| appellation |
a name, title, or other designation. |
| asceticism |
self-discipline and self-denial as a means of spiritual improvement. |
| 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. |
| cachet |
prestige. |
| curmudgeon |
an irritable or ill-tempered person. |
| deracinate |
to pull up by or as if by the roots; uproot; isolate; exile. |
| effluvium |
an outflow of usually invisible, foul-smelling vapor or gas. |
| gambit |
a tactic or maneuver designed to gain an advantage, especially one that involves some sacrifice on one's part. |
| glut |
a greater supply or amount than is needed. |
| gnomic |
short and pithy, as an aphorism. |
| indistinct |
not clearly perceived or perceiving. |
| indomitable |
too strong to be subdued or discouraged; unconquerable. |
| insipid |
having a bland or uninteresting flavor; tasteless. |
| 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. |
| shibboleth |
a slogan, phrase, or belief that characterizes or is held devotedly by a group. |