| baneful |
causing or leading to death, destruction, or ruin; harmful or deadly. |
| dearth |
a shortage or scarcity of something; lack. |
| declivity |
a downward or descending slope. |
| effluvium |
an outflow of usually invisible, foul-smelling vapor or gas. |
| extenuate |
to reduce the magnitude or seriousness of (a fault or offense) by offering partial excuses. |
| extrinsic |
not inherent or essential; extraneous. |
| germane |
having relevance to a given matter; pertinent; significant. |
| linguistics |
(used with a singular verb) the scientific and historical study of the form and structure of human language. |
| modus operandi |
a method of accomplishing something; way of working. |
| parvenu |
a person who has suddenly acquired wealth or status, without acquiring the tastes, manners, customs, or the like of his or her new station. |
| perquisite |
a payment or benefit in addition to the wages or salary associated with a position. |
| pungency |
sharpness or bite in taste or smell. |
| saturnine |
gloomy, sullen, or cynical in temperament or appearance. |
| savor |
to give an impression; hint (usually followed by "of"). |
| stative |
in grammar, of or designating a category of verbs that express state or condition. |