| apocryphal |
of dubious authorship or authority. |
| apotheosis |
a perfect or ideal example; epitome. |
| atavism |
the recurrence or reappearance of a particular trait, style, attitude, or behavior that seemed to have disappeared, or that which has recurred or reappeared after such an absence. |
| disquisition |
a formal, often lengthy, oral or written discussion of a subject. |
| encomium |
a formal expression of praise. |
| figurehead |
a person whose title sounds important but who has no real power. |
| germane |
having relevance to a given matter; pertinent; significant. |
| goad |
something that spurs a person to action; stimulus. |
| irrefragable |
impossible to refute or dispute; undeniable. |
| meretricious |
appealing or attracting in a cheap, showy, or shallow way. |
| nonfeasance |
in law, failure to perform a required duty, as by a public official. |
| obscurantism |
a deliberate lack of clarity or directness of expression, as in certain styles of art or literature. |
| remonstrate |
to say in opposition, protest, or objection. |
| sagacious |
possessing or characterized by good judgment and common sense; wise. |
| sententious |
using or marked by pompous, high-flown moralizing. |