Akshay DineshMany of us have a decent command of English. However, beyond the words that we use daily, we are often too lazy to learn new words to improve our vocabulary. It really is quite simple – just by learning one word a day, you can learn over 300 words in a year. While that seems very minuscule compared to the 170,000 everyday words used in the English language, native speakers use about 20,000 words on a regular basis.
1 Jan – Perfunctory
Type: Adjective
Origin: Latin
Definition: Carrying out an action without real interest, feeling, or effort, often performed merely as a daily routine, in a hasty and superficial manner.
2 Jan – Tangential
Type: Adjective
Origin: Latin
Definition: Different, not directly connected subject or activity discussed or carried out.
3 Jan – Rudimentary
Type: Adjective
Origin: Latin
Definition: Basic, minimal, not deep or detailed; immature, undeveloped, or basic form.
4 Jan – Regimentation
Type: Noun
Origin: French
Definition: To organise and take control over the behavior or actions of others in an extreme manner.
5 Jan – Dissident
Type: Noun, Adjective
Origin: Latin
Definition: A person who opposes official policy, especially in authoritarian states.
6 Jan – Ameliorate
Type: Verb
Origin: French
Definition: To improve on something, to make something bad or unsatisfactory better.
7 Jan – Ostensible
Type: Adjective
Origin: French
Definition: Stating or appearing to be true but may not necessarily be so, appearing or claiming to be one thing when it is actually something else.
8 Jan – Zeitgeist
Type: Noun
Origin: German
Definition: A spirit or mood that defines a particular period of history based on the ideas and beliefs of that time.
9 Jan – Weltschmerz
Type: Noun
Origin: German
Definition: Weariness and sadness of life due to the evil and suffering in the world.
10 Jan – Catharsis
Type: Noun
Origin: Greek
Definition: Releasing and relieving strong and repressed emotions.
11 Jan – Non sequitur
Type: Noun
Origin: Latin
Definition: A conclusion or statement that does not logically follow the previous.
12 Jan – Despotism
Type: Noun
Origin: French
Definition: A political system where the ruler holds absolute power and exercises power in a cruel and oppressive way.
13 Jan – Lucrative
Type: Adjective
Origin: French
Definition: Profitable
14 Jan – Subservient
Type: Adjective
Origin: Latin
Definition: Prepared to obey others unquestioningly; less important or subordinate.
15 Jan – Sycophant
Type: Noun
Origin: French, Greek
Definition: Someone who acts obsequiously towards someone important to gain advantage.
16 Jan– Obsequious
Type: Adjective
Origin: Latin
Definition: Excessively obedient or attentive; servile.
17 Jan – Servile
Type: Adjective
Origin: Latin
Definition: Excessively willing to serve or please others.
18 Jan – Dissonance
Type: Noun
Origin: French
Definition: Lack of agreement or harmony between people or things, or among music notes.
19 Jan – Insidious
Type: Adjective
Origin: Latin
Definition: Proceeding in a gradual and subtle way, but with very harmful effects.
20 Jan – Ersatz
Type: Adjective
Origin: German
Definition: A typically inferior substitute of a good; not real or genuine, fake.
21 Jan – Dossier
Type: Noun
Origin: French
Definition: A collection of documents with regard to a certain person, event or subject.
22 Jan – Quixotic
Type: Adjective
Origin: Spanish
Definition: Extremely idealistic; unrealistic and impractical.
23 Jan – Indolent
Type: Adjective
Origin: Latin
Definition: Wanting to avoid activity or exertion, lazy.
24 Jan – Anathema
Type: Noun
Origin: Greek, Latin
Definition: Something or someone that one vehemently dislikes.
25 Jan – Reinvigorate
Type: Verb
Origin: Old English
Definition: To give new energy or strength to someone.
26 Jan – Ludicrous
Type: Adjective
Origin: Latin
Definition: So foolish, unreasonable, or out of place such that it is amusing.
27 Jan – Chagrin
Type: Noun, Verb
Origin: French
Definition: Annoyance or distress for failing or being humiliated; to feel distressed or humiliated.
28 Jan – Bête noire
Type: Noun
Origin: French
Definition: A person or thing that someone especially dislikes.
29 Jan – Disenfranchise
Type: Verb
Origin: French
Definition: Deprive someone of a right or privilege, or the right to vote.
30 Jan – Debilitating
Type: Adjective
Origin: Latin
Definition: A disease or condition that causes someone to be very weak and infirm; tending to weaken something.
31 Jan – Risible
Type: Adjective
Origin: Latin
Definition: Provoking laughter by being ludicrous.
Rishay Dinesh
Add comment