Expanding Vocabulary: Word Definitions from 2010-2011

1. Word of the Week 2010-2011

2. Week of June 13 verbose (adj) – wordy Teachers appreciate concise responses over those that are verbose. Word origin: Latin

3. Week of June 6 urban (adj) – of, pertaining to, or like a city Many people who live in urban areas usually take public modes of transportation since they do not have cars. Word origin: Latin

4. Week of May 31 temperate (adj) – mild; avoiding extremes You can travel to California at any time of the year because it has such a temperate climate, never getting too hot or too cold. Word origin: Latin

5. Week of May 23 skeptical (adj) – having doubt Sally often exaggerates, so I was skeptical that her story was completely true. Word origin: Greek

6. Week of May 16 raucous (adj) – harsh-sounding The cafeteria was a raucous place at lunch time. Word origin: Latin

7. Week of May 9 quarrel (n) – an angry dispute or altercation Joe and his dad often quarrel about his curfew. Word origin: Latin

8. Week of May 2 plethora (n) – over abundance; excess Choosing from the plethora of restaurants in New York City was almost impossible for Sally. Word origin: Greek

9. Week of April 25 orator (n) – One who delivers an elaborate or formal speech The elected politician was a great oratorwho knew how to talk to the community. Word origin: Latin

10. Week of April 11 noxious (adj) – hurtful The residents had to evacuate the building because the heating vents were expelling noxious fumes. Word origin: Latin

11. Week of April 4 meander (v) – to wander aimlessly Many students meander through the hallways when they should be walking directly to their next class. Word origin: Greek

12. Week of March 28 lenient (adj) – agreeably tolerant; permissive; not harsh Despite the seriousness of Bob’s action, his punishment of extra chores was lenient. Word origin: Latin

13. Week of March 21 knavery (n) – a deceitful or dishonest act; trickery Involved in all sorts of knavery as a boy, Uncle Jack has reformed his ways and become an upstanding citizen. Word origin: German

14. Week of March 14 juncture (n) – an articulation, joint, or seam The pipes had cracked right at the pipeline juncture, flooding the streets. Word origin: Latin

15. Week of March 7 inept (adj) – clumsy, awkward; foolish, nonsensical Joe was so inept in the garden that he dug up all of the roses. Word origin: Latin

16. Week of February 28 hydraulic (adj) – operated by the movement and force of liquid Word origin: Greek

17. Week of February 22 gravity (n) – seriousness, as of a situation The students did not realize the gravityof pulling the fire alarm until they were in the principal’s office. Word origin: Latin

18. Week of February 14 fallacious (adj) – containing or involving a fallacy; false The statement that seniors only need to go to school on block days is fallacious. Word origin: Latin

19. Week of February 7 evoke (v) – to call or summon forth At this time of the year many stores display hearts, cupids, and flowers in hopes to evoke the feeling of love. Word origin: Latin

20. Week of January 31 discrepancy (n) – disagreement; inconsistency There was a discrepancy between the amount of money I gave Tara and the amount she said she received. Word origin: Latin

21. Week of January 24 clamor (n) – a loud uproar, as from a crowd of people The clamor of children playing outside made it impossible for me to study. Word origin: Latin

22. Week of January 18 blasé (adj) – indifferent to or bored with life; unimpressed, as or as if from an excess of worldly pleasures Einstein was blasé about his early discoveries; he was interested in new concepts. Word origin: French

23. Week of January 10 altercation (n)– a dispute or fight The siblings’ public altercation was an embarrassment to their parents. Word origin: Latin

24. Week of January 3 zest (n)– spirited enjoyment; gusto Chuck’s zest for life was evident in his active lifestyle. Word origin: French

25. Week of December 6 xylograph (n)– an engraving on wood The picture below shows an example of a man carving a xylograph. Word origin: Greek

26. Week of November 29 waive (v)– to relinquish or give up as a right or a claim In order to take your quiz open-note, you had to waive your right to a retest. Word origin: French

27. Week of November 15 vociferous (adj)– overly vocal The Phillies fans were vociferous in expressing their disappointment about the results of the playoffs. Word origin: Latin

28. Week of November 8 upheaval (n)– overthrow or violent disturbance of established order or condition. The change in the schedule caused upheaval for all of the students. Word origin: German

29. Week of November 1 taper (v)– to narrow or decrease in size or intensity Jude’s enthusiasm for Math began to taper after he received the results of his first test. Word origin: Greek

30. Week of October 25 superficial (adj)– shallow, on the surface My friend seems very superficial when all she cares about is how she looks. Word origin: Latin

31. Week of October 18 rectify (v)– to correct The bank was sorry for the discrepancy in the account and planned to rectify the problem tomorrow. Word origin: Latin

32. Week of October 11 quandary (adj)– a state of uncertainty; dilemma Joe was in a quandary. Should he do his homework or play X-box? Word origin: Latin

33. Week of October 4 plausible (adj)– believable Sue’s excuse that her dog ate her homework was not plausible, especially since she does not have a dog. Word origin: Latin

34. Week of September 27 overture (n)– an introduction; prologue The popular melodies of Puccini’s opera can be heard in the overture at the beginning of the performance. Word origin: Latin

35. Week of September 20 novice(n)– a person new to a field or activity; a beginner If you are a computer novice, Mrs. Furman will be happy to help you. Word origin: Latin

36. Week of September 13 modest(adj) – not extravagant or showy The king’s summer home was modest in comparison to his castle. Word origin: Latin