Spelling Bee Secondary 1 Word List

abattoir noun [ab-uh-twahr]

1
: another name for slaughterhouse
We’re the only abattoir left in the district.
abhorrent adjective [ab-hawr-uhnt]
2
: causing repugnance, detestable
Racial discrimination is morally abhorrent.
abscission noun [ab-sish-uhn]
3
: the separation or falling off of part of a plant
Researchers have tried to determine the role growth hormones play in this abscission.
acquittal noun [uh-kwit-l]
4 : judicial deliverance from a criminal charge on a verdict or finding of notguilty.
The prisoner was released after an acquittal based on the grounds of insanity.
agglomeration noun [uh-glom-uh-rey-shun]
5
: a jumbled cluster or mass of varied parts
A comet is considered to be fragile agglomeration of ice and dust.
alacrity noun [uh-lak-ruh-tee]
6
: speed and eagerness
She accepted the money with alacrity.
amanuensis noun [uh-man-yoo-en-sis]
7 : one employed to write from dictation or to copy manuscript
Thanks to the efforts of his dutiful amanuensis, copies of most of the author's letters and
unpublished manuscripts have been preserved.
anachronism noun [uh-nak-ruh-ni-zuhm]
8
: something or someone that is not in its correct historical or
chronologicaltime, esp. a thing or person that belongs to an earlier time
The sword is an anachronism in modern warfare.
arduous adjective [aa-joo-uhs]
9
: hard to accomplish or achieve; difficult
He went through a long and arduous training program.
asphalt noun [as-fawlt]
10 : a mixture of such substances with gravel, crushed rock, or the like, used for paving.
The asphalt used to waterproof the concrete has also begun to deteriorate.
balalaika noun [bal-uh-ly-kuh]
11 : a usually 3-stringed instrument of Russian origin with a triangular bodyplayed by plucking or
strumming
She played the balalaika extremely well.
ballast noun [bal-uhst]
12
: heavy matter such as sand, stone, or water that is used at the bottom of a ship or a hot-air
balloon to make it heavier, or the small stones on which railways and roads are made
A ship sailing with an empty hold will have filled its ballast tanks at its source port.
baroque adjective [buh-rok]
13
: complicated in style, often when this is unnecessary or too much
I struggled to follow his baroque logic.
blithe adjective [blydh]
14
: happy and without worry
She shows a blithe disregard for danger.
 Spelling Bee Secondary 1 Word List
bludgeon noun [bluhj-uhn]
15
: a short, heavy club
Early humans fashioned a bludgeon from thick limbs of a tree.
candelabrum noun [kan-dl-ah-bruhm]
16
: an ornamental branched holder for more than one candle
That brass candelabrum dates from 1789.
carotid noun [kuh-rot-id]
17
: either of the two large arteries on the side of the head and neck
Before performing CPR, you should check the pulse in the carotid artery.
casuistry noun [kazh-oo-uh-stree]
18
: false or dishonest application of morality
A master of casuistry, Matt refused to give a straight answer to anything.
catastrophe noun [kuh-tas-truh-fee]
19
: a disastrous event of great significance
The collapse of the World Trade Center was a major U.S. catastrophe.
caustic adjective [kaw-stik]
20 : strongly critical
She's famous in the office for her caustic wit.
cavalcade noun [kav-uhl-keyd]
21
: any procession
The cavalcade of horses was a spectacular event.
circumlocution noun [sir-kuhm-loh-kyoo-shuhn]
22
: a roundabout or indirect way of speaking
Although it would be easier to be frank, many politicians use circumlocution.
colloquialism noun [kuh-loh-kwee-uh-liz-uhm]
23
: an informal expression or style
He used an English colloquialism which has a similar meaning.
competently adverb [kom-puh-tuhnt-ly]
24 : in a way that shows the ability to do something well
He failed to represent his clients competently.
condolences noun [kuhn-doh-luhns-uhs]
25
: sympathy with another in sorrow
After my neighbor’s dog died, I sent her a card to express my condolences.
connoisseur noun [kon-uh-sor]
26
: person who is especially competent in an art or matter of taste
Jack is a connoisseur of food and drink.
contemporaneous adjective [kuhn-tem-puh-rey-nee-uhs]
27 : living or occurring during the same periodof time
Songs that are written in this century are contemporaneous.
coquettishly adverb [koh-ket-ish-ly]
28
: to flirt lightheartedly
The charming young woman winked at me coquettishly for the whole evening.
corruptible adjective [kuh-rup-tuh-buhl]
29
: able to be made to do something dishonest or immoral
Some people have more confidence in women because they feel they are less corruptible.
dawdling noun [dawd-ling]
30
: doing something or going somewhere very slowly, taking more time than is necessary
Stop dawdling! You'll be late for school!
 Spelling Bee Secondary 1 Word List
deficient adjective [dih-fish-uhnt]
31
: lacking in some necessary quality or element
Ally lunch choice of a candy bar and coke was deficient of any nutrition.
diffidence noun [dif-I-duh ns]
32
: the state of lacking confi ence in one’s own ability wo th o fitness
Their decision reflected their sense of confidence, not their diffidence.
disbursement noun [dis-burs-muhnt]
33
: act of paying out, to expend money from a fund
Any disbursement of the school funds requires approval.
disoblige verb [dis-uh-blahyj]
34
: to refuse or neglect to act according to the wishes of
Michael was sure to disoblige his mother when he refused to obey.
dissociate verb [di-soh-shee-eyt]
35
: to separate from association or union with another
Abby always attempts to dissociate herself from the mean girls at the school.
disenfranchise verb [dis-uhn-fran-chyz]
36
: to take away power or opportunities, especially the right to vote, from a person or group
In this view, institutions may empower or disenfranchise specific interests.
domesticate verb [duh-mess-tih-kayt]
37
: to adapt a plant/animal to life with humans
Unlike a cat, which is easy to train, a cheetah would be difficult to domesticate.
dysentery noun [dis-uhn-ter-ee]
38
: an infectious disease marked by diarrhea
The dysentery sufferers were removed from the ship.
eccrinology noun [ek-ruh-nol-uh-jee]
39
: branch of anatomy dealing with secretions
Dr. Johnson’s specialty is eccrinology.
ecstasy noun [ek-stah-see]
40
: state of being beyond reason and self-control
Tommy was in ecstasy after opening his presents on Christmas morning.
effulgence noun [ih-fuhl-juhns]
41
: the ability to shine brightly
Dawn was near and the stars had lost their effulgence.
equivocate verb [ih-kwiv-uh-keyt]
42
: to use ambiguous or unclear expressions
He was known to equivocate when asked about difficult topics.
exemplary adjective [ig-zem-pluh-ree]
43
: very good and suitable to be copied by other people
His tact was exemplary, especially considering the circumstances.
facetious adjective [fuh-see-shuhs]
44
: joking or jesting often inappropriately
Andrew was being facetious when he said he didn’t like your dog; he loves dogs.
femininity noun [fem-uh-nin-i-tee]
45
: the quality or nature of the female sex
She expressed her femininity through long hair, make-up, and fancy clothes.
fluorescent adjective [floo-res-uhnt]
46
: having luminescence that is caused by absorption of radiation
Fluorescent light bulbs are more efficient than standard bulbs.
 Spelling Bee Secondary 1 Word List
fraudulence noun [fraw-juh-luhns]
47
: the fact of intending to deceive by doing something dishonest and illegal
She felt anger at herself for failing to see through Peter's fraudulence.
futurity noun [fyoo-toor-i-tee]
48
:a future state or condition; a future event, possibility, or prospect
John thought deeply, happily, and anxiously about a futurity of unknown adventures
gauche adjective [gohsh]
49
: lacking social experience or grace
Some people think it is gauche to eat with their hands.
grandeur noun [gran-juh]
50
: the quality of being very large and special or beautiful
At the beginning of the eighteenth century, artists focused on the imperial grandeur of the city.
heinous adjective [hey-nuhs]
51
: hateful; odious;abominable; totally reprehensible
It was unbelievable that the criminal committed such a heinous act.
histiocyte noun [his-tee-uh-sahyt]
52
: a clump of white blood cells that occurs in connective tissue
The scan showed a several histiocyte in his lymph nodes.
hydrodynamics noun [hahy-droh-dahy-nam-iks]
53
: study of dynamics of fluids in motion
The scientists studied hydrodynamics to discover new ways for fluid to power vehicles.
hysteria noun [hi-steer-ee-uh]
54
: extreme fear, excitement, anger, etc. that cannot be controlled
One woman, close to hysteria, grabbed my arm.
immobilize verb [ih-moh-buh-lahyz]
55
: to prevent the use, activity, or movement of
He used a cast to immobilize the broken arm.
impinge verb [im-pinj]
56
: to strike or dash, especially with a sharp collision
During a thunderstorm, hail can impinge on house and cars, causing significant damage.
incompatible adjective [in-kuhm-pat-uh-buhl]
57
: not able to exist or work with another person or thing because of basic differences
Human resources found the two managers to be mutually incompatible.
insouciance noun [in-soo-see-uhns]
58
: quality of being carefree or unconcerned
He has a boyish insouciance about him.
interrogative adjective [in-tuh-rah-guh-tiv]
59
: having the form or force of a question
To encourage participation, the teacher used interrogative statements.
intramural adjective [in-truh-myoor-uhl]
60 : happening within or involving the members of one school, college, or university
At college she was active in intramural sports.
irreconcilable adjective [ih-rek-uhn-sahy-luh-buhl]
61
: incapable of being brought into harmony
Our views are irreconcilable, so there seems to be no way to agree.
jackal noun [jak-uhl]
62
: a wild animal like a dog that lives in Africa and southern Asia and eats animals that have died
or been killed by others
He is not feeding the tiger, but throwing horsemeat to the jackal.
 Spelling Bee Secondary 1 Word List
lachrymose adjective [lak-ruh-mohs]
63
: tending to cause tears, mournful
At the farewell party, Joyce was surrounded by a lachrymose family.
lackadaisical adjective [lak-uh-dey-zi-kuhl]
64
: without interest, vigor, or determination
Many students have poor grades because of their lackadaisical approach to school.
legitimate [li-jit-uh-mit] adj. – in accordance with established rules, principles or standards
65
Separating spam from legitimate e-mail isn’t easy.
luminescent adjective [loo-mi-nes-uhnt]
66
: (of a substance) producing light without being heated
Bacteria produce distinctive, luminescent signals as detected by a photometer.
magnanimous adjective [mag-nan-uh-muhs]
67 : generous in forgiving an insult or injury; free fro petty resentfulness or vindictiveness
It’s sometimes not easy to be magnanimous toward one’s enemies.
malefactor noun [mal-uh-fak-tuhr]
68
: one who commits an offense against the law
Because she had talked unfavorably, Suzanne was the malefactor in the fight.
manipulate verb [muh-nip-yuh-layt]
69
: to control something or someone to your advantage, often unfairly or dishonestly
The company denied that it had been involved in any attempt to manipulate the market.
mendacious adjective [men-day-shuhs]
70
: given to deception or falsehood
Bob gave us mendacious tales of his African safari adventures.
metallurgical adjective [met-l-ur-ji-kuhl]
71 : technique of heating metals into specific shapes or properties
We went on a tour of a metallurgical research laboratory.
meteor noun [mee-tee-uhr]
72 : a transient fiery streak in the sky produced by a meteoroid passing th o gh the ea th’s
atmosphe e; a shooting sta
The meteor left a long bright streak in the dark night sky.
mischievous adjective [mis-chi-vuhs]
73
: (of behavior) slightly annoying or slightly bad, esp. in a playful way
I believe that he was mischievous in the remarks he made
monsoon noun [mahn-soon]
74
: wind system that brings heavy rainfall to S. Asia
The monsoon brought heavy rains and 90 mph winds.
nonchalance noun [non-shuh-lahns]
75 : the state or quality of being nonchalant; cool indifference orlack of concern; casualness
Although a calm is welcome, nonchalance is not justified.
nouveau adjective [noo-voh]
76
: recently created, developed, or come to prominence
The sudden success of the firm created several nouveau millionaires.
numerator noun [noo-muh-rey-ter]
77
: part of a fraction that is above the line, to be divided
Which number is the numerator and which is the denominator?
oblique adjective [oh-bleek]
78
: neither perpendicular nor parallel
Measure the angle to see if the triangle is a right triangle or oblique.
 Spelling Bee Secondary 1 Word List
obsequious adjective [uhb-see-kwee-uhs]
79
: exhibiting a fawning attentiveness
She expressed obsequious behavior towards her dog, including taking it to the spa.
observatory noun [uhb-zur-vuh-tree]
80
: a building equipped for studying the planets and the stars
The house is to have two studios; an observatory; a sculpture garden; and living, eating, and
sleeping areas.
onomatopoeia noun [on-uh-mat-uh-pee-uh]
81
: the formation of a word, as cuckoo, meow, honk orboom, by imitation of a sound made by or
associated with its referent
Onomatopoeia was used in discussion for new names for children’s books.
opossum noun [uh-pos-uhm]
82
: a prehensile-tailed marsupial
The opossum hung upside down and played dead.
orthopedist noun [or-tho-pe-dist]
: a medical professional who specializes in the skeletal system, mainly the extremities and spine.
83 Their focus: correcting any deformities or impairments
of these areas.
The orthopedist examined her knee after surgery to determine whether she needed further
treatment.
palatable adjective [pal-uh-tuh-buhl]
84
: acceptable or agreeable to the palate or taste; savory
The young boy found the taste of lemons not palatable to him.
pedagogue noun [ped-uh-gog]
85 : teacher, schoolmaster; especially : a dull, formal, or pedantic teacher
She was a pedagogue whose classroom lessons consisted entirely of reading directly from the
textbook in a monotone.
permeate verb [pur-mee-ayt]
86
:to pass into or through every part of
Bright sunshine permeated the room.
phosphorescence noun [fos-fuh-res-uhns]
: luminescence that is caused by the absorption ofradiations (as light or electrons) and continues for
87 a noticeable time after these radiations have stopped.
I had been pumping that night and there was phosphorescence in the water.
picnicking noun [pik-nik-ing]
88
: to go on a picnic
We packed a lunch to eat when we go picnicking this afternoon.
picturesque adjective [pik-shuh-resk]
89 : visually charming or fquaint, as if resembling or suitable for apainting
The hotel was near the most beautiful and picturesque lake.
potpourri noun [poh-puh-ree]
90
: mixture of dried petals of roses or other flowers with spices, kept in a jar for
their fragrance.
I also have some potpourri made from the dozens of the roses she gave me.
precipice noun [pre-suh-puhs]
91
: a very steep or overhanging place
There is a beautiful view from the precipice on the mountain.
 Spelling Bee Secondary 1 Word List
prodigious adjective [pruh-dij-uh s]
92 : extraordinary in size, amount, extent, degree, force; wonderful or marvelous
The legal costs involved in this enoromous litigation could be prodigious.
pseudonym noun [sood-n-im]
93 : a fictitious name used by an author to conceal his or her identity; penname
Mark Twain was a pseudonym for the writer Samuel Clemens.
ransom verb [ran-suhm]
94
: to pay money in order to set someone free
Her father ransomed her for a million dollars.
reconciliation noun [rek-uhn-sil-ee-ay-shuhn]
95
: a situation in which two people or groups of people become friendly again after they have argued
It took hours of negotiations to bring about a reconciliation between the two sides.
righteous adjective [rayh-chuhs]
96
: acting in accord with divine or moral law
The boy did the righteous thing and returned the wallet he found at the store.
satiate verb [sey-shee-yet]
97
: to supply with anything to excess
There’s history enough, both modern and ancient, to satiate even the most enthusiastic.
schooner noun [skoo-nuhr]
98
: a sailing vessel with two masts
Today a schooner is primarily used for recreational purposes.
sieve noun [siv]
99
: utensil of mesh, used for straining and sifting
The chef used a sieve to separate seeds from his tomato puree.
sovereign adjective [sov-rin]
100
: having the highest power or being completely independent
Love is a sovereign remedy for unhappiness.
styptic adjective [stip-tik]
: tending to contract or bind astringent; especially: tending to checkbleeding
101 Any other type of bleeding should be stopped with direct pressure to the wound as well as
styptic powder.
subterfuge noun [suhb-tuhr-fyuj]
102
: deception by artifice in order to conceal, escape, or evade
The box was used as subterfuge, no one expected the robbers to hide in it.
subvert verb [suhb-vuhrt]
103
: to overturn or overthrow from the foundation
Teenagers often try to subvert their parents’ authority by breaking rules.
synchronous adjective [sin-kruh-nuhs]
104 : happening, existing, or arising at precisely the same time
The synchronous arrival of a baby sister and loss of a beloved grandmother strongly affected
the child.
tamarind noun [ta-mjuh-ruhnd]
105
: a tropical old world tree
A tamarind is sensitive to frost and can’t grow in cold climates.
transient adjective [tran-zee-uhnt]
106
: lasting for only a short time; temporary
The weakness was transient, and soon I was feeling strong again.
 Spelling Bee Secondary 1 Word List
trichinosis noun [trik-uh-noh-sis]
107
: disease caused by eating undercooked pork
You must cook pork well so you don’t get trichinosis.
trigonometry noun [trig-uh-nom-uh-tree]
108
: a type of mathematics that deals with the relationship between the angles and sides of
triangles
Trigonometry concerns the functions of angles, such as sine, cosine, and tangent.
ulterior adjective [ul-teer-ee-uh]
109
: (of a reason) hidden or secret
There is certainly an ulterior wish to let them express themselves in their own way.
unanimous adjective [yoo-nan-uh-muhs]
110
: showing complete agreement with no one opposed
After a very busy school year, everyone in the family made the unanimous decision to take a
vacation.
utilitarian adjective [yoo-til-uh-ter-ee-uhn]
111
: having regard for usefulness rather than beauty
The barn is a rather utilitarian building set just beyond a group of trees.
valedictorian noun [val-i-dik-tawr-ee-uh n]
112
: a student, usually the one ranking highest academically in a school graduating class, who delivers
the valedictory at the commencement exercises.
She was valedictorian of her high school and an engineering major.
variegated adjective [vair-ee-i-gey-tid]
113
: varied in appearance or color
A variegated ivy would look good all year around.
vengeance noun [ven-juhnts]
114
: act or instance of paying back an injury with an injury
After the toddler hit her brother, he sought vengeance by pulling her hair.
ventilate verb [ven-tuh-layt]
115 : to expose to fresh air for purifying, curing or refreshing
It is important to ventilate grain stored in a grain elevator so it doesn’t rot.
vociferous adjective [voh-sif-er-uhs]
116 : crying out noisily, clamorous
So far he has been met with vociferous opposition.
withhold verb [with-hohld]
117 : to hold back or restrain
You can go to jail if you withhold payment of your taxes.
waspish adjective [wosp-ish]
118 : likely to make sharp, slightly cruel remarks; having a slightly angry and unpleasant manner
She had a waspish tongue which could hurt.
xebec noun [zee-bek]
119 : a small, three-masted vessel of the Mediterranean
Sometimes pirates would use a xebec as their pirate ship.
zephyr noun [zef-er]
120
: a gentle, mild breeze
A zephyr passed through the trees, rustling the leaves.