WotD Archives – September 2011

September 30th, 2011

Precocious /pri-KOH-shuhs/
adjective
1. Manifesting or characterized by unusually early development or maturity, especially in mental aptitude. “A precocious child.”

September 29th, 2011

Ethereal /ih-THEER-ee-uhl/
adjective
1. Characterized by lightness and insubstantiality; intangible.
2. Highly refined; delicate.

September 26th, 2011

Tumultuous /too-MUHL-choo-uhs/
adjective
1. Full of tumult or riotousness; marked by disturbance and uproar: a tumultuous celebration.
2. Raising a great clatter and commotion; disorderly or noisy: a tumultuous crowd of students.
3. Highly agitated, as the mind or emotions; distraught; turbulent.

September 23rd, 2011

Bildungsroman /BIL-doonks-roh-mahn/
noun
1. A novel about the moral and psychological growth of the main character.

September 22nd, 2011

Quotidian /kwoh-TID-ee-uhn/
adjective
1. Occurring everyday.
2. Belonging to each day; everyday.
3. Commonplace, ordinary.

September 21st, 2011

Irrefragable /ih-REF-ruh-guh-buhl/
adjective
1. Impossible to refute; incontestable; undeniable; as, an irrefragable argument; irrefragable evidence.

September 20th, 2011

Mercurial /mer-CU-ri-al/
adjective
1. Quick and changeable in temperament; volatile: “A mercurial temperament.”

September 19th, 2011

Hamartia /hah-mahr-TEE-uh/
noun
1. A tragic flaw.

September 16th, 2011

Necropolis /ne-KROP-uh-lis/
noun
1. A burial place, especially a large and elaborate cemetery belonging to an ancient city.

September 15th, 2011

Ubiquitous /yoo-BIK-wi-tuhs/
adjective
1. Being or seeming to be everywhere, or in all places, at the same time; omnipresent.

September 14th, 2011

Panacea /pan-uh-SEE-uh/
noun
1. A remedy for all disease or ills; cure-all.
2. an answer or solution for all problems or difficulties: His economic philosophy is a good one, but he tries to use it as a panacea.

September 13th, 2011

Panache /puh-NAHSH/
noun
1. Dash or flamboyance in manner or style.
2. A plume or bunch of feathers, esp. such a bunch worn on the helmet; any military plume, or ornamental group of feathers.

September 12th, 2011

Iridescent /ir-i-DES-uhnt/
adjective
1. Displaying a rainbow of colors that change when seen from different angles.

September 9th, 2011

Esoteric /ES-oh-ter-ik/
adjective
1. Difficult to understand; abstruse.
2. Not publicly disclosed; confidential.
3. Of rare, special, or unusual interest.

September 8th, 2011

Cathartic /ca-THAR-tic/
adjective
1. Producing a feeling of being purified emotionally, spiritually, or psychologically as a result of an intense emotional experience or therapeutic technique.  “The strength of the movie had a cathartic effect on her.”

September 7th, 2011

Tutoyer /tew-twah-YAY/
verb
1. To address familiarly.

September 6th, 2011

Garish /GARE-ish/
adjective
1. Marked by strident color or excessive ornamentation; gaudy.
2. Loud and flashy: garish makeup.

September 2nd, 2011

Plenary /PLEN-uh-ree/
adjective
1. Full; complete; absolute.
2. Having all members of a meeting in attendance.