Words of the Day – 1st Semester Unit 41) Word: curtail (v.)Synonym(s): cut, decrease, diminishEtymology: From curtal, meaning "a horse

with its tail cut short." 2) Word: travesty (n.)Synonym(s): mockery, joke, parodyEtymology: French travestir ("to dress up in

someone else's clothing"). Today the word retains the metaphorical sense of dressing up or presenting something ridiculously.

Words of the Day – 1st Semester Unit 43) Word: scruple (n.)Synonym(s): conscience, principle, misgivingEtymology: Latin scrupulus ("a small, sharp stone that

gets caught in one's sandal"). Just as a Roman's sole was made uneasy by sharp stones, his soul was made uneasy by the sharp irritation of conscience.

4) Word: havoc (n.)Synonym(s): ruin, damage, devastationEtymology: In the Middle Ages, "Havoc!" was a war cry

signaling a victorious army to loot, rape, and pillage in a conquered town.

Words of the Day – 1st Semester Unit 45) Word: mentor (n.)Synonym(s): instructor, guide, preceptor, guruEtymology: Odysseus's friend was put in charge of

his home when he left. Since then, his name has become synonymous with wise and protective guardianship.

6) Word: haggard (adj.)Synonym(s): careworn, weary, fatigued, gauntEtymology: An archaic English term meaning "a wild

hawk captured which had already grown its mature feathers." These birds often have a wild and hungry appearance.

Words of the Day – 1st Semester Unit 47) Word: utopian (adj.)Synonym(s): idealistic, impractical, quixoticEtymology: Thomas Moore's book, Utopia,

described an ideal place. Any plan for a perfect society might be characterized as utopian. Latin utopia ("no place").

8) Word: mercurial (adj.)Synonym(s): unstable, impulsive, erraticEtymology: The chemical element Mercury is the

only metal that is liquid at room temperature. Thus moody, temperamental people might be mercurial.

Words of the Day – 1st Semester Unit 49) Word: diffident (adj.)Synonym(s): shy, insecure, timorousEtymology: From the Latin words dis ("not") and

fidere ("trust"). In this sense, the word means not having confidence in oneself.

10) Word: hypocrisy (n.)Synonym(s): deceptiveness, dishonesty, insincerityEtymology: From the Greek word for actor,

hypocrites. Thus the word has come to mean a person who pretends to be someone he or she is not.

Words of the Day – 1st Semester Unit 411) Word: zealous (adj.)Synonym(s): enthusiastic, passionate, intense,

ardentEtymology: From the Greek word zelos, meaning

"intense and passionate devotion or enthusiasm." During the first century A.D., a group of Jews called Zealots actively opposed the Roman empire.

12) Word: candid (adj.)Synonym(s): sincere, direct, outspoken, uninhibitedEtymology: Latin candidus ("shining white"). It also

referred to spotlessness and purity with regard to a person's character.

Words of the Day – 1st Semester Unit 413) Word: posthumous (adj.)Synonym(s): after-death, post-mortemEtymology: Latin postumus ("very last"). Since an

after death occurrence is one that is the very last, postumus came to mean "after death."

14) Word: enthrall (v.)Synonym(s): spellbind, thrill, enchant, captivateEtymology: Originally, thrall meant slave in English.

To enthrall a person was to make that person a slave.

Words of the Day – 1st Semester Unit 415) Word: chagrin (n.)Synonym(s): shame, embarrassment, mortificationEtymology: From the French word chagrin

("distressed"). To be chagrined is to be irritated about something to the point that a person feels deeply saddened or disappointed.

16) Word: parasite (n.)Synonym(s): freeloader, deadbeat, sycophantEtymology: Greek para ("beside") + sitos ("food"). The

original meaning was one who ate at the table of another or one who would flatter his host to be invited back for a free meal.

Parasites: Dust mites such as these (magnified 370 times) live on people’s skin and in the fabric of the average home. They feed on the dead scales of human skin, and their bodies and excrement can cause allergic reactions.

Words of the Day – 1st Semester Unit 417) Word: cant (n.)Synonym(s): insincerity, phoniness, empty talk, slangEtymology: From the Latin cantus ("song"). This refers

to the repetitive songs medieval cantors used to sing during prayers. Today the word is associated with an insincere or hypocritical speech—especially about ideals.

18) Word: ephemeral (adj.) Synonym(s): momentary, brief, temporary, transitoryEtymology: From the Greek epi ("upon") and herma

("day"). Hence the word refers to something that lasts only one day or passes quickly.

Words of the Day – 1st Semester Unit 419) Word: dexterous (adj.)Synonym(s): skilled, nimble, adroit, efficientEtymology: Latin dexter ("right" or "right-

hand").20) Word: sinister (adj.)Synonym(s): menacing, villainous, malevolentEtymology: Latin sinister ("left" or "left-hand

side").