| castellated |
constructed with turrets and battlements like a castle. |
| cognoscente |
someone who has exceptional knowledge in a given area, especially of fashion, literature, or the fine arts; connoisseur. |
| deracinate |
to pull up by or as if by the roots; uproot; isolate; exile. |
| exegesis |
a critical explanation or interpretive analysis, especially of religious texts. |
| garble |
to mix up, distort, or confuse (a message, translation, or the like); cause to be disordered or unintelligible. |
| kismet |
destiny, fortune, or fate. |
| mendicant |
living on charity; begging. |
| perilous |
causing or involving great danger; risky; hazardous. |
| putrefaction |
the act or process of rotting or decomposing. |
| reconnoiter |
to go through or over (an area) so as to gain information about it, as for military or engineering purposes. |
| sagacious |
possessing or characterized by good judgment and common sense; wise. |
| seminal |
of critical importance; essential. |
| sepsis |
infection, especially by pus-forming bacteria in the blood or tissues. |
| shibboleth |
a slogan, phrase, or belief that characterizes or is held devotedly by a group. |
| stickler |
one who must observe or conform to something (usually followed by "for"). |