Vocabulary Week Vocabulary Week IXIX

SordidSordid

Morally vile; dirty; Morally vile; dirty; filthy; poor; filthy; poor; rundownrundown

The houses that The houses that remained after the remained after the flooding had flooding had become sordid, as become sordid, as there were rats there were rats and dirt and dirt everywhere.everywhere.

PrecursorPrecursor

A person, animal A person, animal or thing that or thing that comes before comes before another event.another event.

Ex. The first robin Ex. The first robin is a precursor to is a precursor to spring.spring.

SerendipitySerendipity

Good luck or Good luck or fortunefortune

Ex. It was Ex. It was serendipity that I serendipity that I passed by the passed by the bookstore as they bookstore as they were hanging up a were hanging up a ‘Help Wanted’ ‘Help Wanted’ sign. I now have a sign. I now have a great job!great job!

PreceptPrecept

A commandment or direction given as a A commandment or direction given as a rule of action or conduct.rule of action or conduct.

On the first day of the job, my boss On the first day of the job, my boss explained the precepts of the workplaceexplained the precepts of the workplace

StigmatizeStigmatize

To set some mark To set some mark of infamy or of infamy or disgrace upondisgrace upon

Ex. The crime Ex. The crime committed by the committed by the father stigmatized father stigmatized the entire Smith the entire Smith family.family.

DiscreetDiscreet

Unobtrusive; being Unobtrusive; being careful about what careful about what you say to respect you say to respect someone’s privacy.someone’s privacy.

We were very We were very discreet when discreet when discussing Christmas discussing Christmas shopping around my shopping around my little brother so he little brother so he wouldn’t hear about wouldn’t hear about his presentshis presents

ChimeraChimera

A grotesque monster having A grotesque monster having separate parts. Also, any monster of separate parts. Also, any monster of the imagination. (traditionally had the imagination. (traditionally had the head of a lion, body of a goat, the head of a lion, body of a goat, and tail of a serpent)and tail of a serpent)

CholericCholeric

Extremely irritable Extremely irritable or easily angeredor easily angered

The baby had a The baby had a choleric choleric disposition, he was disposition, he was always crying and always crying and yelling!yelling!

MediateMediate

To settle or reconcile a To settle or reconcile a disagreement or dispute.disagreement or dispute.

In middle school, I was a peer In middle school, I was a peer mediator, and helped the students mediator, and helped the students on the playground to settle their on the playground to settle their arguments. arguments.

ConsecrateConsecrate

To make or declare something as sacredTo make or declare something as sacred The Bishop of our region came to the The Bishop of our region came to the

church to consecrate it before the first church to consecrate it before the first serviceservice

PolarizePolarize

To divide into two opposing groups.To divide into two opposing groups. Ex. The magnet separated the trash Ex. The magnet separated the trash

into metals and non-metalsinto metals and non-metals

MellifluousMellifluous

Sweetly or smoothly flowing; sweet Sweetly or smoothly flowing; sweet soundingsounding

I love to listen to the choir at church I love to listen to the choir at church because every song that they sing sounds because every song that they sing sounds so mellifluousso mellifluous

Contingent Contingent

Dependent on something for Dependent on something for existence (i.e. plants are contingent existence (i.e. plants are contingent on the sun and rain)on the sun and rain)

Uncertain; possible; likely not to Uncertain; possible; likely not to happen (i.e. I had a savings account happen (i.e. I had a savings account set up for a contingent event like a set up for a contingent event like a car accident or hospital stay)car accident or hospital stay)

accidentalaccidental

PlebianPlebian

““common people”common people” Members of a lower class; Members of a lower class;

commonerscommoners A “freshman” or first year student A “freshman” or first year student

(particularly in the U.S. Naval (particularly in the U.S. Naval Academy)Academy)

ChasmChasm

A deep gap in the earthA deep gap in the earth A wide difference of opinionsA wide difference of opinions My family and I visited the Grand Canyon, My family and I visited the Grand Canyon,

which is the biggest chasm in America.which is the biggest chasm in America.

MatriculateMatriculate

To enroll in a college or university as a To enroll in a college or university as a candidate for a degree.candidate for a degree.

ExistentialExistential

A philosophy based A philosophy based upon one’s existenceupon one’s existence

(Existentialism: a (Existentialism: a philosophy that philosophy that focuses on focuses on uniqueness and the uniqueness and the isolation of the isolation of the individual in the individual in the universe-stresses universe-stresses free will and free will and responsibilityresponsibility

PervadePervade

To spread out To spread out throughout all throughout all parts of somethingparts of something

Ex. Pollen Ex. Pollen pervaded the air, pervaded the air, so I knew that so I knew that spring had arrivedspring had arrived

DestituteDestitute

Deprived of, Deprived of, devoid of, lackingdevoid of, lacking

The homeless The homeless children on the children on the street were street were destitute as they destitute as they had rags for had rags for clothes and dirt clothes and dirt smeared on their smeared on their facesfaces

FatalisticFatalistic

The belief that all things and events are The belief that all things and events are predetermined and inevitable so that they predetermined and inevitable so that they cannot be changed.cannot be changed.

Her fatalistic beliefs helped him to deal Her fatalistic beliefs helped him to deal with the death of his beloved fish.with the death of his beloved fish.