The Vocabulary Game Dictionary

Learn (or re-learn) some sophisticated vocabulary words.

During the 1989-90 school year, Mrs. Laura Sparrow put her A.P. Senior English class' vocabulary knowledge to the test in an annual contest called "The Vocabulary Game." This game was simple by design: She would put write a few words on the chalkboard. If any of her students had at least an idea of what the word meant, the class got a point. If not, Mrs. Sparrow got a point. No point was awarded to either side if the class only had a vague or unclear idea of what the word meant.

In all, 87 words were up for grabs. Mrs. Sparrow scored on 42, her students scored 42, with three not awarded to either side.

Those who had A.P. Senior English may be re-learning some of these words. Others may well be learning them for the very first time, right here, in the Vocabulary Game Dictionary.

After each word in our dictionary, the people who scored on the words are shown in parentheses. Phonetic pronunciations follow, with stressed syllables in capital letters. Parts of speech (noun, verb, adjective, adverb) are given, followed, of course, by definitions.

---

abstruse (Matt Paletz): ab-STROOS. adj. Hard to understand, unfathomable.

ancillary (Dana Apfelblat/Paul Levine/Todd Rope): AN-suh-LAYR-ee. adj. 1. Helping in a subsidiary way. 2. Subordinate.

antipodes (Paletz): an-TIP-uh-DEEZ. n. pl. Places on Earth which are diametrically opposite each other (such as the United States and Australia).

argot (Mrs. Sparrow): AR-goh. n. The jargon or slang of a particular class or group, especially of criminals.

besotted (Jodi Ping): buh-SOT-id. adj. 1. Mentally stupefied, especially from drugs or alcohol. 2. Silly, foolish. 3. Infatuated.

bibliomania (Rope): BIB-lee-oh-MAY-nee-uh. n. An excessive craving for books.

blandishments (Erica Watnick): BLAN-dish-ments. n. pl. Flattering compliments or actions.

bucolic (Mrs. Sparrow): byoo-KAHL-ik. adj. Characteristic of country life.

bumptious (Levine): BUMP-shus. adj. Conceited.

caveat (UNAWARDED): KAV-ee-OT or KOV-ee-OT. n. A warning (e.g. "Caveat emptor," which means "Let the buyer beware.")

cenotaph (Mrs. Sparrow): SEN-uh-TAF. n. A monument dedicated to people buried elsewhere.

chalice (Paletz): CHAL-iss. n. A large, goblet-like cup.

chorister (Apfelblat): KOR-iss-tur. n. A choir member.

chthonic (Mrs. Sparrow): ch-THON-ik. adj. Relating to gods and spirits of the underworld.

comestibles (Apfelblat): kuh-MES-tuh-bulz. n. Food.

concupiscence (Apfelblat): kon-KYOO-pih-sunse. n. Intense lust.

conflagration (Mark Rabinowitz): KON-fluh-GRAY-shun. n. A quickly spreading, destructive fire.

contumacious (Rope): KON-tuh-MAY-shus. adj. Disobedient, insubordinate.

crenellated (Mrs. Sparrow): KREN-uh-LAY-tid. adj. Having stone walls with gaps at intervals along the edges of roofs or balconies, intended for soldiers to fire from (or else for decoration).

doughty (Mrs. Sparrow): DOH-tee. adj. Valiant, strong-hearted.

effluvium (Dan Fulga/Tim Story): ih-FLOO-vee-um. n. An outflow of a gas, especially a foul or harmful one.

effulgent (Mrs. Sparrow): ih-FUL-jent. adj. Bright, radiant.

eleemosynary (Mrs. Sparrow): el-ih-MOS-uh-NA-ree. adj. Supported by or dispensing charity.

(Yes, that is two e's between the "el" and the "mos"--it's not a typo.)

embrasure (Rope): em-BRAY-zhure. n. 1. An opening in a wall for a door or window, with sides slanted so that the inside is wider than the outside, or vice-versa. 2. A similar opening for a gun, widening toward the outside.

empyrean (Levine/Sonja Magdevski): em-PEER-ee-un or em-puh-REE-un. n. 1. The highest heaven (a.k.a. God's estate). 2. The visible heavens. adj. 1. Of or relating to the heavens.

epistolary (Jim Cannon): uh-PIS-tuh-LAYR-ee. adj. Of, contained in, or suitable for letters.

ersatz (Rabinowitz): AYR-sotz. adj. Not genuine, fake. n. An inferior substitute.

estivate (Mrs. Sparrow): ES-tuh-VATE. v. 1. (of people) To seclude oneself, withdraw. 2. (of animals) To spend the summer in an inactive state.

euphonious (Paletz): yoo-FOH-nee-us. adj. Pleasant sounding.

fecund (Mrs. Sparrow): FEE-kund or FEK-und. adj. Fertile.

fulminate (Fulga): FUL-muh-nayt. v. To protest loudly and bitterly.

fustian (Mrs. Sparrow): FUS-chun. n. 1. A thick, twilled cotton fabric with a short nap. 2. Pretentious or pompous language. adj. 1. Made of the fabric described above. 2. Speaking pompously.

gargantuan (Cannon): gar-GAN-choo-un. adj. Gigantic, huge.

(After Rabelais' satire, Gargantua and Pantagruel. Gargantua, the hero, was a giant king noted for enormous physical and intellectual appetites.)

glazier (Apfelblat): GLAY-zhure. n. A person who fits glass in windows, mirrors, etc.

gobbet (Levine): GOB-it. n. 1. An extract of text set for translation or comment. 2. A piece or chunk, especially of raw meat.

hackney (Mrs. Sparrow): HAK-nee. n. A vehicle for hire, such as a coach or carriage. v. 1. To make trite or banal through overuse. 2. To hire (a vehicle).

harbinger (Rabinowitz): HAR-bin-jur. n. A person, event or thing which announces the approach of another, a forerunner.

harrow (Mrs. Sparrow): HAYR-oh. n. A frame with metal teeth or discs for breaking up lumps of earth. v. 1. To draw a harrow over. 2. To distress greatly

(NOTE: When Mrs. Sparrow put this word on the board, she would not accept this last definition--she was expecting the first one).

hesperian (Mrs. Sparrow): hes-PEER-ee-un. adj. Of or pertaining to the west.

imprimatur (UNAWARDED): IM-prih-MA-tur. n. 1. official license to print, especially works sanctioned by the Roman Catholic Church. 2. Permission, approval.

impugn (Apfelblat/Paletz): im-PYOON. v. To express the doubts about the truth or honesty of, to try to discredit.

internecine (Levine): IN-tur-NES-EEN. adj. 1. Mutually destructive. 2. Of a struggle within a nation, organization, group, etc.

invigilate (Mrs. Sparrow): in-VIJ-uh-layt. v. To supervise examinees.

limnology (Mrs. Sparrow): lim-NAHL-uh-jee. n. The study of lakes, ponds and streams.

loggia (Rabinowitz): LOH-zhuh. n. 1. An open-sided gallery or arcade along the front or side of a building. 2. An open balcony in a theater.

lugubrious (Mrs. Sparrow): luh-GOO-bree-us. adj. Dismal, mournful.

marginalia (Mrs. Sparrow): MAR-juh-NAY-lee-uh. n. pl. Marginal notes--your English teachers probably wrote some while grading your papers!

masticate (Paletz): MAS-tuh-KAYT. v. To chew.

mendacious (Mrs. Sparrow): men-DAY-shus. adj. Untruthful, telling lies.

meretricious (Mrs. Sparrow): MEHR-uh-TRISH-us. adj. Showily attractive but cheap or insincere.

minion (Cannon): MIN-yun. n. (used only in a contemptuous sense) A subordinate assistant.

minutiae (Apfelblat): mih-NOO-she-AY. n. pl. Small details, trivialities.

mullion (Mrs. Sparrow): MUL-yun. n. An upright strip between the panes of a tall window.

obdurate (Levine): OB-dur-it. adj. Stubborn and unyielding.

oenology (Mrs. Sparrow): ee-NAHL-uh-jee. n. The study of wines.

paean (Mrs. Sparrow): PEE-un. n. A song of praise or triumph.

panegyric (Mrs. Sparrow): PAN-uh-JEER-ik. n. A speech or written work praising a person or thing.

parsimonious (Mrs. Sparrow): PAR-suh-MOH-nee-us. adj. Stingy, sparingly using resources.

pejorative (Mrs. Sparrow): pih-JOR-uh-tiv. adj. Insulting, derogatory.

pellucid (Amy Gallagher): puh-LOO-sid. adj. Very clear.

penultimate (Mrs. Sparrow): pih-NUL-tuh-mit. adj. Next to last.

peradventure (Cannon): PUR-ud-VEN-chur. adv. (old use) Perchance, by chance, perhaps.

peregination (Gallagher): PAYR-uh-grih-NAY-shun. n. Traveling, a journey.

plenipotentiary (Kathy White): PLEN-ih-puh-TEN-sher-ee. n. An envoy with full powers to take action or make decisions on behalf of the government that he/she represents.

polemicist (Mrs. Sparrow): poh-LEM-uh-sist. n. A person skilled in the practice of argumentation.

pontificate (Mrs. Sparrow): pon-TIF-ih-kayt. v. To speak in a pompous way.

prate (Levine): prayt. v. To talk too much.

pulchriture (Mrs. Sparrow): PUL-krih-TOOD. n. Physical beauty, especially referring to females.

pusillanimous (Mrs. Sparrow): PYOO-suh-LAN-uh-mus. adj. Timid, cowardly.

quisling (Lena Larsson): KWIZ-leeng. n. A traitor, especially one who supports an enemy occupying his/her country. (After Vidkun Quisling, the Norwegian leader who betrayed his country to the Nazis in World War II.)

recidivist (Mrs. Sparrow): rih-SID-uh-vist. n. A criminal repeat offender, a person whose criminal tendencies seem uncurable.

recursive (UNAWARDED): ree-KUR-siv. adj. Self-repeating.

reprobate (Levine): REP-ruh-BAYT. n. An immoral or unprincipled person. adj. immoral or unprincipled.

salubrious (Mrs. Sparrow): suh-LOO-bree-us. adj. Health-giving.

schism (Rabinowitz): SKIZ-um. n. A split within a group over differences in opinion, especially in religious groups.

scintilla (Mrs. Sparrow): sin-TIL-uh. n. A trace, an iota, as in "not a scintilla of evidence."

sedulous (Mrs. Sparrow): SED-juh-lus. adj. Diligent and persevering.

shibboleth (Mrs. Sparrow): SHIB-uh-lith. n. 1. A word, principle, behavior or opinion, the use of or inablility to use which reveals one's party, nationality, religion, etc. 2. An old slogan or principle which is still considered essential by some members of a party.

sophistry (Rope): SOF-is-tree. n. Clever and subtle but perhaps misleading reasoning.

stentorian (Mrs. Sparrow): sten-TOR-ee-un. adj. (of a voice) Extremely loud.

supernumerary (Mrs. Sparrow): SOO-pur-NOO-muh-RAYR-ee. adj. In excess of the standard number, extra. n. 1. An extra person or thing. 2. An actor who appears on stage but does not speak.

sybarite (Mrs. Sparrow): SIB-uh-rite. n. A person who is excessively fond of comfort and luxury.

termagant (Mrs. Sparrow): TUR-muh-gunt. n. A violent, overbearing woman.

venal (Jenny Church): VEE-nul. adj. 1. Able to be bribed. 2. Influenced by bribery.

venery (Ping/Rope): VEN-uh-ree. n. (all old use) 1a. Indulgence in or the pursuit of sexual activity. 1b. Sexual intercourse. 2. The act, art or sport of hunting.

vitriolic (Mrs. Sparrow): VIH-tree-AHL-ik. adj. 1. (of chemical substances) Of, similar to, or derived from sulfuric acid or a sulfate. 2. (of comments or criticism) Savagely hostile.

vituperation (Mrs. Sparrow): vih-TOO-puh-RAY-shun. n. Use of abusive language.

(Editor's note: This article was very nearly published in 1990 as part of Green & Gold Digest; however, I figured that if I published it then, and the 1989-90 Vocabulary Game continued after that G&G's publication, then G&G's readers would have been stuck with an incomplete Dictionary. For that reason, I pushed it back to the Reunion Issue.)