nescience \NESH-uhn(t)s; NESH-ee-uhn(t)s\ (noun) - Lack of knowledge or awareness; ignorance.

"The keynote speaker's seeming nescience on the subject of global warming was a tremendous cause for concern to everyone at the conference."

Nescience is from Latin nescire, "not to know," from ne-, "not" + scire, "to know." It is related to science. ...Read more

arrogate \AIR-uh-gayt\ (transitive verb) - 1. To claim or seize without right or justification; to appropriate. 2. To claim on behalf of another; to ascribe.

"When Thelma was approached by the county and asked to sell her house to make way for the new road, she was nearly frightened into accepting their first offer, lest they decide to arrogate...Read more

farrago \fuh-RAH-go; fuh-RAY-go\ (noun) - A confused mixture; an assortment; a medley.

"Appearing on the chat show for the first time, Jenkins was subjected to a farrago of attacks from all sides such that he couldn't determine how to best defend himself."

Farrago comes from the Latin farrago, "a mixed fodder for cattle," hence "a medley, a ...Read more

ratiocination \rash-ee-ah-suh-NAY-shun; rash-ee-oh-\ (noun) - The process of reasoning.

"Such were the intensity of Henry's thought processes that one imagined that they could almost hear the ratiocination as it proceeded."

Ratiocination is from Latin rationcinatio, from ratiocinari, "to compute, to calculate, to reason," from ratio, "...Read more

friable \FRY-uh-buhl\ (adjective) - Easily crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder.

"The house was practically falling apart around him, the crackling and friable walls unable to withstand the extreme winds of the storm."

Friable comes from Latin friabilis, from friare, "to rub, break, or crumble into small pieces."

gravitas \GRAV-uh-tahs\ (noun) - High seriousness (as in a person's bearing or in the treatment of a subject).

"The speaker was so utterly lacking in gravitas that none of his pronouncements were taken at all seriously, in spite of their actual importance to the group's day-to-day existence."

Gravitas is from the Latin gravitas, "heaviness, ...Read more

mellifluous \muh-LIF-loo-us\ (adjective) - Flowing as with honey; smooth; flowing sweetly or smoothly; as, a mellifluous voice.

"The mellifluous tones of the Debussy sonata were presented all the more pleasantly when they came from the instrument of such an expert pianist."

Mellifluous comes from Latin mellifluus

recrimination \rih-krim-uh-NAY-shuhn\ (noun) - 1 : The act of returning one charge or accusation with another. 2 : An accusation brought by the accused against the accuser; a counter accusation.

"The endless acts of senseless recrimination engaged in by both parties in the House served to do little more than accomplish hopeless gridlock."

...Read more

perdurable \pur-DUR-uh-bul; pur-DYUR-\ (adjective) - Very durable; lasting; continuing long.

"A mother's perdurable love for her child is often tested during the teen years."

Perdurable ultimately comes from Late Latin perdurabilis, from Latin perdurare, to last a long time, to endure, from per-, throughout + durare, to last.

indelible \in-DEL-uh-buhl\ (adjective) - 1 : That cannot be removed, erased, or washed away. 2 : Making marks that cannot easily be removed or erased. 3 : Incapable of being forgotten; memorable.

"Wanting an indelible representation of their eternal love for each other, Jim had a tattoo of Jane's name placed on his arm."

Indelible is from ...Read more

fortuitous \for-TOO-uh-tuhs; -TYOO-\ (adjective) - 1 : Happening by chance; coming or occurring by accident, or without any known cause. 2 : Happening by a fortunate or lucky chance. 3 : Fortunate or lucky.

"All agreed that the arrival of the off-duty emergency medical technicians just as Frank fell over from a heart attack was a fortuitous ...Read more

diktat \dik-TAHT\ (noun) - 1 : A harsh settlement unilaterally imposed on a defeated party. 2 : An authoritative decree or order.

"Management was fond of passing down diktats the actual intent of which was muddled or obscure such as 'no red neckties on the third Tuesday of each month,' or 'no brown, open-toed sandals on women on alternate ...Read more

camarilla \kam-uh-RIL-uh; -REE-yuh\ (noun) - A group of secret and often scheming advisers, as of a king; a cabal or clique.

"Few faulted the president for the problems during his tenure, instead choosing to blame the camarilla of closely held advisors which were a holdover from his days as a senator."

Camarilla comes from Spanish, literally, ...Read more

renascent \rih-NAS-uhnt\ (adjective) - Springing or rising again into being; showing renewed vigor.

"After the failings and anger over the current administration, a renascent opposition movement waited to make the most of that discontent."

Renascent comes from Latin renascens, present participle of renasci, "to be born again," from re-, "again...Read more

pelf \PELF\ (noun) - Money; riches; gain; -- generally conveying the idea of something ill-gotten.

"A life-long con man, Jason was always just one big scam away from taking his pelf and retiring for good."

Pelf comes from Old French pelfre, "booty, stolen goods." It is related to pilfer.