Vocabulary List 2 - Definitions
auspicious adj. Favorable; successful or prosperous
contentious adj. Argumentative / funny, adj. means opposite of other adj. which sounds similar – content
desolate adj. Devoid of inhabitants; deserted; dismal; forlorn / note ‘ate’ is often a verb-forming suffix, not this time
fractious adj. Tending to be troublesome, quarrelsome, or irritable / root ‘frac’ means to break ‘ous’ is adj. suffix
inordinate adj. Exceeding reasonable limits, excessive / again, not a v. even with ‘ate’ suffix, inordinately – adv. Prefix ‘in’ means not – not ordinary
mortifying adj. Embarrassing; shameful / can use root ‘mort’ = death as clue, mortified = embarrassed to death, v. mortify
perpetrate v. To commit, often as in a crime / ‘ate’ is v. suffix (usually) perpetrated, n. perpetrator
ramshackle adj. Appearing ready to collapse; rickety / can use clue word of ‘shack’ to connote meaning
tepid adj. Lacking in passion, force, or zest
unfathomable adj. Unable to be measured or understood / prefix ‘un’ means not
auspicious adj. Favorable; successful or prosperous
contentious adj. Argumentative / funny, adj. means opposite of other adj. which sounds similar – content
desolate adj. Devoid of inhabitants; deserted; dismal; forlorn / note ‘ate’ is often a verb-forming suffix, not this time
fractious adj. Tending to be troublesome, quarrelsome, or irritable / root ‘frac’ means to break ‘ous’ is adj. suffix
inordinate adj. Exceeding reasonable limits, excessive / again, not a v. even with ‘ate’ suffix, inordinately – adv. Prefix ‘in’ means not – not ordinary
mortifying adj. Embarrassing; shameful / can use root ‘mort’ = death as clue, mortified = embarrassed to death, v. mortify
perpetrate v. To commit, often as in a crime / ‘ate’ is v. suffix (usually) perpetrated, n. perpetrator
ramshackle adj. Appearing ready to collapse; rickety / can use clue word of ‘shack’ to connote meaning
tepid adj. Lacking in passion, force, or zest
unfathomable adj. Unable to be measured or understood / prefix ‘un’ means not
