The Word of the Week Dictionary

Last Updated Through August 2006

adumbrate – transitive v. meaning 1. To give a sketchy or slight representation of; to outline; 2. To foreshadow in a vague way; 3. To suggest, indicate, or disclose partially; 4. To cast a shadow over; to shade; to obscure (pronounced AD-uhm-brayt or uh-DUHM-brayt)

afflatus – n. meaning a divine imparting of knowledge; inspiration (pronounced uh-FLAY-tuhs)

agglomeration - n. meaning 1. The act or process of collecting in a mass; a heaping together; 2. A jumbled cluster or mass of usually varied elements (pronounced uh-glom-uh-RAY-shuhn)

amalgam – n. meaning 1. An alloy of mercury with another metal or metals; used especially (with silver) as a dental filling; 2. A mixture or compound of different things (pronounced uh-MAL-guhm)

apologia – n. meaning a formal defense or justification, especially of one's opinions, position, or actions (pronounced ap-uh-LOH-jee-uh or ap-uh-LOH-jee-juh)

avatar – n. meaning 1. The incarnation of a deity; 2. An embodiment, as of a quality, concept, philosophy, or tradition; an archetype; 3. A temporary manifestation or aspect of a continuing entity (pronounced AV-uh-tar)

bagatelle – n. meaning 1. A trifle; a thing of little or no importance; 2. A short, light musical or literary piece; 3. A game played with a cue and balls on an oblong table having cups or arches at one end (pronounced bag-uh-TEL)

bibulous - adj. meaning 1. Of, pertaining to, marked by, or given to the consumption of alcoholic drink; 2. Readily absorbing fluids or moisture (pronounced BIB-yuh-luhs)

blandishment – n. meaning speech and action that flatters and tends to coax, entice, or persuade; allurement – often used in the plural (pronounced BLAN-dish-muhnt)

busker – n. meaning a person who entertains (as by playing music) in public places (pronounced BUS-kur)

cap-a-pie – adv. meaning from head to foot; at all points (pronounced cap-uh-PEE)

chicanery – n. meaning 1. The use of trickery or sophistry to deceive (as in matters of law); 2. A trick; a subterfuge (pronounced shih-KAY-nuh-ree)

circumlocution – n. meaning the use of many words to express an idea that might be expressed by few; indirect or roundabout language (pronounced sir-kuhm-loh-KYOO-shuhn)

claque – n. meaning 1. A group hired to applaud at a performance; 2. A group of fawning admirers (pronounced KLACK)

coquette – n. meaning a woman who habitually trifles with the affections of men; a flirt (pronounced koh-KET)

cornucopia - n. meaning 1. The horn of plenty, from which fruits and flowers are represented as issuing. It is an emblem of abundance; 2. An overflowing supply; an abundance (pronounced kor-nuh-KOH-pee-uh)

deliquesce - intransitive verb meaning 1. To melt away or to disappear as if by melting; 2. (Chemistry) To dissolve gradually and become liquid by attracting and absorbing moisture from the air, as certain salts, acids, and alkalies; 3. To become fluid or soft with age, as certain fungi; 4. To form many small divisions or branches -- used especially of the veins of a leaf (pronounced del-ih-KWES)

deus ex machina – n. meaning 1. In ancient Greek and Roman drama, a god introduced by means of a crane to unravel and resolve the plot; 2. Any active agent who appears unexpectedly to solve an apparently insoluble difficulty (pronounced DAY-uhs-eks-MAH-kuh-nuh; -nah; -MAK-uh-nuh)

diadem – n. meaning 1. A crown; 2. An ornamental headband worn (as by Eastern monarchs) as a badge of royalty; 3. Regal power; sovereignty; empire; -- considered as symbolized by the crown (pronounced DY-uh-dem)

ephemeron – n. meaning 1. Something short-lived or of no lasting significance; 2. ephemera (plural form): Items, especially printed matter (as posters, broadsides, pamphlets, etc.), intended to be of use or importance for only a short time but preserved by collectors (pronounced ih-FEM-uh-ron [plural pronunciation: ih-FEM-uh-ruh])

extol - transitive verb meaning to praise highly; to glorify; to exalt (pronounced ik-STOHL)

fainéant – (1) adj. meaning doing nothing or given to doing nothing; idle; lazy: (2) n. meaning a do-nothing; an idle fellow; a sluggard (pronounced fay-nay-AWN)

fettle – n. meaning a state or condition of fitness or order; state of mind; spirits – often used in the phrase “in fine fettle” (pronounced FET-l)

garrulous – adj. meaning 1. Talking much, especially about commonplace or trivial things; talkative; 2. Wordy (pronounced GAIR-uh-lus)

gaucherie – n. meaning 1. A socially awkward or tactless act; 2. Lack of tact; boorishness; awkwardness (pronounced goh-shuh-REE)

gewgaw – n. meaning a showy trifle; a toy; a splendid plaything; a pretty but worthless bauble (pronounced G(Y)OO-gaw)

glabrous – adj. meaning smooth; having a surface without hairs, projections, or any unevenness (pronounced GLAY-bruhs)

hobbledehoy – n. meaning an awkward, gawky young fellow (pronounced HOB-uhl-dee-hoy)

Hobson's choice - n.. meaning a choice without an alternative; the thing offered or nothing (pronounced HOB-sunz-chois)

hortatory – adj. meaning marked by strong urging; serving to encourage or incite; as, "a hortatory speech” (pronounced HOR-tuh-tor-ee)

immolate - transitive verb meaning 1. To sacrifice; to offer in sacrifice; to kill as a sacrificial victim; 2. To kill or destroy, often by fire (pronounced IM-uh-layt)

immure – transitive v. meaning 1. To enclose wwithin walls, or as if within walls; hence, to shut up; to imprison; to incarcerate; 2. To build into a wall; 3. To entomb in a wall (pronounced ih-MYUR)

ineluctable – adj. meaning impossible to avoid or evade; inevitable (pronounced in-ih-LUCK-tuh-buhl)

jape – intransitive v. meaning “to joke; to jest”; transitive v. meaning “to make fun of; to mock”; n. meaning 1. A joke or jest; 2. A trick or prank (pronounced JAYP)

legerdemain – n. meaning 1. Sleight of hand; 2. A display of skill, trickery, or artful deception (pronounced lej-ur-duh-MAIN)

lineament – n. meaning 1. One of the outlines, exterior features, or distinctive marks of a body or figure, particularly of the face; 2. A distinguishing or characteristic feature; -- usually in the plural (pronounced LIN-ee-uh-muhnt)

maudlin - adj. meaning tearfully or excessively sentimental (pronounced MAWD-lin)

megalomania – n. meaning 1. A mania for grandiose or extravagant things or actions; 2. A mental disorder characterized by delusions of grandeur (pronounced meg-uh-lo-MAY-nee-ah or meg-uh-lo-MAY-nee-nyuh)

menagerie – n. meaning 1. A collection of wild or unusual animals, especially for exhibition; 2. An enclosure where wild or unusual animals are kept or exhibited; 3. A diverse or varied group (pronounced muh-NAJ-uh-ree or muh-NAZH-uh-ree)

métier – n. meaning 1. An occupation; a profession; 2. An area in which one excels; an occupation for which one is especially well suited (pronounced met-YAY or MET-yay)

moribund – adj. meaning 1. In a dying state; dying; at the point of death; 2. Becoming obsolete or inactive (pronounced MOR-uh-bund)

neonate – n. meaning “newborn”

ostensibly – adv. meaning from appearances alone; represented or appearing as such (syllable breakdown: os·ten·si·bly)

paradox – n. meaning 1. a seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true; 2. one exhibiting inexplicable or contradictory aspects: “The silence of midnight, to speak truly, though apparently a paradox, rung in my ears” (Mary Shelley); 3. an assertion that is essentially self-contradictory, though based on a valid deduction from acceptable premises; 4. a statement contrary to received opinion (pronounced pr-dks)

paralanguage – n. meaning the nonverbal vocal elements in communication that may add a nuance of meaning to language as it is used in context, for example, tone of voice or whispering (pronounced pérr∂ làng gwij; syllable breakdown – par·a·lan·guage)

pari passu – adv. meaning at an equal pace or rate (pronounced PAIR-ih-PASS-oo; literally means "with equal step," from Latin pari, ablative of par, "equal" + passu, ablative of passus, "step.")

persnickety - adj. meaning 1a. Fussy about small details (fastidious); 1b. Snobbish; 2. Requiring great precision (pronounced per-SNIK-uh-tee)

perspicacity – n. meaning acute perception (pronounced pùrspi kássətee; syllable breakdown - per·spi·cac·i·ty)

publican – n. meaning 1. The owner or manager of a pub (United Kingdom/England); 2. a collector of taxes in ancient Rome (including Biblical times) (pronounced pbl-kn)

pusillanimous – adj. meaning lacking in courage and resolution; contemptibly fearful; cowardly (pronounced pyoo-suh-LAN-uh-muhs)

quiddity – n. meaning 1. The essence, nature, or distinctive peculiarity of a thing; 2. A hairsplitting distinction; a trifling point; a quibble; 3. An eccentricity; an odd feature (pronounced KWID-ih-tee)

quixotic - adj. meaning 1. Caught up in the romance of noble deeds and the pursuit of unreachable goals; foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals; 2. Capricious; impulsive; unpredictable (pronounced kwik-SOT-ik)

quondam – adj. meaning having been formerly; former; sometime (pronounced KWAHN-duhm or KWAHN-dam)

quotidian – adj. meaning 1. Occurring or returning daily; 2. Of an everyday character; ordinary; commonplace (pronounced kwoh-TID-ee-uhn)

rara avis – n. meaning a rare or unique person or thing (pronounced RAIR-uh-AY-vis)

rebarbative – adj. meaning serving or tending to irritate or repel (pronounced ree-BAR-buh-tiv)

recondite – adj. meaning 1. Difficult to understand; abstruse; 2. Concerned with obscure subject matter (pronounced REK-uhn-dyt)

sangfroid – n. meaning freedom from agitation or excitement of mind; coolness in trying circumstances; calmness (pronounced sang-FRWAH; also spelled “sang-froid”)

scuttlebutt – n. meaning 1. A drinking fountain on a ship; 2. A cask on a ship that contains the day's supply of drinking water; 3. Gossip; rumor (pronounced SKUHT-l-buht)

sempiternal – adj. meaning of never ending duration; having beginning but no end; everlasting; endless (pronounced sem-pih-TUR-nuhl)

sesquipedalian – adj. meaning 1. Given to or characterized by the use of long words; 2. Long and ponderous; having many syllables (pronounced ses-kwuh-puh-DAYL-yuhn)

simulacrum – n. meaning 1. An image; a representation; 2. An insubstantial, superficial, or vague likeness or semblance (pronounced sim-yuh-LAY-kruhm or sim-yuh-LAK-ruhm)

somniferous – adj. meaning causing or inducing sleep (pronounced som-NIF-uhr-uhs)

spoonerism – n. meaning the transposition of usually initial sounds in a pair of words (example: The Lord is a shoving leopard ["loving shepherd"].) (pronounced SPOO-nuh-riz-uhm)

sui generis – adj. meaning being the only example of its kind; constituting a class of its own; unique (pronounced soo-eye-JEN-ur-us or soo-ee-JEN-ur-us)

timorous – adj. meaning 1. Full of apprehensiveness; timid; fearful; 2. Indicating, or caused by, fear (pronounced TIM-uhr-uhs)

tocsin – n. meaning 1. An alarm bell, or the ringing of a bell for the purpose of alarm; 2. A warning (pronounced TOCK-sin)

triskaidekaphobia – n. meaning a morbid fear of the number 13 or the date Friday the 13^th (pronounced tris-ky-dek-uh-FOH-bee-uh)

ululate – intransitive v. meaning to howl, as a dog or a wolf; to wail; as, ululating jackals (pronounced UL-yuh-layt or YOOL-yuh-layt)

variegated – adj. meaning 1. Having marks or patches of different colors; as, "variegated leaves or flowers"; 2. Varied; distinguished or characterized by variety; diversified (pronounced VAIR-ee-uh-gay-tid)

Zeitgeist - n. meaning the spirit of the time; the general intellectual and moral state or temper characteristic of any period of time. [Also written with a lower-case initial: zeitgeist] (pronounced TSYT-guyst or ZYT-guyst)

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