arcane (ahr-keyn )secret; mysterious

from Latin arcanus (secret), which came from arcus (chest)

noun form: Arcanum (knowledge available only to a privileged few)

related to ark, which was a sacred chest containing the scrolls of the Torah, the religious book of the Hebrews

synonyms: mystic, obscure, unexplained, concealed

archetype (ahr-ki-tahyp) the original pattern or mold

noun

from Greek arche (beginning) and typos

(impression)

can also mean “typical example”

synonym: TOTROPEPY (unscramble)

ballyhoo (bal-ee-hoo) a noisy, attention-getting demonstration or talk

noun

this word may have come from Ballyhooly, a town in Ireland

related to ballyrag (to tease)

can also mean “to publicize”

bedlam (bed-luhm) uproar; confusion

noun

from Middle English Bedlem (Bethlehem), a shortened version of St. Mary of Bethlehem in London, a hospital for the insane

bedlamite—a lunatic or madman

synonyms: pandemonium, turmoil, disorder, chaos

bad vs. badly

Use “bad” as an adjective:

That was a bad movie.

I feel bad that your pet iguana died.

Use “badly” as an adverb:

The team played badly last night so they lost.

She wanted a new iguana very badly.

Incorrect: I feel badly for you that your pet iguana died. (You don’t FEEL BADLY unless your sense of touch is impaired.)

bellicose (bel-i-kohs ) warlike; quarrelsome; describing somebody who likes to fight

adjective from Latin bellum (war) noun form: bellicosity synonyms: feisty, pugnacious, hot-tempered antonyms: peaceable, meek

billet-doux (bil-ee doo)a love letter

noun came from Latin bulla (document) and dulcis

(sweet) the term billet originally referred to a document

ordering a person to provide room and board for a soldier

plural form: billets-doux (only the noun part is pluralized)

bizarre (bi-zahr)out of the ordinary adjective

possibly came from the Basque bezar (beard)

through Spanish bizarre (brave) and French

bizarre (odd)

homonym for bazaar (a festive gathering)

can also refer to a flower with unusual markings

bombast (bom-bast) talk or writing that

sounds grand or important but has little

meaning; pompous language

noun

from Greek bombyk (silkworm) and bombyx (silk)

adjective form: bombastic

political speeches, funeral orations, and

advertisements are frequently bombastic

synonym: gobbledygook

bona fide (boh-nuh-fahyd ) made in good faith; genuine; without

dishonesty, fraud, or deceit

adjective from Latin bona (good) and fides (faith) synonyms: valid, legitimate, authentic antonyms: counterfeit, bogus, fraudulent 10th word! Quiz is next!