Boiling Springs High School

College and Workforce Readiness Program

 

Sixth Grade Word List

                
 
Word Definition
abandon total lack of inhibition
aberration Deviation from what is correct or right.
abet to aid; act as accomplice
abject miserable, pitiful
abolitionist one who opposes the proactive of slavery
abridge to condense, shorten
absolve to forgive, free from blame
accessible attainable, available; approachable
accessory attachment, ornament; accomplice, partner
acme highest point; summit
acute 1. Perceptive. 2. Excruciating.
adapt to accommodate; adjust
adept Proficient; masterful; expert.
adjacent next to
advantageous favorable, useful
aerie nook or nest built high in the air
aerodynamic relating to objects moving through the air
agenda plan, schedule
agile well coordinated, nimble
agitation commotion, excitement; uneasiness
alacrity Eagerness; zeal; speed.
alias assumed name
alliteration repetition of the beginning sounds of words
altercation noisy dispute
amend to improve or correct flaws in
amphibian creature equally at home on land or in water
ample abundant, plentiful
amplify increase, intensify
animate Energize; enliven.
animation enthusiasm, excitement
antagonist foe, opponent, adversary
antecedent coming before in place or time
appropriate to take possession of
aquatic belonging or living in water
arid extremely dry or deathly boring
arrogant Feeling superior to other people; egotistical.
arsenal ammunition storehouse
artifact historical relic, item made by human craft
artisan craftsperson; expert
ashen resembling ashes; deathly pale
askew crooked, tilted
aspire to have great hopes; to aim at a goal
asymmetrical not corresponding in size, shape, position, etceteras
attain to accomplish, gain
auditory having to do with hearing
august dignified, awe-inspiring, venerable
authoritarian 1. Person who acts like a dictator; tyrant. 2. Disciplinarian.
aviary Large enclosure confining birds.
balk to refuse, shirk; prevent
ballad folk song, narrative poem
balm Soothing ointment for pain or healing; salve.
ban to forbid, outlaw
barren 1. Infertile; impotent. 2. Arid; unproductive.
belittle Humiliate; tease; diminish in importance.
bellow to roar, shout
bias prejudice, slant
bibliography list of books
bliss Gaiety; happiness; enjoyment.
boon blessing; something to be thankful for
botanist scientist who studies plants
bountiful plentiful
bovine cow-like; relating to cows
bungle Botch; mismanage; spoil.
burly brawny, husky
bustle commotion, energetic activity
butt person or thing that is object of ridicule
byway back road
cadence rhythmic flow of poetry; marching beat
callous thick-skinned, insensitive
caricature exaggerated portrait, cartoon
cast copy, replica
cast to fling, to throw
caulk to make watertight
cease Stop; end; halt.
celebrity fame, widespread acclaim
chaotic extremely disorderly
choice specially selected, preferred
chortle to chuckle
circumference boundary or distance around a circle or sphere
civil polite; relating to citizens
civility courtesy, politeness
cleave to split or separate or to stick, cling, adhere
coddle Pamper: overindulge: baby; spoil.
coerce to compel by force or intimidation
coffer strongbox, large chest for money
cohabit to live together
coherent intelligible, lucid, understandable
comeliness physical grace and beauty
commend to compliment, praise
commonplace ordinary, found every day
communicable transmittable
compile Collect data; accumulate; amass.
compound complex; composed of several parts
compound to combine, augment
confection something sweet to eat
congruity correspondence, harmony, agreement
consensus unanimity, agreement of opinion or attitude
cosmetic relating to beauty; affecting the surface of something
countenance facial expression; look of approval or support
covet to desire strongly something possessed by another
creed statement of belief or principle
crescendo gradual increase in volume of sound
criteria standard for judging, rule for testing
culprit guilty person
curator caretaker and overseer of an exhibition, esp. in a museum
cygnet young swan
dainty delicate, sweet
daub Blur: smear; spread.
dawdle Procrastinate; loiter; idle: daily.
deface to mar the appearance of, vandalize
deform to disfigure, distort
deft skillful, dexterous
delegate to give powers to another
demean to degrade, humiliate, humble
depict to describe, represent
deplete to use up, exhaust
desist Discontinue or stop; cease; renounce.
desolate Alone; without hope or comfort; forsaken.
dialect regional style of speaking
dichotomy division into two parts
diffuse widely spread out
dilate to enlarge, swell, extend
disarray clutter, disorder
disband Disperse; dissipate; scatter; dispel.
discern to perceive something obscure
discontent Unhappy; displeased; miserable.
distend Bloat, bulge; swell; stretch.
distrust disbelief and suspicion
docile tame, willing to be taught
donor benefactor, contributor
dormant at rest, inactive, in suspended animation
draft to plan, outline; to recruit, conscript
dulcet pleasant sounding, soothing to the ear
dupe to deceive, trick
dupe fool, pawn
duplicity Cunning; fraud; trickery; deception.
durability strength, sturdiness
duration period of time that something lasts
duress threat of force or intimidation; imprisonment
editorialize to express an opinion on an issue
elation exhilaration, joy
emanate Radiate; flow from; emit.
emancipate to set free, liberate
emcee Master of ceremonies.
emend to correct a text
encore additional performance, often demanded by audience
endurance ability to withstand hardships
entreat to plead, beg
enunciate to pronounce clearly
equestrian one who rides on horseback
equine relating to horses
etymology origin and history of a word; study of words
evade to avoid, dodge
evict to put out or force out
exasperation irritation
excerpt selection from a book or play
exotic foreign; romantic, excitingly strange
expansive sweeping, comprehensive; tending to expand
expire to come to an end; die; breathe out
extinction end of a living thing or species
extremity outermost or farthest point
fathom to measure the depth of, gauge
fathom Measure; discover; perceive.
fault break in a rock formation; mistake or error
fawn to flatter excessively, seek the favor of
faze to bother, upset, or disconcert
feasible possible, capable of being done
fell to chop, cut down
fetter Restrain; restrict; curb.
finicky fussy, difficult to please
flammable combustible, being easily burned
flaunt to show off
fledgling Young or inexperienced person; young bird.
foil to defeat, frustrate
forgo to go without, refrain from
forlorn dreary, deserted; unhappy; hopeless, despairing
foundation groundwork, support; institution established by donation to aid a certain cause
frond leaf
fume Gas; vapor; harmful or irritating smoke.
gavel mallet used for commanding attention
genre type, class, category
giddy Scatterbrained; silly; frivolous.
global involving the entire world; relating to a whole
grasp to perceive and understand; to hold securely
grimace facial expression showing pain or disgust
grimy dirty, filthy
grisly Frightening; ghastly; gory; hideous.
guzzle Gulp; swill; consume to excess.
habitat dwelling place
hardy Stalwart; robust; sturdy.
hasten to hurry, to speed up
hectic hasty, hurried, confused
heterogeneous composed of unlike parts, different, diverse
hew to cut with an ax
holocaust widespread destruction, usually by fire
homogeneous composed of identical parts
homonym word identical in pronunciation and spelling but different in meaning
honor to praise, glorify, pay tribute to
humane merciful, kindly
hymn religious song, usually of praise or thanks
hypothesis assumption subject to proof
ignoramus Moron; fool; dimwit.
immense enormous, huge
immune exempt; protected from harm or disease; unresponsive to
impair to damage, injure
impulse sudden tendency, inclination
impulsive spontaneous, unpredictable
inconceivable impossible, unthinkable
indenture Contract binding a person to work for another.
industry business or trade; diligence, energy
infantile childish, immature
infer to conclude, deduce
initiate to begin, introduce; to enlist, induct
inject to force into; to introduce into conversation
innumerable too many to be counted
inoffensive harmless, innocent
instigate to incite, urge, agitate
integrity decency, honesty; wholeness
intermittent starting and stopping
intersect to divide by passing through or across
intramural within an institution, such as a school
iota very tiny amount
issue Discharge; emerge; emanate.
jangling clashing, jarring; harshly unpleasant (in sound)
jargon nonsensical talk; specialized language
keen having a sharp edge; intellectually sharp, perceptive
kernel innermost, essential part; seed grain, often in a shell
keynote note or tone on which a musical key is founded; main idea of a speech, program, etceteras
kindle to set fire to ignite; excite or inspire
knoll Hillock; mound.
knotty Snarled; tangled.
Kudos Credit or praise for an achievement; glory.
lap to drink using the tongue; to wash against
larceny theft of property
larynx organ containing vocal cords
laxity Carelessness; indifference.
leery suspicious
legible readable
legislate to decree, mandate, make laws
lenient easygoing, permissive
lexicon dictionary, list of words
linger Loiter; remain; hesitate.
literate able to read and write; well-read and educated
logo corporate symbol
loiter to stand around idly
low to make a sound like a cow, moo
lumber to move slowly and awkwardly
lunar relating to the moon
malice animosity, spite, hatred
mandatory necessary, required
maritime relating to the sea or sailing
martial warlike, pertaining to the military
medieval relating to the Middle Ages (about A.D. 500-1500)
melody pleasing musical harmony; related musical tunes
meridian circle passing through the two poles of the earth
metaphor figure of speech comparing two different things
metronome time-keeping device used in music
microbe microorganism
minimal smallest in amount, least possible
miserliness extreme stinginess
misnomer an incorrect name or designation
mock to deride, ridicule
molt to shed hair, skin, or an outer layer periodically
moot debatable; purely academic, deprived of practical significance
needle Provoke.
nettle to irritate
niche recess in a wall; best position for something
ouster expulsion, ejection
parole conditional release of a prisoner
peer contemporary, equal, match
pending not yet decided, awaiting decision
pert lively and bold
pious dedicated, devout, extremely religious
pithy 1. Substantial; profound. 2. Brief: concise.
plait to braid
pliant pliable, yielding
pluck to pull strings on musical instrument
plucky courageous, spunky
ply to use diligently; to engage; to join together
poach to steal game or fish; cook in boiling liquid
podium platform or lectern for orchestra conductors or speakers
polar relating to a geographic pole; exhibiting contrast
polarize to tend towards opposite extremes
pore to study closely or meditatively
portly stout, dignified
prose ordinary language used in everyday speech
pry to intrude into; force open
psychic perceptive of nonmaterial, spiritual forces
pudgy chubby, overweight
quack faker; one who falsely claims to have medical skill
qualify to provide with needed skills; modify, limit
quibble Argue or bicker.
quicken to hasten, arouse, excite
rabid Berserk; diseased; sick.
rally to assemble; recover, recuperate
ramble Meander; roam.
rant to harangue, rave, forcefully scold
rarefy Make thin; purify; make less dense.
rash careless, hasty, reckless
ratify to approve formally, confirm
ration to supply; to restrict consumption of
ration portion, share
ravine deep, narrow gorge
raze Demolish; level; topple.
recruit to draft, enlist; to seek to enroll
remote distant, isolated
rend Rip; tear; splinter.
repeal to revoke or formally withdraw (often a law)
repent to regret a past action
retain to hold, keep possession of
retard to slow, hold back
revoke to annul, cancel, call back
rhythm regular pattern or variation of sounds and stresses
riddle to make many holes in; permeate
root to dig with a snout (like a pig)
rustic rural
scanty Meager: scarce.
scoff Mock; ridicule.
score notation for a musical composition
score to make a notch or scratch
shirk to avoid a task due to laziness or fear
signify denote, indicate; symbolize
skulk to move in a stealthy or cautious manner; sneak
slight to treat as unimportant; insult
sloth sluggishness, laziness
smelt to melt metal in order to refine it
solstice shortest and longest day of the year
spartan austere, severe, grave; simple, bare
sporadic infrequent, irregular
spur to prod
spurn Defy; reject.
squander to waste
stalk to hunt, pursue
stifle to smother or suffocate; suppress
stint period of time spent doing something
stint to be sparing or frugal
stockade enclosed area forming defensive wall
stoic indifferent to or unaffected by emotions
stolid having or showing little emotion
strife Conflict; turmoil; struggle.
stunted having arrested growth or development
sullen brooding, gloomy
sully to soil, stain, tarnish, taint
supervise to direct or oversee the work of others
surly Choleric; rude; sullen.
surplus excess
survey to examine in a comprehensive way
tacit silently understood or implied
taint to spoil or infect; to stain honor
tainted stained, tarnished; corrupted, poisoned
talon claw of an animal, esp. a bird of prey
tang sharp flavor or odor
taper Diminish; thin; narrow.
tarnished corroded, discolored; discredited, disgraced
terminal depot, station
terse concise, brief, free of extra words
thesis theory or hypothesis; dissertation or long, written composition
thwart to block or present from happening; frustrate
tidings news
titan person of colossal stature or achievement
tolerance capacity to respect different values; capacity to endure or resist something
torrid burning hot; passionate
toxin poison
trying difficult to deal with
tumult state of confusion; agitation
tundra treeless plain found in arctic or sub-arctic regions
unavailing hopeless, useless
undermine to sabotage, thwart
undocumented not certified, unsubstantiated
uniform consistent and unchanging; identical
unkempt Uncombed; messy; untidy.
unwieldy Clumsy; awkward; unmanageable.
unwitting unconscious; unintentional
unyielding firm, resolute
vanquish to conquer, defeat
variable changeable, inconstant
vaunted boasted about, bragged about
vent to express, say out loud
vermin small creatures offensive to humans
veto to reject formally
vex to irritate, annoy; confuse, puzzle
vigilant attentive, watchful
vilify Defame; denigrate.
vim energy, enthusiasm
virulent Fatal; lethal; toxic.
vivid bright and intense in color; strongly perceived
void not legally enforceable; empty
vouchsafe Confer; grant; permit.
wan Anemic; colorless; pale.
wanton undisciplined, unrestrained, reckless
weather to endure, undergo
whet Stimulate; sharpen; intensify.
wistful Yearning; pensive; sad.
woe anguish; grief; affliction.
writ written document, usually in law