The Great Gatsby Vocabulary I

complacency noun Self-satisfaction Because of their complacency, the number one team didn’t take the game seriously and lost to an unranked opponent.

infinitesimal adjective Incalculably small The only errors I could find in your paper were infinitesimal, so it is ready to be entered in the contest.

pungent adjective Strong smelling The formaldehyde was so pungent in the new carpet that everyone in the room plugged their noses.

languid adjective Inactive; sluggish Since many students are not morning people, their languid behavior rubs off on me, and I feel tired, too.

strident adjective Harsh and insistent The coach’s strident demands led to complaints in the locker room and threats of quitting the team.

discordant adjective Clashing; out of harmony The couple’s discordant personalities made us recall the phrase, “Opposites attract.”

poignant adjective Moving; affecting (emotionally) His poignant performance brought the audience to tears.

punctilious adjective Careful; exacting Brain surgery is such punctilious work that only the most steady surgeons can become certified.

nebulous adjective indistinct His nebulous directions left all of us confused; we didn’t know if we should turn left or right at the intersection.

vestige noun Trace, mark or sign, especially of something that has passed away I kept the broken watch because it was the last vestige I had of my deceased grandfather.