| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| coir |
the fiber made from coconut husks, used for matting, rope, or the like. |
| declivity |
a downward or descending slope. |
| deracinate |
to pull up by or as if by the roots; uproot; isolate; exile. |
| doggerel |
trivial, crudely constructed verse. |
| ersatz |
serving as a substitute, especially when of inferior quality. |
| glean |
to gather or discover (facts, information, or the like) a little at a time. |
| iatrogenic |
caused by a physician or medical treatment, especially from drugs or surgery. |
| ineluctable |
impossible to be avoided; inescapable. |
| insouciant |
having no cares or anxieties; light-hearted; carefree. |
| maladroit |
not skillful; clumsy; tactless. |
| pandemic |
a widespread outbreak of disease that afflicts many people over different continents. |
| penury |
severe poverty; pennilessness. |
| recant |
to withdraw from commitment to (a former position or statement), especially publicly; retract. |
| supine |
lying with the face upward. |