Academic Vocabulary: Academic Words - Olsen Amy E. 2012

Glossary

abstract adj. 1. an idea not related to a specific example 2. not easily understood; complex v. 1. to take out; to extract 2. to summarize; to condense n. a summary

academia n. the world of higher education; a scholastic environment or life

acrophobia n. a fear of heights

acumen n. a keen insight; sharpness; shrewdness

affluence n. 1. wealth; an abundance 2. a flowing toward

alchemist n. a person who practices alchemy (a type of chemistry popular in the Middle Ages)

alfresco adv. out-of-doors; in the open air adj. outdoor

alleviate v. to relieve; to reduce

ambiguous adj. 1. open to several possible meanings or interpretations 2. difficult to understand; unclear; indistinct

ambivalence n. having conflicting feelings, such as love and hate, about a person, object, or idea

analyze n. 1. to examine carefully 2. to separate a material into its basic parts

anecdote n. a short account of an interesting or amusing incident

annals n. yearly historical records, usually in chronological order; historical events in general

annotate v. to make notes or comments on or in the margins (usually in reference to a book)

artifact n. any object made by humans; a handmade object or the remains of one, such as found at an archeological dig

ascent n. 1. a rising or climbing movement 2. movement upward; advancement

ascertain v. to find out definitely; to leam with certainty

attribute v. to regard as belonging to or resulting from; to credit n. a quality or characteristic belonging to a person or thing

attune v. to adjust; to bring into harmony

autonomy n. independence; the quality of being self-governing

hon mot n. a witty remark or comment; witticism

bourgeoisie n. 1. in Marxist theory, the property-owning capitalist class 2. the middle class

burgeon v. to flourish; to grow; to sprout

calculate v. to figure; to compute; to evaluate carcinogen n. any cancer-producing substance carpe diem n. seize the day; enjoy the present cinematography n. the art or technique of motion picture photography

cite v. 1. to quote as an example or expert 2. to give as support or proof

coherence n. the quality of a logical or orderly relationship of parts; consistency; unity

coincide v. 1. to be identical; to agree or match

2. to happen or exist at the same time

complacent adj. pleased wife oneself, often to a dangerous degree; self-satisfied; untroubled

conducive adj. tending to promote or assist

connoisseur n. a person who can judge the best in an art or other field

consumer n. a customer; a shopper; one who purchases or uses good or services

conventional adj. 1. customary 2. conforming to established standards

deciduous adj. 1. shedding the leaves annually, as certain trees do 2. falling off at a particular stage of growth; transitory

denote v. to be a mark, symbol or sign of; to indicate; to mean

derogatory adj. offensive; insulting; critical

descent n. 1. a downward slope 2. a decline; a fall; a drop destitute adj. completely lacking; poor; impoverished detract v. 1. to take away a part (usually followed by

from) 2. to divert; to distract

deviate v. 1. to move away from a norm or set behavior

2. to cause to tum aside or to differ

diction n. 1. the choice and use of words in speech or writing 2. distinctness of speech

disconcerted adj. disturbed; disordered; confused

distill v. 1. to extract the essential elements

2. to concentrate or separate by distillation

dolce vita n. the good life (usually preceded by la)

doppelganger n. a ghostly double or counterpart of a living person

du jour adj. 1. as prepared or served on a particular day 2. fashionable; current

elixir n. 1. an alchemic preparation believed capable

of prolonging life indefinitely 2. a substance thought capable of curing all ills

embed v. 1. to fix deeply into something; to implant

2. to envelop or enclose

emblematic adj. symbolic; representative

encrypt v. 1. to put into a code 2. to change a file or e-mail message by using a code so it will be meaningless to unauthorized users if intercepted while traveling over a network

endeavor n. an attempt v. to make an effort; to try

epitomize v. to serve as a typical or perfect example of;

to typify

erosion n. the process by which the surface of the earth is worn away by the action of water, winds, waves, etc.

escapade n. an adventure, especially one contrary to usual or proper behavior

eschew v. to avoid; to shun; to escape

essence n. the quality of a thing that gives it its identity; the crucial element; core

ethical adj. 1. pertaining to right and wrong conduct;

fair 2. adhering to principles of conduct that are considered correct, especially related to certain professions

evocative adj. having the power to produce a reaction; suggestive

exhume v. to dig up something buried in the earth (especially a dead body)

expedition n. 1. a journey made for a specific purpose, such as exploration 2. the group of persons occupied in such a journey

export v. 1. to send overseas, especially items for trade or sale 2. to trigger the spread of in a different part of the world; to transmit n. an item that is exported

extrovert n. an outgoing person

fauna n. the animals of a given region or period taken as a whole

faux pas n. a mistake; a slip or blunder in manners or conduct; an embarrassing social error

feasible adj. capable of being done; possible; suitable

flora n. the plants of a given region or period taken as a whole

fluctuate v. to vary irregularly; to change

foremost adj. first in importance, place, or time; chief

forensics n. 1. a department of forensic medicine (the use of medical knowledge in civil or criminal law), as in a police laboratory 2. the study of formal debate

fortitude n. mental and emotional strength in bravely facing challenges or danger

gamut n. the entire scale or range

gamer v. to acquire; to collect; to get

genre n. a class of artistic work (movie, book, etc.) having a particular form, content, or technique; a style

hail v. 1. to approve enthusiastically 2. to cheer; to welcome; to call out to

heinous adj. wicked; vile; evil

hierarchy n. a system of persons or things ranked one above the other

hinterland n. back country; the remote or less developed parts of a country

horizontal adj. 1. parallel to level ground 2. flat; at the same level

hue n. color; tint; shade

humanoid adj. resembling human beings; having human characteristics n. a being with a human form; an android

ideology n. a system of beliefs or ideas, often political, held by a person, group, or institution

imagery n. the use of vivid descriptions to make mental pictures; mental images

immutable adj. unchangeable

impervious adj. 1. incapable of being injured, impaired, or influenced 2. not permitting passage

impromptu adj. not rehearsed; spontaneous

inclination n. 1. a liking or preference 2. a tendency toward a certain action or condition; a leaning

induce v. to persuade; to cause

inference n. the act of drawing a conclusion from evidence

inherent adj. existing in someone or something as a permanent quality; innate; natural

intention n. a plan; an aim that guides action

intersect v. to cross; to meet at a point; to cut through

intrinsic adj. relating to the essential nature of a thing; innate; natural

introvert n. a shy person

jargon n. 1. the language of a particular profession

or group 2. unintelligible talk

jostle v. 1. to bump or brush against others; to push

or shove 2. to contend with; to compete

juxtaposition n. an act of placing close together, especially for comparison or contrast

levity n. 1. lightness of speech or manner; frivolity

2. lightness; buoyancy

levy v. to impose or to collect, such as a tax

magnanimous adj. showing a noble spirit; unselfish; generous in forgiving

magnitude n. greatness in signifcance, size, or rank

manifest v. to reveal; to show plainly adj. obvious; evident

martyrdom n. 1. extreme suffering 2. the state of being a martyr (one who chooses death or makes a sacrifice rather than give up religious faith or other belief)

mean n. the result found by dividing the sum of a set of numbers by the number of items in the set; the average adj. holding a middle position

median n. the middle number in a specifed sequence of numbers (if the sequence has an even number of numbers, the average of the two middle numbers) adj. relating to or located in the middle

metamorphosis n. 1. a change in form from one stage to the next in the life of an organism 2. a transformation

metaphor n. a figure of speech that makes a comparison between things that are not literally alike

meticulous adj. 1. extremely careful and precise

2. excessively concerned with details

metrophobia n. a fear of poetry

milieu n. environment; surroundings

monolith n. 1. a large single block of stone 2. a column or large statue formed from a single block of stone

3. something having a uniform, massive, or inflexible character

montage n. 1. a film editing technique that presents images next to each other to convey an action, idea, or feeling 2. the combining of various elements to form a whole or single image

motif n. the dominant theme in a literary or musical composition; a recurring element in a work of art

multifaceted adj. many-sided; versatile; complex

multitude n. 1. the quality of being numerous

2. a great, indefinite number 3. the masses

nada n. nothing

nomadic adj. moving from place to place for survival; wandering; mobile

norm n. a standard or pattern regarded as typical for a specific group

oasis n. 1. a refuge, as from work or stress 2. a fertile area in a desert region, usually having a spring or well

ominous adj. l. threatening; menacing 2. pertaining to an evil omen

ostracize v. to exclude, by general consent, from society or from privileges

oust v. to remove; to force out

parallel adj. 1. lines that go in the same direction and never meet 2. alike in some form n. a likeness

paranoid adj. showing unreasonable or abnormal distrust or suspicion n. one afflicted with paranoia

paraphrase v. to express in other words n. a restatement of a passage using other words

parasitic adj. pertaining to a parasite ( 1. an organism that lives on another species without aiding the host;

2. a person who takes advantage of others)

peninsula n. an area of land almost folly surrounded by water except for a narrow strip of land connecting it with the mainland

perennial adj. 1. lasting through the year or through many years; everlasting 2. continually recurring

permutation n. alteration; transformation

persecute v. to harass; to annoy continuously

personification n. 1. the act of giving human qualities to ideas or inanimate objects 2. a person or thing that is the perfect example of a quality

pervasive adj. having the quality to spread throughout; extensive

placate v. to pacify; to calm

plagiarize v. to use the words or ideas of someone else as one's own; to steal from another's writing

plateau n. 1. a land area having a fairly level surface elevated above adjoining land; a tableland 2. a period with little or no change; a stable state

portfolio n. 1. a portable case for holding loose sheets of paper or drawings 2. a list of the investments owned by a bank, investment organization, or other investor

posterity n. 1. future generations 2. all of a person's descendants

posthumously adv. 1. occurring after death 2. published after the death of the author

prerogative n. a special right, power, or privilege

pristine adj. unspoiled; pure; uncorrupted

procure v. to obtain; to get by extra care or effort

proletariat n. 1. in Marxist theory, the workers who do not own property and who must sell their labor to survive 2. the lowest or poorest class

prolific adj. creating abundant works or results; plentiful; fertile

proponent n. one who argues in favor of something; an advocate

qualm n. 1. a feeling of doubt or misgiving; uneasiness

2. a feeling of sickness, faintness, or nausea

quell v. 1. to quiet; to pacify 2. to suppress

quota n. 1. a part of a total amount; an allotment; an allowance 2. the number or percentage of people of a specified type allowed into a group

ramification n. 1. a development growing out of and often complicating a problem, plan, or statement; a consequence 2. the act of branching out

ravine n. a narrow, steep-sided valley, usually eroded by running water

refute v. to disprove; to show that a person or statement is wrong by argument or proof

relevant adj. pertinent; to the point

republic n. l. a state where power rests with the citizens

2. a state where the head of government is usually an elected president

ritual n. l. a set procedure for a religious or other ceremony 2. a custom; a routine adj. l. ceremonial 2. customary; routine

scenario n. 1. an imagined series of events; a projected plan with several possibilities 2. an outline of the plot of a play, movie, etc.

sequential adj. characterized by a regular order of parts; in order; following

simile n. a figure of speech that compares two unlike things, introduced by the word like or as

socialization n. the process whereby an individual learns the values and behaviors appropriate to his or her culture and status

species n. organisms having some common qualities; kind or type

statistics n. l. (used with a plural v.) data; numerical

facts 2. (used with a singular v.) the science that deals with the study of numerical data

status n. 1. a relative position; standing, especially social standing 2. high standing 3. situation

stratification n. the act or process of developing levels of class or privilege

subsequent adj. following or coming after; succeeding

summation n. 1. a concluding statement containing a

summary of principal points 2. the act of totaling; addition

surreal adj. unreal; fantastic; having the quality of a dream

symbiotic adj. 1. pertaining to the living together of two dissimilar organisms 2. any mutually dependent or beneficial relationship

symmetrical adj. regular in arrangement of matching parts; balanced

taboo adj. forbidden from use or mention n. a prohibition excluding something from use v. to forbid or prohibit

tactile adj. pertaining or perceptible to the sense of touch; concrete

telecommute v. to work from home by using a computer linked to one's company

terrain n. an area of land, especially in reference to its natural features

testimony n. evidence in support of a fact or assertion; proof

thesis n. a proposal that is defended by argument

totalitarian adj. l. pertaining to a government that uses dictatorial control and forbids opposition 2. authoritarian n. an adherent of totalitarian principles or government

toxic adj. caused by a poison; poisonous

trace n. 1. an extremely small amount of a substance

2. evidence of some former action or event v. to follow the history of; to discover

tribute n. l. something given or done to show one's admiration, appreciation, or respect 2. a payment or tax made by one nation to another for protection or to show submission

ubiquitous adj. existing or being everywhere, especially at the same time

utmost n. the greatest amount or level; maximum adj. most extreme; of the greatest degree

utopian adj. l. resembling utopia, an ideal place

2. involving idealized perfection

variable n. 1. a symbol that represents a changeable

amount 2. something that may change adj. changeable; inconstant

venerate v. to regard with respect and reverence

verity n. 1. the quality of being real, true, or correct

2. something, like a statement or idea, considered to be a permanent truth

viable adj. l. practicable; possible 2. capable of living or developing

visualization n. the formation of a mental image or images vivid adj. l. clear; striking; dramatic 2. brilliant; having extremely bright colors 3. active; lively

voila interj. There it is! (used to express success or satisfaction)

wane v. 1. to decrease; to decline 2. to approach an end n. a gradual declining

wary adj. cautious; watchful

Zeitgeist n. the spirit of the time; the general feeling of a particular period of time