and it replaced Rawalpindi as the capital in 1967.

googol

The number 10 raised to the power 100 (10100), written out as the numeral 1 followed by 100 zeros. [Coined at the age of nine by Milton Sirotta, nephew of Edward Kasner (1878-1955), American mathematician.]

trousseau *

The possessions, such as clothing and linens, that a bride assembles for her marriage. [French, from Old French, diminutive of trousse, bundle; see TRUSS.]

bookkeeping

The practice or profession of recording the accounts and transactions of a business.

Wilderness Road

The principal route for westward migration in the United States from c. 1790 to 1840. Blazed largely by Daniel Boone in 1775, it stretched from Virginia and across the Appalachian Mountains to the Cumberland Gap and the Ohio River.

metasomatism

The process by which the chemical composition of a rock is changed by interaction with fluids; replacement of one mineral by another without melting.

cerotype *

The process of preparing a printing surface for electrotyping by first engraving on a wax-coated metal plate. [Greek kēros, wax + TYPE.]

decrepitude

The quality or condition of being weakened, worn out, impaired, or broken down by old age, illness, or hard use.

curettage

The removal of tissue or growths from a body cavity, such as the uterus, by scraping with a curette. Also called curettement.

gentrification

The restoration and upgrading of deteriorated urban property by middle-class or affluent people, often resulting in displacement of lower-income people.

escheatage

The right of the state to acquire property by escheat.

orthotics

The science that deals with the use of specialized mechanical devices to support or supplement weakened or abnormal joints or limbs.

glaciologist *

The scientific study of glaciers and their effects on the landscape. [GLACI(ER) + -LOGY.]

myology *

The scientific study of muscles

jejunum

The section of the small intestine between the duodenum and the ileum. [Middle English, from Medieval Latin iēiūnum (intestīnum), fasting (intestine) (so called because in dissection it was always found empty), neuter of Latin iēiūnus.]

arbitrage

The simultaneous purchase and sale of equivalent assets or of the same asset in multiple markets in order to exploit a temporary discrepancy in prices. intr.v. ar·bi·traged, ar·bi·trag·ing, ar·bi·trag·es To be involved in arbitrage. [Middle English, arbitration, from Old French, from arbitrer, to judge, from Latin arbitrārī, to give judgment; see ARBITRATE.]

midwifery *

The techniques and practice of a midwife.

hydrogenate

To combine with or subject to the action of hydrogen, especially to combine (an unsaturated oil) with hydrogen to produce a solid fat.

rescind

To make void; repeal or annul. [Latin rescindere : re-, re- + scindere, to split; see skei- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

naysayer *

To oppose, deny, or take a pessimistic or negative view of: They will naysay any policy that raises taxes.

expurgation *

To remove erroneous, vulgar, obscene, or otherwise objectionable material from (a book, for example) before publication. [Latin expūrgāre, expūrgāt-, to purify : ex-, intensive pref.; see EX- + pūrgāre, to cleanse; see peuə- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

lares and penates

Treasured household possessions. [Partial translation of Latin Larēs et Penātēs, household gods : Larēs, pl. of Lār, Lar + et, and + Penātēs, Penates.]

à la carte, a la carte

With a separate price for each item on the menu. [French à la carte, by the menu.]

orthoscopic

adj. 1. Having normal vision; free from visual distortion. 2. Giving an undistorted image. Used of an optical instrument.

symptomatic

dj. 1. Of, relating to, or based on symptoms: symptomatic relief. 2. Constituting a symptom, as of a disease: the rash symptomatic of scarlet fever; a rise in unemployment symptomatic of a weakening economy.

tallyho

interj. Used in fox-hunting to urge the hounds on when a fox is sighted. v. tal·ly·hoed, tal·ly·ho·ing, tal·ly·hos v.tr. To urge (hounds) on with such a hunting cry. v.intr. To shout "tallyho" as a hunting cry. n. pl. tal·ly·hos 1. The cry of "tallyho." 2. A fast coach drawn by four horses. [Probably alteration of French taïaut, from Old French thialau, taho.]

animadvert *

intr.v. an·i·mad·vert·ed, an·i·mad·vert·ing, an·i·mad·verts To remark or comment critically, usually with strong disapproval or censure. [Middle English animadverten, to notice, from Latin animadvertere : animus, mind; see anə- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + advertere, to turn toward; see ADVERSE.]

Yahwist

n. The putative author of the earliest sources of the Hexateuch in which God is consistently referred to by the Tetragrammaton.

fantastico *

n. pl. fan·tas·ti·coes Informal A very bizarre person. [Italian, imaginary, from Late Latin phantasticus; see FANTASTIC.]

potpourri

n. pl. pot·pour·ris 1. A combination of incongruous things: "In the minds of many, the real and imagined causes for Russia's defeats quickly mingled into a potpourri of terrible fears" (W. Bruce Lincoln). 2. A miscellaneous anthology or collection: a potpourri of short stories and humorous verse. 3. A mixture of dried flower petals and spices used to scent the air. [French pot pourri (translation of Spanish olla podrida) : pot, pot; see POTICHE + pourri, past participle of pourrir, to rot (from Old French purir, from Vulgar Latin *putrīre, from Latin putrēscere; see PUTRID).]

query

n. pl. que·ries 1. A question; an inquiry. 2. A doubt in the mind; a mental reservation. 3. A notation, usually a question mark, calling attention to an item in order to question its validity or accuracy. tr.v. que·ried, que·ry·ing, que·ries 1. To express doubt or uncertainty about; question: query someone's motives. 2. To put a question to (a person). See Synonyms at ask. 3. To mark (an item) with a notation in order to question its validity or accuracy. [Alteration of obsolete quaere, quere, from Latin quaere, sing. imperative of quaerere, to ask, to seek.]

condolatory *

ntr.v. con·doled, con·dol·ing, con·doles To express sympathy or sorrow: I condoled with him in his loss. [Late Latin condolēre, to feel another's pain : Latin com-, com- + Latin dolēre, to grieve.]

raclette

ra·clette (rä-klĕt, ră-) Share: n. 1. A Swiss dish consisting of cheese melted and served on boiled potatoes or bread. 2. A firm cheese used in making this dish. [French, from racler, to rake, scrape, from Provençal rasclar, to rake, from Old Provençal, from Vulgar Latin *rāsculāre, from *rāsculum, diminutive of Latin rāstrum, rake; see rēd- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

admonish

tr.v. ad·mon·ished, ad·mon·ish·ing, ad·mon·ish·es 1. a. To counsel (another) against something to be avoided or warn (that something is dangerous): "[Another competitor in the race] admonished him on the dangers of going out too fast" (Neal Bascomb). "Magazine articles ... admonished that women's financial independence was driving a wedge between husband and wife" (Lillian Faderman). b. To urge or exhort (someone to do something): "Writers like Emerson and Thoreau ... admonished us to develop ourselves according to nature" (E.D. Hirsch). c. To remind (someone) of something forgotten or disregarded, as an obligation or a responsibility. 2. To reprove gently but earnestly: "Lincoln pursued his interests in defiance of established norms. Far from being praised, he was consistently admonished" (Joshua Wolf Shenk). [Middle English amonishen, admonishen, alteration of amonesten, from Old French amonester, admonester, from Vulgar Latin *admonestāre, from Latin admonēre : ad-, ad- + monēre, to warn; see men-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

denuclearize

v. de·nu·cle·ar·ized, de·nu·cle·ar·iz·ing, de·nu·cle·ar·iz·es v.tr. To remove or ban nuclear weapons from: a proposal to denuclearize Europe. v.intr. To reduce or eliminate a store of nuclear weapons.

echelon

1. a. A formation of troops in which each unit is positioned successively to the left or right of the rear unit to form an oblique or steplike line. b. A flight formation or arrangement of craft in this manner. c. A similar formation of groups, units, or individuals. 2. A subdivision of a military or naval force: a command echelon. 3. A level of responsibility or authority in a hierarchy; a rank: a job in the company's lower echelon. 4. Physics A special form of diffraction grating that resembles a flight of stairs of equal heights and equal widths. tr. & intr.v. ech·e·loned, ech·e·lon·ing, ech·e·lons To arrange or take place in an echelon. [French échelon, from Old French eschelon, rung of a ladder, from eschiele, ladder, from Late Latin scāla, back-formation from Latin scālae, steps, ladder; see skand- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

deprivation

1. a. The act or an instance of depriving; loss. b. The condition of being deprived; privation. 2. A removal of rank or office.

microscopy *

1. a. The study of microscopes. b. The use of microscopes. 2. Investigation employing a microscope.

stogy, stogie

1. A cheap cigar. 2. A roughly made heavy shoe or boot. [After Conestoga, a village of southeast Pennsylvania.]

bijouterie

1. A collection of trinkets or jewelry. 2. Decoration. [French, from bijou, piece of jewelry; see BIJOU.]

carom

1. A collision followed by a rebound. 2. a. A shot in billiards in which the cue ball successively strikes two other balls. Also called billiard. b. A similar shot in a related game, such as pool. v. car·omed, car·om·ing, car·oms v.intr. 1. To collide and rebound; glance: The car caromed off the guardrail into the ditch. 2. To make a carom, as in billiards. v.tr. To cause to carom. [Short for carambole, a stroke at billiards, from French, a billiard ball, from Spanish carambola, a stroke at billiards, perhaps from Portuguese, carambola; see CARAMBOLA.]

epinephrine, epinephrin *

1. A hormone secreted by the adrenal medulla that is released into the bloodstream in response to physical or mental stress, as from fear or injury. It initiates many bodily responses, including the stimulation of heart action and an increase in blood pressure, metabolic rate, and blood glucose concentration. Also called adrenaline. 2. A white to brownish crystalline compound, C9H13NO3, isolated from the adrenal glands of certain mammals or synthesized and used in medicine as a heart stimulant, vasoconstrictor, and bronchial relaxant. [EPI- + NEPHR(O)- + -INE2.]

Paiute, Piute (noun)

1. A member of a Native American people inhabiting eastern Oregon, western Nevada, and adjacent areas of northeast California. Also called Northern Paiute. 2. A member of a Native American people inhabiting southern Utah and Nevada, northern Arizona, and adjacent areas of southeast California. Also called Southern Paiute.

dervish

1. A member of any of various Muslim ascetic orders, some of which perform whirling dances and vigorous chanting as acts of ecstatic devotion. 2. One that possesses abundant, often frenzied energy: "[She] is a dervish of unfocused energy, an accident about to happen" (Jane Gross). [Turkish derviş, mendicant, from Persian darvēš, from Middle Persian driyōš, needy one, one who lives in holy mendicancy, from Old Iranian (Avestan) drigu-; akin to Sanskrit adhriguḥ (a divine epithet of unknown but favorable meaning) : perhaps a-, not + *dhrigu-, poor.]

modus operandi

1. A method of operating or functioning. 2. A person's manner of working. [New Latin modus operandī : Latin modus, mode + Latin operandī, genitive sing. gerund of operārī, to work.]

macédoine

1. A mixture of finely cut vegetables or fruits, sometimes jellied, and served as a salad, a dessert, or an appetizer. 2. A mixture; a medley. [French, from Macédoine, Macedonia (perhaps from the mixture of different ethnic groups there).]

Gehenna

1. A place or state of torment or suffering. 2. The abode of condemned souls; hell. [Late Latin, from Greek Geenna, from Hebrew gê' hinnōm, possibly short for gê' ben hinnōm, valley of the son of Hinnom, a valley south of Jerusalem : gê', valley of, bound form of gay', valley; see gyʾ in the Appendix of Semitic roots + hinnōm, personal name; see hnn in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

monostich *

1. A poem consisting of a single line. 2. A single line of poetry.

poet laureate *

1. A poet appointed to a position of honor by a British monarch and expected to write poems on occasions of national importance. 2. A poet appointed to a similar honorary position or honored for artistic excellence. 3. A poet acclaimed as the most excellent or most representative of a locality or group.

mackinaw

1. A short, double-breasted coat of heavy, usually plaid, woolen material. 2. The cloth from which such a coat is made, usually of wool, often with a heavy nap. 3. a. A flatbottom boat pointed at both ends and often rigged as a schooner, historically used on the upper Great Lakes. b. A flatbottom boat historically used on the Missouri River and its tributaries. [After Old Mackinac, a fort on the site of present-day Mackinaw City in northern Michigan.]

dariole *

1. A small cooking mold. 2. A dish, as of vegetables, fish, custard, or pastry, that is cooked and served in a small mold. [Middle English dariol, from Old French dariole, a small, filled pastry, probably alteration of Picard and Walloon *doriole, ultimately from feminine diminutive of doré, a kind of pastry (compare modern Walloon doraie, a kind of attractively browned pastry or flan), from past participle of dorer, to gild, glaze with butter or egg; see DORY2.]

citronella

1. A tropical Asian grass (Cymbopogon nardus) that has bluish-green, lemon-scented leaves and yields an essential oil. 2. A pale yellow to brownish aromatic oil obtained from this plant, used chiefly in perfumery and also in some insect repellents and commercial flavorings. [New Latin, from French citronnelle, lemon oil, diminutive of citron, citron; see CITRON.]

vade mecum

1. A useful thing that one constantly carries about. 2. A book, such as a guidebook, for ready reference. [Latin vāde mēcum, go with me : vāde, sing. imperative of vādere, to go + mē : ablative sing. of egō, I + cum, with.]

bouleversement *

1. A violent uproar; a tumult. 2. A reversal. [French, from Old French bouleverser, to overturn : boule, ball (from Latin bulla) + verser, to overturn (from Old French, from Latin versāre, frequentative of vertere, to turn; see wer-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

ecclesiasticism

1. Ecclesiastical principles, practices, and activities. 2. Excessive adherence to ecclesiastical principles and forms.

flameout

1. Failure of a jet aircraft engine, especially in flight, caused by the extinction of the flame in the combustion chamber. 2. a. Sudden failure or disgrace, especially of a very successful or prominent person. b. Physical or emotional exhaustion; burnout.

multistage

1. Functioning in more than one stage: a multistage design project. 2. Relating to or composed of two or more propulsion units.

garrulous *

1. Given to excessive and often trivial or rambling talk; tiresomely talkative. 2. Wordy and rambling: a garrulous speech. [From Latin garrulus, from garrīre, to chatter.]

indelible *

1. Impossible to remove, erase, or wash away; permanent: indelible ink. 2. Making a mark not easily erased or washed away: an indelible pen for labeling clothing. 3. Unable to be forgotten; memorable: an indelible memory. [Alteration of earlier indeleble, from Latin indēlēbilis : in-, not; see IN-1 + dēlēbilis, capable of being effaced (from dēlēre, to wipe out).]

impious *

1. Lacking reverence; not pious. 2. Lacking due respect or dutifulness: impious toward one's parents. [From Latin impius : in-, not; see IN-1 + pius, dutiful.]

felonious

1. Law Having the nature of, relating to, or concerning a felony: felonious intent. 2. Archaic Evil; wicked.

misbegotten

1. Offensive Born to parents not married to each other. 2. Having an improper basis or origin; ill-conceived: misbegotten ideas about education. 3. Deserving of contempt: You misbegotten scoundrel!

decemvir

1. One of a body of ten Roman magistrates, especially a member of one of two such bodies appointed in 451 and 450 BC to draw up a code of laws. 2. One of an authoritative body of ten. [Middle English, from Latin, sing. of decemvirī, commission of ten men : decem, ten; see dek in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + virī, pl. of vir, man; see wī-ro- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

cultivator

1. One who cultivates: an inveterate cultivator of beautiful gardens; a cultivator of valuable corporate contacts. 2. An implement or machine for loosening the soil and destroying weeds around growing plants.

Buddha

1. One who has achieved a state of perfect spiritual enlightenment, thereby attaining nirvana. 2. A representation or likeness of a Buddha. [Sanskrit buddha-, enlightened, past participle of bodhati, he awakes; see bheudh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] (click for a larger image) Buddha2 1252 ad bronze colossal statue of Amida Buddha; also known as the Great Buddha of Kamakura

machinist

1. One who is skilled in operating machine tools. 2. One who makes, operates, or repairs machines. 3. A warrant officer who assists the engineering officer in the engine room of a naval vessel.

commitment

1. The act or an instance of committing, especially: a. The act of referring a legislative bill to committee. b. Official consignment, as to a prison or mental health facility. c. A court order authorizing consignment to a prison. 2. a. A pledge or obligation, as to follow a certain course of action: a public official's commitment to uphold the Constitution. b. Something pledged, especially an engagement by contract involving financial obligation. 3. The state of being emotionally or intellectually devoted, as to a belief, a course of action, or another person: a profound commitment to the family.

psalmodist

1. The act or practice of singing psalms in divine worship. 2. The composition or arranging of psalms for singing. 3. A collection of psalms. [Middle English psalmodie, from Late Latin psalmōdia, from Greek psalmōidiā, singing to the harp : psalmos, psalm; see PSALM + ōidē, aoidē, song; see ODE.]

emergence

1. The act or process of emerging. 2. A superficial outgrowth of plant tissue, such as the prickle of a rose.

penetralia

1. The innermost parts of a building, especially the sanctuary of a temple. 2. The most private or secret parts; recesses: the penetralia of the soul. [Latin penetrālia, from neuter pl. of penetrālis, inner, from penetrāre, to penetrate; see PENETRATE.]

anachronism

1. The representation of someone as existing or something as happening in other than chronological, proper, or historical order. 2. One that is out of its proper or chronological order, especially a person or practice that belongs to an earlier time: "A new age had plainly dawned, an age that made the institution of a segregated picnic seem an anachronism" (Henry Louis Gates, Jr.) [French anachronisme, from New Latin anachronismus, from Late Greek anakhronismos, from anakhronizesthai, to be an anachronism : Greek ana-, ana- + Greek khronizein, to take time (from khronos, time).]

muliebrity

1. The state of being a woman. 2. Femininity. [Latin muliebritās, state of womanhood (in contrast with maidenhood), from muliebris, womanly, from mulier, woman.]

chassé

A ballet movement consisting of one or more quick gliding steps with the same foot always leading. intr.v. chas·séd, chas·sé·ing, chas·sés To perform this movement. [French, from past participle of chasser, to chase, from Old French chacier; see CHASE1.]

esprit de corps

A common spirit of comradeship, enthusiasm, and devotion to a cause among the members of a group. [French : esprit, spirit + de, of + corps, group, body.]

histrionics *

A composite spring, used especially in automotive suspensions, consisting of several layers of flexible metallic strips joined to act as a single unit.

Eritrea

A country of northeast Africa bordering on the Red Sea. Once part of the Ethiopian kingdom of Aksum, it became an Italian colony in 1890 and was named after the Roman term for the Red Sea, Mare erythraeum. Captured by the British during World War II, Eritrea later became a federated part (1952) and then a province (1962) of Ethiopia, from which it gained its independence in 1993. Asmara is the capital and largest city.

quinquennium *

A period of five years. [Latin quīnquennium : quīnque, quinque- + annus, year; see at- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

extremist *

A person who advocates or resorts to measures beyond the norm, especially in politics.

encomiast *

A person who delivers or writes an encomium; a eulogist. [Greek enkōmiastēs, from enkōmiazein, to praise, from enkōmion, encomium; see ENCOMIUM.]

entrepreneurial

A person who organizes, operates, and assumes the risk for a business venture. [French, from Old French, from entreprendre, to undertake; see ENTERPRISE.]

ovolactovegetarian, ovo-lacto vegetarian

A person whose diet is primarily vegetarian but also includes eggs and dairy products

leptosome *

A person with a slender, thin, or frail body.

coronary bypass surgery

A surgical procedure performed to improve blood supply to the heart by creating new routes for blood flow when one or more of the coronary arteries become obstructed. The surgery involves removing a healthy blood vessel from another part of the body, such as the leg, and grafting it onto the heart to circumvent the blocked artery.

Jacuzzi (trademark)

A trademark for a whirlpool bath or a device that swirls water in a bath.

Dobro (trademark)

A trademark for guitars and banjos, especially a guitar that is laid flat on its back and played chiefly with a slide.

hygrometer *

Any of several instruments that measure atmospheric humidity.

dieffenbachia, Dieffenbachia

Any of several plants of the genus Dieffenbachia native to tropical America, having stout, jointed stems and large, variegated leaves and widely cultivated as an indoor plant. Also called dumb cane. [New Latin, genus name, after Ernst Dieffenbach (1811-1855), German naturalist.]

caravel, caravelle

Any of several types of small, light sailing ships, especially one with two to four masts and lateen sails used by the Spanish and Portuguese in the 1400s and 1500s. [French caravelle, from Old French, from Old Portuguese caravela, diminutive of cáravo, ship, from Late Latin cārabus, a small wicker boat, from Late Greek kārabos, light ship, from Greek, horned beetle.]

fontanel, fontanelle

Any of the soft membranous gaps between the incompletely formed cranial bones of a fetus or an infant. Also called soft spot. [Middle English fontinel, from Old French fontanele, diminutive of fontaine, fountain; see FOUNTAIN.]

phlox, Phlox

Any of various North American plants of the genus Phlox, having opposite leaves and flowers with a variously colored salverform corolla. [New Latin Phlox, genus name, coined by Carolus Linnaeus, from Latin phlox, a kind of plant bearing showy, odorless flowers, from Greek, flame, wallflower (wallflowers being so called because of their flamelike color); see bhel-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Malthusian *

British economist who wrote An Essay on the Principle of Population (1798), arguing that population tends to increase faster than food supply, with inevitably disastrous results, unless the increase in population is checked by moral restraints or by war, famine, and disease.

ex officio

By virtue of office or position. [Latin ex officiō : ex, from + officiō, ablative of officium, office.]

manageability

Capable of being managed or controlled

multipliable

Capable of being multiplied: multipliable fractions.

brotherliness

Characteristic of or befitting brothers; fraternal.

cerecloth

Cloth coated with wax, formerly used for wrapping the dead.

nightclothes

Clothes, such as pajamas or a nightgown, worn in bed.

macramé

Coarse lacework made by weaving and knotting cords into a pattern. [French, from Italian macramè, from Turkish makrama, towel, from Arabic miqrama, embroidered veil, from qarama, to gnaw, nibble; see qrm in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

falciform

Curved or sickle-shaped; falcate. [Latin falx, falc-, sickle + -FORM.]

geomancy

Divination by means of lines and figures or by geographic features. [Middle English geomancie, from Medieval Latin geōmantia, from Late Greek geōmanteia, divination by signs from the earth : Greek geō-, geo- + Greek -manteia, -mancy.]

landsleit

Fellow Jews who come from the same district or town, especially in Eastern Europe. [Yiddish landslayt, from Middle High German lantsliute, natives, compatriots : lant, land; see LANDSMAN2 + liute, pl. of liut, person, people (from Old High German; see leudh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).

a fortiori *

For a still stronger reason; all the more. [Latin ā fortiōrī : ā, from + fortiōrī, ablative of fortior, stronger.

mansuetude *

Gentleness of manner; mildness. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin mānsuētūdō, from mānsuētus, past participle of mānsuēscere, to tame : manus, hand; see man-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + suēscere, to accustom; see s(w)e- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

hypabyssal

Geology Solidifying chiefly as a minor intrusion, especially as a dike or sill, before reaching the earth's surface. Used of rocks.

factious *

Given to, characterized by, or promoting internal dissension. See Synonyms at insubordinate.

Minotaur

Greek Mythology A monster who was half man and half bull, to whom young Athenian men and women were sacrificed in the Cretan labyrinth until Theseus killed him.

caudate

Having a tail or taillike appendage. [Medieval Latin caudātus, from Latin cauda, tail.]

erudite

Having or showing great knowledge or learning. See Synonyms at learned. [Middle English erudit, from Latin ērudītus, past participle of ērudīre, to instruct : ē-, ex-, ex- + rudis, rough, untaught; see RUDE.]

Abednego

In the Bible, a young man who with Meshach and Shadrach emerged unharmed from the fiery furnace into which they were thrown by Nebuchadnezzar.

interagency

Involving or representing two or more agencies, especially government agencies.

decadelong

Lasting a decade: a decadelong national research effort.

mortmain

Law A legal arrangement in which a property owner such as an ecclesiastical institution is barred from transferring or selling its property. [Middle English mortemayne, from Old French mortemain : morte, feminine of mort, dead; see MORTGAGE + main, hand (from Latin manus; see man-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

interdependent

Mutually dependent: "Our physiology and that of the plants we eat are not only biochemically similar but interdependent" (Cindy Engel).

contortionist

One who contorts, especially an acrobat capable of twisting into extraordinary positions.

habitué

One who frequents a particular place, especially a place offering a specific pleasurable activity. [French, from past participle of habituer, to accustom, frequent, from Old French, from Late Latin habituārī, to be in a condition; see HABITUATE.]

manicurist

One who gives manicures.

misogynistic

One who hates or mistrusts women.

otalgia

Pain in the ear; earache.

raison d'être (singular)

Reason or justification for existing. [French : raison, reason + de, of, for + être, to be.]

fluviomarine

Relating to or being deposits, especially near the mouth of a river, formed by the combined action of river and sea. [Latin fluvius, river; see FLUVIAL + MARINE.]

maxillofacial *

Relating to or involving the maxilla and the face: a maxillofacial prosthesis.

intercoastal

Relating to, involving, or connecting two or more coastlines: intercoastal trade.

demission

Relinquishment of an office or function. [Middle English dimissioun, from Anglo-Norman, from Latin dīmissiō, dīmissiōn-, dismissal, from dīmissus, past participle of dīmittere, to release; see DEMIT.]

capital-intensive

Requiring a large expenditure of capital in comparison to labor: a capital-intensive industry.

endergonic

Requiring energy: an endergonic chemical reaction. [END(O)- + Greek ergon, work; see werg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + -IC.]

labor-intensive

Requiring or having a large expenditure of labor in comparison to capital: "Intrigue and subversion are labor-intensive undertakings" (George F. Kennan).

caseous *

Resembling cheese. [From Latin cāseus, cheese.]

convolute

Rolled or coiled together in overlapping whorls, as certain leaves, petals, or shells. intr. & tr.v. con·vo·lut·ed, con·vo·lut·ing, con·vo·lutes To coil or fold or cause to coil or fold in overlapping whorls. [Latin convolūtus, past participle of convolvere, to convolve; see CONVOLVE.]

mozo *

Southwestern US 1. A man who helps with a pack train or serves as a porter. 2. An assistant. [Spanish, boy, servant, mozo, from Old Spanish moço, of unknown origin.]

Spenserian sonnet

Spenserian sonnet Share: n. A sonnet form composed of three quatrains and a couplet in iambic pentameter with the rhyme scheme abab bcbc cdcd ee.

acedia

Spiritual torpor and apathy; ennui. [Late Latin, from Greek akēdeia, indifference : a-, a-; see A-1 + kēdos, care, anxiety; akin to Avestan sādra-, woe, Welsh cawdd, vexation, and Old English hete, hate.]

eldritch *

Strange or unearthly; eerie. [Perhaps Middle English *elriche : Old English el-, strange, other; see al-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + Old English rīce, realm; see reg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

dubitable *

Subject to doubt or question; uncertain. [Latin dubitābilis, from dubitāre, to doubt; see DOUBT.]

deference

Submission or courteous respect given to another, often in recognition of authority. See Synonyms at honor.

olecranon

The large process on the upper end of the ulna that projects behind the elbow joint and forms the point of the elbow. [Greekōlekrānon : ōlene, elbow; see el- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + krānion, skull, head; see ker-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

covenantee

The party to whom the promise in a covenant is made.

corporeity

The state of being material or corporeal; physical existence.

corroborating

To strengthen or support with other evidence; make more certain. See Synonyms at confirm. [Latin corrōborāre, corrōborāt- : com-, com- + rōborāre, to strengthen (from rōbur, rōbor-, strength; see reudh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

vernacularize

To translate into the everyday language spoken by a people: vernacularized the liturgy.

hamartia

Tragic flaw. [Greek, from hamartanein, to miss the mark, err.]

copacetic, copasetic

Very satisfactory or acceptable; fine

bellicosity

Warlike or hostile in manner or temperament. See Synonyms at belligerent. [Middle English, from Latin bellicōsus, from bellicus, of war, from bellum, war.]

pestilential *

adj. 1. a. Causing or likely to cause epidemic disease: a pestilent swamp. b. Infectious or epidemic: a pestilent disease. c. Archaic Tending to cause death; deadly. 2. Morally or socially harmful; pernicious: pestilent writings. 3. Causing annoyance or disapproval: a pestilent fool. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin pestilēns, pestilent-, from pestis, pestilence; see PEST.]

exquisitely

adj. 1. a. Characterized by highly skilled or intricate art; excellently made or formed: an exquisite gold chalice. b. Extremely or delightfully beautiful: the exquisite colors of a sunset. 2. Excellent or outstanding, especially by exhibiting or appealing to refined taste: "A guy who knew all the jazz spots and had an exquisite collection of old 78s" (Shirley Abbott). 3. Extremely subtle or precise: an image rendered in exquisite detail. 4. Intense; keen: exquisite delight; suffered exquisite pain. 5. Obsolete Ingeniously devised or thought out. n. One who is excessively fastidious in dress, manners, or taste. [Middle English exquisit, carefully chosen, from Latin exquīsītus, past participle of exquīrere, to search out : ex-, ex- + quaerere, to seek.]

explicitness *

adj. 1. a. Fully and clearly expressed; leaving nothing implied: explicit approval. b. Fully developed or formulated: has an explicit idea of what to say in the paper. 2. Forthright and unreserved in expression: They were explicit in their criticism. 3. a. Readily observable: an explicit sign of trouble. b. Describing or portraying nudity or sexual activity in graphic detail. [Latin explicitus, past participle of explicāre, to unfold; see EXPLICATE.] ex·plicit·ly adv. ex·plicit·ness n.

sapid

adj. 1. a. Perceptible to the sense of taste; having flavor. b. Having a strong pleasant flavor; savory. 2. Pleasing to the mind; engaging. [Latin sapidus, from sapere, to taste; see sep- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

segregable

adj. 1. Capable of being segregated: segregable items in a budget. 2. Genetics Able to undergo segregation: segregable characters.

Platonic, platonic

adj. 1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of Plato or his philosophy: Platonic dialogues; Platonic ontology. 2. often platonic Friendly or affectionate without involving sexual relations: platonic love. 3. often platonic Speculative or theoretical.

rhapsodic

adj. 1. Of, resembling, or characteristic of a rhapsody. 2. Immoderately impassioned or enthusiastic; ecstatic.

nodose

adj. Characterized by or having many nodes or protuberances; jointed or knobby at intervals.

socioeconomic *

adj. Of or involving both social and economic factors.

ostensibly

adj. Represented or appearing as such; ostensive: His ostensible purpose was charity, but his real goal was popularity. [French, from Medieval Latin ostēnsibilis, from Latin ostēnsus, past participle of ostendere, to show : ob-, ob- + tendere, to stretch; see ten- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

niveous *

adj. Resembling snow; snowy. [From Latin niveus, from nix, niv-, snow; see sneigwh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

sic passim

adv. Thus everywhere. Used to indicate that a term or an idea is to be found throughout a text. [Latin sīc passim : sīc, thus; see SIC1 + passim, everywhere; see PASSIM.]

veloce *

adv. Music Rapidly. Used chiefly as a direction. [Italian, from Latin vēlōx, vēlōc-, rapid; see VELOCITY.]

meno mosso

adv. & adj. Music At a lower speed. Used chiefly as a direction. [Italian : meno, less + mosso, agitated.]

appertain

intr.v. ap·per·tained, ap·per·tain·ing, ap·per·tains To belong as a proper function or part; pertain: problems appertaining to social reform. [Middle English appertenen, from Old French apartenir, from Vulgar Latin *appartenēre, from Late Latin appertinēre : ad-, ad- + pertinēre, to belong; see PERTAIN.]

expatiate *

intr.v. ex·pa·ti·at·ed, ex·pa·ti·at·ing, ex·pa·ti·ates 1. To speak or write at length: expatiated on the subject until everyone was bored. 2. To wander freely. [Latin expatiārī, expatiāt- : ex-, ex- + spatiārī, to spread (from spatium, space).]

watermark

n. 1. a. A mark showing the greatest height to which water has risen. b. A line indicating the heights of high and low tide. 2. a. A translucent design impressed on paper during manufacture and visible when the paper is held to the light. b. The metal pattern that produces this design. 3. Information directly encoded into the data portion of an image, video, or audio file that identifies the copyright owner or a licensed user. In image or video files, a watermark may be either visible or invisible. tr.v. wa·ter·marked, wa·ter·mark·ing, wa·ter·marks 1. To mark (paper) with a watermark. 2. To impress (a pattern or design) as a watermark. 3. To insert (a digital file) with a watermark.

triptych

n. 1. a. A work, such as an altarpiece, consisting of three painted or carved panels that are hinged together. b. A set of three related works, as in photography, painting, or literature: "a triptych of stories told from alternating viewpoints" (Diane Scharper). 2. A hinged writing tablet consisting of three leaves, used in ancient Rome. [From Greek triptukhos, threefold : tri-, tri- + ptux, ptukh-, fold.]

paillette

n. 1. A small piece of metal or foil used in painting with enamel. 2. A spangle used to ornament a dress or costume. [French, from Old French, diminutive of paille, straw; see PAILLASSE.]

spangle *

n. 1. A small, often circular piece of sparkling metal or plastic sewn especially on garments for decoration. 2. A small sparkling object, drop, or spot: spangles of sunlight. v. span·gled, span·gling, span·gles v.tr. To adorn or cause to sparkle by covering with or as if with spangles: Lights spangled the night skyline. v.intr. To sparkle in the manner of spangles. [Middle English spangel, diminutive of spange, from Middle Dutch, clasp; see (s)pen- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

monk's cloth

n. A heavy cotton cloth in a coarse basket weave.

ravelment

n. Confusion or complexity; a tangle.

aide-de-camp

n. pl. aides-de-camp A military officer acting as secretary and confidential assistant to a superior officer of general or flag rank. [French : aide, assistant + de, of + camp, camp.]

baldachin

n. pl. bal·da·chins also bal·da·chi·nos 1. A rich fabric of silk and gold brocade. 2. a. A canopy of fabric carried in church processions or placed over an altar, throne, or dais. b. A structure having the form of a canopy, usually built of stone or bronze, over the altar of a church. [Italian baldacchino, from Old Italian, from Baldacco, Baghdad (where rich brocade was woven in medieval times).]

bateaux

n. pl. ba·teaux also bat·teaux (-tōz) 1. Canada & New England A long, light, flatbottom boat with a sharply pointed bow and stern. 2. South Atlantic & Gulf States A small, light, flatbottom rowboat. [Canadian and Louisiana French, from French, boat, from Old French batel, from Old English bāt; see bheid- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

beau ideal

n. pl. beau ideals 1. The concept of perfect beauty. 2. An idealized type or model: the beau ideal of a high-ranking army officer. [French beau idéal : beau, perfect + idéal, ideal.]

borzoi

n. pl. bor·zois A dog of a tall slender breed developed in Russia for hunting wolves, having a narrow pointed head and a silky coat. Also called Russian wolfhound. [From Russian borzoĭ, swift, variant of borzyĭ.]

chalcedony, calcedony

n. pl. chal·ced·o·nies also cal·ced·o·nies A translucent to transparent milky or grayish quartz with distinctive microscopic crystals arranged in slender fibers in parallel bands. [Late Latin chalcēdonius, from Greek khalkēdōn, a mystical stone (Revelation 21:19), perhaps from Khalkēdōn, Chalcedon.]

concavity *

n. pl. con·cav·i·ties 1. The state of being curved like the inner surface of a sphere. 2. A surface or structure configured in such a curve.

fleur-de-lis, fleur-de-lys

n. pl. fleurs-de-lis or fleurs-de-lys (flûr′də-lēz, flr′-) 1. An iris. 2. a. Heraldry A device consisting of a stylized three-petaled iris flower, used as the armorial emblem of the kings of France. b. A similar design used as a decorative motif. [Middle English flour de lice, from Old French flor de lis : flor, flower + de, of + lis, lily.]

foramina *

n. pl. fo·ram·i·na (-rămə-nə) or fo·ra·mens An opening or orifice, as in a bone or in the covering of the ovule of a plant. [Latin forāmen, an opening, from forāre, to bore.]

geostrategy

n. pl. ge·o·strat·e·gies Governmental strategy based on geopolitics.

italicization

r.v. i·tal·i·cized, i·tal·i·ciz·ing, i·tal·i·ciz·es 1. To print in italic type. 2. To underscore (written matter) with a single line to indicate italics. 3. To emphasize: "italicizing the upper extremity of the pitch spectrum with flute or piccolo" (Arthur Berger). i·tal′i·ci·zation (-sĭ-zāshən) n.

beatification

tr.v. be·at·i·fied, be·at·i·fy·ing, be·at·i·fies 1. Roman Catholic Church To proclaim (a deceased person) to be one of the blessed and thus worthy of public religious veneration in a particular region or religious congregation. 2. To exalt; glorify: "There was no dearth of criticism even after Beethoven was beatified" (Paul Henry Lang). [French beatifier, from Late Latin beātificāre : Latin beātus, happy; see BEATIFIC + Latin -ficāre, -fy.]

brandish *

tr.v. bran·dished, bran·dish·ing, bran·dish·es To wave or flourish (something, often a weapon) in a menacing, defiant, or excited way. See Synonyms at flourish. n. A menacing, defiant, or excited wave or flourish of something. [Middle English brandissen, from Old French brandir, brandiss-, from brand, sword, of Germanic origin; see gwher- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

defray

tr.v. de·frayed, de·fray·ing, de·frays To undertake the payment of (costs or expenses); pay. [French défrayer, from Old French desfrayer : des-, de- + *frai, expense (from Latin frāctum, from neuter past participle of frangere, to break; see bhreg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

disambiguate

tr.v. dis·am·big·u·at·ed, dis·am·big·u·at·ing, dis·am·big·u·ates To establish a single grammatical or semantic interpretation for.

eschew *

tr.v. es·chewed, es·chew·ing, es·chews 1. To avoid using, accepting, participating in, or partaking of: "Italian tends to eschew the sort of polite euphemisms in which English glories" (David Leavitt). See Synonyms at evade. 2. To refrain from (doing something). [Middle English escheuen, from Old French eschivir, of Germanic origin; akin to akin to SHY1.]

exscind

tr.v. ex·scind·ed, ex·scind·ing, ex·scinds To cut out; excise. [Latin exscindere : ex-, ex- + scindere, to cut; see skei- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

fluoridation *

tr.v. fluor·i·dat·ed, fluor·i·dat·ing, fluor·i·dates To add a fluorine compound to (a drinking water supply, for example) for the purpose of reducing tooth decay.

fractionalize *

tr.v. frac·tion·al·ized, frac·tion·al·iz·ing, frac·tion·al·iz·es To divide into separate parts or sections: conflicting interests that tend to fractionalize a society.

humidify

tr.v. hu·mid·i·fied, hu·mid·i·fy·ing, hu·mid·i·fies To make humid.

iterate *

tr.v. it·er·at·ed, it·er·at·ing, it·er·ates To say or perform again; repeat. See Synonyms at repeat. [Latin iterāre, iterāt-, from iterum, again; see i- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

allurement

v. al·lured, al·lur·ing, al·lures v.tr. To attract with something desirable; entice: Promises of quick profits allure the unwary investor. v.intr. To be highly, often subtly attractive: charms that still allure. n. The power to attract; enticement. [Middle English aluren, from Old French alurer : a-, to (from Latin ad-; see AD-) + loirre, bait (of Germanic origin).]

amalgamate *

v. a·mal·ga·mat·ed, a·mal·ga·mat·ing, a·mal·ga·mates v.tr. 1. To combine into a unified or integrated whole; unite. See Synonyms at mix. 2. To mix or alloy (a metal) with mercury. v.intr. 1. To become combined; unite. 2. To unite or blend with another metal. Used of mercury.

choreographer

v. cho·re·o·graphed, cho·re·o·graph·ing, cho·re·o·graphs v.tr. 1. To create the choreography of: choreograph a ballet. 2. To plan out or oversee the movement, development, or details of; orchestrate: aides who choreographed the candidate's tour. v.intr. To specialize in choreography.

devolvement

v. de·volved, de·volv·ing, de·volves v.tr. 1. To pass on or delegate to another: The senator devolved the duties of office upon a group of aides. 2. Archaic To cause to roll onward or downward. v.intr. 1. To be passed on or transferred to another: The burden of proof devolved upon the defendant. The estate devolved to an unlikely heir. 2. To degenerate or deteriorate gradually: After several hours the discussion had devolved into a shouting match. 3. Archaic To roll onward or downward. [Middle English devolven, to transfer, from Old French devolver, to confer, ascribe, from Latin dēvolvere, to roll down, fall to : dē-, de- + volvere, to roll; see wel-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

proselytize

v.intr. 1. To attempt to convert someone to one's own religious faith. 2. To attempt to persuade someone to join one's own political party or to espouse one's doctrine. v.tr. To convert (a person) from one belief, doctrine, cause, or faith to another.

penchant

. A definite liking; a strong inclination. See Synonyms at predilection. [French, from present participle of pencher, to incline, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *pendicāre, from Latin pendēre, to hang; see (s)pen- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

aureola

. A circular or oval light surrounding the head or body of a representation of a deity or holy person; a halo.

editor in chief

. pl. editors in chief The editor having final responsibility for the operations and policies of a publication.

cantonment

1. a. A group of temporary or long-term billets for troops. b. Assignment of troops to temporary or long-term quarters. 2. A permanent military installation in India. 3. a. A site where weapons collected from armed factions are stored under guard, as after a ceasefire. b. The collection and storage of such weapons. [From CANTON, to quarter soldiers.]

diorama

1. A three-dimensional miniature or life-size scene in which figures, stuffed wildlife, or other objects are arranged in a naturalistic setting against a painted background. 2. A scene reproduced on cloth transparencies with various lights shining through the cloths to produce changes in effect, intended for viewing at a distance through an aperture. [French, blend of dia-, through (from Greek; see DIA-) and panorama, panorama (from English; see PANORAMA).]

nux vomica *

1. A tree (Strychnos nux-vomica) native to South and Southeast Asia, having poisonous seeds that are a source of the alkaloids strychnine and brucine. 2. The seeds of this tree or a preparation or extract made from them. [Medieval Latin : Latin nux, nut + Medieval Latin vomica, feminine of vomicus, emetic (from Latin vomere, to vomit; see wemə- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

cantaloupe, cantaloup

1. A variety of melon (Cucumis melo) having a tan rind with netlike ridges and sweet fragrant orange flesh. 2. Any of several other similar melons. [French cantaloup, from Italian cantalupo (after Cantalupo, a former papal villa near Rome where it was first cultivated in Europe after introduction from Armenia).]

megalopolistic

1. A very large city. 2. A region made up of several large cities and their surrounding areas in sufficient proximity to be considered a single urban complex. [MEGALO- + Greek polis, city; see pelə-3 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

xerosis

1. Abnormal dryness, especially of the skin, eyes, or mucous membranes. 2. The normal hardening of aging tissue.

in extremis

1. At the point of death. 2. In grave or extreme circumstances. [Latin in extrēmīs : in, in + extrēmīs, ablative pl. of extrēmus, extreme.]

unwieldy

1. Difficult to carry or handle because of size, shape, or weight: an unwieldy parcel. 2. Hindering progress because of complexity; hard to manage or deal with: an unwieldy bureaucracy.

hellacious

1. Distasteful and repellent: hellacious smog. 2. Slang Extraordinary; remarkable: a hellacious catch of fish. [HELL + -acious (as in AUDACIOUS).]

disruptive

1. Relating to, causing, or produced by disruption. 2. Radically reconfiguring a particular field of business, as by implementing new technologies or a more competitive business model: potential high returns from investing in disruptive companies.

effulgent

1. Shining brilliantly; resplendent. See Synonyms at bright. 2. a. Showing or expressing vitality, love, or joy: "the thrilling promise he held out in his effulgent emerald eyes" (Arundhati Roy). b. Splendid; wonderful: effulgent beauty. [Latin effulgēns, effulgent-, present participle of effulgēre, to shine out : ex-, ex- + fulgēre, to shine; see bhel-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

leviathan

1. Something unusually large of its kind, especially a ship. 2. A very large animal, especially a whale. 3. A monstrous sea creature mentioned in the Bible. [Middle English, huge biblical sea creature, from Late Latin, from Hebrew liwyātān; see lwy in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

cystectomy

1. Surgical removal of a cyst. 2. a. Surgical removal of the gallbladder. b. Surgical removal of all or part of the urinary bladder.

convoy

1. The act of accompanying or escorting, especially for protective purposes. 2. An accompanying and protecting force, as of ships or troops. 3. A group, as of ships or motor vehicles, traveling together with a protective escort or for safety or convenience. tr.v. (kŏnvoi′, kən-voi) con·voyed, con·voy·ing, con·voys To accompany, especially for protection; escort: warships convoying merchant vessels across the Atlantic. [From Middle English convoyen, to escort, from Old French convoier, variant of conveier; see CONVEY.]

imbibition

1. The act of imbibing. 2. Chemistry Absorption of fluid by a colloid or porous solid that often results in swelling.

capitulation

1. The act of surrendering or giving up: Lack of food and ammunition forced the capitulation of the rebels. 2. A document containing the terms of surrender. 3. An enumeration of the main parts of a subject; a summary.

fenestration *

1. The design and placement of windows in a building. 2. An opening in the surface of a structure, as in a membrane. 3. The surgical creation of an artificial opening in a bone, as in the inner ear so as to improve or restore hearing.

Diaspora, diaspora

1. The dispersion of Jews outside of Israel from the sixth century BC, when they were exiled to Babylonia, until the present time. 2. often diaspora The body of Jews or Jewish communities outside Palestine or modern Israel. 3. diaspora a. A dispersion of a people from their original homeland. b. The community formed by such a people: "the glutinous dish known throughout the [West African] diaspora as ... fufu" (Jonell Nash). 4. diaspora A dispersion of an originally homogeneous entity, such as a language or culture: "the diaspora of English into several mutually incomprehensible languages" (Randolph Quirk). [Greek diasporā, dispersion, from diaspeirein, to spread about : dia-, apart; see DIA- + speirein, to sow, scatter; see sper- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

lithology

1. The gross physical character of a rock or rock formation. 2. The microscopic study, description, and classification of rock.

parhelion

A bright spot sometimes appearing at either side of the sun, often on a luminous ring or halo, caused by the refraction and reflection of sunlight by ice crystals suspended in the earth's atmosphere. Also called mock sun, sundog. [Latin parēlion, from Greek : para-, beside; see PARA-1 + hēlios, sun; see sāwel- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

hectored *

A bully. v. hec·tored, hec·tor·ing, hec·tors v.tr. To intimidate or dominate in a blustering way. v.intr. To behave like a bully; swagger. [From earlier Hector, valiant warrior, swaggerer, after HECTOR.]

cassoulet *

A casserole of white beans, various meats, vegetables, and herbs, slowly simmered or baked in a slow oven. [French, stove dish, diminutive of cassolo, earthenware vessel, from casso, from Old Provençal cassa; see CASSEROLE.]

chemoautotroph

A chemosynthetic organism that obtains energy from the oxidation of inorganic compounds and uses carbon dioxide as its sole source of carbon for growth.

geländesprung

A jump in skiing made from a crouching position with the use of both poles. [German : Gelände, open field (from Middle High German gelende, from Old High German gilanti, from lant, land; see lendh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + Sprung, jump (from Middle High German sprunc, from Old High German, from springan, to jump).]

plectrum

A small thin piece of metal, plastic, bone, or similar material, used to pluck the strings of certain instruments, such as the guitar or lute. [Latin plēctrum, from Greek plēktron, from plēssein, plēg-, to strike; see plāk-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

ketosteroid

A steroid, such as androsterone or estrone, that contains a ketone group.

lapis lazuli *

An opaque to translucent blue, violet-blue, or greenish-blue semiprecious gemstone composed mainly of lazurite and calcite. [Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin lapis lazulī : Latin lapis, stone + Medieval Latin lazulī, genitive of lazulum, lapis lazuli (from Arabic lāzaward, from Persian lājward).]

ichthyosis

Any of a group of chiefly genetic disorders that are characterized by dry, scaly, and often thickened skin.

millipede, millepede

Any of various arthropods of the class Diplopoda, having a cylindrical segmented body with two pairs of legs attached to each segment except for the first four thoracic segments, and feeding chiefly on decaying organic matter. Also called diplopod. [Latin mīlipeda, a kind of insect : mīlle, thousand; see gheslo- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + pēs, ped-, foot; see ped- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

kuchen

Any of various cakes, especially a coffeecake containing fruit. [German, from Middle High German kuoche, cake, from Old High German kuocho.]

adipocyte

Any of various cells found in adipose tissue that are specialized for the storage of fat

maidenhair fern

Any of various ferns of the genus Adiantum, having delicate feathery fronds with slender dark stalks. [From the fine stalks of its fronds or its masses of fine root hairs.]

bedlamite

Archaic A mentally ill person.

Red Cloud

Oglala leader of the resistance against the development of a trail through Wyoming and Montana by the US government (1865-1867).

Perseid

One of a shower of meteors that appears to originate in the vicinity of the constellation Perseus during the second week of August. [From Latin Perseus, the constellation Perseus; see PERSEUS, or from Greek Persēides, pl. of Persēis, offspring of Perseus (from Perseus, Perseus).]

user-friendly

Easy to use or learn to use: "The public ought to be aware of the complexity of making new tax forms user-friendly" (New York Times).

humeral veil

Ecclesiastical A vestment resembling a shawl worn over the shoulders and arms, allowing one to hold an object for ceremonial purposes without directly touching it.

Hippocrene

Greek Mythology A fountain on Mount Helicon, Greece, sacred to the Muses and regarded as a source of poetic inspiration. [Latin Hippocrēnē, from Greek Hippokrēnē : hippos, horse (from the myth that Pegasus's hoof created it); see ekwo- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + krēnē, fountain.]

Charybdis

Greek Mythology A whirlpool off the Sicilian coast, opposite the cave of Scylla.

Diogenes

Greek philosopher and founder of the Cynic school who advocated self-control and the pursuit of virtue through simple living. He is said to have once wandered through the streets of Athens with a lantern in daylight, searching for an honest man.

polydactyl

Having more than the normal number of digits. n. A person or animal having more than the normal number of digits.

broad-minded

Having or characterized by tolerant or liberal views.

achondroplasia

Improper development of cartilage at the ends of the long bones, resulting in a form of congenital dwarfism

ingesta *

Ingested matter, especially food taken into the body through the mouth. [New Latin, from neuter pl. of Latin ingestus, past participle of ingerere, to carry in; see INGEST.]

gnosis *

Intuitive apprehension of spiritual truths, an esoteric form of knowledge sought by the Gnostics. [Greek gnōsis, knowledge, from gignōskein, gnō-, to know; see gnō- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

libelous, libellous

Involving or constituting a libel; defamatory.

advocacy journalism

Journalism in which the writer or the publication expresses a subjective view or promotes a certain cause

Kaddish *

Judaism A prayer recited in the daily synagogue services and by mourners after the death of a close relative. [From Aramaic qaddiš, holy, sacred, from qədaš, to become holy, be sacred (so called after the first words of the prayer); see qdš in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

Seder

Judaism A ritual feast commemorating the exodus of the Jews from Egypt, held on the first night or first two nights of Passover. [Hebrew sēder, order, arrangement, Seder; see sdr in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

gymnosophist

One of an ancient sect of Hindu ascetics who wore little or no clothing and were devoted to mystical contemplation. [Middle English gumnosophist, from sing. of Latin gymnosophistae, from Greek gumnosophistai : gumnos, naked; see nogw- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + sophistēs, expert; see SOPHIST.]

antinome *

One that is contradictory or contrary to another; an opposite. [ANTI- + Greek nomos, law; see ANTINOMY.]

doubting Thomas

One who is habitually doubtful. [After Saint Thomas, who doubted Jesus's resurrection until he had proof of it.]

hypoesthesia

Partial loss of sensation; diminished sensibility

amnesiac

Partial or total loss of memory, usually resulting from shock, psychological disturbance, brain injury, or illness. [Greek amnēsiā, forgetfulness, probably alteration of amnēstiā, from amnēstos, not remembered : a-, not; see A-1 + mimnēskein, mnē-, to remember; see men-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

cursory *

Performed with haste and scant attention to detail: a cursory glance at the headlines. [Late Latin cursōrius, of running, from Latin cursor, runner; see CURSOR.]

Begin (Israeli leader)

Russian-born Israeli politician. He led (1943-1948) Irgun, the Zionist underground movement in Palestine. After the establishment of Israel, Begin became a political leader known for his hard-line views on the Arabs, but as prime minister (1977-1983) he strove to resolve the Arab-Israel conflict. He shared the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize with Anwar el-Sadat of Egypt.

iridectomy *

Surgical removal of part of the iris of the eye.

caveat emptor

The axiom or principle in commerce that the buyer alone is responsible for assessing the quality of a purchase before buying. [From Latin caveat ēmptor, let the buyer beware : caveat, third person sing. present subjunctive of cavēre, to beware + ēmptor, buyer.]

diocese

The district or churches under the jurisdiction of a bishop; a bishopric. [Middle English diocise, from Old French, from Late Latin diocēsis, from Latin dioecēsis, jurisdiction, from Greek dioikēsis, administration, from dioikein, to keep house, administer : dia-, intensive pref.; see DIA- + oikein, to inhabit (from oikos, house; see weik-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

anthropometry *

The study of human body measurement for use in anthropological classification and comparison.

demographer

The study of the characteristics of human populations, such as size, growth, density, distribution, and vital statistics. [French démographie : Greek dēmos, people; see dā- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + French -graphie, writing (from Greek -graphiā, -graphy).]

ecesis

The successful establishment of a plant or animal species in a habitat. [From Greek oikēsis, inhabitation, from oikein, to dwell, from oikos, house; see weik-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

empennage

The tail assembly of an aircraft, including the horizontal and vertical stabilizers, elevators, and rudder. [French, feathers on an arrow, empennage, from empenner, to feather an arrow : en-, in; see EN-1 + penne, feather (from Latin penna; see pet- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

kineticism

The theory or practice of kinetic art.

monogenism

The theory that all humans are descended from the same ancestors. Also called monogeny.

dura mater

The tough fibrous membrane covering the brain and the spinal cord and lining the inner surface of the skull. It is the outermost of the three meninges that surround the brain and spinal cord. [Middle English, from Medieval Latin dūra māter (cerebrī), hard mother (of the brain), dura mater (translation of Arabic 'umm ad-dimāġ aṣ-ṣāfigah, the dense mother of the brain, matrix of the brain) : Latin dūra, feminine of dūrus, hard; see DURAMEN + Latin māter, mother; see MATER.]

Amazonia

The vast basin of the Amazon River in northern South America. It remains largely unpopulated and undeveloped, especially in the interior.

repatriate

To restore or return to the country of birth, citizenship, or origin: repatriate war refugees. n. (-ĭt, -āt′) One who has been repatriated. [Late Latin repatriāre, repatriāt-, to return to one's country : Latin re-, re- + Latin patria, native country; see EXPATRIATE.]

sequestrate

To sequester. [Middle English sequestraten, from Latin sequestrāre, sequestrāt-, to give up for safekeeping; see SEQUESTER.]

de trop *

Too much or too many; excessive or superfluous: elaborate preparations that seemed de trop. [French : de, of, in + trop, excess.]

Worcestershire *

a county in west-central England

straightforward

adj. 1. a. Honest and frank: "He was straightforward if the news was bad" (Alec Wilkinson). See Synonyms at frank1. b. Free from ambiguity or pretense; plain and open: straightforward advice. 2. Easy to accomplish, identify, or understand; not complicated, uncertain, or involved: a straightforward car repair; a disease with straightforward symptoms; a straightforward approach to the problem. 3. Proceeding in a straight course; direct. adv. In a direct course or an honest manner.

insensate

adj. 1. a. Lacking sensation or awareness; inanimate. b. Unconscious. 2. Lacking sensibility; unfeeling: "a predatory, insensate society in which innocence and decency can prove fatal" (Peter S. Prescott). 3. a. Lacking sense or the power to reason. b. Foolish; witless. [Latin īnsēnsātus : in-, not; see IN-1 + sēnsus, understanding, reason; see SENSE.]

second-generation *

adj. 1. a. Of or relating to a person or persons whose parents are immigrants. b. Of or relating to a person or persons whose parents are citizens by birth and whose grandparents are immigrants. 2. Of or relating to a member or members of the second generation of a family to do something or achieve something: second-generation college students. 3. Of, relating to, or being the second form or version of a product or technology: second-generation software; second-generation antihistamines.

sequential

adj. 1. Forming or characterized by a sequence, as of units or musical notes. 2. Sequent.

unsubstantial

adj. 1. Lacking material substance; insubstantial. 2. Lacking firmness or strength; flimsy. 3. Lacking basis in fact.

ominously

adj. 1. Menacing; threatening: ominous black clouds; ominous rumblings of discontent. 2. Of or being an omen, especially an evil one. [Latin ōminōsus, from ōmen, ōmin-, omen.]

uniparous *

adj. 1. Producing only one egg or offspring at a time. 2. Having produced only one offspring; primiparous.

refluent

adj. Flowing back; ebbing. [Latin refluēns, refluent-, present participle of refluere, to flow back : re-, re- + fluere, to flow; see FLUENT.]

pulmonic

adj. Of or relating to the lungs; pulmonary.

semé

adj. Heraldry Having a design embellished with small delicate figures, such as a lacing of stars or flowers. [French, from Old French, past participle of semer, to sow, scatter, from Latin sēmināre, from sēmen, sēmin-, seed; see sē- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

guardant, gardant

adj. Heraldry Positioned so that the head is turned toward the viewer. Used of an animal depicted so that its body is viewed from the side. [Obsolete French, from Old French guardant, gardant, present participle of garder, to guard; see GUARD.]

alfresco, al fresco *

adv. In the fresh air; outdoors: dining alfresco. adj. Taking place outdoors; outdoor: an alfresco conference. [Italian al fresco, in the fresh (air) : al, in the (a, to, in from Latin ad; see AD- + il, the, from Latin ille; see al-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + fresco, fresh.]

alla breve

adv. & adj. In cut time. n. The sign indicating that a passage is to be played in cut time. [Italian : alla, according to the + breve, breve.]

tête-à-tête

adv. & adj. Without the intrusion of a third person; in intimate privacy: talk tête-à-tête; a tête-à-tête supper. n. 1. A private conversation between two persons. 2. A sofa for two, especially an S-shaped one allowing the occupants to face each other. [French : tête, head (from Late Latin testa, skull; see TESTON) + à, to + tête, head.]

vivace

adv. & adj. Music In a lively or vivacious manner. Used chiefly as a direction. [Italian, from Latin vīvāx, vīvāc-, vivacious; see VIVACIOUS.]

agitato

adv. & adj. Music In a restless, agitated style. Used chiefly as a direction. [Italian, past participle of agitare, from Latin agitāre, to agitate; see AGITATE.]

desquamate

des·qua·mate (dĕskwə-māt′) Share: intr.v. des·qua·mat·ed, des·qua·mat·ing, des·qua·mates To shed, peel, or come off in scales. Used of skin. [Latin dēsquāmāre, dēsquāmāt- : dē-, de- + squāma, scale.]

viable

dj. 1. Capable of success or continuing effectiveness; practicable: a viable plan; a viable national economy. See Synonyms at possible. 2. a. Capable of living, developing, or germinating under favorable conditions: viable spores. b. Capable of living outside the uterus. Used of a fetus or newborn. [French, from vie, life, from Old French, from Latin vīta; see gwei- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

postdiluvian

dj. Existing or occurring after the Flood. n. A person or thing living after the Flood. [POST- + Latin dīluvium, flood; see DILUVIAL + -AN1.]

radiopaque *

dj. Not allowing the passage of x-rays or other radiation.

magna cum laude

dv. & adj. With high honors. Used to express high academic distinction: graduated magna cum laude; 25 magna cum laude graduates. [Latin magnā cum laude, with great praise : magnā, feminine ablative sing. of magnus, great + cum, with + laude, ablative sing. of laus, praise.]

evolutionary

n. 1. a. A gradual process in which something changes into a different and usually more complex or better form. b. A result of this process; a development: Judo is an evolution of an earlier martial art. 2. Biology a. Change in the genetic composition of a population during successive generations, often resulting in the development of new species. The mechanisms of evolution include natural selection acting on the genetic variation among individuals, mutation, migration, and genetic drift. b. The historical development of a related group of organisms; phylogeny. 3. Astronomy Change in the structure, chemical composition, or dynamical properties of a celestial object or system such as a planetary system, star, or galaxy. Evolution often changes the observable or measurable characteristics of the object or system. 4. A movement that is part of a set of ordered movements: naval evolutions in preparation for battle. 5. Mathematics The extraction of a root of a quantity. [Latin ēvolūtiō, ēvolūtiōn-, from ēvolūtus, past participle of ēvolvere, to unroll; see EVOLVE.]

biostatistics *

n. (used with a sing. verb) Application of statistics to the analysis of biological and medical data.

Christology *

n. pl. Chris·tol·o·gies 1. The theological study of the person and deeds of Jesus. 2. A doctrine or theory based on Jesus or Jesus's teachings.

Haggadah, Haggada

n. pl. Hag·ga·doth (-dôt, -dōt′, -dōs, -dəz) Judaism 1. Traditional Jewish literature, especially the nonlegal part of the Talmud. Also called Aggadah. 2. The book containing the story of the Exodus and the ritual of the Seder, read at the Passover Seder. [Hebrew haggādâ, narration, telling, from higgîd, to narrate, tell; see ngd in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

chamois, chammy, shammy

n. pl. cham·ois (shăm′wä, shămwä′, shămēz) 1. Either of two species of agile goat antelopes (Rupicapra rupicapra or R. pyrenaica) of mountainous regions of Europe and western Asia, having upright horns with backward-hooked tips. 2. (shămē) also cham·my or sham·my pl. cham·mies a. A soft leather made from the hide of these antelopes or of other animals such as deer or sheep. b. A piece of such leather or of a fabric or material made to resemble it, used as a polishing or drying cloth or in shirts. 3. (shăm′wä, shămwä′, shămē) A moderate to grayish yellow. [French, from Middle French, from Old French, from Late Latin camōx, of pre-Roman Alpine origin and perhaps ultimately from Celtic *kambo-, crooked (in reference to the hooked horns of the chamois; compare Old Irish and Middle Welsh camm, crooked).]

crepitate

ntr.v. crep·i·tat·ed, crep·i·tat·ing, crep·i·tates To make a crackling or popping sound; crackle. [Latin crepitāre, crepitāt-, to crackle, frequentative of crepāre, to creak.]

anathematize *

tr.v. a·nath·e·ma·tized, a·nath·e·ma·tiz·ing, a·nath·e·ma·tiz·es To proclaim an anathema on; curse. [Late Latin anathematīzāre, from Greek anathematizein, from anathema, anathemat-, anathema; see ANATHEMA.]

besotted *

tr.v. be·sot·ted, be·sot·ting, be·sots To muddle or stupefy, as with alcoholic liquor or infatuation. [BE- + sot, to stupefy (from sot, fool; see SOT) or from assot, to befool (from Old French assoter, from sot, foolish).]

cede *

tr.v. ced·ed, ced·ing, cedes 1. To surrender possession of, especially by treaty. See Synonyms at relinquish. 2. To yield; grant: The debater refused to cede the point to her opponent. [French céder, from Old French, from Latin cēdere; see ked- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

lyricize

v.intr. 1. Music To write or sing lyrics. 2. To write lyrically or in a lyric style. v.tr. To treat (something) lyrically; put into lyric style.

strategize

v.intr. To determine strategies; plan: strategizing about how to expand the company. v.tr. To plan a strategy for: strategized an advertising campaign.

replicate

v.tr. 1. To duplicate, copy, reproduce, or repeat: "recreating his pose for a photo that replicated his glorious moment" (Stuart Miller). 2. Biology To reproduce or make an exact copy or copies of (genetic material, a cell, or an organism). 3. To repeat (a scientific experiment) to confirm findings or ensure accuracy. v.intr. To become replicated; undergo replication: cells that replicate rapidly in culture. n. (-kĭt) A repetition of an experiment or procedure. adj. replicate (-kĭt) 1. Duplicated, copied, reproduced, or repeated: a replicate sample. 2. Folded over or bent back upon itself: a replicate leaf. [Middle English replicaten, from Late Latin replicāre, replicāt-, to repeat, from Latin, to fold back : re-, re- + plicāre, to fold; see plek- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

transmute *

v.tr. To change from one form, nature, substance, or state into another; transform: Alchemists tried to transmute lead into gold. See Synonyms at convert. v.intr. To undergo transmutation. [Middle English transmuten, from Latin trānsmūtāre : trāns-, trans- + mūtāre, to change; see mei-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

quaffed

v.tr. To drink (a beverage) heartily: quaffed the ale with gusto. v.intr. To drink a liquid heartily: quaffed from the spring. n. A hearty draft of liquid. [Origin unknown.]

premeditation

v.tr. To form an intent to carry out (an action, such as a crime); intend to carry out: premeditate a killing. v.intr. To premeditate an action, especially a crime.

orientalize, Orientalize

v.tr. To give an oriental character or appearance to. v.intr. To become oriental in character.

journalize

v.tr. To record in a journal. v.intr. To keep a personal or financial journal.

apteryx, Apteryx

1. Any of several flightless birds of the genus Apteryx native to New Zealand, having vestigial wings and a long slender bill.

agnosia

Loss of the ability to interpret sensory stimuli, such as sounds or images. [Greek agnōsiā, ignorance : a-, without; see A-1 + gnōsis, knowledge (from gignōskein, to know; see gnō- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

analogy

n. pl. a·nal·o·gies 1. a. A similarity in some respects between things that are otherwise dissimilar: sees an analogy between viral infection and the spread of ideas. b. A comparison based on such similarity: made an analogy between love and a fever. 2. Biology Correspondence in function or position between organs of dissimilar evolutionary origin or structure. 3. A form of reasoning based on the assumption that if two things are known to be alike in some respects, then they are probably alike in other respects. 4. Linguistics The process by which words or morphemes are re-formed or created on the model of existing grammatical patterns in a language, often leading to greater regularity in paradigms, as evidenced by helped replacing holp and holpen as the past tense and past participle of help on the model of verbs such as yelp, yelped, yelped. [Middle English analogie, from Old French, from Latin analogia, from Greek analogiā, from analogos, proportionate; see ANALOGOUS.]

antipodal

adj. 1. Of, relating to, or situated on the opposite side or sides of the earth: Australia and Great Britain occupy antipodal regions. 2. Diametrically opposed; exactly opposite. n. One of usually three cells situated at the opposite end from the egg in the mature embryo sac of a flowering plant.

antepenultimate

adj. Coming before the next to the last in a series. n. An antepenult. [From Late Latin antepaenultimus : Latin ante-, ante- + Latin paenultimus, next to last; see PENULT.]

absorbefacient

adj. Inducing or causing absorption. n. A medicine or agent that induces absorption.

antipyretic *

adj. Reducing or tending to reduce fever. n. A medication that reduces fever.

anarthrous

adj. Linguistics Occurring without an article. Used especially of Greek nouns. [From Greek anarthros, not articulated : an-, without; see A-1 + arthron, joint; see ar- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

apatetic *

adj. Zoology Relating to or characterized by coloration serving as natural camouflage. [Greek apatētikos, deceptive, from apatētēs, deceiver, from apateuein, to cheat, from apatē, deceit.]

anomaly *

n. pl. a·nom·a·lies 1. Deviation or departure from the normal or common order, form, or rule. 2. One that is peculiar, irregular, abnormal, or difficult to classify: "Both men are anomalies: they have ... likable personalities but each has made his reputation as a heavy" (David Pauly). 3. Astronomy The angular deviation, as observed from the sun, of a planet from its perihelion.

ring buoy

n. A life preserver in the shape of a ring.

narcotism

1. Addiction to narcotics such as opium, heroin, or morphine. 2. Narcosis. [French narcotisme, from narcotique, narcotic; see NARCOTIC.]

cacique

1. An Indian chief, especially in the Spanish West Indies and other parts of Latin America during colonial and postcolonial times. 2. A local political boss in Spain or Latin America. [American Spanish, from Arawak kassequa, chieftain.]

patriarchy

1. a. A social system in which the father is the head of the family. b. A family, community, or society based on this system or governed by men. 2. a. Dominance of a society by men, or the values that uphold such dominance. b. The collection of men in positions of power, exerting such dominance. In all senses also called patriarchate.

absolutism

1. a. A political theory holding that all power should be vested in one ruler or other authority. b. A form of government in which all power is vested in a single ruler or other authority. 2. An absolute doctrine, principle, or standard.

inexpiable

1. Impossible to expiate or atone for: inexpiable crimes. 2. Obsolete Implacable.

jubilee, Jubilee

1. a. A specially celebrated anniversary, especially a 50th anniversary. b. The celebration of such an anniversary. 2. A season or occasion of joyful celebration. 3. Jubilation; rejoicing. 4. often Jubilee Bible In the Hebrew Scriptures, a year of rest to be observed by the Israelites every 50th year, during which slaves were to be set free, alienated property restored to the former owners, and the lands left untilled. 5. often Jubilee Roman Catholic Church A year during which plenary indulgence may be obtained by the performance of certain pious acts. [Middle English jubile, from Old French, from Late Latin iūbilaeus, the Jewish year of jubilee, alteration (influenced by iūbilāre, to raise a shout of joy) of Greek iōbēlaios, from iōbēlos, from Hebrew yôbēl, ram, ram's horn, jubilee; see ybl in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

asphodel

1. a. Any of several chiefly Mediterranean plants of the genera Asphodeline and Asphodelus, having linear leaves and elongate clusters of white, pink, or yellow flowers. b. Any of several other plants, such as the bog asphodel. 2. In Greek poetry and mythology, the flowers of Hades and the dead, sacred to Persephone. 3. In early English and French poetry, the daffodil. [Latin asphodelus, from Greek asphodelos.]

Armageddon *

1. a. Bible In the book of Revelation, the place of the gathering of armies for the final battle before the end of the world. b. The battle involving these armies. 2. A decisive or catastrophic conflict. [Late Latin Armagedōn, from Greek, from Hebrew har məgiddô, the mountain region of Megiddo : har, mountain; see hrr in the Appendix of Semitic roots + məgiddô, Megiddo.]

largess, largesse

1. a. Liberality in bestowing gifts, especially in a lofty or condescending manner. b. Money or gifts bestowed. 2. Generosity of spirit or attitude. [Middle English largesse, from Old French, from large, generous, from Latin largus.]

ligation *

1. a. The act of binding or of applying a ligature. b. The state of being bound. 2. Something that binds; a ligature.

obliquity *

1. a. The quality or condition of being oblique, especially in deviating from a vertical or horizontal line, plane, position, or direction. b. The angle or extent of such a deviation. 2. a. Deviation from moral or proper conduct or thought: "Eleanor did not believe that early rising could possibly be compatible with moral obliquity" (Elizabeth Bowen). b. An instance of this. 3. Indirection in conduct or verbal expression; lack of straightforwardness: "It may be that the candor of contemporary literature creates a nostalgia for indirection, obliquity and deferral" (Anatole Broyard).

inhibitable

1. a. To hold back; restrain: barricades that inhibited the movement of the crowd; a lack of knowledge that inhibited his inclination to ask questions. See Synonyms at restrain. b. To cause (a person) to behave in a restrained or self-conscious way: He felt inhibited by the presence of so many famous people. c. Psychology To suppress or restrain (behavior, an impulse, or a desire) consciously or unconsciously. 2. a. Chemistry To prevent or decrease the rate of (a reaction). b. Biology To decrease, limit, or block the action or function of (an enzyme or organ, for example). 3. To prohibit (an ecclesiastic) from performing clerical duties. [Middle English inhibiten, to forbid, from Latin inhibēre, inhibit-, to restrain, forbid : in-, in; see IN-2 + habēre, to hold; see ghabh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

requite *

1. a. To make return for (something done or felt) in a similar or appropriate fashion: "Pearl felt the sentiment, and requited it with the bitterest hatred that can be supposed to rankle in a childish bosom" (Nathaniel Hawthorne). b. To avenge (an insult or wrongdoing). 2. a. To respond to (another) or do something to or for (another) in return for that person's action or emotion: "If he love me to madness, I shall never requite him" (Shakespeare). b. To get revenge on (another) for wrongdoing. [Middle English requiten : re-, re- + quiten, to pay; see QUIT.]

scarify

1. a. To make shallow cuts in (the skin), as when vaccinating. b. To create a design on (the skin) by means of shallow cuts that are sometimes rubbed with a colorant or irritant to enhance the resulting scar tissue. 2. To break up the surface of (topsoil or pavement). 3. To distress deeply, as with severe criticism; lacerate. 4. Botany To slit or soften the outer coat of (seeds) in order to speed germination. [Middle English scarifien, from Old French scarifier, from Late Latin scarīficāre, alteration of Latin scarīfāre, from Greek skarīphāsthai, to sketch, scratch, from skarīphos, pencil, stylus; see skrībh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

pachucos

1. A Mexican-American man or boy who dresses in flamboyant clothes, often one who belongs to a neighborhood gang. 2. Offensive A Mexican-American man or boy. [American Spanish, person from El Paso, pachuco, possibly alteration of payuco, yokel, from Spanish payo, peasant, perhaps from Gallego Payo, Pelagius (considered a typical peasant name).]

oxbow

1. A U-shaped piece of wood that fits under and around the neck of an ox, with its upper ends attached to the bar of the yoke. 2. a. A U-shaped bend in a river. b. The land within such a bend of a river.

Hare Krishna

1. A chant to the Hindu god Krishna. 2. Informal a. A member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, founded in the United States in 1966. b. The society itself. [From the chant Hare Krishna : Sanskrit Hare, vocative of Hariḥ, a name of Vishnu (from hari-, yellow-green, tawny yellow; see ghel-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + Sanskrit Kṛṣṇa, vocative of Kṛṣṇaḥ, Krishna; see KRISHNA1.]

Kuwait

1. A country of the northeast Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf. Settled by Arab tribes in the early 1700s, it became a British protectorate in 1897 and an independent kingdom in 1961. Iraq invaded and occupied the country in 1990, sparking the Persian Gulf War (1991), which ended with Iraqi troops being driven out by a coalition of Arab and Western forces. With its major oil reserves, discovered in 1938, it has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world. The city of Kuwait is its capital. 2. also Kuwait City The capital of Kuwait, in the east-central part of the country on the Persian Gulf. It was heavily damaged during the Gulf War.

merengue

1. A dance in rapid 2/4 time of Dominican and Haitian folk origin, characterized by a sliding step. 2. The music for this dance. [American Spanish, from Spanish, meringue, from French méringue.]

jactitation

1. A false boasting or claim, especially one detrimental to the interests of another. 2. Extreme restlessness or tossing in bed, as can occur with some forms of acute disease. [Medieval Latin iactitātiō, iactitātiōn-, false declaration, from Latin iactitātus, past participle of iactitāre, to utter, frequentative of iactāre, to boast, frequentative of iacere, to throw; see yē- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

meerschaum *

1. A fine, compact, usually white claylike mineral of hydrous magnesium silicate, H4Mg2Si3O10, found in the Mediterranean area and used in fashioning tobacco pipes and as a building stone. Also called sepiolite. 2. A tobacco pipe with a bowl made of this mineral. [German : Meer, sea (from Middle High German mer, from Old High German mari; see mori- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + Schaum, foam (from Middle High German schūm, from Old High German scūm; see (s)keu- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

cinquain

1. A five-line stanza. 2. A poem of five lines consisting respectively of two, four, six, eight, and two syllables. [French cinq, five (from Old French cinc; see CINQUE) + (QUATR)AIN.]

nabob *

1. A governor in India under the Mughal Empire. Also called nawab. 2. A person of wealth and prominence. [Hindi nawāb, nabāb, from Arabic nuwwāb, pl. of nā'ib, deputy, active participle of nāba, to represent; see nwb in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

maharajah, maharaja

1. A king or prince in India ranking above a raja, especially the sovereign of one of the former native states. 2. Used as a title for such a king or prince. [Sanskrit mahārājaḥ : mahā-, great; see meg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + rājaḥ, king (variant of rājā, king; see reg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

knurl

1. A knob, knot, or other small protuberance. 2. One of a series of small ridges or grooves on the surface or edge of a metal object, such as a thumbscrew, to aid in gripping. tr.v. knurled, knurl·ing, knurls To provide with knurls; mill. [ Probably diminutive of KNUR.]

epistle, Epistle

1. A letter, especially a formal one. See Synonyms at letter. 2. A literary composition in the form of a letter. 3. Epistle Bible a. One of the letters included as a book in the New Testament. b. An excerpt from one of these letters, read as part of a religious service. [Middle English epistel, from Old French epistle, from Latin epistola, from Greek epistolē, from epistellein, to send a message to : epi-, epi- + stellein, to send; see stel- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

distillate

1. A liquid condensed from vapor in distillation. 2. A purified form; an essence: "Dos Passos, a distillate of native American idealism and Yankee common sense" (William F. Buckley).

baguette *

1. A long narrow loaf of French bread. 2. a. A gem cut in the form of a narrow rectangle. b. The form of such a gem. 3. Architecture A narrow convex molding. 4. A shallow rectangular handbag. [French, rod, fromItalianbacchetta, diminutive ofbacchio, rod, fromLatinbaculum, stick; see bak- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

rondeau

1. A lyrical poem of French origin having 13 or sometimes 10 lines with two rhymes throughout and with the opening phrase repeated twice as a refrain. 2. A medieval French song, either monophonic, as in the songs of the trouvères, or polyphonic in construction. [French, alteration of Old French rondel; see RONDEL.]

Wampanoag *

1. A member of a Native American people formerly inhabiting eastern Rhode Island and southeast Massachusetts, including Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, with a present-day population in this same area. 2. The Algonquian language of the Wampanoag, a variety of Massachusett. [Narragansett, those of the east.]

Yuchi

1. A member of a Native American people formerly inhabiting northern Georgia and eastern Tennessee, with a present-day population in Oklahoma. 2. The language of the Yuchi, of no known linguistic affiliation. [Probably Cherokee yutsi.]

Nez Perce

1. A member of a Native American people formerly inhabiting the lower Snake River and its tributaries in western Idaho, northeast Oregon, and southeast Washington, with present-day populations in western Idaho and northeast Washington. 2. The Sahaptian language of the Nez Perce. [French Nez-Percé : nez, nose + percé, past participle of percer, to pierce (on the model of Nez Perce cú·pn'itpel'u· : cú·pn'it, piercing + -pel'u·, people, from the nasal septum piercing practiced by the Nez Perce up to the early 1800s ).]

Suquamish

1. A member of a Native American people inhabiting an area of the eastern shore of Puget Sound. 2. The Coast Salish language of the Suquamish.

moulage

1. A mold, as of a footprint, made for use in a criminal investigation. 2. The making of such a mold or cast, as with plaster of Paris. 3. A model of a body part, especially a diseased or injured body part, used for educational purposes. 4. The use of materials such as molded latex body parts or theatrical makeup to simulate injuries or diseases on a volunteer or dummy, as for use in training emergency response teams. [French, from earlier mollage, fee for inspection of wood by use of a standard frame, from Old French molle, mold; see MOLD1.]

encaustic

1. A paint consisting of pigment mixed with beeswax and fixed with heat after its application. 2. The art of painting with this substance. 3. A painting produced with the use of this substance. [Latin encausticus, from Greek enkaustikos, from enkaiein, enkau-, to paint in encaustic : en-, in; see EN-2 + kaiein, to burn.]

marjoram

1. A perennial Mediterranean plant (Origanum majorana) in the mint family, having small, purplish to white flowers and opposite leaves. Also called sweet marjoram. 2. The leaves of this plant used as a seasoning. [Early Modern English margeram, alteration (influenced by Middle French marjolaine) of Middle English majorane, mageram, from Old French majorane, from Medieval Latin maiorana, alteration (influenced by māior, greater) of Late Latin mezurana, perhaps of Near Eastern origin; akin to Persian marzangōš, from Middle Persian, perhaps alteration (influenced by marzān, mouse, and gōš, ear, in reference to the shape of the plant's small pilose leaves) of earlier *mardgōš (source of Arabic mardaqūš), perhaps ultimately from a Near Eastern areal word that was also the source of Greek amārakon and ancient Macedonian abarú.]

compeer

1. A person of equal status or rank; a peer. 2. A comrade, companion, or associate. [Middle English comper, from Old French, from Latin compār, equal; see COMPARE.]

domicile

1. A residence; a home. 2. One's legal residence. v. dom·i·ciled, dom·i·cil·ing, dom·i·ciles v.tr. 1. To establish (oneself or another person) in a residence. 2. To provide with often temporary lodging. v.intr. To reside; dwell. [Middle English domicilie, from Old French domicile, from Latin domicilium, from domus, house; see dem- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

cabaret

1. A restaurant or nightclub providing short programs of live entertainment. 2. The floor show presented by such a restaurant or nightclub. [French, tap-room, from Middle Dutch cabret, from Old North French camberette, from Late Latin camera, room; see CHAMBER.]

impasse

1. A road or passage having no exit; a cul-de-sac. 2. A situation that is so difficult that no progress can be made; a deadlock or a stalemate: reached an impasse in the negotiations. [French : in-, not (from Latin in-; see IN-1) + passe, a passing (from Old French, from passer, to pass; see PASS).]

donnée

1. A set of literary or artistic principles or assumptions on which a creative work is based: "He worked outward from the donnée toward the expression of some general theme or idea" (Hugh Honour). 2. A set of notions, facts, or conditions that governs and shapes an act or a way of life: "His heart, his mind, his body, composed the donnée of his life" (Louis Auchincloss). [French, from feminine past participle of donner, to give, from Old French, from Latin dōnāre; see DONATE.]

bauble

1. A showy, often inexpensive ornament, especially a piece of jewelry; a trinket. 2. A mock scepter carried by a court jester. 3. A shiny, spherical ornament, usually made of glass, used to decorate a Christmas tree. [Middle English babel, from Old French, plaything.]

diamante, diamanté

1. A small, glittering ornament, such as a rhinestone or a sequin, applied to fabric or a garment. 2. Fabric that has been covered with many of these ornaments. [French diamanté, decorated with diamonds, from diamant, diamond; see DIAMOND.]

nativistic

1. A sociopolitical policy, especially in the United States in the 1800s, favoring the interests of established inhabitants over those of immigrants. 2. The reestablishment or perpetuation of native cultural traits, especially in opposition to acculturation. 3. Philosophy The doctrine that the mind produces ideas that are not derived from external sources.

janissary *

1. A soldier of the Ottoman Empire in an elite guard organized in the 1300s and abolished in 1826. 2. A member of a group of elite, highly loyal supporters. [Middle French jehanicere, janissaire, from Old Italian giannizero, from Ottoman Turkish yeñiçeri, new army, Janissary corps : yañı, new (from Old Turkic yaŋı) + çeri, special troops (from Old Turkic çērig, phalanx, order of battle).]

crosier, crozier

1. A staff with a crook or cross at the end, carried by or before an abbot, bishop, or archbishop as a symbol of office. 2. Botany See fiddlehead. [Middle English croser, from Old French crossier, staff bearer (influenced by croisier, one who bears a cross), from crosse, crosier, of Germanic origin.]

sensei

1. A teacher or mentor, especially of a martial art. 2. Used as a form of address for such a person. [Japanese, teacher, master, from Middle Chinese sianʂaːjŋ, elder, prior-born (term of respect) (also the source of Mandarin xiānsheng) : sian, first + ʂaːjŋ, to give birth, be born (ultimately from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *sriŋ, live, life; also the source of Burmese hrang, live, alive).]

grenadine

1. A thick sweet syrup made from pomegranates and used as a flavoring, especially in beverages. 2. A thin, loosely woven fabric of silk, cotton, wool, or synthetic fiber. [French, from grenade, pomegranate, from Old French grenate; see POMEGRANATE.]

aquamarine

1. A transparent blue-green variety of beryl, used as a gemstone. 2. A pale blue to light greenish blue. [Latin aqua marīna, seawater : aqua, water; see AQUA + marīna, feminine of marīnus, of the sea; see MARINE.]

cataclysmal

1. A violent upheaval that causes great destruction or brings about a fundamental change. 2. A violent and sudden change in the earth's crust. 3. A devastating flood. [French cataclysme, from Latin cataclysmos, deluge, from Greek kataklusmos, from katakluzein, to inundate : kata-, intensive pref.; see CATA- + kluzein, to wash away.]

luminaria *

1. A votive candle set into a small, decorative paper bag weighted with sand and placed in a row with others along a walkway, driveway, or rooftop as a holiday decoration. Also called regionally farolito. 2. New Mexico A bonfire built in front of each house in a pueblo to celebrate Christmas Eve. [Spanish, from Latin lūmināria, pl. of lūmināre, lamp; see LUMINARY.]

catchword *

1. A well-known word or phrase, especially one that exemplifies a notion, class, or quality: "We're turned off by the label 'sexy' when used as a catchword for every new design" (Miriam Lang). 2. Printing a. A guideword. b. The first word of a page printed in the bottom right-hand corner of the preceding page.

dysfunction, disfunction

1. Abnormal or impaired functioning of a bodily system or organ. 2. Failure to achieve or sustain a behavioral norm or expected condition, as in a social relationship.

celibacy

1. Abstinence from sexual relations. 2. The condition of remaining unmarried, especially for religious reasons.

imprudence

1. The quality or condition of being unwise or indiscreet. 2. An unwise or indiscreet act.

artifact, artefact

1. An object produced or shaped by human craft, especially a tool, weapon, or ornament of archaeological or historical interest. 2. Something viewed as a product of human conception or agency rather than an inherent element: "Morality is an artifact of human culture, devised to help us negotiate social relations" (Michael Pollan). 3. A phenomenon or feature not originally present or expected and caused by an interfering external agent, action, or process, as an unwanted feature in a microscopic specimen after fixation, in a digitally reproduced image, or in a digital audio recording. 4. An inaccurate observation, effect, or result, especially one resulting from the technology used in scientific investigation or from experimental error: The apparent pattern in the data was an artifact of the collection method. [Latin arte, ablative of ars, art; see ART1 + factum, something made (from neuter past participle of facere, to make; see dhē- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

aperture

1. An opening, such as a hole, gap, or slit. 2. a. A usually adjustable opening in an optical instrument, such as a camera or telescope, that limits the amount of light passing through a lens or onto a mirror. b. The diameter of such an opening, often expressed as an f-number. c. The diameter of the objective of a telescope. [Middle English, from Latin apertūra, from apertus, past participle of aperīre, to open; see wer-4 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

diva

1. An operatic prima donna. 2. A very successful singer of nonoperatic music: a jazz diva. 3. Slang One who demands that attention be paid to his or her needs, especially without regard to anyone else's needs or feelings. [Italian, from Latin dīva, goddess, feminine of dīvus, god; see dyeu- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

croquet

1. An outdoor game in which the players drive traditionally wooden balls through a series of wickets using long-handled mallets. 2. The act of driving away an opponent's croquet ball by hitting one's own ball when the two are in contact. tr.v. cro·queted (-kād), cro·quet·ing (-kāĭng), cro·quets (-kāz) To drive away (an opponent's croquet ball) by hitting one's own ball when the two are in contact. [French dialectal, hockey stick, from Old North French, shepherd's crook; see CROCKET.]

excrescence *

1. An outgrowth or enlargement, especially an abnormal one, such as a wart. 2. A usually unwanted or unnecessary accretion: "Independent agencies were an excrescence on the Constitution" (Los Angeles Times). [Middle English, from Latin excrēscentia, from neuter pl. of excrēscēns, excrēscent-, present participle of excrēscere, to grow out : ex-, ex- + crēscere, to grow; see ker-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

crypt

1. An underground vault or chamber, especially one beneath a church that is used as a burial place. 2. Anatomy A small pit, recess, or glandular cavity in the body. [Latin crypta, from Greek kruptē, from feminine of kruptos, hidden, from kruptein, to hide.]

trachea

1. Anatomy A thin-walled, cartilaginous tube descending from the larynx to the bronchi and carrying air to the lungs. Also called windpipe. 2. Zoology One of the internal respiratory tubes of insects and some other terrestrial arthropods, which are connected to the spiracles and are used for gas exchange. 3. Botany A tracheary element. [Middle English trache, from Medieval Latin trāchēa, from Late Latin trāchīa, from Greek (artēriā) trākheia, rough (artery), trachea (as opposed to the smooth vessels that carry blood and not air), feminine of trākhus, rough.]

choler *

1. Anger; irritability. 2. a. One of the four humors of ancient and medieval physiology, thought to cause anger and bad temper when present in excess; yellow bile. b. Obsolete The quality and condition of being bilious. [Middle English colre, from Old French, from Latin cholera, cholera, jaundice, from Greek kholera, from kholē, bile; see ghel-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

keratin

1. Any of a class of filamentous proteins that are abundant in the cytoskeleton of vertebrate epithelial cells and are the main constituents of the outer layer of skin and tough epidermal structures such as hair, nails, hooves, feathers, and claws. 2. Material composed principally of keratin proteins. [Greek keras, kerāt-, horn; see ker-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + -IN.]

Luddite

1. Any of a group of British workers who between 1811 and 1816 rioted and destroyed laborsaving textile machinery in the belief that such machinery would diminish employment. 2. One who opposes technical or technological change. [After Ned Ludd, an English laborer who was supposed to have destroyed weaving machinery around 1779.]

mandarin, Mandarin

1. Any of a group of related dialects of Chinese spoken principally in the north and west of China. 2. The official national standard spoken language of China, based on the Mandarin dialect spoken in and around Beijing. Also called Guoyu, Putonghua. [From MANDARIN (from its use in administration in imperial China ).] n. 1. A member of any of the nine ranks of high public officials in the Chinese Empire. 2. A high government official or bureaucrat. 3. A member of an elite group, especially a person having influence or high status in intellectual or cultural circles. 4. A mandarin orange. adj. 1. Of, relating to, or resembling a mandarin. 2. Marked by elaborate and refined language or literary style. [From Spanish mandarín, from Portuguese mandarim, from Malay menteri, from Sanskrit mantrī, mantrin-, counselor, from mantraḥ, counsel; see men-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

cocklebur

1. Any of several annual weeds of the genus Xanthium in the composite family, having small seedlike fruits enclosed within a prickly bur that clings readily to clothing or animal fur. 2. A bur of this plant.

babbitt metal, Babbitt metal

1. Any of several soft, silvery antifriction alloys composed of tin usually with small amounts of copper and antimony. 2. See white metal. [After Isaac Babbitt (1799-1862), American inventor who patented such an alloy.]

zooglea, zoogloea

1. Any of various highly motile, aerobic bacteria of the genus Zoogloea found especially in wastewater, where the cells aggregate into flocculent, gelatinous masses. 2. A mass of such bacteria or other bacteria. [ZOO- + New Latin gloea, gum (from Medieval Greek gloia, glia, gum, glue, from Greek gloios).]

lymphoma

1. Any of various malignant tumors that arise from the lymphocytic cells of the immune system. 2. Any of various cancers characterized by the development of such tumors, especially Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

sculpin

1. Any of various marine and freshwater fishes chiefly of the family Cottidae, having a large flattened head with spines, few or no scales, and often fanlike pectoral fins. 2. A scorpionfish (Scorpaena guttata) of California coastal waters. [Origin unknown.]

fiducial

1. Based on or relating to faith or trust. 2. Relating to or characteristic of a legal trust; fiduciary. 3. Regarded or employed as a standard of reference, as in surveying. [Late Latin fīdūciālis, from Latin fīdūcia, trust, from fīdere, to trust; see bheidh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

geniculate

1. Bent abruptly, as a knee. 2. Having kneelike joints; able to bend at an abrupt angle. [Latin geniculātus, with bended knee, from geniculum, diminutive of genū, knee; see genu-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Decalogue, Decalog

1. Bible The Ten Commandments. 2. A fundamental set of rules having authoritative weight. [Middle English decalog, from Late Latin decalogus, from Greek dekalogos : deka, ten; see dek in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + logos, word, pronouncement; see leg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

efflorescence

1. Botany A state or time of flowering. 2. a. A gradual process of unfolding or developing. b. The point or time of greatest vigor; the culmination. See Synonyms at bloom1. 3. Chemistry a. A deposit that results from the process of efflorescing. Also called bloom1. b. The process of efflorescing. 4. Medicine Redness, a rash, or an eruption on the skin.

fanfaronade

1. Bragging or blustering manner or behavior. 2. A fanfare. [French fanfaronnade, from Spanish fanfarronada, bluster, from fanfarrón, a braggart, perhaps from Arabic farfār, talkative, from farfara, to become agitated, become talkative.]

heritability *

1. Capable of being passed from one generation to the next; hereditary. 2. Capable of inheriting or taking by inheritance. [Middle English, from Old French, from heriter, to inherit, from Late Latin hērēditāre; see INHERIT.]

flagitious *

1. Characterized by extremely brutal or cruel crimes; vicious. 2. Infamous; scandalous: "That remorseless government persisted in its flagitious project" (Robert Southey). [Middle English flagicious, wicked, from Latin flāgitiōsus, from flāgitium, shameful act, protest, from flāgitāre, to importune, to demand vehemently.]

jocular

1. Characterized by joking. 2. Given to joking. [Latin ioculāris, droll, from ioculus, diminutive of iocus, joke; see yek- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

creditable *

1. Deserving of often limited praise or commendation: The student made a creditable effort on the essay. 2. Worthy of belief: a creditable story. 3. Deserving of commercial credit; creditworthy: a creditable customer. 4. Capable of being assigned.

topography

1. Detailed, precise description of a place or region. 2. Graphic representation of the surface features of a place or region on a map, indicating their relative positions and elevations. 3. A description or an analysis of a structured entity, showing the relations among its components: In the topography of the economy, several depressed areas are revealed. 4. a. The surface features of a place or region. b. The surface features of an object: The topography of a crystal. 5. The surveying of the features of a place or region. 6. The study or description of an anatomical region or part.

theurgy

1. Divine or supernatural intervention in human affairs. 2. Magic performed with the supposed aid of beneficent spirits, as formerly practiced by the Neoplatonists. [Late Latin theūrgia, from Greek theourgiā, sacramental rite, mystery : theo-, theo- + -ourgiā, -urgy.]

viaticum

1. Ecclesiastical The Eucharist given to a dying person or one in danger of death. 2. A supply of provisions for a journey. [Late Latin viāticum, from Latin, traveling provisions, from neuter of viāticus, viatic; see VIATICAL.]

élan *

1. Enthusiastic vigor and liveliness. 2. Distinctive style or flair. [French, from Old French eslan, rush, from eslancer, to hurl : es-, out (from Latin ex-; see EX-) + lancer, to throw (from Late Latin lanceāre, to throw a lance, from Latin lancea, lance).]

smarmy *

1. Excessively ingratiating or insincerely earnest. See Synonyms at unctuous. 2. Relating to or indulging in lewd conduct; smutty: smarmy jokes. [From smarm, to smear.]

ectogenous *

1. Exogenous. 2. Able to live and develop outside a host, as certain pathogenic microorganisms do.

multilateral *

1. Having many sides. 2. Involving more than two nations or parties: multilateral trade agreements.

malefic

1. Having or exerting a malignant influence. 2. Malicious or harmful. [Latin maleficus : male, ill; see mel-3 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + -ficus, -fic.]

hexagonal *

1. Having six sides. 2. Containing a hexagon or shaped like one. 3. Mineralogy Having three equal axes intersecting at angles of 60° in one plane and one axis of variable length that is perpendicular to the others.

generative

1. Having the ability to originate, produce, or procreate. 2. Of or relating to the production of offspring. 3. Relating to or produced by the rules of a generative grammar.

inglorious *

1. Ignominious; disgraceful: Napoleon's inglorious end. 2. Not famous; obscure: an inglorious young writer.

immobility

1. Immovable; fixed: an immobile rock formation. 2. Not moving; motionless: The patient in the coma was immobile. 3. Not very mobile or agile; capable of moving only slowly: an immobile quarterback.

bulletproof

1. Impenetrable by bullets. 2. Informal Impervious to assault, damage, or failure; guaranteed: a bulletproof method; bulletproof arguments. tr.v. bul·let·proofed, bul·let·proof·ing, bul·let·proofs To make impenetrable by bullets.

impregnable

1. Impossible to capture or enter by force: an impregnable fortress. 2. Difficult or impossible to attack, challenge, or refute with success: an impregnable argument. [Middle English imprenable, from Old French : in-, not (from Latin in-; see IN-1) + prenable, pregnauble, pregnable; see PREGNABLE.]

inexpugnable

1. Impossible to overcome or overthrow by force. 2. Impossible to put aside or drive away: inexpugnable dislike. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin inexpugnābilis : in-, not; see IN-1 + expugnābilis, capable of being overcome (from expugnāre : ex-, completely; see EX- + pugnāre, to fight; see IMPUGN).]

en passant

1. In passing; by the way; incidentally. 2. Used in reference to a move in chess in which a pawn that has just completed an initial advance to its fourth rank is captured by an opponent pawn as if it had only moved to its third rank. [French : en, in + passant, passing.]

au courant *

1. Informed on current affairs; up-to-date. 2. Fully familiar; knowledgeable. [French : au, in the + courant, current.]

initiatory *

1. Introductory; initial. 2. Tending or used to initiate.

jihad, jehad

1. Islam An individual's striving for spiritual self-perfection. 2. Islam A Muslim holy war or spiritual struggle for the propagation or defense of Islam. 3. A campaign against perceived foes, especially such a campaign regarded as fanatical or immoderate: "The war against smoking is turning into a jihad against people who smoke" (Fortune). [Arabic jihād, from jahada, to strive; see ghd in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

acquittal *

1. Judgment, as by a jury or judge, that a defendant is not guilty of a crime as charged. 2. The state of being found or proved not guilty.

ungainly

1. Lacking grace or ease of movement or form; clumsy. 2. Difficult to move or use; unwieldy. [UN-1 + obsolete gainly, proper (from Middle English gainli, from gain, from Old Norse gegn, direct).]

paltriness *

1. Lacking in importance or worth. See Synonyms at trivial. 2. Very small or inadequate in amount; negligible: was paid a paltry sum for his work. 3. Marked by meanness or lack of generosity; contemptible: "I would far rather burn my whole book, than that he or any other man should think that I had behaved in a paltry spirit" (Charles Darwin). [Probably from obsolete and dialectal paltry, trash, perhaps from Low German paltrig, ragged, from palte, rag.]

incorporeal

1. Lacking material form or substance. 2. Law Of or relating to property or an asset that cannot be physically possessed, as a right or patent. [Middle English incorporealle, from Latin incorporeus : in-, not; see IN-1 + corporeus, consisting of a body; see CORPOREAL.]

laity *

1. Laypeople considered as a group. 2. All those persons who are not members of a given profession or other specialized field. [Middle English laite, from lay, of the laity; see LAY2.]

syneresis, synaeresis

1. Linguistics The drawing together into one syllable of two consecutive vowels or syllables, as in the formation of a diphthong. 2. Chemistry The exudation of the liquid component of a gel, caused or accompanied by a contraction of the gel. [Late Latin synaeresis, from Greek sunairesis, from sunairein, to contract : sun-, syn- + hairein, to take, grasp.]

malapropism *

1. Ludicrous misuse of a word, especially by confusion with one of similar sound. 2. An example of such misuse.

accumbent

1. Lying down; reclining. 2. Botany Lying or leaning against something: accumbent cotyledons. [Latin accumbēns, accumbent-, present participle of accumbere, to recline at table : ad-, ad- + cumbere, to recline.]

consentaneous

1. Manifesting agreement; accordant. 2. Unanimous. [From Latin cōnsentāneus, from cōnsentīre, to agree; see CONSENT.]

parameter

1. Mathematics a. A constant in an equation that varies in other equations of the same general form, especially such a constant in the equation of a curve or surface that can be varied to represent a family of curves or surfaces. b. One of a set of independent variables that express the coordinates of a point. 2. a. One of a set of measurable factors, such as temperature and pressure, that define a system and determine its behavior and are varied in an experiment. b. Usage Problem A factor that restricts what is possible or what results: "all the parameters of shelter—where people will live, what mode of housing they will choose, and how they will pay for it" (New York). c. A factor that determines a range of variations; a boundary: an experimental school that keeps expanding the parameters of its curriculum. 3. Statistics A quantity, such as a mean, that is calculated from data and describes a population. 4. Usage Problem A distinguishing characteristic or feature. [New Latin parametrum, a line through the focus and parallel to the directrix of a conic : Greek para-, beside; see PARA-1 + Greek metron, measure; see -METER.]

verruca

1. Medicine A wart. 2. Biology A wartlike projection, as on the skin of certain amphibians or on the surface of certain pollen grains. [Latin verrūca.]

lactescent

1. Milky. 2. Botany Secreting or yielding a milky sap. [Latin lactēscēns, lactēscent-, present participle of lactēscere, inchoative of lactēre, to be milky, from lac, lact-, milk; see melg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

drogue

1. Nautical See sea anchor. 2. A drogue parachute. 3. A funnel-shaped or cone-shaped device towed behind an aircraft as a target. 4. A funnel-shaped device at the end of the hose of a tanker aircraft, used as a stabilizer and receptacle for the probe of a receiving aircraft, as in refueling. [Perhaps alteration of DRAG (influenced by obsolete drogue, drug).]

nonferrous

1. Not composed of or containing iron. 2. Of or relating to metals other than iron.

extraconstitutional

1. Not existing or provided for in a constitution. 2. Exceeding the authority granted in a constitution.

heterodox

1. Not in agreement with accepted beliefs, especially in church doctrine or dogma. 2. Holding unorthodox opinions. [Greek heterodoxos : hetero-, hetero- + doxa, opinion (from dokein, to think; see dek- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

infrequent

1. Not occurring regularly; occasional or rare: an infrequent guest. 2. Situated or placed at rather wide intervals, as in time or space: infrequent oases in the desert.

bimestrial

1. Occurring every two months; bimonthly. 2. Lasting two months. [From Latin bimēstris : bi-, two; see BI-1 + mēnsis, month; see mē-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

catholic, Catholic

1. Of broad or liberal scope; comprehensive: "The 100-odd pages of formulas and constants are surely the most catholic to be found" (Scientific American). 2. Including or concerning all humankind; universal: "what was of catholic rather than national interest" (J.A. Froude). 3. Catholic a. Of or involving the Roman Catholic Church. b. Of or relating to the universal Christian church. c. Of or relating to the ancient undivided Christian church. d. Of or relating to those churches that have claimed to be representatives of the ancient undivided church. n. Catholic A member of a Catholic church, especially a Roman Catholic. [Middle English catholik, universally accepted, from Old French catholique, from Latin catholicus, universal, from Greek katholikos, from katholou, in general : kat-, kata-, down, along, according to; see CATA- + holou (from neuter genitive of holos, whole; see sol- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

Kafkaesque *

1. Of or relating to Franz Kafka or his writings. 2. Marked by surreal distortion and often a sense of impending danger: "Kafkaesque fantasies of the impassive interrogation, the false trial, the confiscated passport ... haunt his innocence" (New Yorker).

Machiavellian *

1. Of or relating to Machiavelli or Machiavellianism. 2. Suggestive of or characterized by expediency, deceit, and cunning.

baronial *

1. Of or relating to a baron or barony. 2. Suited for or befitting a baron; stately and grand: a baronial mansion.

Caribbean

1. Of or relating to the Caribbean Sea, its islands, or its Central or South American coasts or to the peoples or cultures of this region. 2. Of or relating to the Carib or their language or culture.

boreal, Boreal

1. Of or relating to the north; northern. 2. Of or concerning the north wind. 3. Boreal Of or relating to the forest areas of northern Eurasia and northern North America, dominated by coniferous trees such as spruce, fir, and pine. [Middle English, from Late Latin Boreālis, from Latin Boreās, Boreas; see BOREAS.]

auricular

1. Of or relating to the sense of hearing or the organs of hearing. 2. Perceived by or spoken into the ear: an auricular confession. 3. Shaped like an ear or an earlobe; having earlike parts or extensions. 4. Of or relating to an auricle of the heart: auricular fibrillation. [Middle English auriculer, spoken into the ear, from Late Latin auriculāris, from Latin auricula, ear; see AURICLE.]

parabolic

1. Of or similar to a parable. 2. Of or having the form of a parabola or paraboloid. [Ultimately from Greek parabolē, comparison; see PARABLE. Sense 2, from PARABOLA.]

bilious

1. Of, relating to, or containing bile; biliary. 2. a. Characterized by an excess secretion of bile. b. Relating to, characterized by, or experiencing gastric distress caused by a disorder of the liver or gallbladder. c. Appearing as if affected by such a disorder; sickly. 3. Resembling bile, especially in color: a bilious green. 4. Having a peevish disposition; ill-humored.

dendritic

1. Of, relating to, or resembling a dendrite. 2. Of or relating to a dendritic cell. 3. Dendriform.

devil's advocate

1. One who argues against a cause or position, not as a committed opponent but simply for the sake of argument or to determine the validity of the cause or position. 2. Roman Catholic Church An official formerly appointed to present arguments against a proposed canonization or beatification. [Translation of Medieval Latin advocātus diabolī, one arguing for the devil's plea against canonizing a saint : Latin advocātus, advocate + Late Latin diabolī, genitive of diabolus, devil.]

huckster

1. One who sells wares or provisions in the street; a peddler or hawker. 2. One who uses aggressive, showy, and sometimes devious methods to promote or sell a product. 3. Informal One who writes advertising copy, especially for radio or television. v. huck·stered, huck·ster·ing, huck·sters v.tr. 1. To sell; peddle. 2. To promote or attempt to sell (a commercial product, for example) in an overaggressive or showy manner. 3. To haggle over; deal in. v.intr. To sell or promote something. [Middle English, probably of Low German origin; akin to Middle Dutch hokester.]

pageantry

1. Pageants and their presentation. 2. a. Grand display; pomp. b. Empty show; flashy display.

manicotti *

1. Pasta in large-sized tubes. 2. A dish consisting of such tubes stuffed with meat or cheese, usually served hot with a tomato sauce. [Italian, pl. of manicotto, muff, from manica, sleeve, from Latin manicae, sleeves, from manus, hand; see man-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

problematic

1. Posing a problem; difficult to solve: a repair that proved more problematic than first expected. 2. Open to doubt; debatable: "if you ever get married, which seems to me extremely problematic" (Oscar Wilde). 3. Not settled; unresolved or dubious: a problematic future. n. Something that poses a problem or difficulty: "[a book that] poses the problematics of memory in another light altogether" (Daphne Merkin).

aegis, egis

1. Protection: a child whose welfare is now under the aegis of the courts. 2. Sponsorship; patronage: a concert held under the aegis of the parents' association. 3. Guidance, direction, or control: "the Mamelukes, the warrior caste that ruled Egypt under the distant aegis of the Turkish sultan" (David A. Bell). 4. Greek Mythology The goatskin shield or breastplate of Zeus or Athena. Athena's shield carried at its center the head of Medusa. [Latin, from Greek aigis, goatskin, skin shield, aegis, from aix, aig-, goat.]

apocalyptic *

1. Relating to or predicting the end of the world, especially as described in the Bible or another religious text. 2. Relating to or predicting widespread destruction or the collapse of civilization: "The refugees in the camps spoke of apocalyptic devastation and tens of thousands dead" (Amitav Ghosh). 3. Characterized by predictions of or allusions to a disastrous outcome: spoke of the impending economic crisis in apocalyptic terms.

algorism *

1. The Arabic system of numeration; the decimal system. 2. Computation with Arabic figures. [Middle English algorisme, from Old French, from Medieval Latin algorismus, after Muhammad ibn-Musa al-KHWARIZMI.]

abridgment, abridgement

1. The act of abridging or the state of being abridged. 2. An abridged written text

rouleau

A small roll, especially of coins wrapped in paper. [French, from Old French rolel, diminutive of role, roll, from Latin rotula, diminutive of rota, wheel; see ROTA.]

acquisition

1. The act of acquiring. 2. Something acquired or gained: added two new acquisitions to my library. [Middle English adquisicioun, attainment, from Latin acquisitiō, acquisitiōn-, from acquisitus, past participle of acquīrere, to acquire; see ACQUIRE.]

aggravation *

1. The act of aggravating or the state of being aggravated. 2. A source of continuing, increasing irritation or trouble. 3. Exasperation

espial

1. The act of watching or observing. 2. A taking notice of something; a discovery. 3. The fact of being seen or noticed. [Middle English espiaille, from Old French, from espier, to watch; see ESPY.]

comparison-shopped *

1. The act or an instance of committing, especially: a. The act of referring a legislative bill to committee. b. Official consignment, as to a prison or mental health facility. c. A court order authorizing consignment to a prison. 2. a. A pledge or obligation, as to follow a certain course of action: a public official's commitment to uphold the Constitution. b. Something pledged, especially an engagement by contract involving financial obligation. 3. The state of being emotionally or intellectually devoted, as to a belief, a course of action, or another person: a profound commitment to the family.

mintage *

1. The act or process of minting coins. 2. Coins manufactured in a mint. 3. The fee paid to a mint by a government. 4. The impression stamped on a coin.

prolepsis

1. The anachronistic representation of something as existing before its proper or historical time, as in the precolonial United States. 2. a. The assignment of something, such as an event or name, to a time that precedes it, as in If you tell the cops, you're a dead man. b. The use of a descriptive word in anticipation of the act or circumstances that would make it applicable, as dry in They drained the lake dry. 3. The anticipation and answering of an objection or argument before one's opponent has put it forward. [Late Latin prolēpsis, from Greek, from prolambanein, to anticipate : pro-, before; see PRO-2 + lambanein, lēp-, to take.]

proscenium

1. The area of a modern theater that is located between the curtain and the orchestra. 2. The stage of an ancient theater, located between the background and the orchestra. 3. A proscenium arch. [Latin proscēnium, from Greek proskēnion : pro-, before; see PRO-2 + skēnē, buildings at the back of the stage.]

divination

1. The art or act of foretelling future events or revealing occult knowledge by means of augury or an alleged supernatural agency. 2. An inspired guess or presentiment. 3. Something that has been divined.

ambivalence

1. The coexistence of opposing attitudes or feelings, such as love and hate, toward a person, object, or idea. 2. Uncertainty or indecisiveness as to which course to follow. [German Ambivalenz : Latin ambi-, ambi- + Latin valentia, vigor (from valēns, valent-, present participle of valēre, to be strong; see wal- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

viscosity *

1. The condition or property of being viscous. 2. Physics Coefficient of viscosity.

sufficiency *

1. The condition or quality of being sufficient: questioned the sufficiency of the budget. 2. An adequate amount or quantity: a sufficiency of clean water. 3. Adequate means to live in modest comfort.

anaphora *

1. The deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of several successive verses, clauses, or paragraphs; for example, "We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills" (Winston S. Churchill). 2. Linguistics The use of a linguistic unit, such as a pronoun, to refer to the same person or object as another unit, usually a noun. The use of her to refer to the person named by Anne in the sentence Anne asked Edward to pass her the salt is an example of anaphora. [Late Latin, from Greek, from anapherein, to bring back : ana-, ana- + pherein, to carry; see bher-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

macrocosm *

1. The entire world; the universe. 2. A system reflecting on a large scale one of its component systems or parts. [Medieval Latin macrocosmus : Greek makro-, macro- + Greek kosmos, world.]

fibrillation

1. The forming of fibers. 2. a. Fine, rapid twitching of individual muscle fibers with little or no movement of the muscle as a whole. b. Rapid uncoordinated twitching movements that replace the normal rhythmic contraction of the heart and may cause a lack of circulation and pulse.

major-domo

1. The head steward or butler in the household of a sovereign or great noble. 2. A steward or butler. 3. One who makes arrangements or directs affairs for another. [Italian maggiordomo or Spanish mayordomo, both from Medieval Latin māior domūs : Latin māior, chief; see meg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + Latin domūs, genitive of domus, house; see dem- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

ossification

1. The natural process of bone formation. 2. a. The hardening or calcification of soft tissue into a bonelike material. b. A mass or deposit of such material. 3. a. The process of becoming set in a rigidly conventional pattern, as of behavior, habits, or beliefs. b. Rigid, unimaginative convention.

liquefaction

1. The process of liquefying. 2. The state of being liquefied. [Middle English liquefaccion, from Old French liquefacion, from Late Latin liquefactiō, liquefactiōn-, from Latin liquefactus, past participle of liquefacere, to make liquid; see LIQUEFY.]

morality *

1. The quality of being in accord with standards of right or good conduct: questioned the morality of my actions. 2. A system or collection of ideas of right and wrong conduct: religious morality; Christian morality. 3. Virtuous conduct: commended his morality. 4. A rule or lesson in moral conduct: sermons noted for their moralities.

insurgency

1. The quality or circumstance of being rebellious. 2. An instance of rebellion; an insurgence.

savagery *

1. The quality or condition of being savage. 2. An act of violent cruelty. 3. Savage behavior or nature; barbarity.

hepatotoxicity

1. The quality or condition of being toxic or destructive to the liver. 2. The capacity of a substance to have damaging effects on the liver.

toxicity *

1. The quality or condition of being toxic. 2. The degree to which a substance is toxic.

langlauf

1. The sport of cross-country skiing. 2. A cross-country ski run or race. [German : lang, long (from Middle High German, from Old High German; see del-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + Lauf, race (from Middle High German louf, from Old High German hlouf).]

certitude

1. The state of being certain or convinced of something; complete assurance; confidence: Who can say with certitude how strong the economy will be next year? 2. Something that is assured or believed to be true: "serene certitudes instilled in me by my family and teachers" (Garry Wills). [Middle English, from Late Latin certitūdō, from Latin certus, certain; see CERTAIN.]

incompatibility

1. The state or quality of being incompatible. 2. incompatibilities Mutually exclusive or antagonistic qualities or things.

advection

1. The transfer of a property of the atmosphere, such as heat, cold, or humidity, by the horizontal movement of an air mass: Today's temperatures were higher due to the advection of warm air into the region. 2. The rate of change of an atmospheric property caused by the horizontal movement of air. 3. The horizontal movement of water, as in an ocean current. [Latin advectiō, advectiōn-, act of conveying, from advectus, past participle of advehere, to carry to : ad-, ad- + vehere, to carry; see wegh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

periphrasis

1. The use of circumlocution. 2. A circumlocution. [Latin, from Greek, from periphrazein, to express periphrastically : peri-, peri- + phrazein, to say; see gwhren- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

majolica

1. Tin-glazed earthenware that is often richly colored and decorated, especially an earthenware of this type produced in Italy. 2. Pottery made in imitation of this earthenware. [Italian maiolica, from Medieval Latin Māiōlica, Majorca (where it was made), alteration of Late Latin Māiōrica.]

stickle

1. To argue or contend stubbornly, especially about trivial or petty points. 2. To have or raise objections; scruple. [Variant of Middle English stightlen, to contend, frequentative of stighten, to arrange, from Old English stihtian, stihtan; see steigh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

repine *

1. To be discontented or low in spirits; complain or fret. 2. To yearn after something: Immigrants who repined for their homeland. [Middle English repinen, to be aggrieved : re-, re- + pinen, to yearn; see PINE2.]

mollify

1. To calm the anger of; soothe or appease. See Synonyms at pacify. 2. To lessen, as in intensity; assuage: a meeting to mollify concerns about traffic near the new school. 3. Archaic To reduce the rigidity of; soften. [Middle English mollifien, from Old French mollifier, from Late Latin mollificāre : Latin mollis, soft; see mel-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + -ficāre, -fy.]

perpetuate

1. To cause to continue indefinitely; make perpetual. 2. To prolong the existence of; cause to be remembered: The new library will perpetuate its founder's great love of learning. [Latin perpetuāre, perpetuāt-, from perpetuus, continuous; see PERPETUAL.]

transfigure *

1. To change the form or appearance of; transform. See Synonyms at convert. 2. To exalt or glorify. [Middle English transfiguren, from Old French transfigurer, from Latin trānsfigūrāre : trāns-, trans- + figūra, form; see dheigh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

stigmatize *

1. To characterize or brand as disgraceful or ignominious. 2. To mark with stigmata or a stigma. 3. To cause stigmata to appear on. [Medieval Latin stigmatizāre, to brand, from Greek stigmatizein, to mark, from stigma, stigmat-, tattoo mark; see STIGMA.]

roisterous

1. To engage in boisterous merrymaking; revel noisily. 2. To behave in a blustering manner; swagger. [From obsolete roister, roisterer, probably from Old French rustre, ruffian, alteration of ruste, from Latin rūsticus, rustic; see RUSTIC.]

redound

1. To have an effect or consequence: deeds that redound to one's discredit. 2. To return; recoil: "covered her with a ridicule that would redound upon their son" (Louise Auchincloss). [Middle English redounden, to flow abundantly, from Old French redonder, from Latin redundāre, to overflow; see REDUNDANT.]

maximization

1. To increase or make as great or large as possible: "the ideal of maximizing opportunity through the equalizing of educational opportunity" (Robert J. Havighurst). 2. Mathematics To find the largest value of (a function).

reconstitute

1. To provide with a new structure: The parks commission has been reconstituted. 2. To bring (a concentrated solution or a dehydrated substance) to normal strength or condition by adding water.

realignment *

1. To put back into proper order or alignment: realigned the fence. 2. To cause to form new arrangements or to have a new orientation; reorganize: realigned our department for new projects; realigned the political parties.

sanctification

1. To set apart for sacred use; consecrate: The preacher sanctified the ground as a cemetery. 2. To make holy; purify: They felt the spirit had descended and sanctified their hearts. They sanctified the body with holy oil. 3. To give religious sanction to, as with an oath or vow: The wedding ceremony sanctifies the marriage. 4. To give social or moral sanction to: "The only books I wanted to read as a teenager were those sanctified by my elders and betters" (David Eggers). [Middle English seintefien, sanctifien, from Old French saintifier, from Late Latin sānctificāre : Latin sānctus, holy, from past participle of sancīre, to consecrate; see sak- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + Latin -ficāre, -fy.]

jump-start

1. To start (the engine of a motor vehicle) by using a jumper cable connected to the battery of another vehicle or by engaging the drivetrain while the vehicle is rolling downhill or being pushed. 2. Informal To start or reinvigorate (an activity, system, or process): "struggled to jump-start his once front-running ... presidential campaign" (Susan Feeney). n. 1. The act, process, or an instance of starting a motor vehicle by using a booster cable or suddenly releasing the clutch while the vehicle is being pushed. 2. Informal The act or an instance of starting or setting in motion a stalled or sluggish system or process.

ozonize *

1. To treat or impregnate with ozone. 2. To convert (oxygen) to ozone.

perambulate

1. To walk through. 2. To inspect (an area) on foot. v.intr. To walk about; roam or stroll. [Latin perambulāre, perambulāt- : per-, per- + ambulāre, to walk; see ambhi in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

indite

1. To write; compose. 2. To set down in writing. 3. Obsolete To dictate. [Middle English enditen, from Old French enditer, from Vulgar Latin *indictāre : Latin in-, toward; see IN-2 + Latin dictāre, to compose, to say habitually, frequentative of dīcere, to say; see deik- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

blasé

1. Uninterested because of frequent exposure or indulgence. 2. Unconcerned; nonchalant: had a blasé attitude about housecleaning. 3. Very sophisticated. [French, from past participle of blaser, to cloy, from French dialectal, to be chronically hung over, probably from Middle Dutch blāsen, to blow up, swell; see bhlē- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

effendi

1. Used as a title of respect for men in Turkey, equivalent to sir. 2. An educated or respected man in the Near East. [Turkish efendi, from Medieval Greek aphentēs, master, alteration of Greek authentēs; see AUTHENTIC.]

infamy *

1. Very bad reputation; notoriety: achieved infamy as the central figure in the scandal. 2. The condition of being infamous; disgrace: a name that will live in infamy. 3. An evil or criminal act that is publicly known. [Middle English infamie, dishonor, from Old French, from Latin īnfāmia, from īnfāmis, infamous; see INFAMOUS.]

insidious *

1. Working or spreading harmfully in a subtle or stealthy manner: insidious rumors; an insidious disease. 2. Intended to entrap; treacherous: insidious misinformation. 3. Beguiling but harmful; alluring: insidious pleasures. [From Latin īnsidiōsus, from īnsidiae, ambush, from īnsidēre, to sit upon, lie in wait for : in-, in, on; see IN-2 + sedēre, to sit; see sed- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

cyclopean, Cyclopean

1. often Cyclopean Relating to or suggestive of a Cyclops: a great Cyclopean monocle. 2. Very big; huge: has a cyclopean ego. 3. Of or constituting a primitive style of masonry characterized by the use of massive stones of irregular shape and size.

heliotrope

1.a. Any of several plants of the genus Heliotropium, especially H. arborescens, native to Peru and having small, highly fragrant purplish flowers. Also called turnsole. b. The garden heliotrope. c. Any of various plants that turn toward the sun. 2. See bloodstone. 3. A moderate, light, or brilliant violet to moderate or deep reddish purple. [Middle English elitrope (from Old English eliotropus) and French héliotrope, both from Latin hēliotropium, from Greek hēliotropion : hēlio-, helio- + tropos, turn; see TROPE.]

mycetoma *

A chronic, slowly progressing bacterial or fungal infection usually of the foot or leg, characterized by nodules that discharge an oily pus. [Greek mukēs, mukēt-, fungus + -OMA.]

Karachi *

A city of southern Pakistan on the Arabian Sea. Developed as a trading center in the early 1700s, it passed to the British in 1843 and was the capital of newly independent Pakistan from 1947 until 1959.

Abadan

A city of southwest Iran on Abadan Island in the delta of the Shatt al Arab at the head of the Persian Gulf

lebkuchen

A chewy, honey-sweetened spice cake or cookie, often containing nuts or candied fruits. [German, from Middle High German lebekuoche : lebe-, of unknown meaning + kuoche, cake; see KUCHEN.]

erythrocytometer

A device for counting the number of red blood cells in a blood sample.

lactometer *

A device used to measure the specific gravity, and therefore the richness, of milk.

ahimsa

A Jain, Buddhist, and Hindu doctrine expressing belief in the sacredness of all living creatures and urging the avoidance of harm and violence. [Sanskrit ahiṁsā : a-, not; see ne in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + hiṁsā, injury (from hiṁsati, he injures).]

Aramaic

A Semitic language originally of the ancient Arameans but widely used by non-Aramean peoples throughout southwest Asia. Also called Aramean, Chaldean.

alcazar *

A Spanish palace or fortress, originally one built by the Moors. [Spanish alcázar, from Arabic al-qaṣr : al-, the + qaṣr, castle (from Latin castra, fort, pl. of castrum, camp; see kes- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

Nagasaki

A city of western Kyushu, Japan, on Nagasaki Bay, an inlet of the East China Sea. The first Japanese port to be opened to foreign trade in the 1500s, Nagasaki was devastated by the second atomic bomb used in World War II (August 9, 1945).

Lacedaemon

A city-state of ancient Greece in the southeast Peloponnesus. Settled by Dorian Greeks, it was noted for its militarism and reached the height of its power in the sixth century BC. A protracted rivalry with Athens led to the Peloponnesian Wars (460-404) and Sparta's hegemony over all of Greece. Its ascendancy was broken by Thebans in 371.

jurat *

A clause attached to an affidavit, in which a notary or legally authorized officer attests to the fact that the affidavit was made under oath. [Middle English, informant under oath, member of a ruling body of a city, from Anglo-Norman, member of a ruling body of a city, from Medieval Latin iūrātus, juror, from past participle of Latin iūrāre, to swear; see JURY1.]

clay pigeon

A clay disk thrown as a flying target for skeet and trapshooting. Also called bird.

aniseikonia

A condition in which the shape and size of the ocular image differ in each eye. [From ANIS(O)- + Greek eikōn, image.]

Tanzania

A country of east-central Africa on the Indian Ocean. Inhabited since prehistoric times and settled by Bantu peoples by the tenth century, most of the region was incorporated into German East Africa starting in 1885 and passed to the British in 1920 as Tanganyika. Zanzibar, a narrow strip along the coast, was a British protectorate after 1890. Tanganyika achieved independence in 1961 and joined with Zanzibar in 1964 to form Tanzania. Dar es Salaam is the largest city; Dodoma is the capital.

Burundi

A country of east-central Africa with a coastline on Lake Tanganyika. It was inhabited originally by the Twa, a Pygmy people, and later also by Hutus and Tutsis, the latter gaining political and economic dominance in the 19th century. The area formed part of German East Africa and later of Belgian-ruled Ruanda-Urundi before it became an independent kingdom in 1962 and was declared a republic in 1966. In the 1970s and again in the 1990s tens of thousands of people were killed in ethnic clashes between Hutus and Tutsis. Bujumbura is the capital and the largest city.

Guyana *

A country of northeast South America on the Atlantic Ocean. The region of Guiana was settled in the early 1600s by the Dutch, who competed with the British and the French over the next two centuries for control of the coast. Awarded the western portion of Guiana in 1815, Great Britain established (1831) the colony of British Guiana, which gained its independence as Guyana in 1966. Georgetown is the capital and the largest city.

Swaziland *

A country of southeast Africa between South Africa and Mozambique. Settled in the early 1800s by Swazi groups fleeing Zulu attacks, the region became a South African protectorate (1894-1899) and was subsequently transferred to British administration in 1903. Swaziland was granted limited autonomy in 1963 and achieved full independence in 1968. The country's first democratic elections were held in 1993. Mbabane is the capital and the largest city.

Mozambique

A country of southeast Africa. Inhabited by Bantu peoples from the 1st century AD, the coast was settled by Arab traders beginning in the 8th century. The Portuguese colonized the area in the early 16th century and governed it as part of their India holdings until 1752, when a separate administrative unit was formed. It became an overseas province in 1951 and, after a decade of civil war, gained its independence in 1975. Maputo is the capital and the largest city.

Indonesia *

A country of southeast Asia in the Malay Archipelago including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, the Moluccas, parts of Borneo, New Guinea, and Timor, and many smaller islands. First settled by Austronesian-speaking peoples from the Asian mainland, the islands were the site of kingdoms allied with India before the arrival of Arab traders who introduced Islam, which became the dominant religion after the 1300s. The Dutch East Indies Company controlled the territory from 1602 to 1799, when authority was turned over to the government of the Netherlands. In 1945 Indonesia declared its independence, which was finally achieved in 1949. Jakarta, on Java, is the capital and the largest city.

Lebanon

A country of southwest Asia on the Mediterranean Sea. The site of ancient Phoenicia, the region was gradually absorbed by the Persian Empire and later conquered by Alexander the Great. Eventually it came under Roman control and was Christianized before the Arab conquest of the 7th century. Part of the Ottoman Empire from the early 16th century, Lebanon became a French League of Nations mandate after World War I and proclaimed its independence in 1941, although full self-government was not achieved until 1946. Tensions between Christians and Muslims led to civil war (1975), which finally came to an end in 1990. Beirut is the capital and the largest city.

Sierra Leone

A country of western Africa on the Atlantic coast. Inhabited by the Temne when the Portuguese first visited the coast in 1460, the region was later settled by Mande-speaking peoples from present-day Liberia. In 1792 freed slaves were brought from Nova Scotia to found the colony of Freetown, which was transferred to British administration in 1808. The region became a British protectorate in 1896 and achieved independence in 1961. Sierra Leone became a republic in 1971. Freetown is the capital and the largest city.

kefir

A creamy drink made of fermented cow's milk. [Russian, probably ultimately from Old Turkic köpür, (milk) froth, foam, from köpürmäk, to froth, foam.]

lobster thermidor

A dish consisting of cooked lobster meat mixed with a cream sauce, put into a lobster shell, sprinkled with cheese, and browned. [After French Thermidor, the 11th month of the calendar used during the French Revolution : Greek thermē, heat; see THERM + Greek dōron, gift; see dō- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Russian wolfhound

A dog of a tall slender breed developed in Russia for hunting wolves, having a narrow pointed head and a silky coat. Also called Russian wolfhound. [From Russian borzoĭ, swift, variant of borzyĭ.]

saluki

A dog of a tall slender breed developed in the Middle East for hunting fast prey, having long ears and a smooth silky coat. [Arabic salūqī, of Saluq, an ancient city of southern Arabia.]

harmattan *

A dry dusty wind that blows along the northwest coast of Africa. [Akan (Twi) haramata, possibly from Arabic ḥarām, evil thing, from ḥarama, to prohibit; see x̣rm in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

benzoyl peroxide

A flammable white granular solid, C14H10O4, used as a bleaching agent for flour and lipids, as a drying agent, as a polymerization catalyst, and in pharmaceuticals.

elegiac stanza

A four-line stanza in iambic pentameter having the rhyme scheme abab. Also called heroic quatrain, heroic stanza.

paparazzo

A freelance photographer who doggedly pursues celebrities to take candid pictures for sale to magazines and newspapers. [From Paparazzo, the surname of a character typifying such a photographer in the film La Dolce Vita (1960) by Federico Fellini.]

mascarpone

A fresh soft Italian cheese with a high butterfat content, made from light cream. [Italian, augmentative of dialectal (Lombardy) mascarpa, mascherpa, a kind of ricotta, of unknown origin.]

sanbenito *

A garment of sackcloth worn at an auto-da-fé of the Spanish Inquisition by condemned heretics, being yellow with red crosses for the penitent and black with painted flames and devils for the impenitent. [Spanish sambenito, after San Benito, Saint Benedict of Nursia (from its similarity to the scapular supposedly introduced by him).]

limbic system

A group of interconnected deep brain structures common to all mammals, including the hippocampus and amygdala, involved in olfaction, emotion, motivation, behavior, and various autonomic functions.

hexad

A group or series of six. [Late Latin hexas, hexad-, the number six, from Greek, from hex, six; see s(w)eks in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

collodion

A highly flammable, colorless or yellowish syrupy solution of nitrocellulose, ether, and alcohol, used as an adhesive to close small wounds and hold surgical dressings, in topical medications, and for making photographic plates. [Variant of collodium, from New Latin collōdium, gluey substance, from Greek kollōdēs, glutinous, gluelike : kolla, glue + -ōdēs, adj. suffix (earlier, having the smell of, from ozein, od-, to smell).]

hasenpfeffer

A highly seasoned stew of marinated rabbit meat. [German : Hase, rabbit (from Middle High German, from Old High German haso; see kas- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + Pfeffer, pepper (from Middle High German, from Old High German pfeffar, from Latin piper; see PEPPER).]

Wallachia, Walachia

A historical region of southeast Romania between the Transylvanian Alps and the Danube River. Founded as a principality c. 1290, it was dominated by the Ottoman Empire from c. 1415 until it was united with Moldavia to form Romania (1862).

bindlestiff

A hobo, especially one who carries a bedroll. [bindle, bundle (probably from German dialectal bindel, from Middle High German bündel, from binden, to bind, from Old High German binten; see bhendh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + STIFF.]

fumarole

A hole in a volcanic area from which hot smoke and gases escape. [Italian fumarola, from Late Latin fūmāriolum, smoke hole, diminutive of Latin fūmārium, smoke chamber, from fūmus, smoke.]

chagrined

A keen feeling of mental unease, as of annoyance or embarrassment, caused by failure, disappointment, or a disconcerting event: To her chagrin, the party ended just as she arrived. tr.v. cha·grined, cha·grin·ing, cha·grins To cause to feel chagrin; mortify or discomfit: He was chagrined at the poor sales of his book. See Synonyms at embarrass. [French, possibly from dialectal French chagraigner, to distress, become gloomy, from Old French graim, sorrowful, gloomy, of Germanic origin.]

mesophyte

A land plant that grows in an environment having a moderate amount of moisture.

epergne

A large table centerpiece consisting of a frame with extended arms or branches supporting holders, as for flowers, fruit, or sweetmeats. [Perhaps alteration of French épargne, a saving, from épargner, to save, from Old French espargnier, of Germanic origin.]

triceps

A large three-headed muscle running along the back of the upper arm and serving to extend the forearm. [From Latin, three-headed : tri-, tri- + caput, head; see kaput- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

demijohn

A large, narrow-necked glass or earthenware bottle, usually encased in wickerwork. [Probably alteration of French dame-Jeanne : dame, lady; see DAME + Jeanne, personal name.]

imagism, Imagism *

A literary movement launched by British and American poets in the early 1900s that advocated the use of free verse, common speech patterns, and clear concrete images as a reaction to Victorian sentimentalism.

scherzo *

A lively movement, commonly in 3/4 time, introduced as a replacement for a minuet in pieces with multiple movements. [Italian, joke, scherzo, from Old Italian scherzare, to joke, perhaps of Germanic origin.]

saga novel

A long novel, often in many volumes, chronicling the history of several generations of a family, community, or other group and often presenting an overall view of society during a particular epoch. Also called saga novel. [French : roman, novel + fleuve, river.]

balmacaan *

A loose, full overcoat with raglan sleeves, originally made of rough woolen cloth. [After Balmacaan, an estate near Inverness, Scotland.]

Ouachita Mountains *

A low mountain range between the Arkansas and Red Rivers extending about 330 km (200 mi) from central Arkansas to southeast Oklahoma. Magazine Mountain, 840 m (2,753 ft), is the highest point in the range and the highest elevation in Arkansas.

paraselene (singular)

A luminous spot on a lunar halo.

pappataci fever

A mild viral disease transmitted by the bite of a sandfly (Phlebotomus papatasii), characterized by fever, malaise, eye pain, and headache.

expansionism

A nation's practice or policy of territorial or economic expansion.

clique

A small exclusive group of friends or associates. intr.v. cliqued, cliqu·ing, cliques Informal To form, associate in, or act as a clique. [French, from Old French, latch or from obsolete French cliquer, to click, clink, of imitative origin.]

ceilometer

A photoelectric instrument for ascertaining cloud heights.

laser printer

A printer that uses a laser to produce an image on a rotating drum before electrostatically transferring the image to paper.

marasmus *

A progressive wasting of the body, occurring chiefly in young children and associated with insufficient intake or malabsorption of food. [New Latin, from Greek marasmos, from marainein, to waste away; see mer- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

antimacassar

A protective and often decorative covering for the back or arms of a chair or sofa. [ANTI- + Macassar (oil), a kind of perfumed hair oil popular in the 1800s (after MAKASSAR, from which oil from the seeds of the tree Schleichera oleosa, used to make fine hair oils, was exported).]

comeuppance

A punishment or retribution that one deserves; one's just desserts: "That was the joy of a video game: watching someone who deserved it getting his comeuppance" (Jodi Picoult).

rara avis *

A rare or unique person or thing. [Latin rāra avis : rāra, feminine of rārus, rare + avis, bird.]

eremitic

A recluse or hermit, especially a religious recluse. [Middle English, from Late Latin erēmīta; see HERMIT.]

goethite

A red, yellow, or brown mineral, essentially HFeO2, one of the common constituents of rust. [After Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.]

Hejaz, Hedjaz

A region of northwest Saudi Arabia on the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea. It includes the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

béarnaise sauce

A sauce of butter and egg yolks that is flavored with vinegar, wine, shallots, tarragon, and chervil. [French béarnaise, feminine of béarnais, of Béarn.]

dandruff

A scaly scurf formed on and shed from the scalp, sometimes caused by seborrhea. [dand-, of unknown origin + dialectal hurf, scurf (from Old Norse hrufa, crust, scab).]

Barents Sea *

A shallow section of the Arctic Ocean north of Norway and northwest Russia. The North Atlantic Current keeps its southern ports ice-free all year.

oribi *

A small African antelope (Ourebia ourebi) having a light brown coat with white underparts, a short black tail, and short horns in the male. [Afrikaans, from Khoikhoi arab : ara, to provide with stripes + -b, masculine n. suff.]

Averno *

A small crater lake of southern Italy near the Tyrrhenian Sea west of Naples. Because of its gloomy aspect and intense sulfuric vapors, now extinguished, the ancient Romans regarded it as the entrance to the underworld.

nainsook

A soft, light, cotton fabric of a plain weave, formerly used for undergarments. [From Hindi nainsukh, pleasant : nain, eye (from Sanskrit nayanam, from nayati, he leads) + sukh, pleasure (from Sanskrit sukha-, running easily (of chariots), pleasant : su-, good; see (e)su- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + kham, kha-, opening, axle-hole in the nave of a wheel; perhaps akin to Khotanese khā-, to open, and Sanskrit khā- and Avestan xā-, spring (of water), fountain).]

legist *

A specialist in law. [Middle English legiste, from Old French, from Medieval Latin lēgista, from Latin lēx, lēg-, law; see leg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

starets

A spiritual adviser, often a monk or religious hermit, in the Eastern Orthodox Church. [Russian, elder, starets, from Old Church Slavonic starĭtsĭ, elder, from starŭ, old; see stā- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

régisseur (singular)

A stage director, especially of a ballet. [French, from régir, régiss-, to direct, from Old French regir, from Latin regere; see REGENT.]

inquietude

A state of restlessness or uneasiness; disquietude. [Middle English, disturbance, from Late Latin inquiētūdō, restlessness, from Latin inquiētus, restless : in-, not; see IN-1 + quiētus, quiet; see QUIET.]

griot *

A storyteller in western Africa who perpetuates the oral tradition and history of a village or family. [French, alteration of guiriot, perhaps ultimately from Portuguese criado, domestic servant, from Latin creātus, one brought up or trained, from past participle of creāre, to produce, bring up; see CREATE.]

Gallomania

A strong predilection for anything French. [French gallomanie : gallo-, France (from Latin Gallus, a Gaul) + -manie, mania (from Late Latin mania; see MANIA).]

Dixieland *

A style of traditional jazz developed in New Orleans in the early 1900s, usually performed by combos and featuring simultaneous improvisations by multiple musicians.

countercoup

A sudden overthrow of a government that gained power by a coup d'état.

decalescence

A sudden slowing in the rate of temperature increase in a metal being heated, caused by endothermic structural changes and resulting in a darkening of the metal. [From DE- + Latin calēscere, to become warm, inchoative of calēre, to be warm; see kelə-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

macrobiotics

A theory or practice of promoting well-being and longevity, principally by means of a diet consisting of unprocessed foods such as whole grains, vegetables, and beans.

Gore-Tex (trademark)

A trademark for a water-repellant, breathable laminated fabric, used primarily in outerwear and shoes.

chanoyu *

A traditional Japanese ritual in which matcha is whisked into a froth with hot water in a bowl and the resulting beverage is then shared by the participants.

amarelle

A type of sour cherry having pale red fruit and colorless or nearly colorless juice. [German, from Medieval Latin amārellum, from Latin amārus, bitter.]

hydrocephalous (adjective)

A usually congenital condition in which an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the cerebral ventricles causes enlargement of the skull and compression of the brain, destroying much of the neural tissue. [New Latin, from Greek hudrokephalon : hudro-, hydro- + kephalē, head; see ghebh-el- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Mcintosh

A variety of apple having red skin and crisp white flesh. [After John McIntosh (fl. 1796), Canadian farmer.]

writ of error *

A writ commissioning an appellate court to review the proceedings of another court and correct the judgment given if deemed necessary.

au pair

A young foreigner who provides childcare for a family in exchange for room and board, often a small stipend, and the opportunity to study. [French : au, at the + pair, equal.]

aspidistra, Aspidistra

Any of various eastern Asian plants of the genus Aspidistra, especially A. elatior, which has large evergreen basal leaves and small, brownish bell-shaped flowers and is widely cultivated as a houseplant. Also called cast-iron plant. [New Latin Aspidistra, genus name, from Greek aspis, aspid-, shield.]

lacertilian *

Any of various lizards and closely related reptiles. [From New Latin Lacertīlia, former suborder name, from Latin lacerta, lizard.]

rhythm and blues *

Abbr. R & B A style of music developed by African Americans that combines blues and jazz, characterized by a strong backbeat and repeated variations on syncopated instrumental phrases.

Oppenheimer *

American physicist who directed the Los Alamos, New Mexico, laboratory during the development of the first atomic bomb (1942-1945).

aerophobia

An abnormal fear of air, especially drafts.

calipash

An edible, gelatinous, greenish substance lying beneath the upper shell of a turtle. [Possibly alteration of Spanish carapacho, carapace.]

Okinawa

An island group of the central Ryukyu Islands in the western Pacific Ocean southwest of Japan. In World War II Okinawa, the largest island in the group, was the scene of fierce combat between the Japanese and US Army and Marine forces (April 1-June 21, 1945). The islands were returned to the Japanese in 1972.

Socotra

An island of Yemen in the Indian Ocean at the mouth of the Gulf of Aden. Known to the ancient Greeks, it came under British protection in 1886 and joined South Yemen (now Yemen) in 1967.

pronunciamento *

An official or authoritarian declaration; a proclamation or edict. [Spanish pronunciamiento, from pronunciar, to pronounce, from Latin prōnūntiāre; see PRONOUNCE.]

salutatory

An opening or welcoming statement or address, especially one delivered at graduation exercises. adj. Of, relating to, or expressing a salutation.

anopheles, Anopheles

Any of various mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles, which can carry the malaria parasite and transmit the disease to humans. Also called anopheles mosquito. [New Latin Anōphelēs, genus name, from Greek anōphelēs, useless : an-, without; see A-1 + ophelos, advantage, use (influenced by earlier *nōphelēs, useless).]

barberry

Any of various shrubs of the genus Berberis, having leaves that are often clustered, small yellow flowers, and red, orange, or blackish berries. They are grown as ornamentals or hedge plants. [Middle English berberie, alteration (influenced by berye, berry) of Medieval Latin berberis, from Arabic barbārīs, ambirbārīs, amīrbārīs, of unknown origin.]

indophenol

Any of various synthetic blue or green dyes.

stephanotis, Stephanotis

Any of various woody climbing plants of the genus Stephanotis, especially S. floribunda of Madagascar, cultivated for its showy fragrant white flowers. [Greek stephanōtis, deserving a crown, from stephanos, crown, wreath, from stephein, to crown.]

vilipend

Archaic 1. To view or treat with contempt; despise. 2. To speak ill of; disparage. [Middle English vilipenden, from Old French vilipender, from Latin vīlipendere : vīlis, worthless; see wes-3 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + pendere, to consider, weigh; see (s)pen- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

self-incrimination

n. Incrimination of oneself, especially by one's own testimony in a criminal prosecution.

argentiferous

Bearing or producing silver.

Heptateuch *

Bible The first seven books of the Old Testament.

marcescent

Botany Withering but not falling off: marcescent leaves. [Latin marcēscēns, marcēscent-, past participle of marcēscere, inchoative of marcēre, to wither.]

herbivorous

Feeding on plants; plant-eating. [From New Latin herbivorus : Latin herba, vegetation + Latin -vorus, -vorous.]

anguished

Feeling, expressing, or caused by anguish: anguished victims of the earthquake; anguished screams for help.

catarrh

Copious discharge of mucus associated with inflammation of mucous membranes, especially of the nose and throat. [Middle English catarre, from Old French catarrhe, from Late Latin catarrhus, from Greek katarrous, from katarrein, to flow down : kata-, cata- + rhein, to flow; see sreu- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

worst-case

adj. Most unfavorable; being or involving the worst possibility: "has exceeded even the worst-case estimate of his harshest critics" (Alan Cranston).

derring-do

Daring or reckless action. [Misinterpretation of earlier derrynge do, daring to do, misprint of Late Middle English dorryng do, from Middle English durring don : durring, present participle of durren, to dare (from Old English durran; see DARE) + don, to do; see DO1.]

chicanery

Deception by trickery or sophistry.

caisson disease

Decompression sickness.

noteworthiness *

Deserving notice or attention; notable; remarkable: a noteworthy advance in cancer research.

dual-purpose

Designed for or serving two purposes.

unfounded

adj. Not based on fact or sound evidence; groundless: an unfounded allegation of wrongdoing.

judiciously *

Having or exhibiting sound judgment; prudent. [From French judicieux, from Latin iūdicium, judgment, from iūdex, iūdic-, judge; see JUDGE.]

modularized

Having or made up of modules: modularized housing.

filiform

Having the form of or resembling a thread or filament. [Latin fīlum, thread; see gwhī- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + -FORM.]

coextensive

Having the same limits, boundaries, or scope

arborescent *

Having the size, form, or characteristics of a tree; treelike. [Latin arborēscēns, arborēscent-, present participle of arborēscere, to grow to be a tree, from arbor, tree.

zygodactyl *

Having two toes projecting forward and two projecting backward, as certain climbing birds. n. A zygodactyl bird, such as a parrot.

foreknowledge

Knowledge or awareness of something before its existence or occurrence; prescience.

gauchely *

Lacking grace or social polish; awkward or tactless. [French, awkward, lefthanded, from Old French, from gauchir, to turn aside, walk clumsily, of Germanic origin.]

perjure

Law To make (oneself) guilty of perjury. [Middle English perjuren, from Old French perjurer, from Latin periūrāre : per-, per- + iūrāre, to swear; see yewes- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

abaxial *

Located away from or on the opposite side of the axis, as of an organ or organism.

adynamia

Loss of strength or vigor, usually because of disease.

Cinco de Mayo

May 5, observed by Mexicans and people of Mexican descent in commemoration of the 1862 defeat of French troops at the Battle of Puebla. [Spanish : cinco, five + de, of + Mayo, May.]

avian

Of, relating to, or characteristic of birds. [From Latin avis, bird; see awi- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

giaour

Often Offensive A person who is not a believer in Islam. [French, from Italian dialectal (Venetian) giaur (with gi- representing palatalized g- in Ottoman Turkish gâvur), from Ottoman Turkish gâvur, alteration of earlier gebr, from Persian gabr, infidel, Zoroastrian, from Arabic kāfir, infidel, from kafr, village, from Aramaic kaprā; see kpr2 in Semitic roots.]

uncensored

adj. Not censored: uncensored military correspondence; an uncensored novel.

uncommitted

adj. Not pledged to a specific cause or course of action: an uncommitted delegate.

non grata *

adj. Not welcome; not approved: The aide, having been declared non grata, was expelled from the country. [From PERSONA NON GRATA.]

subfusc

adj. Of a dark, dull, or somber color. n. Dark, dull clothing. [Latin subfuscus, brownish : sub-, sub- + fuscus, dark.]

meroplankton

The collection of organisms in the plankton that spend only part of their life cycle, usually the larval or egg stage, drifting freely in the water.

vendible, vendable

adj. 1. Suitable or fit for sale; salable: vendible items of food. 2. Obsolete Venal. n. Something that can be sold.

parmigiana

adj. Made or covered with Parmesan cheese: eggplant parmigiana. [Italian, feminine of parmigiano, of Parma, after Parma, Italy.]

reniform

adj. Shaped like a kidney: a reniform leaf. [Latin rēnēs, kidneys + -FORM.]

mismanagement *

To manage badly or carelessly.

tetrazzini, Tetrazzini

adj. Made with noodles and mushrooms in a cream sauce topped with cheese: turkey tetrazzini. [After Luisa Tetrazzini (1871-1940), Italian operatic soprano.]

tendentiously *

adj. Marked by or favoring a particular point of view; partisan: a tendentious account of the recent elections. [From Medieval Latin tendentia, a cause; see TENDENCY.]

preemptive, pre-emptive

adj. 1. a. Undertaken or intended to deter or prevent an anticipated, usually unpleasant situation or occurrence: The two companies organized a preemptive alliance against a possible takeover by another firm. b. Having the power to preempt or take precedence: preemptive authority. 2. Games Relating to or being a bid in bridge at a high level that is intended to interfere with the opponents' bidding.

tenuous *

adj. 1. a. Weak or insubstantial; flimsy: a tenuous argument; a tenuous link between pieces of evidence. b. Precarious or insecure: tenuous survival. 2. Long and thin; slender: tenuous strands. 3. Having a thin consistency: Pluto's tenuous envelope of gas. [Latin tenuis; see ten- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

sclerotic *

adj. 1. Affected or marked by sclerosis. 2. Anatomy Of or relating to the sclera.

odiously

adj. 1. Arousing or deserving hatred or strong dislike. See Synonyms at hateful. 2. Extremely unpleasant; repulsive: an odious smell. See Synonyms at offensive. [Middle English, from Old French odieus, from Latin odiōsus, from odium, hatred; see ODIUM.]

tutelary

adj. 1. Being or serving as a guardian or protector: tutelary gods. 2. Of or relating to a guardian or guardianship. n. pl. tu·te·lar·ies also tu·te·lars One that serves as a guardian or protector. [From Latin tūtēlārius, guardian, from tūtēla, tutelage; see TUTELAGE.]

severable

adj. 1. Capable of being severed or separated. 2. Law Capable of being separated into legally distinct rights or obligations that can be enforced independently, as in a contract where not all promises must be performed before legal action can be taken to enforce some portion.

shabu-shabu

adj. 1. Capable of being severed or separated. 2. Law Capable of being separated into legally distinct rights or obligations that can be enforced independently, as in a contract where not all promises must be performed before legal action can be taken to enforce some portion.

triable

adj. 1. Capable of being tried or tested: a triable plan. 2. Law a. Capable of being resolved through a legal trial: a triable issue of fact. b. Capable of being resolved in a particular legal forum.

survivable

adj. 1. Capable of surviving: survivable organisms in a hostile environment. 2. Capable of being survived; not fatal: a survivable illness.

quixotical

adj. 1. Caught up in the romance of noble deeds and the pursuit of unreachable goals; idealistic without regard to practicality. 2. Capricious; impulsive: "At worst his scruples must have been quixotic, not malicious" (Louis Auchincloss). [From English Quixote, a visionary, after Don Quixote, hero of a romance by Miguel de Cervantes.]

vindictiveness

adj. 1. Disposed to seek revenge; revengeful. 2. Marked by or resulting from a desire to hurt; spiteful. [From Latin vindicta, vengeance, from vindex, vindic-, surety, avenger; see VINDICATE.]

parsimonious *

adj. 1. Excessively sparing or frugal. 2. Accounting for observed data with a relatively simple explanation: The physicist argued that her new theory was more parsimonious than the standard model.

pyriform

adj. Shaped like a pear. [Medieval Latin pyrum, pear (alteration of Latin pirum; see PEAR) + -FORM.]

exclusivity

adj. 1. Excluding or tending to exclude: exclusive barriers. 2. Not allowing something else; incompatible: mutually exclusive conditions. 3. Not divided or shared with others: exclusive publishing rights. 4. Not accompanied by others; single or sole: your exclusive function. 5. Complete; undivided: gained their exclusive attention. 6. Not including the specified extremes or limits, but only the area between them: 10-14, exclusive; that is, 11, 12, and 13. 7. Excluding some or most, as from membership or participation: an exclusive club. 8. Catering to a wealthy clientele; expensive: exclusive shops. 9. Linguistics Relating to or being a first person plural pronoun that excludes the addressee, such as we in the sentence Pat and I are in town, so we can meet you for lunch. n. 1. A news item initially released to only one publication or broadcaster. 2. An exclusive right or privilege, as to market a product.

fraught

adj. 1. Filled with a specified element or elements; charged: an incident fraught with danger; an evening fraught with high drama. 2. Marked by or causing distress; emotional: "an account of a fraught mother-daughter relationship" (Francesca Simon). n. Scots Freight; cargo. [Middle English, past participle of fraughten, to load, from fraght, cargo; see FREIGHT, and from Middle Dutch vrachten, to load (from vracht, freight; see aik- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

trenchant

adj. 1. Forceful and clear; penetrating: a trenchant argument. 2. Caustic; cutting: a trenchant wit. 3. Distinct; clear-cut: "The times were felt to require ... trenchant distinctions between good and bad, right and wrong" (David Simpson). [Middle English, from Old French, cutting, from present participle of trenchier, to cut; see TRENCH.]

exotically

adj. 1. From another part of the world; foreign: exotic tropical plants in a greenhouse. See Synonyms at foreign. 2. Intriguingly unusual or different; excitingly strange: "If something can be explained simply, in a familiar way, then it is best to avoid more exotic explanations" (Chet Raymo). See Synonyms at fantastic. 3. Of or involving striptease: an exotic dancer. n. 1. One that is exotic. 2. A striptease performer. [Latin exōticus, from Greek exōtikos, from exō, outside; see EXO-.] ex·oti·cal·ly adv.

up-tempo, uptempo

adj. 1. Having a fast or lively tempo: an up-tempo arrangement. 2. Fast-paced: a team with an up-tempo offense. n. pl. up-tem·pos also up·tem·pos A fast or lively tempo, as in jazz.

scabrous

adj. 1. Having or covered with scales or small projections and rough to the touch: a scabrous scar; a plant with scabrous leaves. 2. Dealing with scandalous or salacious material: a scabrous novel. [Late Latin scabrōsus, from scaber, scabr-, scurfy.]

turbid

adj. 1. Having sediment or foreign particles stirred up or suspended; muddy: turbid water. 2. Heavy, dark, or dense, as smoke or fog. 3. In a state of turmoil; muddled: turbid feelings. [Latin turbidus, disordered, from turba, turmoil, probably from Greek turbē.]

teary-eyed

adj. 1. Having tears in the eyes, as from emotion: teary-eyed wedding guests. 2. Marked by tears or weeping: a teary-eyed confession.

saturnine *

adj. 1. Having the temperament of one born under the supposed astrological influence of Saturn. 2. a. Melancholy or sullen. b. Having or marked by a tendency to be bitter or sardonic: a saturnine expression on his face. 3. Produced by absorption of lead.

unassailable

adj. 1. Impossible to dispute or disprove; undeniable: unassailable truths. 2. Not subject to attack or seizure; impregnable: an unassailable fortress.

shamefaced

adj. 1. Indicative of shame; ashamed: a shamefaced explanation. 2. Extremely modest or shy; bashful. [By folk etymology from obsolete shamefast, bashful, ashamed, from Middle English, from Old English sceamfæst : sceamu, shame + fæst, fixed; see FAST1.]

operose

adj. 1. Involving great labor; laborious. 2. Industrious; diligent. [Latin operōsus, from opus, oper-, work; see op- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

spurious

adj. 1. Lacking authenticity or validity in essence or origin; not genuine: spurious poems attributed to Shakespeare. 2. Not trustworthy; dubious or fallacious: spurious reasoning; a spurious justification. 3. Archaic Born to unwed parents. [From Late Latin spurius, from Latin, illegitimate, probably of Etruscan origin.]

unconscious

adj. 1. Lacking awareness and the capacity for sensory perception; not conscious. 2. Temporarily lacking consciousness. 3. Occurring in the absence of conscious awareness or thought: unconscious resentment; unconscious fears. 4. Without conscious control; involuntary or unintended: an unconscious mannerism. n. The division of the mind in psychoanalytic theory containing elements of psychic makeup, such as memories or repressed desires, that are not subject to conscious perception or control but that often affect conscious thoughts and behavior.

fungible

adj. 1. Law Returnable or negotiable in kind or by substitution, as a quantity of grain for an equal amount of the same kind of grain. 2. Interchangeable. n. often fungibles Law Something that is fungible. [Medieval Latin fungibilis, from Latin fungī (vice), to perform (in place of).]

stalwart

adj. 1. Loyal and resolute: a stalwart ally; stalwart support. 2. Strong and imposing: a stalwart oak tree. n. One who steadfastly supports an organization or cause: party stalwarts. [Middle English, alteration of stalworth, from Old English stǣlwierthe, serviceable, probably alteration of *statholwierthe, steadfast : stathol, foundation; see STADDLE + weorth, valuable; see wer-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

offshore

adj. 1. Moving or directed away from the shore: an offshore wind. 2. a. Located at a distance from the shore: an offshore mooring; offshore oil-drilling platforms. b. Located or based in a foreign country and not subject to tax laws: offshore bank accounts; offshore investments. adv. 1. Away from the shore: The storm moved offshore. 2. At a distance from the shore: a boat moored offshore. n. The comparatively flat region of submerged land extending seaward from beyond the region where breakers form to the edge of the continental shelf. tr.v. off·shored, off·shor·ing, off·shores To outsource (production or services) to another country.

passé

adj. 1. No longer current or in fashion; out-of-date. 2. Past the prime; faded or aged. [French, past participle of passer, to pass, from Old French; see PASS.]

exoteric

adj. 1. Not confined to an inner circle of disciples or initiates. 2. Comprehensible to or suited to the public; popular. 3. Of or relating to the outside; external. [Latin exōtericus, external, from Greek exōterikos, from exōterō, comparative of exō, outside; see EXO-.]

unmitigated

adj. 1. Not diminished or moderated in intensity or severity; unrelieved: unmitigated suffering. 2. Without qualification or exception; absolute: an unmitigated lie.

unabashed

adj. 1. Not disconcerted or embarrassed; poised. 2. Not concealed or disguised; obvious: unabashed disgust.

unwearied

adj. 1. Not tired or tiring: unwearied researchers. See Synonyms at tireless. 2. Unrelenting or unremitting: unwearied diligence.

Ethiopian

adj. 1. Of or relating to Ethiopia or its peoples or cultures. 2. Of or relating to the Afrotropical biogeographic region. n. 1. A native or inhabitant of Ethiopia. 2. A person of Ethiopian ancestry.

Rabelaisian

adj. 1. Of or relating to Rabelais or his works. 2. Characterized by coarse humor or bold caricature.

Sisyphean

adj. 1. Of or relating to Sisyphus. 2. Endlessly laborious or futile: "The jumble of wet pans and platters ... made him weary; to dry them seemed a task as Sisyphean as to repair the things wrong with his parents' house" (Jonathan Franzen). [From Latin Sisyphēius, from Greek Sisupheios, from Sisuphos, Sisyphus.]

Plutonian

adj. 1. Of or relating to the god Pluto or the underworld; infernal. 2. Of or relating to the dwarf planet Pluto.

neuromuscular

adj. 1. Of, relating to, or affecting both nerves and muscles. 2. Having the characteristics of both nervous and muscular tissue.

pachydermatous

adj. 1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of a pachyderm. 2. Thick-skinned; insensitive. [New Latin Pachydermata, obsolete order name; see PACHYDERM + -OUS.]

stochastic

adj. 1. Of, relating to, or characterized by conjecture; conjectural. 2. Statistics Involving or containing a random variable or process: stochastic calculus; a stochastic simulation. [Greek stokhastikos, from stokhastēs, diviner, from stokhazesthai, to guess at, from stokhos, aim, goal; see stegh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

medicinal

adj. 1. Of, relating to, or having the properties of medicine. 2. Having an unappealing, bitter flavor. n. A preparation or product having the properties of a medicine.

tangential

adj. 1. Of, relating to, or moving along or in the direction of a tangent. 2. Merely touching or slightly connected. 3. Only superficially relevant; divergent: a tangential remark.

illative

adj. 1. Of, relating to, or of the nature of an illation. 2. Expressing or preceding an inference. Used of a word. 3. Grammar Of, relating to, or being a grammatical case indicating motion toward or into in some languages, as in Finnish Helsinkiin, "to Helsinki." n. 1. A word or phrase, such as hence or for that reason, that expresses an inference. 2. See illation. 3. Grammar a. The illative case. b. A word or form in the illative case.

pythonic

adj. 1. Of, relating to, or resembling a python. 2. Of or resembling an oracle; prophetic. 3. Of extraordinary size and power.

masticatory

adj. 1. Of, relating to, or used in mastication: masticatory muscles. 2. Adapted for chewing. n. pl. mas·ti·ca·to·ries A medicinal substance chewed to increase salivation.

pervious

adj. 1. Open to passage or entrance; permeable. 2. Open to arguments, ideas, or change; approachable. [From Latin pervius : per-, through; see PER- + via, way; see wegh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

semiautonomous

adj. 1. Partially self-governing. 2. Having the powers of self-government within a larger organization or structure.

demoniac *

adj. 1. Possessed, produced, or influenced by a demon: demoniac creatures. 2. Of, resembling, or suggestive of a devil; fiendish: demoniac energy; a demoniacal fit. n. One who is or seems to be possessed by a demon. [Middle English demoniak, from Late Latin daemoniacus, from Greek *daimoniakos, from daimonios, of a spirit, from daimōn, divine power; see DEMON.]

ritualistic

adj. 1. Relating to ritual or ritualism. 2. Advocating or practicing ritual.

reticulate

adj. 1. Resembling or forming a net or network: reticulate veins of a leaf. 2. Relating to or being an evolutionary process that involves the exchange of genes between organisms of different species, as in the formation of a new species through hybridization. v. (-lāt′) re·tic·u·lat·ed, re·tic·u·lat·ing, re·tic·u·lates v.tr. 1. To make a net or network of. 2. To mark with lines resembling a network. v.intr. To form a net or network. [Latin rēticulātus, from rēticulum, diminutive of rēte, net.]

definitive *

adj. 1. Serving to define or identify as distinct from others: "The Enlightenment pushed this project further trying to make science and its hallmark method definitive of the rational life" (Peter Machamer). 2. Supplying or being a final settlement or decision; conclusive: "The fall of the city Constantine had founded marked the definitive end of the Christian Eastern Empire" (James Carroll). See Synonyms at decisive. 3. Authoritative and complete: a definitive biography. See Usage Note at definite. 4. Mass produced in indefinite quantities over an indefinite period of time. Used of postage stamps. 5. Biology Fully formed or developed, as an organ or structure. n. 1. Grammar A word that defines or limits, such as the definite article or a demonstrative pronoun. 2. A definitive postage stamp.

peccant *

adj. 1. Sinful; guilty. 2. Violating a rule or an accepted practice; erring. [Latin peccāns, peccant-, present participle of peccāre, to sin; see ped- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

recalcitrant

adj. 1. Stubbornly resistant to or defiant of authority or guidance. See Synonyms at obstinate. 2. Difficult to manage or deal with: a recalcitrant problem. 3. Resistant to chemical decomposition; decomposing extremely slowly. n. A recalcitrant person. [Late Latin recalcitrāns, recalcitrant-, present participle of recalcitrāre, to be disobedient, from Latin, to deny access : re-, re- + calcitrāre, to kick (from calx, calc-, heel).]

transcendent

adj. 1. Surpassing others; preeminent or supreme. 2. Lying beyond the ordinary range of perception: "fails to achieve a transcendent significance in suffering and squalor" (National Review). 3. Philosophy a. Transcending the Aristotelian categories. b. In Kant's theory of knowledge, being beyond the limits of experience and hence unknowable. 4. Being above and independent of the material universe. Used of the Deity.

sententious

adj. 1. Terse and energetic in expression; pithy. 2. Full of or given to using aphorisms, especially in a pompously moralizing manner. [Middle English, from Old French sententieux, from Latin sententiōsus, full of meaning, from sententia, opinion; see SENTENCE.]

vertiginous

adj. 1. Turning about an axis; revolving or whirling. 2. Affected by vertigo; dizzy. 3. Tending to produce vertigo: "my small mind contained in earthly human limits, not lost in vertiginous space and elements unknown" (Diana Cooper). 4. Inclined to change quickly; unstable. [From Latin vertīgō, vertīgin-, a whirling, from vertere, to turn; see VERSION.]

robustious

adj. 1. Vigorous or energetic, especially in a rough or noisy way: a robustious group of teenagers. 2. Coarse or crude: a robustious comedy.

seriocomic

adj. Both serious and comic.

redux

adj. Brought back; returned. Used postpositively. [Latin : re-, re- + dux, leader; see DUKE.]

sudorific

adj. Causing or increasing sweat. n. A sudorific medicine. Also called sudatory. [New Latin sūdōrificus : Latin sūdor, sweat; see sweid- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + Latin -ficus, -fic.]

waggish *

adj. Characteristic of or resembling a wag; jocular or witty.

furtively

adj. Characterized by, acting with, or suggesting stealth or a desire to avoid discovery; surreptitious: "J.W. from time to time gave her a furtive squeeze of the hand, but they never got to go out alone any more" (John Dos Passos). See Synonyms at secret. [French furtif, from Old French, from Latin fūrtīvus, from fūrtum, theft, from fūr, thief; see bher-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

farraginous *

adj. Composed of a variety of substances. [From Latin farrāgō, farrāgin-, medley, hodgepodge; see FARRAGO.]

terraqueous

adj. Composed of land and water. [Latin terra, earth; see ters- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + AQUEOUS.]

honorific *

adj. Conferring or showing respect or honor. n. A title, phrase, or grammatical form conveying respect, used especially when addressing a social superior. [Latin honōrificus : honor, honōr-, honor + -ficus, -fic.]

saliferous

adj. Containing or yielding salt.

terrigenous

adj. Derived from the land, especially by erosive action. Used primarily of sediments. [From Latin terrigena, earth-born : terra, earth; see ters- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + -GENOUS.]

recoilless *

adj. Designed to minimize the effect of recoil: a recoilless rifle.

hardscrabble

adj. Earning a bare subsistence, as on the land; marginal: the sharecropper's hardscrabble life. n. Barren or marginal farmland.

saprophagous

adj. Feeding on decaying organic matter: saprophagous beetles.

ophiophagous

adj. Feeding on snakes. [From Greek ophiophagos : ophis, snake + -phagos, -phagous.]

comestibles *

adj. Fit to be eaten; edible. n. Something that can be eaten as food: meat, cheese, and other comestibles. [French, from Old French, from Late Latin comēstibilis, from Latin comēstus, alteration (influenced by pōtus, drunk) of comēsus, past participle of comedere, to eat up : com-, intensive pref.; see COM- + edere, to eat; see ed- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

postprandial *

adj. Following a meal, especially dinner: took a postprandial walk through the woods.

sabulous *

adj. Gritty; sandy. [From Latin sabulōsus, from sabulum, coarse sand.]

silvicolous

adj. Growing in or inhabiting woodlands. [From Latin silvicola, inhabitant of the forest : silva, forest + -cola, -colous.]

scaphocephalic

adj. Having an abnormally long narrow skull. [Greek skaphē, boat + -CEPHALIC.]

unicuspid

adj. Having only one cusp. Used of a tooth. n. A unicuspid tooth.

quadrumanous *

adj. Having opposable first digits on both the feet and the hands, used for gripping and climbing. Many primates are quadrumanous. [QUADRU- + Latin manus, hand; see man-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + -OUS.]

unscrupulous

adj. Having or showing no regard for what is right or honorable; devoid of scruples.

unachievable *

adj. Impossible to achieve or attain: an unachievable goal.

pococurante

adj. Indifferent; apathetic. n. One who does not care. [Italian : poco, little; see POCO + curante, present participle of curare, to care for (from Latin cūrāre, from cūra, care).]

punitive

adj. Inflicting or aiming to inflict punishment; punishing. pl.n. punitives Punitive damages. [Medieval Latin pūnītīvus, from Latin poenīre, pūnīre, to punish; see PUNISH.]

plenipotentiary

adj. Invested with or conferring full powers: a plenipotentiary deputy. n. pl. plen·i·po·ten·ti·ar·ies A diplomatic agent, such as an ambassador, fully authorized to represent his or her government. [Medieval Latin plēnipotentiārius, from Late Latin plēnipotēns, plēnipotent-, invested with full power : Latin plēnus, full; see pelə-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + Latin potēns, powerful; see POTENT.]

pusillanimous

adj. Lacking courage; cowardly. [Middle English pusillanimus, from Late Latin pusillanimis : Latin pusillus, weak, diminutive of pullus, young of an animal; see pau-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + animus, reason, mind; see anə- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Jacobean

adj. Of or having to do with the reign of James I of England or his times. n. A prominent figure during this period. [From New Latin Iacobaeus, from Late Latin Iacōbus, Iacobus, James, Jacob; see JACOB.]

Pomeranian

adj. Of or relating to Pomerania or its people. n. 1. A native or inhabitant of Pomerania. 2. A dog of a small breed developed in Pomerania and England, having a foxlike face, a thick fluffy coat, and a plumed tail that curls over the back.

Vietnamese

adj. Of or relating to Vietnam or its people, language, or culture. n. pl. Vietnamese 1. a. A native or inhabitant of Vietnam. b. A person of Vietnamese ancestry. 2. The language of the largest ethnic group in Vietnam and the official language of the nation.

Bahaism

adj. Of or relating to a religion founded in 1863 in Persia and emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. n. A teacher of or a believer in this faith. [Persian bahā'ī, a follower of Bahā'ullāh, the Splendor of God, Bahaullah, from bahā', splendor, from Arabic; see bhw in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

panhuman

adj. Of or relating to all humanity.

tonsorial *

adj. Of or relating to barbering or a barber. [From Latin tōnsōrius, from tōnsor, barber, from tōnsus, past participle of tondēre, to shear; see tem- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

phreatic

adj. Of or relating to groundwater. [From Greek phrear, phreat-, well, spring; see bhreu- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

thalassic

adj. Of or relating to seas or oceans, especially smaller or inland seas. [French thalassique, from Greek thalassa, sea.]

pre-Socratic

adj. Of or relating to the Greek philosophers or philosophical systems of thought before Socrates. n. A pre-Socratic philosopher.

Neolithic

adj. Of or relating to the cultural period of the Stone Age beginning around 8,000 BC in the Middle East and later elsewhere, characterized by the development of agriculture and the making of polished stone implements. n. The Neolithic Period. Also called New Stone Age.

peroneal

adj. Of or relating to the fibula or to the outer portion of the leg. [From Greek peronē, pin of a brooch, fibula; see per-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

theological *

adj. Of or relating to theology or to specialized religious study.

totalitarianism

adj. Of, relating to, being, or imposing a form of government in which the political authority exercises absolute and centralized control over all aspects of life, the individual is subordinated to the state, and opposing political and cultural expression is suppressed: "A totalitarian regime crushes all autonomous institutions in its drive to seize the human soul" (Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.) n. A practitioner or supporter of such a government.

parasympathetic

adj. Of, relating to, or affecting the parasympathetic nervous system: parasympathetic activity; parasympathetic agents. n. 1. The parasympathetic nervous system. 2. Any of the nerves of this system.

Oligocene *

adj. Of, relating to, or being the epoch of geologic time from about 34 to 23 million years ago, the third epoch of the Tertiary Period. It is characterized by further development of modern mammals, including the rise of the true carnivores and their gradual replacement of the creodonts. See Table at geologic time. n. The Oligocene Epoch.

Ordovician

adj. Of, relating to, or being the period of geologic time from about 488 to 444 million years ago, the second period of the Paleozoic Era. It is characterized by a major increase in marine biodiversity and the appearance of the supercontinent Gondwana. Some evidence suggests that the first land plants appeared at this time. See Table at geologic time. n. The Ordovician Period. [From Latin Ordovicēs, an ancient Celtic tribe of Wales, from Celtic Ordovices; see weik-3 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

ophidian

adj. Of, relating to, or resembling a snake or the snakes. n. A snake. [From New Latin Ophidia, suborder name, from Greek ophis, snake.]

olivaceous

adj. Olive-green.

semiopaque *

adj. Partially opaque.

tumefacient

adj. Producing or tending to produce swelling or tumefaction. [Latin tumefaciēns, tumefacient-, present participle of tumefacere, to tumefy : tumēre, to swell; see teuə- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + facere, to make; see dhē- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

tabescent

adj. Progressively wasting away. [Latin tābēscēns, tābēscent-, present participle of tābēscere, to waste away, inchoative of tābēre, from tābēs, a wasting away.]

rampageous *

adj. Raging; frenzied: "the hot rampageous horses of my will" (W.H. Auden).

gestic

adj. Relating to bodily movements or gestures, especially in dancing. [From obsolete gest, bearing, from French geste, from Old French, from Latin gestus; see GESTURE.]

pyretic

adj. Relating to, producing, or affected by fever. [New Latin pyreticus, from Greek puretos, fever, from pūr, fire; see paəw in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

wondrous *

adj. Remarkable or extraordinary; wonderful. adv. Archaic To a wonderful or remarkable extent

overrepresented

adj. Represented in excessive or disproportionately large numbers or amounts: "Just as conflict and crisis are greatly overrepresented in dreams, the ordinary stuff of life is underplayed" (Jonathan Gottschall).

moniliform

adj. Resembling a string of beads, as the roots of certain plants or the antennae of certain insects. [Latin monīle, necklace + -FORM.]

eutrophic *

adj. Rich in mineral and organic nutrients that promote a proliferation of algae and aquatic plants, resulting in a reduction of dissolved oxygen. Used of a lake or pond. [From Greek eutrophos, well-nourished : eu-, eu- + trephein, to nourish.]

lentissimo

adv. & adj. Music Very slowly. Used chiefly as a direction. [Italian, superlative of lento, slow; see LENTO.]

vigoroso

adv. & adj. Music With emphasis and spirit. Used chiefly as a direction. [Italian, from Medieval Latin vigōrōsus, from Latin vigor, vigor; see VIGOR.]

pianissimo *

adv. & adj. Abbr. pp In a very soft or quiet tone. Used chiefly as a direction. n. pl. pi·a·nis·si·mos A part of a composition played very softly or quietly. [Italian, superlative of piano, soft; see PIANO2.]

exempli gratia *

adv. Abbr. e.g. For example. [Latin exemplī grātiā, for the sake of example : exemplī, genitive of exemplum, example + grātiā, ablative of grātia, favor.]

lentando

adv. & adj. Music Slowing gradually. Used chiefly as a direction. [Italian, present participle of lentare, to make slow, from lento, slow; see LENTO.]

tenuto

adv. & adj. Music So as to be held for the full time value; sustained. Used chiefly as a direction. [Italian, from past participle of tenere, to hold, from Latin tenēre; see ten- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Rhodes scholar

n. A student who holds a scholarship established by the will of Cecil J. Rhodes that permits attendance at Oxford University for a period of two or three years.

taeniacide, teniacide

n. A substance or agent that kills tapeworms.

sandalwood

n. 1. a. Any of several tropical Asian hemiparasitic trees of the genus Santalum, especially S. album, having aromatic yellowish heartwood used in cabinetmaking and wood carving and yielding an oil used in perfumery. b. Any of several other tropical Asian trees, especially those of the genera Adenanthera and Pterocarpus that yield a hard wood and a red dye. c. The wood of any of these trees. 2. A light to moderate or grayish brown.

prime mover

n. 1. a. One regarded as the initial source of energy directed toward a goal: Patriotism was the prime mover of the revolution. b. The initial force, such as electricity, wind, or gravity, that engages or moves a machine. c. A machine or mechanism that converts natural energy into work. Also called primum mobile. 2. Any of various heavy-duty trucks or tractors. 3. Philosophy In Aristotelian philosophy, an eternal, immaterial being of pure motion that cannot be changed but is the cause of change and motion.

remission

n. 1. a. The act of remitting. b. A condition or period in which something is remitted. 2. A lessening of intensity or degree; abatement. 3. a. Medicine Abatement or subsiding of the symptoms of a disease. b. The period during which the symptoms of a disease abate or subside. 4. a. Release, as from a debt, penalty, or obligation. b. Forgiveness; pardon. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin remissiō, remissiōn-, from remissus, past participle of remittere, to let go; see REMIT.]

venue

n. 1. a. The scene or setting in which something takes place; a locale: "that non-cinematic venue of popular nightmares, the discotheque" (P.J. O'Rourke). b. A place for large gatherings, as a sports stadium. 2. Law a. The court where a lawsuit may or should be tried, usually because the cause of action arose in that locality. b. The locality from which a jury may be drawn. c. The locality where a crime is committed. [Middle English, attack, arrival, from Old French, a coming, attack, from feminine past participle of venir, to come, from Latin venīre; see gwā- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

febrifacient

n. A substance that produces fever. adj. Causing fever. [Latin febris, fever + -FACIENT.]

samizdat *

n. 1. a. The secret publication and distribution of government-banned literature in the former Soviet Union. b. The literature produced by this system. 2. An underground press. [Russian : sam, self; see sem-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + izdatel'stvo, publishing house (from izdat', to publish, on the model of Gosizdat, State Publishing House : iz, from, out of; see eghs in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + dat', to give; see dō- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

troglodyte

n. 1. a. often Troglodyte A member of a fabulous or prehistoric race of people that lived in caves, dens, or holes. b. A person considered to be reclusive, reactionary, out of date, or brutish. 2. a. A nonhuman ape. Not in scientific use. b. An animal that lives underground, as an ant or a worm. Not in scientific use. [From Latin Trōglodytae, a people said to be cave dwellers, from Greek Trōglodutai, alteration (influenced by trōglē, hole, and -dutai, those who enter) of Trōgodutai.]

kamikaze

n. 1. A Japanese pilot trained in World War II to make a suicidal crash attack, especially upon a ship. 2. An airplane loaded with explosives to be piloted in a suicide attack. 3. Slang An extremely reckless person who seems to court death. adj. 1. Of or relating to a suicidal air attack: a kamikaze mission. 2. Slang So reckless in behavior or actions as to be suicidal: kamikaze hot rodders. [Japanese, divine wind (from the legendary name of a typhoon that in 1281 saved Japan by destroying the Mongol navy) : kami, divine + kaze, wind.]

passacaglia

n. 1. A Spanish dance in 3/4 time. 2. The music for this dance. [Italian, From Spanish pasacalle : pasar, to pass, step; see PASE + calle, street (from Latin callis, call-, path).]

salaam

n. 1. A ceremonious act of deference or obeisance, especially a low bow performed while placing the right palm on the forehead. 2. A greeting in various Muslim cultures. interj. Used as a greeting in various Muslim cultures. tr. & intr.v. sa·laamed, sa·laam·ing, sa·laams To greet with or perform a salaam. [Arabic salām, peace, salaam, from salima, to be safe; see šlm in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

sea change *

n. 1. A change caused by the sea: "Of his bones are coral made: / Those are pearls that were his eyes: / Nothing of him that doth fade, / But doth suffer a sea change" (Shakespeare). 2. A marked transformation: "The script suffered considerable sea changes, particularly in structure" (Harold Pinter).

resurgence

n. 1. A continuing after interruption; a renewal. 2. A restoration to use, acceptance, activity, or vigor; a revival.

synod

n. 1. A council or an assembly of church officials or churches; an ecclesiastical council. 2. A council or an assembly. [Middle English, from Latin synodus, from Greek sunodos, meeting, assembly : sun-, syn- + hodos, way, course.]

mongering

n. 1. A dealer in a specific commodity. Often used in combination: an ironmonger. 2. A person promoting something undesirable or discreditable. Often used in combination: a scandalmonger; a warmonger. tr.v. mon·gered, mon·ger·ing, mon·gers To peddle. [Middle English mongere, from Old English mangere, from Latin mangō, dealer in slaves, probably of Greek origin.]

relaxant *

n. 1. A drug that causes muscle relaxation. 2. Something that helps one to relax: Taking a walk is a great relaxant after working all day. 3. An agent used to straighten curly hair; a relaxer.

pronouncement

n. 1. A formal expression of opinion; a judgment. 2. An authoritative statement.

surcingle

n. 1. A girth that binds a saddle, pack, or blanket to the body of a horse. 2. Archaic The fastening belt on a clerical cassock; a cincture. [Middle English sursengle, from Old French surcengle : sur-, sur- + cengle, belt (from Latin cingula, from cingere, to gird; see CINGULUM).]

quinoa

n. 1. A goosefoot (Chenopodium quinoa) native to the Andes and cultivated for its edible seeds. 2. The seeds of this plant, used as food. [American Spanish quinua, quínoa, from Quechua kinwa.]

vetiver

n. 1. A grass (Vetiveria zizanioides syn. Chrysopogon zizanioides) of tropical India, often planted to control erosion and widely cultivated for its aromatic roots, which yield an oil used in perfumery. 2. The essential oil obtained from the roots of this plant. Also called vetivert. [French vétiver, from Tamil veṭṭivēr : veṭṭi, worthless + vēru, useless.]

pettifogger

n. 1. A lawyer whose practice involves petty matters or who lacks sound legal judgment or skills. 2. One who quibbles over trivia. [Probably PETTY + obsolete fogger, pettifogger (probably akin to obsolete German Fugger, successful merchant, usurer, huckster, after the House of FUGGER).]

pith helmet

n. 1. A lightweight helmet made from the dried pith of certain tropical Asian plants or from cork and often covered in cloth. 2. A similar helmet made from another material, such as plastic or metal.

rigadoon *

n. 1. A lively jumping quickstep for two couples, usually in rapid duple meter. 2. The music for this dance. [French rigaudon, rigodon, of unknown origin.]

pelisse

n. 1. A long cloak or outer robe, usually of fur or with a fur lining. 2. A woman's loose light cloak, often with openings for the arms. [French, from Old French pelice, from Late Latin pellīcia, from Latin, feminine of pellīcius, made of skin, from pellis, skin; see pel-3 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

taboret, tabouret

n. 1. A low stool. 2. A low table or cabinet, often on casters. 3. An embroidery frame. [French tabouret, from Middle French, drum-shaped pin cushion, taboret, from diminutive of tabour, tabor, from Old French; see TABOR.]

viceroy

n. 1. A man who is the governor of a country, province, or colony, ruling as the representative of a sovereign. 2. An orange and black North American butterfly (Limenitis archippus), resembling but somewhat smaller than the monarch. [French : vice-, vice; see VICEREINE + roi, king (from Latin rēx, rēg-; see reg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

punditry

n. 1. A source of opinion; a critic: a political pundit. 2. A learned person. 3. Hinduism Variant of pandit. [Hindi paṇḍit, learned man, from Sanskrit paṇḍitaḥ, learned, scholar, perhaps of Dravidian origin.]

palimpsest

n. 1. A manuscript, typically of papyrus or parchment, that has been written on more than once, with the earlier writing incompletely scraped off or erased and often legible. 2. An object or area that has extensive evidence of or layers showing activity or use: "My skin had become a palimpsest of fleeting sensations, and each layer bore the imprint of who I was" (Paul Auster). [Latin palimpsēstum, from Greek palimpsēston, neuter of palimpsēstos, scraped again : palin, again; see kwel-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + psēn, to scrape.]

séance

n. 1. A meeting of people to receive spiritualistic messages. 2. A meeting, session, or sitting, as of a learned or legislative body. [French, a sitting, from Old French seoir, to sit, from Latin sedēre; see sed- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Canaanite *

n. 1. A member of a group of Semitic peoples inhabiting Canaan from late prehistoric times, including the Israelites and Phoenicians. 2. In the Bible, a member of any of the Canaanite peoples other than the Israelites. 3. a. A subbranch of the Semitic language family including Phoenician, Hebrew, Ammonite, Moabite, and Edomite. b. Any of the Semitic languages spoken by the Canaanites. adj. Of or relating to ancient Canaan or its people, language, or culture.

Rosicrucian *

n. 1. A member of one of several international organizations such as the Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis, devoted to the study of ancient mystical, philosophical, and religious doctrines and concerned with the application of these doctrines to modern life. 2. A member of any of several secret organizations or orders of the 1600s and 1700s concerned with the study of religious mysticism and professing esoteric religious beliefs. adj. Of or relating to Rosicrucians or their philosophy. [From New Latin (Frāter) Rosae Crucis, (Brother) of the Cross of the Rose, translation of German Rosenkreutz, surname of the traditional founder of the society.]

reprobate

n. 1. A morally unprincipled person. 2. One who is predestined to damnation. adj. 1. Morally unprincipled; shameless. 2. Rejected by God and without hope of salvation. tr.v. rep·ro·bat·ed, rep·ro·bat·ing, rep·ro·bates 1. To disapprove of; condemn. 2. To abandon to eternal damnation. Used of God. [From Middle English, condemned, from Late Latin reprobātus, past participle of reprobāre, to reprove : Latin re-, opposite; see RE- + Latin probāre, to approve; see PROVE.]

Spaniard

n. 1. A native or inhabitant of Spain. 2. A person of Spanish ancestry. [Middle English, from Old French Espaniard, from Espaigne, Spain, from Latin Hispānia.]

subaltern

n. 1. A person who is lower in position or rank; a subordinate. 2. a. A person who is marginalized and oppressed by the dominant culture, especially in a colonial context. b. Such people considered as a group. 3. Chiefly British An officer holding a military rank just below that of captain. 4. Logic A particular proposition that follows from a universal with the same subject, predicate, and quality. [French subalterne, from Old French, from Late Latin subalternus : Latin sub-, sub- + Latin alternus, alternate (from alter, other; see al-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

sabadilla

n. 1. A plant (Schoenocaulon officinale) found from Mexico to Peru, having long spikelike racemes of small flowers, long narrow leaves, and seeds that contain veratridine and other alkaloids. 2. A preparation of the seeds of this plant, used as an insecticide and in some medicinal preparations. [Spanish cebadilla, diminutive of cebada, barley, from Latin cibātus, from past participle of cibāre, to feed, from cibus, food.]

palinode *

n. 1. A poem in which the author retracts something said in a previous poem. 2. A formal statement of retraction. [From Late Latin palinōdia, from Greek palinōidiā : palin, again; see kwel-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + ōidē, song; see PARODY.]

sans-culotte

n. 1. A radical republican from the urban lower and artisanal classes during the French Revolution. 2. A revolutionary extremist. [French : sans, without + culotte, breeches.]

porte-cochère, porte-cochere

n. 1. A roofed structure covering a driveway at the entrance of a building to provide shelter while entering or leaving a vehicle. 2. Archaic A carriage entrance leading through a building or wall into an inner courtyard. [French porte cochère : porte, door + cochère, for coaches.]

marquee

n. 1. A rooflike structure, often bearing a signboard, projecting over an entrance, as to a theater or hotel. Also called marquise. 2. A large tent, often with open sides, used chiefly for outdoor entertainment. adj. Exceptionally popular or skilled: The team is hoping to sign a marquee player. [Early Modern English, large tent with open sides, back-formation from French marquise, marquise (probably with final (z)-sound taken in English as the English plural ending -s), from marquise, marchioness (also used attributively to describe things considered splendid or elegant), feminine of marquis, marquis; see MARQUISE.]

pedagoguish

n. 1. A schoolteacher; an educator. 2. One who instructs in a pedantic or dogmatic manner. [Middle English pedagoge, from Old French, from Latin paedagōgus, slave who supervised children and took them to and from school, from Greek paidagōgos : paido-, boy; see PEDO-1 + agōgos, leader (from agein, to lead; see ag- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

vicious circle

n. 1. A situation in which the apparent solution of one problem in a chain of circumstances creates a new problem and increases the difficulty of solving the original problem. Also called vicious cycle. 2. A condition in which a disorder or disease gives rise to another that subsequently affects the first. 3. Logic A fallacy in reasoning in which the premise is used to prove the conclusion, and the conclusion used to prove the premise. [Translation of New Latin circulus vitiōsus, circular argument : Medieval Latin circulus, circular argument + Latin vitiōsus, flawed, faulty.]

petit point

n. 1. A small stitch used in needlepoint. 2. Needlepoint done with a small stitch. [French : petit, small + point, stitch.]

pariah

n. 1. A social outcast: "Shortly Tom came upon the juvenile pariah of the village, Huckleberry Finn, son of the town drunkard" (Mark Twain). 2. A Dalit. [From Tamil paṟaiyan, member of a Dalit group of southern India traditionally performing as drummers and performing other tasks considered unclean (from paṛai, festival drum) and its Malayalam equivalent, paṟayan (from paṛa, festival drum).]

sharecropper

n. A tenant farmer who gives a share of the crops raised to the landlord in lieu of rent.

tonka bean

n. 1. A tropical South American tree (Dipteryx odorata) in the pea family, having pulpy, egg-shaped, one-seeded pods with fragrant seeds containing coumarin. 2. The seed of this tree, formerly widely used as a flavoring for food or tobacco. Extracts from tonka beans have been banned as food additives in the United States. [Perhaps from Galibi tonka.]

provost *

n. 1. A university administrator of high rank. 2. The highest official in certain cathedrals or collegiate churches. 3. The keeper of a prison. 4. The chief magistrate of certain Scottish cities. [Middle English, from Old English profost and Old French provost, both from Medieval Latin prōpositus, alteration of Latin praepositus, person placed over others, superintendent, from past participle of praepōnere, to place over : prae-, pre- + pōnere, to put; see apo- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

newel

n. 1. A vertical support at the center of a circular staircase. 2. A post that supports a handrail at the bottom or at the landing of a staircase. [Middle English nouel, niewel, from Old French noiel, from Vulgar Latin *nōdellus, little knot, diminutive of Latin nōdulus, diminutive of nōdus, knot; see NODE.]

mentor, Mentor

n. 1. A wise and trusted counselor or teacher. 2. Mentor Greek Mythology Odysseus's trusted counselor, in whose guise Athena became the guardian and teacher of Telemachus. v. men·tored, men·tor·ing, men·tors v.intr. To serve as a trusted counselor or teacher, especially in occupational settings. v.tr. To serve as a trusted counselor or teacher to (another person). [French Mentor, Mentor, from Latin Mentōr, from Greek; see men-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

fledgling, fledgeling

n. 1. A young bird that has left the nest and has usually acquired flight feathers, but is often not yet able to fly. 2. A young or inexperienced person. adj. New and untried or inexperienced: a fledgling enterprise.

tarragon

n. 1. An aromatic Eurasian herb (Artemisia dracunculus) in the composite family, having linear to lance-shaped leaves and small whitish-green flower heads arranged in loose spreading panicles. 2. The leaves of this plant used as a seasoning. [New Latin tarchon, from Medieval Greek tarkhōn, from Arabic ṭarḫūn, perhaps from Greek drakōn, dragon, tarragon; see derk- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

parvis *

n. 1. An enclosed courtyard or space at the entrance to a building, especially a cathedral, that is sometimes surrounded by porticoes or colonnades. 2. One of the porticoes or colonnades surrounding such a space. [Middle English, from Old French, alteration of pareis, paradise, from Late Latin paradīsus, garden, paradise; see PARADISE.]

presage

n. 1. An indication or warning of a future occurrence; an omen. 2. A feeling or intuition of what is going to occur; a presentiment. 3. Prophetic significance or meaning. 4. Archaic A prediction. v. (prĭ-sāj, prĕsĭj) pre·saged, pre·sag·ing, pre·sag·es v.tr. 1. To indicate or warn of in advance; portend. 2. To have a presentiment of. 3. To foretell or predict. v.intr. To make or utter a prediction. [Middle English, from Latin praesāgium, from praesāgīre, to perceive beforehand : prae-, pre- + sāgīre, to perceive; see sāg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

prototype *

n. 1. An original type, form, or instance serving as a basis or standard: "The abolitionists were the prototype of modern citizen activism" (Adam Hochschild). 2. An original, full-scale, and usually working model of a new product or new version of an existing product. 3. A typical example of a class or category: "He fit the prototype of the artist as social misfit and compulsive contrarian" (Stephen Holden). tr.v. pro·to·typed, pro·to·typ·ing, pro·to·types To make a prototype of (a product). [French, from Greek prōtotupon, from neuter of prōtotupos, original : prōto-, proto- + tupos, model.]

valance

n. 1. An ornamental drapery hung across a top edge, as of a bed, table, or canopy. 2. A short drapery, decorative board, or metal strip mounted especially across the top of a window to conceal structural fixtures. tr.v. val·anced, val·anc·ing, val·anc·es To supply with valances or a valance. [Middle English.]

parterre

n. 1. An ornamental flower garden having the beds and paths arranged to form a pattern. 2. See parquet circle. [French, from Old French, ornamental garden, from par terre, on the ground : par, over, on; see PARAMOUNT + terre, ground (from Old French, from Latin terra, earth; see ters- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

steroid (noun)

n. 1. Any of numerous fat-soluble organic compounds that have a core structure of 17 carbon atoms arranged in four rings, found naturally in animals, plants, and fungi, or produced synthetically. Steroids include the sterols (such as cholesterol), sex hormones (such as estrogen and testosterone), corticosteroid hormones (such as cortisol), bile acids, and anabolic steroids. 2. Informal An anabolic steroid.

trefoil

n. 1. Any of various plants of the pea family, chiefly of the genera Trifolium and Lotus, having compound trifoliolate leaves. 2. An ornament, symbol, or architectural form having the appearance of a trifoliolate leaf. [Middle English, from Anglo-Norman trifoil, from Latin trifolium : tri-, tri- + folium, leaf; see bhel-3 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

pack rat

n. 1. Any of various small rodents of the genus Neotoma of North and Central America that collect in or around their nests a great variety of small objects. Also called trade rat, woodrat. 2. Western US A petty thief. 3. Informal A collector or accumulator of miscellaneous objects.

spinneret

n. 1. Any of various tubular structures from which spiders and certain insect larvae, such as silkworms, secrete the silk threads from which they form webs or cocoons. 2. A device for making rayon, nylon, and other synthetic fibers, consisting of a plate pierced with holes through which plastic material is extruded in filaments.

theanthropism

n. 1. Attribution of human traits to God; anthropomorphism. 2. Christianity The doctrine of the union of human and divine natures in Jesus.

walkabout

n. 1. Australian A temporary return to traditional Aboriginal life, taken especially between periods of work or residence in modern society and usually involving a period of travel through the bush. 2. A walking trip. 3. Chiefly British A public stroll taken by an important person, such as a monarch, among a group of people for greeting and conversation.

turpitude

n. 1. Depravity; baseness. 2. A base act. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin turpitūdō, from turpis, shameful.]

piassaba

n. 1. Either of two South American palm trees, Attalea funifera or Leopoldinia piassaba, from which a strong coarse fiber is obtained. 2. The fiber of either of these plants, formerly widely used for making ropes, brushes, and brooms. [Portuguese, from Tupí pïa'sawa.]

freemason, Freemason

n. 1. Freemason A member of the Free and Accepted Masons, an international fraternal and charitable organization with secret rites and signs. 2. A member of a guild of skilled itinerant masons during the Middle Ages.

wahine

n. 1. Hawaii A Polynesian woman. 2. Slang A woman surfer. [Hawaiian, from Proto-Polynesian *fafine.]

scalawag

n. 1. Informal A reprobate; a rascal. 2. A white Southerner working for or supporting the federal government during Reconstruction. [Origin unknown.]

sanctum sanctorum

n. 1. Judaism The innermost shrine of a tabernacle and temple; the holy of holies. 2. An inviolably private place: The clubhouse was their sanctum sanctorum. [Late Latin sānctum sānctōrum (translation of Greek to hagion tōn hagiōn, translation of Hebrew qōdeš haqqodāšîm) : sānctum, holy place + sānctōrum, genitive pl. of sānctum, holy place.]

syllogism

n. 1. Logic A form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion; for example, All humans are mortal, the major premise, I am a human, the minor premise, therefore, I am mortal, the conclusion. 2. Reasoning from the general to the specific; deduction. 3. A subtle or specious piece of reasoning. [Middle English silogisme, from Old French, from Latin syllogismus, from Greek sullogismos, from sullogizesthai, to infer : sun-, syn- + logizesthai, to count, reckon (from logos, reason; see leg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

scree

n. 1. Loose rock debris covering a slope. 2. A slope of loose rock debris at the base of a steep incline or cliff. [Probably ultimately from Old Norse skridha, landslide, from skrīdha, to slide.]

underpinning (noun) *

n. 1. Material or masonry used to support a structure, such as a wall. 2. often underpinnings A support or foundation: "It was the towns, not the cities, that provided the underpinnings for the great American experiment" (Frank Conroy). 3. underpinnings Informal The human legs.

registrar

n. 1. One who is in charge of official records. 2. An officer in a college or university who keeps the records of enrollment and academic standing. 3. An officer of a corporation responsible for maintaining records of ownership of its securities. 4. An admitting officer in a hospital. [Probably from registrary, from Medieval Latin registrārius, from registrum, register; see REGISTER.]

plunger *

n. 1. One who plunges or dives. 2. A device consisting of a rubber suction cup attached to the end of a stick, used to unclog drains and pipes. Also called plumber's helper. 3. A part of a machine, tool, or device that operates wtih a thrusting or plunging movement, such as a piston.

Sacramentarian

n. 1. One who regards the consecrated bread and wine of the Eucharist as only the metaphorical, and not the physical, body and blood of Jesus. 2. One who emphasizes the importance of sacraments as a means to grace; a sacramentalist. adj. 1. Of or relating to Sacramentarians. 2. Of or relating to sacramentalism or sacramentalists.

wastrel *

n. 1. One who wastes, especially one who wastes money; a profligate. 2. An idler or a loafer. [WAST(E) + -rel (as in SCOUNDREL).]

monomania *

n. 1. Pathological obsession with one idea or subject. 2. Intent concentration on or exaggerated enthusiasm for a single subject or idea.

prestidigitation

n. 1. Performance of or skill in performing magic or conjuring tricks with the hands; sleight of hand. 2. Skill or cleverness, especially in deceiving others. [French (influenced by prestigiateur, juggler, conjurer, from prestige, illusion), from prestidigitateur, conjurer : preste, nimble (from Italian presto; see PRESTO) + Latin digitus, finger; see DIGIT.]

nihilism, Nihilism

n. 1. Philosophy The doctrine that nothing actually exists or that existence or values are meaningless. 2. Relentless negativity or cynicism suggesting an absence of values or beliefs: nihilism in postwar art. 3. a. Political belief or action that advocates or commits violence or terrorism without discernible constructive goals. b. also Nihilism A diffuse, revolutionary movement of mid-19th-century Russia that scorned authority and tradition and believed in reason, materialism, and radical change in society and government through terrorism and assassination. 4. Psychiatry A delusion, experienced in some mental disorders, that the world or one's mind, body, or self does not exist. [Latin nihil, nothing; see ne in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + -ISM.]

rationalism

n. 1. Reliance on reason as the best guide for belief and action. 2. Philosophy The theory that the exercise of reason, rather than experience, authority, or spiritual revelation, provides the primary basis for knowledge.

postiche

n. 1. Something false; a sham. 2. A small hairpiece; a toupee. [French, from Italian posticcio, from posto, added (from Latin positus, past participle of pōnere, to place) or from Vulgar Latin *appostīcius (alteration of Latin appositus, past participle of appōnere, to place by, to add : ad-, ad- + pōnere, to place; see apo- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

preterition

n. 1. The act of passing by, disregarding, or omitting. 2. Law The failure of a testator to provide for a legal heir in his or her will. 3. Christianity The Calvinist doctrine that God neglected to designate those who would be damned, positively determining only the elect. [Late Latin praeteritiō, praeteritiōn-, a passing over, from Latin praeteritus, past participle of praeterīre, to go by; see PRETERITE.]

preachment

n. 1. The act of preaching. 2. A tiresome or unwelcome moral lecture or discourse; tedious sermonizing.

rumination

n. 1. The act of thinking about something in a sustained fashion. 2. The act or process of chewing cud.

voluntarism

n. 1. The use of or reliance on voluntary action to maintain an institution, carry out a policy, or achieve an end. 2. A theory or doctrine that regards the will as the fundamental principle of the individual or of the universe.

nutation

n. 1. The act or an instance of nodding the head. 2. A wobble in a spinning gyroscope or other rotating body. 3. Astronomy A small periodic irregularity in the precessional motion of the earth's polar axis with respect to the pole of the ecliptic. 4. Botany A slight curving or circular movement in a stem, as of a twining plant, caused by variation in growth rates of different parts. [Latin nūtātiō, nūtātiōn-, from nūtātus, past participle of nūtāre, frequentative of -nuere, to nod.]

upwelling

n. 1. The act or an instance of rising up from or as if from a lower source: an upwelling of emotion. 2. A process in which cold, often nutrient-rich waters from the ocean depths rise to the surface.

vituperation

n. 1. The act or an instance of vituperating. 2. Sustained, harshly critical language; invective.

exclusionary

n. 1. The act or practice of excluding. 2. The condition or fact of being excluded. [Middle English exclusioun, from Latin exclūsiō, exclūsiōn-, from exclūsus, past participle of exclūdere, to shut; see EXCLUDE.] ex·clusion·ar′y (-zhə-nĕr′ē) adj.

valuation

n. 1. The act or process of assessing value or price; an appraisal. 2. Assessed value or price. 3. An estimation or appreciation of worth, merit, or character: set a high valuation on friendship.

reminiscence

n. 1. The act or process of recollecting past experiences or events. 2. An experience or event recollected: "Her mind seemed wholly taken up with reminiscences of past gaiety" (Charlotte Brontë). 3. often reminiscences A narration of past experiences. 4. An event that brings to mind a similar, former event.

reinforcement

n. 1. The act or process of reinforcing or the state of being reinforced. 2. Something that reinforces. 3. often reinforcements Additional personnel or equipment sent to support a military action. 4. Psychology a. The occurrence or experimental introduction of an unconditioned stimulus along with a conditioned stimulus. b. The strengthening of a conditioned response by such means. c. An event, circumstance, or condition that increases the likelihood that a given response will recur in a situation like that in which the reinforcing condition originally occurred.

slalomed

n. 1. The act or sport of moving or racing in a zigzag course, as in skiing or kayaking. 2. A race that follows a zigzag course, laid out with markers such as flags. intr.v. sla·lomed, sla·lom·ing, sla·loms 1. To move or race in a slalom. 2. To water-ski using a single ski designed so the feet are secured one behind the other. [Norwegian slalåm : slad, sloping + låm, path.]

timbre

n. 1. The combination of qualities of a sound that distinguishes it from other sounds of the same pitch and volume. 2. Distinctive character: the timbre of the painter's work. [French, from Old French, drum, clapperless bell, probably from Medieval Greek *timbanon, drum, from Greek tumpanon, kettledrum.]

peonage *

n. 1. The condition of being a peon. 2. A system by which debtors are bound in servitude to their creditors until their debts are paid.

vassalage *

n. 1. The condition of being a vassal. 2. The service, homage, and fealty required of a vassal. 3. A position of subordination or subjection; servitude. 4. The land held by a vassal; a fief. 5. Vassals, especially those of a particular lord, considered as a group.

purulence

n. 1. The condition of containing or discharging pus. 2. Pus.

primitivism

n. 1. The condition or quality of being primitive. 2. The style characteristic of a primitive artist. 3. a. A belief that it is best to live simply and in a natural environment. b. A belief that the acquisitions of civilization are evil or that the earliest period of human history was the best.

populace

n. 1. The general public; the masses. 2. A population. [French, from Italian popolaccio, rabble, from popolo, the people, from Latin populus; see POPULAR.]

summitry

n. 1. The holding of a summit conference: "Modern summitry began at Versailles in 1919" (George F. Will). 2. Participation in summit conferences.

Veda

n. 1. The oldest and most authoritative body of sacred Hindu texts, composed in Sanskrit and gathered into four collections. 2. Any of these collections. [Sanskrit vedaḥ, sacred lore, knowledge, Veda; see weid- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

nigrescence *

n. 1. The process of becoming black or dark. 2. Blackness or darkness, as of complexion. [From nigrescent, blackish, from Latin nigrēscēns, nigrēscent-, present participle of nigrēscere, to become black, from niger, nigr-, black; see nekw-t- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] ni·grescent adj.

secretion *

n. 1. The process of secreting a substance, especially one that is not a waste, from the blood or cells: secretion of hormones; secretion of milk by the mammary glands. 2. A substance, such as saliva, mucus, tears, bile, or a hormone, that is secreted. [French sécrétion, from Old French, separation, from Latin sēcrētiō, sēcrētiōn-, from sēcrētus, past participle of sēcernere, to set aside; see SECERN.] n. 1. The act of concealing something in a hiding place. 2. The act of stealing something secretly.

solicitude *

n. 1. The state of being solicitous; care or concern, as for the well-being of another. 2. A cause of concern: "Our party went off extremely well. There were many solicitudes, alarms & vexations beforehand of course" (Jane Austen).

patency *

n. 1. The state or quality of being obvious. 2. Medicine The state or quality of being open, expanded, or unblocked.

taphonomy *

n. 1. The study of the events and processes, such as burial in sediment, transportation, and decomposition, that affect the remains of an organism after it dies. 2. These events and processes, especially those leading up to preservation or fossilization. [Greek taphē, grave + -NOMY.]

photomontage

n. 1. The technique of making a picture by assembling pieces of photographs, often in combination with other types of graphic material. 2. The composite picture produced by this technique.

xenogamy

n. 1. The transfer of pollen from an anther of a flower of one plant to a stigma of a flower of another plant of the same species

Sturm und Drang

n. 1. Turmoil; ferment: "A book's historical roots represent another barrier; so does the personal Sturm und Drang of the author" (Robert Kanigel). 2. A German romantic literary movement of the late 1700s whose works typically depicted the struggles of a highly emotional individual against conventional society. [German, storm and stress, after Sturm und Drang, a drama by Friedrich Maximilian von Klinger (1752-1831).]

Neanderthaloid

n. 1. also Ne·an·der·tal (-tôl′, -täl′) a. A species of extinct hominins (Homo neanderthalensis) that lived throughout most of Europe and western and central Asia during the late Pleistocene Epoch until about 30,000 years ago. Members of this species had a large skull and stocky build and are associated with Middle Paleolithic tools. b. An individual belonging to this species. 2. Slang A crude, boorish, or slow-witted person. adj. 1. also Ne·an·der·tal (-tôl′, -täl′) Of, having to do with, or resembling Neanderthals. 2. Slang Crude, boorish, or slow-witted. [After Neanderthal (Neandertal), a valley of western Germany near Düsseldorf where remains of these humans were found in 1856.]

scholasticism, Scholasticism

n. 1. often Scholasticism The dominant form of theological and philosophical study in Western Christianity in the Middle Ages, based on the authority of the Latin Fathers and of Aristotle and his commentators. 2. Close adherence to traditional methods or teachings.

singspiel

n. A German musical comedy of the 1700s featuring songs and ensembles interspersed with dialogue. [German : singen, to sing (from Middle High German, from Old High German singan; see sengwh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + Spiel, play; see SPIEL.]

Rosetta stone

n. A basalt tablet bearing inscriptions in Greek and in Egyptian hieroglyphic and demotic scripts that was discovered in 1799 near Rosetta, a town of northern Egypt in the Nile River delta, and provided the key to the decipherment of Egyptian hieroglyphics.

ptomaine

n. A basic nitrogenous organic compound produced by bacterial putrefaction of protein. [Italian ptomaina, from Greek ptōma, corpse, from piptein, ptō-, to fall; see pet- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

osteomalacia

n. A bone disease in adults analogous to rickets in children, marked by bone demineralization caused by impaired metabolism or deficiency of vitamin D or phosphorus. [New Latin : OSTEO- + Greek malakiā, softness (from malakos, soft; see mel-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

soubise

n. A béchamel sauce made with onions or onion purée. [French, after Charles de Rohan, Prince de Soubise (1715-1787), French soldier.]

taverna

n. A café or small restaurant serving Greek food. [Modern Greek, from Medieval Greek tabernā, from Late Greek, from Latin taberna; see TAVERN.]

petrochemical

n. A chemical derived from petroleum or natural gas.

pheromone *

n. A chemical secreted by an animal, especially an insect, that influences the behavior or physiology of others of the same species, as by attracting members of the opposite sex or marking the route to a food source. [Greek pherein, to carry; see bher-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + (HOR)MONE.]

rheumatoid arthritis

n. A chronic autoimmune disease marked by stiffness and inflammation of the joints, fatigue, and weakness, and often, in later stages, severe joint damage and disability.

Portuguese man-of-war

n. A colonial siphonophore (Physalia physalis) composed of numerous specialized zooids, having a bluish bladderlike crested float from which hang numerous long stinging tentacles.

yellowfin tuna *

n. A commercially important tuna (Thunnus albacares) with yellow fins, found in tropical and subtropical seas.

triphthong *

n. A compound vowel sound resulting from the succession of three simple ones and functioning as a unit.

zero gravity *

n. A condition of apparent or real weightlessness such as that experienced in orbit or in free fall, or in a region lacking a gravitational field.

preeclampsia

n. A condition of hypertension occurring in pregnancy, typically accompanied by edema and proteinuria. Also called toxemia of pregnancy.

shillelagh, shillalah

n. A cudgel of oak, blackthorn, or other hardwood. [After Shillelagh, a village of east-central Ireland where cudgels were made with wood from the formerly extensive local oak forests.]

patrilineage *

n. A descent group traced through men on the paternal side of a family.

subgum

n. A dish of Chinese origin made with mixed vegetables. [Cantonese sap6 kam2, mixture, subgum; akin to Mandarin shíjǐn : shí, assorted (from Middle Chinese ʂɦip, squad of ten men, ultimately derived from the same Old Chinese word as Middle Chinese ʂɦip, ten) + jǐn, brocade (from Middle Chinese kim´).]

simile

n. A figure of speech in which two essentially unlike things are compared, often in a phrase introduced by like or as, as in "How like the winter hath my absence been" or "So are you to my thoughts as food to life" (Shakespeare). [Middle English, from Latin, likeness, comparison, from neuter of similis, like; see SIMILAR.]

shiatsu

n. A form of therapeutic massage in which pressure is applied with the thumbs and palms to those areas of the body used in acupuncture. Also called acupressure. [Short for Japanese shiatsuryōhō : shi, finger + atsu-, pressure + ryōhō, treatment.]

Tay-Sachs disease

n. A hereditary disease that affects young children almost exclusively of eastern European Jewish descent, in which an enzyme deficiency leads to the accumulation of gangliosides in the brain and nerve tissue, resulting in intellectual disability, convulsions, blindness, and, ultimately, death. [After Warren Tay (1843-1927), British physician, and Bernard Sachs (1858-1944), American neurologist.]

tartuffery

n. A hypocrite, especially one who affects religious piety. [After the protagonist of Tartuffe, a play by Molière.]

pileated woodpecker

n. A large North American woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) having black and white plumage and a bright red crest.

Rubicon

n. A limit that when passed or exceeded permits of no return and typically results in irrevocable commitment. [Latin Rubicō, Rubicōn-, Rubicon, a short river of north-central Italy, the crossing of which by Julius Caesar and his army in 49 BC began a civil war.]

papier-mâché

n. A material, made from paper pulp or shreds of paper mixed with glue or paste, that can be molded into various shapes when wet and becomes hard and suitable for painting and varnishing when dry. [French : papier, paper; see PAPER + mâché, past participle of mâcher, to chew (from Old French maschier, from Latin masticāre; see MASTICATE).]

Kshatriya

n. A member of the second highest of the four castes of traditional Indian society, responsible for upholding justice and social harmony, and including people in governing and military positions. adj. Of or relating to the caste of Kshatriyas. [Sanskrit kṣatriyaḥ, from kṣatram, rule, power.]

Visigoth *

n. A member of the western Goths that invaded the Roman Empire in the fourth century AD and settled in France and Spain, establishing a monarchy that lasted until the early eighth century. [Late Latin Visigothī, the Visigoths; see wes-pero- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

neoimpressionism, neo-impressionism

n. A movement in late 19th-century painting led by Georges Seurat that was stricter and more formal than impressionism in composition and employed pointillism as a technique.

ocelot *

n. A nocturnal wildcat (Leopardus pardalis) of brush and woodland from southwest North America to central South America, having a grayish or yellow coat with black spots. [French, from Nahuatl ocelotl.]

outpatient

n. A patient whose treatment does not require an overnight stay in a hospital or clinic. adj. Of or relating to outpatients or their care.

soul-searching

n. A penetrating examination of one's motives, convictions, and attitudes.

peregrine *

n. A peregrine falcon. adj. 1. Roving or wandering. 2. Archaic Foreign; alien. [Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin peregrīnus, wandering, pilgrim, from Latin, foreigner, from pereger, being abroad : per-, through; see PER- + ager, land; see agro- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

pomade

n. A perfumed ointment, especially one used to groom the hair. tr.v. po·mad·ed, po·mad·ing, po·mades To anoint with pomade. [French pommade, from Italian pomata, from pomo, apple, from Late Latin pōmum; see POME.]

Pollyanna

n. A person regarded as being foolishly or blindly optimistic. [After the heroine of the novel Pollyanna, by Eleanor Hodgman Porter (1868-1920), American writer.]

whey-face *

n. A person with a pallid face.

vacationland

n. A place with special attractions for those on vacation.

rondelet

n. A poem similar to a rondeau, usually having seven lines and always two rhymes, with the first line containing four syllables repeated as lines three and seven and the other lines containing eight syllables. [French, from Old French, diminutive of rondel, rondel; see RONDEL.]

New Left

n. A political movement originating in the United States in the 1960s, especially among college students, marked by advocacy of radical changes in government, politics, and society.

Zionism

n. A political movement that supports the maintenance and preservation of the state of Israel as a Jewish homeland, originally arising in the late 1800s with the goal of reestablishing a Jewish homeland in the region of Palestine.

reverse osmosis

n. A process by which a solvent such as water is purified of solutes by being forced through a semipermeable membrane through which the solvent, but not the solutes, can pass.

nullah

n. A ravine or gully, especially in southern Asia. [Bengali and Hindi nālā, channel, nullah, and similar forms in other Indic languages, all from Middle Indic nāḷa, nāla, hollow stalk, tube, from Sanskrit nāḍaḥ, from naḍaḥ, reed, variant (perhaps influenced by Dravidian words akin to Kannada naḷ, reed) of nadaḥ; akin to Persian nay, reed, flute, Armenian net, arrow, and Hittite nātaš, reed, arrow, and perhaps further akin to Sanskrit nadati, he roars, howls, cries.]

panacean

n. A remedy for all diseases, evils, or difficulties; a cure-all. [Latin panacēa, from Greek panakeia, from panakēs, all-healing : pan-, pan- + akos, cure.]

monograph

n. A scholarly piece of writing of essay or book length on a specific, often limited subject. tr.v. mon·o·graphed, mon·o·graph·ing, mon·o·graphs To write a monograph on.

nociceptor

n. A sensory receptor that responds to pain. [Latin nocēre, to hurt; see NOCENT + (RE)CEPTOR.]

vorticism

n. A short-lived English movement in art and literature that arose in 1914 and was heavily influenced by cubism and futurism.

quokka

n. A short-tailed herbivorous marsupial (Setonix brachyurus) found in coastal areas of southwest Australia. [Nyungar (Pama-Nyungan language of southwest Australia) gwaga.]

wind shear

n. A significant variation in the speed or velocity of the wind with respect to location or altitude, as in the speed change of a downdraft, or in the directional change of lateral winds along the edge of a thunderstorm.

sluggard *

n. A slothful person; an idler. adj. Lazy. [Middle English sluggart, probably from sluggi, lazy, probably of Scandinavian origin.]

yaupon

n. A small evergreen holly tree (Ilex vomitoria) chiefly of the southeast United States, having red or sometimes yellow fruit and glossy leaves formerly used to make a bitter tea.

porridge

n. A soft food made by boiling oatmeal or another meal in water or milk. [Alteration of POTTAGE (influenced by obsolete porray, vegetable soup, from Middle English porreie, from Old French poree, leek soup, from por, leek, from Latin porrum).]

salver

n. A tray for serving food or drinks. [Alteration of French salve, from Spanish salva, tasting of food to detect poison, salver, from salvar, to save, taste food to detect poison, from Late Latin salvāre, to save; see SALVAGE.]

whipstall

n. A usually intentional stall in which a small aircraft enters a vertical climb, pauses, slips backward momentarily, then drops nose downward.

stromatolite

n. A usually rounded or columnar sedimentary structure consisting of alternating layers of carbonate or silicate sediment and fossilized microbial mats, produced over geologic time by the trapping, binding, or precipitating of minerals by groups of microorganisms, primarily cyanobacteria. [Late Latin strōma, strōmat-, covering; see STROMA + -LITE.]

ratatouille

n. A vegetable stew, usually made with eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, and onions, seasoned with herbs and garlic. [French, from alteration of toillier, touiller, to stir, mix; see TOIL1.]

Pyrrhic victory

n. A victory that is offset by staggering losses.

Saint Elmo's fire

n. A visible electric discharge on a pointed object, such as the mast of a ship or the wing of an airplane, during an electrical storm. Also called corposant. [After Saint Elmo, fourth-century AD patron saint of sailors.]

ring-necked pheasant

n. A widely distributed game bird (Phasianus colchicus) native to Eurasia and introduced elsewhere, the male of which has a long pointed tail, brightly colored plumage, and a white ring around the neck.

pamphleteer

n. A writer of pamphlets or other short works taking a partisan stand on an issue. intr.v. pam·phlet·eered, pam·phlet·eer·ing, pam·phlet·eers To write and publish pamphlets.

spumoni, spumone

n. An Italian ice cream having layers of different colors or flavors and often containing fruits and nuts. [Italian spumone, spumoni (originally, a layered ice cream dessert containing a lighter layer incorporating whipped cream), from augmentative of spuma, foam, whipped sorbet, from Old Italian, foam, from Latin spūma.]

mea culpa

n. An acknowledgment of a personal error or fault: The authors issued a mea culpa after their plagiarism was revealed. interj. Used to express guilt for a personal error or fault. [Latin meā culpā, through my fault : meā, feminine ablative of meus, my + culpā, ablative of culpa, fault.]

pastime

n. An activity that occupies one's spare time pleasantly: Sailing is her favorite pastime. [Middle English passe tyme, translation of French passe temps : passer, to pass + temps, time.]

mutagen

n. An agent, such as a chemical, ultraviolet light, or a radioactive element, that can induce or increase the frequency of mutation in an organism.

scopolamine

n. An alkaloid drug, C17H21NO4, extracted from plants such as henbane and used primarily to treat motion sickness and nausea and to dilate the pupil. Also called hyoscine. [New Latin Scopolia, plant genus (after Giovanni Antonio Scopoli (1723-1788), Italian naturalist) + -AMINE.]

zinc oxide *

n. An amorphous white or yellowish powder, ZnO, used as a pigment, in compounding rubber, in the manufacture of plastics, and in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

pachisi

n. An ancient game of India similar to backgammon that is played on a board or cloth shaped like a Greek cross and that uses cowrie shells instead of dice. [Hindi pacīsī, from pacīs, twenty-five : Sanskrit pañca, five; see penkwe in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + Sanskrit viṁśatiḥ, twenty; see wīktī- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

inquiline

n. An animal that characteristically lives commensally in the nest, burrow, or dwelling place of an animal of another species. adj. Being or living as an inquiline. [Latin inquilīnus, lodger, tenant : in-, in; see IN-2 + colere, to inhabit; see kwel-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

printer's devil

n. An apprentice in a printing establishment. [From the apprentice becoming black from the ink.]

myrrh

n. An aromatic gum resin obtained from several trees and shrubs of the genus Commiphora of northeastern Africa and Arabia, used in perfume, incense, and medicinal preparations. [Middle English mirre, from Old English myrrha, from Latin, from Greek murrha, of Semitic origin; see mrr in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

pentathlete

n. An athlete who participates in a pentathlon.

whited sepulcher

n. An evil person who pretends to be holy or good; a hypocrite. [From the simile applied by Jesus to hypocrites as exemplified by some scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23:27).]

sialorrhea, sialorrhoea

n. An excessive secretion of saliva. [Greek sialon, saliva + -RRHEA.]

strychnine

n. An extremely poisonous white crystalline alkaloid, C21H22O2N2, derived from nux vomica and related plants, used as a poison for rodents and other pests and formerly as a stimulant. [French, from New Latin Strychnos, genus name, from Latin strychnon, a kind of nightshade, from Greek strukhnon.]

interim *

n. An interval of time between one event, process, or period and another. adj. Belonging to, serving during, or taking place during an intermediate interval of time; temporary: an interim agreement. See Synonyms at temporary. [From Latin, in the meantime; see en in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

verderer, verderor

n. An official who oversees the protection and conservation of a forest in England, originally a judicial officer having charge of the royal forests of medieval England. [Anglo-Norman, from verd, green, from Latin viridis.]

subpoena *

n. An order issued under the authority of a court, commanding a person to appear in court on a particular date, usually to give testimony in a legal case. tr.v. sub·poe·naed, sub·poe·na·ing, sub·poe·nas To serve or summon with such a writ. [Middle English suppena, from Medieval Latin sub poenā, under a penalty (from the opening words of the writ) : Latin sub, under; see SUB- + Latin poenā, ablative of poena, penalty; see kwei-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Walter Mitty

n. An ordinary, often ineffectual person who indulges in fantastic daydreams of personal triumphs. [After the main character in "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, "by James Thurber.]

rhodopsin *

n. Any of a class of reddish, light-sensitive pigments found in the retinal rods of the eyes of terrestrial and marine vertebrates, consisting of opsin and retinal. Also called visual purple. [RHOD(O)- + Greek opsis, sight; see -OPSIS + -IN.]

carotenoid

n. Any of a class of yellow to red pigments, including the carotenes and the xanthophylls. adj. Of or relating to such a pigment.

parasomnia

n. Any of a group of sleep disorders characterized by unwanted behaviors or perceptions that occur during sleep or partial arousal from sleep, including sleepwalking, night terrors, and frequent nightmares.

saxifrage

n. Any of numerous herbs of the genus Saxifraga, having small, variously colored flowers and leaves that often form a basal rosette. [Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin (herba) saxifraga, maidenhair fern, feminine of Latin saxifragus, rock-breaking (from its being found growing in rock crevices) : saxum, rock; see sek- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + frangere, frag-, to break; see bhreg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

pulsar

n. Any of several celestial objects emitting periodic, short, intense bursts of radio, x-ray, or visible electromagnetic radiation, generally believed to be quickly rotating neutron stars. [From puls(ating st)ar (influenced by QUASAR).]

wisteria, Wisteria

n. Any of several climbing woody vines of the genus Wisteria in the pea family, having pinnately compound leaves and drooping racemes of showy purplish or white flowers. [New Latin Wisteria, genus name, after Caspar Wistar (1761-1818), American physician.]

pangolin *

n. Any of several long-tailed, scale-covered mammals of the order Pholidota of tropical Africa and Asia, having a long snout and a sticky tongue for catching and eating ants and termites. Also called scaly anteater. [Malay pengguling, something that rolls up : peng-, n. pref. + -guling, to roll (from its habit of rolling up into a ball when frightened).]

sassaby

n. Any of several subspecies of a medium-sized African antelope (Damaliscus lunatus) having a dark reddish-brown coat with black patches and curved ridged horns, especially D. lunatus subsp. lunatus of southern Africa.

pimpernel

n. Any of various plants of the genus Anagallis, having opposite leaves and flowers with a five-lobed calyx, especially the scarlet pimpernel. [Middle English pimpernelle, from Old French, alteration of piprenelle, from Late Latin pimpinella, perhaps from Latin piper, pepper; see PEPPER.]

pterodactyl

n. Any of various pterosaurs of the group Pterodactyloidea of the Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods, having a short tail or no tail, and including the pteranodons. [New Latin Pterodactylus, genus name : Greek pteron, feather, wing; see -PTER + Greek daktulos, finger.]

spirea, spiraea Spiraea

n. Any of various shrubs of the genus Spiraea of the rose family, having clusters of small white or pink flowers and including bridal wreath, hardhack, and meadowsweet. [Latin spīraea, meadowsweet, from Greek speiraia, privet, from speira, coil.]

phalanger

n. Any of various small arboreal marsupials of the family Phalangeridae of New Guinea, Australia, and adjacent islands, having a long tail and dense woolly fur. [New Latin, from Greek phalanx, phalang-, toe bone (from its fused hind toes); see PHALANX.]

runcible spoon

n. Any of various spoons, especially a three-pronged fork that is curved like a spoon and that has a cutting edge. [From runcible spoon, nonsense term coined by Edward Lear (originally appearing in The Owl and Pussycat (1871) in the lines They dined on mince and slices of quince / which they ate with a runcible spoon, perhaps inspired by rouncival, a kind of large pea, from the name of the Hospital of St. Mary of Rouncival in London (in the garden of which the variety was first grown), from Rouncival, variant of RONCESVALLES (the use of rouncival for the large pea perhaps being influenced by the giant bones purportedly exhibited to pilgrims at Roncesvalles, ostensibly those of legendary heroes who died at Roncesvalles, such as Roland, or those of Sancho VII of Navarre, who is said to have been over seven feet tall).]

piranha, piraña

n. Any of various tropical American freshwater fishes of several genera, especially Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus, that have sharp teeth and are known for attacking and feeding on live animals. Also called caribe. [Portuguese, from Tupí : pirá, fish + ánha, teeth.]

probity

n. Complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness: "He was a gentlemanly Georgian, a person of early American probity" (Mary McGrory). [Middle English probite, from Old French, from Latin probitās, from probus, upright, good; see per1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

politesse

n. Courteous formality; politeness: "the soul of uptown refinement and ... politesse" (Russell Baker). [French, from Old French, cleanliness, from Italian pulitezza, politezza, from pulire, to polish, clean, from Latin polīre; see POLITE.]

seroconversion

n. Development of antibodies in blood serum as a result of infection or immunization.

mydriasis *

n. Dilation of the pupil of the eye, especially when excessive or prolonged, usually as a result of trauma, a medical disorder, or a drug. [Latin mydriāsis, from Greek mudriāsis, perhaps from mudros, red-hot mass of metal in a forge (in reference to the more brilliant appearance of the dilated pupil to ancient physicians, as a result of light reflected off the fundus of the eye ); possibly akin to mudān, to be damp, dripping ( mudros perhaps originally referring to molten iron).]

vagus nerve

n. Either of the tenth and longest of the cranial nerves, passing through the neck and thorax into the abdomen and supplying sensation to part of the ear, the tongue, the larynx, and the pharynx, motor impulses to the vocal cords, and motor and secretory impulses to the abdominal and thoracic viscera. Also called pneumogastric nerve. [New Latin (nervus) vagus, wandering (nerve), from Latin.]

thermogenic

n. Generation or production of heat, especially by physiological processes.

phthiriasis

n. Infestation with lice, especially crab lice; pediculosis. [Latin phthīriāsis, from Greek phtheiriāsis, from phtheiriān, to be lousy, from phtheir, louse.]

parotitis

n. Inflammation of the parotid glands, as in mumps.

Riggs' disease *

n. Inflammation of the tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth. [After John Mankey Riggs (1810-1885), American dentist.]

pseudo-event

n. Informal An event that has been caused to occur or staged to engender press coverage and public interest: "Polls have become the quintessential pseudo-events of the preprimary campaign" (Edward M. Kennedy).

photojournalism

n. Journalism in which a news story is presented primarily through photographs with supplementary written copy.

psychobabble *

n. Language characterized by the often inaccurate use of jargon from psychiatry and psychotherapy: "Discussions ... sometimes ... consist of consciousness-raising psychobabble, with the students' feelings and experiences valued as much as anything the professor or texts have to offer" (Karen Lehrman). [Coined by Richard Dean Rosen (born 1949), American writer.]

starveling *

n. One that is starving or being starved. adj. 1. Starving. 2. Poor in quality; inadequate.

stonemason *

n. One that prepares and lays stones in building.

warrantee

n. One to whom a warranty is made or a warrant is given.

obligee *

n. One to whom another is under obligation by a contract or legal agreement.

Russophobia

n. One who fears or dislikes Russia or its people or culture.

humanitarianism *

n. One who is devoted to the promotion of human welfare and the advancement of social reforms. adj. 1. Showing concern for the welfare of humanity, especially in acting to improve the living conditions of impoverished people. 2. Being a situation in which many human lives are in danger of harm or death: The drought caused a humanitarian crisis.

reggae

n. Popular music of Jamaican origin having elements of Calypso and rhythm and blues, usually with an accent placed on the offbeat. [Jamaican English, ultimately from rege-rege, ragged clothing, probably from RAG1.]

zydeco

n. Popular music of southern Louisiana that combines French dance melodies, elements of Caribbean music, and the blues, played by small groups featuring the guitar, the accordion, and a washboard. [From Louisiana French Creole zarico, beans, zydeco, from French les haricots, the string beans (perhaps as in les haricots (sont pas salés), the string beans (aren't salty), a common phrase in Creole song lyrics suggesting hard times in which people cannot afford salt pork to cook with their beans) : les, pl. of le, the + haricots, pl. of haricot, string bean; see HARICOT1.]

vox populi

n. Popular opinion or sentiment. [Latin vōx populī : vōx, voice + populī, genitive of populus, people.]

Weltschmerz

n. Sadness over the evils of the world, especially as an expression of romantic pessimism. [German : Welt, world; see WELTANSCHAUUNG + Schmerz, pain (from Middle High German smërze, from Old High German smerzo).]

mouton *

n. Sheepskin that has been sheared and processed to resemble beaver or seal. [French, sheep, from Old French; see MUTTON.]

nimiety

n. Superfluity; excess. [Late Latin nimietās, from Latin nimius, excessive, from nimis, excessively; see ne in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

resorption

n. The act or process of resorbing.

ventriloquial

n. The art of projecting one's voice so that it seems to come from another source, as from a wooden figure. [From Latin ventriloquus, speaking from the belly : venter, ventr-, belly + loquī, to speak; see tolkw- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

sacerdotalism *

n. The belief that priests act as mediators between God and humans.

oncologic

n. The branch of medicine that deals with tumors, including study of their development, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. [Greek onkos, mass, tumor; see nek-3 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + -LOGY.]

protoplasm

n. The complex, semifluid, translucent substance that constitutes the interior matter of a living cell and is composed of proteins, fats, and other molecules suspended in water. It includes the cytoplasm, the nucleus in eukaryotes, and organelles such as mitochondria.

Tetragrammaton

n. The four Hebrew letters usually transliterated as YHWH or JHVH, used as a biblical proper name for God. [Middle English Tetragramaton, from Greek tetragrammaton, four-letter word, from neuter of tetragrammatos, four-lettered : tetra-, tetra- + gramma, grammat-, letter; see gerbh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

zedonk

n. The hybrid offspring of a male zebra and a female donkey.

non prosequitur

n. The judgment entered against a plaintiff who has failed to pursue his or her lawsuit in a timely manner. [Late Latin nōn prosequitur, he does not prosecute : Latin nōn, not + prōsequitur, third person sing. present tense of prōsequī, to prosecute.]

poetic license

n. The liberty taken by an artist or a writer in deviating from conventional form or fact to achieve a desired effect.

pharyngology

n. The medical study of the pharynx and its diseases.

oneiromancer

n. The practice of predicting the future through interpretation of dreams. [Greek oneiros, dream + -MANCY.]

pertinacity *

n. The quality or state of being pertinacious: "Again and again ... with the inexorable pertinacity of a child ... did he renew his efforts" (Nathaniel Hawthorne).

proxemics

n. (used with a sing. verb) The study of the cultural, behavioral, and sociological aspects of spatial distances between individuals. [PROX(IMITY) + -emics (as in PHONEMICS).]

recidivist

n. The repeating of or returning to criminal behavior by the same offender or type of offender. [From recidivist, one who recidivates, from French récidiviste, from récidiver, to relapse, from Medieval Latin recidīvāre, from Latin recidīvus, falling back, from recidere, to fall back : re-, re- + cadere, to fall; see kad- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

perestroika

n. The restructuring of the Soviet economy and bureaucracy that began in the mid 1980s. [Russian perestroĭka : pere-, around, again (from Old Russian; see per1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + stroĭka, construction (from stroit', to build, from Old Russian stroiti, from strojĭ, order; see ster-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

volcanology

n. The scientific study of volcanoes and volcanic phenomena.

Tishri

n. The seventh month of the year in the Jewish calendar. See Table at calendar. [Hebrew tišrî, from Akkadian tašrītu, beginning, a month name, from šurrû, to begin; see šry in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

Shakespearean sonnet

n. The sonnet form used by Shakespeare, composed of three quatrains and a terminal couplet in iambic pentameter with the rhyme pattern abab cdcd efef gg. Also called Elizabethan sonnet, English sonnet.

praxeology, praxiology

n. The study of human conduct.

psephology

n. The study of political elections

radioecological

n. The study of the effects of radiation and radioisotopes on the environment.

odontology

n. The study of the structure, development, and abnormalities of the teeth.

qualitative analysis

n. The testing of a substance or mixture to determine its chemical constituents.

quitclaim *

n. The transfer of a title or deed to another, without warranty as to the extent of ownership on the part of the seller. tr.v. quit·claimed, quit·claim·ing, quit·claims To transfer (one's interest in property) without warranty as to the extent of ownership on the part of the seller. adj. Of or relating to such a title, deed, or transfer without warranty. [Middle English quitclaime, from Anglo-Norman quiteclame, from quiteclamer, to release : quite, free; see QUITE + clamer, to proclaim (from Latin clāmāre; see CLAIM).]

sitzkrieg *

n. Warfare marked by a lack of aggression or progress. [Coined on the model of BLITZKRIEG : German Sitz, act of sitting; see SITZ BATH + German Krieg, war; see BLITZKRIEG.]

satori

n. Buddhism A spiritual awakening sought in Zen Buddhism, often coming suddenly. [Japanese.]

Pygmalion *

n. Greek Mythology A king of Cyprus who carved and then fell in love with a statue of a woman, which Aphrodite brought to life as Galatea.

Telemachus

n. Greek Mythology The son of Odysseus and Penelope, who helped his father kill Penelope's suitors.

imam, Imam

n. Islam 1. a. In law and theology, the caliph who is successor to Muhammad as the lawful temporal leader of the Islamic community. b. The male prayer leader in a mosque. c. The Muslim worshiper who leads the recitation of prayer when two or more worshipers are present. 2. In Twelver Shia belief, any of 12 descendants of Muhammad regarded as divinely appointed spiritual and temporal leaders. 3. A ruler claiming descent from Muhammad and exercising authority in an Islamic state. 4. a. Any of the founders of the four schools of law and theology. b. An authoritative scholar who founds a school of law or theology. 5. Used as a title for an imam. [Arabic 'imām, leader, imam, from 'amma, to go before, lead; see ʾmm in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

yeshiva, yeshivah

n. Judaism 1. An institute of learning where students study sacred texts, primarily the Talmud. 2. An elementary or secondary school with a curriculum that includes religion and culture as well as general education. [Hebrew yəšîbâ, from yāšab, to sit; see wṯb in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

Shekinah, Shekhinah

n. Judaism A visible manifestation of the divine presence as described in Jewish theology. [Mishnaic Hebrew šəkînâ, from Hebrew šākan, to dwell; see škn in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

misdemeanant

n. Law One who has committed a misdemeanor.

plaintiff

n. Law The party that institutes a suit in a court. [Middle English plaintif, from Anglo-Norman pleintif, from Old French plaintif, aggrieved; see PLAINTIVE.]

solmization

n. Music The act or a system of using syllables, especially sol-fa syllables, to represent the tones of the scale. [French solmisation, from solmiser, to sol-fa : sol, note of the scale (from Medieval Latin; see GAMUT) + mi, note of the scale (from Medieval Latin; see GAMUT).]

Quetzalcoatl

n. Mythology A god of the Toltecs and Aztecs, often represented as a plumed serpent, who was worshiped as co-creator of the world along with his adversary Tezcatlipoca.

trestletree

n. Nautical One of a pair of horizontal beams set into a masthead to support the crosstrees.

faun *

n. Roman Mythology Any of numerous rural deities represented as having the body of a man and the horns, ears, tail, and sometimes legs of a goat. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin Faunus, Faunus.]

ramada

n. Southwestern US 1. a. A roofed, open-sided structure providing shade and protection from rain. b. An open or partially enclosed shelter roofed with brush or branches, designed especially to provide shade. c. An open porch or breezeway. 2. An arbor or trellis made of twined branches. [Spanish, from rama, branch, from Vulgar Latin *rāma, from Latin rāmus; see RAMIFY.]

hedonics *

n. (used with a sing. verb) 1. The branch of psychology that studies pleasant and unpleasant sensations and states of mind. 2. Philosophy The branch of ethics that deals with the relation of pleasure to duty.

sphragistics

n. (used with a sing. verb) The study of seals and signets. [French sphragistique, from Late Greek sphragistikos, of seals, from Greek sphragistos, stamped, sealed, from sphragis, seal.]

Lou Gehrig's disease

n. Abbr. ALS A chronic, progressive disease marked by gradual degeneration of the nerve cells in the spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement, causing muscle weakness, atrophy, and eventual paralysis.

clear-air turbulence

n. Abbr. CAT Atmospheric turbulence that occurs under tranquil and cloudless conditions and subjects aircraft to strong updrafts and downdrafts.

fiscal year *

n. Abbr. FY A 12-month period for which an organization plans the use of its funds.

nolle prosequi

n. Abbr. nol. pros. A declaration that the plaintiff in a civil case or the prosecutor in a criminal case will drop prosecution of all or part of a suit or indictment. [Latin nōlle prōsequī, to be unwilling to pursue : nōlle, to be unwilling + prōsequī, to pursue.]

hafnium

n. Symbol Hf A brilliant, silvery, metallic element separated from ores of zirconium and used in nuclear reactor control rods, as a getter for oxygen and nitrogen, and in tungsten filament alloys. Atomic number 72; atomic weight 178.49; melting point 2,233°C; boiling point 4,603°C; specific gravity 13.31; valence 4. See Periodic Table. [After Hafnia, Medieval Latin name for Copenhagen, Denmark.]

titanium

n. Symbol Ti A strong, low-density, highly corrosion-resistant, lustrous white metallic element that occurs widely in igneous rocks and is used to alloy aircraft metals for low weight, strength, and high-temperature stability. Atomic number 22; atomic weight 47.87; melting point 1,668°C; boiling point 3,287°C; specific gravity 4.51; valence 2, 3, 4. See Periodic Table. [From Latin Tītān, Titan; see TITAN.]

affinity *

n. pl. af·fin·i·ties 1. a. A natural attraction, liking, or feeling of kinship: a special affinity with animals; a cultural affinity for the automobile. b. A natural tendency or ability to use or do something: an affinity with languages; an affinity for making money. c. A natural compatibility of one thing with another: "the affinity of pork and shellfish" (Alison Arnett). 2. Relationship by marriage: related by affinity to the wife. 3. a. An inherent similarity between persons or things: "The genius of the Afro-Cubans lay in recognizing the affinity between swing-era jazz and their own tradition" (Gene Santoro). b. Biology A relationship or resemblance in structure between species that suggests a common origin. 4. a. An attraction or force between particles or chemicals that causes them to combine. b. The degree to which particles or chemicals are likely to combine: Hemoglobin has a high affinity for oxygen. Also called avidity. [Middle English affinite, relationship by marriage, from Old French afinite, from Latin affīnitās, from affīnis, related by marriage; see AFFINED.]

anacoluthon *

n. pl. an·a·co·lu·thons or an·a·co·lu·tha (-thə) An abrupt change within a sentence to a second construction inconsistent with the first, sometimes used for rhetorical effect; for example, I warned him that if he continues to drink, what will become of him? [Late Latin, from Late Greek anakolouthon, inconsistency in logic, from Greek, neuter of anakolouthos, inconsistent : an-, not; see A-1 + akolouthos, following (a-, together; see sem-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + keleuthos, path).]

annuity *

n. pl. an·nu·i·ties 1. a. The annual payment of an allowance or income. b. The right to receive this payment or the obligation to make this payment. 2. A contract or agreement by which one receives fixed payments on an investment for a lifetime or for a specified number of years. [Middle English annuite, from Anglo-Norman, from Medieval Latin annuitās, from Latin annuus, yearly, from annus, year; see at- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

acanthus, Acanthus

n. pl. a·can·thus·es or a·can·thi (-thī′) 1. Any of various perennial herbs or small shrubs of the genus Acanthus, native to the Mediterranean and having pinnately lobed basal leaves with spiny margins and showy spikes of white or purplish flowers. 2. Architecture A design patterned after the leaves of one of these plants, used especially on the capitals of Corinthian columns. [New Latin Acanthus, genus name, from Greek akanthos, thorn plant, from akantha, thorn.]

adobo

n. pl. a·do·bos 1. A Philippine dish of marinated meat or seafood seasoned with garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and spices. 2. A spicy sauce or marinade made with chili peppers, garlic, vinegar, and other ingredients, used in Spanish and Latin-American cuisine. [Spanish, from Old Spanish adobar, to stew, from Old French adouber, to dub, arm, prepare, of Germanic origin.]

chancery

n. pl. chan·cer·ies 1. Law a. A court of chancery. b. The proceedings and practice of a court of chancery; equity. c. A court of public record; an office of archives. d. One of the five divisions of the High Court of Justice of Great Britain, presided over by the Lord High Chancellor. 2. The office or department of a chancellor; a chancellery. [Middle English chancerie, alteration of chancelrie; see CHANCELLERY.]

chiasmus

n. pl. chi·as·mi (-mī′) A rhetorical inversion of the second of two parallel structures, as in "Each throat / Was parched, and glazed each eye" (Samuel Taylor Coleridge). [New Latin chīasmus, from Greek khīasmos, syntactic inversion, from khīazein, to invert or mark with an X; see CHIASMA.]

cochlea

n. pl. coch·le·ae (-lē-ē′, -lē-ī′) also coch·le·as A spiral-shaped cavity of the inner ear that resembles a snail shell and contains nerve endings essential for hearing. [Latin, snail shell, from Greek kokhliās, snail, from kokhlos, land snail.]

consanguinity

n. pl. con·san·guin·i·ties 1. Relationship by blood or by a common ancestor. 2. A close affinity or connection.

continuum *

n. pl. con·tin·u·a (-tĭny-ə) or con·tin·u·ums 1. A continuous extent, succession, or whole, no part of which can be distinguished from neighboring parts except by arbitrary division. 2. Mathematics a. A set having the same number of points as all the real numbers in an interval. b. The set of all real numbers. [Latin, neuter of continuus, continuous; see CONTINUE.]

cordon bleu (singular)

n. pl. cor·dons bleus (kôr′dôɴ blœ) A person highly distinguished in a field, especially a master chef. adj. Stuffed with cheese and ham or bacon, breaded, and fried: chicken cordon bleu. [French : cordon, ribbon + bleu, blue.]

dashiki

n. pl. da·shi·kis A loose, brightly colored, patterned tunic worn especially in West Africa. [Yoruba dàńṣíkí, from Hausa dán cíkí.]

detritus

n. pl. detritus 1. Loose fragments or grains that have been worn away from rock. 2. Disintegrated or eroded matter; debris: the detritus of past civilizations. [French détritus, from Latin dētrītus, from past participle of dēterere, to lessen, wear away; see DETRIMENT.]

definiens *

n. pl. de·fin·i·en·ti·a (-ĕnshē-ə, -shə) The word or words serving to define another word or expression, as in a dictionary entry. [Latin dēfīniēns, present participle of dēfīnīre, to define; see DEFINE.]

dictum

n. pl. dic·ta (-tə) or dic·tums 1. An authoritative, often formal pronouncement: "He cites Augustine's dictum that 'If you understand it, it is not God'" (Joseph Sobran). 2. Law A side remark made in a judicial opinion that is not necessary for the decision in the case and therefore is not to be regarded as establishing the law of the case or setting legal precedent. Also called obiter dictum. [Latin, from neuter past participle of dīcere, to say; see deik- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

dispensary

n. pl. dis·pen·sa·ries 1. An office in a hospital, school, or other institution from which medical supplies, preparations, and treatments are dispensed. 2. A public institution that dispenses medicines or medical aid.

duopsony

n. pl. du·op·so·nies A stock-market condition wherein two rival buyers exert a controlling influence on numerous sellers. [DUO- + Greek opsōniā, purchasing of provisions (from opsōnein, to buy food : opson, cooked food; see epi in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + ōnē, buying, from ōneisthai, to buy; see wes-3 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

dynamo *

n. pl. dy·na·mos 1. A generator, especially one for producing direct current. 2. An extremely energetic and forceful person: a vice president who was the real dynamo of the corporation. [Short for dynamoelectric machine.]

effrontery

n. pl. ef·front·er·ies Brazen boldness; presumptuousness. [French effronterie, from effronté, shameless, from Old French esfronte, from Vulgar Latin *effrontātus, alteration of Late Latin effrōns, effront- : ex-, ex- + frōns, front-, front, forehead.]

enmity *

n. pl. en·mi·ties 1. Deep-seated, often mutual hatred. 2. A feeling or state of hatred or animosity: "More than almost any public man I have ever met, he has avoided exciting personal enmities" (Theodore Roosevelt). [Middle English enemite, from Old French enemistie, from Vulgar Latin *inimīcitās, from Latin inimīcus, enemy; see ENEMY.]

exemplum *

n. pl. ex·em·pla (-plə) 1. An example. 2. A brief story used to make a point in an argument or to illustrate a moral truth. [Latin; see EXAMPLE.]

exegetic *

n. pl. ex·e·ge·ses (-sēz) Critical explanation or analysis, especially of a text. [Greek exēgēsis, from exēgeisthai, to interpret : ex-, ex- + hēgeisthai, to lead; see sāg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

fistula *

n. pl. fis·tu·lasor fis·tu·lae (-lē′) 1. A duct or passage resulting from injury, disease, or a congenital disorder that connects an abscess, cavity, or hollow organ to the body surface or to another hollow organ. 2. Such a passage that has been created intentionally, especially a surgically constructed connection between an artery and a vein that is used for vascular access in hemodialysis. [Middle English, from Latin, hollow stalk of a reed, pipe, fistula (in the medical sense, probably calqued on Greek surinx, panpipe, fistula); perhaps akin to Latin festūca, straw, stalk; see FESCUE.]

gallimaufry

n. pl. gal·li·mau·fries A jumble; a hodgepodge. [French galimafrée, from Old French galimafree, sauce, ragout : probably galer, to make merry; see GALLANT + mafrer, to gorge oneself (from Middle Dutch moffelen, to open one's mouth wide, of imitative origin).]

gourami

n. pl. gourami or gou·ra·mis or gou·ra·mies Any of various freshwater fishes of Southeast Asia of the families Osphronemidae and sometimes Belontiidae, capable of breathing air and popular in home aquariums. [Malay gurami, carp, of Javanese origin.]

gurus

n. pl. gu·rus 1. In Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism, a personal spiritual teacher. 2. a. Any of the ten successive spiritual teachers who developed Sikhism between the 16th and 18th centuries. b. Guru See Guru Granth Sahib. 3. a. A trusted counselor and adviser; a mentor. b. A popular or influential leader or advocate, as of a movement or idea: "In a culture that worships slimness, he was the Guru of Lean" (Erica Abeel). [Hindi guru, from Sanskrit guruḥ, from guru-, heavy; see gwerə-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

idiot savant *

n. pl. idiot savants Often Offensive A person with savant syndrome; a savant. [French : idiot, idiot + savant, learned.]

impetuosity

n. pl. im·pet·u·os·i·ties 1. The quality or condition of being impetuous. 2. An impetuous act.

idée fixe (singular)

n. pl. i·dées fixes (ē-dā fēks) A fixed idea; an obsession. [French : idée, idea + fixe, fixed.]

philanthropist

n. pl. phi·lan·thro·pies 1. The effort or inclination to increase the well-being of humankind, as by charitable aid or donations. 2. Love of humankind in general. 3. Something, such as an activity or institution, intended to promote human welfare. [Late Latin philanthrōpia, from Greek, from philanthrōpos, humane, benevolent : phil-, philo-, philo- + anthrōpos, man, mankind.]

étui

n. pl. é·tuis (ā-twēz) A small, usually ornamental case for holding articles such as needles. [French, from Old French estui, prison, from estuier, to guard, from Vulgar Latin *estudiāre, to treat carefully, from Latin studium, study; see STUDY.]

disinterred

tr.v. dis·in·terred, dis·in·ter·ring, dis·in·ters 1. To dig up or remove from a grave or tomb; exhume. 2. To bring to public notice; disclose.

embolden

tr.v. em·bold·ened, em·bold·en·ing, em·bold·ens To foster boldness or courage in. See Synonyms at encourage.

entombment

tr.v. en·tombed, en·tomb·ing, en·tombs 1. To place in or as if in a tomb or grave. 2. To serve as a tomb for.

circumscribe

tr.v. cir·cum·scribed, cir·cum·scrib·ing, cir·cum·scribes 1. To draw a line around; encircle. 2. a. To form or mark the limits of; delineate: The hedge circumscribes the property. b. To limit narrowly; restrict: Their plans were circumscribed by a lack of money. See Synonyms at limit. 3. a. To enclose (a polygon or polyhedron) within a configuration of lines, curves, or surfaces so that every vertex of the enclosed object is incident on the enclosing configuration. b. To erect (such a configuration) around a polygon or polyhedron: circumscribe a circle around a square. [Middle English circumscriben, from Latin circumscrībere : circum-, circum- + scrībere, to write; see skrībh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

deglamorize *

tr.v. de·glam·or·ized, de·glam·or·iz·ing, de·glam·or·iz·es To make less glamorous: "pressing the entertainment industry to deglamorize the treatment of drugs in films" (Larry Martz).

deracinate

tr.v. de·rac·i·nat·ed, de·rac·i·nat·ing, de·rac·i·nates 1. To pull out by the roots; uproot. 2. To displace from one's native or accustomed environment. [From French déraciner, from Old French desraciner : des-, de- + racine, root (from Late Latin rādīcīna, from Latin rādīx, rādīc-; see wrād- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

discomfited *

tr.v. dis·com·fit·ed, dis·com·fit·ing, dis·com·fits 1. To make uneasy or perplexed; disconcert. See Synonyms at embarrass. 2. Archaic To defeat in battle; vanquish. n. Archaic Discomfiture. [Middle English discomfiten, from Old French desconfit, past participle of desconfire, descumfire, to defeat : des-, dis- + confire, to make (from Latin cōnficere, to prepare; see COMFIT).]

discommoded *

tr.v. dis·com·mod·ed, dis·com·mod·ing, dis·com·modes To put to inconvenience; trouble. [DIS- + commode, to suit (from Latin commodāre, from commodus, convenient; see COMMODIOUS).]

extirpate

tr.v. ex·tir·pat·ed, ex·tir·pat·ing, ex·tir·pates 1. a. To destroy totally; kill off: an effort to reintroduce wildlife that had been extirpated from the region. b. To render absent or nonexistent: "No society ... is devoid of ... religion, even those ... which have made deliberate attempts to extirpate it" (Roy A. Rappaport). See Synonyms at eliminate. 2. To pull up by the roots. 3. To remove by surgery. [Latin exstirpāre, exstirpāt- : ex-, ex- + stirps, root.]

hierarchize

tr.v. hi·er·ar·chized, hi·er·ar·chiz·ing, hi·er·ar·chiz·es To arrange in a hierarchy.

de-escalate, deescalate

v. de-es·ca·lat·ed, de-es·ca·lat·ing, de-es·ca·lates or de·es·ca·lat·ed or de·es·ca·lat·ing or de·es·ca·lates v.tr. To decrease the size, scope, or intensity of (a war, for example). v.intr. To decrease or diminish in size, scope, or intensity: The birth rate has begun to de-escalate.

debauched

v. de·bauched, de·bauch·ing, de·bauch·es v.tr. 1. a. To corrupt morally. See Synonyms at corrupt. b. To seduce (someone). 2. To reduce the value, quality, or excellence of; debase: debauch a currency. 3. Archaic To cause to forsake allegiance. v.intr. To indulge in dissipation. n. 1. The act or a period of debauchery. 2. An orgy. [French débaucher, from Old French desbauchier, to lead astray, roughhew timber : des-, de- + bauch, beam, of Germanic origin.]

deploy *

v. de·ployed, de·ploy·ing, de·ploys v.tr. 1. a. To position (troops) in readiness for combat, as along a front or line. b. To bring (forces or material) into action. c. To base (a weapons system) in the field. 2. To distribute (persons or forces) systematically or strategically. 3. To put into use or action: "Samuel Beckett's friends suspected that he was a genius, yet no one knew ... how his abilities would be deployed" (Richard Ellmann). v.intr. To be or become deployed. [French déployer, from Old French despleier, from Latin displicāre, to scatter : dis-, dis- + plicāre, to fold; see plek- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

fulminate

v. ful·mi·nat·ed, ful·mi·nat·ing, ful·mi·nates v.intr. 1. To issue a thunderous verbal attack or denunciation: fulminated against political chicanery. 2. To explode or detonate. v.tr. 1. To issue (a denunciation, for example) thunderously. 2. To cause to explode. n. An explosive salt of fulminic acid, especially fulminate of mercury. [Middle English fulminaten, from Latin fulmināre, fulmināt-, to strike with lightning, from fulmen, fulmin-, lightning that strikes; see bhel-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

predominately

v.intr. 1. To have or gain controlling power or influence; prevail: Good predominates over evil in many literary works. 2. To be of or have greater quantity or importance; preponderate: French-speaking people predominate in Quebec. v.tr. To dominate or prevail over. adj. (ə-nət) Predominant. [Medieval Latin praedominārī, praedomināt- : Latin prae-, pre- + Latin dominārī, to rule (from dominus, master; see dem- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

recuperatory

v.intr. 1. To return to health or strength; recover. 2. To recover from financial loss. v.tr. To recover (a financial loss). [Latin recuperāre, recuperāt- : re-, re- + capere, to take; see kap- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

philosophize *

v.intr. To think or express oneself in a philosophical manner. v.tr. To consider or discuss (a matter) from a philosophical standpoint.

renouncement

v.tr. 1. a. To give up (a title or possession, for example), especially by formal announcement. b. To decide or declare that one will no longer adhere to (a belief or position); reject. c. To decide or declare that one will no longer engage in (a practice) or use (something): renounce violence. See Synonyms at relinquish. 2. To disclaim one's association with (a person or country, for example). v.intr. To give up, relinquish, or reject something. [Middle English renouncen, from Old French renoncer, from Latin renūntiāre, to report : re-, re- + nūntiāre, to announce (from nūntius, messenger; see neu- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

prosecute

v.tr. 1. Law a. To initiate or conduct a criminal case against: prosecute a defendant for murder. b. To initiate or conduct (a civil case or legal action): prosecute a lawsuit for libel. c. To initiate or conduct legal proceedings regarding (an offense, for example): prosecute drug possession. 2. a. To pursue (an undertaking, for example) until completion; continue to the very end: prosecute a war. b. To carry on, engage in, or practice (an occupation or business). 3. To chase or pursue (a vessel): "He held a dispatch saying that [they] had prosecuted and probably killed an Echo-class missile submarine" (Tom Clancy). v.intr. Law To initiate or conduct legal proceedings: decided to prosecute. [Middle English prosecuten, from Latin prōsequī, prōsecūt- : prō-, forward; see PRO-1 + sequī, to follow; see sekw-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

supplicatory

v.tr. 1. To ask for humbly or earnestly, as by praying. 2. To make a humble entreaty to; beseech. v.intr. To make a humble, earnest petition; beg. [Middle English supplicaten, from Latin supplicāre, supplicāt-, from supplex, supplic-, suppliant; see SUPPLE.]

percolate

v.tr. 1. To cause (liquid, for example) to pass through a porous substance or small holes; filter. 2. To pass or ooze through: Water percolated the sand. 3. To make (coffee) in a percolator. v.intr. 1. To drain or seep through a porous material or filter. 2. Informal To become lively or active. 3. Informal To spread slowly or gradually. n. (-lĭt, -lāt′) A liquid that has been percolated. [Latin percōlāre, percōlāt- : per-, per- + cōlāre, to filter (from cōlum, sieve).]