4th-5th Grade Spelling List (1- Latin)

inane- [ih-neyn]-adj.- lacking sense, significance, or ideas; silly: The college freshman asked inane questions.

ambidextrous- [am-bi-dek-struhs]-adj- able to use both hands equally well: He was an ambidextrous surgeon.

annul- [uh-nuhl]- verb- (especially of laws or other established rules, usages, etc.) to make void or null; abolish; cancel; invalidate: They wanted to annul their short marriage.

armageddon- [ahr-muh-ged-n]-noun- the place where the final battle will be fought between the forces of good and evil.   The battle of armageddon is supposed to be the end of the world.

bestiary- [bes-chee-er-ee, bees-]-noun- a collection of moralized fables, especially as written in the Middle Ages, about actual or mythical animals.  The bestiary you face as you progress through the game is varied.

dirigible- [dir-i-juh-buhl, dih-rij-uh-]-noun- an airship.  They flew in a dirigible across the country.

desiccate- [des-i-keyt]-verb- to dry thoroughly; dry up.   The blazing sun did desiccate the trees. 

dissipate- [dis-uh-peyt]-verb- to scatter in various directions; disperse; dispel.  

The water on the counter began to dissipate.

dissertation- [dis-er-tey-shuhn]-noun- a written essay, treatise, or thesis, especially one written by a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.   She successfully defended her doctoral dissertation recently.

verbatim- [ver-bey-tim]-adj- in exactly the same words; word for word:  They needed to repeat the poem verbatim. 

heuristic- [hyoo-ris-tik or, often, yoo-]-adj- serving to indicate or point out; stimulating interest as a means of furthering investigation.   Every metaphor that scientists invent has a heuristic value.

lachrymose- [lak-ruh-mohs]-adj- suggestive of or tending to cause tears; mournful.

Eventually, the whole gang is reunited in a shamelessly lachrymose musical finale.

posthumous- [pos-chuh-muhs, -choo-]-adj- arising, occurring, or continuing after one's death: a posthumous award for bravery.   Now the trend of posthumous publication is seeping from books to movies.

sapient- [sey-pee-uhnt]-adj- having or showing great wisdom or sound judgment.  

There is a simplicity to the combination of the few ingredients, yet a sapient harmony.

paraphernalia- [par-uh-fer-neyl-yuh, -fuh-neyl-]- (sometimes used with a singular verb) equipment,apparatus, or furnishing used in or necessary for a particular activity: Skis and poles are part of a skier's paraphernalia.

periphery- [puh-rif-uh-ree]-noun- the external boundary of any surface or area.  It's on the ramp's periphery that the miners blasted open veins of gold.

oscilloscope- [uh-sil-uh-skohp]-noun- a device that uses a cathode-ray tube or similar instrument to depict on a screen periodic changes in an electric quantity, as voltage or current.  The results were displayed as a wave on the oscilloscope. 

relevant- [rel-uh-vuhnt]-adj.- bearing upon or connected with the matter in hand; pertinent:

He added a relevant remark to the conversation.

impetuous- [im-pech-oo-uhs]-adj.- of, pertaining to, or characterized by sudden or rash action, emotion, etc.; impulsive:    She made an impetuous decision about quitting school.

ambivalent- [am-biv-uh-luhnt]-adj.- having ”mixed feelings about someone or something; being unable to choose between two (usually opposing) courses of action:  The whole family was ambivalent about the move to the suburbs.

dejected- [dih-jek-tid]-adj.- depressed in spirits; disheartened; low-spirited: The dejected expression on the face of the loser spoiled my victory.

postmortem- [pohst-mawr-tuhm]-adj.- of, pertaining to, or occurring in the time following death.

They plan on looking at postmortem brain tissue from mothers of boys for the study.

incriminate- [in-krim-uh-neyt]-verb- to accuse of or present proof of a crime or fault:  He incriminated both men to the grand jury.

access- [ak-ses]-noun- the ability, right, or permission to approach, enter, speak with, or use; admittance:

They have access to the files.

plausible- [plaw-zuh-buhl]-adj.- having an appearance of truth or reason; seemingly worthy of approval or acceptance; credible; believable:  He had a plausible excuse for being late.

interrupt- [in-tuh-ruhpt]-verb- to cause or make a break in the continuity or uniformity of (a course, process, condition, etc.).  Her cries are the only sounds to interrupt the otherwise quiet countryside.

alliteration- [uh-lit-uh-rey-shuhn]-noun- the commencement of two or more words of a word group with the same letter, as in apt alliteration's artful aid.   Companies use alliteration to make their names memorable.

refugee-[ref-yoo-jee, ref-yoo-jee]-noun-a person who flees for refuge or safety, especially to a foreign country, as in time of political upheaval, war,etc. He took up shelter in a canvas tent provided to all the arriving refugees.  

amicable- [am-i-kuh-buhl]-adj.- characterized by or showing goodwill; friendly; peaceable: an amicable settlement. Around the family table, the political talk is tough but amicable. 

lucid-[lu-sid]-adj.- shining or glowing.  The moon's reflection on the lake was lucid. 

percolate- [pur-kuh-leyt]-verb- to cause (a liquid) to pass through a porous body; filter.

He let his coffee just percolate while he read the paper.

meticulous- [muh-tik-yuh-luhs]-adj.- taking or showing extreme care about minute details; precise; thorough: a meticulous craftsman.   He provided meticulous and compassionate care to his patients.

fastidious- [fa-stid-ee-uhs, fuh-]-adj.- excessively particular, critical, or demanding; hard to please:

The little boy was a fastidious eater.

trajectory- [truh-jek-tuh-ree]-noun- the curve described by a projectile, rocket, or the like in its flight. The rocket had a nice trajectory.

animosity- [an-uh-mos-i-tee]-noun- a feeling of strong dislike, ill will, or enmity that tends to display itself in action: There is no peace when one has animosity against one's neighbor.

implement- [im-pluh-muhnt]-noun- any article used in some activity, especially an instrument, tool, or utensil: Farmers have a variety of agricultural implements.

ambiguity- [am-bi-gyoo-i-tee]-noun- doubtfulness or uncertainty of meaning or intention:

He spoke about voting for the bill with ambiguity.

curriculum- [kuh-rik-yuh-luhm]-noun- the aggregate of courses of study given in a school, college, university, etc.:    The school is adding more science courses to its curriculum. 

omnivorous- [om-niv-er-uhs]-adj.- eating both animal and plant foods.  Humans are usually omnivorous.

bellicose- [bel-i-kohs]-adj.- inclined or eager to fight; aggressively hostile; belligerent; pugnacious.

The current dispute has excited bellicose  passions.

electoral- [ih-lek-ter-uhl]-adj.- pertaining to electors or election. The value of their electoral privileges had also evaporated. 

crescent- [kres-uhnt]-noun- Astronomy-the figure of the moon in its first or last quarter, resembling a segment of a ring tapering to points at the ends.  They took a walk under the glow of a crescent moon.

obsequious- [uhb-see-kwee-uhs]-adj.- characterized by or showing servile complaisance or deference; fawning: The duke gave the king an obsequious bow.

transect- [tran-sekt]-verb- to cut across; dissect transversely.  All along this transect, trade-offs must be made between people and nature.

precipice- [pres-uh-pis]-noun- a cliff with a vertical, nearly vertical, or overhanging face.

With a concrete wall on one side and a precipice on the other, there was nowhere to escape.

susceptible- [suh-sep-tuh-buhl]-adj.- admitting or capable of some specified treatment:

Their stories were susceptible to various interpretations.

condolences- [kuhn-doh-luhns]- Often, condolences. expression of sympathy with a person who is suffering sorrow, misfortune, or grief.  Our deepest condolences  go out to the victims, their families and loved ones.  

benefactor- [ben-uh-fak-ter, ben-uh-fak-]-noun- a person who makes a bequest or endowment, as to an institution.    She was a generous but quiet benefactor to many charities. 

candidate- [kan-di-deyt]-noun- a person who seeks an office, honor, etc.: She is a candidate for governor. 

bugle- [byoo-guh l]-noun- a brass wind instrument resembling a cornet and sometimes having keys or valves, used typically for sounding military signals.  Every week, thousands of veterans are buried at national cemeteries, often to the sorrowful sound of a bugle.  

formidable- [fawr-mi-duh-buh l]-adj.- causing fear, apprehension, or dread:    Mohammed Ali was a formidable opponent in the boxing ring. 

canary- [kuh-nair-ee]-noun- any of several Old World finches of the genus Serinus,  especially S. canaria (common canary)  native to the Canary Islands and often kept as a pet, in the wild being greenish with brown streaks above and yellow below and in domesticated varieties usually bright yellow or pale yellow.  They bought a small, yellow canary for their kids.

subterfuge- [suhb-ter-fyooj]-noun- an artifice or expedient used to evade a rule, escape a consequence, hide something, etc.  Playing to the referee does not always require such subterfuge.

abdicate- [ab-di-keyt]-verb- to renounce or relinquish a throne, right, power, claim, responsibility, or the like, especially in a formal manner.   The king had to abdicate his throne to marry a divorced commoner.

lunatic- [loo-nuh-tik]- an insane person. a person whose actions and manner are marked by extreme eccentricity or recklessness.    At the time, proponents of global warming were generally considered the lunatic fringe. 

carnivore- [kahr-nuh-vawr, -vohr]-noun- an animal that eats flesh.   T-rex was a vicious carnivore.

gregarious- [gri-gair-ee-uhs]-adj.- fond of the company of others; sociable. She lived and dressed elegantly, was straightforward and gregarious.

ostentatious- [os-ten-tey-shuhs, -tuh n-]-adj.- characterized by or given to pretentious or conspicuous show in an attempt to impress others:     That couple at the party were ostentatious dressers. 

prosaic- [proh-zey-ik]-adj.- commonplace or dull; matter-of-fact or unimaginative: a prosaic mind.

Unfortunately much of the work done of late is prosaic albeit important. 

herbivore- [hur-buh-vawr, -vohr]-noun- a herbivorous animal.    Deer are herbivores.

prodigal- [prod-i-guh l]-noun- a person who spends, or has spent, his or her money or substance with wasteful extravagance; spendthrift.  A prodigal child returned is worth more than gold.

magnanimous- [mag-nan-uh-muhs]-adj.- generous in forgiving an insult or injury; free from petty resentfulness or vindictiveness:    To be magnanimous toward one's enemies is to have character.       benevolent- [buh-nev-uh-luh nt]-adj.- characterized by or expressing goodwill or kindly feelings: a benevolent attitude.     Changes that occur should be made for benevolent purposes, not destructive purposes.

mercurial- [mer-kyoo r-ee-uh l]-adj.- changeable; volatile; fickle; flighty; erratic.  His mercurial personality has been an irritant to teammates and coaches.

simile- [sim-uh-lee]-noun- a figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitly compared, as in “she is like a rose.”    The simile, as he used it, seizes the imagination and represents a great truth.

jovial- [joh-vee-uh l]-adj.-e ndowed with or characterized by a hearty, joyous humor or a spirit of good-fellowship.   She is a wonderfully jovial host.

ridiculous- [ri-dik-yuh-luh s]-adj.- causing or worthy of ridicule or derision; absurd; preposterous; laughable:  He came up with a ridiculous plan to save the company.

innate- [ih-neyt, in-eyt]-adj.- existing in one from birth; inborn; native:  He has innate musical talent.

obstinate- [ob-stuh-nit]-adj.- firmly or stubbornly adhering to one's purpose, opinion, etc.; not yielding to argument, persuasion, or entreaty.   Men of integrity are generally pretty obstinate. 

discern- [dih-surn, -zurn]-verb- to perceive by the sight or some other sense or by the intellect; see, recognize, or apprehend.     They discerned a sail on the horizon.

mediocre- [mee-dee-oh-ker]-adj.- of only ordinary or moderate quality; neither good nor bad; barely adequate.  The car gets only mediocre mileage, but it's fun to drive. 

insidious- [in-sid-ee-uhs]-adj.- intended to entrap or beguile: an insidious plan.  The temptation to be dishonest often comes in insidious ways.

rupture- [ruhp-cher]-noun- the act of breaking or bursting.  The flood led to the rupture of the dam.     precipitate-[pri-sip-i-teyt]-verb- to hasten the occurrence of; bring about prematurely, hastily, or suddenly.  To precipitate an international crisis would be dangerous.

erudite-[err-u-dite]-adj.- having or showing extensive scholarship; learned  Your essays are erudite but are also accessible and instructive.

colloquial- [kuh-loh-kwee-uh l]-adj.- characteristic of or appropriate to ordinary or familiar conversation rather than formal speech or writing; informal.  The poems selected are mostly written in a natural, colloquial style and should be read that way. 

intractable- [in-trak-tuh-buh l]-adj.- not easily controlled or directed; not docile or manageable; stubborn; obstinate.  It was a brilliant simplification of an intractable problem.

exuberant- [ig-zoo-ber-uh nt]-adj.- effusively and almost uninhibitedly enthusiastic; lavishly abundant:  They gave an exuberant welcome for the hero.

ingenious- [in-jeen-yuh s]- characterized by cleverness or originality of invention or construction.

He created an ingenious machine.

retrospective- [re-truh-spek-tiv]-adj.- directed to the past; contemplative of past situations, events, etc.  The photographer would not have been pleased by this new retrospective.

ominous- [om-uh-nuh s]-adj.- portending evil or harm; foreboding; threatening; inauspicious.

The warning signs become more ominous  as a patient's symptoms come and go.

vulnerable- [vuhl-ner-uh-buh l]-adj.- capable of or susceptible to being wounded or hurt, as by a weapon.  The neck is a vulnerable part of the body.

omnipotent- [om-nip-uh-tuh nt]-adj.- almighty or infinite in power, as God.   God is omnipotent. 

consensus- [kuh n-sen-suh s]-noun- majority of opinion.  The consensus of the group was that they should meet twice a month.

discipline- [dis-uh-plin]-noun- training to act in accordance with rules; drill.  Marines have to learn a lot of military discipline.

alleviate- [uh-lee-vee-eyt]-verb- to make easier to endure; lessen; mitigate:Playing music can help to alleviate sorrow. 

spectrum- [spek-truh m]-noun- Physics. an array of entities, as light waves or particles, ordered in accordance with the magnitudes of a common physical property, as wavelength or mass: often the band of colors produced when sunlight is passed through a prism, comprising red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.  A rainbow is a spectrum of colors.

prescription- [pri-skrip-shuh n]-noun- a direction, usually written, by the physician to the pharmacist for the preparation and use of a medicine or remedy.   She had a prescription for cough medicine.

capitulation- [kuh-pich-uh-ley-shuh n]-noun- the act of capitulating.    Politicians began wailing about capitulation  to foreign invaders. 

incredulous- [in-krej-uh-luh s]-adj.- not credulous; disinclined or indisposed to believe; skeptical.

People seem incredulous  about my optimism.

affinity- [uh-fin-i-tee]-noun- a natural liking for or attraction to a person, thing, idea, etc

We all still share an affinity  for the printed page

necessary- [nes-uh-ser-ee]-adj.- being essential, indispensable, or requisite.  English is a necessary part of school. 

adjacent- [uh-jey-suh nt]-adj.- lying near, close, or contiguous; adjoining; neighboring.

They went to a motel adjacent to the highway.

dissect- [dih-sekt, dahy-]-verb- to cut apart (an animal body, plant, etc.) to examine the structure, relation of parts, or the like.   I had to dissect a frog in biology.

conjecture- [kuh n-jek-cher]-noun- the formation or expression of an opinion or theory without sufficient evidence for proof.   The plan must not be based on mere conjecture  or speculation.

imperative- [im-per-uh-tiv]-adj.- absolutely necessary or required; unavoidable: It is imperative that we leave.

predicate- [pred-i-keyt]-verb- to proclaim; declare; affirm; assert.  What is interesting about these fictions is the relationship they predicate  between reader and text.

corporal- [kawr-per-uh l, -pruh l]-adj.- of the human body; bodily; physical.  He had no theoretical objection to corporal  punishment.

patina- [pat-n-uh, puh-tee-nuh]-noun- a film or incrustation, usually green, produced by oxidation on the surface of old bronze and often esteemed as being of ornamental value.  Both of the vases were coated with a soft green patina .

Capricorn- [kap-ri-kawrn]-noun- Astronomy . the Goat, a zodiacal constellation between Sagittarius and Aquarius.   If you're born the end of December then you are under the sign of Capricorn.

participant- [pahr-tis-uh-puh nt]-noun- a person or group that participates; partaker.

The judges were to decide how much hot sauce to give to a participant of the contest.

library- [lahy-brer-ee, -bruh-ree, -bree]-noun- a place set apart to contain books, periodicals, and other material for reading, viewing, listening, study, or reference, as a room, set of rooms, or building where books may be read or borrowed.   Make sure you have a library card so you can check out the books you need.

cognition- [kog-nish-uh n]-noun- the act or process of knowing; perception.  Saving time would appear to be the main reason of rapid cognition.

primal- [prahy-muh l]-adj.- first; original; primeval    Our primal nature avoids food that are poisonous.   

filament- [fil-uh-muh nt]-noun- a very fine thread or threadlike structure; a fiber or fibril.  The light wouldn't come on because of some rupture in the filament.

unity- [yoo-ni-tee]-noun- the state of being one; oneness.    School songs help bring unity to the school.

ventilate- [ven-tl-eyt]-verb- to provide (a room, mine, etc.) with fresh air in place of air that has been used or contaminated.   The garage door was raised about a foot to ventilate  the fumes.

aquatic- [uh-kwat-ik, uh-kwot-]-adj.- of, in, or pertaining to water.

The low levels of oxygen impair the feeding, growth and reproduction of aquatic life.

igneous- [ig-nee-uh s]-adj.- Geology . produced under conditions involving intense heat, as rocks of volcanic origin or rocks crystallized from molten magma.  Igneous rocks are those that solidify from a molten or partially molten state.

reptile- [rep-til, -tahyl]-noun- any cold-blooded vertebrate of the class Reptilia, comprising the turtles, snakes, lizards, crocodilians, amphisbaenians, tuatara, and various extinct members including the dinosaurs.  The House of Reptiles is his favorite part of the zoo.

providence- [prov-i-duh ns]-noun- the foreseeing care and guidance of God or nature over the creatures of the earth.  I believe very profoundly in an over-ruling Providence and I do not fear that any real plans can be thrown. (Woodrow Wilson) 

message- [mes-ij]-noun- a communication containing some information, news, advice, request, or the like, sent by messenger, radio, telephone, or other means.   She left me a message on my voicemail.

foliate-[ foh-lee-it]-adj.- covered with or having leaves.  The carving consists of a central rose flanked by two simple foliate scrolls.

nasal- [ney-zuh l]-adj.- of or pertaining to the nose.  The common cold generally involves a runny nose, nasal  congestion, and sneezing.

opera- [op-er-uh, op-ruh]-noun- n extended dramatic composition, in which all parts are sung to instrumental accompaniment, that usually includes arias, choruses, and recitatives, and that sometimes includes ballet.  Today the complex includes an opera  house, museums, and nymph fountains.

renovate- [ren-uh-veyt]-verb- to restore to good condition; make new or as if new again; repair.

They wanted to renovate the old Victorian manor.                                                                                  credentials- [kri-den-shuh ls]- evidence of authority, status, rights, entitlement to privileges, or the like, usually in written form.    Only those with the proper credentials are admitted. 

temporal- [tem-per-uh l, tem-pruh l]-adj.- pertaining to or concerned with the present life or this world; worldly.  Science is the language of the temporal world; love is that of the spiritual world.   (Honore De Balzac) 

canine- [key-nahyn]-adj.- of or like a dog; pertaining to or characteristic of dogs   A dog's canine teeth are much more prominent than ours.

measure- [mezh-er]-noun- a unit or standard of measurement.  The standard rain gauge can measure up to two inches of rain.

credible- [kred-uh-buh l]-adj.- capable of being believed; believable.  The witness gave a credible statement.

femininity- [fem-uh-nin-i-tee]-noun- the quality of being feminine; womanliness. She was beautiful and the model of femininity.

confidence- [kon-fi-duh ns]-noun- full trust; belief in the powers, trustworthiness, or reliability of a person or thing.  We have every confidence in their ability to succeed. 

triumvirate- [trahy-uhm-ver-it, -vuh-reyt]-noun- a government of three officers or magistrates functioning jointly.   Instead of a single figure, it is reported that they have agreed on a triumvirate .

popularity- [pop-yuh-lar-i-tee]-noun- the quality or fact of being popular.  His popularity with television audiences is unrivaled.

diary- [dahy-uh-ree]-noun- a daily record, usually private, especially of the writer's own experiences, observations, feelings, attitudes, etc.  She wrote in her diary every day.

humble- [huhm-buh l]-adj.- not proud or arrogant; modest:  He is humble although successful.

vivisection- [viv-uh-sek-shuh n]-noun- the action of cutting into or dissecting a living body.

Vivisection experiments have involved among the highest levels of pain and suffering. 

strict- [strikt]-adj.- characterized by or acting in close conformity to requirements or principles. 

Jewish people follow a strict observance to religious rituals.                                                                    prosecute- [pros-i-kyoot]-verb- Law- to institute legal proceedings against (a person).

In any nation the decision to prosecute a crime is an executive one.

contiguous- [kuh n-tig-yoo-uh s]-adj.- touching; in contact.  Most units have private outdoor space either contiguous to the apartment or on the roof.

ductile- [duhk-tl, -til]-adj.- capable of being hammered out thin, as certain metals; malleable.

It is hard, and cracks are dissipated by the ductile titanium.

gradient- [grey-dee-uh nt]-noun- the degree of inclination, or the rate of ascent or descent, in a highway, railroad, etc.  We emerged to discover a decreasing gradient and landscape of oaks as well as chaparral, sage and cactus. 

current- [kur-uhnt, kuhr-]- passing in time; belonging to the time actually passing.  We should always try to be knowledgeable about current events.

perfidy- [pur-fi-dee]-noun- deliberate breach of faith or trust; faithlessness; treachery

I did not expect the perfidy they were soon to display. 

fidelity- [fi-del-i-tee, fahy-]-noun- strict observance of promises, duties, etc.  Fidelity to cherished beliefs has been replaced by loyalty to anything that   brings material benefit.

incorruptible- [in-kuh-ruhp-tuh-buh l]-adj.- not corruptible; that cannot be perverted or bribed.

Even his political enemies acknowledge that he is incorruptible .

Challenge Words

bougainvillea- [boo-guh n-vil-ee-uh, -vil-yuh, boh-]-noun- any of several shrubs or vines of the genus Bougainvillea,  native to South America, having small flowers with showy, variously colored bracts, and often cultivated in warm regions.  Bougainvillea is a perennial vine that can grow to 30 feet. 

vitiate- [vish-ee-eyt]-verb- to impair the quality of; make faulty; spoil.  It's amazing how a speech can vitiate your secular credentials.

nasturtium- [na-stur-shuh m, nuh-]-noun- any plant of the genus Tropaeolum,  cultivated for its showy, usually orange, red, or yellow flowers or for its fruit, which is pickled and used like capers. 

Last summer my nasturtium leaves were often covered with aphids.

instantiation- [in-stan-shee-eyt]-verb- to provide an instance of or concrete evidence in support of (a theory, concept, claim, or the like).   Each profession requires a different instantiation of the idea of authenticity.    

squamulose -[skwam-yuh-lohs, skwey-myuh-]-adj- furnished or covered with tiny scales. 

The plant was covered in squamulose.

soliloquy- [suh-lil-uh-kwee]-noun- an utterance or discourse by a person who is talking to himself or herself or is disregardful of or oblivious to any hearers present (often used as a device in drama to disclose a character's innermost thoughts).    Hamlet's soliloquy begins with “To be or not to be.”

accommodate- [uh-kom-uh-deyt]-verb- to do a kindness or a favor to; oblige.   He cleaned out the room to accommodate his visiting friend from college.

pernicious- [per-nish-uh s]-adj.- causing insidious harm or ruin; ruinous; injurious; hurtful.  His words were pernicious in their content.

efficacy- [ef-i-kuh-see]-noun- capacity for producing a desired result or effect; effectiveness.   Some dermatologists have raised questions about the efficacy of the products and their claims. 
visceral- [vis-er-uh l]-adj.- of or pertaining to the viscera.   Many people prefer the visceral experience of seeing things visually through the eyepiece of a telescope.
exacerbate- [ig-zas-er-beyt, ek-sas-]-verb- to increase the severity, bitterness, or violence of (disease, ill feeling, etc.); aggravate.   The hurricane could well exacerbate the tensions that lurk in the city.   

indigenous- [in-dij-uh-nuh s]-adj.- originating in and characteristic of a particular region or country; native (often followed by to ).   In the distant past, scientists often ignored and even made fun of the knowledge of indigenous people.

belligerent- [buh-lij-er-uh nt]-adj.- of warlike character; aggressively hostile; bellicose.     Belligerent behavior, inappropriate jokes and threats will not be tolerated.

vernacular- [ver-nak-yuh-ler, vuh-nak-]-adj.- (of language) native or indigenous (opposed to literary or learned ).   We are literally developing a new vernacular, a new language, for communication.

infinitesimal- [in-fin-i-tes-uh-muh l]-adj.- indefinitely or exceedingly small; minute.    There was only infinitesimal change in the temperature.                                                                                           recalcitrant- [ri-kal-si-truh nt]-adj.- resisting authority or control; not obedient or compliant; refractory.  Although a firm swat could bring a recalcitrant child swiftly into line, the changes were usually external.

innocuous- [ih-nok-yoo-uh s]-adj.- not harmful or injurious; harmless.   Some seemingly innocuous foods can be lethal for dogs, like chocolate. 

precocious- [pri-koh-shuh s]- unusually advanced or mature in development, especially mental development.   As a precocious 4-year-old, the author tells us, she began reading anything she could lay her hands on.       

ameliorate- [uh-meel-yuh-reyt, uh-mee-lee-uh-]-verb- to make or become better, more bearable, or more satisfactory; improve.   He wanted to know if the company had a suggestion for how to ameliorate this problem.    

commensurate- [kuh-men-ser-it, -sher-]- adj.- having the same measure; of equal extent or duration.   

Pay will be commensurate with experience and ability.

facetious- [fuh-see-shuh s]-adj.- not meant to be taken seriously or literally.  It's a facetious point, but it's also a serious one.

prerogative- [pri-rog-uh-tiv, puh-rog-]-noun- an exclusive right, privilege, etc., exercised by virtue of rank, office, or the like.  She may not be interested in being friends, but that's her prerogative.

ubiquitous- [yoo-bik-wi-tuh s]-adj.- existing or being everywhere, especially at the same time; omnipresent.  Personal computers have become ubiquitous in rich countries.

egregious- [ih-gree-juh s, -jee-uh s]-adj.- extraordinary in some bad way; glaring; flagrant.    

The socks-and-sandal combo is perhaps the most egregious fashion faux pas.

aggregate- [ag-ri-git, -geyt]-adj.- formed by the conjunction or collection of particulars into a whole mass or sum; total; combined.   To grow, a capitalist economy depends upon steady aggregate demand.  tertiary- [tur-shee-er-ee, tur-shuh-ree]-adj.- of the third order, rank, stage, formation, etc.; third.

It does not matter if it is primary, secondary or tertiary recovery.

corpuscle- [kawr-puh-suh l, -puh s-uh l]-noun- Biology- an unattached cell, especially of a kind that floats freely, as a blood or lymph cell.  The organ had to produce white corpuscles in huge quantities in defense against the snake's venom.

perennial- [puh-ren-ee-uh l]-adj.- lasting for an indefinitely long time; enduring.   Perennial plants come back year after year, while annual plants last only one growing season.