Grade 12 College Vocabulary, Week 5

Definition: A person of conspicuous wealth or importance.

Context (original sentence): The railroad nabob arrived at the opera in a carriage drawn by four black horses.

Synonyms:

magnate, tycoon, mogul

Antonyms:

pauper

Root:Urdu nawab, a governor or deputy.

Definition: Smart and fashionable in dress; neat.

Context (original sentence): The natty young clerk wore a striped waistcoat and a fresh carnation.

Synonyms:

dapper, spruce, stylish

Antonyms:

slovenly, shabby

Root:perhaps from neat.

Definition: A connection or series of connections linking things; a central point.

Context (original sentence): The old crossroads inn was the nexus of all news in the county.

Synonyms:

link, hub, center

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Latin nexus, a binding together (nectere, to bind).

Definition: A fine detail or distinction, especially one regarded as intricate.

From the reading: "There are such curious conditions of flame, that it requires some cleverness and nicety of discrimination to distinguish the kinds of combustion one from another." (The Chemical History of a Candle)

Synonyms:

subtlety, nuance, refinement

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Old French nicete, simplicity, from nice (Latin nescius, ignorant).

Definition: A luminous cloud or halo surrounding a supernatural being or saint.

From the reading: "The sun beat upon the back of his head, and lighting up the floating hair gave it a delicate likeness to a golden nimbus." (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

halo, aureole, aura

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Latin nimbus, a cloud.

Definition: Having no match or equal; unrivaled.

Context (original sentence): The village baker was a nonpareil maker of rye bread.

Synonyms:

peerless, unrivaled, matchless

Antonyms:

ordinary

Root:French non, not + pareil, equal.

Definition: The period or state of being a novice, especially in a religious order.

From the reading: "In the mean time the novitiate's armor, sword, lance, and helmet had been laid in readiness before the altar." (Men of Iron)

Synonyms:

apprenticeship, probation

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Medieval Latin novitiatus, from novicius, new.

Definition: Of no value or importance; useless or invalid.

Context (original sentence): The court declared the forged signature nugatory and the contract void.

Synonyms:

worthless, trivial, invalid

Antonyms:

valuable, significant

Root:Latin nugae, trifles.

Definition: To make legally null and void; to cancel out.

Context (original sentence): The second witness's testimony nullified the first.

Synonyms:

invalidate, annul, negate

Antonyms:

validate, confirm

Root:Latin nullus, none + -fy, to make.

Definition: Funeral rites.

From the reading: "Her obsequies have been as far enlarg’d As we have warranties." (Hamlet)

Synonyms:

funeral, burial rites, exequies

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Medieval Latin obsequiae, funeral rites (from exsequiae, influenced by obsequium, compliance).

Definition: A reward or recompense.

From the reading: "“This proud one wished to make experiment Of his own power against the Supreme Jove,” My Leader said, “whence he has such a guerdon." (The Divine Comedy)

Synonyms:

reward, recompense, prize

Antonyms:

penalty

Root:Old French guerredon, reward.

Definition: To state one's opinion, especially in a formal or pompous way.

From the reading: "I opine, that it is plainly traceable to the first arrival of the Greenland whaling ships in London, more than two centuries ago." (Moby-Dick)

Synonyms:

declare, assert, pronounce

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Latin opinari, to suppose.

Definition: Expressing scorn or criticism; deserving disgrace.

From the reading: "This opprobrious illustration raised a considerable clamor of abuse from the ruder women; but the Judge's and Burgomaster's ladies silenced them, and repeated their resolution never to give up their faith against their conscience." (A Book of Golden Deeds)

Synonyms:

abusive, scornful, contemptuous

Antonyms:

complimentary, respectful

Root:Latin opprobrium, reproach.

Definition: Full, round, and imposing in sound (of a voice); pompous (of writing or style).

Context (original sentence): The senator's orotund voice rolled through the hall without any need for a microphone.

Synonyms:

resonant, sonorous; pompous

Antonyms:

thin; plain

Root:Latin ore rotundo, with a round mouth.

Definition: A solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases.

Context (original sentence): Fresh air was not the panacea the doctors hoped, but it did help the patients sleep.

Synonyms:

cure-all, elixir, universal remedy

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Greek panakeia (pan, all + akos, cure).

Definition: To gratify or indulge an immoral or distasteful desire or habit; to cater to the lowest taste.

From the reading: "While speaking in this manner, with his scourge A demon smote him, and said: “Get thee gone Pander, there are no women here for coin.”" (The Divine Comedy)

Synonyms:

indulge, cater to, gratify

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:from Pandarus, go-between in Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde.

Definition: A complete or impressive collection of things; a full suit of armor.

From the reading: "And so came the Abbot, in his sacerdotal panoply, bearing the vial, with his people following after." (Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc)

Synonyms:

array, display, range

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Greek panoplia, full armor (pan, all + hopla, arms).

Definition: An artistic work that imitates the style of another work, artist, or period.

Context (original sentence): The young poet's first book was a pastiche of Tennyson and Keats.

Synonyms:

imitation, medley, parody

Antonyms:

original

Root:Italian pasticcio, a pie or medley.

Definition: The partially shaded outer region of a shadow; a peripheral or indeterminate area.

Context (original sentence): During the eclipse the town lay in the penumbra, dimmed but not dark.

Synonyms:

half-shadow, fringe, periphery

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Latin paene, almost + umbra, shadow.

Definition: Necessarily; inevitably.

From the reading: "Virtues diverse must be perforce the fruits Of formal principles; and these, save one, Of course would by thy reasoning be destroyed." (The Divine Comedy)

Synonyms:

necessarily, of necessity, inevitably

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Old French par force, by force.