| antecedent |
an event, circumstance, or thing coming before another. |
| bifurcation |
the act or result of dividing into two branches, or the state of being so divided. |
| certitude |
the state, condition, or feeling of freedom from uncertainty or doubt. |
| constituent |
forming a part of something. |
| denunciation |
the act of verbally condemning or attacking. |
| dissonant |
not in harmony or agreement; discordant. |
| fraudulent |
characterized by or based on the use of deceit or trickery. |
| infamy |
evil or shameful reputation. |
| insular |
closed to new ideas; narrow-minded. |
| nub |
the main point, gist, or essence of something. |
| paucity |
smallness of number or amount; scarcity. |
| rebuff |
to reject, repel, block, or set back. |
| rudiment |
(often plural) something in an initial, imperfect, or undeveloped form. |
| tome |
a large thick book, often one of a multivolume scholarly work. |
| veneer |
a superficial outward appearance or show. |