earthy

(adj.) unrefined

The earthy-looking table was bare.

ebullience

(n.) an overflowing of high spirits; effervescence

She emanated ebullience as she skipped and sang down the hallway after learning of her promotion.

eccentric

(adj.) odd; peculiar; strange

People like to talk with the eccentric artist since he has such different views on everyday subjects.

Wearing polka dot pants and a necklace made of recycled bottle tops is considered eccentric.

ecclesiastic

(adj.) pertaining or relating to a church

Ecclesiastic obligations include attending mass.  eclectic (adj.) picking from various possibilities; made up of material
from various sources You have eclectic taste.

The eclectic collection of furniture did not match.

economical

(adj.) not wasteful; thrifty

With her economical sense she was able to save the company thousands of dollars.

edifice

(n.) a large building

The edifice rose 20 stories and spanned two blocks.  edify (v.) to build or establish; to instruct and improve the mind
According to their schedule, the construction company will edify the foundation of the building in one week.

The teachers worked to edify their students through lessons and discussion.

educe

(v.) to draw out; to infer from information

Because she is so dour, I was forced to educe a response.

I educe from the report that the experiment was a success.

efface

(v.) to erase; to make inconspicuous

Hiding in the woods, the soldier was effaced by his camouflage uniform.  effeminate (adj.) having qualities attributed to a
woman; delicate A high-pitched laugh made the man seem effeminate.  effervescence (n.) liveliness; spirit; enthusiasm;
bubbliness Her effervescence was contagious; she made everyone around her happy.

The effervescence of champagne is what makes it different from wine.

effigy

(n.) the image or likeness of a person

Demonstrators carried effigies of the dictator they wanted overthrown.  effluvium (n.) an outflow of vapor of invisible
particles; a noxious odor The effluvium from the exhaust had a bad smell.  It was difficult to determine from where the
effluvium issued.

effrontery

(n.) arrogance

The effrontery of the young man was offensive.

effusive

(adj.) pouring out or forth; overflowing

The effusive currents rush through the broken dam.  egocentric (adj.) self-centered, viewing everything in relation to
oneself The egocentric professor could not accept the students’ opinions as valid.

egress

(n.) a way out; exit

The doorway provided an egress from the chamber.

elaboration

(n.) act of clarifying; adding details

The mayor called for an elaboration on the ordinance’s first draft.  elegy (n.) a poem of lament and praise for the dead
Upon conclusion of the elegy, the casket was closed.  ellipsis (n.) omission of words that would make the meaning clear
The accidental ellipsis confused all those who heard the speech.

eloquence

(n.) the ability to speak well

The speaker’s eloquence was attributed to his articulate manner of speaking.

elucidate

(v.) to make clear; to explain

In the paper’s conclusion, its purpose was elucidated in one sentence.

elusive

(adj.) hard to catch

Even the experienced, old fisherman admitted that the trout in the river were quite elusive.

emanate

(v.) to emit

Happiness emanates from the loving home.

embarkation

(v.) to engage or invest in

The embarkation into self-employment was a new start for the woman.

embellish

(v.) to improve by adding details

Adding beads to a garment will embellish it.

eminence

(n.) a lofty place; superiority

After toiling in the shadows for years, at last she achieved eminence.  The eminence of the institution can be seen in the
impact of its research.  emollient (adj.) softening or soothing to the skin; having power to soften or relax living tissues
When hands become dry, it may be necessary to soothe them with an emollient lotion.

emulate

(v.) to try to equal or excel

The neophyte teacher was hoping to emulate her mentor.

enamored

(adj.) filled with love and desire

The young couple are enamored with each other.

encomium

(n.) formal expression of high praise

The sitcom actress gave her co-stars a long encomium as she accepted her Emmy.

encroach

(v.) to trespass or intrude

It is unlawful to encroach on another’s private property.  encumber (v.) to hold back; to hinder; to burden, load down The
review of the ethic’s committee encumbered the deal from being finalized.

A brace will encumber the girl’s movement.  endemic (adj.) native to a particular area; constantly present in a particular
country or locality The endemic fauna was of great interest to the anthropologist.  A fast-paced style is endemic to those
who live in New York City.

endorse

(v.) support; to approve of; recommend

The entire community endorsed the politician who promised lower taxes and a better school system.  enervate (v.) to
weaken; to deprive of nerve or strength The sickness enervates its victims until they can no longer get out of bed.

enfeeble

(v.) to make weak

The illness will enfeeble anyone who catches it.  enfranchised (v.) to free from obligation; to admit to citizenship The
player was enfranchised when the deal was called off.  The recent immigrants were enfranchised when they took their
oath to their new country.

engender

(v.) to bring about; beget; to bring forth

The group attempted to engender changes to the law.  enhance (v.) to improve; compliment; make more attractive The
new fuel enhanced the performance of the rocket’s engines.

enigma

(n.) mystery; secret; perplexity

To all of the searchers, the missing child’s location remained a great enigma.

enigmatic

(adj.) baffling

The enigmatic murder plagued the detective.

ennui

(n.) boredom; apathy

Ennui set in when the children realized they had already played with all the toys.

eon

(n.) an indefinitely long period of time

The star may have existed for eons.

ephemeral

(adj.) very short-lived; lasting only a short time

Living alone gave him an ephemeral happiness, soon to be replaced with utter loneliness.  epicure (n.) a person who has
good taste in food and drink As an epicure, Lance is choosy about the restaurants he visits.

epigram

(n.) a witty or satirical poem or statement

The poet wrote an epigram about the upcoming election.  epilogue (n.) closing section of a play or novel providing further
comment.  The epilogue told us the destiny of the characters.

epiphany

(n.) an appearance of a supernatural being

The man bowed to the epiphany.

epitaph

(n.) an inscription on a monument; in honor or memory of a dead person The epitaph described the actions of a brave
man.

epitome

(n.) model; typification; representation

The woman chosen to lead the dancers was the epitome of true grace.  equanimity (n.) the quality of remaining calm and
undisturbed Equanimity can be reached when stress is removed from life.  equinox (n.) precise time when day and night
is of equal length On the equinox we had twelve hours of night and day.

equivocal

(adj.) doubtful; uncertain

Scientific evidence was needed before the equivocal hypothesis was accepted by the doubting researchers.

equivocations

(n.) a purposely misleading statement

The equivocations by the man sent the search team looking in the wrong direction. eradication (n.) the act of annihilating,
destroying, or erasing Some have theorized that the eradication of the dinosaurs was due to a radical change in climate.

errant

(adj.) roving in search of adventure

The young man set out across country on an errant expedition.

erratic

(adj.) unpredictable; irregular

His erratic behavior was attributed to the shocking news he had received.

The kitten’s erratic behavior was attributed to the owner’s cruel method of disciplining his pet.

erroneous

(adj.) untrue; inaccurate; not correct

The reporter’s erroneous story was corrected by a new article that stated the truth. erudite (adj.) having a wide knowledge
acquired through reading The woman was so erudite, she could recite points on most any subject.

eschew

(v.) to shun; to avoid

Eschew the traffic and you may arrive on time.  esoteric (adj.) understood by only a chosen few; confidential The esoteric
language was only known by the select group. We have had a number of esoteric conversations.

estimable

(adj.) deserving respect

The estimable hero was given a parade.

ethereal

(adj.) very light; airy; heavenly; not earthly

The ethereal quality of the music had a hypnotic effect.  The dancer wore an ethereal outfit which made her look like an
angel.  ethnic (adj.) pertaining to races or peoples and their origin classification, or characteristics Ethnic foods from five
continents were set up on the table.

eulogy

(n.) words of praise, especially for the dead

The eulogy was a remembrance of the good things the man accomplished in his lifetime.  euphemism (n.) the use of a
word or phrase in place of one that is distasteful The announcer used a euphemism when he wanted to complain.

euphony

(n.) pleasant combination of sounds

The gently singing birds created a beautiful euphony.  The euphony created by the orchestra was due to years of practice.
evanescent (adj.) vanishing quickly; dissipating like a vapor The evanescent mirage could only be seen at a certain angle.

evasion

(n.) the avoiding of a duty

The company was charged with tax evasion, as they did not pay all that they owed.

evoke

(v.) to call forth; provoke

Seeing her only daughter get married evoked tears of happiness from the mother.

Announcement of the results evoked a cheer from the crowd.

exculpate

(v.) to free from guilt

The therapy session will exculpate the man from his guilty feelings.

execute

(v.) to put to death; kill; to carry out; fulfill

The evil, murderous man was executed for killing several innocent children.

I expected him to execute my orders immediately.

exemplary

(adj.) serving as an example; outstanding

The honor student’s exemplary behavior made him a role model to the younger children.

Employees of the month are chosen for their exemplary service to the firm.

exhaustive

(adj.) thorough; complete

It took an exhaustive effort, using many construction workers, to complete the new home by the deadline.

exhume

(v.) to unearth; to reveal

The scientists exhumed the body from the grave to test the body’s DNA.  The next episode will exhume the real betrayer.
exigent (adj.) a situation calling for immediate attention; needing more than is reasonable The exigent request for more
assistance was answered quickly.  The bank seemed to feel that another extension on their loan payment was too
exigent a request to honor.

exonerate

(v.) to declare or prove blameless

Hopefully, the judge will exonerate you of any wrongdoing.  exorbitant (adj.) going beyond what is reasonable; excessive
Paying hundreds of dollars for the dress is an exorbitant amount.

exotic

(adj.) unusual; striking; foreign

Many people asked the name of her exotic perfume.  The menu of authentic Turkish cuisine seemed exotic to them,
considering they were only accustomed to American food.  expedient (adj.) convenient in obtaining a result; guided by self-
interest The mayor chose the more expedient path rather than the more correct one.

There is no expedient method a teenager will not resort to in order to get the keys to a car of their own.

expedite

(v.) to hasten the action of

We can expedite the bank transaction if we tell them it is an emergency.

explicit

(adj.) specific; definite

The explicit recipe gave directions for making a very complicated dessert.

exposition

(n.) setting forth facts

The exposition by the witness substantiated the story given by the prisoner.

expunge

(v.) to blot out; to delete

Bleach may be used to expunge the stain.

extant

(adj.) existing; refers especially to books or documents Some of my ancestor’s letters remain extant.  extemporize (v.) to
improvise; to make it up as you go along It was necessary for the musician to extemporize when his music fell off the
stand.

extol

(v.) to give great praise

The father will extol the success of his son to everyone he meets.

extraneous

(adj.) irrelevant; not related; not essential

During the long, boring lecture, most people agreed that much of the information was extraneous.

extricable

(adj.) capable of being disentangled

The knots were complicated, but extricable.

exultation

(n.) the act of rejoicing

Exultation was evident by the partying and revelry.  facetious (adj.) joking in an awkward or improper manner His facetious
sarcasm was inappropriate during his first staff meeting.

facilitate

(v.) make easier; simplify

The new ramp by the door’s entrance facilitated access to the building for those in wheelchairs.

facsimile

(n.) copy; reproduction; replica

The facsimile of the elaborate painting was indistinguishable from the original.
faction (n.) a number of people in an organization working for a common cause against the main body A faction of the
student body supported the president’s vie .

fallacious

(adj.) misleading

A used car salesman provided fallacious information that caused the naive man to purchase the old, broken car.

fallible

(adj.) liable to be mistaken or erroneous

By not differentiating themselves from the popular band, the group was especially fallible.

fanatic

(n.) enthusiast; extremist

The terrorist group was comprised of fanatics who wanted to destroy those who disagreed with them.

fastidious

(adj.) difficult to please; dainty

The fastidious girl would not accept any offers as suitable.  The woman was extremely fastidious, as evident in her
occasional fainting spells.  fathom (v.; n.) to understand; a nautical unit of depth It was difficult to fathom the reason for
closing the institution.  The submarine cruised at 17 fathoms below the surface.

fatuous

(adj.) lacking in seriousness; vain and silly

The fatuous prank was meant to add comedy to the situation.

His fatuous personality demands that he stop in front of every mirror.

fealty

(n.) loyalty

The baron was given land in exchange for his fealty to the king.

feasible

(adj.) reasonable; practical

Increased exercise is a feasible means of weight loss.

fecund

(adj.) productive

The construction crew had a fecund day and were able to leave early.

feign

(v.) pretend

It is not uncommon for a child to feign illness in order to stay home from school.  feint (v.; n.) to pretend to throw a punch,
as in boxing; a fake show intended to deceive The fighter feinted a left hook just before he went for the knockout.

ferment

(v.) to excite or agitate

The rally cry was meant to ferment and confuse the opponent.  ferret (v.; n.) to force out of hiding; to search for; a small,
weasel-like mammal The police will ferret the fugitive out of his hiding place.

I spent the morning ferreting for my keys

I have a pet ferret.

fervent

(adj.) passionate; intense

They have a fervent relationship that keeps them together every minute of every day.

fervid

(adj.) intensely hot; fervent; impassioned

Her fervid skin alerted the doctor to her fever.

The fervid sermon of the preacher swayed his congregation.

fervor

(n.) passion; intensity of feeling

The crowd was full of fervor as the candidate entered the hall.  fester (v.) to become more and more virulent and fixed His
anger festered until no one could change his mind.

fetid

(adj.) having a smell of decay

The fetid smell led us to believe something was decaying in the basement.  fetish (n.) anything to which one gives
excessive devotion The clay figure of a fertility goddess was a fetish from an ancient civilization.

fetter

(n.) a chain to bind the feet

A fetter kept the dog chained to the fence.

fickle

(adj.) changeable; unpredictable

He is quite fickle; just because he wants something today does not mean he will want it tomorrow.

Because the man was fickle he could not be trusted to make a competent decision.

fidelity

(n.) faithfulness; honesty

His fidelity was proven when he turned in the lost money.

figment

(n.) something made up in the mind

The unicorn on the hill was a figment of his imagination.  finesse (n.) the ability to handle situations with skill and
diplomacy The executor with the most finesse was chosen to meet with the diplomats.

finite

(adj.) measurable; limited; not everlasting

It was discovered decades ago that the universe is not finite; it has unknown limits which cannot be measured.

The finite amount of stored food will soon run out.

fissure

(n.) a cleft or crack

The earthquake caused a fissure which split the cliff face.

flaccid

(adj.) lacking firmness

The old dog’s flaccid tail refused to wag.

flag

(v.) to become weak; to send a message

The smaller animal flagged before the larger one.

flagrant

(adj.) glaringly wrong

The flagrant foul was apparent to everyone.

flamboyant

(adj.) being too showy or ornate

The flamboyant nature of the couple was evident in their loud clothing.

fledgling

(n.; adj.) inexperienced person; beginner

The fledgling mountain climber needed assistance from the more experienced mountaineers.

The course was not recommended for fledgling skiers.

flinch

(v.) wince; drawback; retreat

The older brother made his younger sister flinch when he jokingly tried to punch her arm.

flippant

(adj.) talkative; disrespectful

The youngsters were flippant in the restaurant.

The teacher became upset with the flippant answer from the student.

flout

(v.) to mock or jeer

Do not flout an opponent if you believe in fair play.

fluency

(n.) ability to write easily and expressively

The child’s fluency in Spanish and English was remarkable.  The immigrant acquired a fluency in English after studying
for only two months.

flux

(n.) a flow; a continual change

With the flux of new students into the school, space was limited.

foist

(v.) to falsely identify as real

The smuggler tried to foist the cut glass as a priceless gem.

foray

(v.) to raid for spoils, plunder

The soldiers were told not to foray the town.

forbearance

(n.) patience; self-restraint

He exhibited remarkable forbearance when confronted with the mischievous children.

forensic

(adj.) pertaining to legal or public argument

The forensic squad dealt with the legal investigation.  formidable (adj.) something which causes dread or fear The
formidable team caused weak knees in the opponents.

fortitude

(n.) firm courage; strength

It is necessary to have fortitude to complete the hike.

fortuitous

(adj.) happening accidentally

Finding the money under the bush was fortuitous.

foster

(v.) encourage; nurture; support

A good practice routine fosters success.

After the severe storm the gardener fostered many of his plants back to health.

fractious

(adj.) rebellious; apt to quarrel

Fractious siblings aggravate their parents.

fraught

(adj.) loaded; charged

The comment was fraught with sarcasm.

frenetic

(adj.) frenzied

A frenetic call was made from the crime scene.

fret

(v.) to make rough or disturb

The pet will fret the floor if he continues to scratch.

frivolity

(adj.) giddiness; lack of seriousness

The hard-working students deserved weekend gatherings filled with frivolity.  forward (adj.) not willing to yield or comply
with what is reasonable The executive had to deal with a froward peer who was becoming increasingly difficult.

frugality

(n.) thrift; economical use or expenditure

His frugality limited him to purchasing the item for which he had a coupon.

Preparing to save money to send their daughter to college, the parents practiced extreme frugality for several years.

fulminate

(v.) to blame, denunciate

It is impolite to fulminate someone for your mistakes.  Senator Shay fulminated against her opponent’s double-standard
on campaign finance reform.

fulsome

(adj.) disgusting due to excess

The man became obese when he indulged in fulsome eating.

fundamental

(adj.) basic; necessary

Shelter is one of the fundamental needs of human existence.

furtive

(adj.) secretive; sly

The detective had much difficulty finding the furtive criminal.

fustian

(n.) pompous talk or writing

The fustian by the professor made him appear arrogant.

futile

(adj.) worthless; unprofitable

It was a futile decision to invest in that company since they never made any money.

gaffe

(n.) a blunder

Calling the woman by the wrong name was a huge gaffe.

gainsay

(v.) to speak against; to contradict; to deny

With Senator Bowker the only one to gainsay it, the bill passed overwhelmingl. galvanize (v.) to stimulate as if by electric
shock; startle; excite The pep rally will galvanize the team.  gamut (n.) a complete range; any complete musical scale The
woman’s wardrobe runs the gamut from jeans to suits.  His first composition covered the entire gamut of the major scale.

garbled

(adj.) mixed up; distorted or confused

The interference on the phone line caused the data to become garbled on the computer screen.

garish

(adj.) gaudy, showy

The gold fixtures seemed garish.

garner

(v.) to gather up and store; to collect

The squirrels garnered nuts for the winter.

garrulous

(adj.) extremely talkative or wordy

No one wanted to speak with the garrulous man for fear of being stuck in a long, one-sided conversation.

gauche

(adj.) awkward; lacking social grace

Unfortunately, the girl was too gauche to fit into high society.

gauntlet

(n.) a protective glove

The gauntlet saved the man’s hand from being burned in the fire.

generic

(adj.) common; general; universal

While generic drugs are often a better value, it always a good idea to consult your doctor before purchasing them.

genial

(adj.) contributing to life; amiable

Key West’s genial climate is among its many attractive aspects.

Her genial personality made her a favorite party guest.

genre

(adj.) designating a type of film or book

The genre of the book is historical fiction.

germane

(adj.) pertinent; related; to the point

Her essay contained germane information, relevant to the new Constitutional amendment.  gerrymander (v.) to gain
advantage by manipulating unfairly To gerrymander during negotiations is considered unfair.

gibber

(v.) to rapidly speak unintelligibly

They did not want him to represent their position in front of the committee since he
was prone to gibbering when speaking in front of an audience.  glib (adj.) smooth
and slippery; speaking or spoken in a smooth manner The salesman was so glib that
the customers failed to notice the defects in the stereo.

gloat

(v.) brag; glory over

She gloated over the fact that she received the highest score on the exam, annoying
her classmates to no end.

glutton

(n.) overeater

The glutton ate 12 hot dogs

gnarled

(adj.) full of knots; twisted

The raven perched in the gnarled branches of the ancient tree.  goad (n.; v.) a driving impulse; to push into action His
goad urged him to pursue the object of his affection.  Thinking about money will goad him into getting a job.

gourmand

(n.) one who eats eagerly

A gourmand may eat several servings of an entree.

grandiose

(adj.) magnificent; flamboyant

His grandiose idea was to rent a plane to fly to Las Vegas for the night.

gravity

(n.) seriousness

The gravity of the incident was sufficient to involve the police and the FBI.

gregarious

(adj.) fond of the company of others

Gregarious people may find those jobs with human contact more enjoyable than jobs that isolate them from the public.

guffaw

(n.) boisterous laughter

A comedian’s success is assured when the audience gives forth a guffaw following his jokes.

guile

(n.) slyness; deceit

By using his guile, the gambler almost always won at the card table.

guise

(n.) appearance

The undercover detective, under the guise of friendship, offered to help the drug runner make a connection.

gullible

(adj.) easily fooled

Gullible people are vulnerable to practical jokes.