Educational

diphthong

[dif-thawng]

a sound formed by the combination of two vowels in a single syllable, in which the sound begins as one vowel and moves toward another (as in coin, loud, and side)

accede

[ak-seed]

to give consent, approval, or adherence; agree; assent; to accede to a request; to accede to the terms of a contract

ailurophile

[ahy-loor-uh-fahyl]

a person who likes cats; cat fancier

truncate

[truhng-keyt]

to shorten by cutting off a part; cut short

flowery

[flow-er-ee]

decorated with flowers; overly elaborate in style

luminary

[loo-muh-ner-ee]

a body, object, etc. that gives light

obliterate

[uh-blit-uh-reyt]

to remove or destroy all traces of; do away with; destroy completely

exponent

[ek-spoh-nuhnt]

a person who believes in and promotes the truth or benefits of an idea or theory.

abgesang

[ab-guh-zong]

the concluding section in musical and poetic bar form

harmony

[har-muh-nee]

compatibility in opinion and action

buttery

[buht-er-ee]

having the taste or texture of butter

supplicate

[suhp-li-keyt ]

to pray humbly; make humble and earnest entreaty or petition

triskaidekaphobia

[tris-kahy-dek-uh-foh-bee-uh]

a fear of the number 13

conterminous

[kuhn-tur-muh-nuhs]

having a common boundary

glean

[gleen]

to collect or gather anything little by little or slowly

kismet

[kiz-met]

fate; destiny

sienna

[see-en-uh]

a ferruginous earth used used as a yellowish-brown pigment (raw sienna) or, after roasting in a furnace, as a reddish-brown pigment (burnt sienna)

intransigent

[in-tran-si-juhnt]

refusing to agree or compromise; uncompromising; inflexible

amorphous

[uh-mawr-fuhs]

without a clearly defined shape or form; lacking a clear structure or focus

meander

[mee-an-der]

to wander aimlessly; ramble

obviate

[ob-vee-eyt]

to anticipate and prevent or eliminate (difficulties, disadvantages, etc.) by effective measures; render unnecessary

gawk

[gawk]

to stare stupidly; gape

occlude

[uh-klood]

to close, shut, or stop up (a passage, opening, etc.)

swathe

[swoth]

to wrap, bind, or swaddle with bands of some material; wrap up closely or fully