Impressive Words To Add To Your Vocabulary
A Aleatoric (EY-lee-uh-tohr-ik): Dependent on luck or a random outcome, like a roll of the dice. Aurora just laughed when doubters attributed her triumph over the pirate rogues to aleatoric influences.
B Brobdingnagian (brob-ding-NAG-ee-uhn): Gigantic, enormous, tremendous. Lisa made constant use of her brobdingnagian vocabulary.
C Callipygian (kal-uh-PIJ-ee-uhn): Having shapely buttocks. Jen's callipygian beauty was matched only by her strong hook.
Crepuscular (kri-PUHS-kyuh-ler): Dim; resembling or having to do with twilight.Janet's habit of planning all her best pranks to occur imediately after dinner led her mother to declare her utterly crepuscular in nature.
D Diaphanous (dahy-AF-uh-nuhs): Almost entirely transparent or translucent. Halloween had been a success, thought Belinda, even though little children kept bumping into her costume's diaphanous fairy wings.
E Echolalia (ek-oh-LEY-lee-uh): Repeating or echoing a person's speech, often in a pathological way. The baby's curious echolalia almost sounded like a real conversation.
F Frangible (FRAN-juh-bull): Fragile; easily broken; brittle. After seeing what happened to his brothers, the third little pig resolved to build his house from a less frangible material.
Frustraneous (fruhs-TREY-nee-uhs): Vain; useless; frustrating. After several frustraneous attempts, Katie gave up on trying to get her sister's attention.
G Gustatory (GUHS-tuh-tohr-ee): Of or pertaining to taste or tasting. Rachel dug into her dinner with a gustatory glee.
H Hagiology (hag-ee-OL-uh-jee): Literature dealing with the lives of saints; a list of saints. Julie's notebook was practically a hagiology of current boy bands.
I Ineluctable (in-ih-LUCK-tuh-bull): Inevitable, inescapable (From the Latin word lucatari, 'to wrestle'). Sarah was unable to escape the ineluctable gaze of her mother.
J Jejune (ji-JOON): Immature, uninteresting, dull; lacking nutrition. Molly resolved to use an interesting vocabulary, the better to avoid appearing jejune.
K Knurl (nurl): A knob, knot or other small protuberance; one of a series of small ridges or grooves on the surface or edge of a metal object, such as a thumbscrew, to aid in gripping. Felicity learned to rock climb by grabbing on to the knurls all the way up the wall.
L Languorous (LANG-ger-uhs): Lacking spirit or liveliness; dreamy; lazy. Amelia spent a languorous day by the pool.
Luculent (LOO-kyoo-luhnt): Easily understood; clear or lucid. Sometimes Rebecca's homework needed to be a little more lulucent.
M Mellifluous (LOO-kyoo-luhnt): Flowing with sweetness or honey; smooth and sweet. Ana always enjoyed chorus; she knew her voice was mellifluous.
Miasma (muh-LIF-loo-uhs): Foul vapours emitted from rotting matter; unwholesome air or atmosphere. Jemima held her nose as she passed the miasma of what her little brother referred to as 'the stinky parking garage'.
N Natalitious (nay-tuh-LIH-shis): Pertaining to one's birthday. Mary designed elaborate invitations to announce her natalitious festivities.
Nemesis (NEM-uh-sis): A source of harm; an opponent that cannot be beaten; mythological Greek goddess of vengeance. On a good day, Christina's brother was her ally; on a bad day he was her nemesis.
O Obsequious (uhb-SEE-kwee-uhs): Fawning; attentive in ingratiating manner. Eager to win her parent's approval, Vanessa was polite to the point of being obsequious.
P Persiflage (PURR-suh-flahzh): Light banter; frivolous discussion. 'We must be careful to keep our persiflage to a minimum,' Harriet whispered to Margot during class.
Q Quiescence (kwee-ES-uhns): Stillness, quietness, inactivity. Hannah revelled in the extraordinary quiescence of early morning when she awoke before anyone else.
Quotidian (kwoh-TIHD-ee-uhn): everyday, commonplace, ordinary; recurring daily. Dorothy sighed, bored by the quotidian sameness of is all.
R Rapprochement (rap-rohsh-MAHN): reconciliation; the re-establishing of cordinal relations. After holding a grudge against him for so long, Elenor felt it was almost a relief to have reached a rapprochement with her brother.
Risible (RIZ-uh-buhl): Laughable, causing laughter. The girls know they could always count on Polly for a risible remark.
S Sequipedalian (SESS-kwih-puh-DAY-lee-un): Characteristic of a long word; given to using long words. Daring girls are not shy about their sesquipedalian abilities.
Sprezzatura (SPRETTS-ah-TOO-ruh): Nonchalance, effortless. Emily was able to cartweel with sprezzatura and verve.
T Truculent (TRUCK-yuh-lunt): Pugnacious, belligerent, scathing. When Nancy was pushed too far, she became trulucent.
U Ultracrepidarian (ull-truh-krep-ih-DAIR-ee-uhn): Giving opinions or criticizing beyond one's own range of expertise. 'I'd tell you what I think about your outfit, but I don't want to be all ullracrepidarian,' said Karen.
V Vitiate (VISH-ee-ayt): To weaken, impair, or render invalid. Penelope's debate in class vitiated Tob's argument.
W Winsome (WIN-suhm): Sweetly or innocently charming. Holly was too busy building her treehouse to act winsome.
X Xenophobe (ZEE-nuh-fohb) A person who fears or hate foreigners. It was a nerve-racking moment at the picnic, when the neighbourhood xenophobe showed up with potato salad.
Y Yawl (yawl) A ship's small boat; a yowl or howl. Helen let out a loud yawl as the boat tipped over.
Z Zaftig (ZAHF-tik): Having a shapely figure (From the Yiddish word zaftik, 'juicy'). Bridget was proud of her strong, zaftig figure.
Zeitgeist (TSIYT-giyst): The spirit of the time; the outlook of a particular generation. Catherine was convinced the latest pop star embodied the zeitgeist of her contemporaries.
