Paradox (noun) A statement or situation that seems to contradict itself yet may still hold some truth.
Example: "You have to spend money to make money" is a classic paradox that confuses new business owners.
Mnemonic: 'Para-' (contrary to) plus 'dox' (opinion, as in 'orthodox') — a paradox runs contrary to the opinion we'd normally expect.
Paragon (noun) A person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality.
Example: The old librarian was considered a paragon of patience, never once raising her voice at the rowdiest students.
Mnemonic: Paragon sounds like 'pair-a-gone' — an example so perfect that all comparisons are gone.
Petulant (adjective) Childishly irritable and impatient, quick to sulk over small annoyances.
Example: The petulant customer demanded a manager simply because his coffee arrived two minutes late.
Mnemonic: Sounds like 'petty' stretched out longer — a petulant person hands out petty complaints all day long.
Portent (noun) A sign or warning that something significant, often disastrous, is about to happen.
Example: The sudden flock of crows was taken as a portent of the harsh winter to come.
Mnemonic: Portent sounds like 'port-tent' — a tent pitched at the port, warning sailors of a coming storm.
Plaintive (adjective) Sounding sad or mournful, expressing sorrow.
Example: The plaintive cry of the loon echoed across the lake at dusk.
Mnemonic: Plaintive contains 'plaint,' as in 'complaint' — a sound full of quiet sorrow.
Poignant (adjective) Producing a sharp, deeply felt emotion, usually sadness or tenderness.
Example: The soldier's final letter home was so poignant that even the archivist reading it aloud had to pause.
Mnemonic: Shares a root with 'point,' a sharp tip — a poignant moment feels like it pokes straight into your heart.
Prevaricate (verb) To speak evasively or misleadingly in order to avoid telling the truth.
Example: Instead of answering directly, the spokesperson prevaricated for ten minutes about supply chains and quarterly targets.
Mnemonic: Prevaricate sounds like dodging through various side gates instead of walking straight through the truth.
Pristine (adjective) Perfectly clean or untouched, appearing exactly as new or original as possible.
Example: The collector kept the comic book in a pristine plastic sleeve, refusing to let anyone touch the cover.
Mnemonic: Shares a root with 'primitive,' meaning first or original — pristine things look like they're still in their very first, untouched condition.
Prosaic (adjective) Plain and unimaginative, lacking any spark of excitement or beauty.
Example: His prosaic description of the sunset — "the sky had some orange in it" — disappointed the art teacher.
Mnemonic: Shares a root with 'prose,' ordinary writing as opposed to poetry — prosaic language reads flat, never like verse.
Prudent (adjective) Careful and sensible when making decisions, especially about money or risk.
Example: It was prudent of her to save half of every paycheck instead of spending it all right away.
Mnemonic: Shares a root with 'providence,' or planning ahead — a prudent person always thinks several steps in advance.
Quell (verb) To forcibly put an end to unrest, fear, or resistance.
Example: The principal's calm announcement was enough to quell the rumors spreading through the hallway.
Mnemonic: Related to 'quiet' — to quell a riot is to force it back down into silence.
Requite (verb) To make a fitting return for something received, especially to reciprocate a feeling or favor.
Example: He spent the rest of his life trying to requite the kindness the old farmer had shown him as a boy.
Mnemonic: Requite sounds like settling accounts and going 're-quiet' — paying back exactly what you owed, in feeling or favor.
Redundant (adjective) More than what is needed, so that something becomes an unnecessary repetition.
Example: The editor cut the paragraph because it was redundant with a point made earlier in the essay.
Mnemonic: Comes from Latin redundare, 'to overflow' — picture a cup so full that it spills over with more than anyone actually needs.
Sordid (adjective) Involving immoral or dishonorable actions and motives, morally degraded.
Example: The tabloids uncovered every sordid detail of the councilman's bribery scheme.
Mnemonic: Sordid sounds dark and stained, like a deed too dishonorable and grubby to bring into the light.
Supplant (verb) To take the place of another, especially through force, scheming, or superior position.
Example: Streaming services have largely supplanted DVD rentals as the default way to watch movies at home.
Mnemonic: Supplant contains 'plant' — you pull out the old plant by the roots and put a new one in its place.
Neophyte (noun) A neophyte is someone who has just begun learning or practicing something and therefore still lacks experience.
Example: As a neophyte in the courtroom, the young lawyer double-checked every procedure with a senior partner before speaking.
Mnemonic: Think of the 'Neo' root meaning new, like Neo the newcomer in The Matrix, plus 'phyte' sounding like 'fight' - a neophyte is new to the fight and still learning the ropes.
Nettle (verb) To nettle someone is to irritate them persistently, the way a prickly plant stings the skin.
Example: Her constant interruptions during the meeting began to nettle even the most patient board members.
Mnemonic: A nettle is a stinging plant - brush against it and it irritates your skin, just as this verb means to irritate someone's temper.
Nihilism (noun) Nihilism is the philosophical position that rejects the idea that existence has any objective meaning or moral truth.
Example: After the war destroyed everything he valued, he drifted toward a bleak nihilism that questioned whether anything mattered at all.
Mnemonic: Remember the Latin root 'nihil' meaning nothing - nihilism is the belief that, in the end, there is nothing to hold onto.
Noisome (adjective) Something noisome is so offensive to the senses, especially smell, that it repels anyone nearby.
Example: The noisome odor drifting from the abandoned fish market forced pedestrians to cross to the other side of the street.
Mnemonic: Noisome looks like 'noise' but is about smell, not sound - link 'noi-' to 'annoy-some,' something so foul it annoys your nose.
Nonplussed (adjective) To be nonplussed is to be caught so off guard by something unexpected that you are momentarily unable to respond.
Example: The interviewer was nonplussed when the candidate answered every question with another question.
Mnemonic: Break it into 'non' (not) plus 'plussed' (added up) - the situation doesn't add up in your mind, leaving you baffled.
Nugatory (adjective) Something nugatory is so trivial or ineffective that it might as well not exist.
Example: Without enforcement powers, the committee's ruling proved nugatory, changing nothing about how the company operated.
Mnemonic: Nugatory sounds like 'new-gator-y' - imagine a toy alligator that looks fierce but is completely worthless as a real guard.
Numinous (adjective) Something numinous evokes a powerful feeling of the sacred or supernatural, as though a greater power were near.
Example: Standing beneath the cathedral's soaring ceiling, she felt a numinous hush settle over the crowd.
Mnemonic: Numinous sounds like 'new-minus-us' - picture entering a vast temple where you feel minus your ordinary self, touched by something divine.
Obloquy (noun) Obloquy is harsh, widespread condemnation directed at a person, often ruining their standing in the eyes of others.
Example: The disgraced senator faced years of public obloquy after the scandal broke.
Mnemonic: Obloquy contains 'loq,' a root meaning to speak, as in eloquent - obloquy is speech aimed squarely at tearing someone down.
Obviate (verb) To obviate a problem is to eliminate it beforehand so that it never has to be dealt with.
Example: Installing a backup generator obviated the need to worry about losing power during the storm.
Mnemonic: Think 'ob-via-ate' - you build a road (via) around the obstacle, so it's out of your way before you even get there.
Odious (adjective) Something odious provokes strong feelings of disgust or hatred because it is morally offensive or repulsive.
Example: Most of the staff considered the new policy of surprise pay cuts thoroughly odious.
Mnemonic: Odious sounds like 'odor' plus 'hideous' - imagine a smell so hideous that everyone despises it.