Level H Vocabulary: Flash Card Sets
Vocabulary Workshop Word List: Level H, Units 1-6
Divided by Parts of Speech
Vocabulary Workshop Word List: Level H, Units 1-6
- abortive (adj.) failing to accomplish an intended aim or purpose; only partially or imperfectly developed
- adjunct (n) something added to something else as helpful or useful but not essential; an assistant or helper; a valuable quality or characteristic; (adj) added or connected in a subordinate capacity; attached to a faculty or staff in an auxiliary capacity
- aegis (n.) protection; patronage; sponsorship.
- affinity (n.) a natural attraction to a person, thing, or activity; a relationship, connection
- aficionado (n.) an enthusiastic and usually expert follower or fan
- ancillary (n.) subordinate or supplementary
- apprise (v.) to inform of; to make aware of by giving oral or written notice.
- bellwether (n) the male sheep that leads the flock to the slaughterhouse; a leader, as in a desperate or violent undertaking; an indicator of trends
- bibulous (adj.) fond of or inclined to drink; absorbent.
- bilious (adj.) peevish or irritable; sickeningly unpleasant
- bowdlerize (v.) to remove material considered offensive (from a book, play, film, etc)
- browbeat (v.) to intimidate by a stern or overbearing manner; to bully
- bruit (v.) to spread news, reports, or unsubstantiated rumors
- caterwaul (v) to howl or screech like a cat; to quarrel; (n) a harsh or noisy cry; a racket
- chimerical (adj) absurd; wildly fantastic; impossible
- claque (n.) a group of people hired to applaud a performer or a performance; enthusiastic or fawning admirers; an opera hat
- cognate (adj.) closely related in origin, essential nature, or function; (n.) such a person or thing
- commensurate (adj.) equal in size, extent, duration, or importance; proportionate; measurable by the same standards
- condescend (v.) to come down or stoop voluntarily to a lower level; to speak to reporters
- contumelious (adj.) insolent or rude in speech or behavior; insultingly abusive; humiliating
- corollary (n.) a proposition that follows from one already proven; a natural consequence or result; (adj.) resultant or consequent
- cozen (v.) to trick; to cheat or swindle
- cul-de-sac (n.) a blind alley or dead-end street; any situation in which further progress is impossible; an impasse
- deracinate (v.) to pull up by the roots; to root out, uproot, or dislocate; to eliminate all traces of.
- derring-do (n.) valor or heroism; daring deeds or exploits (often used to poke fun at false heroics
- diaphanous (adj.) very sheet and light; almost completely transparent
- dictum (n.) a short saying; an authoritative statement
- divination (n.) the art or act of predicting the future or discovering hidden knowledge
- effete (adj) lacking in wholesome vigor or energy; worn-out or exhausted; sterile or unable to produce; out-of-date
- eleemosynary (adj.) charitable; dependent upon or supported by charity; derived from or provided by charity.
- elixir (n.) a potion once thought capable of curing all ills and maintaining life indefinitely; a panacea; a sweet liquid used as a vehicle in medicines
- emolument (n.) profit derived from an office or position or from employment; a fee or salary
- enclave (n.) an enclosed district, region, or area inhabited by a particular group of people or having a special character
- ensconce (v.) to settle comfortably and firmly in position; to put or hide in a safe place
- fait accompli (n) an accomplished and presumable irreversible deed, fact, or action
- folderol (n.) foolish talk, ideas, or procedures; nonsense; a trifle
- foray (n.) a quick raid, especially for plunder; a venture into some field of endeavor; (v.) to make such a raid
- forte (n.) a person's strong point; what a person does best
- gamut (n.) an entire range or series
- genre (n.) a type, class, or variety, especially a distinctive category of literary composition; a style of painting in which everyday scenes are realistically depicted
- gratis (adj.) free; (adv.) without charge
- hidebound (adj) narrow-minded and rigid, especially in opinions or prejudices; stubbornly and unthinkingly conservative
- hierarchy (n) any system of things or people arranged or graded one above another in order of rank, wealth, class, etc.
- hoi polloi (n.) the common people, the masses
- homily (n.) a sermon stressing moral principles; a tedious moralizing lecture or discourse
- icon (n.) a representation or image of a sacred personage, often considered sacred itself; an image or picture; a symbol; a graphic symbol on a computer monitor display; an object of blind devotion
- iconoclastic (adj.) attacking or seeking to overthrow popular or traditional beliefs, ideas, or institutions
- immure (v.) to enclose or confine within walls; to imprison; to seclude or isolate
- in medias res (adv.) in or into the middle of a plot; into the middle of things
- indigenous (adj.) originating in the country or region where found, native; inborn; inherent
- ineffable (adj.) not expressible in words; too great or sacred to be uttered
- insouciant (adj.) blithely indifferent or unconcerned; carefree; happy-go-lucky
- internecine (adj.) mutually destructive; characterized by great slaughter and bloodshed
- interstice (n.) a small, narrow space between things or parts of things
- lachrymose (adj.) given to tears or weeping; causing to shed tears; mournful; lugubrious.
- lexicon (n.) a dictionary of a language; the special vocabulary of a person, group, or subject; a compendium.
- liturgy (n) a religious service or rite; the form of a ritual or other act of public worship
- lucubration (n.) laborious study or thought, especially at night; the result of such work
- macrocosm (n.) the universe considered as a whole; the entire complex structure of something
- maladroit (adj.) lacking skill or dexterity; tacking tact, perception, or judgment
- matrix (n.) a mold; the surrounding situation or environment
- maudlin (adj.) excessively or effusively sentimental
- melee (n.) a confused struggle; a violent free-for-all; a tumultuous mingling.
- microcosm (n.) a miniature world or universe; a group or system viewed as the model of a larger group or system.
- minuscule (adj.) very small, tiny. (n.) a lowercase letter.
- mirage (n) something illusory, without substance, or without a basis in reality; an illusion
- mnemonic (adj.) relating to or designed to assist the memory; (n.) a device to aid the memory
- modulate (v.) to change or vary the intensity or pitch; to temper or soften; to regulate, adjust
- morass (n) a patch of low, soft, wet ground; a swamp; a confusing situation in which one is entrapped, as in quicksand
- mountebank (n.) a trickster or swindler; a charlatan
- noisome (adj) offensive or disgusting; foul-smelling; harmful or injurious
- obfuscate (v.) to darken or obscure; to confuse or bewilder.
- oblivious (adj) forgetful; unaware
- obloquy (n.) public abuse indicating strong disapproval or censure; the disgrace resulting from such treatment
- obsequies (n.) funeral rites or ceremonies
- paean (n.) a song of praise, joy, or triumph
- panache (n.) a confident and stylish manner, dash; a strikingly elaborate or colorful display
- parameter (n.) a determining or characteristic element; a factor that shapes the total outcome; a limit, boundary
- paternalism (n.) the policy or practice of treating or governing people in the manner of a father dealing with his children.
- persiflage (n.) lighthearted joking, talking, or writing
- persona (n.) a character in a novel or play; the outward character or role that a person assumes
- philippic (n.) a bitter verbal attack
- plethora (n.) overfullness; superabundance; superfluity
- polarize (v.) to cause to concentrate around two conflicting or contrasting positions; to cause light to vibrate in a pattern.
- poltroon (n) a base coward
- portentous (adj.) foreshadowing an event to come; causing wonder or awe; self-consciously weighty, pompous
- pragmatic (adj.) concerned with practical considerations or value; dealing with actions and results rather than with abstract theory; stiff in one's opinions
- prescience (n.) knowledge of events or actions before they happen, foresight
- proselyte (n) a convert; a disciple
- prurient (adj.) having lustful desires or interests; tending to arouse sexual desires
- pundit (n.) a learned person; one that gives authoritative opinions
- purview (n.) the range, extent, or scope of something; in law, the scope or limit of what is provided in a statute.
- quasi (adj) resembling but not actually being; seemingly but not actually or completely
- quid pro quo (n.) something given in exchange or return for something else
- quizzical (adj.) puzzled; mocking; odd; equivocal
- raillery (n) good-humored ridicule; teasing
- rapacity (n.) inordinate greed; the disposition to obtain one's desires by force, extortion, or plunder
- ribald (adj) irreverently mocking; coarse, vulgar, or indecent in language
- risible (adj.) pertaining to laughter; able or inclined to laugh; laughable
- sacrosanct (adj.) very sacred or holy; inviolable; set apart or immune from questioning or attack
- salubrious (adj.) conducive to health or well-being; wholesome
- sanguine (adj.) having a ruddy complexion; of a naturally cheerful, confident, or optimistic outlook.
- saturnalian (adj.) characterized by riotous or unrestrained revelry or licentiousness
- schism (n.) a formal split within a religious organization; any division or separation of a group or organization into hostile factions
- solecism (n.) a substandard or ungrammatical usage; a breach of etiquette; any impropriety or mistake.
- supine (adj) lying flat on one's back; listless or lethargic; apathetic or passive
- symptomatic (adj.) typical or characteristic; being or concerned with a symptom of a disease
- systemic (adj.) of or pertaining to the entire body
- tendentious (adj.) intended to promote a particular point of view, doctrine, or cause; biased or partisan
- therapeutic (adj.) having the power to heal or cure; beneficial
- touchstone (n.) a means of testing worth or genuineness
- traumatic (adj.) so shocking to the emotions as to cause lasting and substantial psychological damage
- vassal (n.) a person under the protection of a feudal lord to whom he or she owes allegiance; a subordinate or dependent; a servant. (adj.) subservient
- verismilitude (n.) the quality of appearing to be true, real, likely or probable.
- vicissitude (n.) a change, variation, or alteration; (pl.) successive or changing phases or conditions
- vignette (n) a short description or sketch; a picture or illustration with edges that gradually shade off; a decorative design on the title page of a book or at the beginning or end of a chapter
- virtuoso (n.) a brilliant performer; a person with masterly skill or technique; (adj.) masterly or brilliant
- vitiate (v.) to weaken, debase, or corrupt; to impair the quality or value of
- volte-face (n.) an about-face; a complete reversal
- waggish (adj.) fond of making jokes; characteristic of a joker; playfully humorous of droll