| abstruse |
difficult to comprehend or understand; esoteric; arcane. |
| amortize |
to deduct (expenditures) by fixed amounts over a period of time. |
| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| centripetal |
forced or moving inward toward a center point or axis. |
| cession |
the act of formally giving up or signing over, as a territory; ceding. |
| cognomen |
a last name; surname. |
| élan |
enthusiasm or vigor. |
| espouse |
to take up, hold, or commit oneself to (a cause, idea, or belief); embrace. |
| fixation |
an obsession, especially one that interferes with normal functioning. |
| fulminate |
to vehemently denounce or criticize something. |
| insinuate |
to suggest (something derogatory) subtly and indirectly. |
| lanugo |
fine, soft hair, especially that with which a human fetus or newborn is covered. |
| naturalism |
in literature, a method of depicting life that reflects a philosophy of determinism. |
| parvenu |
a person who has suddenly acquired wealth or status, without acquiring the tastes, manners, customs, or the like of his or her new station. |
| refulgent |
shining brilliantly; radiant. |