2004
-
2005
WORD
OF
THE
DAY
LIST
Now
that
you've
learned
the
words,
are
you
using
them
in
your
conversations
and
writing?
AMAZE
YOUR
FRIENDS
AND
FAMILY
WITH
YOUR
BRILLIANT
VOCABULARY!
SEPTEMBER
13
Abhor- (&b-'hor) - shrink from; detest (verb)
I would abhor eating cockroaches on Fear Factor.
SEPTEMBER
14
Behest (bi-'hest) - a command or order (noun)
The
soldier began firing his rifle at the sargeants behest.
SEPTEMBER
15
Caste ('kast) - the division of society on artificial grounds (noun)
In America you
can rise within the caste system through hard work
and luck.
SEPTEMBER
16
Kerfuffle - k&r-'f&-f&l a disturbance (noun) (ENGLISH 11 ONLY)
Whenever
there is a kerfuffle in the cafeteria, everyone stops eating and
stares.
SEPTEMBER 17
Fuel ('fyό(-&)l) - to stimulate. To ignite. To kindle, as if providing with fuel (verb)
Joes
complaints about the workers low wages fueled employees desires
to strike.
SEPTEMBER
20
Accede (ak-'sEd, ik) - agree; assent; consent; acquiesce; (verb)
When
the boss acceded to give everyone a raise, the workers
stopped their strike.
SEPTEMBER
21
Boon ('bόn )- blessing; something to be thankful for (noun)
The
rain was a boon to the crops after a month-long drought.
SEPTEMBER
22
Halcyon ('hal-sE-&n) - peaceful; serence; carefree (adj)
Now
that the halcyon days of summer are over, we must work hard at
school.
SEPTEMBER
23
Cabal (k&-'bδl) - group of conspirators; the acts of such a group; a clique (noun)
Americans
will hunt down members of the cabal that plotted to destroy the
World Trade Center.
SEPTEMBER
24
Sacrosanct ('sa-krO-"sa[ng](k)t) - extremely sacred; beyond criticism (noun);
Many
people believe it is sacrosanct to question religious leaders.
SEPTEMBER
27
Sinuous ('sin-y&-w&s) - winding; intricate; complex (adj)
The
Colorado River flows along a sinuous path through the Southwest.
SEPTEMBER
28
Accord (&-'kord) - to agree; to be in harmony; to grant or bestow (verb)
During
the peace talks the warring nations accorded to end their
fighting.
SEPTEMBER
29
Goldbrick ('gOl(d)-"brik ) - anything worthless passed off as valuable (noun); to avoid work (verb)
John
didnt know the watch was a goldbrick, so he paid a fortune for
the imitation Rolex.
SEPTEMBER
30
Pilfer ('pil-f&r) - steal (verb)
Employees
are less likely to pilfer when there are surveillance cameras at
their jobs.
OCTOBER 4
Acerbic (&-'s&r-bik ) - bitter, sour, servere (adj)
The
students became acerbic when their teacher assigned a fifty-page
report.
OCTOBER
5
Munificent (myu-'ni-f&-s&nt) - generous (adj)
The
munificent millionaire built homes for the homeless people he
passed
on the street.
OCTOBER
6
Nadir ('nA-"dir) - lowest point (noun)
In Rocky Mountain National Park, Chasm Lake lies at the nadir
of Longs Peak, which towers above the water.
OCTOBER
7
Hapless ('ha-pl&s) - unfortunate, having bad luck (adj)
The
hapless teenager wanted to crawl back in bed after his dog ate his
term paper and his computer crashed.
OCTOBER
8
Incontrovertible (in-"kδn-tr&-'v&r-t&-b&l) - not abe to be turned against or disrupted; unquestionalbe, certain; indisputable (adj)
It is an incontrovertible fact that gasoline engines pollute our air.
OCTOBER
12
Insolent (in-s(&-)l&nt) - boldly disrespectful in speech or behavior; rude (adj)
The
insolent driver ripped up the traffic ticket and three it at the
police officer.
OCTOBER
13
Acronym ('a-kr&-"nim )- a word made up of the initials of other words (noun)
MADD
is an acronym for the organization Mothers Against Drunk Drivers.
OCTOBER
14
Belle ('bel) - a woman who is a center of attraction (noun)
Tyra
Banks was the belle of Studio 54 when she showed up there last
night.
OCTOBER
15
Conflagration (kδn-fl&-'grA-sh&n) - a huge fire, an inferno (noun)
The explosion at the New York Fireworks Company set off a conflagration that keep firefighters busy for days.
OCTOBER
18
Ebullient (E-bul- -y&nt) - exhilarated, full of enthusiasm, high spirits (adj)
OCTOBER
19
Hoard ('hOrd) save and conceal; accumulate; amass (verb)
Squirrels hoard acorns in preparation for winter.
OCTOBER
20
Finite ('fI-"nIt) - limited (adj)
Since there is a finite amount of fossil fuels, we must search for alternative forms of energy.
OCTOBER
21
Jurisprudence ("jur-&s-'prό-d&n(t)s) - philosophy of law (noun)
Supreme Court justices spend their entire careers debating jurisprudence.
OCTOBER
22
Lionize ('lI-&-"nIz) - to treat as a celebrity (verb)
The boys lionized the homecoming queen by flirting with her and catering to all her whims.
OCTOBER
25
Morose (m&-'rOs) - gloomy (adj)
OCTOBER
26
Lucrative ('lό-kr&-tiv) - money-making; profitable (adj)
OCTOBER
27
Aghast (&-'gast) - terrified; shocked (adj)
OCTOBER
28
Canon- ('ka-n&n) - a rule or law; especially a religious one; a body of rules or laws; and authoritative list; the set of works by an author (noun)
OCTOBER 29
Fetter
('fe-t&r)
- to bind, chain, confine, hamper (verb)
NOVEMBER
1
Carp ('kδrp) - to complain or find fault with someone (verb)
NOVEMBER
2
Distend (di-'stend) - to swell, inflate, bloat (verb)
NOVEMBER
3
Flux ('fl&ks) - continuous flow or changing (noun)
NOVEMBER
8
Dolt ('dOlt) - a stupid person; a dunce (noun)
NOVEMBER
9
Edifice ('e-d&-f&s) - a big imposing building (noun)
NOVEMBER
10
Nascent ('nA-s&nt) - starting to develop, coming in to existence (adj)
NOVEMBER
12
Pithy ('pi-thE) - brief and full of meaning and substance, concise ( adj)
NOVEMBER
15
Akin (&-'kin) - similar nature or qualities (adj)
NOVEMBER
16
Din ('din) - loud noise; uproar (noun)
NOVEMBER
17
Effigy ('e-f&-jE) - stuffed doll; likeness of a person (noun)
NOVEMBER
18
Nemesis ('ne-m&-s&s) - unconquerable opponent or rival; one who seeks just compensation or revenge to right a wrong (noun)
NOVEMBER
19
Forbearance (for-'bar-&n(t)s) - patience, restraint. Leniency (noun)
NOVEMBER
22
Nettle ('ne-t&l) - to irritate (verb)
NOVEMBER
24
Priggish ('pri-gish) - very fussy, self-righteous, high maintenance, usually refers to people (adj)
NOVEMBER
24
Hubris ('hyό-br&s)- excessive pride (noun)
NOVEMBER
29
Alacrity (&-'la-kr&-tE) - cheerful willingness, eagerness, speed (noun)
NOVEMBER
30
Tome ('tOm) - book, usually large and academic (noun)
DECEMBER 1
Propound (pr&-'paund) - to set forth or propose; to offer for consideration (verb)
Brandish - (bran-dish) - to wave or display threateningly (verb)
DECEMBER 2
Unctuous
('&[ng](k)
-ch&s) - greasy, oily; smug and falsely earnest (adj)
DECEMBER
2
Oxymoron - ("δk-sE-'mor-"δn) - a combination of contradictory or words (words that dont make sense when placed together. Example: war games)
DECEMBER
3
Chromatic (krO-'ma-tik) - belonging relating to, or abounding in color (adj)
DECEMBER
6
Animosity ("a-n&-'mδ-s&-tE) - hatred (noun)
DECEMBER
7
Clandestine (klan-'des-"tIn) - carried on in secrecy and concealment; secret (adj)
DECEMBER
8
Maudlin ('mod-l&n) - silly and overly sentimental (adj)
DECEMBER
9
Decry (di-'krI) - to belittle, openly condem (verb)
DECEMBER
10
Perspicacious ("p&r-sp&-'kA-sh&s) - using wise judgement; sharp minded (adj)
DECEMBER
13
Deft ('deft) - skillful, dexterous (adj)
DECEMBER
14
Pique ('pEk) - to excite; to arouse and emotion (verb)
DECEMBER
15
Misanthrope ('mi-s&n-"thrOp) - someone who dislikes all people (noun)
DECEMBER
16
Buttress ('b&-tr&s) - a support for a building (noun)
DECEMBER
17
Curmudgeon ("k&r-'m&-j&n) - a greedy, irascible, crotchety old person (noun)
DECEMBER
20
Plenary ('plE-n&-rE) -entire; full, complete (adj)
DECEMBER
21
Catharsis (k&-'thδr-s&s) - purification that brings emotional relief or renewal (noun)
DECEMBER
22
Astringent (&-'strin-j&nt) - harsh, severe, stern (adj)
DECEMBER
23
Quixotic (kwik-'sδ-tik) - overly idealistic, impartial (adj)
JANUARY 3
Deleterious ("de-l&-'ti-rE-&s) - harmful to ones health or overall welfare; pernicious (adj)
JANUARY
4
Concord ('kδn-"kord) - a state of being together in heart of mind; agreement, harmony and discord (noun)
JANUARY
5
Epithet ('e-p&-"thet) - descriptive expression (noun)
JANUARY
6
Hermetic ("h&r-'me-tik) - tightly sealed (adj)
JANUARY
7
Anteroom ('an-ti-"rόm) - room placed before and forming an entrance to another; antechamber; waiting room (noun)
JANUARY
10
Coalesce ("kO-&-'les) - grow together; unite into one; combine (verb)
JANUARY
11
Jingoist (ji[ng]-gO-'ist)- a bellicose chauvinist, a warmongering nationalist (noun)
JANUARY
12
Relent (ri-'lent) - become less harsh, servere, or strict; soften in temer; yield (verb)
JANUARY
13
Noxious ('nδk-sh&s) - hurtful (adj)
JANUARY
14
Imminent ('i-m&-n&nt) - dangerous and close at hand (adj)
JANUARY
18
Pedagogue ('pe-d&-"gδg/) - teacher (noun)
JANUARY
19
Apotheosis (&-"pδ-thE-'O-s&s) - elevation to divine status; the perfect example of something (noun)
JANUARY
20
Congest (k&n-'jest) - to collect into a mass (verb)
JANUARY
21
Obfuscate ('δb-f&-"skAt) - to darken or confuse (verb)
JANUARY
24
Bethink (bi-'thi[ng]k) - to remind oneself (verb)
JANUARY
25
Frizzle ('fri-z&l) - cause a cr4inkle or curl, as the hair (verb)
JANUARY
26
Gibe ('jIb) - to make heckling, taunting remarks (verb)
JANUARY
27
Pittance ('pi-t&n(t)s) - small amount; meager wage or allowance (noun)
JANUARY
28
Ardent ('δr-d&nt) - gurning with passion (adj)
JANUARY
31
Placebo
(pl&-'sE bO)
- a fake medication (noun)
FEBRUARY 1
Charlatan ('shδr-l&-t&n) - quack, fake (noun)
FEBRUARY
2
Audacious (o-'dA-sh&s) - bold; fearlessly daring (adj)
FEBRUARY
3
Deify ('dE-&-"fI) - to worship as a God
FEBRUARY
4
Millet ('mi-l&t) - grass cultivated for ceral (noun)
FEBRUARY
7
Depict (di-'pikt) - to portray especially in a picture; to describe (verb)
FEBRUARY
8
Glib ('glib) - fluent in an insincere manner, offhand, casual (adj)
FEBRUARY
9
Juxtaposition ("j&k-st&-p&-'zi-sh&n) - side-by-side placement (verb)
FEBRUARY
10
Interim ('in-t&-r&m) - time between acts or period (noun)
FEBRUARY
11
Panacea ("pa-n&-'sE-&) - something that cures everything (noun)
FEBRUARY
14
Invoke (in-'vOk) - to call on for assistance; to resort to (verb)
FEBRUARY
15
Deter (dE-'t&r) -turn aside through fear; discourage; hinder; keep back (verb)
FEBRUARY
16
Plucky ('pl&-kE) - coragious; brave; valiant; valorous (adj)
FEBRUARY
17
Enigma (i-'nig-m&) - puzzling statement; riddle; mystery (noun)
FEBRUARY
18
Knickknack ('nik-"nak) - a small ornamental article (noun)
FEBRUARY
21
Lugubrious (lu-'gό-brE-&s) - sorrowful, mournful, dismal (adj)
FEBRUARY
22
Maladroit ("ma-l&-'droi)t - clumsy, tackless (adj)
FEBRUARY
23
Occlude (&-'klόd) - to shut, block (verb)
FEBRUARY
24
Pastiche (pas-'tEsh)- piece of literature or music, imitating other works (noun)
FEBRUARY
25
Regale (ri-'gA(&)l) - to give unusual pleasure; to entertain as with a feast (verb)
FEBRUARY
28
Schism ('shi-z&m) - division ; separation discord or disharmony (noun)
MARCH
1
Retort (ri-'tort) - to make a sharp reply (verb)
MARCH
2
Savvy ('sa-vE) - smart; informed (adj)
MARCH
3
Transgress (tran(t)s-'gres) - to go beyond set limit; violate; break a law (verb)
MARCH
4
Antipathy (an-'ti-p&-thE) - extreme opposition, feeling against, distaste, dislike (noun)
MARCH
7
Rejoinder (ri-'join-d&r) - response (noun)
MARCH
8
Saturnine ('sa-t&r-"nIn) - gloomy or tacituren (adj)
MARCH
9
Truculent ('trU-s&-l&nt) - fierce; cruel, savagely brutal (adj)
Joe
usually had a black eye because he was a truculent student.
MARCH
10
Usurp (yu-'s&rp) - to seize by force (verb)
MARCH
11
Vaunted ('von-t&d) - boasted about, bragged about (adj)
MARCH
14
Woe ('wO) - suffering; affliction; distress (noun)
MARCH
15
Verdant ('v&r-d&n)t - green with vegetation; inexperienced (adj)
MARCH
16
Assuage - (&-'swAj) - to make less severe, ease, relieve (verb)
MARCH
17
Consternation ("kδn(t)-st&r-'nA-sh&n) - panic (noun)
MARCH
18
Noisome ('noi-s&m) - stinkng putrid (adj)
MARCH
21
Hinder ('hin-d&r) - to obstruct (verb)
MARCH
22
Insular ('in(t)-su-l&r) - pertaining to an island; narrow-minded (adj)
MARCH
23
Mottle ('mδ-t&l) - to mark with spots (verb)
MARCH
24
Opulence ('δ-py&-l&n(t)s) - wealth (noun)
MARCH
28
Orthography (or-'thδ-gr&-fE) - correct spelling (noun)
MARCH
29
Premeditate (prE-'me-d&-"tAt) - to consider befreohand (verb)
MARCH
30
Avarice ('a-v&-r&s) - excessive desire for walth; greediness (noun)
MARCH
31
Bland ('bland) - mild; tasteless; dull (adj)
APRIL
1
Blithe ('blIth) - carefree, cheerful (adj)
APRIL
4
Axiom - ('ak-sE-&m) - premise, self-evident truth (noun)
APRIL
5
Cholera ('kδ-l&-r&) - an acute epidemic desease (noun)
APRIL
6
Dearth ('d&rth) - a shortage or scarcity of something (noun)
APRIL
7
Polemical (p&-lem-mi-k&l) -inclined to argue or debate; controversial (adj)
APRIL
8
Enshrine (in-'shrIn) - to keep sacred (verb)
APRIL
11
Ensnare (in-'snar) -to entrap (verb)
APRIL
12
Hinterland ('hin-t&r-"land) - wilderness (noun)
APRIL
13
Inchoate (in-'kO-&t) - just begun; imperfectly formed or formulated (adj)
APRIL
14
Oust ('aust) - to eject; to expel; to banish (verb)
APRIL
15
Palinode ('pa-l&-"nOd) - a retraction (noun)
APRIL
18
Penurious (p&-'nur-E-&s) - stingy, relating to great poverty, destitution (adj)
APRIL
19
Rash ('rash) - overhasty, foolhardy, rieckless, impetuous, taking too much rish (adj)
APRIL
20
Slovenly ('sl&-v&n-lE) -negligent of neatness of order in ones dress, habits, work, eat; slipshod; sloppy (adj)
APRIL
21
Augur ('o-g&r) - to serve as an omen or be a sign; to predict or foretell (verb)
APRIL
22
Cur ('k&r) - worthless dog (noun)
MAY
2
Debauch (di-'boch) - to lead astray morally; to corrupt (verb)
MAY
3
Equine ('E-"kwIn) - relating to horses, horselike (adj)
MAY
4
Raze ('rAz) - to tear down; to destroy (verb)
MAY
5
Scintilla (sin-'ti-l&) - trace amount (noun)
MAY
6
Virtuoso (?????) sometone with masterly skill; expert musician (noun)
MAY
9
Whet ('wet) - to sharpen stimulate (verb)
MAY
10
Zealous ('ze-l&s) - enthusiastic, diligent devoltion (adj)
MAY
11
August ('o-(")g&st) - dignified, awe inspiring; venerable (adj)
MAY
12
Circumlocution ("s&r-k&m-lO-'kyό-sh&n) - roundablout way of speaking; use of excessive number of words to express an idea (noun)
MAY
13
Diathermy ('dI-&-"th&r-mE) - method of treating disease by generating heat in body tissue through high-frequency electric currents (noun)
MAY
16
Equivocal (i-'kwi-v&-k&l) - having two or more meanings; ambiguous, intentionally confusing, capable of being interpreted in many ways (adj)
MAY
17
Riddle ('ri-d&l) - to make many holes in; permeate (verb)
MAY
18
Sedition (si-'di-sh&n) - speech, writing, or action seeking to overthrow the government (noun)
MAY
19
Tepid ('te-p&d) - lukewarm; half heated (adj)
MAY
20
Wizened ('wi-z&n ed)- shriveled; withered; shrunken (adj)
MAY
23
Yeomanly ('yO-m&n lE) - dependable, hard-working (adj)
MAY
24
Tractable ('trak-t&-b&l) - obedient, yielding (adj)
MAY
25
Avowal ('vau(-&)l) - open acknowledgement, frank declaration; admission; confession (noun)
MAY
26
Consummate ('kδn(t)-s&-"mAt) to complete, fulfill (verb)
MAY
27
Eschew (es-'chό) - to keep clear of (verb)
MAY
31
Espy (is-'pI) - to keep a close watch (verb)
JUNE
1
Seraphic (s&-'ra-fik) - angelic, pure, sublime (adj)
JUNE
2
Extraneous (ek-'strA-nE-&s ) - coming from or existing outside; foreign. Not essential (adj)
JUNE
3
Shibboleth ('shi-b&-l&th) - a distinctive word, pronunciation or behavior that typifies a particular group; a slogan or catchword (noun)
JUNE
6
Simper ('sim-p&r) - to smirk, smile foolishly (verb)
JUNE
7
Transfix (tran(t)s-'fiks) - to cause to stand motionless with awe, amazement, or some other strong emotion; to rivet (verb)
JUNE
8
Surfeit ('s&r-f&t) - excessive amount (noun)
JUNE
9
Bombast ('bδm-"bast) - pretentious speech or writing (noun)
JUNE
10
Spate ('spAt - a sudden outpouring , as of words (noun)
JUNE
13
Persnickety - (p&r-'sni-k&-tE) - fussy about small details; requiring great detail (adj)
JUNE
14
COPACETIC - ("kO-p&-'se-tik) - very satisfactory (adj)