Easy1. Assassin is a murderer, especially in politics.

Medieval Latin assassinus, from Arabic hashshāshīn, plural of hashshāshworthless person, literally, hashish user, from hashīsh hashish

John Wilkes Booth was the assassin of Abraham Lincoln.

<shot down by an unknown assassin>

2. Avalanche is a large mass of snow, ice, earth, rock, or other material in swift motion down a mountainside or over a precipiceFrench, from French dialect (Franco-Provençal) lavantse, avalantse

He was buried by an avalanche.3. Bizarre is markedly unusual.

French, from Italian bizzarroI just heard the most bizarre story.

She wore a bizarre outfit.

4. Chauffeur is a person employed to drive an automobile.French, literally, stoker, from chauffer to heat, from Old French chaufer

We rented a chauffeured limousine. [=a limousine driven by a chauffeur]

5. Codeine is used as a sedative or analgesic.French codéine, from Greek kōdeia poppyhead

6. Colloquy is a conversational exchange, dialogue.Latin colloquium, from colloqui to converse, from com- + loqui to speak

<attended a colloquy on economic globalization>

<the subject of the spirited colloquy was the disputed authorship of the plays attributed to Shakespeare>

7. Colonel is an officer in the Army or Air Force.Alteration of coronel, from Middle French, modification of Old Italian colonnello column of soldiers, colonel, diminutive of Colonna column, from Latin columna

He retired as a colonel in the air force.

8. Croquet is a game played by knocking balls through metal wickets with a mallet.Probably ultimately from obsolete French, sharp blow, from croquer

9. Crypt is a subterranean chamber or vault.Latin crypta, from Greek kryptē,, from feminine of kryptos hidden, from kryptein to hide; perhaps akin to Lithuanian krauti to pile up

<the old church's crypt is the final resting place for the president and his beloved wife>

10. Deuce is a card having two spots.Middle English dewes, from Anglo-French deusi two, from Latin duos two

She beat her opponent after eight deuces.11. Discernible means capable of being distinguished.

Middle English, from Middle French discerner, from Latin discernere to separate, distinguish between, from dis- apart + cernere to sift

The reasons behind this sudden change are discernible.

<barely able to discern the garden gate through the mist>

A careful analysis of the “Nutrition Facts” panels might provide some guidance, but you would have to do a lot of math before you could discern the best choice. —David L. Katz, O, The Oprah Magazine, August 2008

12. Eerie is uncanny, weird.Middle English (northern dialect) eri

The flames cast an eerie glow.

a land of eerie beauty

13. Entourage is a group of attendants or associates.French, from Middle French, from entourer to surround, from entour around, from en in (from Latin in) + tour circuit

the President and his entourage

<the gaggle of hangers-on that passes for the rock star's entourage>

14. Exacerbate is to make something worse.Latin exacerbatus, past participle of exacerbare, from ex- + acerbus harsh, bitter, from acer sharp

The proposed factory shutdown would only exacerbate our unemployment problems.

His angry comments have exacerbated tensions in the negotiation process.

The declining retirement security faced by growing numbers of Americans is being exacerbated by increasing longevity and quickly rising health care costs. —Jeff Madrick, New York Review of Books, 20 Mar. 2008

15. Exchequer is a treasury.Middle English escheker, from Anglo-French, chessboard, counting table, exchequer

<their son would make beseeching requests for more money whenever his personal exchequer was getting low>

16. Frappe is a milkshake made with ice cream.French, from past participle of frapper to strike, chill, from Old French fraper to strike

17. Furlough is a leave of absence granted to an enlisted person.Dutch verlof, literally, permission, from Middle Dutch, from ver- for- + lof permission; akin to Middle High German loube permission

Each employee will have a one-day furlough every month.

<the landscaping company usually has to put most of its personnel onfurlough during the extremely slow winter months>

18. Fuscous is of any of several colors averaging a brownish gray.Latin fuscus

19. Graffiti are markings on walls.Italian, plural of graffito

The walls of the old building are covered with graffiti.20. Judgmental is involving the use of judgment.

Middle English juggen, from Anglo-French juger, from Latin judicare, from judic-, judex judge, from jus right, law + dicere to decide, say

He's judgmental about everyone except himself.

You should try to avoid being so judgmental.

21. Hiatus is a break in the action.Latin, from hiare to yawn

The band is making an album again after a five-year hiatus.

<steam was rising from an hiatus in the ground>

22. Hyacinth is a plant of the lily family.Latin hyacinthus, a precious stone, a flowering plant, from Greek hyakinthos

23. Incense is a substance producing sweet odor when burned, used in religious ceremonies to enhance a mood.Middle English encens, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin incensum,from Latin, neuter of incensus, past participle of incendere to set on fire, from in- + -cendere to burn; akin to Latin candēre to glow

<the heavenly incense of spring flowers>

<count on the office manager to spread the incense whenever there's a visiting VIP from the head office>

24. Knuckle is a joint of the finger.Middle English knokel; akin to Middle High German knöchel knuckle

She rapped her knuckles on the table.25. Liaison is the contact maintained between groups to insure concerted

action or cooperation.French, from Middle French, from lier, from Old French

She acts as a liaison between the police department and city schools.

Administrators need to maintain better liaison with employees.

He regretted his liaison with a woman from the office.

Today's army works on rotations; soldiers are deployed for about a year and then (in principle at least) they come home. When that happens, localliaisons and intelligence relationships must be rebuilt. —James K. Galbraith, Mother Jones, March/April 2006

26. Mannequin is a figure shaped like a human body that is used for making or displaying clothesFrench, from Dutch mannekijn little man

<the mannequin over there looks so real>

<several mannequins posing for this year's catalogue look especially emaciated>

27. Mediocre is of only ordinary or moderate quality.Middle French, from Latin mediocris, from medius middle + Old Latin ocrisstony mountain; akin to Latin acer sharp

The dinner was delicious, but the dessert was mediocre.

The carpenter did a mediocre job.

The critics dismissed him as a mediocre actor.

They sensed that mediocre students like Roosevelt really did possess a set of virtues that needed to be protected and cherished. —David Brooks, New York Times Book Review, 6 Nov. 2005

28. Memoir is a record written by a person based on personal observation.Middle French memoire, from memoire memory, from Latin memoria

A retired politician who is writing his memoirs

He has written a memoir of his mother.

a memoir of Hollywood in the 1930s

29. Moiety is one of the portions into which something is divided :  COMPONENT, PART <an ether molecule with a benzene moiety>Middle English moite, from Anglo-French meité, moité, from Late Latin medietat-, medietas, from Latin medius middle

<the lot was split into two equal moieties>30. Myriad is a very great or indefinitely great number.

Greek myriad-, myrias, from myrioi countless, ten thousandThere are a myriad of possibilities.

<the car can be outfitted with a myriad of options>

Mr. McCullough hails Adams for being uncannily prescient … foreseeing amyriad of developments, from the difficulty of defeating the British … to the divisive consequences of slavery. —Michiko Kakutani, New York Times, 22 May 2001

31. Novice is a person who is new to something.Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin novicius, from Latin, newly imported, from novus

He's a novice in cooking.

a book for the novice chess player

Novices serve time as scullery serfs as they work toward the privilege of trailing a pastry chef … —Guy Trebay, New York Times, 4 Sept. 2002

32. Peddle is to carry things from place to place for sale.back-formation from peddler, from Middle English pedlere, alteration of pedder peddler They peddled fruits and vegetables out of their truck on the side of the road.

He peddled his idea for a new movie to every executive in Hollywood.

The mayor's aides tried to peddle his innocence to reporters.

33. Plaque is a tablet or plate of metal, intended for use as an ornament.French, from Middle French, metal sheet, from plaquer to plate, from Middle Dutch placken to piece, patch; akin to Middle Dutch placke piece, Middle High German placke patch

A bronze plaque marked the city's oldest building.

They gave him a plaque in honor of his 30 years of service.

Brushing your teeth prevents the buildup of plaque.

The scientists are studying the way the plaques form.

34. Receipt is a written acknowledgment of having received something.Middle English receite, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin recepta,probably from Latin, neuter plural of receptus, past participle of recipere to receive

Keep your receipt in case you need to return anything.

The form should be completed and returned within 30 days of receipt.

Open immediately upon receipt of the package.

Our company deposits cash receipts every day.

35. Reservoir is a place where water is collected or stored.French réservoir, from Middle French, from reserver

The pen has a large ink reservoir.

Colleges and universities provide reservoirs of talent for job recruiters.

She found the reservoirs of energy she needed to finish the job.

36. Ricochet is a glancing rebound (as of a projectile off a flat surface)French

He was hit by a ricochet.

the ricochet of the bullet off the wall

37. Schadenfreude is a feeling of enjoyment that comes from seeing or hearing about the troubles of other peopleGerman, from Schaden damage + Freude joy

38. Thaw is to pass from a frozen to a liquid state.Middle English, from Old English thawian; akin to Old High Germandouwen to thaw, Greek tēkein to melt, Latin tabēre to waste away

Plant the seeds in early spring as soon as the ground thaws.

The sun will soon thaw the snow and ice.

The weather is beginning to thaw.

Our cold fingers and toes eventually thawed.

She held the coffee cup tightly, trying to thaw her frozen fingers.

39. Turquoise is a bluish-green stone used in jewelry.Middle English turkeys, from Anglo-French turkeise, from feminine of turkeis Turkish, from TurcTurkish

40. Yacht is a private cruising vessel.obsolete Dutch jaght, from Middle Low German jacht, short for jachtschip,literally, hunting ship

Average1. Abridgment is a shortened form of a book.

<this Italian-English pocket dictionary is an abridgment of the hardback edition>

2. Acquiesce means to comply or submit.French acquiescer, from Latin acquiescere, from ad- + quiescere to be quiet.

They demanded it, and he acquiesced.

<apparently the contractor expected me to acquiesce to my own fleecing>

… the tender understanding with which he had acquiesced to her wish not to consummate their relationship out of wedlock. —Dorothy West, The Wedding, 1995

3. Asphyxiate is to cause (someone) to stop breathing and often to become unconscious and die

The murder victim was asphyxiated.

4. Archetype (arkitype) is the original model.Latin archetypum, from Greek archetypon, from neuter of archetyposarchetypal, from archein + typos type

He is the archetype of a successful businessman.

an archetype of the modern family

5. Bludgeon is a short stick that usually has one thick or loaded end and is used as a weapon. <guards armed with bludgeons roamed the compound>

6. Boustrophedon is  the writing of alternate lines in opposite directions (as from left to right and from right to left)Greek boustrophēdon, adverb, literally, turning like oxen in plowing, from bous ox, cow +strephein to turn

7. Boutonniere is a flower worn by a man in his lapel.French boutonnière buttonhole, from Middle French, from bouton button

8. Calisthenics are gymnastic exercises.Greek kalos beautiful + sthenos strength

9. Connoisseur is a person competent to pass critical judgment.obsolete French (now connaisseur), from Old French connoisseor, fromconnoistre to know, from Latin cognoscere

She is a connoisseur of African art.

<a forthcoming exhibit at the art museum that is eagerly awaited byconnoisseurs of ancient Greek pottery>

Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, now starring in Broadway's A Raisin in the Sun, takes his grooming rituals seriously. “I take a bath around 3 a.m. when I get home to wind down. I'm a bath connoisseur,” says Combs, 34. “I have bath salts, bath beads—I can make you the best bath in the world.” —Ann Marie Cruz, People, 14 June 2004

10.Croissant is a rich, buttery crescent-shaped roll.

French, literally, crescent, from Middle French, from present participle of croistre to grow, from Latin crescere

11.Denouement is the final resolution of the intricacies of a plot.French dénouement, literally, untying, from Middle French desnouement,from desnouer to untie, from Old French desnoer, from des- de- + noer to tie, from Latin nodare, from nodus knot

In the play's denouement, the two lovers kill themselves.12.Diphthong is an unsegmented gliding speech sound

Middle English diptonge, from Middle French diptongue, from Late Latindipthongus, from Greek diphthongos, from di- + phthongos voice, sound

The sounds of “ou” in “out” and of “oy” in “boy” are diphthongs.13.Exsiccate is to remove the moisture from.Middle English, from

Latin exsiccatus, past participle of exsiccare, from ex- + siccare to dry, fromsiccus dry

14.Faux is something that is made or produced a copy; imitation.French, false

<even the animal rights activists were fooled by the faux furs>

15.Fuchsia is a bright, purplish-red color.New Latin, from Leonhard Fuchs †1566 German botanist

16.Gnu is a large African animal that has long curving hornsKhoikhoi t'gnu

17.Holocaust is a great or complete destruction.Middle English, from Late Latin holocaustum, from Greek holokauston,from neuter of holokaustos burnt whole, from hol- + kaustos burnt, fromkaiein to burn

The museum is devoted to the Holocaust.

There were fears of a nuclear holocaust.

18.Idyll is a composition, usually describing pastoral scenes or any appealing incident, or the like.Latin idyllium, from Greek eidyllion, from diminutive of eidos form; akin to Greek idein to see <her year as a vineyard worker in the south of France was not the idyll that she had expected it to be>

19.Labyrinth is an intricate combination of paths in which it is difficult to find the exit.Middle English laborintus, from Latin labyrinthus, from Greek labyrinthos

a complex labyrinth of tunnels and chambers

The cockpit was a labyrinth of instruments and controls.

a labyrinth of social customs and rules

20.Malfeasance is wrongdoing by a public official.mal- + obsolete feasance doing, execution

The investigation has uncovered evidence of corporate malfeasance.

<a campaign to impeach the governor for malfeasance in office>

21.Myrrh  a sticky brown substance that comes from trees, that has a sweet smell, and that is used in products that give the air or people's bodies a pleasing smellMiddle English myrre, from Old English, from Latin myrrha, from Greek, of Semitic origin; akin to Arabic murr myrrh

22.Mousse is a sweetened dessert with whipped cream as a base.French, literally, froth, moss, from Old French mosse, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German mos moss

a jar of styling mousse

23.Mozzarella is a mild, white, semi-soft Italian cheese.Italian, diminutive of mozza, a kind of cheese, from mozzare to cut off, from mozzo cut off, docked, from Vulgar Latin *mutius, alteration of Latinmutilus

24.Mystique is an aura of mystery or mystical power surrounding a particular occupation or pursuit.French, from mystique, adjective, mystic, from Latin mysticus

There's a certain mystique to people who fight fires.

No one has been able to copy the legendary singer's mystique.

the mystique of mountain climbing

25.Obnoxious is highly objectionable or offensive.Latin obnoxius, from ob in the way of, exposed to + noxa harm

He said some really obnoxious things about his ex-girlfriend at the party.

Some teenagers were being loud and obnoxious.

Let's get right into it. The title of your book, Why We Suck, is pretty obnoxious. Are we really that bad? —Rachel Deahl, Boston Globe, 30 Nov. 2008

26.Picturesque is visually charming or quaint.French & Italian; French pittoresque, from Italian pittoresco, from pittore painter, from Latin pictor,from pingere

The view of the mountains was very picturesque.

<wrote a picturesque tale of their journey across the country>

27.Pleuropneumonia is an acute febrile and often fatal respiratory disorder of cattle, goats, sheep, and related animals caused by a mycoplasma (Mycoplasma mycoides)New Latin

28.Poinsettia is sometimes called the Christmas flower.New Latin, from Joel R. Poinsett †1851 American diplomat

29.Porridge is a food made of cereal, boiled to a thick consistency in water or milk.alteration of pottage

30.Potpourri is any mixture of unrelated objects, subjects, etc.French pot pourri, literally, rotten pot

The festival was a musical potpourri—performances included folk, jazz, blues, and rap music.

<a potpourri of hit songs from the last 10 years>

31.Roulette is a game of chance.French, literally, small wheel, from Old French roelete, diminutive of roele wheel, rowel, from Late Latin rotella, diminutive of Latin rota wheel

32.Slough (sloo) is an area of soft, muddy ground.Middle English sloughe, slo, from Old English slōh; akin to Middle High German slouche ditch

33.Sensuous means pertaining to or affecting the senses.Latin sensus sense + English –ous

The sensuous sounds of soul music created a warm atmosphere.

A gentle, sensuous breeze caressed our faces.

34.Silhouette is a two-dimensional representation of the outline of an object.French, from Étienne de Silhouette †1767 French controller general of finances; perhaps from his ephemeral tenure

the silhouettes of buildings against the sky

The buildings appeared in silhouette against the sky.

My piano teacher has a framed silhouette of Mozart on her wall.

a portrait of my mother done in silhouette

He admired the sports car's sleek silhouette.

35.Siphon is a tube bent into legs of unequal length, for getting liquid from one container to another.French siphon, from Latin siphon-, sipho tube, pipe, siphon, from Greek siphōn

36.Subpoena is the usual writ for the summoning of witnesses.Middle English suppena, from Latin sub poena under penalty

<received a subpoena to appear as a witness for the prosecution>37.Toupee is a man's wig.

French toupet forelock, from Old French, diminutive of top, toup, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German zopf tuft of hair

<the weatherman calmly adjusted his toupee after the wind nearly blew it off

38.Trapeze is an apparatus consisting of a horizontal bar attached to two suspending ropes.French trapèze, literally, trapezoid, from New Latin trapezium

performing tricks on the trapeze

39.Travois a simple vehicle used by Plains Indians consisting of two trailing poles serving as shafts and bearing a platform or net for the loadAmerican French travail, from Canadian French, shaft of a cart, from Middle French traveilcatafalque, prop, from Late Latin trepalium instrument of torture

40.Zucchini is a variety of summer squash.Italian, plural of zucchino, diminutive of zucca gourd