The Big Book of Words You Should Know

by David Olsen

  motley (MOT-lee), adjective

  Of diverse composition. Something that shows many colors or facets could be said to be motley. (The word has come to carry negative overtones of raggedness or lack of union.)

  It was Frederick’s job to mold the MOTLEY assemblage he had been given into a powerful fighting force.

  mountebank (MOUNT-uh-bank), noun

  A charlatan; one who sells worthless medicines, potions, and the like; a fake.

  The line between visionary romantic and common MOUNTEBANK, for my father, was often a thin one.

  multifarious (mul-tih-FARE-ee-uss), adjective

  Made of many components. Something that has a large number of parts is multifarious.

  From the air, New York’s MULTIFARIOUS skyline sparkled—as if beckoning to Mary to try her hand there.

  myopia (mye-OH-pee-uh), noun

  Inability to see distant things clearly. Figuratively, to suffer from myopia is to lack foresight.

  My feeling is that by turning down that project, Fenster showed once again that he suffers from MYOPIA when it comes to marketing new consumer products.

  nabob (NAY-bob), noun

  A wealthy person who is accustomed to luxury. Originally, a nabob was a person who returned to Europe from India with great riches.

  All the city’s NABOBS, potentates, and intellectual stars showed up for Iris’s party.

  nanosecond (NAN-o-sek-und), noun

  One billionth of a second; an extremely short period of time.

  It seemed the phone was on the hook for only a NANOSECOND before it rang again.

  narcolepsy (NAR-ko-lep-see), noun

  The disorder of suddenly and unpredictably falling asleep. Someone who has narcolepsy is prone to unexpectedly succumb to the urge to sleep.

  After learning he suffered from NARCOLEPSY, Brian realized how dangerous it would be for him to drive, and voluntarily returned his license to the Registry.

  narcoma (nar-KO-muh), noun

  A hazy state between sleep and wakefulness reminiscent of or signalling use of narcotics. To be in a narcoma is to be in a partially concious state associated with drug use.

  Because she had worked in a city emergency room for four years, Ellen knew that the boy had slipped into NARCOMA.

  natatorium (nay-tuh-TOR-ee-um), noun

  An indoor swimming pool.

  Although he had swum in hundreds of venues, Melvin still had a dream of competing in the world’s largest NATATORIUM.

  necrology (nek-ROL-uh-jee), noun

  A list of people who have recently died. A necrology can also be an obituary.

  Benjamin scoured the long necrology for the name of his father, but it was not there.

  necromancy (NEK-ruh-man-see), noun

  The supposed practice of gaining insight by means of communication with the dead. Necromancy can also mean “witchcraft.”

  NECROMANCY is still a part of many tribal rituals on the island.

  nelson (NEL-sun), noun

  In wrestling, a kind of hold in which one places one’s arm under the opponent’s arm and applies pressure to the back of the opponent’s neck.

  When I got Frank in a full NELSON, I knew I would win the match.

  neolithic (nee-oh-LITH-ik), adjective

  Of or pertaining to the latter part of the Stone Age, when ground stone weapons and tools first came into use. To dismiss something as neolithic is to say it is so unsophisticated as to belong to a much earlier era.

  In these days of computers and word processors, many consider the old-fashioned manual typewriter positively NEOLITHIC.

  neologism (nee-OL-uh-jiz-um), noun

  A newly coined term or word.

  The computer revolution has spawned not only new technologies but a wealth of NEOLOGISMS, such as “download” and “system crash,” that have quickly become part of our workday vocabulary.

  neurology (noo-ROL-uh-gee), noun

  The study of the nervous system and its diseases. A neurologist is a doctor whose specialty is neurology.

  The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat is a fascinating account of NEUROLOGICAL disorders written for the layman.

  nexus (NEK-sus), noun

  A linkage or connection. A nexus can also be the means by which two or more things are connected

  The stars in the cluster formed a NEXUS one could trace across the sky.

  nimbus (NIM-bus), noun

  A halo-like source of light above the head of a saint or spiritual figure.

  The mosaic depicts Christ and his disciples with bright NIMBUSES.

  nitid (NIT-id), adjective

  Bright and lustrous.

  After I changed back to more expensive dog food, my dog regained her NITID coat.

  noggin (NOG-in), noun

  A small drinking vessel; a mug.

  Dinner at our favorite seaport restaurant always began with a generous helping of clam chowder served in old-fashioned ceramic NOGGINS.

  noisome (NOY-sum), adjective

  Ill-smelling and offensive; also, harmful.

  That NOISOME gang of unwashed hooligans you call your friends will bring you to nothing but trouble, Steve.

  nomenclature (NO-men-klat-cher), noun

  A system of names for purposes of organization. A nomenclature is a technical, professional, or artistic set or system of names in a given discipline.

  Harold had a good grasp of the fundamental principles of chemistry, but his knowledge of the NOMENCLATURE of chemical compounds was weak.

  nonfeasance (non-FEEZ-unce), noun

  Failure to perform (a given duty). Someone who is bound to act in a certain way and does not is guilty of nonfeasance.

  The failure of the passersby to aid the injured woman was a heartrending example of urban apathy and NONFEASANCE.

  nonillion (no-NILL-yun), noun

  A very large number equal to 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.

  My parents’ claim that they had asked me to clean the garage one NONILLION times struck me as the sort of irresponsible exaggeration that relieved me of any obligation to do my chores.

  nostrum (NAH-strum), noun

  From the Latin meaning “ours,” nostrums originally were patent medicines, purported to cure almost anything, sold by shady characters. At present, a nostrum is any kind of cure-all or panacea for social ills that, in practice, would probably not really work.

  Even if it could be done, Alex, giving all the poor a thousand bucks would only be a NOSTRUM.

  nugatory (NOO-guh-toe-ree), adjective

  Worthless or in vain. That which is trifling or pointless is nugatory.

  I’m afraid the edict of the High Commissioner has rendered your request to have the prisoner freed NUGATORY.

  numerology (noo-muh-ROL-uh-jee), noun

  The supposed practice of divining the future through analyzing the occult significance of numbers. Numerology is not the same as the science of mathematics.

  Judy’s interest in NUMEROLOGY is the latest in a series of mystic doings; she was very big on Tarot cards last week.

  numismatics (noo-miz-MAT-iks), noun

  Coin or currency collecting. Numismatics can also include the collecting of paper money or medals.

  I suppose my decision to put aside my newly minted Susan B. Anthony dollar coin marked my first foray into NUMISMATICS.

  ocher (OAK-ur), noun

  A yellow or reddish-brown clay; the color typical of this clay.

  The shelves of the pottery shop were filled with dozens of OCHER vessels of varying sizes.

  ochlophobia (ok-luh-FO-be-uh), noun

  An illogical fear or dread of crowds.

  Betty never realized she suffered from OCHLOPHOBIA until she moved to the city, where she had great difficulty walking to and from work during rush hour.

  octogenarian (ok-tuh-juh-NARE-ee-un), noun

  A person in his or her eighties. An octogenarian is one who is between eighty and eighty-nine years old.

  Mrs.
Reardon, an OCTOGENARIAN, attributes her longevity to drinking a glass of fruit juice every mornig.

  oenophile (EE-nuh-file), noun

  A wine connoisseur.

  Len, a lifelong OENOPHILE, shuddered as I produced a bottle of Ripple to accompany our dinner of fish sticks and macaroni and cheese.

  olfactory (ol-FAK-tuh-ree), noun

  Relating to the sense of smell.

  For me, walking past the bakery every morning on the way to school was an OLFACTORY delight.

  oncology (on-KOL-uh-jee), noun

  The study of tumors.

  Abbey was worried when she found a lump in her breast, but the ONCOLOGY specialist told her it was a benign cyst.

  ontogeny (on-TAHJ-uh-nee), noun

  The cycle of development of an organism.

  The chapter Anne was having trouble with described the ONTOGENY of the common housefly in minute detail, with particular emphasis on the maggot stage.

  ontology (on-TALL-uh-gee), noun

  Study of the nature of being and existence. The adjective form is ontological.

  For several minutes, we had a lively conversation about the ONTOLOGY of the deep-fried Twinkie.

  operose (OP-uh-roass), adjective

  Hard-working and industrious.

  Jack’s OPEROSE attention to detail is sure to send him quickly up the corporate ladder.

  opprobrium (uh-PRO-bree-um), noun

  Infamy. Opprobrium is disgrace resulting from shameful action.

  Quentin knew that dropping out of school would bring only OPPROBRIUM from his father.

  oracle (OR-uh-kul)t noun

  A means by which prophetic wisdom is imparted. Oracle is sometimes used figuratively to describe someone who is seen as offering completely dependable counsel or advice.

  After Appomatox, Grant’s words seemed (much to his surprise) to be regarded as having issued from an ORACLE.

  oracular (or-AK-yuh-lur), adjective

  Resembling an oracle; said in a solemn or cryptic manner.

  My boss, Mr. Twombey, always issued his pronouncements in a gloomy, ORACULAR fashion that left us wondering whether something horrible was about to happen.

  ornithology (or-nih-THAHL-uh-jee), noun

  The study of birds.

  Her lifelong love of birds led Stella to seek a degree in ORNITHOLOGY.

  orotund (OR-uh-tund), adjective

  (Of the voice or speech) possessing a full, big sound; sonorous; (of a style of speaking) overbearing or pretentious.

  The senator delivered an impassioned, if OROTUND, defense of the party’s trade policy.

  osmosis (oss-MOE-sis), noun

  Gradual absorption, assimilation.

  Jerry rested his head on the textbook and closed his eyes, as if hoping to absorb the information in it by OSMOSIS.

  ossify (OSS-ih-fye), verb

  To harden or become bonelike. Literally, ossify means “to change into a bone,” but it is often used to describe a rigidity of outlook or opinion.

  The creative team’s concepts, which had originally seemed very promising, had OSSIFIED into a conventional set of ideas that no one found exciting.

  outré (oo-TRAY), adjective

  From the French meaning “to pass beyond,” outré describes someone or something radically unconventional or outside the limits of what most consider proper.

  It’s not OUTRÉ to go to a church picnic wearing an expletive-covered T-shirt, Sally. It’s just rude!

  oxymoron (ahk-see-MORE-on), noun

  A phrase in which contradictory or incongruous terms are used together, as in the phrase “poor little rich kid.”

  When Ted said the term “military intelligence” always struck him as an OXYMORON, he meant it as a joke, but his cousin, a lifelong army officer, took grave offense.

  palaver (puh-LAV-er), noun

  A parley or conference. Palaver can also refer to charming but insubstantial talk meant to persuade or cajole.

  Don’t be taken in by Frank’s PALAVER; he is not the agent for you.

  palindrome (PAL-in-drome), noun

  A word or sentence (such as pop or Not so, Boston) that reads the same forward and backward.

  James’s dogged attempt to write a novel consisting solely of a single sixty-thousand-word PALINDROME led his relatives to wonder whether his best days as a writer of fiction were behind him.

  panegyric (pan-uh-JEER-ick), noun

  Formal, elaborate praise.

  After Coach Henry retired, her former athletes filled the local paper with PANEGYRICS concerning her character and accomplishments.

  panjandrum (pan-JAN-drum), noun

  An important person; a bigwig.

  I was able to obtain a list of local business PANJANDRUMS to solicit for investment funds.

  pantheism (PAN-thee-iz-um), noun

  A doctrine that espouses God’s manifestation in all things. Pantheism tends to identify Deity with the natural world. The word derives from the Greek roots for “all” and “God.”

  It is fair to say that although she had no formal religious upbringing Edith tended toward the PANTHEISM she associated with certain Native American religious rites.

  papal (PAY-pull), adjective

  Of or pertaining to the pope. A papal decree is one issued by the pope.

  The actor was unable to obtain a PAPAL audience, although he did meet with an archbishop while visiting the Vatican.

  paraffin (PARE-uh-finn), noun

  A white wax-like material used in the production of candles and wax paper.

  So many customers had ordered Betty’s homemade Christmas candles that she had to send her son Wally out to buy more PARAFFIN.

  paroxysm (PARE-uk-siz-um), noun

  An outburst. A paroxysm is a sudden action or an incidence reminiscent of something explosive.

  Joan broke out in PAROXYSMS of laughter at Pete’s joke.

  parse (pahrss), verb

  To break a sentence down into its component parts. In recent years, the word also has come to mean analyzing, or breaking down, anything.

  I spent my time after our argument PARSING every cutting remark she had made.

  parsimonious (par-suh-MOAN-ee-uss), adjective

  Stingy. Someone who is exceptionally frugal or thrifty could be considered parsimonious.

  The old man’s PARSIMONIOUS ways were legend: it is said that in a lifetime of restaurant dining, he never once picked up a check.

  parvenu (PAR-vuh-new), noun

  From the French meaning “upstart,” a parvenu is someone who has recently gained wealth, prestige, or an important position but has not yet figured out how to act appropriately in that new position.

  The Clampett family, of classic television’s Beverly Hillbillies, is a great example of a PARVENU clan.

  passim (PASS-im), noun

  A word used to indicate that a given source or element is used frequently throughout a written work.

  References to a fictitious writer named Kilgore Trout appear PASSIM in a number of Kurt Vonnegut’s novels.

  patois (PAT-wah), noun

  From the French meaning “clumsy speech,” patois refers either to rural speech or to jargon . . . basically any language that deviates from standard usage.

  I’ve given up trying to follow the PATOIS of teenagers, the teacher complained.

  patriarchy (PAY-tree-ark-ee), noun

  A group ruled by a patriarch; an organization or clan in which lines of descent and inheritance are traced through the male.

  Martha accused her father of running a PATRIARCHY, arguing that she deserved to take on the leadership of the company far more than her younger brother.

  patrimony (PAT-rih-mo-nee), noun

  Heritage or legacy. Someone’s patrimony can be either a financial inheritance or an ancestral heritage. (A patrimony can also be a church endowment.)

  The will outlined PATRIMONY payments totaling over one million dollars.

  peerage (PEER-ihj), noun

  Countri
es, empires, kingdoms, etc. considered friendly toward another empire or country.

  The nation’s PEERAGE began to shift after it launched covert attacks against formerly friendly countries.

  penurious (peh-NOOR-ee-uss), adjective

  Miserly. Penurious can also mean “lacking in means or extremely poor.”

  Joan, raised in comfortable surroundings, was not cut out for such a PENURIOUS lifestyle.

  peony (PEE-uh-nee), noun

  A colorful plant bearing large petals; the state flower of Indiana.

  The florist assembled a lovely arrangement of PEONIES for Aunt Irene.

  peregrination (pear-uh-grih-NAY-shun), noun

  Journeys or wanderings made on foot.

  Wally’s Sunday PEREGRINATIONS took him from shuttered shops to rivers spoiled by centuries of pollution.

  peremptory (puh-REMP-tuh-ree), adjective

  Allowing for no rebuttal or overturning. A peremptory act is one that admits no possibility of denial or negotiation.

  Kings may issue PEREMPTORY declarations of war, Mr. Secretary; presidents are obliged to discuss such matters with Congress.

  perfidy (PURR-fih-dee), noun

  Perfidy is a calculated breach of faith or trust.

  In wartime, such PERFIDY as you have been found guilty of yields only one sentence: death.

  perigee (PEAR-uh-jee), noun

  The point at which a heavenly body, especially an orbiting body like the moon, is closest to the Earth.

  People all over the country got out their telescopes to see the meteor as it reached its PERIGEE.

  peripatetic (per-ih-puh-TET-ik), adjective

  Wandering. Someone who goes from one place to another is peripatetic.

  These days, pursuing the presidency requires serious candidates to live a PERIPATETIC lifestyle that profoundly affects one’s home and family life.

  perspicacity (per-spih-KASS-ih-tee), noun

  Insightfuness. Someone who shows keen understanding displays perspicacity.

  The problem was a complex one that required the analysis of someone with great PERSPICACITY.

  perspicuity (purr-spi-KYOO-ih-tee), noun

  Clear and easy to understand. Perspicuity is generally used with regard to speech or writing.

  The report from the accounting office was loaded with technical jargon; writing with PERSPICUITY is not one of the talents of the people who work there.

  pestle (PESS-ul), noun

  A tool used to grind substances into a powder in a mortar.