Educational

imprecate

[im-pri-keyt]

to invoke or call down (evil or curses), as upon a person

incumbent

[in-kuhm-buhnt]

necessary for (someone) as a duty or responsibility

relegate

[rel-i-geyt]

to send or consign to an inferior position, place, or condition

blanch

[blahnch]

to scald briefly and then drain, as peaches or almonds to facilitate removal of skins, or as rice or macaroni to separate the grains or strands

horripilation

[haw-rip-uh-ley-shuhn]

the erection of hairs on the skin due to cold, fear, or excitement

abrogate

[ab-ruh-geyt]

to abolish by formal or official means; annul by an authoritative act; repeal

obdurate

[ob-doo-rit]

unmoved by persuasion, pity, or tender feelings; stubborn; unyielding

fledgling

[flej-ling]

young, new, or inexperienced

zeitgeber

[tsahyt-gey-ber]

an environmental cue, as the length of daylight or the degree of temperature, that helps to regulate the cycles of an organism's biological clock

diatribe

[dahy-uh-trahyb]

a bitter, sharply abusive denunciation, attack, or criticism

altruism

[al-troo-iz-uhm]

the principle or practice of unselfish concern for or devotion to the welfare of others (opposed to egoism)

erudite

[er-yoo-dahyt, er-oo-dahyt]

characterized by great knowledge; learned or scholarly

pecuniary

[pi-kyoo-nee-er-ee]

of or relating to money

bandicoot

[ban-di-koot]

a mainly insectivorous marsupial native to Australia and New Guinea

engender

[en-jen-der]

to produce, cause, or give rise to

prostrate

[pros-treyt ]

to cast (oneself) face down on the ground in humility, submission, or adoration

transcend

[tran-send]

to rise above or go beyond; overpass; exceed

logophile

[law-guh-fahyl]

a lover of words

synecdoche

[si-nek-duh-kee]

a figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole or the whole for a part, the special for the general or the general for the special, as in Texas won by six runs (meaning “Texas's baseball team”)

penultimate

[pi-nuhl-tuh-mit]

next to the last

williwaw

[wil-ee-waw]

a sudden violent squall blowing offshore from a mountainous coast

coruscating

[kawr-uh-skeyt-ing]

flashing or sparkling

pendulous

[pen-juh-luhs]

hanging down loosely

diegetic

[dahy-uh-jet-ik]

(of sound in a movie, television program, etc.) occurring within the context of the story and able to be heard by the characters