| asperity |
harshness or roughness, especially of tone or manner. |
| ersatz |
serving as a substitute, especially when of inferior quality. |
| guru |
in a cult or religious movement, a spiritual guide or leader, sometimes believed to be divine. |
| impromptu |
without advance plan or preparation; spontaneously. |
| inchoate |
partially or imperfectly developed. |
| internecine |
of or pertaining to conflict, discord, or struggle within a group. |
| panegyric |
a formal speech or piece of writing devoted to publicly praising a person or thing. |
| pelf |
money or wealth, usually regarded with disapproval or contempt. |
| phlegmatic |
not given to shows of emotion or interest; slow to excite. |
| plaudit |
(often plural) an enthusiastic show of approval, such as a round of applause or a very favorable review. |
| recondite |
involving profound concepts and complexities; not easily understood. |
| Saturnalia |
an occasion of unrestrained revelry. |
| scion |
an offspring or heir. |
| surcingle |
a girth or belt that wraps around the body of a horse to secure a saddle, pack, or the like to its back. |
| untoward |
unexpected and unfortunate. |