| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| aplomb |
great self-confidence, composure, or poise. |
| appellative |
a descriptive name or title, as "Terrible" in "Ivan the Terrible". |
| epigraph |
a pertinent quotation or motto, especially found at the beginning of a literary work or of a chapter. |
| halcyon |
tranquil; peaceful; calm. |
| iatrogenic |
caused by a physician or medical treatment, especially from drugs or surgery. |
| indurate |
to make hard in texture; harden. |
| inveigle |
to entice or ensnare by clever talk or flattery. |
| knurled |
having small ridges. |
| lanugo |
fine, soft hair, especially that with which a human fetus or newborn is covered. |
| oppugn |
to oppose, contradict, criticize, or call into question. |
| regicide |
the murderer of a king. |
| relict |
a plant, animal, or geological feature that has survived in a considerably changed environment. |
| tort |
in law, any civil rather than criminal harm or injury that violates the implicit duty of each citizen not to harm others, and for which one may bring a civil suit and collect compensation. |
| vouchsafe |
to grant or give with condescension or as a special favor. |