Glossary of Difficult Words from A to Z
A
Abacus: A wooden box with ten parallel wires and ten beads on each wire used for counting.
Abdicate: To relinquish power (e.g., The king abdicated).
Aboriginal: A primitive inhabitant of a country. / Native: A plant or animal from the place where you live.
Abreva: Watering livestock / Manger: Pond, river, or container where livestock drink.
Absolve: To free a defendant from guilt (e.g., The prisoner was acquitted).
Abusus: Abuse of Power
Acicate (spur): Spur a single tip / encouragement, motivation (e.g., The bike is the incentive to study)
Atalaya: Tower or high place from where you can watch
B
Baggage: Military luggage or luggage for travel / Cultural background, everything a person knows.
Baladí: Minor, unimportant (e.g., It’s a minor point).
Beacon: Fixed or mobile signal that guides.
Beads: Small, typically inexpensive objects with holes, used for making necklaces or similar items.
Belligerent: Which is at war with another (e.g., It is a belligerent country).
Bison: Rookie, new, inexperienced (e.g., It is a fledgling writer).
Boat: Ostentatious wealth. Living with much pomp.
Bonaerense: A native of Buenos Aires.
C
Cacique: Abuser of power.
Calculation: Mathematical account.
Candle: A wax cylinder with a wick that provides light when burned. / Candle Holder: A device used to hold a candle. / Chandelier: An oil lamp used to illuminate.
Canana: Belt for carrying bullets or cartridges.
Canyon: Narrow step where a river runs between two high mountains.
Clapper: Piece of metal used to strike bells.
Crackle: Cracking of burning wood.
Crosier: Staff or cane for support / The staff used by bishops.
Crush: To soften something solid by liquid immersion.
D
Dalton: Who confuses some colors.
Dantesco: Something that causes horror.
Devoted: Person who sacrifices himself for others or an ideal.
Digression: In a narrative or discourse, moving away from the main point to briefly focus on a detail or something other than the main topic.
Diligence: The opposite of laziness (e.g., He is a diligent student).
E
Eloquent: Having the ability to speak well.
Emulate: To imitate someone who is admired.
Encyclical: Letter written by the Pope to the faithful.
Ennui: Boredom.
Ephemeral: Passenger, short-term (e.g., Life is fleeting).
Esotérico: Hidden, secret (e.g., Cattail is an esoteric religion).
F
Falaz: Deceitful, fake, liar (e.g., False promises).
Fallacy: A mistaken belief, especially one based on unsound argument (e.g., That argument is a fallacy).
Feasible: Possible to do (e.g., That plan is feasible).
Flatter: To praise excessively or insincerely.
G
Gallows: Platform used to execute the death penalty.
Gambler: Player who cheats / skilled player (mostly cards).
Greedy: Wanting something with great force (e.g., Thirsty for knowledge, power hungry).
Guide: Shaven man with no beard or very little.
H
Haragán: Lazy, idle.
Hecatombe: Distress in which many people die.
Hematome: Bruise.
Hemeroteca: Library that saves newspapers.
Hilarious: Laughter-provoking (e.g., It was a hilarious situation).
Hirsuta: Sparse hair.
Hollow: Empty space in a solid.
Honing: Polishing or refining metal.
Hyssop: Utensil used in the church to spread holy water.
I
Idiosyncrasy: Typical character feature of an individual or group.
Igneous: Related to fire.
Ilk: Any trim that is put to the horses.
Impunity: Without receiving punishment for a crime.
Incipient: Beginning (e.g., You have an emerging cold).
Indemne: That has not received injury or damage.
Injured: Person who has received a large collective damage (e.g., The flood victims are numerous).
Invoke: To call for help or aid (e.g., To God).
J
Jabber: Talking very quickly, without understanding anything.
Jamba: The two vertical pieces on the sides of a door or window.
Jargon: Special language of certain professions or trades.
Jarcias: Strings or ropes of a ship.
Jasper: Marble with veins.
Jauría: A pack of dogs.
Jergón: Straw mattress.
Jiron: Torn piece of clothing.
Jornal: What a worker earns each working day.
L
Lacerate: To hurt, injure, knock.
Laconic: Brief, concise, using few words.
Languid: Weak, tired, low energy.
Lascivious: Lustful, tending to carnal appetites.
Libretto: Text written to be sung in an opera or musical.
Liver: Hard, related to the liver (e.g., Hepatic).
Livery: Uniform worn by some servants (e.g., The hotel porters wear livery).
Locality: Name of a place.
Longevity: Living for many years.
Lupanar: Brothel.
Lynch: To execute a suspect without trial by a mob.
M
Macula: Smooth spot.
Maroma: Very thick rope.
Matriarchy: Social organization in which command belongs to the female (matriarch).
Milestone: Anniversary that is remembered.
Misanthrope: Who does not want the company of men, hermit.
Misogynist: Who hates women.
Mitigate: To smooth something negative, decreasing it (e.g., Mitigate the pain, suffering).
Mitra: High cap finished in a tip used by bishops.
Mitten: Fingerless glove.
Mobster: Person who employs others to execute violent actions.
Mournful: Sad, funeral, worthy of tears.
N
Natives: Original inhabitants of a place.
Nauseating: Which produces nausea or vomiting.
Negligent: Person who does not pay attention to what they do.
O
Oligarchy: Power in a few.
Outrage: Violent action made by abuse of power.
Overthrowing: To remove someone from their position by force.
P
Pharisee: Delusive person.
Philanthropist: Person who helps humanity disinterestedly.
Playful: Related to games.
Q
Quorum: Number of persons required to make an agreement or decision.
R
Rack: Shelf to hold or put things.
Rag: Old and worn clothes.
S
Saddler: Person working leather.
Secession: To secede from a nation or its territory.
Sephardi: Spanish Jew.
Shooting: Sudden.
Shroud: Cloth in which a corpse is wrapped.
Skeptical: Doubting or not believing in certain things.
Stabbing: Hurtful.
Stole: Piece of cloth like a scarf worn by the priest to celebrate Mass.
Susceptible: Touchy, techy.
Sweetening: Substance used to sweeten.
T
Tahona: Bakery oven.
Tramoya: A machine used in theater to change the setting or produce special effects.
Trembling: Shaking involuntarily.
Trepan: Operation to pierce the skull.
Trifle: Not important, smallness.
Turolense: Natural of Teruel.
Tithing: To cause great mortality.
U
Uninjured: Without injury.
Unpublished: New, unknown, not published.
Urge: To encourage someone to do or stop doing something.
W
Weasel: A hidden poacher.
Whore: Prostitute.