Boiling Springs High School

College and Workforce Readiness Program

 

Seventh Grade Word List

                
 
Word Definition
abase to humble; disgrace
abortive interrupted while incomplete
accrue to accumulate, grow by additions
acquittal release from blame
acuity Sharpness; acuteness; keenness.
adverse unfavorable, unlucky; harmful
advocate 1. Argue for a cause; defend. 2. Support; uphold.
affected pretentious, phony
affinity fondness, liking; similarity
affluent rich, abundant
affront personal offense, insult
agrarian relating to farming or rural matters
alienated distanced, estranged
allay to lessen, ease, or soothe
allocation allowance, portion, share
allure to entice by charm; attract
amenity pleasantness; something increasing comfort
amity friendship
amphitheater arena theater with rising tiers around a central open space
amulet ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits
anarchy absence of government or law; chaos
angular characterized by sharp angles; lean and gaunt
annul to cancel, nullify, declare void, or make legally invalid
anoint to apply oil to, esp. as a sacred rite
anterior preceding, previous, before (to)
anthology collection of literary works
apathy Lack of concern, emotion or interest; indifference.
appease Satisfy; make peace: placate.
arable Suitable for cultivation or plowing.
arboreal relating to trees; living in trees
arboretum place where trees are displayed and studied
archaic antiquated, from an earlier time; outdated
archipelago large group of islands
ardent passionate, enthusiastic, fervent
arraign to call to court to answer an indictment
arrogate to demand, claim arrogantly
ascend to rise or climb
assail to attack, assault
astute having good judgment
atone to make amends for a wrong
audible capable of being heard
autocrat dictator
aver to declare to be true, affirm
barbarity Cruel action; inhuman act; harsh conduct.
bay to bark, especially in a deep, prolonged way
befuddle Stupefy or confuse; misconstrue.
behemoth huge creature
belligerent hostile, tending to fight
bemoan 1. Experience pain or distress. 2. Express pity for; mourn.
beneficent kindly, charitable; doing good deeds; producing good effects
benign kindly, gentle, or harmless
berate to scold harshly
bestow to give as a gift
bibliophile book lover
bilateral two-sided
biped two-footed animal
bisect to cut into two (usually equal) parts
blight to afflict, destroy
boisterous Noisy; loud; violent; rowdy.
brazen bold, shameless, impudent; of or like brass
browbeat Intimidate; harass; dominate.
burnish to polish, make smooth and bright
candid Frank; blunt; open.
candor honesty of expression
canny smart; founded on common sense
cardiologist physician specializing in diseases of the heart
carnivorous meat-eating
cartography science or art of making maps
caucus smaller group within an organization; a meeting of such a group
causality cause-and-effect relationship
charlatan Fraud; person claiming knowledge he/she does not have; humbug; fake; hustler.
chide to scold, express disapproval
chromatic relating to color
chronic Compulsive; typical; habitual; inveterate.
circumvent to go around; avoid
cistern tank for rainwater
clemency Lenience; mercy; compassion.
coagulate Congeal; curdle; clot.
coercion Intimidation; duress; force; compulsion.
colloquial characteristic of informal speech
colloquy dialogue or conversation, conference
commute to change a penalty to a less severe one
complement to complete, perfect
compress to reduce, squeeze
confiscate to appropriate, seize
confound Perplex; baffle: confuse.
congeal to become thick or solid, as a liquid freezing
congress formal meeting or assembly
connive to conspire, scheme
consolation something providing comfort or solace for a loss or hardship
contend to battle, clash; compete
contusion bruise
convex curved outward
correlation association, mutual relation of two or more things
countenance to favor, support
crass Vulgar, grossly ignorant; indelicate.
craven cowardly
cuboid Having the shape of a cube.
cuisine characteristic style of cooking
cutlery cutting instruments; tableware
deciduous losing leaves in the fall; short-lived, temporary
decipher Solve or figure out a puzzle: translate: untangle.
defamatory slanderous, injurious to the reputation
defendant person required to answer a legal action or suit
delectable Delicious; delightful; savory.
delta tidal deposit at the mouth of a river
deluge to submerge, overwhelm
deluge flood
delusion Untrue belief; hallucination; fallacy: misconception.
demographics data relating to study of human population
demote to reduce to a lower grade or rank
demotion lowering in rank or grade
derivative copied or adapted; not original
derive to originate; take from a certain source
despoil Ravage; rob; loot.
despondent feeling discouraged and dejected
determinate having defined limits; conclusive
detrimental causing harm or injury
deviate to stray, wander
deviation departure, exception, anomaly
digress to turn aside; to stray from the main point
diplomacy discretion, tact
disclaim to deny, disavow
disclose to confess, divulge
dispirit to dishearten, make dejected
distraught very worried and distressed
Dither Commotion; turmoil.
diurnal daily
domineer to rule over something in a tyrannical way
drivel stupid talk; slobber
droll amusing in a wry, subtle way
ecstatic joyful
eddy air or wind current
edict law, command, official public order
egress exit
elicit to draw out, provoke
embellish to ornament; make attractive with decoration or details; add details to a statement
embezzle to steal money in violation of a trust
embroil Implicate; enmesh; involve.
empathy identification with another's feelings
emulate Model; pattern.
enormity state of being gigantic or terrible
entomologist scientist who studies insects
equilibrium Balance; stability; poise.
estrange to alienate, keep at a distance
ethos beliefs or character of a group
eulogy Commendation; speech giving great tribute.
exhilaration state of being energetic or filled with happiness
explicable capable of being explained
explicit clearly defined, specific; forthright in expression
explode to debunk, disprove; blow up, burst
extort to obtain something by threats
extricate Remove; loosen; untie.
extrinsic not inherent or essential, coming from without
exuberant lively, happy, and full of good spirits
fallow Idle; dormant.
federation union of organizations; union of several states, each of which retains local power
fiasco disaster, utter failure
fickle Capricious; erratic; spasmodic.
fictive fictional, imaginary
fidelity loyalty
filibuster use of obstructive tactics in a legislative assembly to prevent adoption of a measure
fission process of splitting into two parts
flora plants
florid Ornate; flushed with rosy color; ruddy.
fodder raw material; feed for animals
foliate to grow, sprout leaves
ford to cross a body of water at a shallow place
formulate to conceive, devise; to draft, plan; to express, state
forsake to abandon, withdraw from
fracas noisy dispute
fractious unruly, rebellious
frank honest and straightforward
fraud deception, hoax
fraudulent deceitful, dishonest, unethical
gaunt thin and bony
germinate to begin to grow (as with a seed or idea)
gestation growth process from conception to birth
gibe to make heckling, taunting remarks
granular having a grainy texture
gross obscene; blatant, flagrant
hamlet small village
heighten to raise
hinterland wilderness
homage public honor and respect
hone to sharpen
husband to farm; manage carefully and thriftily
hutch pen or coop for animals; shack, shanty
hypocrite person claiming beliefs or virtues he or she doesn't really possess
immaterial extraneous, inconsequential, nonessential; not consisting of matter
immobile not moveable; still
impediment barrier, obstacle; speech disorder
imperative essential; mandatory
implant to set securely or deeply; to instill
inadvertently unintentionally
inaugurate to begin or start officially; to induct into office
incisive Perceptive; astute.
inclination tendency towards
inclusive All-encompassing; broad in scope; comprehensive.
indigenous native, occurring naturally in an area
induce to persuade; bring about
induct to place ceremoniously in office
infuriate to anger, provoke, outrage
infuriating provoking anger or outrage
ingenious original, clever, inventive
inkling hint; vague idea
innate natural, inborn
innateness state of being natural or inborn
innovate to invent, modernize, revolutionize
inoperable not operable; incurable by surgery
inquest investigation; court or legal proceeding
intemperate not moderate
intersperse to distribute among, mix with
intrusion trespass, invasion of another's privacy
irreverent disrespectful
jaundice yellowish discoloration of skin
jaundiced affected by jaundice; prejudiced or embittered
kinetic Caused by motion; dynamic.
labyrinth Maze; network; puzzle.
lampoon Mock; ridicule.
lapidary relating to precious stones
larder place where food is stored
largess Charity; philanthropy: gift.
lineage ancestry
liniment medicinal liquid used externally to ease pain
listless lacking energy and enthusiasm
locomotion movement from place to place
lucid clear and easily understood
luscious tasty
lyrical suitable for poetry and song; expressing feeling
malfunction to fail to work
malfunction breakdown, failure
manual hand-operated; physical
materialism preoccupation with material things
megalith huge stone used in prehistoric structures
metamorphosis change, transformation
mettle Stamina; bravery; courage.
migratory wandering from place to place with the seasons
mince Chop; mitigate.
misgiving apprehension, doubt, sense of foreboding
mishap accident; misfortune
mobility ease of movement
moderate reasonable, not extreme
moderate to make less excessive, restrain; regulate
morsel small bit of food
nominal existing in name only; negligible
novice apprentice, beginner
nuance shade of meaning
offshoot branch
operative functioning, working
oration lecture, formal speech
orator lecturer, speaker
ordain to make someone a priest or minister; to order
overstate to embellish, exaggerate
overture musical introduction; proposal, offer
paraphrase to reword, usually in simpler terms
parasite person or animal that lives at another's expense
parity equality
parley discussion, usually between enemies
parody humorous imitation
patent obvious, unconcealed
patent official document giving exclusive right to sell an invention
paternity fatherhood; descent from father's ancestors
patronize to condescend to, disparage; to buy from
pavilion tent or light building used for shelter or exhibitions
peripheral Marginal: outer; surrounding.
phoenix mythical, immortal bird that lives for 500 years, burns itself to death, and rises from its ashes
phonic relating to sound
pillage to loot, especially during a war
pinnacle peak, highest point of development
pittance meager amount or wage
placate to soothe or pacify
placid Sincere; tranquil; composed: sedate.
plagiarist one who steals words or ideas
plaintiff injured person in a lawsuit
plaintive Sad; mournful; pathetic.
pliable Limber; malleable; flexible.
plummet to fall, plunge
posterior bottom, rear
posterity future generations; all of a person's descendants
potable Drinkable.
preclude to rule out
precursor Forerunner.
predator one that preys on others, destroyer, plunderer
preface introduction to a book; introductory remarks to a speech
prescribe to set down a rule; to recommend a treatment
pretext excuse, pretended reason
prevalent widespread
procure to obtain
prodigal wasteful, extravagant, lavish
profane impure; contrary to religion; sacrilegious
Proficient Skillful: masterful: expert.
profuse lavish, extravagant
prolific Fruitful; abundant; fertile.
proscribe to condemn; to forbid, outlaw
prosecutor person who initiates a legal action or suit
protract Elongate; lengthen; prolong.
provincial rustic, unsophisticated, limited in scope
prowess bravery, skill
proximity nearness
proxy power to act as a substitute for another
prudent Careful; cautious; judicious.
pummel to pound, beat
quagmire Marsh: quicksand; swamp.
quandary Dilemma; mire; entanglement.
quarantine isolation period, originally 40 days, to prevent spread of disease
radical fundamental; drastic
ramshackle likely to collapse
rational logical, reasonable
rebuke to reprimand, scold
rebut to refute by evidence or argument
recant Rescind; retract; take back.
recondite relating to obscure learning; known to only a few
reform to change, correct
refractory Unmanageable; obstinate; not responsive to treatment.
refurbish Overhaul; remodel.
regimen Administration; government; system.
relinquish to renounce or surrender something
relish to enjoy greatly
remedial Restorative; corrective; healing.
remedy to cure, correct
remit to send (usually money) as payment
repel to rebuff, repulse; disgust, offend
rescind Cancel; repeal; veto.
residue remainder, leftover, remnant
resolute determined; with a clear purpose
restrained controlled, repressed, restricted
reticent not speaking freely; reserved
revelry boisterous festivity
reverent Devout: solemn; worshipful.
rue to regret
savory agreeable in taste or smell
scrutiny careful observation
shard piece of broken glass or pottery
sheepish timid, meek, or bashful
simian apelike; relating to apes
sinuous winding; intricate, complex
slipshod careless, hasty
slovenly untidy, messy
sluggard lazy, inactive person
solarium room or glassed-in area exposed to the sun
sonic relating to sound
spawn to generate, produce
spontaneous on the spur of the moment, impulsive
squalid filthy; morally repulsive
squalor 1. Severe poverty. 2. Filthiness.
stand group of trees
stigma mark of disgrace or inferiority
stilted stiff, unnatural
subtle hard to detect or describe; perceptive
sumptuous lavish, splendid
supple flexible, pliant
surpass to do better than, be superior to
susceptible vulnerable, unprotected
suspend to defer, interrupt; dangle, hang
sustain support, uphold; endure, undergo
tactile relating to the sense of touch
tempered moderated, restrained
tenet belief, doctrine
tepid lukewarm; showing little enthusiasm
theology study of God and religion
tirade Diatribe; angry speech.
topography art of making maps or charts
tortuous having many twists and turns; highly complex
transgress to trespass, violate a law
transient temporary, short-lived, fleeting
transitory short-lived, existing only briefly
trite shallow, superficial
trounce to beat severely, defeat
troupe group of actors
tryst agreement between lovers to meet; rendezvous
turbulence commotion, disorder
unappealing unattractive, unpleasant
unscathed Unhurt; uninjured.
validate to authorize, certify, confirm
vehement Fierce; emphatic; intense.
vehemently strongly, urgently
vendetta prolonged feud marked by bitter hostility
venerable respected because of age
venerate Admire; show respect.
veracity Truth; sincerity; honesty; candor.
verified proven true
vernacular everyday language used by ordinary people; specialized language of a profession
viable Living; alive; feasible.
viaduct series of elevated arches used to cross a valley
vicarious substitute, surrogate; enjoyed through imagined participation in another's experience
vigilance Attentiveness; prudence; care.
void emptiness, vacuum
void to cancel, invalidate
waive to refrain from enforcing a rule; to give up a legal right
warranty guarantee of a product's soundness
wily clever, deceptive
wry amusing, ironic
yoke to join together
zealot Fanatic; radical; enthusiast.