| academicism |
in the arts, rigid adherence to accepted and traditional forms. |
| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| cantankerous |
irritable, stubborn, and quarrelsome. |
| cognoscente |
someone who has exceptional knowledge in a given area, especially of fashion, literature, or the fine arts; connoisseur. |
| disingenuous |
not candid or sincere. |
| doyen |
the senior or highest-ranking male member of a group. |
| flagitious |
viciously or shamefully wicked; infamous. |
| germane |
having relevance to a given matter; pertinent; significant. |
| immaculate |
not dirty; completely clean. |
| imprimatur |
any official permission or sanction. |
| indolence |
the tendency to avoid exertion or effort; laziness. |
| innocuous |
not capable of causing damage; harmless. |
| nonpareil |
a person or thing whose excellence is unequaled; paragon. |
| raffish |
carelessly unconventional or disreputable, sometimes appealingly so. |
| refulgent |
shining brilliantly; radiant. |