AMERICAN LITERATURE 11-1

DAILY VOCABULARY

The editors of the American Heritage

dictionaries have compiled a list of 100 words they recommend every high school graduate

should know, in order to have “a superior command of the language.” Most of those

words are below, with a few added or replaced.

ABERRATION

His outburst in court seems an aberration, considering his usually calm demeanor.

Noun– a deviation from what is normal, expected, or usual; a departure from morality or truth.

ABHOR

While I absolutely abhor his prejudiced speeches, under our laws, he has a right to freedom of speech.

Verb– to regard with extreme repugnance or aversion; detest utterly; loathe.

ABROGATE

During the settlement of the West, the U.S. government continued to abrogate earlier treaties made with the Native American tribes in order to attain more land.

Verb– to abolish by formal or official means; repeal.

ABSTEMIOUS

The athlete’s abstemious diet did not provide enough nutrients to sustain his strenuous activity.

Adjective– sparing or moderate in eating or drinking.

ACUMEN

It was through his unending determination and acumen that he was able to solve the decade’s old mystery.

Noun– keen insight; shrewdness.

AUSPICIOUS

After reading her horoscope in the newspaper, Mary decided it was an auspicious time to buy a lottery ticket.

Adjective– promising success; favorable; opportune.

BEHEMOTH

The army’s new tank is a behemoth; it can take out an entire city block.

Noun– any creature or thing of monstrous size or power.

BELIE

His trembling hands belied his calm voice.

Verb– to show to be false; contradict; misrepresent.

BELLICOSE

Even though he never won any of the fights he started, his bellicose attitude persisted.

Adjective– inclined or eager to fight; aggressively hostile; belligerent.

CALLOUS

Regina has a callous attitude toward the sufferings of others; she is unmoved by the deepest of sadness.

Adjective– insensitive; indifferent; unsympathetic.

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CHICANERY

He resorted to the worst kinds of flattery and chicanery to win the job, fudging his resume and taking the boss out to expensive dinners.

Noun—trickery or deception by quibbling or subterfuge.

CHIDE

The mother chided the children for their thoughtless pranks.

Verb– to express disproval of; scold; reproach.

CHURLISH

Ms. Chaga went home with a headache after many of her normally lovely students exhibited churlish behaviors.

CIRCUMLOCUTION

Although it would be easier to be frank, many politicians use circumlocution in order to avoid admitting wrongdoing or ignorance.

Noun—a roundabout or indirect way of speaking; the use of more words than necessary to express an idea.

DAUNTING

While the amount of work left to be done seems daunting, I know we will be able to meet our deadline.

Adjective– seeming difficult to deal with in anticipation; intimidating.

DEARTH

According to some students, there is a dearth of interesting and exciting reading material in the English curriculum.

Noun– an inadequate supply; scarcity; lack.

DELETERIOUS

It has been proven that too much television has a deleterious influence on the development of children’s brains.

Adjective– harmful; injurious.

DENIGRATE

The coach of the Cardinals denigrated the umpire’s reputation when he said there were different strike zones.

Verb– to speak damagingly of; criticize in a derogatory manner.

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DIFFIDENT

The diffident toddler hid behind her mother’s legs when strangers visited.

Adjective– lacking in confidence; timid; shy.

ENERVATE

Prolonged exposure to the sun and dehydration enervated the shipwrecked crew, leaving them unable to signal the passing ship.

Verb– to deprive of force or strength; to weaken or destroy the vigor of.

EGREGIOUS

Egregious violations of the student code of conduct will result in expulsion or criminal prosecution.

Adjective– extraordinary in some bad way; glaring; flagrant.

EPIPHANY

When Bob realized that there was a job where he would be able to both have fun and make a difference, he experienced a life-changing epiphany.

Noun– a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something.

ENMITY

Because of the enmity that exists between my cousin Emily and my cousin Greg, I had them seated at different tables at my wedding.

Noun– a feeling or condition of hostility; hatred; ill will; animosity.

EVANESCENT

As Helen aged, her memories took on an evanescent quality; one moment she could almost reach out and touch them and the next they were gone.

Adjective– vanishing; fading away; fleeting.

EXPURGATE

Most children read an expurgated version of Grimms’ fairy tales because the originals are much more adult in their themes.

Verb– to amend by removing words, passages, etc. deemed offensive or objectionable.

FACETIOUS

After the couple were overheard talking about installing a GPS chip in their baby’s heel they were reported to child services; however, they were obviously only being facetious.

Adjective– not meant to be taken seriously or literally.

FATUOUS

In the animated movie, “Beauty and the Beast,” Gaston is a fatuous character who brags incessantly about his meaningless exploits and falsely assumes he is superior to everyone.

Adjective– smugly, complacently, and unconsciously foolish and inane; displaying clear lack of intelligence.

FECKLESS

After several feckless attempts to repair the plumbing, my father gave up and allowed the water to create a pool in the basement.

Adjective– ineffective; incompetent; futile.

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FIDUCIARY

Congress has not done a very good job of exercising its fiduciary responsibilities to taxpayers.

Adjective-- Involving trust, esp. with regard to the relationship between a trust and a beneficiary. OR Noun—A trustee; confidant.

FILIBUSTER

The senator who was opposed to the plan threatened to filibuster a measure that would permit drilling in Alaska.

Verb– act in an obstructive manner in a legislature, esp. by speaking at inordinate length. OR Noun– an action such as a prolonged speech that obstructs progress in a legislative assembly.

GAUCHE

Their exquisite manners always make me feel gauche.

Adjective– lacking social grace, sensitivity, or acuteness; awkward; crude; tactless.

GERRYMANDER

Gerrymander the boundaries to try to help the conservatives.

Verb: to divide the constituencies of (a voting area) so as to give one party an unfair advantage

GRIEVOUS

The scientist’s tests found enough indication that the substance could do grievous harm, not only to humans, but also to the entire ecosystem.

Adjective– causing great pain or suffering; atrocious.

HARANGUE

Under the scathing criticism of the his opponent during the debate, the speaker vented his pent-up fury by responding with a particularly fiery harangue.

Noun– a long or intense verbal attack; diatribe or a sermonizing lecture or discourse.

Verb (with object)– to address in a harangue.

HAUGHTY

When I walked into the boutique looking like a slob, the haughty salesclerk wouldn’t even look at me (much less help me.)

Adjective – pretentious; disdainfully proud; arrogant

HEGEMONY

Cardinal Richelieu probably didn't have culinary hegemony in mind when he helped invent the modern dinner knife in 1637.

Noun - leadership or predominant influence exercisedby one nation or ruler over others.

HOMOGENEOUS

Our class is a pretty homogeneous crew; no one really stands out as being different from the rest.

Adjective -corresponding in structure because of a common origin; similar; same

HUBRIS

Already some media outlets are blasting the director, whom they say has fallen prey to hubris.

Noun – extreme pride or self confidence; arrogance

IDIOSYNCRATIC

We all have our own idiosyncratic gestures, laughs, and facial expressions.

Adjective– peculiar to the individual; characteristic of a particular individual or group.

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INCOGNITO

When Ms. Chaga goes to the movies on a Saturday evening, she wears shades and a big hat to remain incognito.

Adjective -having one's identity concealed, as under an assumed name, especially to avoid noticeor formal attention.

INCONTROVERTIBLE

Casey Anthony swore she was telling the absolute and incontrovertible truth on the

stand.

Adjective - not open to question or dispute; indisputable

INCULCATE

Verb - to implant by repeated statement or admonition; teach persistently and

earnestly

Socrates inculcated his pupils with the love of truth.

INFRASTRUCTURE

During construction, the building’s intricate infrastructure put a damper on its completion time.

Noun - the basic, underlying framework or features of a system or organization.

IMPEACH

My conservative grandmother signed a petition to impeach President Obama.

Verb - to accuse (a public official) of misconduct in office.

IRONY

I didn’t appreciate the irony of her reply, “How nice!” when I said I had to work all weekend.

Noun - the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of their literal meaning.

JUDICIOUS

Robbie knew he wanted to go to New Zealand, so he rarely spent his cash on superfluous things; he was judicious with the use of his money.

Adjective – wise, using keenjudgment to make informed decisions

KINETIC

The kinetic energy is converted to heat as the fission products slow down.

Adjective – pertaining to motion

KOWTOW

Due to his fear and respect for her, Dan believed he had to kowtow to Gowry during first block.

Verb – to act in an obsequious manner; show servile deference

LAUDATORY

The humble teacher was pleasantly overwhelmed by the speaker's laudatory remarks at the retirement dinner.

Adjective – containing or expressing praise

LEXICON

The word “lexicon” was not in Samantha’s lexicon until today.

Noun - the vocabulary of a particular language, field, social class, person

LOQUACIOUS

Leila enjoys having loquacious dinner guests because they always keep the conversation going.

Adjective – talkative or garrulous; chatty

LUGUBRIOUS

After another Eagles’ loss, fans left Lincoln Financial Field feeling defeated and lugubrious.

Adjective - mournful, dismal, or gloomy, especially in an affected, exaggerated, or unrelieved manner

MAGNANIMOUS

The director of the homeless shelter was floored by all of the community’s magnanimous holiday donations.

Adjective – generous in giving and forgiving; kind.

METAMORPHOSIS

Elisa studied the butterfly’s stages of metamorphosis, from its early stages as a chrysalis to its beautiful present state.

Noun – evolution; change in form from one state to another

MOIETY

When Cara got a divorce, she was convinced she would receive at least a moiety of her ex-husband’s shared assets.

Noun - an indefinite portion, part, or share.

NANOTECHNOLOGY

My niece has always been science and math minded; I wouldn’t be surprised if she chooses to study nanotechnology in college.

Noun - A branch of technology dealing with the manufacture of objects with dimensions of less than 100 nanometers and the manipulation of individual molecules and atoms.

NEBULOUS

Sarah was so tired yesterday that she has a nebulous recollection of the even being in school at all!

Adjective -hazy, vague, indistinct, or confused

NIHILISM

How can any historian forget the power-mad nihilism that marked Hitler's last years?

Noun - total rejection of established laws and institutions.

NOMENCLATURE

For one thing, the basic nomenclature in the medical handbook was confusing.

Noun- a set or system of names or terms, as those used in a particular science or art, by an individual or community, etc.

NONSECTARIAN

As a practicing Catholic, John did not appreciate being taken to his nephew’s nonsectarian house of worship on Easter Sunday.

Adjective - not affiliated with or limited to a specific religious denomination.

OBFUSCATE

Hurston’s dialect and intricate lexicon obfuscated Tess’ understanding of the novel.

Verb - to confuse, bewilder, or stupefy

OBSEQUIOUS

Our block one class would never dream of being anything but obsequious and cordial when our teacher is absent.

Adjective - obedient; dutiful.

OMNIPOTENT

Many religions and faiths believe in one, omnipotent power or god.

Adjective -having very great or unlimited authority or power.

ONEROUS

My AP Calculus test cast an onerous shadow over my whole week!

Adjective - burdensome, oppressive, or troublesome; causing hardship

OXIDIZE

In order to complete the experiment, Tristan had to oxidize the solution in the test tube.

Verb – to convert an element into an oxide; to combine with oxygen

PARADIGM

Maybe if you got out of the paradigm you're stuck in you'd see things for how they really are.

Noun – a set standard; a mold, an ideal

PARAGON

Ms. Chaga is the paragon of all teachers; her methods, demeanor and attitude put her a step above everyone else.

Noun - a model or pattern of excellence.

PEJORATIVE

He took a surprisingly pejorative tone with me, which left me angry and embarrassed.

Adjective - having a disparaging, derogatory, or belittling effect or force

PERFUNCTORY

PLASMA

My college roommate used to make a lot of money by donating her plasma, but my fear of needles kept me from it!

Noun – the liquid part of blood or lymph

PLETHORA

My overbearing grandpa will dish out a plethora of advice but a paucity of assistance.

Noun – overabundance; excess amount

PRECIPITOUS

For three long weeks, nearly 200 cyclists barrel through spectacular scenery and make lung-bursting ascents of precipitous peaks.

Adjective - extremely or impassably steep; characterized by precipices.

QUANDARY

Devon found herself in quite a quandary when she got her head stuck between the fence posts.

Noun - a state of perplexity or uncertainty, especially as to what to do; dilemma.

QUOTIDIAN

The art gallery did not impress me; the quotidian works could have been painted by my adolescent niece.

Adjective - usual or customary; everyday; ordinary; commonplace

RANCOR

Katie holds extreme rancor for complainers, but Nick saves his personal malice for pocket lint.

Noun - bitter resentment or ill will; hatred; malice.

RECIPROCAL

We have a reciprocal understanding; he puts up with my obsession with cats, and I quietly accept his need to talk to himself in public.

Adjective - given or felt by each toward the other; mutual

RECTITUDE

His integrity and moral rectitude continue to astound me as he makes his way through the seminary to become a priest.

Noun- rightness of principle or conduct; moral virtue

RESPIRATION

When an infant is born, doctors perform many initial tasks; the baby’s respiration is of utmost importance.

Noun - inhalation and exhalation of air; breathing.

SANGUINE

It was apparent from Zach’s sanguine manner that he was prepared to do well on his oral presentation.

Adjective – cheerfully optimistic, hopeful, or confident.

SOLILOQUY

The most dramatic portion of the play was found in the maudlin soliloquy.

Noun – the act of talking while or as if alone; monologue

(maudlin – adjective – sad, sappy, dramatic)

To answer Eddie’s question:

Do fetuses go to the bathroom in-utero? How?

Answer: it is believed that fetuses will defecate amniotic fluid back into the amniotic fluid, which will pass out of the woman’s body during childbirth.

SUBJUGATE

Verb - to bring undercomplete control or subjection; conquer; master.

The emperor's armies subjugated the surrounding lands.

SUBLIME

There is no better or more sublime idea than taking a vacation in the middle of January!

Adjective – supreme or outstanding; impressing the mind with a sense of grandeur

SUPERCILIOUS

Nothing annoys me more than working with condescending, supercilious snobs.

Adjective – haughtily disdainful or contemptuous

TAUTOLOGY

It is tautology to say, "Forward Planning.”

Noun – needless repetition of an idea without imparting additional clearness or force

(“Never forget the memories.” )

TAXONOMY

The school board proposed a new taxonomy of educational objectives for the school district.

Noun - a classification into ordered categories

TEMERITY

Collin was appalled by the temerity of the immature middle school students.

Noun – reckless boldness; rashness

TEMPESTUOUS

Many historians would agree that American politics were at their most tempestuous during the height of the Great Depression.

Adjective – tumultuous, chaotic, turbulent

TOTALITARIAN

Stalin, Mussolini, and Hitler all appear on my list of totalitarian leaders.

Adjective - of or pertaining to a centralized government that does not tolerate parties of differing opinion and that exercises dictatorial control over many aspects of life.

UNCTUOUS

Ms. Hartman has the esteemed talent of discerning the unctuous students from their truly modest and humble classmates.

Adjective - characterized by excessive piousness or moralistic fervor, especially in an affected manner; excessively smooth, suave, or smug.

USURP

She tried to usurp my power; however, I would have gladly given it to her without a struggle.

Verb - to seize and hold (a position, office, power, etc.) by force

VACUOUS

There is nothing more annoying than trying to argue with someone who has a vacuous mind!

Adjective – without contents; empty; lacking in ideas or intelligence.

VEHEMENT

My niece had a vehement desire to squeeze every puppy at the pet store.

Adjective – strongly emotional, intense, or passionate

VORTEX

The vortex of war clouded the young sergeant’s mind and paralyzed his decision making.

Noun - something regarded as drawing into its powerful current everything that surrounds it

WINNOW

The thunderclouds gathered ominously overhead as the strong winds winnowed the tall grasses on the prairie.

Verb - to blow upon; fan; to drive or blow away by fanning

WROUGHT

Nobody wants to turn on their television on a daily basis and see havoc wrought by terrorists.

Adjective – elaborated; embellished; or produced or shaped by beating with a hammer, as iron or silver articles.

XENOPHOBE

While I consider myself a patriot, I am not a xenophobe!

Noun - a person unduly fearful or contemptuous of that which is foreign, especially of strangers or foreign peoples

YOLK

While I love the written and spoken word, my amazing, insightful, kind students are the yolk of my zest for teaching.

Noun - the essential part; the inner core

ZENITH

While American Literature class has been the zenith of your academic life thus far, I am certain there will be many other highlights in the future.

Noun – highest point; peak