Word-A-DayWord-A-DayMiddle School Vocabulary

AcronymAcronyma word formed

from the initial letters or groups of letters of words in a set phrase or series of words

Example: Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps

JROTC

AjarAjar

Open slightly

AllegoryAllegoryFable, parable, emblem

AlleviateAlleviateto make easier to endure; lessen

AllusionAllusiona passing or casual reference; metaphor

AmiableAmiable

Likable; friendly

AmbienceAmbiencethe mood,

character, quality, tone, atmosphere, etc., particularly of an environment

AmbiguityAmbiguityUnclear; doubtfulness or uncertainty of meaning or intention

AmbivalentAmbivalentHaving mixed feelings about someone or something

AnalogyAnalogySimilarity or comparability

AntithesisAntithesis

The direct opposite; contrast

ArchiveArchivePublic record or historical document

ArtifactArtifactany object made

by human beings, especially with a view to subsequent use.

ArticulationArticulationThe adjustments and movements of speech organs involved in pronouncing a particular sound

AscribeAscribeTo credit or assign, as to a cause or source; attribute; impute

AssimilateAssimilateTo take in and incorporate as one's own; absorb

AvengerAvenger

Someone who gets even for a wrong or injury

BarrierBarrierAnything built or serving to bar passage, as a railing, fence, or the like

BiasBiasto cause favoritism in a person; influence, especially unfairly

BoycottBoycott

To abstain from buying or using

CaptiousCaptious

Faultfinding; difficult to please

CitationCitationa reference to a published or unpublished source

ClamorousClamorousFull of demands or complaints

ClausesClausesGroup of words that contain a subject and predicate and form part of a sentence

CollateCollateTo gather or

arrange in their proper sequence (the pages of a report, the sheets of a book, the pages of several sets of copies, etc.).

CollateralCollateralSecurity pledged for the payment of a loan.

ConciseConciseExpressing or

covering much in few words; short and to the point; brief

ConcourseConcourseAn assemblage;

gathering; a driveway or promenade, especially in a park.

ConsecutiveConsecutiveMarked by logical

sequence; following one another in uninterrupted succession or order; successive.

ConspiringConspiring

Planning in secret to do something bad

CordialCordialCourteous and gracious; friendly; warm

CredibilityCredibilityThe quality of being believable or worthy of trust

CredulousCredulousWilling to believe or

trust too readily, especially without proper or adequate evidence; gullible.

CriteriaCriteriaA standard of judgment; a rule or principle for evaluating or testing something.

CriticismCriticism

The act of passing judgment; censure; faultfinding

DebateDebateA discussion involving opposing viewpoints.

DebrisDebrisThe remains of anything broken down or destroyed; ruins; rubble.

DelusionDelusion

A false belief or opinion.

DemographyDemography

Study of human populations

DenounceDenounceTo formally accuse; to condemn or censure openly or publicly

DensityDensityThe state or quality of being dense; compact; crowded

DesolateDesolateBarren or laid waste; devastated; deserted; lonely

DetainDetainTo keep from

proceeding; keep waiting; delay; to keep under restraint or in custody.

DictionDictionAccent, inflection,

and speech-sound quality made by an individual speaker, usually judged in terms of standards of acceptability; enunciation.

DidacticDidactic

Intended for instruction

DivulgeDivulge

To disclose or reveal

DocileDocileEasily managed or handled; readily trained or taught; teachable.

EclipseEclipseWhen the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon and light is obscured.

EllipsisEllipsisThe omission of one or

more items from a construction in order to avoid repeating the identical or equivalent items that are in a preceding or following construction, as the omission of been to Paris  from the second clause of I've been to Paris, but they haven't.

EmpathyEmpathyThe

identification with or experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another.

EmphasisEmphasisSignificance or importance attached to something

EpicEpicHeroic, majestic, impressively great

EpitaphEpitaphA saying on a tomb or monument about the person buried at that site.

EthicsEthicsA system of moral principles.

EthnicEthnicRelating to a race

EtymologyEtymologyThe study of how words change; word origin, word source

EuphemismEuphemismSubstituting nicer words for ones thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt.

ExertionExertion

Physical work

ExcerptExcerptA passage or quotation taken or selected from a book, document, or film

ExpediteExpediteTo speed up the progress of; hasten; to accomplish promptly

ExpungeExpunge

Delete; erase

FableFableA short tale to

teach a moral lesson, often with animals or inanimate objects as characters;

FacileFacileEasily done; moving, acting, working, or proceeding with ease

FantasyFantasyA genre of fiction

that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting.

FateFateFortune; destiny; what has been pre-ordained

FacilitatorFacilitatorA person

responsible for leading or coordinating the work of a group, as one who leads a group discussion

Feature StoryFeature StoryA newspaper or magazine

article or report of a person, event, an aspect of a major event, or the like, often having a personal slant and written in an individual style.

FeedbackFeedbackA reaction or response to a particular process or activity

Figurative languageFigurative languageLanguage that contains or uses figures of speech,  

especially metaphors.

FlashbackFlashbackAn event or scene taking place before the present time in the narrative

ForayForay

A sudden attack or raid

ForeshadowingForeshadowingTo show or indicate beforehand; prefigure

FormatFormatThe general physical

appearance of a book, magazine, or newspaper, such as the typeface, binding, quality of paper, and margins

FormulateFormulateTo put together;

create; state definitely or systematically; to devise or develop, as a method or system

FractiousFractiousUnruly; readily angered; peevish; irritable; quarrelsome

GratuityGratuityA gift of money for service rendered; tip

GregariousGregarious• Social; friendly

HeritageHeritageThat which is inherited or received from parents.

HierarchyHierarchy

Graded or ranked series

HindranceHindrance

The act of impeding progress; obstruction

HydraulicHydraulic

Operated by means of water

HyperboleHyperboleExaggeration

IdiomIdiomAn expression

that is not true to its literal meaning.

Example: Don’t let the cat out of the bag!

IlliterateIlliterate

Unable to read and write

ImpromptuImpromptuunscheduled; unplanned

IndignantIndignantAngry; caused by feeling of unfairness or madness

InsignificantInsignificantSmall; unimportant

IronyIronyan outcome of events contrary to what was, or might have been, expected.

JargonJargon

Technical phrase or slang

LitigateLitigate

Carry on a legal contest by judicial process

MagnitudeMagnitude

Greatness; importance

MaliceMaliceILL will; spite; desire to injure others

MediaMediaTelevision or radio broadcasts; newspapers; magazines

MedievalMedievalPertaining to the Middle

Ages(the period of European

history from the fall of the Roman Empire to the fall of Constantinople A.D.476 to 1453)

MonologueMonologueDramatic entertainment by a solo performer

MotifMotifThe dominant theme in a literary or musical composition.

MythologyMythologyA fable; the legends of gods with supernatural powers.

NapeNape

Back of your neck

NarratorNarrator

One who tells a story in detail

NavigateNavigate

To steer or manage a ship or aircraft.

NeophyteNeophyte

Novice, beginner

NegotiateNegotiateTo settle by bargaining; To reach terms of agreement

NeuronNeuronA nerve cell and all its processes; the basic unit in the structure of living matter

NeutronNeutronOne of the minute particles composing the nucleus of an atom.

NovellaNovella

Short novel

ObliterateObliterate

Destroy; the act of blotting out

OdeOde

Lyric poem of exalted tone.

OnomatopoeiaOnomatopoeiaWords that represent sounds (Ex. Crash, boom)

OxymoronOxymoronA figure of speech

in which two words or phrase of opposite meaning are set together for emphasis or effect. (Ex. Jumbo shrimp)

PanaceaPanacea

Cure-all; a universal remedy

ParableParable

Story or allegory with a moral.

ParadoxParadoxA statement

seemingly absurd or self-contradictory but really founded on truth.

ParallelParallelTwo lines equal distance apart; similar

ParallelismParallelismState of being parallel; comparison; resemblance

ParodyParodyAn imitation of a poem or song where the style is the same but the theme is ludicrously different.

PatentPatentAn official

document granting a right or privilege, or securing exclusive right to invention

PerpendicularPerpendicular

At right angles to the plain of horizon

PertinentPertinent

Related to the subject or matter at hand

PonderPonderto consider something deeply and thoroughly; meditate

PrecariousPrecariousDangerous; risky

PrevalentPrevalentMost generally; extensively existing

PrognosisPrognosisForecast

ProlificProlificFruitful; abundantly productive; bringing about results

PunPunA play on words similar in sound but different in meaning

PunctuatePunctuateTo separate into

sentences or clauses by commas, periods, etc.; to emphasize in some significant manner

PungentPungentSharply affecting the taste or smell; stinging, sarcastic, caustic

PurgePurge

To clear

QuaveringQuavering

Shaking ; trembling

RadiusRadiusStraight line from center of circle to circumference; the spoke of a wheel

RealismRealismInterest in things as they are; practical outlook on life

RebuttalRebuttal

Refutal of an argument; to disprove

ReciprocalReciprocalAlternating; Moving backwards and forwards; mutual, complimentary

ReferendumReferendumA popular vote for ascertaining the public will on a single issue

ReformReform

To restore; reclaim; amend

RefrainRefrainChorus recurring at the end of each verse of song

RefugeeRefugeeA person who flees home or country to seek shelter from war or cruelty

RegimeRegimeA system or rule of government

RejuvenatedRejuvenated

Made to feel refreshed or life-like

ReliabilityReliability

Trustworthy, honest, creditable.

RepublicRepublicA state, without a

hereditary head in which supremacy of the people or its elected representatives is formally acknowledged; commonwealth

RevenueRevenueIncome derived from any source; proceeds; receipts; profits

RhetoricRhetoricArt of persuasive or effective speech or writing

RidiculeRidicule

To mock; to make fun of

SacredSacred

Holy; divine; morally perfect

SalienceSalience

Moving by leaps

SanguineSanguine

Hopeful; confident; cheerful; deep red

SarcasmSarcasm

Taunt; scoff; sneer; irony

SatireSatireLiterary composition holding up to ridicule vice or folly of the times

ScriptScriptText of a play or film; text of spoken part in a broadcast

SemesterSemester

Six month academic term

SimultaneousSimultaneous

Existing or occurring at the same time

SoliloquySoliloquyTalking to oneself; monologue by actor alone on the stage

SpeculateSpeculate

To make theories or guesses

StanchedStanchedStopped or slowed down

StereotypeStereotypeTo make always the same

Story boardStory boardVisual map of a film, video, play, or literary work.

StyleStyleEngraving tool; mode of expression (Ex. Author ’s style)

SuppositionSuppositionThe act of assuming something is true without proof

SuppressSuppressTo put down or subdue; to stop

SuspenseSuspenseState of uncertainty or anticipation; mystery

SymbolismSymbolismTo represent

emotions using symbols, and to invest ordinary objects with imaginative meanings

SyntaxSyntaxRules of governing sentence construction

SynthesisSynthesisCombination or putting together; combining of parts into whole

SyntheticSyntheticArtificial

TactileTactilePertaining to touch

TemporalTemporalPertains to time or to this life; transient; secular

TenuousTenuousSlender; unsubstantial

TestimonialTestimonialA written declaration about a person’s character or qualities

TortuousTortuousFull of twists; crooked; deceitful

ToxicToxicRelating to poison

TragedyTragedySerious and dignified dramatic story or play with an unhappy ending

TurbulentTurbulentDisturbed; in violent commotion

UnderstatementUnderstatementTo state less strongly than truth warrants

ValidityValidityTo have soundness; capable of being justified

VeracityVeracityQuality of being truthful

VerbatimVerbatim

Word for word

VerboseVerbose

Tedious because of excessive words

VivaciousVivaciousLively; animated; having great vitality

VoluminousVoluminous

Great volume, ample size, extent, or fullness

WritheWritheto twist the body about, or squirm, as in pain, violent effort