Cavernous adj. Resembling a cavern, as in depth, vastness, or effect: a cavernous hole; cavernous echoes.

Clandestine adj. 1. Kept or done in secret, often in order to conceal an illicit or improper purpose. “The CIA maintains clandestine operations in many countries.”

Eponym n. A person whose name is or is thought to be the source of the name of something, such as a city or country. “George Washington is the eponym of Washington DC.”

Monolithic adj. 1. Massive, solid, and uniform: “The monolithic cathedral.” 2. Large and unchanging: massive, uniform in character, and slow to change

Eccentric adj. 1. Departing from a recognized, conventional, or established norm or pattern. 2. n. One that deviates markedly from an established norm, especially a person of odd or unconventional behavior. “His eccentricities now extend to never leaving his home.”

Dexterous adj. Skillful in the use of the hands. Having mental skill or adroitness; clever. Done with dexterity. “A dexterous wood craftsman.”

Impugn tr.v. To attack as false or questionable; challenge in argument: “To impugn a political opponent’s record.”

Gothic adj. 1. Relating to an architectural style reflecting the influence of the medieval Gothic. 2. Relating to a style of fiction characterized by the use of desolate or remote settings and macabre, mysterious, or violent incidents.

Nocturnal adj. Occurring or coming out at night: “A nocturnal lifestyle.”

Aesthetic(s) adj. 1. Of or concerning the appreciation of beauty or good taste. 2. Characterized by a heightened sensitivity to beauty. “The aesthetic design of the building is amazing!”

Enervate tr.v. 1. To weaken or destroy the strength or vitality. 2. Lacking physical, mental, or moral vigor. “Prolonged exposure to the sun and dehydration enervated the desert racing team.”

Tempestuous adj. Tumultuous; stormy: “A tempestuous relationship.”

Attrition n. 1. A gradual, natural reduction in membership or personnel, as through retirement, resignation, or death. 2. A gradual diminution in number or strength. “The company’s attrition rate was quite high.”

Insidious adj. 1. Working or spreading harmfully in a subtle or stealthy manner: insidious rumors; an insidious disease. 2. Beguiling but harmful; alluring: insidious pleasures.

Apathetic adj. 1. Feeling or showing little or no emotion; unresponsive. 2. Feeling or showing a lack of interest or concern; indifferent. “He seemed very apathetic about the company’s closure.”

Cornucopia n. A large amount of something; a great supply, an abundance: “A cornucopia of employment opportunities.”

Solicitous adj. 1. Marked by or given to anxious care and often hovering attentiveness. 2. Extremely careful; meticulous: “solicitous in matters of behavior.” 3. Anxious or concerned: “a solicitous parent.”

Attenuate v. 1. To reduce in force, value, amount, or degree; weaken: “The layoffs attenuated the company’s sales forecast.”

Intuitive adj. Known automatically: known directly and instinctively, without being discovered or consciously perceived. “He intuitively knew that one day she would become a movie star.”

visual quality of the out-of-focus areas of a photographic image, especially as rendered by a particular lens.

The bokeh produced by a mirror lens renders out-of-focus points of light as little rings!

Cathartic adj. Producing a feeling of being purified emotionally, spiritually, or psychologically as a result of an intense emotional experience or therapeutic technique. “The strength of the movie had a cathartic effect on her.”

Redact(ed) tr.v. Edit something: to edit, revise, or delete content in preparation for publication. “The documents were redacted so personal information wasn’t released to the public.”

Circuitous adj. Being or taking a roundabout, lengthy course: “He took a circuitous route to avoid traffic.”

Effusive adj. 1. Unrestrained or excessive in emotional expression; gushy: “An effusive manner.” 2. Profuse; overflowing: “effusive praise.”

Epochal adj. 1. Highly significant or important; momentous: “Epochal decisions made by the president.” 2. Without parallel: “Epochal stupidity.”

Voracity; Voracious adj. Consuming or eager to consume great amounts of food; ravenous. 2. Having or marked by an insatiable appetite for an activity or pursuit; greedy: “A voracious reader.”

Venality n. 1. The condition of being susceptible to bribery or corruption. 2. The use of a position of trust for dishonest gain: “The venality of a corrupt judge.”

Egregious adj. Conspicuously bad or offensive. “The judge’s conduct was egregious.”

Auspices n.pl. 1. With the protection or support of someone or something, especially an organization: “Financial aid is being provided under the auspices of NATO.”

Salient adj.  1. Strikingly conspicuous; prominent.  “A salient argument.”

Embellish tr.v. 1. To make beautiful, as by ornamentation; decorate. 2. To add fictitious details to exaggerate the truth: “A dramatic account that embellished the true story.”

Analogous adj. 1. Similar or alike in such a way as to permit the drawing of an analogy. “The brain and the Acme 1000 supercomputer are analogous to each other.”

Metaphor n. A figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates one thing is used to designate something else. Example: “She was drowning in money.”

Indigenous adj. Originating and living or occurring naturally in an area or environment. “The cactus is indigenous to Arizona.”

Progeny [prog·e·ny] n.pl. 1. Something that originates or results from something else; outcome; issue. 2. A result of creative effort; a product.

Causative adj. 1. Indicative that the subject causes an act to be performed or a condition to come into being. “A causative factor of war.”

Ambivalence n. 1. Uncertainty or indecisiveness as to which course to follow. 2. The coexistence of opposing attitudes or feelings, such as love and hate, toward a person, object, or idea.

Litigious adj. Of, relating to, or characterized by litigation.
Tending to engage in lawsuits. A litigious celebrity.

Gratuitous Gratuitous adj. 1. Given or granted without return or recompense; unearned. 2. Unnecessary or unwarranted; unjustified: A gratuitous remark.

Aplomb n.  Self-confident assurance, skill, and poise – especially in difficult or challenging circumstances.

Arduous adj. 1. Demanding great effort or labor; difficult. “An arduous undertaking.” 2. Testing severely the powers of endurance; strenuous. “A long and arduous process.”

Antithesis n.pl. 1. Direct contrast; opposition. 2. The direct or exact opposite. “Hope is the antithesis of despair.”

Aplomb n.  Self-confident assurance, skill, and poise – especially in difficult or challenging circumstances.

Pervicacious adj. Stubborn, extremely willful, obstinate. “He became quite pervicacious in his old age.”

Accoutrement n. Additional items of dress or equipment, carried or worn by a person or used for a particular activity. The General dressed for battle in shining accoutrements.”

Vernacular n. The language or dialect spoken by the ordinary people in a particular country or region. An idiomatic word, phrase, or expression. The idiom of a particular trade or profession: “In the legal vernacular.”

Deciduous adj. Not permanent or lasting; ephemeral. “The fire created a deciduous outlook for the company.”

Pedantic adj. 1. Characterized by a narrow, often ostentatious concern for book learning and formal rules. “A pedantic attention to details.”

Vexatious adj. 1. Full of annoyance or distress; harassed. 2. Causing or creating vexation; annoying. “Her ex-husband put her in a vexatious situation.”