The Words You Should Know to Sound Smart (13 page)

overweening
(OH-ver-WEE-ning), adjective

Extremely presumptuous, arrogant, and overconfident.

oxidation
(oks-ih-DAY-shin), noun

A chemical reaction that increases the oxygen content of a compound or material.

When Carlton viewed the wreck of the Titanic from the window of a submersible, he was shocked to see how OXIDATION had ravaged the ship.

oxymoron
(ok-see-MORE-on), noun

A phrase made by combining two words that are contradictory or incongruous.

Melissa sheepishly used the OXYMORON “accidentally on purpose” to explain to her father why her emergency credit card included a charge for $500 Manolo Blahnik heels.

palaver
(pa-LAH-ver), noun

A rambling, meandering stream-of-consciousness conversation spoken to prove or make a point.

Don’t ask Eileen about collecting art. The result will be twenty minutes of mind-numbing PALAVER.

palimpsest
(PAL-imp-sest), noun

A parchment manuscript on which the text is written over older, earlier text, much like an oil portrait or landscape painted over another painting.

The newest addition to the Pattersons’ rare manuscript collection turned out to be a PALIMPSEST, covering a text nearly 1,000 years old.

palindrome
(pal-in-DROHM), noun

A word or sentence that reads the same forwards as backwards.

At private school, Evelyn learned about PALINDROMES, including, “Madam, I’m Adam.”

palliate
(PAL-ee-ate), verb

To treat a patient so that his symptoms abate even though he still has the disease.

We introduced Amanda to Roberto, in attempt to PALLIATE the broken heart that Amanda suffered over her breakup with one of the scions of the Chesterfield family.

pallid
(PAL-id), adjective

A wan, sickly, washed-out appearance indicating illness or weakness, or lack of energy, strength, and vitality.

Many of us maintain a PALLID pallor because we want to make it clear that we do not need to go outdoors unless we so choose.

palpable
(PAL-pah-bull), adjective

Refers to something so strong or intense that its presence is impossible to ignore.

When Alistair did not give Lorissa the luxury watch she was expecting for her birthday, the silence was PALPABLE.

panacea
(pan-uh-SEE-uh), noun

A universal solution for all problems, diseases, or woes.

Parents today see buying their kids everything they want as a PANACEA for misery, boredom, and unhappiness.

pandemic
(pan-DEM-ik), noun

An outbreak of a disease that threatens to spread rapidly and endanger the population of an entire nation or planet.

Many scientists feared that Asian bird flu would become a pandemic.

Pangaea
(pan-GEE-uh), noun

A single massive continent that comprised all the land on the Earth before the crust shifted and the
Pangaea
divided into many smaller continents.

The PANGAEA existed until Mesozoic times, when it divided into two separate continents.

panoply
(PAN-oh-plee), noun

A complete or impressive collection; a splendid or abundant array.

The gallery offered a PANOPLY of African face masks.

pantheon
(PAN-thee-on), noun

The group of all the gods of a particular religion or culture, or a group of important people in a particular field or region.

The sons of Odin, Thor and Loki, represent good and evil in the PANTHEON of the Norse gods.

paradigm
(PAH-ruh-dyme), noun

An observation or discovery in conflict with known facts, beliefs, and theories.

The new PARADIGM for fashion, according to Sasha, is extremely expensive clothes that look as inexpensive as possible.

paradox
(PAIR-uh-doks), noun

A seemingly absurd and self-contradicting situation that seems impossible but may in fact be true.

The article profiled a man who was a real PARADOX; he was grossly overweight, yet had tremendous athletic stamina.

parameter
(pah-RAM-ih-terr), noun

A factor or variable that must be taken into account when solving a problem or understanding a situation.

The weight of Paul’s grand piano is a PARAMETER that must be taken into account when building the mansion’s new music room and ballroom.

parity
(PAH-rih-tee), noun

The condition of everyone being more or less equal.

The firemen received a raise to help them achieve pay PARITY with the sanitation workers and police department.

parlance
(PAR-lunss), noun

To speak in the vernacular or jargon used by a particular industry, profession, or group.

By using the terms “discourse,” “pedagogy,” and “literary criticism,” the professors spoke in the PARLANCE of academia.

parsimonious
(par-sih-MOAN-ee-us), adjective

To be conservative in spending and tight with a dollar; to agree to part with money or other resources only grudgingly and after much cajoling.

Esmerelda can be surprisingly PARSIMONIOUS, considering that her family’s fortune is among the greatest possessed by our social contacts.

pathological
(path-a-LODGE-ick-uhl), adjective

Compulsive in nature; possessing of a belief system or mindset that makes one unable to resist repetition of a particular type of behavior, e.g., a
pathological
liar.

Diane’s PATHOLOGICAL need for attention has caused her, on more than one occasion, to plant lies about herself in the society pages.

paucity
(PAW-city), noun

A lack of something, a small supply or limited selection.

“It is very strange, and very melancholy, that the PAUCITY of human pleasures should persuade us ever to call hunting one of them.” – Samuel Johnson, British moralist and poet

pecuniary
(pih-KYOO-nee-air-ee), adjective

Something related to money.

Because all of Craig’s articles had a strong PECUNIARY slant, his editor moved him from the features page to the finance page.

pedagogue
(PED-ah-gog), noun

A strict, humorless, no-nonsense teacher.

“The negative cautions of science are never popular. If the experimentalist would not commit himself, the social philosopher, the preacher, and the PEDAGOGUE tried the harder to give a short-cut answer.” – Margaret Mead, American cultural anthropologist

pedantry
(PEH-dan-tree), noun

An obsessive behavior of being proper and technically correct down to the last detail.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge defined PEDANTRY as “the use of words unsuitable to the time, place, and company.”

pejorative
(pih-JOR-a-tiv), adjective

Insulting; meant as a put-down or to belittle the other person.

“Wordsmith” is a corporate term used to denote someone who is a good writer, but professional writers see it as PEJORATIVE.

penitent
(PEN-ih-tent), adjective

Feeling sorry and regretful that you have done something wrong.

According to Ambrose Bierce’s jaded view, the PENITENT are typically those undergoing or awaiting punishment.

penultimate
(pen-UHL-tah-met), adjective

Next to last in importance.

The Whittingtons’ Christmas gala is the PENULTIMATE party of the social season.

per capita
(per-KA-pih-tah), adjective

Per person; pertaining to a single individual.

We find it satisfying to mull over the fact that the PER CAPITA income among our social contacts is greater than that of many countries.

perfervid
(per-FUR-vid), adjective

Overly intense and passionate; overblown and dramatic.

We laughed at the distastefully PERFERVID love letters that Roland sent to Germaine.

perfunctory
(per-FUNK-ter-ee), adjective

Implemented or executed quickly, without much care or thought put into it.

“The tale is so contrived and PERFUNCTORY that many readers will be tempted to skip to the real story in the second half of the book.” – Tim Parks, British novelist

peripatetic
(per-ih-pa-TET-ik), adjective

Someone who wanders from career to career, job to job, company to company, or place to place, seemingly without a clear goal or definiteness of purpose.

While waiting to receive his trust fund at age thirty, Giles lived a PERIPATETIC lifestyle.

periphery
(puh-RIFF-uh-ree), noun

The outermost part or boundary; the outside edge.

Craig’s plans are always on the PERIPHERY of what could charitably be called normal behavior.

permeate
(PUR-mee-ayt), verb

To penetrate; to spread throughout.

The scent of Donna’s exclusive perfume quickly PERMEATED the entrance hall of the Blakelys’ stately home.

pernicious
(purr-NISH-us), adjective

Resulting in damage or harm; having a debilitating effect.

We believe that, once the producers of luxury items become publicly traded companies, the results will be PERNICIOUS.

perturbation
(purr-ter-BAY-shun), noun

Originally used to describe the phenomenon of one planet’s gravitational field throwing another planet’s orbit slightly out of kilter. Today,
perturbation
refers more generally to any disturbance that alters the normal state or function of a system, moving object, person, or process.

petulant
(PET-chew-lant), adjective

Describes someone who sulks, complains, or whines because he or she is acting immaturely or is ill-tempered.

Emma was sick and tired of her husband’s PETULANT pouting.

phalanx
(FAY-lanks), noun

A large division or group of soldiers grouped closely together in an orderly fashion for marching or fighting.

Philip of Macedon armed each man with a long spear so the PHALANX bristled like a porcupine.

Pharisee
(FAH-ree-see), noun

A person who is self-righteous and hypocritical.

The state Attorney General was a PHARISEE who prosecuted others for the same crimes he was secretly committing himself.

philanthropist
(fill-ANN-throw-pist), noun

A person who generously gives his or her time, energy, and money to charity.

Bill Gates is the most proactive PHILANTHROPIST out of all the billionaires who care to invest their time in contributing to charitable causes.

philistine
(FILL-ih-steen), noun

A crude and ignorant person who is disinterested in and does not appreciate culture and the arts.

“A PHILISTINE is a full-grown person whose interests are of a material and commonplace nature, and whose mentality is formed of the stock ideas and conventional ideals of his or her group and time.” – Vladimir Nabokov, Russian-American novelist

phoenix
(FEE-niks), noun

A mythical bird about the size of an eagle, but with brilliantly colored plumage, that dies by fire and then is reborn from the ashes.

One day the PHOENIX appeared in the forests of France, and legend has it that all the other birds became instantly jealous.

pied-a-terre
(pyed-ah-TARE), noun

A second home or apartment, usually small, used as a place to stay for short trips to the location in lieu of renting a hotel room.

We were amazed that Alison and her family could survive in a PIED-A-TERRE containing just 2,500 square feet.

piety
(PIE-eh-tee), noun

Devoutly religious behavior, especially when exhibited publicly to let others know how pious you are.

“The path of true PIETY is so plain as to require but little political direction.” – George Washington

pique
(PEEK), noun, verb

To generate interest or curiosity; a feeling of annoyance resulting from a perceived insult or injustice.

“I want to kiss God on His nose and watch Him sneeze / and so do you. / Not out of disrespect. / Out of PIQUE. / Out of a man-to-man thing.” – Anne Sexton, American poet and author

plethora
(PLETH-uh-ruh), noun

An excessive amount of something.

Agnes tried a PLETHORA of wines before she finally decided on her favorite vintage.

pluralism
(PLOOR-al-iz-im), noun

The understanding and tolerance of a diversity of differing cultures and views within a single society.

As long as someone comes from a family of high-standing, we wholeheartedly embrace PLURALISM.

polemic
(pah-LEM-ik), noun

A long, rambling speech or diatribe, the goal of which is to prove a point or sway the listener to see your point of view.

“He had a strong will and a talent for POLEMIC.” – Saul Bellow, American author

polymath
(POHL-ee-math), noun

A person with a wide range of intellectual interests or a broad base of knowledge in many different disciplines.

“I had a terrible vision: I saw an encyclopedia walk up to a POLYMATH and open him up.” – Karl Kraus, Austrian writer

polyphonic
(pahl-ee-FAHN-ik), adjective

Having many different sounds.

“The guitar is a small orchestra. It is POLYPHONIC. Every string is a different color, a different voice.” – Andres Segovia, Spanish classical guitarist

populism
(POP-you-liz-um), noun