| antediluvian |
hopelessly old-fashioned; primitive; outdated. |
| astringent |
a substance or drug that contracts body tissue and slows discharge or secretion. |
| comity |
mutual courtesy and respectful treatment among people or nations. |
| encomium |
a formal expression of praise. |
| flagitious |
viciously or shamefully wicked; infamous. |
| fungible |
interchangeable. |
| guru |
in a cult or religious movement, a spiritual guide or leader, sometimes believed to be divine. |
| lapidary |
an expert on or dealer in gemstones. |
| limn |
to paint or draw. |
| naturalism |
in literature, a method of depicting life that reflects a philosophy of determinism. |
| obtrusive |
aggressive and self-assertive, or inclined to be so. |
| precursory |
coming before and serving to indicate what will follow; premonitory. |
| reconnoiter |
to go through or over (an area) so as to gain information about it, as for military or engineering purposes. |
| stridulate |
to produce a shrill grating, creaking, or chirping sound by rubbing certain parts of the body together, as some insects do. |
| voluble |
characterized by a steady flow of words; fluent; talkative. |