| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| apropos |
appropriate; relevant; opportune. |
| colloquialism |
a word or phrase typically used in conversational, informal, or regional speech or writing, hence sometimes considered inappropriate in formal writing. |
| contumacious |
stubbornly disobedient; insubordinate; rebellious. |
| corollary |
a readily drawn conclusion; deduction or inference. |
| corporeal |
having to do with a physical body; bodily. |
| dissemble |
to disguise or hide behind a false semblance; conceal the true nature or state of. |
| encomium |
a formal expression of praise. |
| extempore |
without plan or preparation; impromptu or improvised. |
| extralegal |
not regulated or permitted by law; outside of legal authority. |
| guru |
in a cult or religious movement, a spiritual guide or leader, sometimes believed to be divine. |
| inadvertent |
not planned or intended; unintentional. |
| inquest |
a legal investigation, usually involving a jury, especially a coroner's investigation of a suspicious death. |
| lenitive |
mitigating pain, discomfort, or distress; soothing. |
| mélange |
a mixture, usually of very dissimilar elements. |