Educational

dissemble

[dih-sem-buhl]

to give a false or misleading appearance to; conceal the truth or real nature of

validate

[val-i-deyt ]

to make valid; substantiate; confirm

excoriate

[ik-skawr-ee-eyt]

to denounce or berate severely; flay verbally

deleterious

[del-i-teer-ee-uhs]

injurious to health

solder

[sod-er]

to join closely and intimately

nonsensical

[non-sen-si-kuhl]

having little or no meaning; making little or no sense

remunerative

[ri-myoo-ner-uh-tiv]

affording remuneration; profitable

sigil

[sij-il]

a pictorial symbol used in ritualistic magic and supposed to have supernatural power

portend

[pawr-tend]

to indicate in advance; to foreshadow or presage, as an omen does

calumny

[kal-uhm-nee]

a false and malicious statement designed to injure the reputation of someone or something

anchorite

[ang-kuh-rahyt]

a person who has retired to a solitary place for a life of religious seclusion

incumbent

[in-kuhm-buhnt]

necessary for (someone) as a duty or responsibility

caducity

[kuh-doo-si-tee]

the infirmity or weakness of old age; senility

zwetschenwasser

[zwet-shun-waz-er]

a colorless plum brandy with a bitter almond taste

persnickety

[per-snik-i-tee]

requiring painstaking care

shibboleth

[shib-uh-lith]

a common saying or belief with little current meaning or truth

viscous

[vis-kuhs]

of a glutinous nature or consistency; sticky; thick; adhesive

diphthong

[dif-thawng]

a sound formed by the combination of two vowels in a single syllable, in which the sound begins as one vowel and moves toward another (as in coin, loud, and side)

pontificate

[pon-tif-i-keyt]

(in the Roman Catholic Church) officiate as bishop, especially at Mass

coruscating

[kawr-uh-skeyt-ing]

flashing or sparkling

tautology

[taw-tol-uh-jee]

needless repetition of an idea, especially in words other than those of the immediate context, without imparting additional force or clearness, as in "widow woman"

endemic

[en-dem-ik]

natural to or characteristic of a specific people or place; native; indigenous

vernal

[vur-nl]

of, in, or appropriate to spring

imprecate

[im-pri-keyt]

to invoke or call down (evil or curses), as upon a person