The Words You Should Know to Sound Smart

by Bobbi Bly

  Rampant NEPOTISM in the company prevented most of the employees from rising very far up the ranks.

  nether (NETH-uhr), adjective

  Located below or under something else.

  “I know a lady in Venice would have walked barefoot to Palestine for a touch of his NETHER lip.” – William Shakespeare

  nettle (NET-uhl), verb

  To provoke, irritate, or annoy.

  “The comic spirit is given to us in order that we may analyze, weigh, and clarify things in us which NETTLE us, or which we are outgrowing, or trying to reshape.” – Thornton Wilder, American playwright and novelist

  nexus (NEK-sus), noun

  A linkage or connection between two or more things.

  “Every time a message seems to grab us, and we think, ‘I just might try it,’ we are at the NEXUS of choice and persuasion that is advertising.” – Andrew Hacker, American media critic

  niggling (NIG-ling), adjective

  Demanding a great deal of care, attention, or time; or, trifling and insignificant.

  People just don’t understand how difficult it is on us to attend to all the NIGGLING needs of our servants.

  nihilism (NIE-uh-lizz-uhm), noun

  The belief that nothing can be known with absolute certainty, resulting in an intense skepticism of almost everything, especially religion and moral principles.

  “NIHILISM is best done by professionals.” – Iggy Pop, American singer and songwriter

  nimbus (NIM-bus), noun

  A halo of light surrounding the head of a saint or other holy person.

  “Sally is such a goody two-shoes, you’d think she would have a NIMBUS on top of her head,” Nancy said to the girls.

  nitid (NIT-id), adjective

  Bright and lustrous.

  Brock and Jenny flew through NITID moonbeams in Brock’s new Gulfstream GIV personal jet.

  noblesse oblige (no-BLESS-oh-BLEEZH), noun

  An act of generosity, charity, or kindness performed by a rich person for the benefit of someone less fortunate than himself, viewed by the giver as paying the universe back for his good fortune.

  Donald gave the young man a job not out of a sense of pity or guilt, but out of a sense of NOBLESSE OBLIGE.

  nomenclature (NO-men-klay-cherr), noun

  A labeling or naming system used in a specialized field or industry.

  Even an activity as seemingly simple as macramé has a NOMENCLATURE all it’s own, indecipherable to the layperson or newbie.

  nominal (NAHM-ih-nl), adjective

  A thing of relatively minor importance; an insignificant amount or volume of something.

  For a NOMINAL fee, the store delivers your new widescreen TV to your home and sets it up for you.

  nominalism (NAHM-ih-nl-iz-um), noun

  A philosophy that denies the existence of universal truths.

  Some scientists suspect that, rather than being universal, the laws of physics may vary in different regions of the universe—a strong supporting argument for NOMINALISM.

  nonagenarian (none-uh-jen-AIR-ee-en), noun

  A person in his or her nineties.

  When you’re a NONAGENARIAN, it begins to occur to you that you could in fact live to be one hundred.

  non compos mentis (NAHN-KAHM-pohs-MEN-tiss), adjective

  Crazy; insane; not in one’s right mind.

  When Bryce suggested he was considering the ministry, rather than joining the family bond business, we were certain he was NON COMPOS MENTIS.

  nondescript (non-dih-SKRIPT), adjective

  Lacking distinction; ordinary.

  “Actors ought to be larger than life. You come across quite enough ordinary, NONDESCRIPT people in daily life and I don’t see why you should be subjected to them on the stage too.” – Donald Sinden, British actor

  nonentity (non-EN-tih-tee), noun

  A person or thing considered completely unimportant.

  Ever since Cassandra scorned us at the Brackingtons’ Thanksgiving gala, we have taken to treating her as a NONENTITY.

  nonpareil (non-pah-RAYLE), adjective

  Without equal or peer.

  We could tell Jeanette was a typical parvenu when she attempted to convince us that Bennington Posh Couture golf bags are NONPAREIL.

  nonpartisan (non-PAHR-tih-zuhn), adjective

  Not in support of a particular political party or special interest group.

  The Vallinghams pride themselves in being NONPARTISAN, but they have never been known to vote even for a moderate Democrat.

  nonplussed (none-plust), adjective

  In modern usage, not being bothered by commotion; undisturbed by what is happening around you; in traditional usage, the opposite of the modern definition.

  The construction on the bridge left him NONPLUSSED, because he enjoyed listening to books on tape in his car.

  non sequitur (nahn-SEH-kwit-ur), noun

  A conclusion or statement that does not seem to follow from that which preceded it.

  Hilary’s belief that she was now welcome in our group was, clearly, a NON SEQUITUR on her part.

  nostrum (NAH-strum), noun

  An ineffective solution that is a quick fix or band-aid, covering up a problem or masking its symptoms, but never addressing its root cause for a permanent fix.

  “America’s present need is not NOSTRUMS but normalcy.” – Warren G. Harding

  nouveau riche (noo-voh-REESH), adjective, noun

  A person who has recently acquired wealth.

  The most distinguished families in the club snubbed him because he was NOUVEAU RICHE.

  noxious (NOCK-shuss), adjective

  Morally harmful and pernicious.

  Even with his wealth, good looks, and charm, Steven has such a NOXIOUS personality that we always feel awful after spending time with him.

  nuance (NOO-ahnts), noun

  A subtle difference in meaning, expression, or tone.

  “[Venice] in winter is rich with the bittersweet NUANCE and somber beauty of the once-was.” – Terry Weeks, American travel writer

  nubile (NOO-bile), adjective

  Of sexually developed and attractive youth.

  We have explained time and again to Melinda that she must get a personal trainer like the rest of us to be truly NUBILE.

  nugatory (NOO-guh-tore-ee), adjective

  Trifling, worthless, and ineffective.

  We spend our time like most, with the NUGATORY pastimes of polo, tennis on grass courts, and weekends in Europe.

  nullify (NUHL-uh-fie), verb

  To make something valueless or ineffective.

  We keep our collections under lock and key because, sometimes, merely breathing on them NULLIFIES their value.

  nymph (NIMF), noun

  A spirit linked to a particular place or element.

  “Reason is a supple NYMPH, and slippery as a fish by nature.” – D. H. Lawrence, British author

  “The bottom of being is left logically

  OPAQUE to us, as something which

  we simply come upon and find, and

  about which (if we wish to act) we

  should pause and wonder as little as

  possible.”

  William James, American psychologist and philosopher

  O

  obdurate (OB-doo-rit), adjective

  Stubborn and unyielding.

  “The fates are not quite OBDURATE; / They have a grim, sardonic way / Of granting them who supplicate / The thing they wanted yesterday.” –Roselle Mercier Montgomery, American poet

  obeisance (oh-BEE-sance), noun

  Deferential respect or homage, or an act or gesture expressing the same.

  Rachael practiced OBEISANCE by allowing the elderly woman to sit in her plush opera box, rather than in the mezzanine.

  obfuscate (OB-few-skate), verb

  To talk or write about a subject in a way that deliberately makes it unclear, selectively omits certain facts, or communicates wrong ideas or impressions,
so that the listener or reader does not grasp the whole truth of the situation.

  Despite his Ivy League education, Alexander seems able only to OBFUSCATE any subject upon which he touches.

  objurgatory (AHB-jer-ga-tor-ee), adjective

  A critical attitude voicing or implying an objection or complaint.

  “I can to some extent sympathize with the OBJURGATORY tone of certain critics who feel that I write too much.” – Joyce Carol Oates, American author

  oblique (oh-BLEAK), adjective

  Indirectly or deviously achieved.

  If direct appeals do not work, Amanda is always quick to use OBLIQUE

  methods in order to get her father to buy her whatever luxury item she wants.

  obsequious (uhb-SEE-kwi-us), adjective

  Subservient; eager to listen and to please others to an excessive degree; behaving in the manner of a servant or slave.

  “[The political mind] is a strange mixture of vanity and timidity, of an OBSEQUIOUS attitude at one time and a delusion of grandeur at another time. –Calvin Coolidge

  obsolescence (ob-suh-LESS-uhnts), noun

  The state of being no longer useful.

  Roderick found, to his dismay, that some of the new Maserati models had lapsed into OBSOLESCENCE almost as soon as they hit the showroom floor.

  obstinate (AHB-stih-nit), adjective

  Inflexible in one’s opinions and attitudes; refusing to change or accede to the wishes of others.

  “The male sex still constitutes in many ways the most OBSTINATE vested interest one can find.” – Francis Pakenham, British social reformer

  obstreperous (ob-STREP-er-us), adjective

  Describes a trouble-maker who is noisy, unruly, or otherwise attracts attention in his endeavor to be difficult.

  Two OBSTREPEROUS employees made the training class a nightmare for the instructor.

  obtuse (ahb-TOOS), adjective

  Lacking understanding, intelligence, and perception; unable to comprehend; having a dense mind.

  Thomas was so OBTUSE, he didn’t realize his inappropriate behavior was making his friends uncomfortable.

  obviate (OB-vee-ate), verb

  To anticipate, and therefore prevent, difficulties or disadvantages.

  We changed the location of our fall gala at the last minute, OBVIATING the need to cut anyone from our ever-expanding guest list.

  occlude (oh-KLOOD), verb

  To block or obstruct; to close off a passage or entranceway.

  Debris from the second-floor construction OCCLUDED the entryway to the laundry room in Linda’s beach house.

  occultation (ahk-uhl-TAY-shin), noun

  The act of hiding or blocking from view.

  With disguises offering a bit of needed OCCULTATION, we were able to hit Manhattan’s hot spots away from the glare of the dreaded paparazzi.

  odal (OH-dull), noun

  Absolute ownership of a property that is beyond dispute and can never be revoked.

  Among the Norse, land allotted to a warrior at the time of conquest became ODAL after his family had held it for three generations.

  odious (OH-dee-us), adjective

  To be so offensive or disgusting that people are repulsed or experience revulsion.

  “To depend upon a profession is a less ODIOUS form of slavery than to depend upon a father.” – Virginia Woolf, British essayist and novelist

  odoriferous (oh-der-ih-ferr-us), adjective

  Bad smelling; foul.

  Eleanor believed she would enjoy her weekend trek through the South American rainforest, but she found the animals too noisy, the constant rain unpleasant, and the forest’s ODORIFEROUS vegetation distasteful.

  oeniphile (EE-nuh-file), noun

  A connoisseur of wines.

  Despite his relatively young age, Brad’s family has brought him up to be a consummate OENIPHILE.

  oeuvre (OO-vruh), noun

  An artist’s, writer’s, or composer’s body of work, treated as a whole.

  Esmerelda is familiar with and adores all of Puccini’s OEUVRE, but many find his operas overly mawkish.

  offal (OH-full), noun

  Rotting waste; decaying organic matter. In general, anything considered garbage or refuse.

  “I have often told you that I am that little fish who swims about under a shark and, I believe, lives indelicately on its OFFAL.” – Zelda Fitzgerald, American author

  officious (oh-FISH-ee-us), adjective

  Asserting authority or power in an obnoxious, overbearing, or pompous manner.

  “There is immunity in reading, immunity in formal society, in office routine, in the company of old friends and in the giving of OFFICIOUS help to strangers, but there is no sanctuary in one bed from the memory of another.” – Cyril Connolly, British literary critic and writer

  ogle (OH-guhl), verb

  To look at in an amorous or impertinent way.

  No one would want to trade places with us if they only knew how tiresome it becomes to have the paparazzi constantly OGLING you.

  olfactory (ole-FAK-tore-ee), adjective

  Related to the sense of smell.

  Miranda and Jonathan savored the OLFACTORY pleasures wafting from early-opening bakeries on the Upper West Side.

  oligarchy (OH-lih-gar-kee), noun

  A nation, state, or other place where the population is governed by a relatively small group of people, especially when all are members of the same family.

  Most family owned businesses are OLIGARCHIES, not democracies.

  oligopoly (oh-lih-GAH-poll-lee), noun

  Control of an industry, sector, or market by a small number of companies dominating that particular niche.

  One can argue that Intel and Microsoft collectively are an OLIGOPOLY in personal computing.

  ombudsman (ohm-BUDZ-min), noun

  A person who is charged with mediating disputes between businesses and consumers, students and a university, etc.

  All it took to get Brock off of academic probation at U Penn was to have his father remind the OMBUDSMAN of how much money the family had donated to the university over the years.

  omnipotent (ahm-NIP-uh-tuhnt), adjective

  All powerful.

  “An OMNIPOTENT God is the only being with no reason to lie.” – Mason Cooley, American author

  omniscient (ahm-NIH-shent), adjective

  Describes someone who knows everything.

  “The god of love, if omnipotent and OMNISCIENT, must be the god of cancer and epilepsy as well.” – George Bernard Shaw, Irish playwright

  omnivore (AHM-nih-vore), noun

  An animal that eats both plants and other animals.

  I ordered a delicious steak salad with crumbled blue cheese—an OMNIVORE’S delight.

  onerous (OH-nerr-us), adjective

  Describes a difficult task or heavy responsibility that one does not desire.

  Caring for his son’s large aquarium quickly went from an interesting hobby to an ONEROUS burden.

  onomatopoeia (on-uh-ma-tuh-PEE-uh), noun

  Words that sound like, or suggest, their meaning.

  The spring gala, with its popping corks, fizzing champagne glasses, and thumping music was a cornucopia of ONOMATOPOEIA.

  onus (OH-nuss), noun

  Obligation, responsibility, duty, or burden.

  The ONUS for choosing the color scheme for our new lacrosse uniforms fell ultimately to Tabitha, who had previously chosen the design for our polo uniforms.

  opaque (oh-PAYK), adjective

  Hard to understand; obscure.

  “The bottom of being is left logically OPAQUE to us, as something which we simply come upon and find, and about which (if we wish to act) we should pause and wonder as little as possible.” – William James, American psychologist and philosopher

  operose (OP-uh-roass), adjective

  Hard-working and industrious.

  What’s the point of being OPEROSE when our social connections help us to achieve succe
ss with little effort?

  opprobrium (uh-PRO-bree-uhm), noun

  Disgrace incurred by outrageously shameful conduct.

  Natasha incurred OPPROBRIUM when, in a fit of anger, she deliberately smashed her Waterford crystal wine glass at the Smythingtons’ annual Thanksgiving gala.

  opine (oh-PYNE), verb

  To give your opinion.

  The way that Charlotte OPINES about fashion, you’d think she created couture rather than just purchasing it.

  opulent (AHP-yoo-lent), adjective

  Reflecting wealth and affluence.

  Donald Trump showcases his OPULENT lifestyle by wearing designer suits, drinking Cristal champagne, and traveling in private airplanes.

  opus (OH-puss), noun

  A major work of music written by a composer.

  The Breckinridges commissioned the composer’s next OPUS, which will be debuted at the family’s fall ball.

  orator (OR-ray-ter), noun

  A skilled and persuasive public speaker.

  Tom over-estimated his abilities as an ORATOR and, consequently, stayed at the podium far longer than the audience wanted him to.

  ordinance (OR-dih-nance), noun

  A specific law or regulation.

  The lavish tree house Roger built for his kids was in clear violation of at least half a dozen local ORDINANCES.

  orgiastic (or-jee-AS-tick), adjective

  Arousing unrestrained emotional release.

  William becomes loathsomely ORGIASTIC when he attends and bids at art auctions.

  orotund (OR-uh-tund), adjective

  Characterizes a voice distinguished by strength, fullness, and clearness.

  In a beguilingly OROTUND voice, the conductor offered a synopsis of the evening’s opera.

  orthodox (OR-thuh-docks), adjective

  Mainstream; conventional; adhering to the strictest interpretation of a law or religion.

  ORTHODOX medicine has long ignored the obvious effect diet and nutrition have on health and illness.

  oscillate (AHSS-uh-layt), verb

  To change one’s mind frequently about beliefs and opinions.

  We can hardly keep up with Lydia’s choices regarding the quality of luxury jewelers because she OSCILLATES from week to week.