| caste |
the status conferred by the class to which one belongs. |
| cognomen |
a last name; surname. |
| equipoise |
a state of balance or equal weight, importance, or the like; equilibrium. |
| equivocal |
having at least two plausible alternative meanings, often intentionally so in order to deceive or avoid commitment; ambiguous. |
| eulogy |
a spoken or written tribute, especially to honor a dead person; high praise; formal commendation. |
| fealty |
faithfulness or loyalty. |
| guttural |
articulated in the back of the mouth; velar. |
| lien |
a legal claim on a piece of property when the current owner is in default on a debt or obligation. |
| linguistics |
(used with a singular verb) the scientific and historical study of the form and structure of human language. |
| obtrusive |
aggressive and self-assertive, or inclined to be so. |
| paroxysm |
a sudden strong outburst of feelings or actions. |
| pastiche |
a work of visual art, music, or literature that consists mostly of materials and techniques borrowed from other works, sometimes done as an exercise to learn the technique of others. |
| periphrasis |
an indirect or roundabout way of phrasing something; circumlocution. |
| quondam |
having been in the past; former. |
| surcingle |
a girth or belt that wraps around the body of a horse to secure a saddle, pack, or the like to its back. |