Grade_08 Spell-Off Challenge — Word group 01

Abscission / æbˈsɪʒən / NOUN Origin: Latin

The natural detachment of parts of a plant, typically dead leaves and ripe fruit.

Accelerant / əkˈsɛlərənt / NOUN Origin: Latin

A substance used to aid the spread of a fire.

Accredit / əˈkrɛdɪt / VERB Origin: Latin

To give authority or credibility to.

Abhorrence / æbˈhɔːrəns / NOUN Origin: Latin

A feeling of repulsion; disgusted loathing.

Engrain / ɪnˈɡreɪn / VERB Origin: Middle English

To implant or fix deeply and firmly.

Ensconce / ɪnˈskɑns / VERB Origin: Middle English

To establish or settle (someone) in a comfortable, safe, or secret place.

Entreat / ɪnˈtrit / VERB Origin: Old French

To ask someone earnestly or anxiously to do something.

Epaulet / ˈɛpəˌlɛt / NOUN Origin: French

An ornamental shoulder piece on an item of clothing, especially on a uniform.

Epistle / ɪˈpɪsəl / NOUN Origin: Greek

A letter, especially a formal or didactic one.

Equity / ˈɛkwəti / NOUN Origin: Latin

The quality of being fair and impartial; also, the value of a property after all debts are paid.

Escheat / ɪˈʃiːt / NOUN Origin: Old French

The reversion of property to the state on the owner's death without legal heirs.

Esquamulose / ɪˈskwæmjəˌloʊs / ADJECTIVE Origin: Latin

Covered with small scales.

Eulogize / ˈjuːləˌdʒaɪz / VERB Origin: Greek

To praise highly in speech or writing, especially in a formal eulogy.

Investigate / ɪnˈvɛstəˌɡeɪt / VERB Origin: Latin

To carry out a systematic or formal inquiry to discover and examine the facts of an incident.

Irremovable / ˌɪrɪˈmuvəbəl / ADJECTIVE Origin: Latin

Impossible to remove.

Itinerary / aɪˈtɪnəˌrɛri / NOUN Origin: Latin

A planned route or journey.

Jalopy / dʒəˈlɑpi / NOUN Origin: American English

An old, dilapidated car.

Jawbreaker / ˈdʒɔːˌbreɪkər / NOUN Origin: English (from jaw + breaker)

A very hard candy; a word that is difficult to pronounce.

Jongleur / ˌdʒɑŋˈɡlɜr / NOUN Origin: Old French

An itinerant minstrel or entertainer in medieval France.

Jubilant / ˈdʒuːbɪlənt / ADJECTIVE Origin: Latin

Feeling or expressing great happiness and triumph.

Junior / ˈdʒuːnjər / ADJECTIVE Origin: Latin

Of a lower rank or status; younger.

Kaiser / ˈkaɪzər / NOUN Origin: German

The German or Austrian emperor.

Karyotheca / ˌkærioʊˈθiːkə / NOUN Origin: Greek

The nuclear envelope or nuclear membrane.

Adamant / ˈædəmənt / ADJECTIVE Origin: Greek

Refusing to be persuaded or to change one's mind.

Administer / ədˈmɪnɪstər / VERB Origin: Latin

To manage and be responsible for the running of a business, organization, or institution.

Advert / ˈædvɜːrt / VERB Origin: Latin

To refer to or call attention to.

Affinity / əˈfɪnəti / NOUN Origin: Latin

A spontaneous or natural liking or sympathy for someone or something.

Aghast / əˈɡæst / ADJECTIVE Origin: Old English

Filled with horror or shock.

Alacrity / əˈlækrəti / NOUN Origin: Latin

Brisk and cheerful readiness.

Aliquot / ˈælɪkwət / NOUN, ADJECTIVE Origin: Latin

Of an integer, that divides the given integer exactly without leaving a remainder; an aliquot part.

Allude / əˈluːd / VERB Origin: Latin

To hint at indirectly.

Amaranth / ˈæməˌrænθ / NOUN Origin: Greek

An annual plant or a reddish-purple color.

Amicable / ˈæmɪkəbəl / ADJECTIVE Origin: Latin

Characterized by friendliness and absence of discord.

Amygdaline / əˈmɪɡdəˌlaɪn / ADJECTIVE Origin: Greek

Relating to or resembling an almond or the amygdala.

Anemia / əˈniːmiə / NOUN Origin: Greek

A condition in which the blood is deficient in red blood cells, hemoglobin, or total volume.

Anneal / əˈniːl / VERB Origin: Old English

To heat (metal or glass) and allow it to cool slowly, in order to remove internal stresses and toughen it.

Antecedence / ˌæntɪˈsiːdəns / NOUN Origin: Latin

The fact or state of going before in time or order.

Antler / ˈæntlər / NOUN Origin: Old French

Each of the branched horns on the head of an adult male deer.

Appeal / əˈpiːl / VERB Origin: Old French

To make a serious or urgent request.

Apprise / əˈpraɪz / VERB Origin: Old French

To inform or tell someone.

Arbitrate / ˈɑːrbɪtreɪt / VERB Origin: Latin

To reach an authoritative judgment or settlement.

Arcosolium / ˌɑːrkoʊˈsoʊliəm / NOUN Origin: Latin

An arched recess in a Roman catacomb, serving as a tomb.

Arthropoda / ɑːrˈθrɑːpədə / NOUN Origin: Greek

A phylum of invertebrate animals having an exoskeleton, a segmented body, and paired jointed appendages.

Aspartame / ˈæspərteɪm / NOUN Origin: English

An artificial sweetener.

Assertive / əˈsɜːrtɪv / ADJECTIVE Origin: Latin

Having or showing a confident and forceful personality.

Astrologer / əˈstrɑlədʒər / NOUN Origin: Greek

A person who practices astrology.

Attain / əˈteɪn / VERB Origin: Old French (from Latin)

To succeed in achieving something after effort.

Audience / ˈɔːdiəns / NOUN Origin: Latin

The assembled spectators or listeners at a public event.

Bachelor / ˈbætʃələr / NOUN Origin: Old French

A man who has not married.

Balbriggan / bælˈbrɪɡən / NOUN Origin: Irish

A fine, unbleached knitted cotton fabric, typically used for hosiery or underwear.

Bandage / ˈbændɪdʒ / NOUN, VERB Origin: Old French

A strip of material used to bind up a wound or to protect an injured part of the body.

Bantam / ˈbæntəm / NOUN, ADJECTIVE Origin: Indonesian (via English)

A small domestic fowl, a diminutive form of a standard breed; small or diminutive.

Baronial / bəˈroʊniəl / ADJECTIVE Origin: Old French

Relating to or characteristic of a baron or barony; grand and imposing.

Batrachian / bəˈtreɪkiən / ADJECTIVE Origin: Greek

Relating to amphibians, especially frogs and toads.

Beckon / ˈbɛkən / VERB Origin: Old English

To make a gesture with the hand, arm, or head to encourage someone to come nearer or follow.

Behave / bɪˈheɪv / VERB Origin: Old English

To act or conduct oneself in a specified way.

Bellwether / ˈbɛlˌwɛðər / NOUN Origin: Old English

A leader or indicator of trends.

Benign / bɪˈnaɪn / ADJECTIVE Origin: Latin

Gentle and kind; not harmful (especially of a disease).

Biconcave / baɪˈkɑnkeɪv / ADJECTIVE Origin: Latin (bi- + concave)

Concave on both sides.

Biosensor / ˈbaɪoʊˌsɛnsər / NOUN Origin: Greek + Latin

A device that uses a biological component to detect a chemical or physical change.

Blancmange / bləˈmɑːnʒ / NOUN Origin: Old French

A sweet, molded dessert made with milk or cream and cornstarch or gelatin.

Bluegrass / ˈbluːˌɡræstr / NOUN Origin: American English

A form of American roots music.

Boomerang / ˈbuməˌræŋ / NOUN, VERB Origin: Aboriginal Australian (Dharuk)

A curved flat piece of wood that returns to the thrower; to backfire or return to the sender.

Boulevard / ˈbuːləvɑːrd / NOUN Origin: French

A broad avenue, often tree-lined.

Bravado / brəˈvɑːdoʊ / NOUN Origin: Spanish

A show of boldness intended to impress or intimidate.

Breviary / ˈbriːviˌɛri / NOUN Origin: Latin

A book containing the daily prayers, hymns, lessons, and readings of the Catholic Church.

Bruisewort / ˈbruːzˌwɜrt / NOUN Origin: English

Any plant traditionally used to heal bruises, such as comfrey.

Bulwark / ˈbʊlwərk / NOUN Origin: Middle High German

A defensive wall or rampart; a person or thing that acts as a strong defense or safeguard.

Byzantinism / ˈbɪzənˌtiːnɪzəm / NOUN Origin: English

The political and cultural system of the Byzantine Empire; excessive deviousness or intrigue.

Calcium / ˈkælsiəm / NOUN Origin: Latin

A soft, silvery-white metallic chemical element.

Calorimeter / ˌkæləˈrɪmɪtər / NOUN Origin: Latin

An apparatus for measuring the amount of heat involved in a chemical reaction.

Candle / ˈkændəl / NOUN Origin: Old English

A stick of wax or tallow with a wick, burned to give light.

Caparison / kəˈpærɪsən / NOUN Origin: Old French

An ornamental covering for a horse or war horse.

Caravansary / ˌkærəˈvænsəri / NOUN Origin: Persian via French

An inn with a central courtyard for travelers in desert regions of Asia or North Africa.

Carousel / ˌkɛrəˈsɛl / NOUN Origin: French

A merry-go-round; a revolving circular platform with seats.

Grade_08 : Word group 01