| asperity |
harshness or roughness, especially of tone or manner. |
| astringent |
a substance or drug that contracts body tissue and slows discharge or secretion. |
| bereft |
deprived or stripped of something. |
| conversant |
familiar; acquainted; practiced (usually followed by "with" or "in"). |
| cynosure |
a thing or person that is the center of attention and admiration. |
| effete |
marked by excessive refinement or delicateness of taste. |
| elide |
to leave out or slur, as a syllable or letter, in pronunciation. |
| facetious |
not serious; humorous or frivolous. |
| incredulous |
not able to believe something. |
| pathos |
a quality in life or art that evokes pity, sadness, or compassion. |
| pedagogy |
the act, process, or profession of teaching. |
| plaudit |
(often plural) an enthusiastic show of approval, such as a round of applause or a very favorable review. |
| profligate |
totally given over to immoral and shameful pursuits; dissolute. |
| stative |
in grammar, of or designating a category of verbs that express state or condition. |
| stipple |
a method of painting, drawing, or engraving by applying small points, dots, or dabs to a surface. |