Words To Know

Front 1

Unctuous

Back 1

Adj. 1. Characterized by excessive piousness or moralistic fervor, especially in an affected manner; excessively smooth, suave, or smug.
2. The nature of or characteristic of an unguent or ointment; oily; greasy.
3. Having an oily or soapy feel, as certain minerals.
uhngk-choo-uhs
Example: The politician seemed unctuous and overly flattering, as if to direct the attention away from his previous malversation.

Front 2

Contusion

Back 2

Noun. An injury, as from a blow with a blunt instrument, in which the subsurface tissue is injured but the skin is not broken; bruise.
kuhn-too-zhuhn
Example: The girl had a contusion on her knee, but otherwise sustained no injuries from the fall.

Front 3

Verisimilitude

Back 3

Noun. 1. The appearance or semblance of truth; likelihood; probability.
2. Something, as an assertion, having merely the appearance of truth.
ver-uh-si-mil-i-tood
Example: The prosecutor's statement had verisimilitude; however, her assertions were mere conjecture backed with fallacious logic.

Front 4

Defenestrate

Back 4

Verb (used with object). To throw a person or thing out of a window.
de-fen-uh-streyt
Example: Maria defenestrated the vase in her anger, only to regret it when she later learned it was priceless.

Front 5

Emolument

Back 5

Noun. Profit, salary, or fees from office or employment; compensation for services.
in-mol-yuh-muhnt
Example: When he received his emolument, he whooped and hollered with joy; it was much more than he had been expecting.

Front 6

Malversation

Back 6

Noun, Chiefly Law. Improper or corrupt behavior in office, especially in public office.
mal-ver-sey-shuh-n
Example: The president's abhorrent malversation did not remain a secret, as he had hoped.

Front 7

Solecism

Back 7

Noun. 1. A nonstandard or ungrammatical usage, as unflammable or they was.
2. A breach of good manners or etiquette.
3. Any error, impropriety, or inconsistency.
sol-uh-siz-uh-m
Example: Sarah Palin's solecism, refudiate, soon became widely known and was voted Oxford's Word of the Year for 2010.

Front 8

Acumen

Back 8

Noun. Keen insight, shrewdness: remarkable acumen in business matters.
uh-kyoo-muh-n
Example: She recovered from the firm's rejection by acquiring business acumen and later become a much sought-after lawyer.

Front 9

Thaumaturgy

Back 9

Noun. The working of wonders or miracles; magic.
thaw-muh-tur-jee
Example: The sorcerer Merlin boasted that his act was not one of sleight of hand but of actual thaumaturgy.

Front 10

Bombastic

Back 10

Adj. (Of speech, writing, etc.) High-sounding; high-flown; inflated; pretentious.
bom-bas-tik
Example: To her, the valedictorian sounded extremely bombastic and excessively wordy in his speech, but the English professors loved it.

Front 11

Prestidigitation

Back 11

Noun. Sleight of hand; legerdemain.
pres-ti-dij-i-tey-shuh-n
Example: The magician used methods of prestidigitation to enthrall her audience, all the while hoping that no one would notice her trickery.

Front 12

Opprobrium

Back 12

Noun. 1. The disgrace or the reproach incurred by conduct considered outrageously shameful; infamy.
uh-proh-bree-uhm
Example: The resulting opprobrium caused by the singer's arrest was so great that he quickly lost the respect of the public and became infamous for his criminal record.

Front 13

Oscitant

Back 13

Adjective. 1. Yawning, as with drowsiness; gaping.
2. Drowsy or inattentive.
3. Dull, lazy, or negligent.
os-i-tuh-nt
Example: The kids became especially oscitant as the lecturer droned on and on, seemingly unaware that no one was listening.

Front 14

Ratiocinate

Back 14

Verb. To reason; carry on a process of reasoning.
rash-ee-os-uh-neyt
Example: The mob was increasingly unwilling to ratiocinate; they became even more rowdy at any attempt to calm them.

Front 15

Filiopietistic

Back 15

Adjective. Of or pertaining to reverence of forebears or tradition, especially if carried to excess.
fil-ee-oh-pahy-i-tis-tik
Example: Many view the Amish people as filiopietistic because of their refusal to adopt modern ways of life.

Front 16

Lachrymose

Back 16

Adjective. 1. Suggestive of or tending to cause tears; mournful.
2. Given to shedding tears readily; tearful.
lak-ruh-mohs
Example: The little girl was lachrymose after losing her mother; she often hid in a quiet place and wept.

Front 17

Morass

Back 17

Noun. 1. A tract of low, soft, wet ground.
2. A marsh or bog.
3. Marshy ground.
4. Any confusing or troublesome situation, especially one from which it is difficult to free oneself; entanglement.
muh-ras
Example: The morass was thick with cattails and frogs, making it a favorable place to explore with the children.