| acclivity |
a rising slope. |
| aleatory |
pertaining to or depending on luck, chance, or contingency. |
| apotheosis |
a perfect or ideal example; epitome. |
| atonement |
the act of making reparation for a sin, crime, error, or the like. |
| cantankerous |
irritable, stubborn, and quarrelsome. |
| caste |
the status conferred by the class to which one belongs. |
| condone |
to pardon, disregard, or overlook voluntarily or without condemning. |
| deterge |
to cleanse, wash, or wipe off. |
| diatribe |
a bitter, abusive attack in speech or writing. |
| fixation |
an obsession, especially one that interferes with normal functioning. |
| foible |
a minor flaw or weakness in personality, character, or behavior. |
| linguistics |
(used with a singular verb) the scientific and historical study of the form and structure of human language. |
| maverick |
a person who thinks and behaves independently, especially one who refuses to adhere to the orthodoxy of the group to which he or she belongs. |
| syntax |
the word order or pattern of word order in a sentence. |
| veneration |
a feeling of great respect; awe; reverence. |