| academicism |
in the arts, rigid adherence to accepted and traditional forms. |
| accretion |
the process of gradual increase or growth, especially by additions from the outside. |
| aggregate |
a sum, combination, or composite of separable elements. |
| antediluvian |
hopelessly old-fashioned; primitive; outdated. |
| austerity |
a tightened or stringent economy, as when there are high taxes, frozen wages, and shortages of consumer goods. |
| conduction |
the transmission or transfer, as of heat, electrical charges, or nervous impulses, through a medium. |
| deign |
to consider some act to be appropriate or in keeping with one's dignity; condescend. |
| goad |
something that spurs a person to action; stimulus. |
| inflection |
change that occurs in the form of words to show a grammatical characteristic such as the tense of a verb, the number of a noun, or the degree of an adjective or adverb. |
| luminary |
a famous, important, or inspirational person. |
| peroration |
the concluding part of a speech in which there is a summing up of the principal points. |
| recidivism |
chronic return to bad habits, especially criminal relapse. |
| redoubtable |
inspiring fear; formidable. |
| rodomontade |
puffed-up boasting or bravado. |
| seminal |
of critical importance; essential. |