fall vocab #11

Affinity - A spontaneous or natural liking or sympathy for someone or something

Bilious - Affected by or associated with nausea or vomiting

Cognate - Having the same linguistic derivation as another; from the same original word or root

Corollary - A proposition that follows from (and is often appended to) one already proved

Cul-de-sac - cul: a passage with access only at one end

Derring-do - brave and heroic feats

Divination - The practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means

Elixir - A magical or medicinal potion

Folderol - Trivial or nonsensical fuss

Gamut - The complete range or scope of something

Hoi polloi - The masses; the common people

Ineffable - Too great or extreme to be expressed or described in words

Lucubration - Study; meditation

Mnemonic - A device such as a pattern of letters, ideas, or associations that assists in remembering something

Obloquy - Strong public criticism or verbal abuse

Parameter - A numerical or other measurable factor forming one of a set that defines a system or sets the conditions of its operation

Pundit - An expert in a particular subject or field who is frequently called on to give opinions about it to the public

Risible - Such as to provoke laughter

Symptomatic - Serving as a symptom or sign, esp. of something undesirable 

Volte-face - About-face: a major change in attitude or principle or point of view