| academicism |
in the arts, rigid adherence to accepted and traditional forms. |
| brash |
rudely self-assertive; bold; impudent. |
| caparison |
decorative trappings to cover a horse's saddle or harness. |
| compunction |
uneasiness about the propriety or suitability of an action; qualm. |
| denigrate |
to deny the worth of; sneer at; belittle. |
| extralegal |
not regulated or permitted by law; outside of legal authority. |
| germane |
having relevance to a given matter; pertinent; significant. |
| gnomic |
short and pithy, as an aphorism. |
| incessant |
never stopping; constant. |
| jejune |
lacking interest or liveliness; dull. |
| linguistics |
(used with a singular verb) the scientific and historical study of the form and structure of human language. |
| malapropism |
the humorous or ridiculous misuse of a word, especially by using a word that sounds similar to the correct word, but whose meaning is inappropriate. |
| nonpareil |
a person or thing whose excellence is unequaled; paragon. |
| oligarchy |
a government or state in which only a relatively few people or members of a family have real power. |
| recidivism |
chronic return to bad habits, especially criminal relapse. |