English words with definitions. List 5

Aardwolf is a hyena-like animal of southern and eastern Africa. Aberration is departing from the usual course. Abridgment is a shortened form of a book. Abscission is sudden termination. Acerbate is to make sour or bitter. Aficionado is a devotee of something. Algorithm is a set of rules for solving a problem. Alignment is arrangement in a straight line. Allocution is a formal speech. Ancillary is a subordinate or subsidiary. Apocalypse is widespread destruction or disaster. Applique is ornamentation applied to a material. Archetype (arkitype) is the original model. Avenge is to exact satisfaction for. Babushka is a woman's scarf. Baccalaureate is a religious service held before commencement day. Balalaika is a Russian musical instrument. Baroque pertains to architecture and art from 17th century Italy. Barracuda is a long, predaceous fish. Bayou is a marshy arm of a river, usually sluggish or stagnant. Beleaguer is to surround with troubles. Belligerence is a hostile attitude. Beret is a soft, visorless cap. Bivouac is a military encampment. Blithe is joyous, glad or cheerful. Boatswain is a warrant officer on a warship. Bourgeois is to be a member of the middle class. Boutique is a small shop within a larger store. Boutonniere is a flower worn by a man in his lapel. Boysenberry is a blackberry-like fruit. Buoy is a float used to mark a water channel. Cabaret is a restaurant providing food, drink and music. Calisthenics are gymnastic exercises. Callous is hard or indifferent. Camouflage is hiding oneself from one's enemy. Cannoneer is an artilleryman. Cantankerous is disagreeable to deal with. Cardiopulmonary pertaining to the heart and lungs. Carnivorous means flesh-eating. Catastrophe is a sudden and widespread disaster. Celerity is swiftness, speed. Censer a container in which incense is burned. Changeable is liable to change or to be changed. Chaparral is a dense growth of shrubs or trees (southwest). Commemorate is to serve as a reminder of. Committal is an act or instance of committing. Connoisseur is a person competent to pass critical judgment. Convalescence is the gradual recovery to health after illness. Cornucopia is the horn of plenty in mythology. Corruptible is that which can be corrupted. Crevasse is a fissure in ice or the earth. Croissant is a rich, buttery crescent-shaped roll. Curmudgeon is a bad-tempered, cantankerous person. Cynic is a person who believes in selfishness as prime motivation. Dachshund is a long, German dog. Decaffeinate is to extract caffeine from. Deliverance is an act or instance of delivering. Denouement is the final resolution of the intricacies of a plot. Diaphragm is a part of the human body. Dichotomy is division into two parts. Dietitian is a person who is an expert on nutrition. Diphthong is an unsegmented gliding speech sound Docile is easily handled or manageable. Echo is a repetition of sound produced by reflection of sound waves. Eclair is a finger-shaped creampuff. Eczema is an inflammatory condition of the skin. Effervescent is bubbling, vivacious or gay. Eloquence is using language with fluency and aptness. Encumbrance is something burdensome. Exquisite is of special beauty or charm. Extemporaneous is done without special preparation. Facsimile is an exact copy. Fallacious means logically unsound. Fascinate is to attract and hold attentively. Fauna are the animals of a region considered as a whole. Flocculent is like a clump of wool. Foliage is the leaves of a plant. Forage is food for cattle or horses. Forsythia is a shrub of the olive family. Fraught means full of or accompanied by. Fuchsia is a bright, purplish-red color. Gauche means lacking in social grace. Genre is a class of artistic endeavor having a particular form. Germane means relevant. Gerrymander is dividing election districts to suit one group or party. Glockenspiel is a musical instrument. Gnash is to grind or strike the teeth together. Granary is a storehouse for grain. Grippe is the former name for influenza. Guillotine a device for execution. Hallelujah means praise ye the Lord. Handwrought is formed or shaped by hand, esp. metal objects. Harebrained means giddy or reckless. Harpsichord is a keyboard instrument, precursor of the piano. Haughty is disdainfully proud. Heir is a person who inherits. Hemorrhage is a profuse discharge of blood. Heterogeneous is different in kind, unlike. Hoard is a supply that is carefully guarded or hidden. Holocaust is a great or complete destruction. Homogenize is to form by blending unlike elements. Homonym is a word the same in spelling and sound, but different in meaning. Horde is a large group, a multitude. Humoresque is a musical composition of humorous character. Hydraulic is employing water or other liquids in motion. Hydrolysis is chemical decomposition by reacting with water. Hypothesis is a proposition set forth to explain some occurrence. Hysterical is of or pertaining to hysteria. Idyll is a composition, usually describing pastoral scenes or any appealing incident, or the like. Iguana is a large lizard native to Central and South America. Imperceptible is very slight, gradual or subtle. Impetuous is characterized by sudden or rash action. Impossible means not possible or unable to be done. Impromptu means done without previous preparation. Incidence means the rate of change or occurrence. Indicator is a person or thing that indicates. Infallible is absolutely trustworthy or sure. Inferior is lower in station, rank or degree. Insurgence is an act of rebellion. Interfere is to meddle in the affairs of others. Invoice is an itemized bill for goods or services. Iridescent is displaying a play of bright colors, like a rainbow. Isle is a small island. Isthmus is a narrow strip of land with water on both sides, connecting two larger strips of land. Jackal is a wild dog of Asia and Africa. Jacuzzi is a trade name for a whirlpool bath and related products. Joist is a beam used to support ceilings or floors or the like. Juxtaposition is the act of placing close together. Kaiser is a German or Austrian emperor. Kaleidoscope is a continually shifting pattern or scene. Ketch is a two-masted sailing vessel. Knave is an unprincipled or dishonest person. Knell is the sound made by a bell rung slowly, at a death. Knoll is a small, rounded hill.