commencement: an act or instance of commencing; beginning

tumult: the commotion or agitation of a crowd

asperity: roughness of surface, sound, or manner

deracinate: to pluck up by the roots; to uproot

agnosia: loss of ability to recognize objects, people, sounds, etc., usually caused by brain injury

deliquesce: to melt away or become liquid

quotidian: occurring daily; also, ordinary

ostensible: appearing to be true, but not necessarily so

numinous: spiritual; holy

acerbic: sharp, biting, or acid in temper, expression, or tone

laminar: arranged in, consisting of, or resembling thin plates, sheets, or layers

spoonerism: the transposition of usually initial sounds in a pair of words

fugacious: lasting but a short time

plethora: excess or plenty

disheveled: in loose disorder; disarranged

anodyne: serving to relieve pain

beneficence: the practice of doing good

comstockery: overzealous censorship of material considered obscene

dichotomy: division into two parts, kinds, etc.; subdivision into halves or pairs

inure: to accustom to hardship, difficulty, pain, etc.; toughen or harden

assiduous: constant in application or attention; devoted; attentive

coruscate: to emit vivid flashes of light; sparkle; scintillate; gleam

exoteric: suitable for or communicated to the general public; popular; simple; commonplace

antipodal: diametrically opposite or completely opposite; on the opposite side of the earth

legerdemain: sleight of hand; a display of skill

ameliorate: to make better; to improve

bifurcate: to divide into two branches or parts

sinuous: characterized by many curves or turns; winding

quiescent: at rest; still; inactive

exculpate: to clear from alleged fault or guilt; to prove to be guiltless; to relieve of blame

ebullient: bubbling with enthusiasm or excitement

precipice: a very steep, perpendicular, or overhanging place

susurrus: a soft murmuring or rustling sound; whisper

redolent: having or exuding fragrance; scented; aromatic

fugacious: fleeting, transitory, or short lived

saturnine: sluggish in temperament; gloomy; taciturn

pandemic: occurring over a wide area and affecting a high proportion of the population

encomium: glowing praise

gracile: gracefully slender

loquacious: full of excessive talk; wordy

Manichean: dividing things into either black or white, involving no shades of gray

meticulous: extremely careful about details

tenebrous: dark and gloomy

irenic: tending to promote peace; conciliatory

quorum: such a number of the members of any body as is legally competent to transact business

gelid: extremely cold; icy

myopic: unable to see distant objects clearly, also lacking foresight or narrow minded

pellucid: admitting the maximum passage of light, clear; easy to understand

egregious: outrageously bad

spendthrift: one who spends money extravagantly or wastefully

aplomb: confidence; coolness

memorial: something to remember by

epicurean: devoted to the pursuit of pleasure; fond of good food, comfort, and ease

pulchritude: beauty

convocation: a group of people gathered in answer to a summons; assembly

crepuscular: pertaining to twilight

obfuscate: to make obscure or difficult to understand or make sense of

surreptitious: secret or unauthorized; clandestine

germane: appropriate or fitting; relevant

salubrious: healthful