Words of the Wee 03

Whenever I read, I keep a pencil handy and I underline words that I don’t know and dog ear the page so that I can go back and look them up in the dictionary. I have always been interested in etymology and even took Latin for three years. I hope that these words can help all of us in our writings. Be sure to check out your dictionary for additional usages of the words and spellings associated with changing the word from adjective to adverb to noun … etc.

ZENITH

noun

Pronounced: ZE-nith

Meaning: The point, peak or summit of culmination.

Example: Winning the Faculty Award was the

zenith

of Stephanie’s college career.

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CANDESCENT

adjective

Pronouced: kan-DES-cent

Meaning: Glowing or dazzling often from great heat.

Example: A

candescent

meteorite streaked across the Southern sky.

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MAELSTROM

noun

Pronounced: MAIL-strum

Meaning: A powerful current that usually moves in a circular direction with extreme rapidity.

Example: A memorable scene from the movie

Fantasia

features the sorcerer’s apprentice caught in a

maelstrom.

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DOSSIER

noun

Pronounced: DOSS-e-ay

Meaning: An accumulation of records, reports, miscellaneous pertinent data and documents bearing on a single subject of study of field of investigation.

Example: The physician kept a careful

dossier

on each of her patients.

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PEEVISHLY

adverb

Pronouced: PEEV-ish

Meaning: In a manner marked by ill temper.

Example: “There, you see,” He said

peevishly

. “I’m even afraid to make a positive statement.”

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TESTACEOUS

adjective

Pronounced: tes-TAY-shus

Meaning: Having a shell.

Example: The oyster is a

testaceous

marine animal.

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JAUNDICED

adjective

Pronounced: JOHN-dissed

Meaning: Exhibiting or affected by distaste or hostility.

Example: Dr. Willis was

jaundiced

and querulous after being bedridden for so long.

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BLASPHEMOUS

adjective

Pronounced: BLASS-fem-us

Meaning: Speaking or writing irreverence toward God.

Example: During the Middle Ages, many books were condemned as

blasphemous

and burned.

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OPULENT

adjective

Pronounced: OP-u-lint

Meaning: Exhibiting wealth or influence.

Example: Leather wall covering is one feature of the room’s

opulent

décor.

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QUERULOUS

adjective

Pronounced: KWER-u-lus

Meaning: Expressing complaint; fretful or whining.

Example: As the crow fluttered from the tree, it gave a loud,

querulous

caw.

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ARGOSY

noun

Pronounced: ARR-guss-see

Meaning: A fleet of ships or of anything likened to ships.

Example: The lone schooner had gotten separated from the

argosy

in the inclement weather.

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HUMIDOR

noun

Pronounced: HUE-mih-door

Meaning: A case or enclosure (as for storing cigars) in which the air is kept properly humidified.

Example: Art always kept his expensive cigars in a

humidor.

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ULTIMATUM

noun

Pronounced: ull-tim-MAY-tum

Meaning: A final proposition, condition or demand, especially one whose rejection will end negotiations and cause a resort to force or other direct action.

Example: If the striking workers refused its

ultimatum

, the company threatened to close the factory permanently.

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LABYRINTH

noun

Pronounced: LAB-ih-rynth

Meaning: A structure full of intricate passageways that make it difficult to find the way from the interior to the entrance or from the entrance to the interior.

Example: Lost in the

labyrinth

of passages beneath the castle, the invaders gave up the attack plan and instead concentrated on finding a way out.

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SHENANIGANS

noun

Pronounced: shuh-NAN-eh-ganns

Meaning: High-spirited, daring or mischievous acts or pranks.

Example: On the first day of school, Mrs. Gibson warned the class that she would not put up with any

shenanigans

in her classroom.

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ECTOPLASM

noun

Pronounced: ECK-toe-plazm

Meaning: The emanation from a spiritualistic medium that is believed to effect telekinesis and similar phenomena.

Example: In the movies, people are always getting slimed by what they call ‘

ectoplasm

’, but if it exists, it would more likely look like mist.

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NEFARIOUS

adjective

Pronounced: nuh-FARE-ee-us

Meaning: Heinously or impiously wicked; detestable.

Example: The murderer’s crimes were considered so

nefarious

that he was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.

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GRANDEUR

noun

Pronounced: GRAN-dyoor

Meaning: Personal greatness characterized chiefly by dignity of character, largeness of spirit or significant scope of accomplishment.

Example: After Katherine Graham’s death, many magazines ran feature articles describing her

grandeur

in the world of newspapers.

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WANTONNESS

noun

Pronounced: WAN-ton-ess

Meaning: The quality or state of being without check or limitation.

Example: The

wantonness

of comfort Georgetta experienced as a young child caused her to become a spoiled brat.

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RETRIBUTION

noun

Pronounced: reh-tri-BYOO-shun

Meaning: Something given or exacted in compensation.

Example: Art felt certain that his fender bender was divine

retribution

for all the times he had honked his horn impatiently at other drivers.

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FECKLESS

adjective

Pronounced: FECK-luss

Meaning: Impractical and shiftless.

Example: Mort was worried that his long periods of unemployment would make him appear

feckless

when he applied for a job.