Lexicon

A

Abstract — based on ideas, qualities, or general principles rather than a specific physical thing or real-world example

Acquisitive — eager to acquire, own, or accumulate things; material possessions, wealth, or companies

Anguish — intense emotional or physical suffering; deep distress, grief, anxiety, or pain that feels hard to bear

Apperception — the mind’s active process of interpreting a new experience through your existing knowledge, memories, expectations, and sense of self

Aptitude — natural ability or capacity to learn or do a particular kind of task well

Anthropic — relating to humans; human-centered

Atelier — a studio or workshop where an artist, craftsperson, architect, or designer works

B

Baroque — overly elaborate or complicated

Bereft — deprived, lacking

Boisterous — noisy, energetic, cheerful

Benevolent — kind

Balk — hesitant to accept an idea or undertaking

Bulwark — defensive wall

Banal — so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring

C

Cadence — a rhythmic sequence of notes or chords that create a musical phrase

Capacious — roomy; able to hold a large amount; having plenty capacity

Cardinal — central, principal, or fundamental

Carnal — physical, sexual needs

Catharsis — the release of strong, often pent-up emotions in a way that brings relief, clarity, or a sense of emotional renewal

Cerebral — intellectual; focused on thought and analysis more than emotion

Censure — express extreme disapproval

Concur — agree/ be or the same opinion

Cornerstone — essential foundation; the element everything else depends on

Craven — contemptibly lacking in courage

Clandestine — done/kept secretly especially because it’s illicit

Commitment — an engagement or obligation that restricts freedom of action

Continuum — a continuous sequence in which adjacent elements are not perceptibly different from each other, although the extremes are quite distinct

Contrary — opposite in nature, direction, or meaning

Cybernetics — the study of how systems steer, regulate, and adapt by using information and feedback; applies to machines, living organisms, organizations, and societies

D

Datum — a single piece of information or fact; the singular form of data

Decadent — so good it’s bad for you/ a state of cultural or moral decline

Demonstrative — a tending to show feelings, especially of affection, openly

Discipline — ability to follow a chosen rule, standard, or course of action consistently—especially when it is difficult, inconvenient, or you do not feel like doing it

Dissipative — systems that harness energy which otherwise would been lost

E

Effaced — erased; worn away

Eponymous — named after a particular person or thing; also describes the person or thing whose name is given to something else

Engineer — someone who applies science, mathematics, technology, and practical judgment to design, build, improve, or maintain systems that solve real-world problems

Enigmatic — mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to fully understand; something with few clues

Embellish — to add details that make something more attractive, elaborate, or interesting

Err — be mistaken or incorrect; make a mistake

Esoteric — intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest

Exteroception — heightened awareness outside the self

F

Fable — a short fictional story designed to teach a practical or moral lesson

Faux pas — an embarrassing act or remark in a social setting

Facsimile — an exact copy, especially written or printed

Fidelity — faithfulness, loyalty, or accuracy

Frivolity — lack of seriousness; lighthearted

Furrow — a groove or depression

Futuristic — modern, advanced, or styled in a way that seems like it belongs in the future

G

Gregariousness — fond of people, social

H

Heuristic — a practical shortcut for problem solving or making a decision quickly

I

Illicit — against the rules, laws

Imperious — arrogantly commanding or domineering; acting as though others must obey you.

Impetuous — acting quickly or emotionally without considering the consequences

Incarnation — a physical form or embodiment of something—especially a deity, spirit, quality, or idea

Incisive — intelligently analytical and clear thinking

Inquisitive — curious and inclined to ask questions or investigate in order to learn

Intense — strong, extreme, or requiring a lot of energy, focus, or emotion

Implicit — understood or suggested without being stated directly

Impromptu — without being planned or rehearsed

Interoception — heightened awareness of within the self

J

Judicious — having good judgement or sense

K

Kitsch — art or objects considered to be in poor taste because of excess garnishment or sentimentality, but sometimes appreciated in a ironic way

L

Lattice — an organized, repeating framework or pattern; a structure whose parts relate in a regular, systematic way

Ludicrous — so absurd, unreasonable, or foolish that it is hard to take seriously; to the point of seeming laughable

M

Magnanimous — generous or forgiving toward a rival or a less powerful person

Maxim — a short, memorable statement that expresses a general truth, guiding principle or rule

Meticulous — extremely careful, precise, and attentive to even small details

Misanthropic — disliking humankind

N

Narrative — a story or account that connects events over time—real or fictional; the particular framing or interpretation used to explain events

Nemesis — mortal enemy

Nexus — a connection linking two or more things

Nuance — a small, subtle difference in meaning, feeling, tone, appearance, or expression; one that matters even though it is easy to miss

O

Omnipotent — all-powerful; having unlimited power

Omnipresent — all-present; present in all places at all times

Omniscient — all-knowing; possessing complete or unlimited knowledge, awareness, and understanding

Ostentatious — pretentious and vulgar display of wealth and luxury intended to impress or attract notice

Ontology — the study of being in existence; what is real; what it means for something to exist; how different things relate; a formal map of knowledge within a domain; concepts, properties and relationships

P

Pandemonium — wild and noisy disorder, confusion, or a state of total chaos

Patois — dialect of a specific region or country

Paterfamilias — head of a family

Pathos — a quality that evokes pity or sadness

Planar — flat, or relating to a flat two-dimensional plane; something that lies in a single plane rather than extending meaningfully in depth

Perchance — perhaps, maybe, or possibly; with an old-fashioned, literary, playful, or deliberately formal tone

Precipice — steep rock face or cliff

Prevaricate — to evade the truth; speaking ambiguously, misleadingly, or indirectly rather than giving a straightforward answer

Proclivity — a tendency to choose or do something regularly; an inclination or predisposition toward a particular thing.

Physiognomy — judging character from facial expressions

Psychometric — the scientific measurement of psychological characteristics; intelligence, aptitude, personality, attitudes, or mental wellbeing

Q

Quotidian — occurring daily

R

Rigor — challenge

Reverie — a state of being pleasantly lost in one’s thoughts; a daydream

S

Solipsism — philosophical idea that only one’s own mind is sure to exist; epistemological position that holds knowledge of anything outside one’s own mind is unsure

Semblance — an outward appearance, partial version, or slight trace of something; often implying that it is not fully real, complete, or convincing

Standard — An accepted rule, level, or model used to judge, measure, or compare something.

Substrate — underlying material, surface, or substance that something else acts on, grows on, or is built upon

Succor — assistance and support in times of hardship and distress

Synesthesia — the synergy of the senses

T

Toil — work extremely hard or incessantly

Trite — overused to the point of becoming unoriginal, dull, or ineffective; especially an idea, phrase, story, or sentiment

Transhumanism — a philosophical and cultural movement that supports using science and technology to overcome or substantially extend human biological limits; illness, aging, cognitive capacity, physical ability, and mortality

U

Ubiquitous — present, appearing, found anywhere

Uncanny — strangely unsettling, mysterious, or unusually accurate; difficult to explain

Unequivocal — leaving no doubt

Usufruct — the right to enjoy the use and advantages of another's property short of the destruction or waste of its substance.

V

Verisimilitude — the appearance of being true or real

Volition — ability to make choices

W

Weary — physically, mentally, or emotionally tired of something that has continued too long

X

Y

Z

Zugswang — a situation in which the obligation to make a move in one's turn is a serious, often decisive, disadvantage