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Click hereWhenever I read, I keep a pencil handy and I underline words that I don't know and dog ear the page so that I can go back and look them up in the dictionary. I have always been interested in etymology and even took Latin for three years. I hope that these words can help all of us in our writings. Be sure to check out your dictionary for additional usages of the words and spellings associated with changing the word from adjective to adverb to noun ... etc.
ALLONYM
noun
Pronounced: AL-o-nihm
Meaning: A name that is assumed by an author but that actually belongs to another person.
Example: For his first novel, Allen considered using John Grisham as anallonym.
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BESTIARY
noun
Pronounced: BEE-stee-airy
Meaning: A medieval, often illustrated, work in verse or prose describing with an allegorical moralizing commentary on the appearance and habits of real and fabled animals.
Example: At the Metropolitan Museum, Eli lingered in front of a case containing a Frenchbestiary that told a story about a unicorn and a dragon.
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CARICATURED
verb
Pronounced: CARE-ih-ka-tuur-d
Meaning: Represented in exaggeration by means of deliberate simplification and often ludicrous distortion of parts or characteristics.
Example: Those who inaugurated the movement for women's enfranchisement were initially censured andcaricatured by the press.
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DRYAD
noun
Pronounced: DRY-add
Meaning: One of the minor divinities of nature in Greek and Roman mythology that are represented as beautiful maidens dwelling in the forests.
Example: Sally likes to sit in her tree house and pretend that she is adryad.
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ECHOLOCATION
noun
Pronounced: eck-ko-lo-KA-shun
Meaning: A process of animal orientation and navigation that involves emission of high-frequency sounds that are reflected back from environing surfaces and thus indicate the relative distance and direction of such surfaces.
Example: Contrary to popular fiction, Erin learned that bats never get tangled in people's hair because their system ofecholocation is so accurate.
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FASTIDIOUSLY
adverb
Pronouced: fass-TID-di-us-ly
Meaning: In a manner that reflects a meticulous, sensitive or demanding attitude.
Example: Vera's insistence on dressingfastidiously for every occasion precluded her from going anywhere on short notice.
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GLENGARRY
noun
Pronouced: glen-GARE-ree
Meaning: A woolen cap of Scottish origin, typically having a crease in the crown from front to back and edges bound with ribbon that ends in the back in two small streamers.
Example: Each bagpiper was wearing aglengarry, a kilt, a sporran and spats.
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HYPERBOREAN
adjective
Pronounced: high-per-BORE-ee-in
Meaning: Of, relating to or inhabiting an extreme Northern region; frigid.
Example: Polar bears are among the few animals that can survive inhyperborean regions.
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IDIOPATHIC
adjective
Pronounced: id-ee-o-PA-thick
Meaning: Arising spontaneously or from an obscure or unknown cause.
Example: After carefully examining Leila, the doctor announced that her sudden hearing loss wasidiopathic and might disappear with time.
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JOURNALESE
noun
Pronounced: JUR-nal-eeze
Meaning: A style of writing held to be characteristic of newspapers.
Example: The wordtranspired is consideredjournalese because it rarely occurs outside of newspapers.
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KARMA
noun
Pronounced: KAR-muh
Meaning: In Hinduism and Buddhism, the sum total of the ethical consequences of a person's good or bad actions comprising thoughts, words and deeds.
Example: In Buddhism, harming another being is believed to contribute to badkarma.
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LIBERTARIAN
noun
Pronounced: lih-bur-TARE-ree-in
Meaning: One who upholds the principles of individual freedom of thought and action.
Example: Alibertarian would cut down constitutional authority to the smallest proportions, while an authoritarian leaves but little scope for private judgment.
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MASOCHISTIC
adjective
Pronounced: mah-so-KISS-tick
Meaning: Relating to, marked by or given to taking pleasure in physical or mental suffering inflicted on one by oneself or another.
Example: Runners have long endured derisive comments from nonrunners about their apparentlymasochistic tendencies.
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NOMOGRAPHER
noun
Pronounced: noe-MOG-gra-fur
Meaning: A writer of laws.
Example: During his term as a state senator, Wilbur became an experiencednomographer.
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OPACATE
verb
Pronounced: OH-pah-kate
Meaning: Make impervious to the rays of visible light.
Example: Because even a small amount of daylight awakens Scott, he uses special shades thatopacate his windows.
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PICKWICKIAN
adjective
Pronounced: pik-WIK-key-in
Meaning: Marked by simplicity and generosity of character or by an appearance and manner suggesting these qualities.
Example: Matilda wishes that her principal were more like thePickwickian headmaster of Tom's school.
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QUATTROCENTO
noun
Pronounced: kwa-troh-CHEN-toe
Meaning: The 15th century, specifically, the 15th century period in Italian literature and art.
Example: Lorenzo De Medici was one of the chief supporters of Italian art during the quattrocento.
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REVENDICATE
verb
Pronouced: ruh-VIN-dih-kate
Meaning: Recover by a formal demand for restoration.
Example: After German reunification, many who had emigrated to the West during the Cold War attempted torevendicate their former homes.
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SALIFEROUS
adjective
Pronounced: sah-LIH-fair-uss
Meaning: Producing, impregnate with or containing salt.
Example: The tour guide recommended that the tourists resist the urge to taste thesaliferous formations in the mine.
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TALARIA
noun, plural; singular version TALARIUM
Pronounced: tah-LAIR-ree-uh
Meaning: Winged shoes fastened to the ankles and chiefly used as an attribute of the god Hermes or Mercury of classical mythology.
Example: Thetalaria symbolize the speed with which Hermes acts as the messenger of the gods.
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UNCONSCIONABLY
adverb
Pronounced: un-KON-shun-ab-blee
Meaning: In a manner not guided or controlled by conscience.
Example: Nathan behaved sounconscionably in elementary school that his juvenile delinquency surprises no one.
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VENATORIAL
adjective
Pronounced: ven-na-TORE-ree-ul
Meaning: Of, relating to or used in hunting.
Example: As the duck hunting season begins, Jake can be counted on to retell accounts of his pastvenatorial successes.
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WILES
noun, plural; singular version WILE
Pronounced: WHY-ulls
Meaning: Tricks or stratagems intended or ensnare or deceive.
Example: George Washington believed that nations must ultimately depend on themselves alone and warned against "the insidiouswiles of foreign influence."
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XENOPHOBIC
adjective
Pronounced: ZEN-no-fo-bick
Meaning: Of, relating to or characterized by fear and hatred of what is foreign and especially of people of foreign origin.
Example: Roger'sxenophobic personality made him unfit for the Peace Corps.
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YIDDISHKEIT
noun
Pronounced: YIDD-dish-kite
Meaning: Jewish way of life.
Example: Rabbi Cohen answered questions from the Hebrew school pupils about the fundamental values ofYiddishkeit.
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ZETETIC
adjective
Pronounced: zeh-THE-dick
Meaning: Proceeding by inquiry.
Example: The class government has its ownzetetic justice system.