Impervious describes that which does not allow something (such as water or light) to enter or pass through. It is also used formally to mean “not bothered or affected by something.” Both senses of impervious are usually used with to.

// The material is impervious to water.

// The mayor seems impervious to criticism.

Something described as apotropaic is designed or intended to avert evil.

// The etchings are believed to be associated with ancient apotropaic rituals.

Uncanny is typically used to describe something that is strange or unusual in a way that is surprising or difficult to understand. It can also describe something that seems to have a supernatural character or origin.

// The child has an uncanny ability to recognize streets and locations she's seen only once or twice before.

// The lights suddenly flickered, and we were both overcome with an eerie, uncanny feeling.

Modicum is a formal word that means “a small amount.” It is almost always used with of.

// The band enjoyed a modicum of success in the early 2010s before becoming an international sensation.

Bumptious describes people who are rudely and often noisily confident or over-assertive. It can also be applied to actions or behaviors that show this same attitude.

// Our host apologized for the bumptious party guest who caused a scene before being asked to leave.

Risible is a formal word used disapprovingly to describe things that deserve to be mocked or laughed at because they are absurd or unreasonable.

// Although the teachers derided the students’ slang as risible nonsense, the same had been said about their own generation’s lingo.

A ziggurat is an ancient Mesopotamian temple consisting of a pyramidal structure built in successive stages with outside staircases and a shrine at the top. The word ziggurat is also sometimes used for a similarly shaped structure.

// Ancient ziggurats were always built with a core of mud brick and an exterior covered with baked brick. They had no internal chambers and were usually square or rectangular.