| antebellum |
in or of the period prior to a war, especially the American Civil War. |
| boudoir |
a woman's private sitting room or bedroom. |
| contumely |
contemptuous insolence; rudeness. |
| disquisition |
a formal, often lengthy, oral or written discussion of a subject. |
| extralegal |
not regulated or permitted by law; outside of legal authority. |
| impinge |
to encroach. |
| lattice |
a flat framework made with strips of wood or other material. The strips cross each other and have open spaces in between. A lattice is often used as a screen on a porch or in a garden. |
| liminal |
of or at the threshold of a physiological or psychological response or change of state. |
| naturalism |
in literature, a method of depicting life that reflects a philosophy of determinism. |
| neologism |
a new word, phrase, or usage. |
| ontogeny |
the process of biological growth and development of a particular living organism. |
| peremptory |
not permitting refusal or disobedience. |
| refulgent |
shining brilliantly; radiant. |
| sententious |
using or marked by pompous, high-flown moralizing. |
| splenetic |
ill-tempered or spiteful. |