British Literature Vocabulary List

Unit One Bell – from the Latin for “war” Antebellum – existing before a war Bellicose – warlike, aggressive, quarrelsome Belligerence – aggressiveness, combativeness Rebellion – open defiance and opposition to authority

Unit One Pac/Peas – from Latin for “agree” and “peace” Pacific ocean Pacify – to soothe anger or agitation, subdue armed action Pacifist – a person opposed to war or violence and refuses to fight Pact – an agreement between two or more people or groups; treaty or formal agreement Appease – to make peaceful and quiet; to calm, satisfy

Unit Two Hosp/host – comes from Latin word hospes meaning “host” and “guest” Hostage – a person given or held to ensure that an agreement, demand, or treaty is kept or fulfilled Hospice – a place or program to help care for the terminally ill Hostel – an inexpensive, supervised place for young travelers to stay overnight Inhospitable – not welcoming or generous, unfriendly, providing no shelter or food (desert)

Unit Two Am/Im comes from Latin word “amare” meaning “to love” Amicable – friendly, peaceful Enamored – charmed or fascinated; inflamed with love Inimical – hostile, unfriendly, harmful Paramour – a lover, often secret, not allowed by law or custom

Unit 3 Crim – Latin for “fault or crime” or “accusation” Criminology – study of crime, criminals, law enforcement, etc. Decriminalize – to remove or reduce criminal status of Incriminate – to show evidence of involvement in a crime or fault Recrimination – an accusation in retaliation for an accusation made against oneself

Unit 3 Prob/prov – “prove or proof” “honesty or integrity” Approbation – formal or official act of approving, praise Disprove – refute, show something is not what it has claimed Probity – absolute honesty and uprightness Reprobate – a person of thoroughly bad character

Unit 4 Grav – Latin for “heavy, weighty, serious” Gravid – pregnant or enlarged with something Gravitas – great or very dignified, seriousness Gravitate – to move or be drawn toward something Gravity – weighty importance, seriousness, dignity

Unit 4 Lev – Latin for “light” Alleviate – to lighten, lessen, relieve Elevate – lit up or raise, raise in rank or status Leavening – something that lightens and raises, something that modifies, eases, animates Levity – frivolity, lack of appropriate seriousness

Unit 5 Cicerone – a guide, especially one who takes tourists to museums, monuments, etc. Hector – to bully; to intimidate Hedonism – an attitude or way of life based on the idea that pleasure or happiness should be the chief goal Nestor – a senior figure or leader in one’s field Spartan – marked by simplicity and often strict self-discipline or self-denial

Unit 5 Stentorian – extremely loud, often with a richness of sound Stoic – seemingly indifferent to pleasure or pain Sybaritic – marked by a luxurious or sensual way of life

Unit 6 AG Latin for “do, go, lead, drive” Agitate – to move something with an irregular, rapid, violent action Litigate – to carry on a lawsuit Prodigal – recklessly or wastefully extravagant Synagogue – Jewish temple

Unit 6 VEN/VENT – Latin for “come” Advent – a coming or arrival Provenance – origin or source Venturesome – inclined to seek out risk Venue – a place of a trial or event

Unit 7 Cap/cep/cip – to take or seize (Latin) Reception – social gathering where guests are welcomed Incipient – starting to become evident or come into being Perceptible – noticeable Susceptible – open to influences

Unit 7 Fin – Latin for “end” or “boundary” Affinity – sympathy; attraction Definitive – authoritative and final Infinitesimal – extremely small Finite – having definite limits

Unit 8 AMBI/AMPHI Ambi – Latin Amphi – Greek Means “on both sides” or “around” – think ambidextrous Ambiguous – doubtful or uncertain especially from being obscure or indistinct, unclear, understandable in more than one way Ambient – existing or present on all sides

Unit 8 Ambivalent – holding opposite feelings and attitudes at the same time; continually wavering Amphitheater – an oval or circular building with an open area ringed by rising tiers of seats

Unit 8 Ep/Epi Greek means “upon” “besides” “attached to” “over” “outer” “after” Ephemeral – lasting a day only; lasting a very short time Ephiphyte – a plant that obtains its nutrients from the air and the rain and usually grows on another plant for support Epitaph – an inscription on a grave or tomb in memory of one buried there Epithet – a descriptive word or phrase occurring with or in place of a name of a person or thing; an insulting or demeaning word or phrase

Unit 9 hypo/hyp/therm Under, beneath, down, below normal Hypodermic needle Hypochondriac – a person unduly concerned with health and often suffering from delusions of physical disease Hypocrisy – a pretending to be what one is not or to feel what one does not really feel Hypothermia – subnormal temperature of the body Hypothetical – involving an assumption made for the sake of an argument or investigation

Unit 9 Therm/thermo – Greek for warm Think thermometer Thermal – of relating to or caused by heat; designed to insulate in order to retain body heat Thermocline – region in a body of water that divides the warmer (oxygen-rich) from colder (oxygen-poor) region Thermocouple – device for measuring temperature that makes use of the way different metals respond to heat Thermonuclear – of or relating to changes in the nucleus of atoms with low atomic weight that require high temperature to begin (hydrogen)

Unit 10 poly/prim Poly – Greek for many Think polygamy Polychromatic – showing a variety or change of colors; multicolored Polyglot – one who can speak or write in several languages Polymer – a chemical compound formed by a reaction in which two or more molecules combine to form larger molecules with repeating structural units Polyphony – music consisting or two or more independent but harmonious melodies

Unit 10 Prim – Latin for first Think primer or primate Primal – original or primitive; first in importance Primiparous – bearing a first offspring Primogeniture – an exclusive right of inheritance belonging to the eldest son of a single set of parents Primordial – first created or developed; existing in/from the very beginning

Unit 11 hom/dis Hom/homo – Greek for same Think homosexual Homonym – one of two or more words pronounced and/or spelled alike but different in meaning (pool/of water; pool/game) Homogeneous – of the same or a similar kind; uniform structure or composition Homologous – developing from the same or a similar part of a remote ancestor Homophone – one of two or more words pronounced alike but different in meaning or derivation or spelling (wood/would)

Unit 11 Dis – Latin for apart/opposite of/deprive Think disenfranchise Diffraction – the bending or spreading of a beam of light (or other wave – like sound) especially when it passes through a narrow opening or is reflected Dissention – disagreement in opinion Disseminate – to spread widely Dissipate – to cause to spread to the point of vanishing

Unit 12 Latin Phrases Ad hoc – formed or used for a particular purpose or immediate need Ad hominem – an attack against an opponent’s character rather than issue Alter ego – a trusted friend/personal representative or opposite side of personality De facto – being in practice or effect but not formally recognized

Unit 12 De jure – by right of law Ex post facto – done, made, or formulated after the fact Modus operandi – a usual way of doing something Modus vivendi – a practical compromise or arrangement that is acceptable to all concerned/a way of life

Unit 13 vor/carn Vor – Latin “to eat” Carnivorous – meat-eating/flesh-eating Herbivorous – plant-eating Omnivorous – feeding on both plants and animals/intensely interested in everything Voracious – having a huge appetite/very eager

Unit 13 Carn – Latin for “flesh” Carnage – great destruction of life/slaughter Carnal – having to do with bodily pleasures Carnival – season of merrymaking before Lent/traveling group that presents merriment Incarnation – a particular physical form or version of something/person showing a trait to a marked degree

Unit 14 Cred/fid Cred – Latin “to believe” Credence – mental acceptance of something as true or real Creditable – worthy of praise Credulity – readiness or willingness to believe on the basis of little evidence Creed – statement of basic beliefs of a religious faith

Unit 14 Fid – Latin “faith” Affidavit – sworn statement made in writing Diffident – lacking confidence, timid, cautious Fiduciary – confidence or trust or held in trust for another Perfidy – faithlessness, disloyalty, treachery

Unit 15 curr, curs/ped Curr/curs – Latin for “to run” Concurrent – happening or operating at the same time Cursory – hastily and often carelessly done Discursive – passing from one topic to another Precursor – one that goes before and indicates the coming of another

Unit 15 Ped – Latin for “foot” Expedient – suitable for bringing about a desired result (often without regard for what is fair or right) Expedite – to speed up the process or progress of Impediment – something that interferes with movement or progress Pedestrian – commonplace, ordinary, or unimaginative

Unit 16 flect,flex/post Flect/flex – Latin “to bend” Deflect – to turn aside, especially from a straight or fixed course Flexor – a muscle that bends a part of the body such as arm or leg Genuflect – to kneel on one knee and then rise in an act of respect Inflection – a change in pitch, tone, or loudness of the voice

Unit 16 Post – Latin for “after” or “behind” Posterior – situated toward or on the back; rear Posthumous – published after the death of the author; happening after one’s death Postmodern – the architectural and literary movement that is a reaction against modernism Postmortem – occurring after death/ following the event

Unit 17 Words from Mythology Calypso – a folk song or style of singing of West Indian origin Odyssey – a long, wandering journey full of trials and adventures; a spiritual journey or quest Palladium – a precious, silver-white metal used in electrical contacts Penelope – a modest domestic wife

Unit 17 Procrustean – ruthlessly disregarding individual differences or special circumstances Protean – displaying great versatility or variety Sibyl – a female prophet or fortune-teller Siren – a woman who tempts men with bewitching sweetness