ca·ve·at
Noun
a warning or proviso of specific stipulations, conditions, or limitations.
“there are a number of caveats which concern the validity of the assessment results”
pleth·o·ra
Noun
a large or excessive amount of (something).
“a plethora of committees and subcommittees”
am·biv·a·lent
adjective
having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone.
“some loved her, some hated her, few were ambivalent about her”
ba·nal
adjective
so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring.
“songs with banal, repeated words”
kar·ma
noun
(in Hinduism and Buddhism) the sum of a person’s actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences
INFORMAL – destiny or fate, following as effect from cause.
“His kind deeds created good karma”
du·bi·ous
adjective
hesitating or doubting.
“Alex looked dubious, but complied”
flair
noun
a special or instinctive aptitude or ability for doing something well.
“she had a flair for languages”
fru·i·tion
noun
the point at which a plan or project is realized.
“the plans have come to fruition sooner than expected”
af·fa·ble
adjective
friendly, good-natured, or easy to talk to.
“an affable and agreeable companion”
e·nig·ma
noun
a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand.
“Madeleine was still an enigma to him”
flounce
verb
go or move in an exaggeratedly impatient or angry manner.
“he stood up in a fury and flounced out”
quib·ble
noun
a slight objection or criticism about a trivial matter.
“the only quibble about this book is the price”
man·tra
noun
- (originally in Hinduism and Buddhism) a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation.
- a statement or slogan repeated frequently.
“the environmental mantra that energy has for too long been too cheap”
re·gale
verb
entertain or amuse (someone) with talk.
“he regaled her with a colorful account of that afternoon’s meeting”
“her regal bearing”
e·phem·er·al
adjective
lasting for a very short time.
“fashions are ephemeral”
dire
adjective
(of a situation or event) extremely serious or urgent.
“dire consequences”
fi·as·co
noun
a thing that is a complete failure, especially in a ludicrous or humiliating way.
“his plans turned into a fiasco”
e·qua·nim·i·ty
noun
mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation.
“she accepted both the good and the bad with equanimity”
a·me·lio·rate
verb
make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better.
“the reform did much to ameliorate living standards”
a·pos·tate
adjective
abandoning a religious or political belief or principle.
“an apostate Roman Catholic”
prag·mat·ic
adjective
dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations.
“a pragmatic approach to politics”
eu·pho·ri·a
noun
a feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness.
“the euphoria of success will fuel your desire to continue training”
as·sid·u·ous
adjective
showing great care and perseverance.
“she was assiduous in pointing out every feature”
pe·ruse
verb
read (something), typically in a thorough or careful way.
“he has spent countless hours in libraries perusing art history books and catalogs”
co·pa·cet·ic
adjective
in excellent order.
“he said to tell you everything is copacetic”
in·ane
adjective
silly; stupid.
“don’t constantly badger people with inane questions”
grat·is
adverb
without charge; free.
“a monthly program was issued gratis”
pro·pi·tious
adjective
giving or indicating a good chance of success; favorable.
“the timing for such a meeting seemed propitious”
ob·tuse
adjective
annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand.
“he wondered if the doctor was being deliberately obtuse”
2. (of an angle) more than 90° and less than 180°
in·cul·cate
verb
instill (an attitude, idea, or habit) by persistent instruction.
“the failures of the churches to inculcate a sense of moral responsibility”
su·perb
adjective
excellent.
“a superb performance”
zip·py
adjective (informal)
bright, fresh, or lively.
“a zippy, zingy, almost citrusy tang”
su·per·flu·ous
adjective
unnecessary, especially through being more than enough.
“the purchaser should avoid asking for superfluous information”
de·fer
verb
put off (an action or event) to a later time; postpone.
“they deferred the decision until February”
pla·cate
verb
make (someone) less angry or hostile.
“they attempted to placate the students with promises”
stel·lar
adjective
relating to a star or stars.
“stellar structure and evolution”
Informal – exceptionally good; outstanding.
“his restaurant has received stellar ratings in the guides”
ex·plic·it
adjective
stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt.
“the speaker’s intentions were not made explicit”
ver·bose
adjective
using or expressed in more words than are needed.
“much academic language is obscure and verbose”
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