| conduction |
the transmission or transfer, as of heat, electrical charges, or nervous impulses, through a medium. |
| decedent |
in law, one who has died. |
| diatribe |
a bitter, abusive attack in speech or writing. |
| erratic |
not expected or predicted; not regular. |
| gnomic |
short and pithy, as an aphorism. |
| humanism |
a doctrine or mode of thought that gives highest importance to human dignity, values, potentials, and achievements. |
| incursion |
a raid or sudden invasion. |
| neophyte |
a beginner or novice at any activity. |
| paroxysm |
a sudden strong outburst of feelings or actions. |
| perquisite |
a payment or benefit in addition to the wages or salary associated with a position. |
| quadrant |
any of the four parts that result when an area is divided by two lines, real or imaginary, that intersect each other at right angles. |
| sanguine |
having an optimistic temperament or outlook. |
| Saturnalia |
an occasion of unrestrained revelry. |
| scabrous |
characterized by a rough or scaly surface, as the leaf of a plant. |
| topography |
the shape of the earth's surface across an area or region. The topography of an area includes the size and location of hills and dips in the land. |