premier’s spelling bee 2011: senior wordlists …...premier’s spelling bee 2011: senior...

Premier’s Spelling Bee 2011: Senior Wordlists Annotated

General Words Senior General Level 2 accord

(say uh-kawd) noun a formal agreement or contract between two or more groups of people: An accord was reached between the workers and management.

afraid (say uh-frayd) adjective If you are afraid, you feel frightened: Ellie was afraid when she heard the strange noises outside.

athlete (say ath-leet) noun someone who trains and competes in some kind of sport, especially running or jumping events: Paul is an excellent athlete and wants to compete in the Olympic Games.

barrel (say bar-uhl) noun a large, rounded container made of narrow pieces of wood held in place by iron bands: The boy hid in an empty wine barrel he found in the shed.

beetroot (say beet-rooht) noun the dark red root of the beet plant which is eaten as a vegetable: I hate it when they put beetroot in my hamburger.

bilby (say bil-bee) noun a type of bandicoot. It is an animal currently rated as vulnerable rather than endangered: The bilby is quite different in appearance from other types of bandicoot.

canoe (say kuh-nooh) noun a light, narrow boat that you move by using paddles: We paddled across the lake in a canoe.

coupon (say kooh-pon) noun a ticket or card which you can exchange for goods or money: I was given a coupon for a free movie.

curb (say kerb) verb to keep something under control or within fixed limits: She decided to curb her TV watching.

debate (say duh-bayt) noun a discussion, especially of a public question in an assembly: The debate was lively and provoked quite a few heated arguments.

devoid


(say duh-voyd) adjective If a thing is devoid of something, it is without it: The park was completely devoid of trees.

dollop (say dol-uhp) noun a shapeless lump; a blob: She put a dollop of cream on her scone.

earnest (say er-nuhst) adjective serious or sincere: Is she earnest about wanting to play the violin?

emblem (say em-bluhm) noun a badge or something that serves as a sign or symbol: Our school emblem is an oak tree.

excess (say ek-ses or uhk-ses) noun an amount that is more than what is necessary or usual: We have an excess of eggs, so please take some.

feature (say fee-chuh) noun a prominent part or characteristic of one’s face: His nose is his best feature.

fluent (say flooh-uhnt) adjective flowing smoothly and easily: She speaks fluent French after living in Paris for a year.

funnel (say fun-uhl) noun an open-ended cone used for pouring liquid into a container with a narrow opening: We didn't want to spill any water so we used a funnel to pour it into the bottle.

garbage (say gah-bij) noun rubbish or waste material: We picked up the garbage and put it in the bin.

guilty (say gil-tee) adjective You are guilty if you have done something that is wrong: The police thought he was guilty of the robbery because he was found inside the bank.

gymnast (say jim-nuhst) noun someone specially trained and skilled in gymnastics: She is the first Australian gymnast to win an Olympic medal.

helmet (say hel-muht) noun a special hat that protects your head: You must wear a helmet when you ride a bike.

holiday


(say hol-uh-day) noun a day's break from work or school, usually to celebrate or remember an important event: We have a public holiday to celebrate New Year.

insight (say in-suyt) noun an understanding of the inner nature of someone or something: I gained an insight into how the company was organised.

island (say uy-luhnd) noun a piece of land completely surrounded by water: We rowed out to the island in the middle of the lake.

jittery (say jit-uh-ree) adjective If you are jittery, you are nervous or jumpy: I was very jittery walking home by myself in the dark.

jovial (say joh-vee-uhl) adjective cheerful and friendly: My uncle is always so jovial that everyone loves visiting him.

kingdom (say king-duhm) noun a country or government ruled over by a king or queen: The knights of Camelot defended their kingdom valiantly.

laundry (say lawn-dree) noun a room in a house for washing clothes: He took his wet football clothes straight to the laundry.

mangrove (say mang-grohv) noun area where trees grow on mudflats: The mangrove area of the Murray River supports a huge diversity of plant and animal life.

million (say mil-yuhn) noun, adjective a number, one thousand times one thousand: There are more than 22 million people living in Australia.

nervous (say ner-vuhs) adjective worried or frightened, especially about something that is going to happen: He was very nervous about the speech he had to give.

outback (say owt-bak) noun the remote parts of the country, far from the cities and the coast: People who live in the outback have to be self-reliant.

parcel (say pah-suhl) noun a package or wrapped bundle of goods: He was carrying a large brown parcel which he had picked up from the post office.

pontoon


(say pon-toohn) noun a floating structure used to support a temporary bridge or as a place where boats can tie up: We had a swimming race out to the pontoon and back.

receive (say ruh-seev) verb To receive something is to get or be given it: We are hoping to receive our new badges today.

remember (say ruh-mem-buh) verb To remember something is to bring it back to or keep it in your mind: Sonja used to play the flute when she was younger but can no longer remember how.

sausage (say soss-ij) noun finely chopped up meat packed into a thin skin: She put another sausage on the barbecue.

strength (say strength) noun the quality of being strong: He did a lot of exercises to increase the strength of his muscles.

suburb (say sub-erb) noun an area of a city with its own shopping centre, school and other facilities: I was lucky that my best friend lived in the neighbouring suburb.

tenant (say ten-uhnt) noun someone who pays rent for the use of a house or apartment: The new tenant is moving in next week.

tongue (say tung) noun the muscle in your mouth that helps in eating food and shaping the sounds of speech: Our drama teacher told us how important the tongue is in forming different sounds with our voices.

totally (say toh-tuh-lee) adverb wholly; entirely; completely: I agree with you totally.

unity (say yooh-nuh-tee) noun a feeling of agreement in a group: After much disagreement in the committee, unity was finally reached.

various (say vair-ree-uhs) adjective meaning a variety of something; you use various when you are talking about several different things: We use various materials, such as paints, pencils and crayons, in our art class.

verdict


(say ver-dikt) noun A verdict is what a judge or a jury decides about a prisoner in a court of law: The verdict was `not guilty' and the prisoner went free.

wharf (say wawf) noun a structure built along or out from the shore of a port, where ships can load and unload: A crowd gathered at the wharf to watch the huge liner dock.

wistful (say wist-fuhl) adjective thoughtful in a sad way: She gave us a wistful smile.

yeast (say yeest) noun a substance you add to dough so that it swells up when you make bread: We always have some dried yeast in the cupboard for making buns.

zinc (say zingk) noun a bluish-white type of metal: Zinc is used in making galvanised iron.


Senior General Level 3 abacus

(say ab-uh-kuhs) noun a frame with rods through it which holds beads used for counting: The abacus was used as a calculation tool in ancient times.

absence (say ab-suhns) noun a state or period of being away: I'll do your work during your absence.

adamant (say ad-uh-muhnt) adjective staying firm in what you decide: Mum was adamant that the bathroom wall should remain bright yellow.

advantage (say uhd-van-tij or uhd-vahn-tij) noun something that gives you a benefit or puts you ahead of others: Being tall is an advantage when you are playing basketball.

agility (say uh-jil-uh-tee) noun the ability to move quickly and easily: He climbed up the rocky slope with great agility.

alienate (say ay-lee-uh-nayt) verb to make indifferent or hostile; to turn away: The neighbours decided to alienate him because he always played his music too loudly.

ambition (say am-bish-uhn) noun strong desire for something in the future, especially money or fame: Because of his ambition, he wanted to be best in everything he attempted.

apology (say uh-pol-uh-jee) noun (plural apologies) an expression of regret or sadness that you offer when you have done something wrong: It was important that he accepted my apology.

appetite (say ap-uh-tuyt) noun the desire for food: Your appetite is always good after you go hiking in the bush.

archery (say ah-chuh-ree) noun the sport of shooting with a bow and arrows: We tried archery on our school camp and it was great fun.

aromatic (say a-ruh-mat-ik) adjective having a pleasant smell: We used an aromatic oil in our oil burner.

attire


(say uh-tuy-uh) verb clothes or apparel: Aunty Dot always wore strange attire.

austere (say ost-ear or awst-ear) adjective very plain and simple: The monks lead an austere life with no luxuries at all.

avocado (say av-uh-kah-doh) noun a green, pear-shaped fruit with a large seed: To win the bet, he had to eat avocado with ice-cream.

bamboozle (say bam-booh-zuhl) verb to confuse or deceive someone: The magician did his best to bamboozle us, but we were too clever.

banksia (say bangk-see-uh) noun an Australian shrub or tree with hard jagged leaves and spikes of tiny, coloured flowers: The banksia outside my window attracts beautiful parrots.

beacon (say bee-kuhn) noun a signal which shows the way or warns of danger: The lighthouse's beacon had prevented many shipwrecks.

beret (say be-ray) noun a soft, round cap: The French man at the cheese shop always wears a beret.

bizarre (say buh-zah) adjective very strange or unusual: The doctors were very worried by his bizarre behaviour.

botany (say bot-uh-nee) noun the study of plants: He loves plants and is going to study botany at university.

boycott (say boy-kot) verb If you boycott something, you refuse to go to it: She decided to boycott the meeting as a protest against the new policy.

braise (say brayz) verb to fry meat or vegetables quickly in a pan, then stew it gently in a covered pot: We did not have time to braise the lamb, so we had sausages instead.

brilliance (say bril-yuhns) noun great brightness: The brilliance of the sportsground lights was almost blinding.

bypass


(say buy-pahs) noun a road built to take traffic around the edge rather than through a town or a busy traffic area: We had to use the bypass because there was an accident on the main road.

calcium (say kal-see-uhm) noun a soft, silvery-white type of metal which is found in limestone and chalk, as well as in teeth and bones: If you have enough calcium in your diet, you will have strong bones and teeth.

cashmere (say kash-mear) noun fine wool obtained from the Kashmir goats of India, often used to make clothes: Cashmere clothing is very soft and comfortable to wear, but also very expensive.

censorship (say sen-suh-ship) noun the act or practice of deciding what books and films the public should have access to: The censorship of films is decided by a government body.

certified (say ser-tuh-fuyd) adjective having, or proven by, a certificate: Having completed his course at TAFE, he was now a certified electrician.

chariot (say cha-ree-uht) noun a two-wheeled carriage used in ancient times: The actor had to learn to control a chariot for his role in the film about ancient Rome.

chocolate (say chok-luht or chok-uh-luht) noun a sweet food made from the seeds of a small, tropical South American tree: I love the taste of chocolate but I get sick if I eat too much.

citizen (say sit-uh-zuhn) noun a member of a nation who has certain rights and duties: A baby born to Australian parents is automatically an Australian citizen.

commentary (say kom-uhn-tuh-ree or kom-uhn-tree) noun a description of a public event, such as a sporting match, broadcast or televised as it happens: The commentary accompanying the swimming finals made it even more exciting to watch.

compliance (say kuhm-pluy-uhns) noun the act of agreeing: We were in compliance with the company's new policy on overtime.

confetti (say kuhn-fet-ee) noun small bits of coloured paper, thrown at weddings or carnivals: Confetti rained down on the bridal couple after the ceremony.

corduroy


(say kaw-juh-roy or kaw-duh-roy) noun a cotton material with a pattern of ridges: Jeans made of corduroy are good in winter.

crouton (say krooh-ton) noun a small piece of fried or toasted bread served in soup, etc: She picked the last crouton out of her soup.

dangerous (say dayn-juh-ruhs) adjective likely to harm or injure someone or cause someone to be harmed or injured: Toys with small parts are dangerous for very young children.

depot (say dep-oh) noun a place where buses or trams are kept: By midnight all the buses were back at the depot.

diamond (say duy-muhnd) noun a very hard, clear, shining, precious stone which is used in jewellery: The huge diamond on the movie star's finger sparkled as she walked down the red carpet.

dugong (say dyooh-gong) noun a large marine mammal of northern Australia, having flipper-like forelimbs: The dugong was hunted for its meat and oil by some Aboriginal peoples.

dynasty (say din-uh-stee) noun a series of rulers who are members of the same family: The Ming dynasty ruled in China for hundreds of years.

ecology (say uh-kol-uh-jee) noun the balanced relationship between living things and their environment: The arctic regions have a very fragile ecology.

emboss (say em-boss) verb to decorate with a raised design that stands out from the background surface: They asked the printer to emboss the letters on the wedding invitation, so they would stand out and look special.

emperor (say em-puh-ruh) noun a man who rules over a group of countries: Julius Caesar was an emperor of the Roman Empire.

equivalent (say uh-kwiv-uh-luhnt) adjective equal or matching: An inch is equivalent to about 2.5 centimetres in the metric system.

evacuee (say uh-vak-yooh-ee) noun someone who is taken away from a dangerous place: The evacuee from the floods suffered the additional hardship of his house being robbed.


exhibit (say uhg-zib-uht) verb To exhibit something is to put it on show: My mother has been asked to exhibit her paintings at the art gallery.

extrovert (say eks-truh-vert) noun a person with a lively and outgoing nature: You would have to be an extrovert to allow yourself to be hypnotised on stage.

familiar (say fuh-mil-yuh) adjective well-known: She was quite shy until she saw a familiar face.

felony (say fel-uh-nee) noun a serious crime such as murder or burglary: She was sentenced to jail for eight years for her felony.

fierce (say feerce) adjective wild or violent: The fierce storm damaged many houses.

fluoride (say flooh-ruyd) noun a chemical which protects your teeth from decay: The toothpaste I use contains fluoride to keep my teeth strong.

furiously (say fyooh-ree-uhs-lee) adverb strongly or violently: The waves pounded furiously against the rocks.

gazelle (say guh-zel) noun a small, graceful antelope with large eyes: Her movement was as fast and as graceful as that of a gazelle.

genuine (say jen-yooh-uhn) adjective Something that is genuine is true or real: Is that a genuine ruby or a fake?

gnarled (say nahld) adjective twisted and having many woody lumps: She ran her hand over the gnarled bark of the old tree.

grimace (say grim-uhs or gruh-mays) verb If you grimace, you twist your face so that it shows you are upset, afraid or in pain: She tried not to grimace when the doctor approached her with a needle.

guarantee (say ga-ruhn-tee) noun a promise to replace or repair something if it is faulty: Some new cars have a three-year guarantee.

hangar


(say hang-uh) noun a large building in which aircraft are kept:

horrendous

The plane was moved into the hangar for regular maintenance.

(say huh-ren-duhs) adjective horrible and dreadful: Crossing Bass Strait in the fierce storm was a horrendous experience.

hybrid (say huy-bruhd) noun an animal or plant that is the result of breeding between different types: This plant is a hybrid, bred to resist frost.

illusion (say i-looh-zhuhn) noun a false idea or hope: He was beginning to think his notion of himself as an international car racing champion was no more than an illusion.

impeach (say im-peech) verb to accuse a government official of a serious crime in connection with their job: Serious discussions were taking place as to whether they should impeach the president.

inertia (say in-er-shuh) noun the tendency of something to continue to stay still or keep moving in the same direction: We did an experiment in our physics class to learn about the property of inertia in an object.

interpreter (say in-ter-pruh-tuh) noun someone who explains or interprets, such as someone whose work is translating from one language to another: A good interpreter manages to convey small differences in meaning.

jarrah (say ja-ruh) noun a large tree found in western Australia with a hard, dark red wood: The wood from jarrah trees lasts for a very long time.

journalist (say jer-nuhl-uhst) noun someone who writes, edits or produces newspapers and magazines, or news and current affairs programs on television and radio: It was a story any journalist would have loved to have written.

juror (say jooh-ruh) noun a member of a jury: He was selected as a juror for the next court case.

khaki (say kah-kee or kah-kee) noun a greenish-brown colour, used especially for soldiers' uniforms: Their khaki uniforms could be seen clearly against the snow.

knight


(say nuyt) noun in medieval times, a man of noble birth who promised to serve and fight for a king: The film was about a brave knight who fought for King Arthur.

lavender (say lav-uhn-duh) noun a small shrub with pale purple flowers that have a strong but pleasant smell: Patricia hung a bunch of lavender in the hall to make the house smell nice.

leopard (say lep-uhd) noun a large, fierce, spotted animal of the cat family: I would not like to meet a leopard in the dark.

levitate (say lev-uh-tayt) verb To levitate is to rise or float in the air as if by magic: The magician made the rabbit levitate - and everybody gasped to see it hanging in the air.

loathe (say lohdh) verb If you loathe someone or something, you hate them: I loathe washing up.

lunacy (say looh-nuh-see) noun any form of insanity: In the old days, a person suffering from lunacy was treated very badly.

luscious (say lush-uhs) adjective tasting extremely pleasant: We had a luscious lunch of crayfish.

lyrebird (say luy-uh-berd) noun a type of Australian bird which can mimic other sounds and is known for the long beautiful tails which the males display when courting the females: The lyrebird in the bush near my house has learned to mimic the ringtone of my mobile phone.

magistrate (say maj-uhs-trayt) noun someone who acts as a judge in some less important court cases: He had to appear before a magistrate for not paying his speeding fine.

marathon (say ma-ruh-thon) noun a long-distance race: He loved long-distance running and it was his dream to compete in the Olympic marathon.

matador (say mat-uh-daw) noun the bullfighter who kills the bull in a bullfight: The crowd cheered as the matador arrived for the final bullfight.

mayor


(say mair) noun the person elected to lead a city: The mayor welcomed the visiting soccer team.

merino (say muh-ree-noh) noun a type of sheep that has very fine wool: Wool from the merino is of very high quality.

miraculous (say muh-rak-yuh-luhs) adjective remarkable or marvellous: It was miraculous that you didn't break your arm when you fell off the rocks.

monotony (say muh-not-uh-nee) noun lack of change or variety, which produces boredom: The road was straight for hundreds of kilometres with nothing to relieve the monotony.

mousse (say moohs) noun a food made of whipped cream and beaten eggs: We had chocolate mousse for dessert.

myriad (say mi-ree-uhd) noun a very great number: The prime minister was bombarded with a myriad questions at the press conference.

necessary (say nes-uh-se-ree) adjective If something is necessary, you need it: Have you got all the necessary ingredients for the cake?

niche (say neesh) noun a place or position suitable for a person or thing: The new airline has found its own niche in the industry.

nostalgia (say noss-tal-juh) noun a longing for the past and all the things that belonged to it: That old song always generates great nostalgia.

nutrient (say nyooh-tree-uhnt) noun a substance that provides food and energy: Dad says there's not a single nutrient in most junk food.

observant (say uhb-zer-vuhnt) adjective watchful or alert: An observant neighbour noticed that the front door was open and called the police.

oddity (say od-uh-tee) noun an odd characteristic or peculiarity: My grandmother thinks that Facebook is just another oddity of the modern age.

onslaught


(say on-slawt) noun a fierce rush or attack: The troops could not advance against the onslaught of enemy fire.

oregano (say o-ruh-gah-noh) noun a herb of the mint family, used in cooking: The pizza just needed a pinch of oregano added before going in the oven.

pageant (say paj-uhnt) noun a colourful public show, often including a procession of people in costume: The pageant had been held every year since medieval times.

pamphlet (say pam-fluht) noun a very small paper-covered book: The pamphlet explained what the exhibition was about.

papyrus (say puh-puy-ruhs) noun (plural papyri (say puh-puy-ruy) a tall water plant: The ancient Egyptians used papyrus to make a material for writing on.

peculiar (say puh-kyooh-lyuh) adjective If someone or something is peculiar, they are strange or unusual: What is that peculiar smell? It's a bit like burning rubber.

pedigree (say ped-uh-gree) noun a line of direct relationship, showing, for example, the parents, grandparents, and so on, used mainly to show the breeding history of an animal: My dog is the best, even though we got him from the pound and he doesn't have a pedigree.

perimeter (say puh-rim-uh-tuh) noun the outside edge of a shape or area: To walk around the perimeter of the lake takes about an hour.

pertinent (say per-tuh-nuhnt) adjective having to do with the matter being discussed or thought about: Please only ask questions that are pertinent to what we are discussing.

phobia (say foh-bee-uh) noun a very strong fear: Alison has a phobia about flying.

pioneer (say puy-uh-near) noun someone who first goes into an area, opening the way for others to follow: She was a pioneer of modern music.

plasticine (say plas-tuh-seen) noun a soft substance used for modelling figures: We moulded the figures for our animation out of plasticine.


plateau (say plat-oh) noun a large, flat stretch of high ground: From the plateau at the top of the mountain, we could see the endless plain beyond.

politician (say pol-uh-tish-uhn) noun A politician is someone whose job is to represent people by being a member of the parliament and voting on the laws in the country: My parents have been writing to our local politician about saving our town's river.

porpoise (say paw-puhs) noun a sea animal with a rounded nose, usually blackish on top and paler beneath, which often jumps out of the water. A porpoise is a kind of dolphin: A porpoise is more like a dolphin than a whale.

poultry (say pohl-tree) noun birds that are kept for their eggs or meat: The farmer had lots of poultry: chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese.

prestige (say pres-teezh) noun high reputation or standing: He thought the expensive car would add to his prestige.

prodigy (say prod-uh-jee) noun someone, especially a child, who has talent far greater than is normal: He was a prodigy in chess from a very early age.

prognosis (say prog-noh-suhs) noun a doctor's opinion on how a disease will develop: The doctor gave her a good prognosis and she was very relieved.

protein (say proh-teen) noun a substance found in foods such as meat and cheese, which is important to our health: Meat, fish and eggs are all good sources of protein.

proviso (say pruh-vuyz-oh) noun (plural provisos) a condition or stipulation: His parents told him he could have a dog on the proviso that he looked after it.

pumice (say pum-uhs) noun a light, spongy form of volcanic stone used for rubbing or smoothing things: Pumice can be used for smoothing dry skin.

pumpkin (say pump-kuhn) noun A pumpkin is a large round vegetable with a hard skin. The part you eat is orange but the skin is often green: We had lamb with roast pumpkin and potatoes for dinner.

punctual


(say punk-chooh-uhl) adjective If someone is punctual, they are always on time: I try to be punctual for school every day, but sometimes I am a bit late.

puncture (say punk-chuh) noun A puncture is a small hole made in something: The tyre on my bike is flat because it has a puncture.

punnet (say pun-uht) noun a small, shallow box or basket for small fruits, especially berries: She would buy a punnet of strawberries to use for the pavlova topping.

pylon (say puy-lon) noun A pylon is a strong tall structure built to support something: The earthquake left the bridge teetering on a single pylon.

quarrel (say kwo-ruhl) noun an angry argument: A loud quarrel broke out among the spectators at the football match.

quibble (say kwib-uhl) verb If you quibble, you argue over things that do not matter: The twins used to quibble over whose turn it was to clear the table.

quiche (say keesh) noun a tart filled with a mixture of cooked eggs, cream and cheese, often eaten cold: Would you like a spinach quiche or a pie?

raisin (say ray-zuhn) noun a dried, sweet grape: It's nice to have a raisin or two with cheese.

rancid (say ran-suhd) adjective having a sour, unpleasant smell or taste from lack of freshness: We caught some yabbies using rancid meat as bait.

ravine (say ruh-veen) noun a long, deep, narrow valley, especially one made by a river: We nervously rode the donkeys along the edge of the ravine.

realm (say relm) noun a kingdom: The realm of King John extended over most of England.

regatta (say ruh-gat-uh) noun a meeting for boat races: Our school won the rowing regatta last year.

regiment


(say rej-uh-muhnt) noun a division of an army consisting of two or more battalions: The commander sent one regiment from the battalion into battle.

reinforce (say ree-in-faws) verb To reinforce something is to strengthen it, by adding something: Extra sand bags were needed to reinforce the banks of the flooded river.

residual (say ruh-zij-ooh-uhl) adjective left over: The residual money was given to charity.

reticent (say re-tuh-suhnt) adjective not inclined to speak freely: She seemed very reticent to discuss the source of the money.

rhubarb (say rooh-bahb) noun a plant whose stalks are cooked to make a dessert: Rhubarb is delicious with whipped cream.

rigmarole (say rig-muh-rohl) noun a long and complicated process: I lost my wallet and now I have to go through the whole rigmarole of replacing everything.

rodent (say roh-duhnt) noun one of a group of animals, including rats, mice, and guinea pigs, with sharp teeth: The rat is a generally unpopular rodent.

rubella (say rooh-bel-uh) noun a contagious disease, usually mild, accompanied by fever, often some sore throat, and a rash resembling that of scarlet fever: When I had rubella, I had a week off school.

rummage (say rum-ij) verb If you rummage, you search by moving everything around: She started to rummage through her bag for her lost keys.

safari (say suh-fah-ree) noun a long journey, in the past usually for hunting wild animals, but nowadays for observing them: One day, I'd like to go on a safari in Africa and see lions in their natural habitat.

salutation (say sal-yuh-tay-shuhn) noun something said, written, or done as a greeting: He greeted everyone he met with a pleasant salutation and a smile.

sarcasm (say sah-kaz-uhm) noun the saying of harsh and bitter things, especially by using the trick of saying the


opposite of what you really mean, so as to hurt someone's feelings: `I'm terribly sorry', I said in a cold and cutting voice; but the sarcasm was wasted on him.

scrounge (say skrownj) verb If you scrounge around for something, you forage around trying to find it: We had to scrounge around the other camp sites for firewood.

semblance (say sem-bluhns) noun an appearance or likeness: She tried to arrange her thoughts into some semblance of order.

sequin (say see-kwuhn) noun a small shiny disc sewn as a decoration onto bags, evening clothes or fancy dress: The detective suspected that a woman had been in the room because of a sequin he had found on the floor.

serviette (say ser-vee-et) noun a piece of cloth or paper, used during a meal to wipe your lips and hands and to protect your clothes: Mum always tells me to use a serviette, but I usually spill food on my clothes anyway.

shackle (say shak-uhl) noun a ring of iron, usually one of a pair, for holding the wrist or ankle of a prisoner or slave: A leg shackle prevented any prisoner from escaping from their confinement.

simplistic (say sim-plis-tik) adjective so simple as to lose accuracy: She gave a simplistic account of the causes of the war.

skulk (say skulk) verb to be in an area, trying not to be noticed, often for an evil or cowardly reason: He saw a figure skulk past the doorway and disappear into the gloom.

slouch (say slowch) verb To slouch is to walk or sit without holding yourself up straight: We were told not to slouch in the march around the oval.

solicitor (say suh-lis-uh-tuh) noun a lawyer who advises people about legal matters and prepares cases to be presented in court: We consulted a solicitor when we wanted to sell our house.

sombre (say som-buh) adjective dark or serious in a way that makes you feel gloomy: He wore sombre robes in shades of brown and black.

souvenir


(say sooh-vuh-near) noun something you keep as a memory of a place or event: I brought home a big shell as a souvenir of my holiday on the island.

spatula (say spach-uh-luh) noun a tool with a flat, bendable blade, used for mixing or spreading such things as food or paint: Use the spatula to spread the icing over the cake.

squalid (say skwol-uhd) adjective dirty or filthy: The squalid living conditions in the slum shocked us.

subsidiary (say suhb-sij-uh-ree) noun something of lesser importance: This small company is a subsidiary of a larger one.

suction (say suk-shuhn) noun the power of sucking produced when the pressure of the air inside something is less than the outside pressure: A vacuum cleaner uses suction to pick up dirt from the floor.

surreal (say suh-reel) adjective dreamlike: Gliding over the city in the hot air balloon was a surreal, dreamlike experience.

surrender (say suh-ren-duh) verb to stop fighting and agree to do what the other side wants: They didn't want to surrender but they had no choice.

swarm (say swawm) noun A swarm is a large group of insects, such as bees or ants: The swarm of bees was hanging from a bough on the tree, an incessant agitating buzz.

sympathy (say sim-puh-thee) noun a feeling shared with someone else, especially in sorrow or trouble: They showed their sympathy by taking her a card they had made themselves.

tactile (say tak-tuyl) adjective having to do with the sense of touch: Many lifts have tactile buttons with raised patterns so that visually impaired people can use them.

tambourine (say tam-buh-reen) noun a type of small drum which has small, round pieces of metal set into a frame, and is played by hitting or shaking it: You have to have a good sense of rhythm to play the tambourine.

tangerine


(say tan-juh-reen) noun a type of mandarin: A tangerine is a deep orange or scarlet colour.

tangible (say tan-juh-buhl) adjective having a physical existence, so it can be touched and felt: The tangible results of the new health policy are the two new hospitals.

tentacle (say ten-tuh-kuhl) noun A tentacle is one of the long, thin parts which some sea animals use to touch or hold things: You will get a painful sting if a tentacle of a bluebottle touches you.

thesis (say thee-suhs) noun (plural theses) an idea, argument or explanation, especially one to be discussed and proved: His central thesis -- that the Earth was a cube -- was widely scorned.

thieve (say theev) verb to steal: In order to support a drug addiction, a person will pilfer, thieve and embezzle.

threshold (say thresh-hohld) noun the entrance to a house or building: He crossed the threshold and closed the door behind him.

thwart (say thwawt) verb If someone thwarts someone or something, they oppose them or stop them from succeeding: The police tried to thwart the escape attempt.

tortoise (say taw-tuhs) noun any of various reptiles which have feet with toes and a hard shell covering their bodies, most of which live on land: We saw a very old tortoise at the zoo.

tournament (say taw-nuh-muhnt) noun a meeting for contests in sport or other games: Clare played in a chess tournament last weekend.

trampoline (say tram-puh-leen) noun a frame with tightly stretched material attached to it by springs, on which you can jump for exercise or fun: Only two children are allowed to jump on the trampoline at the one time.

trapeze (say truh-peez) noun a short bar joined to the ends of two hanging ropes, on which gymnasts and acrobats perform: When I grow up, I want to be an acrobat and swing from a trapeze.

trespass


(say tres-pahs) verb If you trespass, you go onto someone's land when you should not: He put up a sign warning people not to trespass on his land.

triumph (say truy-umf) noun a victory or success: After their triumph in the competition, the team was asked to play in a special exhibition match.

trowel (say trowl) noun a flat tool with a handle used for spreading cement or plaster: To do the job we needed a trowel, a tile cutter and a straight edge.

tuition (say tyooh-ish-uhn) noun teaching: He needs extra tuition in maths.

turnip (say ter-nuhp) noun a plant with a thick white or yellow root which is eaten as a vegetable: Some people believe that boiled turnip is good for colds.

twinge (say twinj) noun a pain that lasts only a moment: She felt a twinge of uneasiness as she approached the locked door.

typhoon (say tuy-foohn) noun a violent storm like a cyclone or hurricane: The typhoon ripped across the island, destroying everything in its path.

ulcer (say ul-suh) noun a sore which is slow to heal, on the skin or on an inside part of the body like the lining of the stomach: He had an endoscopy to see if there was any sign of a stomach ulcer.

umbrella (say um-brel-uh) noun An umbrella is something you use to keep dry when it is raining, and sometimes to protect you from the sun. It is a circle of material stretched over a frame which is attached to a long handle that you hold: We forgot the umbrella so we were very wet by the time we got home.

unison (say yooh-nuh-suhn) noun If people sing or speak in unison, they do it all together: It is usually easier for a choir to sing in unison than to sing in separate parts.

untimely (say un-tuym-lee) adjective not happening at a suitable time or season: It was an untimely decision of the drummer to withdraw just before the tour started.

urgency


(say er-juhn-see) noun a sense that something is pressing and requiring immediate action or attention: We could all feel the sense of urgency to get to the airport on time.

vanilla (say vuh-nil-uh) noun a liquid made from a plant, used to flavour food: She put some vanilla in the icing.

versatile (say ver-suh-tuyl) adjective To be versatile is to be able to do a variety of things: She is a versatile dancer, excelling at both jazz and classical ballet.

vibration (say vuy-bray-shuhn) noun the act of vibrating: The vibration of everything in the house during the earth tremor was really frightening.

vindicate (say vin-duh-kayt) verb If something vindicates a person, it shows they are right or innocent when previously they were thought to be wrong or guilty: The father longed for evidence to be found which would vindicate his son.

vinegar (say vin-uh-guh) noun a sour liquid made from wine or cider and used to flavour food: Mum made a special sauce with vinegar to go with the roast lamb.

vinyl (say vuy-nuhl) noun a type of plastic: The couch was covered in brown vinyl that looked like leather.

violet (say vuy-uh-luht) noun A violet is a small plant with purple flowers and a beautiful smell: The scent she wore had the sweet perfume of a violet.

voyage (say voy-ij) noun A voyage is a journey by sea to somewhere quite far away: At school we learned about the greatest sea voyage of all.

waive (say wayv) verb If you waive something, you decide not to insist on it: The library agreed to waive the fine because I'd been sick.

wastage (say wayst-ij) noun loss by use, wear, decay, wastefulness, and so on: The Water Board has a campaign to educate the public in minimising water wastage.

weird (say weerd) adjective very strange: Anthony had a weird dream about witches and fairies.

whereas


(say wair-az) conjunction while on the other hand: Peter came, whereas the others didn't.

wholesome (say hohl-suhm) adjective healthy and good for you: I bought a wholesome lunch of salad and fresh fruit juice.

woeful (say woh-fuhl) noun very bad: The orchestra hadn't had time to rehearse and the performance was woeful.

wreath (say reeth) noun a decoration consisting of leaves and flowers tied together in the shape of a circle: We always hang a wreath on our door at Christmas time.

yacht (say yot) noun a sailing boat used for sport or pleasure: It was his dream to sail his yacht in a big ocean race.

youth (say yoohth) noun Your youth is the time when you are young: My grandfather remembers his youth very clearly.


Senior General Level 4

abbreviation (say uh-bree-vee-ay-shuhn ) noun a shortened form of a word used to stand for the whole word: `ATM' is the abbreviation for `automatic teller machine'.

abolition (say ab-uh-lish-shuhn) noun the act of putting an end to something: Many supported the abolition of slavery.

abseil (say ab-sayl) verb to descend down a cliff using ropes: Julian would love to abseil, but he is afraid of heights.

abundance (say uh-bun-duhns) noun a plentiful amount or supply: Because of all the recent rain, there is an abundance of water in the reservoir.

accost (say uh-kost) verb to approach someone, often in a threatening way: The thugs planned to accost the man and steal his wallet.

accusation (say ak-yooh-zay-shuhn) noun a charge of doing something that is wrong or illegal: She was hurt by the accusation that she had betrayed her friends.

adhesion (say uhd-hee-zhuhn) noun the act of sticking to something: These tyres have good adhesion to the road.

adjustment (say uh-just-muhnt) noun the act of adapting to a given purpose: We had to make an adjustment to the seating plan when more guests arrived.

admirable (say ad-muh-ruh-buhl) adjective so good that you admire it: We thought that the marathon runner put in an admirable effort.

admonish (say uhd-mon-ish) verb to caution or warn someone: I had to admonish the people in front of me for talking during the film.

affable (say af-uh-buhl) adjective friendly and approachable: The guest speaker was both affable and entertaining.

alias (say ay-lee-uhs) noun (plural aliases)


a false name: The magazine writer produced a column under the alias of `Lady Jane'.

alpaca (say al-pak-uh) noun a domesticated South American animal related to the llama, having long, soft, silky hair or wool: The alpaca is considered a social animal that prefers the company of other alpacas.

anagram (say an-uh-gram) noun a word made by changing the order of the letters in another word: An anagram is made by rearranging the letters of another word.

annuity (say uh-nyooh-uh-tee) noun a sum of money paid regularly to a person, often for the rest of their life: In his will, the old man left an annuity to each of his grandchildren.

apiary (say ay-pee-uh-ree) noun a place where bees and their hives are kept: The beekeeper wore a protective suit when working on his apiary.

appearance (say uh-peer-ruhns) noun When someone or something arrives or comes to where they can be seen, they make an appearance: He didn't make an appearance until the party was nearly over.

applicable (say uh-plik-uh-buhl) adjective suitable or able to be used: This rule is only applicable to Year 7 students.

apprehend (say ap-ruh-hend) verb to catch or arrest someone: The detective was clever to apprehend the villain.

aquarium (say uh-kwair-ree-uhm) noun a glass container in which fish and water plants are kept: Eleni kept some very interesting Mexican walking fish in her aquarium.

archives (say ah-kuyvz) plural noun a collection of historical documents about a family, business or country: The university's archives are kept in the library.

atypical (say ay-tip-i-kuhl) adjective not typical, or different from usual: His failure in the exam was atypical because he usually did very well.

avail (say uh-vayl) noun If something is to no avail, it is of no use: All our preparations for the picnic were to no avail when it started to pour.

aviator


(say ay-vee-ay-tuh) noun a pilot: He was an aviator in the Second World War.

ballast (say bal-uhst) noun heavy material carried by a ship to keep it steady, or by a balloon to control its height: Ships use water as ballast to improve their manoeuvrability and stability.

barbarian (say bah-bair-ree-uhn) noun someone with bad manners and not much education: Everyone thought he was a barbarian for eating his chicken with his hands.

barrage (say ba-rahzh) noun a long and strenuous verbal attack: The premier faced a barrage of questions from the press.

bauble (say baw-buhl) noun a bright ornament: She added one final bauble to the Christmas tree.

beseech (say buh-seech or bee-seech) verb to beg or call upon urgently: I beseech you to believe me!

besiege (say buh-seej) verb If a group of people, especially soldiers, besiege a place, they surround it: The soldiers planned to besiege the castle.

besotted (say buh-sot-uhd or bee-sot-uhd) adjective filled with foolish love: He was besotted with her.

biology (say buy-ol-uh-jee) noun the science or study of all living things: I am going to study biology when I go to high school because I want to learn about how our environment works.

bisque (say bisk) noun pottery which has been baked but not glazed: On the sideboard was a bisque pottery piece of a drinking man with a sad dog.

bludgeon (say bluj-uhn) verb If someone bludgeons someone, they hit them with a heavy object: In the story, the villain threatened to bludgeon the villagers in their sleep.

bouquet (say booh-kay or boh-kay) noun a bunch of flowers: We gave our teacher a bouquet of roses when she left.

breeches


(say brich-uhz) plural noun trousers, especially worn in the past when riding a horse: He pulled on his breeches and boots and strode towards his horse.

broccoli (say brok-uh-lee or brok-uh-luy) noun a vegetable with thick stems and many small, green flower-like heads: We added some broccoli to the stir-fry.

bullion (say bull-yuhn) noun bars of gold or silver: Millions of dollars of gold bullion went missing.

burnish (say ber-nish) verb to polish metal until it is bright and shiny: We had to burnish the silverware every few months so that it didn't tarnish.

buttress (say but-ruhs) noun a support for a wall or building: A buttress is built against another wall in order to support it.

caffeine (say kaf-een) noun a stimulating drug found in coffee and tea: The caffeine in coffee makes it hard for me to get to sleep.

cajole (say kuh-johl) verb to persuade, using pleasantness and flattery: Joey tried to cajole Mike into helping him with his homework.

capsicum (say kap-suh-kuhm) noun a type of vegetable, usually green or red, which is often used in salads: We bought a red capsicum at the fruit and vegetable shop.

carpentry (say kah-puhn-tree) noun the art of working with wood: Susie hoped to do an apprenticeship in carpentry.

catalogue (say kat-uh-log) noun a list, usually in alphabetical order, of names, books or items on sale or display and some information about them: We browsed through the catalogue of the pieces in the art exhibition.

censure (say sen-shuh) verb to find fault with someone: The teacher began to censure us for giggling in assembly.

centurion (say sen-tyooh-ree-uhn) noun in the ancient Roman army, the leader of 100 soldiers: The centurion led his men into battle.

chalet


(say shal-ay) noun a small house in the mountains, sometimes used as a holiday house: My cousins were very lucky -- they stayed in a luxurious chalet at the ski resort.

chintz (say chints) noun (plural chintzes) shiny, brightly patterned cotton material, used to make curtains and furniture coverings: The curtains and cushion covers were made from chintz.

chivalry (say shiv-uhl-ree) noun the rules and customs of medieval knighthood, involving courtesy and bravery: Knights had to obey the rules of chivalry.

cinnamon (say sin-uh-muhn) noun a spice made from the inner bark of certain trees and used in cooking: The baker made a delicious bread roll flavoured with cinnamon.

circumspect (say ser-kuhm-spekt) adjective cautious and watchful: She knew she must be circumspect in any comments she made on radio and television.

civilian (say suh-vil-yuhn) noun someone who is not a member of the armed forces: He was now a civilian after twenty years in the air force.

coax (say kohks) verb to persuade someone gently and patiently: We had to coax the baby to swallow the medicine.

cockatiel (say kok-uh-teel) noun a small parrot with a long tail and a crest on top of its head like a cockatoo: The cockatiel is common in inland areas of Australia.

cocoa (say koh-koh) noun a drink made from the brown powder which is also used to make chocolate: I like to have a nice hot cocoa on cold winter evenings.

cohesion (say koh-hee-zhuhn) noun the state of sticking together or being connected: Cohesion was needed within the party to present a united front.

cologne (say kuh-lohn) noun a kind of perfume: The cologne had a pleasant fragrance.

colossal (say kuh-loss-uhl) adjective very great in size: The ship looked colossal from our tiny canoe.

commissioner


(say kuh-mish-uh-nuh) noun someone who is a member of an official commission: The commissioner of the sports league awarded the team's trophy.

condensation (say kon-den-say-shuhn) noun the changing of a gas to a liquid or solid: The condensation of steam from the shower covered the mirror.

conduit (say kon-jooh-uht or kon-dyooh-uht) noun a pipe, tube, etc., for carrying water, gas, etc: The stormwater drained away through a conduit system.

configuration (say kuhn-fig-uh-ray-shuhn) noun the arrangement of the parts of something: The car engine has a V8 configuration.

congenial (say kuhn-jee-nee-uhl) adjective pleasant or agreeable: He is a congenial host who always makes his guests feel relaxed.

consternation (say kon-stuh-nay-shuhn) noun shock and fear causing you to feel confused: His face filled with consternation when he opened his credit card bill.

continuity (say kon-tuh-nyooh-uh-tee) noun the condition or quality of being continuous: It is important to ensure the continuity of cultural traditions.

contradictory (say kon-truh-dik-tuh-ree or kon-truh-dik-tree) adjective stating the opposite of each other: The statements given to the police about the accident were completely contradictory.

copious (say koh-pee-uhs) adjective plentiful: We were lucky to have a copious supply of fresh vegetables.

coronation (say kor-uh-nay-shuhn) noun the ceremony at which a person becomes king or queen: The press were eager to get as many photos at the coronation of the Prince as possible.

corsage (say kaw-sahzh) noun a small bunch of flowers, especially worn pinned to a dress: My date bought me a corsage that matched my dress.

counterfeit (say kown-tuh-fuht or kown-tuh-feet) adjective made to look exactly like something else in an attempt to deceive people: The police were on the lookout for counterfeit $50 notes.

couscous


(say koos-koos) noun a type of grain, originating in North Africa, often cooked with spices and meat or vegetables: I could not eat the couscous because the semolina would upset my stomach.

criticism (say krit-uh-siz-uhm) noun an analysis and judging of the quality of something: Sam wants to do a course in film criticism to help him appreciate what makes a good movie.

culpable (say kul-puh-buhl) adjective deserving blame: The jury found him culpable of the crime of drug smuggling.

cumbersome (say kum-buh-suhm) adjective awkward to handle: The package was large and cumbersome.

dais (say day-uhs) noun a raised platform at the end of a hall: The football trophies were lined up on a table on the dais.

decorum (say duh-kaw-ruhm) noun proper behaviour, speech or dress: She carried out her duties as school captain with grace and decorum.

deference (say def-uh-ruhns) noun respectful or courteous regard: In deference to the ladies present, he made sure that his jokes were entirely acceptable to all.

deficit (say def-uh-suht) noun an amount of money lacking: Unfortunately, there is a small deficit in the club's accounts.

delicatessen (say del-uh-kuh-tess-uhn) noun a shop which sells a variety of foods, including cheeses, cold meats, and other prepared goods: We dropped in at the delicatessen to buy some ham.

delineate (say duh-lin-ee-ayt) verb to describe or show in words: She did her best to delineate the plan precisely.

delinquent (say duh-ling-kwuhnt) adjective guilty of consistent bad behaviour or law-breaking: The delinquent youths were banned from future sporting matches.

delirious (say duh-lear-ree-uhs) adjective If someone is delirious, they are extremely confused, often because they


have a fever: During the illness, he became delirious and we couldn't understand what he was saying.

derelict (say de-ruh-likt) adjective A building that is derelict has not been used for a long while and has fallen into ruin: A derelict shed stood in the yard of the old house.

detriment (say det-ruh-muhnt) noun in the phrase If something is to the detriment of something else, it is damaging to it: She concentrated on studying history, to the detriment of her other subjects.

dewlap (say jooh-lap) noun a loose fold of skin under the throat, especially of cattle: Zebu cattle differ from other breeds in having a large hump and a well-developed dewlap.

discretion (say dis-kresh-uhn) noun the ability to be discreet: If I tell you this secret, can I rely on your discretion?

discursive (say dis-ker-siv) adjective moving or jumping from one subject to another: The style of the novel was discursive and difficult to read.

dispensable (say dis-pen-suh-buhl) adjective able to be done without: Our packs were so heavy that we got rid of all dispensable items.

domicile (say dom-uh-suyl) noun someone's home or a place of residence: Byron Bay had been the site of her domicile for the past five years.

edifice (say ed-uh-fuhs) noun a building, especially a large or impressive one: The Parthenon is the most famous surviving edifice of ancient Greece.

efficient (say uh-fish-uhnt) adjective If something is efficient, it works well and is practical: This pump is very efficient -- it gives a strong flow of water.

egotism (say ee-guh-tiz-uhm) noun the habit of thinking and talking about yourself all the time: His egotism has lost him all his friends.

electorate (say uh-lek-tuh-ruht) noun the area of a country, or the people in the area, which a member of parliament represents:


The boundary of our electorate has changed so we have a different member of parliament.

electricity (say uh-lek-triss-uh-tee) noun a form of energy which can be used for heating, lighting, driving a motor, and other things: The power in our house went out because a tree fell across the electricity wires.

emancipate (say uh-man-suh-payt) verb If you emancipate someone, you set them free: The new leader promised to emancipate the slaves.

emphasis (say em-fuh-suhs) noun stress or importance: The teacher placed great emphasis on punctuality.

enamel (say uh-nam-uhl) noun a very hard, shiny coating applied to metal for decoration or protection: The sculpture was covered in bright blue enamel.

encapsulate (say en-kap-shuh-layt or en-kap-syuh-layt) verb to express the most important facts or points about something in a clear short form: She managed to encapsulate all the theories about the cause of the war in a one-hour lecture.

equestrian (say uh-kwess-tree-uhn) adjective having to do with horseriding: Jane and her horse showed great skill and stamina to win the equestrian event.

escalator (say es-kuh-lay-tuh) noun a continuously moving stairway that carries people upwards or downwards: They had to use the escalator to reach the higher level.

esoteric (say es-uh-te-rik or ee-suh-te-rik) adjective understood by, meant for, or belonging to a select few or to a special field of study: She found it hard to find information on the esoteric subject of taxidermy.

evocative (say uh-vok-uh-tiv) adjective tending to evoke memories: That old song is evocative of my childhood.

examination (say uhg-zam-uh-nay-shuhn) noun an act of careful looking and testing: A thorough examination of the building revealed termite damage.

exemplify (say uhg-zemp-luh-fuy) verb to show or make clearer by example: These two habitats exemplify my point about biodiversity.


exonerate (say ug-zon-uh-rayt) verb to free from blame: He was confident that the investigation would exonerate him of any wrongdoing.

exuberant (say uhg-zyooh-buh-ruhnt) adjective full of energy or high spirits: The exuberant puppy jumped up and licked her face.

facility (say fuh-sil-uh-tee) noun something that makes doing a job easier: The conference centre has every facility that visitors would need.

fallacy (say fal-uh-see) noun a mistaken idea or belief: Many people believe the fallacy that measles is a harmless disease.

familiarity (say fuh-mil-ee-a-ruh-tee) noun thorough knowledge of a thing, subject, etc.: His familiarity with the area made him an excellent guide.

fastidious (say fas-tid-ee-uhs) adjective fussy or hard to please: If you are too fastidious, the job will take too long.

feasible (say fee-zuh-buhl) adjective able to be done or achieved: Your plan might be feasible if we can get enough people together.

fibrous (say fuy-bruhs) adjective stringy or indigestible: No-one enjoyed the beans as they were old and too fibrous.

figurine (say fig-uh-reen or fig-yuh-reen) noun a small statue or model: On the shelf was a marble figurine of a young girl.

financier (say fuh-nan-see-uh) noun someone whose business is lending money: The financier in the deal was a major bank.

finicky (say fin-uh-kee) adjective full of small, unimportant detail: Dad said that painting the lattice fence would be a very finicky job.

foreground (say faw-grownd) noun the part of a view or picture nearest the front or the viewer: In the foreground of the painting was a lake surrounded by ghostly trees.

foreigner


(say fo-ruh-nuh) noun someone who has come from another country: When my father first came to Australia he felt like a foreigner, but that only lasted for a few years.

formidable (say faw-muh-duh-buhl) adjective frightening: Mum's visitor was a formidable woman and Dad stayed out in the shed.

frequency (say free-kwuhn-see) noun the fact of happening often: Accidents occur at this intersection with great frequency.

frigate (say frig-uht) noun a type of warship: The frigate escorted the battleship through the dangerous waters.

frivolous (say friv-uh-luhs) adjective not serious: She was dressed in a frivolous outfit for the party.

fumigate (say fyooh-muh-gayt) verb To fumigate an area is to treat it with chemical fumes to get rid of insect pests: We needed to fumigate the house to get rid of fleas.

gazebo (say guh-zee-boh) noun a structure having a wide view, especially a turret, pavilion, or summerhouse: We ate our picnic in the gazebo which looked over the river.

generic (say juh-ne-rik) adjective known by the name of the product itself, not by a particular brand name: I usually buy generic soap because it's cheaper.

generosity (say jen-uh-ros-uh-tee) noun the quality of being generous: Charities rely on the generosity of donors.

genteel (say jen-teel) adjective If someone is genteel, they are overly careful to be polite in their manners, speech and behaviour: In the novel, Mrs Bennet hoped her daughters would present with such genteel manners that they would attract very rich husbands.

ghoul (say goohl) noun someone who enjoys what others find revolting: A person who hangs around the scene of road accidents is nothing but a ghoul.

gladiator (say glad-ee-ay-tuh) noun a man in ancient Rome who fought as a public entertainment: As part of our studies of ancient civilisations, we saw a film about a gladiator.


glandular (say glan-juh-luh) adjective relating to a gland: Glandular fever is an illness which affects the glands in your body.

globalism (say gloh-buh-liz-uhm) noun the pursuit of globalisation: They are convinced that the future lies in globalism rather than in the pursuit of national interests.

glutinous (say glooh-tuh-nuhs) adjective sticky, like glue: We heated and stirred the sauce until it developed a glutinous texture.

goanna (say goh-an-uh) noun any of a number of large Australian lizards: The goanna climbed up the tree looking for a bird's nest.

gregarious (say gruh-gair-ree-uhs) adjective fond of the company of other people: She has a gregarious nature and loves meeting new people.

harangue (say huh-rang) verb If you harangue someone, you talk to them for a long time, usually in a loud voice, criticising them or trying to change their opinion: He started to harangue the crowd about the need for a change of government.

heirloom (say air-loohm) noun something valuable that is handed down from generation to generation in a family: The antique pendant is a family heirloom.

helicopter (say hel-ee-kop-tuh) noun an aircraft without wings which flies by means of a large propeller on the top: A helicopter carrying nearly 10 000 litres of water was used to fight the bushfire.

helium (say hee-lee-uhm) noun a gas which is lighter than air and is often used to fill balloons: These balloons are filled with helium so don't let go or they'll float away.

hessian (say hesh-uhn) noun strong, rough cloth often used to make sacks: The potatoes came in bags of hessian which made them easier to carry.

homicide (say hom-uh-suyd) noun the crime of killing someone on purpose: He is to stand trial for homicide.

humorous (say hyooh-muh-ruhs) adjective If something is humorous, it is funny:


We thought it was humorous when my little brother said that a caterpillar was a worm in a fur coat.

hypocrite (say hip-uh-krit) noun someone who pretends that they have certain beliefs or morals that they do not really have: The outspoken conservationist was branded a hypocrite when it was discovered that she did not recycle her paper and plastic.

idyllic (say uy-dil-ik) adjective simple, peaceful and pleasant: The house was in an idyllic position on the bank of the river.

illegible (say i-lej-uh-buhl) adjective not able to be read: His scribble was completely illegible.

impenetrable (say im-pen-uh-truh-buhl) adjective not able to be penetrated: The dense rainforest was completely impenetrable.

imperial (say im-peer-ree-uhl) adjective belonging to an empire: The emperor of Japan lives in the imperial palace in Tokyo.

inaccessible (say in-uhk-ses-uh-buhl) adjective not able to be reached: The floodwaters meant that our destination was inaccessible for at least a week.

incandescent (say in-kan-dess-uhnt) adjective glowing white: This metal is so hot it is incandescent.

incognito (say in-kog-nee-toh) adverb with your name or appearance changed so you won't be recognised: The spy travelled incognito -- and escaped detection for almost a year.

insidious (say in-sid-ee-uhs) adjective intended to trap or deceive: They hatched an insidious plot to destroy her reputation.

intravenous (say in-truh-vee-nuhs) adjective An intravenous medicine is given directly into the blood, through a needle put in a vein: He is being given an intravenous antibiotic.

intrepid (say in-trep-uhd) adjective very brave: The intrepid reporter risked her life by entering the war zone.

intuition


(say in-tyooh-ish-uhn) noun a strong feeling about something without any real reason that you know of: I have no proof, but my intuition tells me that she's telling the truth.

inundate (say in-un-dayt) verb to overwhelm with a flood or with something like a flood: I hope our teacher doesn't inundate us with assignments.

jeopardy (say jep-uh-dee) noun If something is in jeopardy, it is at risk: The school excursion is in jeopardy because insurance costs so much.

judicious (say jooh-dish-uhs) adjective showing good or wise judgement: The decision to invite the whole family was a judicious one.

lagerphone (say lah-guh-fohn) noun a homemade percussion instrument made of beer bottle tops loosely nailed to a broom handle: The busker shook a lagerphone as he sang.

legislation (say lej-uhs-lay-shuhn) noun a law or all the laws made: Parliament sat until after midnight to debate the controversial legislation.

lieutenant (say lef-ten-uhnt or looh-ten-uhnt) noun a lower rank of officer in the army or navy: After serving in the army for two years, she was promoted to the rank of lieutenant.

linguist (say ling-gwuhst) noun a person who studies language: He is a linguist and is compiling a dictionary of an Aboriginal language of western Queensland.

liqueur (say luh-kyooh-uh) noun a type of strong alcoholic liquor made in many flavours: The liqueur is coffee-flavoured and very popular for making desserts.

litigation (say lit-uh-gay-shuhn) noun the process of challenging someone in a law court: Many doctors worry about the threat of litigation against them.

livelihood (say luyv-lee-hood) noun a way of earning money to live: Farming has been his livelihood for sixty years.

llama (say lah-muh) noun a South American animal related to the camel and used for carrying loads: Each hiker led a llama, loaded with gear, as they trekked through the mountains of Peru.


logistics (say luh-jis-tiks) noun the practical details of a project: The logistics of moving so many people to a new area have to be worked out carefully.

lucrative (say looh-kruh-tiv) adjective producing good profits or paying well: Walking dogs has become a lucrative job for Sarah.

luxuriant (say lug-zhooh-ree-uhnt) adjective strong in growth: The luxuriant forest was thick with ferns and hanging vines.

macadamia (say mak-uh-day-mee-uh) noun an edible nut with a very hard shell, grown in eastern Australia and South-East Asia: The shell of a macadamia is very hard, but the nut inside is delicious.

macaw (say muh-kaw) noun a colourful, tropical American parrot with a long tail and a harsh voice: The bright colours of the macaw caught their eyes as it flew away.

marjoram (say mah-juh-ruhm) noun a plant of the mint family used in cookery: They grew marjoram and other herbs in pots on the windowsill.

masonry (say may-suhn-ree) noun (plural -ries) the art or work of someone who builds or works with stone: Beautiful local sandstone had been used in the masonry of the new house.

massacre (say mas-uh-kuh) noun the killing of a large number of people: Journalists covering the massacre estimated the number of dead at about three hundred.

masseur (say ma-ser) noun a man skilled in massage: My back felt much better after the masseur had finished.

masticate (say mas-tuh-kayt) verb to chew: It would be nearly impossible to masticate our food without teeth -- so I take good care of mine!

matriarch (say may-tree-ahk) noun a woman leader in a family, tribe or any field of activity: Grandma was the matriarch of the family.

memorandum


(say mem-uh-ran-duhm) noun (plural memoranda) Formal a note made of something to remember: Haleem wrote himself a memorandum to remember his new friend's birthday.

mercurial (say mer-kyooh-ree-uhl) adjective fickle or rapidly changing in mood: It's hard to predict when he'll be in a bad mood because he has such a mercurial personality.

mercury (say mer-kyuh-ree) noun a silvery metallic element which is liquid instead of solid at ordinary temperatures: Mercury is used in thermometers to measure temperature.

metropolis (say muh-trop-uh-luhs) noun a large city, not necessarily the capital, in a country, state, or region: He grew up on a farm near Dubbo and now lives in the metropolis of New York.

miniature (say min-uh-chuh) noun a very small copy or model of something: The model castle is a miniature of the real thing.

missive (say mis-iv) noun a written message: The emissary understood the importance of passing on the missive from the ambassador to the president.

mistletoe (say miss-uhl-toh) noun an English plant with small, white berries which feeds and grows on the branches of other trees, and is often used for Christmas decorations: Each Christmas we hang some artificial mistletoe in our doorway.

modicum (say mod-uh-kuhm) noun U Formal

montage

a small quantity: I would like at least a modicum of privacy please!

(say mon-tahzh or mon-tahzh) noun a work of art made by arranging different pictures, or parts of pictures, in one composition: In our art class we are cutting up old magazines to make a montage.

morphine (say maw-feen) noun a strong drug used to stop pain: The doctor prescribed morphine to take away the pain.

napery (say nay-puh-ree) noun household linen, especially for the table: My mother used an online site to buy curtains and napery for the new house.

nefarious


(say nuh-fair-ree-uhs) adjective Formal very wicked: We reported the thief to the police for his nefarious practices.

negotiable (say nuh-goh-shuh-buhl) adjective able to be negotiated: The terms of the contract are negotiable, so we need to decide if any changes are necessary before we sign.

nonchalant (say non-shuh-luhnt) adjective calm and indifferent: He shrugged his shoulders in a nonchalant way.

nonentity (say non-en-tuh-tee) noun someone of no importance: I felt like a complete nonentity at the film premiere.

nuisance (say nyooh-suhns) noun someone or something that is very annoying: It was a real nuisance that we couldn't turn on the tap.

occupation (say ok-yuh-pay-shuhn) noun your usual job or employment: My uncle wants to go into the occupation of teaching.

octogenarian (say ok-toh-juh-nair-ree-uhn) adjective of the age of eighty years, or between eighty and ninety years old: Despite being an octogenarian, she has a very active social life.

ombudsman (say om-buhdz-muhn) noun an official appointed to investigate complaints by citizens against the government: The ombudsman has a great responsibility to the community.

ominous (say om-uh-nuhs) adjective threatening: We thought we were safe in the deserted house until we heard an ominous creaking.

onyx (say on-iks) noun a type of quartz consisting of straight bands which differ in colour: The precious figurine was made of onyx.

opaque (say oh-payk) adjective If something is opaque, it does not let light through and you cannot see through it: The window was opaque because it had been painted over.

orchid (say aw-kuhd) noun a plant which grows in warm climates and which produces a beautiful flower


with an unusual shape: She is going to carry a single white orchid at her wedding.

overwhelm (say oh-vuh-welm) verb to affect someone so much that they cannot function properly: They knew that the demands of the trek might overwhelm them but decided to start off anyway.

paisley (say payz-lee) noun a soft, woollen cloth woven with a colourful and very detailed pattern: My mother still has the paisley shirt that she wore before I was born.

parallel (say pa-ruh-lel) adjective If two lines are parallel, they are the same distance from each other at every point along the way: The two lines of a railway track are parallel.

paranoia (say pa-ruh-noy-uh) noun a mental condition in which the patient suffers from delusions such as that of persecution: A person with paranoia often imagines they are the victim of conspiracies.

parenthesis (say puh-ren-thuh-suhs) noun a word or group of words to describe or explain something else, marked off by commas, brackets or dashes: She listed the names in parenthesis at the end of the sentence.

pariah (say puh-ruy-uh) noun any person or animal generally despised: She was treated as a pariah after they found out she was responsible for the bushfire.

pedestrian (say puh-dess-tree-uhn) noun someone who travels on foot: We stopped and asked a pedestrian the way to the library.

pejorative (say puh-jo-ruh-tiv) adjective expressing disapproval: She was annoyed when I called her a bookworm, but I didn't mean it to be pejorative.

perceptible (say puh-sep-tuh-buhl) adjective able to be perceived: The only perceptible difference between the twins was that Belinda was slightly taller.

percolator (say per-kuh-lay-tuh) noun a coffee-maker in which boiling water is passed through ground coffee: I much prefer coffee brewed in a percolator to instant coffee.

perennial (say puh-ren-ee-uhl) adjective A perennial plant has a life cycle of more than two years: She planted a row of perennial shrubs along the fence.


persimmon (say per-suh-muhn) noun a red or orange plum-like fruit: The ancient Greeks used to call the persimmon the `fruit of the gods'.

petticoat (say pet-ee-koht) noun a light, skirt-like piece of clothing sometimes worn under dresses by women and girls: Women used to always wear a petticoat under their dress.

phoenix (say fee-niks) noun a mythical bird of great beauty, said to burn on a funeral pyre and then to rise up young again: In the story, the phoenix rises from the ashes and begins life anew.

piazza (say pee-at-suh or pee-aht-suh) noun (plural piazzas) an open square or public place in a city or town: Nothing could be more enjoyable than to drink coffee and eat cakes in the piazza!

plaintiff (say playn-tuhf or playn-tif) noun a person who brings a court case against someone else known as the defendant: The plaintiff had brought the case against her landlord.

posterior (say pos-teer-ree-uh) adjective from or at the back: The X-ray gave a posterior view of the lung.

precarious (say pruh-kair-ree-uhs) adjective involving danger: That plate is in a precarious position right on the edge of the table.

precipitous (say pruh-sip-uh-tuhs) adjective very steep: The slope was precipitous and the rain made the climb even more hazardous.

prefabricate (say pree-fab-ruh-kayt) verb If a company prefabricates a product, it makes it in a factory in parts, ready for putting together somewhere else at a later time: The plan was to prefabricate the bridge and then transport it in huge sections to the river site.

preliminary (say pruh-lim-uh-nuh-ree or pruh-lim-uhn-ree) adjective Something that is preliminary comes before the main matter: Before the conference began, there was a preliminary meeting for everyone to meet each other.

procure (say pruh-kyoouh) verb If you procure something, you obtain it: Once we knew what food we could procure, we planned the menu.


profiteer (say prof-uh-teer) noun someone who makes money in a greedy way, often by taking unfair advantage of people: People avoided doing business with him because he had a reputation as a profiteer.

propensity (say pruh-pen-suh-tee) noun a natural or habitual tendency: She has a propensity for gossip that can get a bit irritating.

protagonist (say pruh-tag-uh-nuhst) noun the main character in a story or play: The film's protagonist was a young novelist.

pugilist (say pyooh-juh-luhst) noun someone who fights with the fists: The pugilist wore a mouthguard to protect his teeth during the fight.

qualifier (say kwol-uh-fuy-uh) noun someone or something that qualifies: Excitement overwhelmed him when he found out he was a qualifier for the finals.

quintessence (say kwin-tes-uhns) noun the purest form of a substance: The bouquet of the oil was powerfully sweet - it was the quintessence of lavender.

quixotic (say kwik-sot-ik) adjective having romantic ideas about doing brave and wonderful deeds: In his typically quixotic way, he refused to use the alibi which would have saved him.

radiator (say ray-dee-ay-tuh) noun A radiator is a heater with one or two round bars which are heated up by electricity and used to warm a room: It was such a cold night that the whole family was huddled around the radiator.

raspberry (say rahz-bree) noun a soft, juicy, red berry: The bowl of ice-cream had a raspberry on top.

rationale (say rash-uh-nahl) noun a statement of reasons or principles: We were interested to hear the council's rationale for removing barbecues from the park.

ravenous (say rav-uh-nuhs) adjective extremely hungry: We were so ravenous that we ate our dinner quickly and in total silence.

reassure


(say ree-uh-shaw) verb If you reassure someone, you give them confidence: The doctor tried to reassure her that her mother would get better.

recede (say ruh-seed) verb to move further away: Despite more rain, the floodwaters on the plain finally began to recede.

receptor (say ruh-sep-tuh) noun one of or a group of the end organs of sensory or afferent neurons, specialised to be sensitive to stimulating agents: The first level of sensing in the body starts at the receptor -- and there are many of these in the skin to feel things like heat, cold, pain and pressure.

recipe (say res-uh-pee) noun instructions on how to cook something: We followed the recipe exactly and made the best lamingtons ever.

recipient (say ruh-sip-ee-uhnt) noun someone or something that receives something: He was the recipient of last year's Nobel Peace Prize.

recoup (say ruh-koohp) verb to regain or recover: After the drought it was impossible for the farmers to recoup their losses.

reign (say rayn) noun the time during which a king or queen rules or holds the position of ruler: During the reign of Queen Victoria, England ruled an empire.

rejuvenate (say ruh-jooh-vuh-nayt) verb To rejuvenate someone is to make them feel young or energetic again: Swimming in the fresh ocean water will rejuvenate them.

relativity (say rel-uh-tiv-uh-tee) noun the condition or fact of being relative: The media is interested in the changing relativity of power relations between the US and China.

remittance (say ruh-mit-uhns) noun the sending of money, etc., as payment: From her wage, she managed to send home a remittance to her family each month.

reprisal (say ruh-pruyz-uhl) noun an act which causes hurt or damage to someone in retaliation for something they have done: The raids on the government offices appeared to be a reprisal for the military attack.

resilient


(say ruh-zil-ee-uhnt) adjective able to become strong, healthy or happy again after an illness or misfortune: He showed how resilient he was by returning to work a few days after the accident.

resplendent (say ruh-splen-duhnt) adjective shining brightly: Dame Edna was resplendent in a golden gown with a raspberry chiffon overlay.

reverie (say rev-uh-ree) noun Formal a state of pleasant dreamy thoughts: The voice of her father interrupted her reverie and brought her back to the present.

rhinoceros (say ruy-nos-uh-ruhs) noun a large, thick-skinned animal of Africa and Asia, with one or two horns on its nose: A rhinoceros can be a very dangerous animal if it gets angry.

rivulet (say riv-yuh-luht) noun a small stream or brook: We camped by a rivulet so we had easy access to water.

sagacious (say suh-gay-shuhs) adjective Formal having good judgement and understanding: A farmer, as well as knowing all the elements of agriculture, should be a sagacious businessperson.

samurai (say sam-yuh-ruy) noun (plural samurai) a Japanese fighter who lived in medieval times: A samurai was an expert swordsman.

sanctimonious (say sangk-tuh-moh-nee-uhs) adjective acting as though you have higher morals than other people: He was always making sanctimonious speeches about the awful behaviour of young people.

sashimi (say suh-shee-mee) noun a Japanese dish of fresh seafood fillets cut into bite-sized, oblong strips, and eaten raw with soy sauce and Japanese horseradish: Fiona had sashimi at the Japanese restaurant and I had teriyaki chicken.

scaffolding (say skaf-uhl-ding) noun a system of scaffolds: Workers arrived to find that their scaffolding had been used to facilitate the break-in.

scalpel (say skal-puhl) noun a small, very sharp knife used by doctors in operations: The surgeon held the scalpel in her steady hand.

scapula


(say skap-yuh-luh) noun either of two flat, triangular bones, each forming the back part of a shoulder: The scapula is rarely broken.

scenario (say suh-nah-ree-oh or suh-nair-ree-oh) noun an outline of a general situation or plan: It was hard to imagine the grim scenario the scientists described if the drought continued.

schematic (say skee-mat-ik or skuh-mat-ik) adjective relating to a plan, diagram, or scheme: Schematic diagrams are used in instruction manuals to help customers understand how to use their appliances.

scissors (say siz-uhz) plural noun a cutting instrument made of two blades joined together: My scissors have become too blunt to cut properly.

sewerage (say sooh-rij) noun the removal of waste water and waste matter using sewers: This government minister is in charge of water and sewerage.

shrewd (say shroohd) adjective clever, and with good practical judgement: People often asked him for advice because they thought he was shrewd.

skewbald (say skyooh-bawld) adjective having patches of different colours, especially of white and brown: The skewbald colt was easy to pick out from the herd.

slaughter (say slaw-tuh) verb to slaughter people is to murder them in large numbers, often in a violent way: The invading army began to slaughter innocent civilians.

sonorous (say son-uh-ruhs) adjective sounding deep, loud and rich: The double bass has a rich, sonorous tone.

squadron (say skwod-ruhn) noun a fighting unit in the armed forces, especially in the air force or navy: Their squadron was sent to provide support.

squall (say skwawl) noun a sudden strong wind which dies away rapidly: The boat went down suddenly in the squall.

stampede (say stam-peed) noun a sudden rush of a group of animals or people, often in fright: The thirsty cattle smelt water and broke into a frenzied stampede.

succulent


(say suk-yuh-luhnt) adjective juicy: A succulent mango is hard to eat without getting covered in juice.

sucrose (say soohk-rohz or soohk-rohs) noun a crystalline carbohydrate, obtained from sugar cane, sugar beet, and so on: Sucrose is the most common food sweetener in the industrialised world.

syllable (say sil-uh-buhl) noun a part of a word which has a single vowel sound in it: `Dog' has one syllable, and `alligator' has four.

technicality (say tek-nuh-kal-uh-tee) noun a rule or law which seems minor, but when followed exactly, can make a big difference to a situation: The murderer got off on a technicality.

tempura (say tem-pooh-ruh) noun a Japanese dish in which seafood or vegetables are coated in a light batter and deep-fried in oil: We always have tempura prawns at our local Japanese restaurant.

terrestrial (say tuh-res-tree-uhl) adjective living or growing on land, rather than in the sea or sky: Australia has many native terrestrial species as well as marine species.

thorough (say thu-ruh) adjective If you are thorough in doing something, you do it very carefully so as not to miss anything: He's a thorough worker who can always be trusted to do a good job.

topographic (say top-uh-graf-ik) adjective relating to a map which shows how the surface of the land varies in height: If you look at a topographic map you can immediately see areas that are hilly.

toucan (say tooh-kan) noun a fruit-eating bird of tropical America, brightly coloured and with a very large beak: The toucan eats fruit and is a poor flyer.

transcend (say tran-send) verb to go or be above or beyond: His success after this show is sure to transcend any he has had before.

transitory (say tran-zuh-tree) adjective Formal or literary lasting for only a certain time, as opposed to eternal: My enthusiasm for the project was transitory, and was quickly replaced by a distinct reluctance to be involved.

translucent


(say tranz-looh-suhnt) adjective allowing some light to come through, so that you can see things, but not clearly: The curtain was made of translucent material.

trauma (say traw-muh) noun an emotional shock which has a lasting effect on the mind: The family never really got over the trauma of the accident.

typography (say tuy-pog-ruh-fee) noun the general character or appearance of the type in printed material: The typography of the first printed books was uneven, but more interesting than today's very uniform pages.

tyrant (say tuy-ruhnt) noun anyone in a position of power who uses it cruelly and unjustly: They had only one thought -- to escape and get away from the tyrant.

unbridled (say un-bruyd-uhld) adjective unrestrained or uncontrolled: He had an unbridled appetite for excitement and daredevil adventures.

undeniable (say un-duh-nuy-uh-buhl) adjective not able to be proved false: There has been an undeniable rise in the price of petrol over the past month.

university (say yooh-nuh-ver-suh-tee) noun a place where you can study after you have finished high school: I want to go to university to study science.

vacancy (say vay-kuhn-see) noun (plural -cies) an unfilled office or position: There is a vacancy in this department for a data entry worker.

vanquish (say vang-kwish) verb to defeat in battle: The Roman army attempted to vanquish all their enemies.

vehicle (say vee-ik-uhl) noun a form of transport, such as a car or bicycle: My brother's favourite type of vehicle is a racing car.

vengeance (say ven-juhns) noun harm done to someone in return for harm they have done to you: The police thought the murder was an act of vengeance.

vicious (say vish-uhs) adjective very cruel or harmful: It was a vicious attack on her reputation.


visibility (say viz-uh-bil-uh-tee) noun the distance you can see, given the weather conditions or time of day: Drive slowly, because visibility is poor when it is raining so heavily.

vocabulary (say voh-kab-yuh-luh-ree) noun the total number of words used by someone or by a particular group of people: She is trying to add to her vocabulary by learning one new word a day.

volatile (say vol-uh-tuyl) adjective likely to change suddenly and quickly: It was a volatile situation which could lead to war.

warfare (say waw-fair) noun fighting between armies: Warfare between the two countries continued for a decade.

whilst (say wuylst) conjunction while: There's no point trying to study whilst you are feeling so sick.

wholehearted (say hohl-haht-uhd) adjective sincere, or earnest: You have my wholehearted support.

wrestling (say ress-ling) noun an exercise or sport in which two persons struggle hand to hand, each striving to throw or force the other to the ground: Wrestling can be a dangerous sport -- but not as dangerous as boxing.

wretched (say rech-uhd) adjective poor, miserable and pitiful: On the porch stood a wretched, starving dog.

wrung (say rung) verb past tense and past participle of wring: We wrung out our wet costumes and hung them on a tree branch.

yielding (say yeel-ding) adjective willing to yield; compliant; obedient: Despite his soft and yielding manner, he was really a strong character.



abeyance (say uh-bay-uhns) noun If something is in abeyance, it is not in operation for a limited time: Our plan to renovate the house is in abeyance until we have more money.

abhor (say uhb-haw) verb to think of something with disgust and hatred: It was part of his gentle nature to abhor violence.

ablutions (say uh-blooh-shuhnz) noun the act of washing yourself: In the old novel, they performed their ablutions at a pump in the garden.

aboriginal (say ab-uh-rij-uh-nuhl) adjective having to do with the earliest inhabitants of a country: The Inuit is the name given to the aboriginal people of Alaska in the USA.

abstemious (say uhb-stee-mee-uhs) adjective careful or restrained in the use of food, drink, and so on: Everyone else ate a lot of junk food at the party but I was abstemious and ate none.

acclaimed (say uh-klaymd) adjective praised or applauded: The city is acclaimed for its beautiful harbour.

accompaniment (say uh-kump-nee-muhnt) noun that part of a composition which provides the harmonic and rhythmic backing to a melodic line: The pianist played the accompaniment for the flautist.

acquisition (say ak-wuh-zish-uhn) noun the act of acquiring something: The director was delighted with the museum's acquisition of the ancient Egyptian vase.

acquittal (say uh-kwit-uhl) noun the state of being found innocent of a crime: When it was clear there was an acquittal, the accused's family cheered.

acreage (say ay-kuh-rij) noun land consisting of a number of acres, especially in a rural area: They bought some acreage about an hour from the city.

acrimony (say ak-ruh-muh-nee) noun harshness or bitterness: It's a shame there's so much acrimony between the two rivals.


acrobatically (say ak-ruh-bat-ik-lee) adverb in an acrobatic manner: The fullback scored a try by leaping acrobatically over his opponent and rolling into a somersault over the line.

acronym (say ak-ruh-nim) noun a word made from the first letters of other words: `ANZAC' is an acronym from `Australian and New Zealand Army Corps'.

acuity (say uh-kyooh-uh-tee) noun sharpness or acuteness: Dogs are known for their acuity of hearing.

adjacent (say uh-jay-suhnt) adjective lying near or close to: Most schools have pedestrian crossings adjacent to their entry gates.

advantageous (say ad-van-tay-juhs) adjective useful or beneficial: It was advantageous for the athletes to run on the inside lane.

aerial (say air-ree-uhl) noun a wire or rod that you put up to receive radio or television signals: We had to adjust the television aerial to get good reception.

affectionate (say uh-fek-shuh-nuht) adjective having or showing great love or affection: The puppy is very affectionate and is always trying to lick the children's faces.

affiliate (say uh-fil-ee-ayt) verb to bring into association or close connection: The national association wants to affiliate all the local clubs.

affirmative (say uh-fer-muh-tiv) adjective agreeing: We were pleased with our mother's affirmative response to our idea.

albeit (say awl-bee-it) conjunction although: Corinne and Carla organised all the stalls at the school fete -- albeit with a little help from their parents.

amalgamate (say uh-mal-guh-mayt) verb to join together: The two companies decided to amalgamate and moved to a new location.

amateurish (say am-uh-tuh-rish or am-uh-chuh-rish) adjective characteristic of an amateur: The game was amateurish but everyone enjoyed it anyway.


ambivalence (say am-biv-uh-luhns) noun the presence in a person of opposite and conflicting feelings towards someone or something: We were full of ambivalence with regard to appointment of a new manager.

analytical (say an-uh-lit-ik-uhl) adjective pertaining to analysis: Her analytical mind helps her solve problems.

ancillary (say an-sil-uh-ree) adjective acting to help or support: The ancillary staff at school help the teachers.

anguish (say ang-gwish) noun very great pain or sorrow: The anguish of losing his family was always with him.

anthropologist (say an-thruh-pol-uh-juhst) noun someone who studies anthropology, the science of the beginnings and the development of humans: He wants to become an anthropologist, so he can travel the world and see the different ways people live.

aperture (say ap-uh-chuh) noun a hole, slit, crack, gap, or other opening: Light came in through a small aperture in the ceiling.

apprehensive (say ap-ruh-hen-siv) adjective afraid or uneasy about something that may happen: They were apprehensive about walking through the dark streets.

aristocracy (say a-ruh-stok-ruh-see) noun in some societies, the people of highest rank: In Europe, the aristocracy once ruled the so-called `lower' classes.

armistice (say ah-muh-stuhs) noun a temporary agreement between countries at war to stop fighting so they can talk about peace: The World War I armistice was signed in 1918.

assassin (say uh-sass-uhn) noun someone who undertakes murder for a reward: The assassin and those who had hired him were all prosecuted.

assignation (say ass-ig-nay-shuhn) noun an appointment for a meeting, nowadays especially a forbidden love-meeting: The lovers made an assignation to meet by the river.

asterisk


(say ass-tuh-risk) noun a star shape (*) used in printing or writing to show that something has been written as a note at the bottom of the page, or been left out: An asterisk is a small, star-shaped symbol.

astringent (say uh-strin-juhnt) adjective tightening and refreshing the skin: Dad uses an astringent after-shave lotion to refresh his skin.

atrocious (say uh-troh-shuhs) adjective very bad or unpleasant: His treatment of his animals is atrocious.

aubergine (say oh-buh-zheen or oh-buh-jeen) noun a large, dark purple, more or less egg-shaped fruit used as a vegetable: An aubergine is also known as an eggplant.

auditorium (say aw-duh-taw-ree-uhm) noun a hall or other large space for meetings or concerts: We held the school play in the gym because the roof of the auditorium was being repaired.

aural (say aw-ruhl) adjective having to do with hearing or listening: I failed the aural test in the music exam because I had a bad cold.

authoritarian (say aw-tho-ruh-tair-ree-uhn) adjective An authoritarian government or ruler is one which controls a country strictly and does not allow people to have freedom and individual rights: Some countries have flourished economically under authoritarian rule.

autonomous (say aw-ton-uh-muhs) adjective self-governing: Although the organisation is associated with the United Nations, it is autonomous, so makes its own decisions.

awry (say uh-ruy) adverb turned to one side: Because of the strong wind, the fence posts were leaning awry.

balaclava (say bal-uh-klah-vuh) noun a knitted woollen hood that covers the whole head except for the face: Simon always wore a balaclava when he went snowboarding to keep him warm.

bankruptcy (say bangk-rup-see) noun the state of being unable to pay your debts: He knew he would be facing bankruptcy unless the business started to make a profit.

barrister


(say ba-ruhs-tuh) noun a lawyer whose main work is presenting cases in court: The barrister questioned the witness for nearly an hour.

beautician (say byooh-tish-uhn) noun someone who works in a beauty salon: Her lifelong dream was to be a beautician and work in Paris.

betrothed (say buh-trohdhd) noun engaged to be married: My grandmother was betrothed to my grandfather for a year before they married.

bibliography (say bib-lee-og-ruh-fee) noun a list of all the books, websites, etc., read or used by a writer when writing a book or essay: We lose marks if we don't include a complete bibliography with our work.

bipartisan (say buy-pah-tuh-zuhn or buy-pah-tuh-zan) adjective supported by two (otherwise opposing) parties, especially political parties: There was bipartisan support for the new law, because both sides of parliament agreed that it would benefit children.

bohemian (say boh-heem-ee-uhm) adjective relating to or typical of bohemians: It was a popular place to live because of its bohemian lifestyle.

botulism (say boch-uh-liz-uhm) noun a disease of the nervous system caused by a toxin developed especially in spoiled preserved and other foods, often causing death: Botulism is a rare but potentially fatal disease.

boudoir (say booh-dwah) noun a woman's bedroom or private room: My grandmother's boudoir always smelt of jasmine and talcum powder.

brogue (say brohg) noun a strong accent, especially an Irish one: Despite being in Australia for ten years, he still spoke with an Irish brogue.

bumptious (say bump-shuhs) adjective showing your importance in a way that offends people: Our new neighbour is a bumptious young man who has already managed to irritate several people.

cafeteria (say kaf-uh-teer-ree-uh) noun a cheap self-service restaurant: We had a coffee in the hospital cafeteria.

camembert


(say kam-uhm-bair) noun a rich, creamy, soft cheese, usually made in small flat rounds: We served the camembert with dates and figs.

capacious (say kuh-pay-shuhs) adjective able to hold a lot: She pulled an umbrella, a pineapple and a straw hat out of her capacious bag.

carcinoma (say kah-suh-noh-muh) noun a growth in the body: A carcinoma can spread to surrounding tissues and organs.

cauliflower (say kol-ee-flow-uh) noun a vegetable with a large round head of white flowers: We had cauliflower and cheese sauce with our roast beef.

cayenne (say kay-en) noun a hot, biting spice consisting of the ground pods and seeds of any of several varieties of capsicum: The recipe for salsa called for a pinch of cayenne pepper.

cellophane (say sel-uh-fayn) noun a transparent, waterproof, paper-like product, used to wrap sweets, gifts, and so on: The flowers were wrapped in clear cellophane.

cerise (say suh-rees or suh-reez) adjective red like the colour of a cherry: His favourite shade of red is cerise.

circumnavigate (say ser-kuhm-nav-uh-gayt) verb to sail round something: The contestants in the sailing race had to circumnavigate the island.

circumstantial (say ser-kuhm-stan-shul) adjective Circumstantial evidence is secondary or indirect: All the evidence against the accused woman was circumstantial and she was not convicted.

cistern (say siss-tuhn) noun a tank for holding water, such as the one above a toilet: A plumber came to mend the faulty cistern.

coerce (say koh-erce) verb If you coerce someone into doing something, you force them to do it: We tried to coerce him into telling us the secret code.

coir (say koy-uh) noun the prepared fibre of the coconut, used in making rope, matting, etc: They covered the floor of the hut with coir matting.


colloquialism (say kuh-lohk-wee-uhl-iz-uhm) noun an expression that you use when talking and chatting, or when you're not taking your written language too seriously: `Fair dinkum' is a colloquialism used in Australian English.

consciousness (say kon-shuhs-nuhs) noun mental awareness: She regained consciousness when the anaesthetic wore off.

consignment (say kuhn-suyn-muhnt) noun property sent to an agent for sale, storage, or shipment: The shop is expecting a consignment of the new phones next week.

contemplative (say kon-tuhm-play-tiv or kon-temp-luh-tiv) adjective considering things in a thoughtful way: She stared out the window in a contemplative mood.

contentious (say kuhn-ten-shuhs) adjective characterised by argument: The government's contentious new policy has caused many arguments in the community.

conurbation (say kon-er-bay-shuhn) noun a large heavily populated area formed by growth and the gradual joining together of previously separate towns: The size of the typical modern conurbation has serious implications for public transport systems.

copha (say koh-fuh) noun a white waxy solid derived from coconut flesh used as a shortening in cookery; coconut butter: We made chocolate crackles out of rice bubbles and copha.

corroboration (say kuh-rob-uh-ray-shuhn) noun verification or confirmation: The witness's corroboration of the victim's story helped police with their investigation.

curvaceous (say ker-vay-shuhs) adjective (of a woman) having a full and shapely figure; curvy: Marilyn Monroe was known for her curvaceous figure.

cynicism (say sin-uh-siz-uhm) noun a cynical way of thinking: Her newspaper articles were known for their sharpness and cynicism.

dahlia (say dayl-yuh) noun a type of plant, native to Mexico and Central America, widely cultivated for its


showy flowers: Grandpa put a stream of smelly manure on the dahlia beds.

debacle (say day-bah-kuhl or duh-bah-kuhl) noun a disastrous failure: Unfortunately, the restaurant's opening night was a complete debacle with the chef storming out in a rage.

debauchery (say duh-bawch-uh-ree) noun over-indulgence in sensual things: The ageing politician was accused of debauchery when he was seen with numerous young girls.

deforestation (say dee-fo-ruhs-tay-shuhn) noun the permanent removal of forests or trees from a large area: Extensive deforestation has a disastrous effect on the environment.

denunciation (say duh-nun-see-ay-shuhn) noun an open and harsh condemnation of someone or something you think is bad: His angry denunciation of the government was heard by many at the rally.

differentiate (say dif-uh-ren-shee-ayt) verb to see that one thing is different from another: It is hard for colourblind people to differentiate between red and green.

discourteous (say dis-ker-tee-uhs) adjective lacking politeness; impolite; uncivil; rude: Discourteous behaviour is not tolerated in my house.

discrepancy (say dis-krep-uhn-see) noun a difference: There is a discrepancy between the two accounts and we don't know which to believe.

disintegrate (say dis-in-tuh-grayt) verb to break up into small parts: The meteor began to disintegrate when it entered the Earth’s atmosphere.

dispensation (say dis-pen-say-shuhn) noun the act of giving out or the distribution of something: My father was responsible for the dispensation of letters when the mail came.

distinguished (say duhs-ting-gwisht) adjective important and famous: We had a distinguished guest over for dinner.

duress (say dyooh-ress) noun the use of threats or force: The man claimed he had only signed the confession under duress.

elocution


(say el-uh-kyooh-shuhn) noun the way you speak: Newsreaders have to have very clear elocution.

elucidate (say uh-looh-suh-dayt) verb to make clear or easily understood: The scientist was asked to elucidate the theory so that we could all understand it.

embezzlement (say em-bez-uhl-muhnt) noun a crime where someone who has been entrusted with money or property uses it for themselves: The bank official was found guilty of the embezzlement of customers' money.

equilateral (say eek-wuh-lat-ruhl) adjective having equal sides: It is easy to draw an equilateral triangle if you have a compass.

equivocate (say uh-kwiv-uh-kayt) verb to use words having more than one meaning, especially in order to deceive: He tends to equivocate in his speeches to avoid taking a stand on issues.

euphemism (say yooh-fuh-miz-uhm) noun a mild word or phrase chosen to replace one that some people might find unpleasant: `To pass away' is a euphemism for `to die'.

exaggerate (say uhg-zaj-uh-rayt) verb To exaggerate is to make something out to be greater than it is: You always exaggerate so it's hard to know what really happened.

exigency (say uhg-zij-uhn-see) noun a situation which demands immediate action: Special air transport arrangements were made for the exigency.

exquisite (say ek-skwiz-uht) adjective delicately beautiful: This plant produces exquisite golden flowers.

extortionate (say uhk-staw-shuhn-uht) adjective excessively high: The price of limes was extortionate because they were out of season.

extrasensory (say eks-truh-sen-suh-ree) adjective outside the normal senses: He had what appeared to be an extrasensory understanding of what people were thinking.

facilitate (say fuh-sil-uh-tayt) verb to make easier: He took my hand to facilitate my progress up the steep rock.


facsimile (say fak-sim-uh-lee) noun a way of sending documents or pictures along a telephone line: She requested that a copy of her dental records be sent by facsimile to her new dentist.

felicitous (say fuh-lis-uh-tuhs) adjective appropriate or suitable: She is very diplomatic and her choice of words is always felicitous.

fescue (say fes-kyooh) noun a type of grass: Fescue is often used as a pasture grass, to feed farm animals.

fiefdom (say feef-duhm) noun a powerful person's area of control: Wales was once considered a fiefdom of English aristocrats.

follicle (say fol-ik-uhl) noun a small cavity or gland in your body: A hair grows from a follicle.

fortuitous (say faw-tyooh-uh-tuhs) adjective happening by chance or by good luck: I needed to speak to her, so it was fortuitous that I bumped into her on my way to the shops.

fraught (say frawt) adjective involving or full of: The journey across the mountains was fraught with danger.

fruition (say frooh-ish-uhn) noun the attainment of something that a person desires: All her hard work came to fruition when her novel was published to rave reviews.

fugitive (say fyooh-juh-tiv) noun someone who is running away: Police are still hunting for the fugitive who escaped from prison.

gargantuan (say gah-gan-chooh-uhn) adjective huge or enormous: I could only manage to eat a fraction of the gargantuan meal.

gargoyle (say gah-goyl) noun a spout, often carved in the shape of an ugly head with an open mouth, which carries rainwater off a roof: Each corner of the old building was decorated with an ugly gargoyle.

geisha (say gay-shuh) noun a Japanese woman, trained to amuse men with singing, dancing and


conversation: The geisha owned a vast collection of elaborate kimonos.

gelatinous (say juh-lat-uh-nuhs) adjective jelly-like: Jellyfish have gelatinous bodies, which is how they got their name.

geriatrics (say je-ree-at-riks) noun the medical care of old people: Looking after his grandmother while she was ill inspired him to study geriatrics when he finished school.

gingivitis (say jin-juh-vuy-tuhs) noun inflammation of the gums around your teeth: Gingivitis can make your gums red and sore.

glimpse (say glimps) noun a quick sighting: I caught a glimpse of him as he ran past.

glossary (say glos-uh-ree) noun a list of special or difficult words about a particular subject, with their definitions: There was a glossary of terms at the end of the book.

gondolier (say gon-duh-lear) noun the person who rows a gondola: The gondolier used a long pole to move the gondola through the water.

gratuitous (say gruh-tyooh-uh-tuhs) adjective without reason, cause, or excuse: His nasty comments were completely gratuitous.

guarantor (say ga-ruhn-taw) noun someone who makes or gives a guarantee, such as promising they will pay someone's debt if that person can't: He asked me to be a guarantor for his loan but I refused.

gumption (say gump-shuhn) noun initiative or resourcefulness: It took a lot of gumption to play again after losing so badly.

gymkhana (say jim-kah-nuh) noun horseriding events with games and contests: Sam rode her horse every day, practising for the gymkhana.

gyrate (say juy-rayt) verb to move in a circle or spiral: The children watched the spinning top gyrate for minutes until it finally came to a stop.


hallucination (say huh-looh-suh-nay-shuhn) noun something which someone imagines they have seen or heard: I thought I saw a large, cool drink in front of me but it was just a hallucination.

harpsichord (say hahp-suh-kawd) noun an old-fashioned musical instrument like a piano: We listened to the sound of the harpsichord echoing through the old castle.

hibiscus (say huy-biss-kuhs) noun a large brightly coloured flower which grows on a tropical shrub: I like to wear a hibiscus in my hair in summer.

hypothetical (say huy-puh-thet-ik-uhl) adjective assumed by hypothesis; supposed: The intern was asked how he would treat a hypothetical case of pneumonia.

impecunious (say im-puh-kyooh-nee-uhs) adjective having no money: He was an impecunious student with no money to spare.

imperceptible (say im-puh-sep-tuh-buhl) adjective not able to be seen: The grey cat was almost imperceptible in the dark corner.

inaccurate (say in-ak-yuh-ruht) adjective not accurate, or not correct: The measurements proved to be inaccurate because the equipment was faulty.

inauspicious (say in-aw-spish-uhs) adjective unfavourable: The black clouds were inauspicious for the outdoor wedding.

incarcerate (say in-kah-suh-rayt) verb to imprison: The prisoner was shocked when the judge chose to incarcerate him for twenty years.

incidental (say in-suh-den-tuhl) noun Incidental music is played during the action of a film or a play, but it doesn't form an essential part of the performance: You often don't notice the incidental music playing in the background of a film scene, but it is important for creating the right atmosphere.

inconceivable (say in-kuhn-seev-uh-buhl) adjective unimaginable or incredible: Ten years ago it would have been inconceivable that people would equip new houses with water tanks.

instantaneous


(say in-stuhn-tay-nee-uhs) adjective immediate: There was instantaneous cheering when the winner was announced.

interrogation (say in-te-ruh-gay-shuhn) noun the act of questioning someone closely to find out something: The interrogation of the suspect took more than four hours because he wouldn't name his accomplices.

intricacy (say in-truh-kuh-see) noun intricate character: We admired the intricacy of her embroidery.

irredeemable (say i-ruh-deem-uh-buhl) adjective hopeless; irreparable: All parties agreed that the situation was irredeemable.

irrefutable (say i-ruh-fyooh-tuh-buhl) adjective not able to be disproved; incontrovertible: She presented irrefutable logic to show that funds had been wasted on causes the group did not support.

irrelevant (say i-rel-uh-vuhnt) adjective not connected with the current topic or issue: Try to stay on the subject and don't waste time on irrelevant details.

juggernaut (say jug-uh-nawt) noun any large, destructive force: The juggernaut of army tanks moved towards the battleline.

julienne (say jooh-lee-en) adjective prepared as a food garnish by being cut in very thin strips about the length of a matchstick: Rhonda cut carrots into julienne strips to add to the salad.

jurisdiction (say jooh-ruhs-dik-shuhn) noun If a person or legal body has jurisdiction in a particular matter, they have the authority to make a judgement about it: The industrial court does not have jurisdiction to decide on that kind of dispute.

knapsack (say nap-sak) noun an old-fashioned word for a backpack: The camper carried water and food in her knapsack.

languid (say lang-gwuhd) adjective drooping or flagging from weakness or fatigue: The sick woman sent him away with a languid wave of her hand.

lassitude


(say las-uh-tyoohd) noun U Formal weariness of your body or your mind: A feeling of lassitude overwhelmed them after the meal.

legionnaire (say lee-juh-nair) noun a member of a legion, especially the French Foreign Legion: The legionnaire had fought in many parts of the world.

liaise (say lee-ayz) verb to communicate and act together: We will have to liaise with other groups to present a stronger argument to the council.

liege (say leej or leezh) noun a lord entitled to loyalty and service: In medieval times, serfs used to work the land for their liege.

liquidator (say lik-wuh-day-tuh) noun a person appointed to carry out the closing down of a company and the settling of its debts: The manager had to hand over the company's records to the liquidator so debts could be settled.

locavore (say loh-kuh-vaw) noun a person who eats only food that is locally produced, because they believe that fresh food is nutritionally better, and that transporting food increases greenhouse emissions: My mother is a locavore and only eats fresh food which has been grown close to home.

longevity (say long-jev-uh-tee) noun length of life: People that keep healthy increase their chance of longevity.

madrigal (say mad-rig-uhl) noun a short poem which can be set to music, popular in the past in Europe: The minstrel performed a madrigal for the king and his court.

maintenance (say mayn-tuh-nuhns) noun the act of maintaining or keeping something in good condition: The maintenance of his motorbike took up much of his time.

malleable (say mal-ee-uh-buhl) adjective easily worked into a different shape: Plasticine is easy to shape because it is malleable.

marionette (say ma-ree-uh-net) noun a puppet which is worked by strings attached to its limbs: Many puppets, including the original marionette used for Pinocchio can still be seen in the Disney museum.

masquerade


(say mas-kuh-rayd or mahs-kuh-rayd) noun a party at which the guests wear fancy dress: I wore a pirate costume to the masquerade.

mediocre (say mee-dee-oh-kuh) adjective neither good nor bad: My report said my work was mediocre and that I could do better.

melodramatic (say mel-uh-druh-mat-ik) adjective too emotional and dramatic: We were surprised by her melodramatic reaction to the announcement.

mendacious (say men-day-shuhs) adjective false or untrue: We were told to ignore the report since it was suspected to be mendacious.

meningitis (say men-uhn-juy-tuhs) noun a disease which causes the lining of the brain to swell up: Meningitis can be a serious illness.

meringue (say muh-rang) noun a mixture of sugar and beaten whites of eggs used in cakes and sweets: We cooked the meringue in the oven on a very low heat.

metaphor (say met-uh-faw or met-uh-fuh) noun a kind of imagery used in writing or speech in which something is spoken of as if it were something else: `Knowledge is a key that opens many doors' is an example of a metaphor.

mezzanine (say mez-uh-neen or mez-uh-neen) noun a floor in a building like a balcony, usually between the ground floor and the next: The women's clothing department is located on the mezzanine.

microfiche (say muy-kroh-feesh) noun a small sheet of transparent plastic which may have many pages of print on it that can be read with a special projector: Newspapers used to keep copies of their old editions on microfiche which could only be viewed with a special projector.

minestrone (say min-uh-stroh-nee) noun a kind of soup containing vegetables, herbs and pasta: The more ingredients you add to minestrone, the better it tastes.

minion (say min-yuhn) noun a favourite, especially someone who behaves slavishly to keep the favour of their master: In the book I was reading, the minion was the property of his master.

misappropriate


(say mis-uh-proh-pree-ayt) verb to take something wrongfully or dishonestly: To misappropriate money is a serious crime.

monotonous (say muh-not-uh-nuhs) adjective tiresomely lacking in variety: We almost fell asleep listening to the sound of the lecturer's monotonous voice.

muscly (say muss-uh-lee) adjective If someone is muscly, they have big muscles, and are usually very strong: My brother became very muscly after several months of weight training at the gym.

necessitate (say nuh-sess-uh-tayt) verb to make necessary: A continuation of the drought will necessitate further water restrictions.

notoriety (say noh-tuh-ruy-uh-tee) noun the condition of being well-known, often for something bad: The visiting cricket team had gained notoriety for their bad sportsmanship.

noxious (say nok-shuhs) adjective harmful or hurtful: A noxious chemical leaked from the damaged tanker.

obsolescent (say ob-suh-les-uhnt) adjective becoming out of date: The typewriter is obsolescent now that so many people have computers and printers.

occurrence (say uh-ku-ruhns) noun the action or fact of occurring, or happening: The occurrence of rain after a drought is cause for great celebration.

oleander (say ol-ee-an-duh) noun a pink or white flowering shrub with dark green leaves: The oleander is a pretty plant, but it is poisonous.

opulently (say op-yuh-luhnt-lee) adverb in a rich or visibly wealthy manner: The king dressed opulently in velvet robes and jewelled crowns.

orchestrate (say aw-kuhs-trayt) verb to put together in a well-planned way: It is a challenge to orchestrate a large conference.

osprey (say os-pree or os-pray) noun (plural -preys) a large hawk which feeds on fish: An osprey was perched on a high pinnacle of rock.

paparazzi


(say pap-uh-raht-see) plural noun news photographers who seek sensational but trivial material with great persistence: Most celebrities hate their privacy being invaded by the paparazzi.

parliamentarian (say pah-luh-muhn-tair-ree-uhn) noun someone who has been elected to be a member of parliament: When my uncle was a federal parliamentarian he had to live in Canberra for much of the year.

parquetry (say pah-kuh-tree) noun mosaic work of wood often used for floors: We found parquetry on the floor when we stripped back the carpet.

percentile (say puh-sen-tuyl) noun a group equalling one hundredth of a set of statistics: It was her dream to be in the top percentile in maths.

peripheral (say puh-rif-uh-ruhl) adjective not part of a main or central thing: We shouldn't waste our time worrying about peripheral issues.

permissible (say puh-mis-uh-buhl) adjective allowed or permitted: Surfing the internet is only permissible once all our homework is completed.

pernicious (say puh-nish-uhs) adjective very hurtful, or destructive: There are pernicious rumours circulating about how he got the job.

personification (say puh-son-uh-fuh-kay-shuhn) noun the treating of objects or ideas as if they were people, especially as a special effect in your writing: `The book was begging to be opened' is an example of personification.

perspective (say puh-spek-tiv) noun the appearance of distance as well as height and width, produced on a flat surface, such as in a painting: The artist's skill with perspective created a realistic depth in her paintings.

physiotherapy (say fiz-ee-oh-the-ruh-pee) noun the treatment of disease and injuries by physical means such as massage and exercise: She had five sessions of physiotherapy to strengthen her injured knee.

piquant (say pee-kuhnt or pee-kont) adjective pleasantly sharp in taste: Radishes add a piquant taste to a salad.

plebeian


(say pluh-bee-uhn) adjective having to do with the common people: She told us haughtily that we had plebeian tastes.

polyunsaturated (say pol-ee-un-sach-uh-ray-tuhd) adjective having to do with certain types of fats or oils which are thought to be better for your health than other types: Foods containing polyunsaturated fats are an important part of a healthy diet.

pomander (say puh-man-duh) noun a ball of sweet-smelling substances, carried in the past by a person for perfume or to protect them from infection: You can make a pomander by sticking spices into the skin of an orange and letting it dry out.

portfolio (say pawt-foh-lee-oh) noun a collection of an artist's drawings or photographs, which they can show to someone as examples of their work: The artist showed his portfolio of drawings to the gallery owner.

precocious (say pruh-koh-shuhs) adjective more advanced than others of the same age: Anyone who composes music at the age of four, as Mozart did, could be thought of as precocious.

premises (say prem-uh-suhz) plural noun a building or house with the land belonging to it: The business will move to new premises next month.

prerequisite (say pree-rek-wuh-zuht) adjective something that is needed beforehand: A knowledge of French was the only prerequisite for obtaining the job.

pretentious (say pruh-ten-shuhs) adjective having an exaggerated outward show of importance, wealth and so on: She is so pretentious, always talking about her large house at the beach.

primitivism (say prim-uh-tuh-viz-uhm) noun a theory or belief, as in philosophy, art, etc., that the qualities of tribal or chronologically earlier cultures are superior to those of industrialised cultures: The museum was showing an exhibition on primitism, with artworks from tribal cultures of the South Pacific.

primordial (say pruy-maw-dee-uhl) adjective existing at the beginning of the world: Scientists have tried to discover what life existed in Earth's primordial oceans.

privilege (say priv-uh-lij) noun a special right or advantage enjoyed by only a limited number of people:


The sign said that it was a privilege to view the penguins and people should look after the site.

promenade (say prom-uh-nahd or prom-uh-nayd) noun an area suitable for leisurely walking, especially one along the seafront: Hundreds of people were enjoying a late afternoon stroll along the promenade.

quiescent (say kwee-es-uhnt) adjective at rest, quiet, or still: The baby was lying quiescent in her father's arms.

rebellious (say ruh-bel-yuhs) adjective fighting against a government or other organised authority: Soldiers were sent to control the rebellious mob.

recruitment (say ruh-krooht-muhnt) noun the act of enlisting people to join some kind of organisation: Her job involves the recruitment of new players for the team.

redoubtable (say ruh-dow-tuh-buhl) adjective producing fear and respect in others: The new player was a redoubtable opponent.

regrettable (say ruh-gret-uh-buhl) adjective causing you to feel sorry or sad: He apologised for his regrettable behaviour.

reiterate (say ree-it-uh-rayt) verb to say or do again or repeatedly: How many times do I have to reiterate that you are not to jump on the table?

reminiscent (say rem-uh-niss-uhnt) adjective awakening memories of something else: Today's game was reminiscent of the great Grand Final of 1975.

romanticism (say ruh-man-tuh-siz-uhm) noun the romantic style or movement in literature and art: The art movement of romanticism was concerned with expressing emotion and imagination.

scrimshaw (say skrim-shaw) noun carved or scratched work on articles of bone, ivory, steel, wood, etc., traditionally made by sailors in leisure times: The maritime museum has a collection of scrimshaw carved by sailors in the 19th century.

secede (say suh-seed) verb Formal to withdraw from an association; to become independent: They threatened to secede from the federation.

seismic


(say suyz-mik) adjective relating to or caused by an earthquake: Small seismic disturbances followed the main earthquake.

shanghai (say shang-huy) noun a Y-shaped stick with an elastic strip between the prongs for shooting stones: He practised with his shanghai by aiming stones at the tree in the backyard.

shawm (say shawm) noun an early woodwind instrument: The shawm is an early musical instrument related to the modern oboe.

shipwright (say ship-ruyt) noun someone who works at building or repairing ships: The old shipwright was constructing two light whale boats.

significance (say sig-nif-uh-kuhns) noun importance or meaning: Do you know the significance of the different colours on the Aboriginal flag?

slough (say sluf) verb to be shed or thrown off, as the slough of a snake is: Their homework was to find out if some types of snakes slough their skin more frequently than others.

socioeconomic (say soh-see-oh-ek-uh-nom-ik or soh-shee-oh-ek-uh-nom-ik) adjective of or relating to both social and economic considerations: You can either use terms like privileged and underprivileged socioeconomic strata or you can use words like rich and poor instead.

solicitous (say suh-lis-uh-tuhs) adjective anxiously caring about something: They were solicitous for the new girl's wellbeing.

sophistry (say sof-uhs-tree) noun (plural -ries) a subtle, tricky, clever, but generally false method of reasoning: It was pure sophistry to claim that doing nothing was actually the brave thing to do.

souvlaki (say soohv-lah-kee) noun a Greek dish made with diced lamb on skewers: We both ordered souvlaki for lunch.

sovereignty (say sov-ruhn-tee) noun supreme power or authority: The British claimed sovereignty over Australia even though there were people living here before they arrived.

stalactite (say stal-uhk-tuyt) noun a deposit formed by dripping water, which hangs from the roof of a limestone


cave: While we were exploring the cave, I hit my head on a stalactite.

statuesque (say stach-ooh-esk) adjective like or suggesting a statue, in dignity, grace or beauty: She was statuesque in a long white satin gown.

statutory (say stach-uh-tree or stach-uh-tuh-ree) adjective required or fixed by law: It is a statutory requirement that you submit a tax return.

stevedore (say stee-vuh-daw) noun a firm or individual engaged in the loading or unloading of ships: He had worked on the docks for years as a stevedore.

strenuous (say stren-yooh-uhs) adjective needing a great effort: Weightlifting is a very strenuous exercise.

stupefied (say styooh-puh-fuyd) adjective astounded or amazed: We were stupefied to hear who had committed the murder.

subcutaneous (say sub-kyooh-tay-nee-uhs) adjective situated or lying under the skin: The swelling was caused by a subcutaneous cyst which had become infected.

successor (say suhk-sess-uh) noun someone or something that comes after and takes the place of: I am leaving the job in the capable hands of my successor.

succinct (say suhk-singkt) adjective expressed in a few words: Our teacher advised us to write succinct answers as we did not have a lot of time.

suffragette (say suf-ruh-jet) noun one of an association of women in the early 20th century who agitated for the right of women to vote: Her great-grandmother was a suffragette who was passionate about a woman's right to vote.

suggestible (say suh-jes-tuh-buhl) adjective If someone is suggestible, they are easily influenced: I'm so suggestible that I start shivering when someone just talks about snow.

summate (say suh-mayt) verb Law to sum up: It was the prosecutor's turn to summate his argument.

supremacy


(say suh-prem-uh-see) noun the state of being supreme or the very best: The election result signalled an end to the tyrant's supremacy.

surrealism (say suh-ree-uhl-iz-uhm) noun a movement in literature and art which tried to suggest the activities of the subconscious mind: Surrealism in literature and art began in the early 20th century.

surreptitious (say su-ruhp-tish-uhs) adjective secret or stealthy: She tried to sneak a surreptitious look at the answers, but was caught and punished for cheating.

suspicion (say suhs-pish-uhn) noun the condition of being thought to be guilty of something: He is being held under suspicion of murder.

sustainable (say suh-stayn-uh-buhl) adjective designed or developed to have the capacity to continue operating perpetually, by avoiding adverse effects on the natural environment and depletion of natural resources: The development of sustainable agriculture is important for our environment.

sycamore (say sik-uh-maw) noun a shady tree sometimes grown for its wood: The children ate their lunch in the shade of the sycamore.

syllabus (say sil-uh-buhs) noun a plan of what is to be taught in a course of lessons: After pressure from the students, they have added cooking to the syllabus at the local boys' school.

symposium (say sim-poh-zee-uhm) noun a meeting for discussion: The major topic at the symposium is healthcare needs for the future.

teleprompter (say tel-uh-promp-tuh) noun a device used especially by television performers, on which words to be spoken appear while the speaker reads them: When the teleprompter broke down, the TV host didn't know what to say.

tequila (say tuh-kee-luh) noun a strong alcoholic drink: My parents went to a Mexican restaurant and drank some tequila with their meal.

thesaurus (say thuh-saw-ruhs) noun a book of words arranged in groups which have a similar meaning: We used the thesaurus to find a more interesting word for `nice'.

topiary


(say toh-pee-uh-ree) adjective the art of clipping hedges, trees, etc., into different shapes: My neighbour is a topiary expert and there are trees in his garden shaped like dragons, lions and even giraffes!

tragedian (say truh-jee-dee-uhn) noun an actor of tragedy: The great tragedian announced his retirement at the end of his final performance of `King Lear'.

trifecta (say truy-fek-tuh) noun a form of betting in which the first three placegetters in a particular race must be selected in the correct order: My uncle won the trifecta in the Melbourne Cup.

tryst (say trist) noun a planned meeting, especially a secret one: They held a tryst under the apple tree.

unaccustomed (say un-uh-kus-tuhmd) adjective unused: Pete had been treated like a prince since he was born and was unaccustomed to hardships.

uncoordinated (say un-koh-aw-duh-nay-tuhd) adjective lacking in physical coordination: He felt gawky and uncoordinated but enjoyed the dance anyway.

unidimensional (say yooh-nee-duh-men-shuhn-uhl) adjective having a single dimension: We learned in maths today that a line is unidimensional.

unwarranted (say un-wo-ruhn-tuhd) adjective not reasonable or justified: That sort of punishment for such a little thing was entirely unwarranted.

valedictory (say val-uh-dik-tuh-ree) adjective relating to saying goodbye or farewell: As a farewell gift, he was given a gold watch at his valedictory dinner.

vandalism (say van-duh-liz-uhm) noun intentional destruction or damage of property: Our art room was wrecked in an act of mindless vandalism.

vigilance (say vij-uh-luhns) noun the quality of being watchful and alert: Their vigilance was rewarded on the fifth night when they saw the fox stalking the hen house.

vindictive


(say vin-dik-tiv) adjective spiteful or nasty: Her vindictive remark hurt everybody's feelings.

vivacious (say vuh-vay-shuhs) adjective lively or energetic: It's always a pleasure to be with such a happy, vivacious person.

warranty (say wo-ruhn-tee) noun a formal promise or assurance of reliability: The computer's one-year warranty covered replacement of faulty parts.

wildebeest (say wil-duh-beest) noun an African antelope: We saw a wildebeest during a safari in Africa.

workaholic (say werk-uh-hol-ik) noun a person who is addicted to work: She is an absolute workaholic and often gets home late into the night.

worthwhile (say werth-wuyl) adjective useful or good enough to spend time on: Going to see the maritime exhibition was a really worthwhile experience.

wrangle (say rang-guhl) verb If two people wrangle, they argue or quarrel noisily: They used to wrangle over how much Tim should pay for the rent.

wreckage (say rek-ij) noun the broken parts of something that has been destroyed: They could see the wreckage of the plane from where they stood.

writhe (say ruydh) verb to twist, as if in pain or embarrassment: The terrible pain of her broken leg made her writhe in agony.

zydeco (say zuy-duh-koh) noun a style of dance music from the southern United States: The zydeco dance band featured accordions, guitars, and violins.



abalone (say ab-uh-loh-nee) noun a type of shellfish that is good to eat: Dad makes a delicious stir-fry with abalone and lots of chilli.

abscess (say ab-suhs) noun an infected swelling in a part of the body: The mosquito bite had become a nasty abscess on his leg.

adjudicator (say uh-jooh-duh-kay-tuh) noun someone who acts as a judge, especially in a debate or other competition: The adjudicator for the gymnastics competition is a former world champion.

adolescence (say ad-uh-less-uhns) noun the time before becoming an adult: Adolescence can be a confusing time.

altruistic (say al-trooh-iss-tik) adjective concerned for the welfare of others: His altruistic attitude has won him many friends because he always wants to help people.

ambiguity (say am-buh-gyooh-uh-tee) noun a doubtfulness or uncertainty of meaning: The rules have to be absolutely clear, with no ambiguity.

annihilate (say uh-nuy-uh-layt) verb to destroy or defeat completely: Our coach told us the aim was to enjoy the game, not to annihilate the opposition.

appendicitis (say uh-pen-duh-suy-tuhs) noun an illness in which the appendix becomes infected and painful: Joe had to miss the school camp because he had appendicitis.

arpeggio (say ah-pej-ee-oh) noun a musical chord played by sounding its notes one after the other: I have to practise this arpeggio a lot more before the music exam.

asphyxiation (say ass-fik-see-ay-shuhn) noun lack of oxygen in the blood because breathing has stopped: The man, trapped under the rubble without any air, almost died of asphyxiation.

belligerent (say be-lij-uh-ruhnt) adjective angry and aggressive: She was shocked by her neighbour's belligerent outburst.

bocconcini


(say bok-uhn-chee-nee) noun cheese formed into small round balls, usually stored in salty water: We need to buy some bocconcini for this special Italian dish we're cooking tonight.

bruschetta (say broos-ket-uh or broosh-et-uh) noun grilled slices of bread brushed with olive oil and a topping such as diced tomato: Bruschetta is not difficult to make, and tastes delicious with a tomato and basil topping.

bureaucrat (say byooh-ruh-krat) noun a member of a body of administrative officials: She has worked as a bureaucrat with the Department of Defence for many years.

camaraderie (say kam-uh-rah-duh-ree) noun close friendship or mateship: The camaraderie between the Anzac diggers in World War I became the mateship which is so much a part of the Australian character.

caryatid (say ka-ree-at-uhd) noun a carved figure of a woman used as a supporting column: Each caryatid supporting the roof in the ancient temple was different.

cataclysm (say kat-uh-kliz-uhm) noun any violent upheaval, especially one of a social or political nature: The cataclysm of the war years changed everybody's lives.

cholesterol (say kuh-less-tuh-rol) noun a substance found in the body and some foods: A high level of cholesterol in the blood can increase the risk of heart disease.

coalesce (say koh-uh-less) verb to come together to form one body: A number of small groups wanted to coalesce into one strong party.

conquistador (say kon-kwiss-tuh-daw) noun one of the Spanish conquerors of Mexico and Peru in the 16th century: The book described the life and adventures of a famous conquistador.

conscientious (say kon-shee-en-shuhs) adjective If you are conscientious, you are always very careful to do good work: She is too conscientious to leave a job unfinished.

cunjevoi (say kun-juh-voy) noun a type of sea animal that attaches itself to rocks: Cunjevoi is used as bait for fishing.

diaphragm (say duy-uh-fram) noun the sheet of muscle inside your body between the chest and abdomen: The singing exercises included some aimed at breathing control and others for diaphragm development.


dodecahedron (say doh-dek-uh-heed-ruhn) noun a figure with 12 sides: We drew a dodecahedron with a ruler and compass, keeping all 12 sides even.

ensconce (say en-skons) verb to settle comfortably or firmly: She would ensconce herself in the armchair with a book and not move for hours.

erroneous (say uh-roh-nee-uhs) adjective incorrect or containing a mistake: She suspected she'd been given erroneous information when she found herself lost.

euphonium (say yooh-foh-nee-uhm) noun a type of tuba mainly used in brass bands: The euphonium player in the marching band was struggling to play and march at the same time.

facetious (say fuh-see-shuhs) adjective intended to be amusing: I was annoyed at his facetious remark about my sunburnt red nose.

gastroenteritis (say gas-troh-en-tuh-ruy-tuhs) noun inflammation of the stomach and the intestines: His gastroenteritis became so severe that he was badly dehydrated.

hyacinth (say huy-uh-suhnth) noun a type of plant which grows from a bulb: The hyacinth is widely grown for its spikes of fragrant, bell-shaped flowers.

idiosyncrasy (say id-ee-oh-sink-ruh-see) noun a peculiarity of someone's character or behaviour: She has an idiosyncrasy of poking her tongue out slightly when she is concentrating.

incommunicado (say in-kuh-myooh-nuh-kah-doh) adjective especially of a prisoner, not allowed any communication with others: The hostages were kept incommunicado, making it impossible for their family to contact them.

kaleidoscope (say kuh-luy-duh-skohp) noun a tube with mirrors and pieces of coloured glass in one end, which shows different patterns when it is turned around: If you point the kaleidoscope towards a light, the colours are even more vibrant.

kitsch (say kich) noun ornaments or furniture considered to be in bad taste: Some people find kitsch amusing and collect it.

leprechaun


(say lep-ruh-kawn) noun a fairy in Irish folk stories, in the shape of a little man: According to Irish legend, if you catch a leprechaun, he'll take you to a pot of gold.

manoeuvre (say muh-nooh-vuh) noun a clever move: The team won with a brilliant manoeuvre that ended in a magnificent goal.

milieu (say mil-yer) noun the total surrounding area, state or atmosphere in which someone lives or operates: She fitted in well to his social milieu and quickly made lots of friends.

miscellaneous (say mis-uh-lay-nee-uhs) adjective A miscellaneous group is made up of things of several different kinds: All that was in the storeroom was a miscellaneous collection of junk.

myrrh (say mer) noun a sticky gum from a plant, used to make incense and perfume: In ancient times, myrrh was very valuable and was used to make incense and perfume.

pannikin (say pan-uh-kuhn) noun a small pan or metal cup: The camper heated up his soup in a metal pannikin.

perspicacious (say per-spuh-kay-shuhs) adjective having keen mental perception: The novelist was a perspicacious observer of the people around her.

plagiarism (say play-juh-riz-uhm) noun passing off other people's work as your own: Plagiarism from the internet is a form of cheating which is easy to uncover.

pneumonia (say nyooh-mohn-yuh) noun a serious illness caused by an inflammation of the lungs which makes it difficult to breathe: The chest infection grew a lot worse and turned into pneumonia.

polystyrene (say pol-ee-stuy-reen) noun a type of plastic that can be moulded into objects or made into a foam that is used for insulation and packaging: The polystyrene cooler was a cheap but effective way to keep the drinks cold.

psychedelic (say suy-kuh-del-ik) adjective having patterns of extremely bright colours: Bright psychedelic wallpaper was popular in the 1960s.

psychiatry (say suh-kuy-uh-tree or suy-kuy-uh-tree) noun the study and treatment of mental illness: She studied psychiatry because she wanted to help people with mental illnesses.


recalcitrant (say ruh-kal-suh-truhnt) adjective resisting authority or control: Her recalcitrant attitude often got her into trouble.

ricochet (say rik-uh-shay) verb to hit something, bounce away and fly off in another direction: His bad aim caused the ball to hit the wall and ricochet into the bushes.

rotisserie (say roh-tiss-uh-ree) noun a skewer which turns round and round in an oven or over a fire, for cooking chickens and other food: The pig was roasted on a rotisserie in the backyard.

saboteur (say sab-uh-ter) noun someone who practises sabotage, which is deliberate damage done to stop someone else being successful: A saboteur had damaged the other team's equipment.

sceptre (say sep-tuh) noun a rod carried by a king or queen, as a symbol of royal power: The queen was presented with the sceptre at her coronation.

secateurs (say sek-uh-tuhz or sek-uh-terz) plural noun gardening shears for clipping and pruning: We pruned the roses with secateurs.

shakuhachi (say shak-ooh-hah-chee) noun a Japanese bamboo flute: The music of the shakuhachi harmonised with the soft sounds of the water in the Japanese garden.

sorghum (say saw-guhm) noun a cereal grass, used especially for making molasses or syrup and for forage: The farmers principal crop was sorghum.

spontaneity (say spon-tuh-nay-uh-tee or spon-tuh-nee-uh-tee) noun the quality of being spontaneous, or impulsive: Her spontaneity makes her a lot of fun, because we're never sure what she'll do next.

surfeit (say ser-fuht) noun too great an amount: We had a surfeit of apples from our tree, so we sold some at the market.

synapse (say suy-naps) noun Biology the region of contact between the processes of two or more nerve cells, across which an impulse passes: Information from one neuron flows to another neuron across a synapse.

synonymous


(say suh-nom-uh-muhs) adjective having the same meaning or quality as: She was perfect for the campaign because her name had become synonymous with healthy eating.

thoroughbred (say thu-ruh-bred) adjective of pure or unmixed breed, as a horse or other animal: She was an experienced breeder of thoroughbred racehorses.

tourniquet (say taw-nuh-kay) noun a tight bandage or band, twisted or wrapped around your arm or leg to stop bleeding: The paramedic wrapped a tourniquet around the injured man's arm.

troubadour (say trooh-buh-daw) noun a singer or song-writer, especially in medieval France: The troubadour sang a beautiful ballad about his lost love.

tympanum (say tim-puh-nuhm) noun the inside part of the ear, known as the middle ear: An ear surgeon will perform the delicate operation to repair his tympanum.

vehement (say vee-uh-muhnt) adjective strong or passionate: There was no doubt about the sincerity of her swift and vehement reply.

vigilante (say vij-uh-lan-tee) adjective having to do with a group of citizens organised to keep order and punish crime in the absence of regular law enforcement: A vigilante group was formed to attempt to repel the attacks.

wurlitzer (say werl-it-suh) noun a type of large electric organ, designed mainly to be played in a theatre: The wurlitzer has a lot of sound effects which try to reproduce the sounds of an orchestra.



acquiesce (say ak-wee-ess) verb to agree or consent, especially in a quiet way: To avoid an argument, he decided to acquiesce to his neighbour's demands.

blancmange (say bluh-monzh) noun a sweet, jelly-like dessert made with flavoured milk: We had strawberry blancmange for dessert.

bourgeoisie (say boouh-zhwah-zee) noun the middle class: The bourgeoisie began as a social class with the tradesmen of the Middle Ages.

dichotomy (say duy-kot-uh-mee) noun a division into two parts: There is a clear dichotomy in public opinion about the new tunnel -- some people love it and others detest it.

echelon (say esh-uh-lon) noun a level of command: The upper echelon of the administration selected the site for the new stadium.

eczema (say ek-suh-muh) noun an itchy or painful rash in which the skin becomes red and flaky: I always get eczema on my knees during winter.

ephemeral (say uh-fem-uh-ruhl) adjective not lasting long: Many clothing trends are ephemeral, lasting only one season.

frankincense (say frang-kuhn-sens) noun an aromatic resin used chiefly for burning as incense or ceremonially: The aroma of frankincense filled the temple.

litigious (say luh-tij-uhs) adjective If someone is litigious, they are apt to take legal action a lot: My uncle is a litigious man, always trying to sue people.

miscellany (say muh-sel-uh-nee) noun a collection of things of different kinds: The cupboard contained a miscellany of cups and saucers, books and old pieces of clothing.

pomegranate (say pom-uh-gran-uht) noun a thick-skinned, red fruit which has edible seeds and flesh: My grandmother makes delicious pomegranate jelly.


psoriasis (say suh-ruy-uh-suhs) noun a skin disease marked by scaly patches: Psoriasis is a very itchy and uncomfortable skin condition.

reconnoitre (say rek-uh-noy-tuh) verb If you reconnoitre, you look carefully at something in order to gain useful information before taking action: Somebody has to reconnoitre the area to find where it is best to camp.

subpoena (say suh-pee-nuh) noun a legal document ordering a person to appear in court, usually as a witness: She was served with a subpoena and had to give evidence in court.

ubiquitous (say yooh-bik-wuh-tuhs) adjective being found everywhere: The ubiquitous dust of the hot outback was all through our luggage.


Categorised Words Senior Arts Level 2

album (say al-buhm) noun a recording of a collection of music or songs: Rahul's favourite band has just released a new album.

cornet (say kaw-nuht) noun a musical instrument like the trumpet, but smaller: Luca plays the cornet in the school band.

creative (say kree-ay-tiv) adjective good at making or inventing things: She was very creative and often made her own clothes.

debut (say day-byooh or day-booh or duh-booh) noun a first appearance in public, on stage, etc.: She made her debut in the chorus of `Swan Lake'.

fable (say fay-buhl) noun a short, made-up story, often about animals, that teaches a lesson about how to behave: Have you heard the fable of the boy who cried wolf?

flute (say flooht) noun a musical wind instrument played by blowing across a hole near one end: Richard enjoyed playing the flute but he didn't like performing in front of an audience.

foxtrot (say foks-trot) noun a ballroom dance which uses short, quick steps, and which was very popular in the past: The dancers were exhausted after the energetic foxtrot.

melodic (say muh-lod-ik) adjective tuneful: He played us a melodic tune on his clarinet.

opera (say op-ruh) noun a play that is sung to music: Luckily I know the story of this opera because it is sung in Italian and I can only speak English.

pitch (say pich) noun (plural pitches) the quality of a musical note thought of in terms of its highness or lowness: The part was too high for the pitch of her voice.


strum (say strum) noun to play an instrument by running your fingers across the strings: The audience clapped as the musician started to strum his guitar.

tenor (say ten-uh) noun a man with a singing voice in the higher range: There is a part for a tenor in the school musical.

Senior Arts Level 3 acoustics

(say uh-kooh-stiks) noun the properties of a room which affect the quality of the sounds produced in it: We tested the acoustics of different-sized rooms to see which room would carry the sound the best.

acrobat (say ak-ruh-bat) noun someone who performs gymnastic tricks: The best act at the circus was the acrobat on the tightrope.

ballet (say bal-ay) noun a formal type of dancing, where the dancers act out a story, using graceful and controlled movements: We are going to see my favourite ballet, `Swan Lake', next week.

bassoon (say buh-soohn) noun a woodwind instrument with a low pitch: He plays the bassoon in the school band.

cellist (say chel-uhst) noun someone who plays the cello: The cellist had to buy a car big enough to fit his cello in.

chorus (say kaw-ruhs) noun the words that are repeated after each verse of some songs or poems: We all sang the chorus very loudly but unfortunately we didn't know the verses.

compere (say kom-pair) noun someone who introduces the acts in a show: The compere of the comedy show kept everyone laughing between acts.

composition (say kom-puh-zish-uhn) noun a short piece of writing which you do as part of school work: We had to write a composition about what we would do with a million dollars.

design (say duh-zuyn) noun the combination of lines, colours and other parts of a work of art into a pleasing


whole: Alisha sketched the design for her poster before starting to paint it.

dirge (say derj) noun a funeral song or tune, or one expressing grief: The dirge played at the funeral was very long.

dramatist (say dram-uh-tuhst) noun a writer of plays: The actor was overwhelmed to be chosen by the dramatist to perform in his new play.

easel (say eez-uhl) noun a stand for holding a painting or drawing while the artist is working on it: We each set up an easel under the trees and began to paint the landscape.

edition (say uh-dish-uhn) noun a particular version of a book, newspaper, or magazine, that is printed at one time: She gets up early to read the morning edition of the paper.

encore (say on-kaw) noun an extra song or piece of music performed at the end of a concert, in response to the audience's applause: The band came back on stage and played an encore, much to the delight of the crowd.

frieze (say freez) noun a band around the top of a wall which is often decorated with a pattern: A frieze had been carved all the way around the ancient building.

genre (say zhon-ruh) noun the category to which a piece of writing, music, film or art belongs: Poetry is a genre of literature.

intonation (say in-tuh-nay-shuhn) noun the pattern of changes of pitch in speech or music: The actor changed the intonation of his voice to give his words added menace.

minim (say min-uhm) noun a note in music equal to half a semibreve in length: My music teacher gets cross because I always forget how long a minim is.

museum (say myooh-zee-uhm) noun a place where rare and interesting things are displayed: Our class visited the museum to see the exhibition of dinosaur bones.

orator (say o-ruh-tuh) noun a public speaker, especially a skilful one: The audience was captivated by the orator and his speech.

pantomime


(say pan-tuh-muym) noun a play in which the actors use actions and not words to tell the story: The children put on a pantomime of the story of Cinderella.

polka (say pol-kuh) noun a quick and lively dance: We all began to dance the polka at my cousin's wedding reception.

projectionist (say pruh-jek-shuh-nuhst) noun someone who operates a film projector: The projectionist liked to show old black-and-white movies.

rehearse (say ruh-herce) verb To rehearse is to practise in private before giving a public performance: Our school choir has to rehearse for the concert every afternoon.

Senior Arts Level 4 allegory

(say al-uh-guh-ree or al-uh-gree) noun a story which seems simple but has an extra meaning: The story about the boy who cried wolf is an allegory.

allegro (say uh-lay-groh or uh-leg-roh) adverb a direction indicating that music should be played or sung at a fast speed: The most difficult passage to play was the one marked `allegro'.

anthology (say an-thol-uh-jee) noun a collection of poems, short stories or songs, each by a different author or songwriter: I bought my mother an anthology of Australian poetry for her birthday.

audience (say aw-dee-uhns) noun an assembly of hearers or spectators: The audience was very surprised to see him suddenly burst onto the stage.

cabaret (say kab-uh-ray) noun a musical or comedy show performed at a restaurant or club: They ate dinner while enjoying the cabaret.

chorister (say ko-ruhs-tuh) noun someone who sings in a choir: She loved singing and wanted to be a chorister in the cathedral choir.

chromatic (say kruh-mat-ik) adjective having to do with a musical scale that moves by semitones: She made a mistake when she was practising chromatic scales on the piano.


collage (say kol-ahzh or kol-ahzh) noun a picture made from various materials, such as pieces of paper, cloth, and so on: At school I made a collage with coloured paper and foil.

critique (say kruh-teek) noun an article or essay reviewing something: The newspaper featured a critique of the new film.

crotchet (say kroch-uht) noun a musical note equal to the time of one beat: A minim is twice as long as a crotchet, and a crotchet is twice as long as a quaver.

cymbal (say sim-buhl) noun one of a pair of curved brass plates which are hit together to make a sharp, musical, ringing sound: The percussionist dropped a cymbal during a very quiet passage, and we all jumped.

dialogue (say duy-uh-log) noun a conversation between two or more people, especially in a play or story: The actors were asked to quickly memorise the dialogue.

documentary (say dok-yooh-men-tuh-ree or dok-yooh-men-tree) noun a film, television or radio program about a real event or someone's life: We watched a documentary about World War II on SBS last night.

embroidery (say em-broy-duh-ree or em-broy-dree) noun the art of working ornamental designs on fabric with needle and thread: She gained a great deal of pleasure spending hours doing embroidery.

epilogue (say ep-uh-log) noun a short section at the end of a play or written work: The epilogue gave the information that the story was based on real events.

exhibition (say eks-uh-bish-uhn) noun a show or display of something that a lot of people can go and see: All their parents and friends came to see the students' art exhibition.

extravaganza (say uhk-strav-uh-gan-zuh) noun an entertainment event, especially a live performance, which is very colourful and elaborate and which costs a lot to produce: The music festival ended with a spectacular extravaganza on the main stage.

filmography (say film-og-ruh-fee) noun a list of all the films featuring a particular actor, or all the films made by a particular director, etc.: The director's filmography was listed on her website.

finale


(say fuh-nah-lee) noun the last part of a concert, opera or ballet: For the finale, the pianist played a spectacularly difficult piece.

harmonium (say hah-moh-nee-uhm) noun a reed organ, especially one in which the air is forced outwards through the reeds: Helena could play the piano, but was eager to learn how to play a harmonium.

intermezzo (say in-tuh-met-soh) noun a short piece of music played between the acts of a long musical work: The most famous piece of music from that opera is the intermezzo.

karaoke (say ka-ree-oh-kee) noun singing along to a video and the background music of a song. The singer reads the words to the song displayed on a video screen: Let's go to a restaurant that offers karaoke.

memoir (say mem-wah) noun a record of events based on the personal experience of the writer: The film star's memoir described her childhood love of going to the cinema.

metronome (say met-ruh-nohm) noun an instrument that can be set to beat at a fixed rate and so give the right speed for playing a piece of music: We practised with a metronome when the conductor couldn't make it to our rehearsal.

musician (say myooh-zish-uhn) noun someone who plays or composes music: Becky practises the piano every day because she wants to have a career as a musician.

ocarina (say ok-uh-ree-nuh) noun a simple musical wind instrument shaped like an elongated egg, with finger holes: The ocarina is not a very difficult instrument to learn.

palette (say pal-uht) noun a thin board, usually with a thumb hole at one end, used by painters to mix colours on: The artist mixed different paints on his palette until he created the perfect colour for the sunset.

pianoforte (say pee-an-oh-for-tay) noun a piano: `Pianoforte' is another name for the piano.

piccolo (say pik-uh-loh) noun a small flute with a very high sound: She plays the piccolo as well as the flute.


premiere (say prem-ee-air) noun A premiere is the first time something is shown or done: There were lots of famous people at the premiere of the film.

quadrille (say kwuh-dril) noun a dance where four couples dance in a square pattern: The dancing class was divided into groups of eight to learn the steps of the quadrille.

requiem (say rek-wee-uhm) noun music composed to honour the memory of the dead: She composed the requiem in honour of her late brother.

rhythm (say ridh-uhm) noun the pattern of beats in music or speech: The crowd started clapping to the rhythm of the music.

semibreve (say sem-ee-breev) noun a musical note which is four crotchets long: In our music class we learned that a semibreve is a note which is four times as long as a crotchet.

simile (say sim-uh-lee) noun a figure of speech which points out a likeness between two generally unlike things, usually using the words `like' or `as': An example of a simile is `She sings like a bird'.

symphony (say sim-fuh-nee) noun a musical composition for a full orchestra, usually with four movements or parts: Mozart was very young when he composed his first symphony.

theatre (say thear-tuh) noun a building or hall for presenting plays, opera, ballet, and so on: The play opens at the local theatre on Friday.

vaudeville (say vaw-duh-vil) noun a light theatrical entertainment, mainly with musical and comedy acts: His great-grandmother was a star of vaudeville in the 1920s.

written (say rit-n) verb past participle of write: If I had written that story, I would have made up a different ending.

xylophone (say zuy-luh-fohn) noun a musical instrument made of a row of wooden bars of different lengths which you hit with small hammers: He already knew how to play the piano, so he learned the xylophone very quickly.


Senior Arts Level 5 accolade

(say ak-uh-layd) noun praise or honour given to someone: She deserves the highest accolade for her wonderful performance in the eisteddfod.

adagio (say uh-dah-zhee-oh or uh-dah-jee-oh) adverb a direction indicating that music should be played or sung slowly and calmly: The conductor made the violins slow down during the passage marked `adagio'.

articulation (say ah-tik-yuh-lay-shuhn) noun the degree of clearness of speech: The newsreader had impeccable articulation.

autobiography (say aw-tuh-buy-og-ruh-fee) noun (plural autobiographies) your own life story written by yourself: There was outrage when the sports star had someone else write his autobiography.

bouzouki (say buh-zooh-kee) noun a stringed instrument from Greece, related to a mandolin, played by plucking: The music of the bouzouki immediately transported us to a sparkling Greek island.

conservatorium (say kuhn-serv-uh-taw-ree-uhm) noun a school where you learn music: Fran played two solo pieces in her audition for the conservatorium.

decoupage (say day-kooh-pahzh) noun the art or process of decorating something with an arrangement of cut-out paper, cardboard, etc.: We had to collect lots of colourful paper to cut up for our decoupage.

decrescendo (say dee-kruh-shen-doh) noun in music, a gradual reduction in loudness: The piece of music ended with a decrescendo that faded away to silence.

fictitious (say fik-tish-uhs) adjective imaginary or made up: The characters in this film are fictitious -- they are not based on real people.

glockenspiel (say glok-uhn-speel or glok-uhn-shpeel) noun a musical instrument with steel bars set in a frame, which you hit with hammers: He enjoyed playing the glockenspiel in the band.

guiro (say gwear-roh) noun a percussion instrument consisting of a dried empty gourd, which has parallel notches across which a stick is drawn:


I love being the band's percussionist, because I get to play some unusual instruments, like the guiro.

lyricist (say li-ruh-suhst) noun someone who writes the words of a song: The composer and the lyricist had worked together on many hit songs.

manuscript (say man-yuh-skript) noun a book, letter, or piece of music, written by hand or typed: The manuscript of my unfinished novel is in the bottom drawer.

mimicry (say mim-uh-kree) noun the act of mimicking or copying something or someone: His mimicry of the politician's unusual way of walking had us all laughing.

overture (say oh-vuh-choouh) noun music played as an introduction to an opera, ballet or musical show: The audience listened with anticipation as the orchestra played the overture.

oxymoron (say ok-see-maw-ron) noun a saying which contains a seeming contradiction: Some would say that the phrase `enjoyable homework' is an oxymoron.

palindrome (say pal-uhn-drohm) noun a word or expression which reads the same backwards as forwards: The word `Madam' is a palindrome.

pastiche (say pas-teesh) noun a work of art which consists of parts borrowed from the work or style of other artists: The film was a pastiche of scenes from twelve different directors.

percussion (say puh-kush-uhn) noun relating to musical instruments which produce a note when they are struck: The parts written for percussion in the overture were very hard and took a lot of practice to get right.

portraiture (say paw-truh-chuh) noun the art of creating portraits, as by painting or photography: Her painting won first prize for portraiture.

repertoire (say rep-uh-twah) noun the plays, musical pieces or other items which an entertainer can perform: The singer's repertoire is small but she claims that quality is more important than quantity.

rhapsody (say rap-suh-dee) noun a type of musical composition: The first track on this CD is a famous rhapsody.

saxophone


(say sak-suh-fohn) noun a wind instrument with a curved brass body: Lisa is my favourite Simpsons character because she plays the saxophone.

synonym (say sin-uh-nim) noun a word having the same or very similar meaning as another: The teacher said that a synonym for `joyful' is `happy'.

synopsis (say suh-nop-suhs) noun a short version or summary: I will give you a synopsis of what we have done so far.

timbre (say tim-buh or tam-buh) noun the particular sound an instrument makes: His voice has a rich, warm timbre which is perfect for this particular role.

ventriloquist (say ven-tril-uh-kwuhst) noun someone who can speak with little or no lip movement: The children thought the puppet was speaking but it was really the ventriloquist talking without moving his lips.

waltz (say wawlts or wolts) noun a type of dance in which you and your partner move in circles: The bride and groom danced a waltz.

Senior Arts Level 6 arabesque

(say a-ruh-besk) noun a position in ballet in which one leg is stretched behind and the body lowered forward: A ballet dancer has to do a lot of practice to master the perfect arabesque.

arpeggio (say ah-pej-ee-oh) noun a musical chord played by sounding its notes one after the other: I have to practise this arpeggio a lot more before the music exam.

balalaika (say bal-uh-luy-kuh) noun a Russian musical instrument like a triangular guitar: A man sat in the corner of the Russian restaurant playing a balalaika.

calligraphy (say kuh-lig-ruh-fee) noun the art of doing beautiful handwriting: Not very many people learn the art of calligraphy these days.

choreography (say ko-ree-og-ruh-fee) noun the art of designing ballets and dances: The choreography was devised specifically for these ballerinas.


ikebana (say ik-ee-bah-nuh) noun the art of Japanese flower arrangement: Mum loves working with flowers, so she's doing an evening course in ikebana.

maestro (say muy-stroh) noun a master of any art, especially a great or famous musical composer, teacher, or conductor: The maestro raised his baton and led the orchestra in a wonderful performance.

matinee (say mat-uh-nay) noun an afternoon performance of a play or showing of a film: We bought tickets to the matinee because they were cheaper.

mosaic (say moh-zay-ik or muh-zay-ik) noun a picture or pattern made of small pieces of different coloured stone or glass: The artist had designed a beautiful mosaic for the wall of the new building.

rhythmical (say ridh-mik-uhl) adjective of or relating to rhythm: She had an excellent rhythmical sense and picked up the beat of the dance very quickly.

sforzando (say sfawt-san-doh) noun with force (used as a direction for the playing of a note or chord): There were many notes in the piece that were to be played sforzando.

syncopation (say sing-kuh-pay-shuhn) noun a shifting of the normal accent in a musical rhythm: Jazz music often features syncopation.

Senior Arts Level 7

caricature (say ka-ruh-kuh-choouh) noun a picture of someone which makes fun of their unusual or characteristic features: The caricature of the politician emphasised his bushy eyebrows.

eisteddfod (say uh-sted-fuhd) noun a competition in which people sing, play music or recite poetry: The country contestants had to travel for hours to perform in the eisteddfod.

mnemonic (say nuh-mon-ik) noun a rhyme, poem, or something similar, intended to help you remember something: Our teacher taught us a mnemonic to help us remember the names of the planets.

synecdoche


(say sin-ek-duh-kee) noun a figure of speech by which something particular is used to mean something general: An example of synecdoche is the use of the name `Romeo' to mean `a romantic young man'.

Senior Religion & Ethics Level 2 angel

(say ayn-juhl) noun in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, one of God's messengers, sometimes pictured to look like a human with wings: You often see a picture of an angel on a church window.

curse (say kerce) noun a strong wish that something bad will happen to someone: The witch put a curse on the prince which turned him into a toad.

guru (say gooh-rooh) noun a wise and powerful teacher: Thousands of people came to listen to the teachings of the guru.

peace (say pees) noun freedom from war: Everyone celebrated when the war ended and there was peace at last.

pilgrim (say pil-gruhm) noun someone who makes a long journey to visit a holy place: The pilgrim travelled for three weeks to reach Jerusalem.

priest (say preest) noun someone whose job is to perform religious ceremonies: The priest asked everyone to stand while the bride and her husband left the church.

ritual (say rich-ooh-uhl) noun a set procedure for a religious or other ceremony: The bar mitzvah is a ritual of the Jewish religion.

shrine (say shruyn) noun a sacred or holy place: There is a shrine of remembrance at Canberra for those killed in the war.

soul (say sohl) noun the unseen or spiritual part of a person which some people believe stays alive after their body dies: My grandmother believes that her soul will be in heaven after she dies.

temple


(say tem-puhl) noun A temple is a special place where people worship a god or gods: The young Buddhist monk showed us around the temple.

totem (say toh-tuhm) noun something, often an animal, used as the special sign of a family or group: A typical totem might be something like a bear, a bird, a frog or a lizard.

worship (say wer-shuhp) verb If you worship a god, you show your honour and respect with prayer and ceremony: We worship at the mosque on Fridays.

Senior Religion & Ethics Level 3 agnostic

(say ag-noss-tik) noun someone who believes that you cannot know whether any god exists: He described himself as an agnostic because he believed that no-one could be sure whether God really exists or not.

deity (say day-uh-tee or dee-uh-tee) noun (plural deities) a god or goddess: The tribe worshipped the moon as a deity.

devotee (say de-vuh-tee) noun a person particularly devoted to anything, especially religion; an enthusiast: She became a devotee of the Baha'i faith before the Western world had even heard of it.

druid (say drooh-uhd) noun (sometimes upper case) one of an order of priests among the ancient Celts of Gaul, Britain, and Ireland: A druid was one of an ancient order of Celtic priests, about which very little is known.

equality (say ee-kwol-uh-tee or uh-kwol-uh-tee) noun the state of being equal; correspondence in quality, degree, value, rank, ability, etc.: My mother says that in the interests of equality, everyone in the family should take turns in taking out the garbage bin.

guidance (say guy-duhns) noun advice or leadership: She prayed for guidance in making the right decision.

hymn (say him) noun a religious song: The children had a favourite hymn that they always enjoyed singing in church.


ideology (say uy-dee-ol-uh-jee) noun a set of beliefs or way of thinking of a social or political movement or group: He was an entrenched follower of Marxist ideology.

karma (say kah-muh) noun Hinduism, Buddhism the cosmic operation of retributive justice, according to which someone's status in life is determined by their own deeds in a previous incarnation: She was careful not to kill any living thing because she believed in karma.

morality (say muh-ral-uh-tee) noun U a set of standards for behaviour based on what is considered right and wrong, honest and dishonest, etc: I don't understand the morality of the new health policy which ignores those most in need.

mosque (say mosk) noun a place of worship for Muslims: We had to take off our shoes when we went into the mosque.

mythology (say muh-thol-uh-jee) noun all the myths of a particular culture: According to Aboriginal mythology, the Dreaming is the time when all the landforms and waterways on the earth were created.

padma (say pahd-muh) noun the flower of the sacred lotus or waterlily of Asia, used in Buddhism and Hinduism as a religious symbol: The padma is a flower that has great religious symbolism for Buddhists and Hindus.

prophet (say prof-uht) noun someone who speaks on behalf of a god: The prophet travelled far spreading the teachings of his god.

psalm (say sahm) noun a sacred song, hymn or poem: The church choir sang the 23rd psalm.

rabbi (say rab-uy) noun a Jewish priest or leader: The rabbi welcomed his congregation into the synagogue.

racial (say ray-shuhl) adjective having to do with relations between people of different races: Thousands of people marched in the demonstration for racial equality.

rite (say ruyt) noun a ceremony, especially a religious one: Making the pilgrimage to Mecca is an important rite for many Muslims.


sacrifice (say sak-ruh-fuys) noun the offering of life (animal, plant, or human) or some material possession to a deity: They leave food at the temple every morning as a sacrifice.

salvation (say sal-vay-shuhn) noun the cause or means of saving: The judge told the accused that he should pray for salvation.

secular (say sek-yuh-luh) adjective If an institution, literature or music is secular it is not based on religious or spiritual things: Some of my friends go to secular schools and some go to church schools.

shaman (say shah-muhn or shay-muhn) noun a medicine man and priest who works with the supernatural: The shaman invoked spirits to ward off the illness.

spiritual (say spi-ruh-chooh-uhl or spi-ruh-chuhl) adjective having to do with holy, religious, or supernatural things: He is the spiritual leader of his people, but not their political leader.

tolerance (say tol-uh-ruhns) noun the ability to accept opinions, practices, and so on that are different from your own: He learned a wide tolerance and a respect for the beliefs of all men.

Senior Religion & Ethics Level 4 acceptance

(say uhk-sep-tuhns) noun approval or favourable reception: Acceptance by the rest of the group was important to her.

aisle (say uyl) noun a clear path between seats in a hall, aircraft, and so on: The bride walked slowly down the narrow aisle.

amnesty (say am-nuh-stee) noun a pardon, usually given for crimes against a government: During the amnesty, people could hand in their illegal weapons without being charged.

apostle (say uh-poss-uhl) noun one of the followers of Christ chosen by him to spread his teachings: The Bible names John as an apostle of Christ.

apparition


(say ap-uh-rish-uhn) noun a ghostly appearance: He appeared out of the fog like an apparition.

arbitrate (say ah-buh-trayt) verb to decide or settle a matter for others, often a disagreement or a dispute: They were forced to have a judge arbitrate the matter.

atheist (say ay-thee-uhst) noun someone who believes that there is no God: The clergyman and the atheist debated the existence of God.

cairn (say kairn) noun a heap of stones set up as a landmark, monument, etc.: A cairn is often erected in order to mark a burial site.

cathedral (say kuh-thee-druhl) noun a very big and important church: We could hear the sound of bells coming from the cathedral.

ceremony (say se-ruh-muh-nee) noun a formal event performed to mark an important occasion: She received an invitation to her niece's naming ceremony.

charitable (say char-uh-tuh-buhl) adjective relating to charity: The charitable organisation had raised thousands of dollars for the children's hospital.

christen (say kris-uhn) verb When a baby is christened by a priest or minister, the baby is given a name and made a member of a Christian church: The minister will christen her during next Sunday's service.

community (say kuh-myooh-nuh-tee) noun a group of people who live in one area, have the same government, and often share a common history or culture: He is a well-known member of our local community.

congregation (say kong-gruh-gay-shuhn) noun an assembly of persons met for common religious worship: Some of the congregation stayed after the service to organise the upcoming fete.

corroboree (say kuh-rob-uh-ree) noun an Aboriginal dance ceremony which includes singing and rhythmic music: You could hear the singing from the corroboree from far away.

crusader (say krooh-say-duh) noun someone who works for a cause that they feel very strongly about: She was considerd a crusader for women's liberation.


denomination (say duh-nom-uh-nay-shuhn) noun a religious group, especially in the Christian church: The Anglican Church is Australia's second biggest denomination.

desecrate (say dess-uh-krayt) verb to use in a way that does not show respect: We were disgusted that vandals would desecrate the war memorial.

diplomacy (say duh-ploh-muh-see) noun skill in managing relations between nations or people: Joe's diplomacy made him an excellent mediator.

disciple (say duh-suy-puhl) noun one of the twelve personal followers of Jesus Christ: It is believed that John was the disciple most loved by Jesus Christ.

dogmatics (say dog-mat-iks) noun the science that deals with the arrangement and statement of religious doctrines, especially of those taught by the Christian church: The many volumes describing church dogmatics explored the whole of Christian doctrine.

elegy (say el-uh-jee) noun a poem expressing sorrow over someone's death: The poet wrote this beautiful elegy to his young wife after she was killed in a terrible accident.

manifestation (say man-uh-fes-tay-shun) noun Spiritualism the appearance of a spirit: Legend told that the castle's ghost was a manifestation of a Celtic queen who had been beheaded in 1432.

martyr (say mah-tuh) noun someone who is killed or suffers a great deal for the sake of their beliefs: She died a martyr for her cause.

missionary (say mish-uhn-ree) noun (plural missionaries) someone sent out, often to another country, on religious work: The missionary hoped that his church would send him to establish a new mission in Papua New Guinea.

multicultural (say mul-tee-kul-chuh-ruhl) adjective having to do with a society which contains several large groups of people of different cultures or ethnic backgrounds: Our class is quite multicultural with students from Europe, Asia and Africa.

mysticism


(say mis-tuh-siz-uhm) noun the beliefs or practice of mystics: After years of living in India, she was an ardent follower of Eastern mysticism.

philosopher (say fuh-los-uh-fuh) noun someone who is well read in philosophy: They say the philosopher Archimedes was so excited about his discovery, that he ran around the streets naked shouting `Eureka'.

piety (say puy-uh-tee) noun deep honour and respect for religion: Saint Francis is remembered for his love of animals and his piety.

pilgrimage (say pil-gruh-mij) noun a journey made to a sacred place: He intended to make a pilgrimage across the north of Spain to the city of Santiago.

procession (say pruh-sesh-uhn) noun an orderly line of people, cars or floats moving along in a ceremony or as a show: We waited for the funeral procession to pass before crossing the street.

reincarnation (say ree-in-kah-nay-shuhn) noun the return of the soul after death in a new body or form, a process which some people believe happens: The Hindu monk wasn't scared of death as he believed in reincarnation.

remembrance (say ruh-mem-bruhns) noun If something is done in remembrance of someone who has died, it is done as a way of remembering and honouring them: A ceremony was held in remembrance of those who were killed in the war.

righteous (say ruy-chuhs) adjective good and upright: He was a righteous man and respected by all.

sacrosanct (say sak-ruh-sangkt) adjective especially sacred: The area around the altar in a church is sacrosanct.

soothsayer (say soohth-say-uh) noun someone who claims to tell the future: The prediction of the soothsayer that the world would end on the last day of the year was proved wrong.

superstition (say sooh-puh-stish-uhn) noun a belief about the meaning of a thing or event that does not stem from reason or sensible thought: She never steps on the lines of the footpath because of a silly superstition.

symbolism


(say sim-buhl-iz-uhm) noun the practice of representing things by symbols or of giving things a symbolic meaning: Instead of expressing his ideas directly, he used symbolism to capture the essence of his message.

Senior Religion & Ethics Level 5 benevolent

(say buh-nev-uh-luhnt) adjective desiring to do good for others: A benevolent passer-by helped the poor woman to her feet.

candelabra (say kan-duh-lah-bruh) noun an ornamental branched candlestick: On special occasions we put a candelabra in the centre of the dinner table.

celestial (say suh-less-tee-uhl) adjective heavenly: The prophet spoke about the celestial visions he had been having.

cenotaph (say sen-uh-tahf) noun a structure built in memory of those killed in war: They laid a wreath at the cenotaph to show their respect for the fallen soldiers.

discrimination (say duh-skrim-uh-nay-shuhn) noun unfair treatment of a person because of something such as their gender, nationality or religion: Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated in our school.

emissary (say em-uh-suh-ree or em-uhs-ree) noun someone sent on mission: It was the role of the emissary to open up negotiations with the other side.

evangelist (say uh-van-juh-luhst) noun someone who travels from place to place teaching from the Bible: The evangelist invited the whole town to listen to what he had to say.

heresy (say he-ruh-see) noun a belief, especially about religion, which goes against the things that people generally believe: In some religions, the theory of evolution is considered heresy.

homily (say hom-uh-lee) noun (plural homilies) a religious talk addressed to people: The pope spent days rehearsing the homily he was going to give to the public.


humanitarian (say hyooh-man-uh-tair-ree-uhn) adjective concerned with helping people who live in bad conditions or are suffering: She works with a charity providing humanitarian aid in Africa.

idolatry (say uy-dol-uh-tree) noun worship of idols: Idolatry is a part of some ancient religions.

minaret (say min-uh-ret or min-uh-ret) noun a tall tower attached to a Muslim mosque, from which the muezzin (crier) calls the people to prayer: The minaret is the highest point of a mosque.

monastery (say mon-uhs-tree) noun (plural monasteries) a place where a group of monks live and work: Most of the monks worked within the grounds of the monastery.

nirvana (say ner-vah-nuh or near-vah-nuh) noun a term used in Buddhism to describe a state of being completely peaceful and calm in the body, mind and spirit: According to Buddhist belief, it takes practice to achieve the state of nirvana.

orthodox (say aw-thuh-doks) adjective accepted or conventional: He has very orthodox ideas, so he won't shock anyone when he gives his speech.

pacifist (say pas-uh-fuhst) noun someone who opposes all war or violence: My mother is a pacifist who is very active in the anti-war movement.

philanthropy (say fuh-lan-thruh-pee) noun love of humankind, especially shown in deeds of giving to charity, and so on: His philanthropy had saved the lives of countless children.

prejudice (say prej-uh-duhs) noun an opinion unfairly formed beforehand, without reason or proof: The decision didn't seem fair and showed a prejudice on the part of the judge.

presbytery (say prez-buh-tree or pres-puh-tree) noun the house of a priest: Our after-school care centre is in a presbytery once occupied by a priest.

prophecy (say prof-uh-see) noun a message from a god: The prophet travelled far to spread the word of the prophecy.

psychic (say suy-kik) adjective If someone is psychic, they apparently have supernatural mental powers,


such as the ability to see the future or to know what other people are thinking: In the story, the young woman was burnt at the stake for having psychic visions.

reconciliation (say rek-uhn-sil-ee-ay-shuhn) noun the achievement of harmony between people or groups: In her speech the prime minister said that our goal should be reconciliation.

resurrection (say rez-uh-rek-shuhn) noun the act of rising again from the dead: Christians celebrate Christ's resurrection at Easter.

samskara (say sam-skah-ruh) noun Hinduism the special ceremonies, usually sixteen, carried out at significant stages in a person's life: In Hinduism, the samskara are the special ceremonies that are carried out at significant times in a person's life.

satyr (say say-tuh or sat-uh) noun a kind of god in ancient Greek mythology, pictured as part goat and part human: Pan was a joyful satyr who loved dancing and playing on the shepherd's pipe.

talisman (say tal-uhz-muhn) noun (plural talismans) a stone, ring, or other object which is supposed to possess occult powers, and is worn as an amulet or charm: The tribe's holy woman wore a large jade pendant as a talisman against evil.

unconstitutional (say un-kon-stuh-tyooh-shuhn-uhl) adjective contrary to a constitution, such as that of a country: The High Court found that the law passed by the state was unconstitutional.

vestibule (say vest-uh-byoohl) noun an entrance hall: We waited in the church vestibule until the service was about to start.

Senior Religion & Ethics Level 6 ayatollah

(say uy-uh-tol-uh) noun a Muslim religious leader in Iran: The president of Iran met with the ayatollah to discuss the national crisis.

beatification (say bee-at-uh-fuh-kay-shuhn) noun the official declaration by the Pope that a person who has died is worthy of special religious honour: Pope John Paul II visited Australia in 1995 for the beatification of Mother Mary Mackillop.


blasphemy (say blass-fuh-mee) noun words or actions showing disrespect for God or sacred things: The author who criticised the Bible was accused of blasphemy.

catechism (say kat-uh-kiz-uhm) noun a book of questions and answers meant to help you learn about your religion: The priest explained some of the Christian concepts from the catechism.

clairvoyance (say klair-voy-uhns) noun the supposed power of seeing objects or actions beyond the natural range of the senses: The fortune teller said that her gift of clairvoyance meant she could see into the future.

conscience (say kon-shuhns) noun the ability to see the difference between right and wrong in what you do: Her conscience told her it was wrong to steal.

euthanasia (say yooh-thuh-nay-zhuh) noun the act of letting someone die, or helping them to do it when they want to, because their pain or suffering has become too great: There has been much debate about the rights and wrongs of euthanasia for extremely ill people.

flabellum (say fluh-bel-uhm) noun a fan, especially one used in religious ceremonies: The priest waved the flabellum to keep any flies away during communion.

irreligious (say i-ruh-lij-uhs) adjective not religious: She considered talk of evolution irreligious and wanted to changed the conversation.

omniscient (say om-nis-ee-uhnt) adjective knowing everything: Most religions believe that their god is omniscient.

sacrilege (say sak-ruh-lij) noun lack of respect for sacred objects or places: It is regarded as sacrilege to paint graffiti on the walls of the war memorial.

synagogue (say sin-uh-gog) noun a Jewish place of worship: Every Saturday, the family went to worship at the synagogue.


Senior Religion & Ethics Level 7 acolyte

(say ak-uh-luyt) noun an assistant in a church ceremony: The acolyte helps the priest during the church service.

baldachin (say bawl-duh-kuhn) noun a fixed canopy, of metal, wood, or stone, above the high altar of a church or above a tomb: The baldachin over the altar was supported by two heavily ornamented columns.

diocese (say duy-uh-suhs) noun the district under the care of a Christian bishop: The bishop of the diocese was wearing his purple cassock.

ecclesiastic (say uh-klee-zee-ass-tik) noun a church minister, priest, etc.: The priest was a respected ecclesiastic and scholar.

Senior Health & Wellbeing Level 2 breakfast

(say brek-fuhst) noun the first meal of the day: Shane has two bowls of cereal for breakfast.

breath (say breth) noun the air taken into your lungs and let out again: His warm breath made little clouds in the cold air.

fever (say fee-vuh) noun an unusually high body temperature caused by illness: She had a fever for three days and had to stay at home.

germ (say jerm) noun a very tiny living thing which causes disease: If you really want to see a germ, you will have to look through a microscope.

painful (say payn-fuhl) adjective If something is painful, it hurts: My arm was very painful when it was broken.

patient (say pay-shuhnt) noun someone who is being treated by a doctor or is in a hospital: The doctor had to check on one last patient before he could leave for the night.

sneeze


(say sneez) verb When you sneeze, air blows noisily out of your mouth and nose: Hiding quietly behind the chair, I had a terrible urge to sneeze.

sprain (say sprayn) verb If you sprain a joint in your body, you twist or bend it accidentally so that it swells and bruises: If you trip over, you could sprain your ankle.

throat (say throht) noun the part of your body that leads from your mouth to your stomach and lungs: When I was sick I had a very sore throat.

tonsil (say ton-suhl) noun either of the two lumps inside the back of your throat: My right tonsil was red and sore.

unclean (say un-kleen) adjective dirty: They chose not to eat at that restaurant because it was so unclean inside.

virus (say vuy-ruhs) noun a very small living thing that can cause illness: Scientists are trying to find a way to prevent the spread of this dangerous virus.

Senior Health & Wellbeing Level 3 ache

(say ayk) noun An ache is a pain that goes on for a long time. It is usually not a strong pain: Helen has an ache across her shoulders from playing too much tennis yesterday.

ailment (say ayl-muhnt) noun an illness: She has a serious ailment and needs ongoing treatment.

chemist (say kem-uhst) noun A chemist is someone whose job is to make and sell medicines: The chemist sold Sarah a new medicine for headaches.

contaminate (say kuhn-tam-uh-nayt) verb to make something dirty or impure: The chemicals from the factory began to contaminate the surrounding lake.

cough (say kof) noun the noisy outgoing air from your lungs which you get in some illnesses, or when something is stuck in your throat: There must be someone in the room -- I heard a cough.


cyst (say sist) noun a small growth that appears in the body or under the skin, often containing liquid: The doctor cut out the cyst under local anaesthetic.

disease (say duh-zeez) noun a sickness which can affect a part or all of any living thing: Many Tasmanian devils have been affected by a serious disease which is threatening their survival.

endemic (say en-dem-ik) adjective Specialised or formal If a disease is endemic, it is generally found in a particular place: Malaria is endemic in many tropical countries.

exercise (say eks-uh-suyz) noun an activity of the body or mind to train or improve it: Walking is good exercise.

fatigue (say fuh-teeg) noun severe mental or physical tiredness: The rescued bushwalkers were suffering from fatigue.

fracture (say frak-chuh) verb To fracture is to crack or break: You could fracture your skull if you fell from the top of the bridge.

hygiene (say huy-jeen) noun the cleanliness needed to stay healthy: Good hygiene, such as washing your hands and brushing your teeth, helps you to stay healthy.

infectious (say in-fek-shuhs) adjective spread by germs being transmitted through the air or in a liquid: Cholera is caused by drinking water that is contaminated with a bacterium which becomes highly infectious when passing through the human body.

influenza (say in-flooh-en-zuh) noun a sickness caused by a virus which affects the nose and throat and causes high temperatures and tiredness: Some people have vaccinations against influenza each year.

measles (say mee-zuhlz) noun a type of infectious disease occurring mostly in children, with a fever and rash: Many children are vaccinated against measles these days.

migraine (say muy-grayn or mee-grayn) noun a very bad headache which makes you feel ill: When Dad gets a migraine he has to lie down in a dark room.


multivitamin (say mul-tee-vuy-tuh-muhn) noun a pill or tonic containing a number of different vitamins: The doctor recommended taking a multivitamin each day, along with eating more fresh food.

nausea (say naw-see-uh or naw-zee-uh) noun a feeling of wanting to be sick: He suffered from terrible nausea during the sailing trip.

nutrition (say nyooh-trish-uhn) noun eating or eating habits: Good nutrition is vital to athletes.

perspiration (say pers-puh-ray-shuhn) noun sweat: She used the towel to wipe the perspiration from her forehead.

plague (say playg) noun any serious disease which spreads very quickly: We saw a film about the plague that killed thousands of people in London in the 17th century.

recuperate (say ruh-kooh-puh-rayt) verb If you recuperate, you recover from sickness or exhaustion: It did not take her long to recuperate from the virus because she was so fit.

tetanus (say tet-nuhs or tet-uh-nuhs) noun an infectious, often deadly disease, which causes extreme stiffness of the muscles of the jaw and other parts of the body: These days, most people in Australia are immunised against tetanus, so it is not very common.

therapy (say the-ruh-pee) noun healing treatment for a physical or mental problem: The boy has been referred to a clinic for speech therapy.

Senior Health & Wellbeing Level 4 abrasion

(say uh-bray-zhuhn) noun a sore that is caused by a scrape: He had a nasty abrasion on his knee after the fall.

acne (say ak-nee) noun a rash with a lot of pimples, especially on the face: Alana was very self-conscious about the acne on her face.

affliction


(say uh-flik-shuhn) noun a state of pain or grief: She bore her affliction with dignity.

allergy (say al-uh-jee) noun (plural allergies) an unusual sensitivity to things that are normally harmless, like pollen, dust and certain foods: Some people have an allergy to wattle.

ambulance (say am-byuh-luhns) noun a vehicle which is specially equipped to carry sick or injured people and which is driven by experts in first aid: An ambulance took her to hospital when she fell out of the tree and hurt her back.

amputate (say am-pyuh-tayt) verb to cut off (a limb, arm, etc.) by a surgical operation: The surgeon had to amputate his finger after it had been crushed in an industrial accident.

anatomy (say uh-nat-uh-mee) noun the structure of the body of a human, animal or plant: The anatomy of a human is very similar to that of an ape.

anxiety (say ang-zuy-uh-tee) noun feelings of worry or fear: I had a feeling of anxiety before my music exam.

artery (say ah-tuh-ree) noun An artery is one of the small tubes inside your body that carry blood from your heart: My grandmother has a blocked artery and she is having an operation.

aspirin (say ass-pruhn) noun a drug used to stop pain: I took an aspirin to relieve my headache.

bacteria (say bak-teer-ree-uh) plural noun tiny living bodies with one cell, which multiply by dividing themselves in two and which can cause disease and decay: We must make sure we wash our hands to stop the spread of harmful bacteria.

casualty (say kazh-yooh-uhl-tee) noun someone hurt or killed in an accident or war: The only casualty of the accident was taken to hospital in an ambulance.

cataract (say kat-uh-rakt) noun a disease of the eye causing loss of sight: Long-term exposure to ultraviolet light can cause a cataract in your eye.

cholera


(say kol-uh-ruh) noun an infectious tropical disease of the digestive system which can cause death: Many people died of cholera in the epidemic.

cognition (say kog-nish-uhn) noun the act or process of knowing: The injury to the brain affected her cognition.

concussion (say kuhn-kush-uhn) noun an injury of the brain or spine caused by a blow: He suffered concussion from the fall.

convulsion (say kuhn-vul-shuhn) noun a twisting of the body caused by violent muscular contractions: She was trying so hard not to laugh -- she looked as though she was having a convulsion.

decongestant (say dee-kon-jess-tuhnt) noun a drug that helps clear your nose when it is blocked or your chest if you have a cough: I went to the chemist to buy a decongestant to help clear my nose.

dermatitis (say der-muh-tuy-tuhs) noun dryness and redness of the skin which is itchy or painful: Her dermatitis was so bad she had to wear gloves all the time.

diagnosable (say duy-uhg-nohz-uh-buhl) adjective able to be diagnosed: Not all medical conditions of babies are diagnosable at birth.

disinfectant (say dis-uhn-fek-tuhnt) noun any chemical substance which kills germs: The vet sprays the examining table with disinfectant after each patient.

dispensary (say dis-pen-suh-ree or dis-pen-sree) noun (plural dispensaries) the part of a chemist's shop or hospital where medicines are made up and given out: The chemist brought my prescription out of the dispensary.

epilepsy (say ep-uh-lep-see) noun an illness which produces fits of unconsciousness and uncontrollable movements of the body: She has a mild form of epilepsy which is controlled well with medication.

hepatitis (say hep-uh-tuy-tuhs) noun a disease of the liver: Hepatitis can make you sick for a long time.

hygienic


(say huy-jeen-ik) adjective clean and sanitary: It is important to have a hygienic kitchen.

indigestion (say in-duh-jess-chuhn) noun pain in the stomach caused by difficulty in digesting food: I got indigestion from eating too much fried food too quickly.

inflammation (say in-fluh-may-shuhn) noun a red, painful, and often swollen area on the body, caused by an infection: The inflammation around his knee prevented him from surfing for a month.

locum (say loh-kuhm) noun a temporary stand-in for a doctor, lawyer, etc.: He was employed for three weeks as a locum while the resident doctor took holidays.

malnutrition (say mal-nyooh-trish-uhn) noun illness caused by not having enough food: Malnutrition affects millions of people around the world.

medicine (say med-uh-suhn or med-suhn) noun a substance used in treating sickness: Take some cough medicine and you'll feel better.

mucus (say myooh-kuhs) noun thick liquid which builds up in the nose and throat when you have a cold: The common cold is characterised by sneezing, tiredness and excessive mucus.

neurology (say nyooh-rol-uh-jee) noun the science of the nerves or the nervous system, especially its diseases: A specialist in neurology explained the possible reasons for her headaches.

optician (say op-tish-uhn) noun someone who makes or sells glasses: The optician mended my glasses after I accidently stepped on them.

orthodontics (say aw-thuh-don-tiks) noun that branch of dentistry concerned with straightening teeth or correcting irregularities of the jaw: Tomorrow she'll see a specialist in orthodontics to get braces put on her teeth.

practitioner (say prak-tish-uh-nuh) noun someone working in a professional practice, particularly a doctor: She was a practitioner of herbal medicine.

pulmonary (say pul-muhn-ree or pull-muhn-ree) adjective having to do with the lungs: The pulmonary artery takes blood from the lungs to the body.

quinine


(say kwin-een) noun a bitter medicine used to treat malaria: Until recent times quinine was the only treatment for malaria.

sanitary (say san-uh-tree) adjective having to do with cleanliness or care in preventing disease: All procedures at the hospital must be sanitary, or germs will quickly spread.

seizure (say seezh-uh) noun Specialised a sudden attack of disease: She had a seizure while on holidays and was rushed to hospital.

vaccine (say vak-seen) noun a type of medication which helps you develop immunity to a disease: Scientists have developed a pneumonia vaccine, which is particularly helpful in winter for elderly people.

Senior Health & Wellbeing Level 5 amnesia

(say am-neezh-uh or am-nee-zee-uh) noun loss of memory: Because of his amnesia, he no longer remembers where he lived.

antibiotic (say an-tee-buy-ot-ik) noun a drug capable of killing bacteria and other germs: The doctor prescribed an antibiotic for my chest infection.

antiseptic (say an-tuh-sep-tik) noun a chemical used to kill germs that produce disease: We cleaned the cut with antiseptic before putting a bandage on it.

asbestos (say uhs-bes-tuhs) noun a grey substance which is mined and does not burn; it was once used as a building material: Many countries have banned the use of asbestos because it can cause serious illness.

asthma (say ass-muh) noun a breathing disorder which causes difficulty in breathing, coughing and a feeling of tightness in the chest: She found that swimming helped her breathing and she had fewer attacks of asthma.

carbohydrate (say kah-buh-huy-drayt) noun a chemical compound containing oxygen, hydrogen and carbon: Foods high in carbohydrate include fruits, sweets, soft drinks, breads, pastas, beans, potatoes, bran, rice, and cereals.

cerebral


(say se-ruh-bruhl or suh-ree-bruhl) adjective having to do with the brain: The doctors said they could detect cerebral activity in the unconscious patient.

chemotherapy (say kee-moh-ther-uh-pee) noun the treatment of disease using chemicals as drugs, especially in treating cancer: Nausea and vomiting are some of the side effects of chemotherapy.

chiropractor (say kuy-ruh-prak-tuh) noun someone trained to treat back pain and other types of illness by massaging and adjusting the spine: The footballer's back felt much better after a few sessions with the chiropractor.

concoction (say kuhn-kok-shuhn) noun the product of combining a group of ingredients: The concoction of tea, lemon and honey helped soothe his sore throat.

convalesce (say kon-vuh-less) verb If someone is convalescing, they are growing stronger after an illness: They took her to the mountains so she could convalesce in the cool, clean air.

elixir (say uh-lik-suh) noun a sweet liquid medicine: The sick child was given some cough elixir and soon he was breathing peacefully.

emulsion (say uh-mul-shuhn) noun a milk-like mixture, often rather oily: The naturopath made up a special emulsion for him to smear over the affected areas.

gangrenous (say gang-gruh-nuhs) adjective affected by gangrene: The surgeon had to amputate the gangrenous leg before the infection spread.

hypothermia (say huy-puh-ther-mee-uh) noun an abnormally low body temperature: The two children were found in the snow, suffering from hypothermia.

lymphoma (say lim-fohm-uh) noun a form of cancer involving the lymph glands: The doctor's diagnosis was lymphoma.

neuralgia (say nyooh-ral-juh) noun a sharp and paroxysmal pain along a nerve: Her face was wrapped up in a towel and she explained she had violent neuralgia.

osteopath (say oss-tee-uh-path) noun a person who cures diseases by realigning bones in the body: The osteopath examined the patient thoroughly before treating her.

pharmaceutical


(say fahm-uh-syooht-i-kuhl) adjective relating to the preparation of drugs used in medicine: The pharmaceutical company is about to release a new asthma medication.

physiology (say fiz-ee-ol-uh-jee) noun the science concerned with the bodies of living things and how they work: An important part of sports medicine is a thorough knowledge of anatomy and physiology.

placebo (say pluh-see-boh) noun a substance which has no medicinal content but which a patient believes to be a medicine: One half of the experimental group was given a placebo instead of the test medication but were not told of this.

poultice (say pohl-tuhs) noun a soft, moist mass of bread, meal, linseed, and so on, applied to the body as a means of curing an ailment: He applied a poultice to his wound to reduce the swelling.

psychoanalyst (say suy-koh-an-uh-luhst) noun someone who tries to help people with mental problems by examining their unconscious mind: She consulted a psychoanalyst about her extreme anxiety.

respiratory (say ruh-spi-ruh-tree or res-pruh-tree) adjective relating to respiration or breathing: The swimmer did breathing exercises to increase her respiratory capacity.

suppurate (say sup-yuh-rayt) verb Specialised to produce or discharge pus: The lacerated flesh had begun to suppurate.

symptom (say simp-tuhm) noun something that shows that you have a disease or illness of some kind: A high temperature is a symptom of the flu.

temperature (say tem-pruh-chuh) noun a measure of the degree of heat or cold of something or someone: She agreed to go to the doctor if her temperature rose any further.

therapeutic (say the-ruh-pyooh-tik) adjective relating to the treatment of disease or pain: The physiotherapist used therapeutic massage to treat the gymnast's sore back.

Senior Health & Wellbeing Level 6 apothecary


(say uh-poth-uh-kuh-ree) noun an old-fashioned word for a chemist: In the Middle Ages, people would go to the apothecary for medicines.

cardiothoracic (say kah-dee-oh-thuh-rass-ik) adjective of or relating to the medical science with deals with the treatment of diseases of the organs within the thorax: When my grandfather had a heart attack, he was looked after in the cardiothoracic section of the hospital.

conjunctivitis (say kuhn-jungk-tuh-vuy-tuhs) noun in medicine, a painful disease of the very fine membrane that covers and protects the inside of the eyelid and the surface of the eye, causing redness and swelling: Conjunctivitis is sometimes called 'pink eye' because it causes redness and swelling of the eye.

diagnosis (say duy-uhg-noh-suhs) noun (plural diagnoses) the working out of what disease a patient has: They would have to wait for the test results before a diagnosis could be made.

hypochondriac (say huy-puh-kon-dree-ak) noun someone who is so anxious about their health that they often think they have an illness when they don't: He is a hypochondriac and imagines he has every disease he hears about on TV.

paracetamol (say pa-ruh-seet-uh-mol) noun a pain-killing drug: Many people take paracetamol when they have a headache.

penicillin (say pen-uh-sil-uhn) noun a strong germ-fighting substance used in medicine: In 1940, Australian scientist Howard Florey discovered how penicillin could be used as a medicine.

phlegm (say flem) noun thick mucus in your nose, throat or lungs, often as a result of a cold: My head feels full of phlegm with this cold.

pituitary (say puh-tyooh-uh-tree) noun a small gland at the base of the brain, which produces several hormones: The pituitary is a gland which controls the secretion of hormones in the body.

quarantine (say kwo-ruhn-teen) noun the separating of people or animals from others for a certain period of time to make certain they don't spread a disease to others: Animals coming into Australia have to be kept in quarantine to prevent the spread of diseases.

rheumatism


(say rooh-muh-tiz-uhm) noun a disease affecting the joints or muscles: During winter she suffers from rheumatism in her fingers.

tonsillitis (say ton-suh-luy-tuhs) noun an illness in which the tonsils become infected and painful: She had bad tonsillitis and had to have her tonsils removed.

Senior Health & Wellbeing Level 7 cerebellum

(say se-ruh-bel-uhm) noun the back part of the brain, controlling voluntary movements, posture, and balance: We are studying the part of the brain called the cerebellum in our anatomy class.

laryngeal (say la-ruhn-jee-uhl) adjective of or relating to the larynx: The doctors were worried that she may have laryngeal cancer.

osteoporosis (say os-tee-oh-puh-roh-suhs) noun a medical condition in which the bones become brittle because of a lack of calcium: Osteoporosis is a condition which affects many women, causing their bones to become brittle.

staphylococcus (say staf-uh-luh-kok-uhs) noun any of a certain group of bacteria causing a wide variety of diseases: Some forms of the bacteria staphylococcus can cause serious illness.

Senior Natural World Level 2 blossom

(say bloss-uhm) noun the flower of a plant, especially of a fruit tree: The blossom of an orange tree smells really sweet.

cocoon (say kuh-koohn) noun the silky covering spun by the larvae of many insects: We found a cocoon hanging from some leaves.

fossil (say foss-uhl) noun the remains of an animal or plant from long ago, preserved in rock: We found a fern fossil in a cave.

ore


(say aw) noun a rock or mineral which contains a metal that is valuable enough to be mined: My mother works for a company that mines iron ore.

planet (say plan-uht) noun any of the large bodies in space revolving around the sun or around any star: Astronauts have landed on the moon but no-one has yet stood on another planet.

reptile (say rep-tuyl) noun a cold-blooded animal that lays eggs, such as a lizard or snake: Because a reptile is cold-blooded, it needs to lie in the sun to warm up.

season (say see-zuhn) noun one of the four periods of the year, each with different weather conditions -- spring, summer, autumn and winter: My favourite season is summer, because it's warm and sunny.

seedling (say seed-ling) noun a young plant: An apple tree seedling might bear fruit in five years.

snail (say snayl) noun a small, slow-moving animal with a soft body and a spiral shell, often found in gardens: A snail was steadily eating its way through our strawberry plant.

sprout (say sprowt) verb to start to grow by sending out a new growth: The seeds on our nature table have started to sprout.

tempest (say tem-puhst) noun a violent storm: The story is about a ship that was wrecked during a wild tempest.

wildlife (say wuyld-luyf) noun animals, birds and insects living in their natural surroundings: You must always be careful not to endanger wildlife.

Senior Natural World Level 3 algae

(say al-jee or al-gee) plural noun a type of green plant found in or near water: Seaweed is a type of algae.

aquatic (say uh-kwot-ik) adjective living or growing in water: The aquatic plants growing in the pond have beautiful flowers.


arboreal (say ah-baw-ree-uhl) adjective having to do with, or living in trees: Koalas are arboreal animals, so are more comfortable up a tree than on the ground.

atmosphere (say at-muhs-fear) noun the air that surrounds the earth: The burning of some fuels can result in the pollution of the atmosphere.

bettong (say bet-ong) noun a very small kangaroo that looks like a small wallaby with a short nose: There are many types of bettong, including the brush-tailed bettong and the northern bettong.

bight (say buyt) noun a curve in the shore of the sea: The Great Australian Bight is the widest inlet on our coast.

bottlebrush (say bot-uhl-brush) noun an Australian plant with red, pink or yellow brush-like flowers: The parrots were attracted to the flowers of the bottlebrush.

carnivore (say kah-nuh-vaw) noun an animal that eats mostly meat: The lion is a well-known carnivore.

cavern (say kav-uhn) noun a large cave: The bushwalkers' voices echoed in the huge cavern.

drought (say drowt) noun a long period of dry weather: The drought had lasted for months and there was no food left for the livestock.

escarpment (say uhs-kahp-muhnt) noun a long, cliff-like ridge of rock, commonly formed by faulting or fracturing of the earth's crust: We could see the rugged mountain escarpment from the aeroplane.

fauna (say faw-nuh) noun the animals of a particular area: The fauna of Australia includes the kangaroo.

galah (say guh-lah) noun an Australian cockatoo with pink and grey feathers: We took the injured galah to the vet.

hibernate (say huy-buh-nayt) verb When animals hibernate, they sleep through the winter in a safe place: Grizzly bears hibernate for the winter.


horizon (say huh-ruy-zuhn) noun the line where the earth or sea appears to meet the sky: There was nothing but red soil as far as the horizon.

lantana (say lan-tah-nuh) noun a flowering plant which has become a weed in warm, wet parts of Australia: They spent the weekend removing lantana from bushland.

mollusc (say mol-uhsk) noun an animal with a soft body in a hard shell: A snail is a mollusc, and so is an oyster.

monotreme (say mon-uh-treem) noun an egg-laying mammal: The only examples of a monotreme are the platypus and the echidna.

ozone (say oh-zohn) noun a form of oxygen with three atoms to the molecule, having a peculiar smell: The ozone layer in the atmosphere protects us from the sun's radiation.

plankton (say plangk-tuhn) noun the mass of very tiny plants and animals which drift on or near the surface of water: She is a biologist and studies the life cycles of various kinds of plankton.

species (say spee-seez) noun one of the groups into which animals and plants are divided according to their characteristics: Chimpanzees are a species of monkey.

universe (say yooh-nuh-vers) noun The universe is the whole of space and everything that exists in it: Scientists still don't know for sure how the universe was formed.

volcano (say vol-kay-noh) noun a mountain with an opening in the top, through which molten rock, steam and ashes burst out when it is active: Many people had to leave their homes when lava began flowing out of the volcano.

waterhole (say waw-tuh-hohl) noun a natural hole or hollow in which water collects, such as one where animals come to drink, or one in the dried-up course of a river, etc.: The waterhole was almost dry and the animals were very thirsty.

Senior Natural World Level 4 albatross


(say al-buh-tross) noun a very large seabird that can fly long distances: Many sailors believe that it is bad luck to harm an albatross at sea.

arthropod (say ahth-ruh-pod) noun one of the group of invertebrates, having jointed legs and a segmented body, as the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and so on: A spider is an arthropod because it has jointed legs and a segmented body.

avalanche (say av-uh-lansh or av-uh-lahnsh) noun a large mass of snow sliding or falling suddenly down a mountain slope: Twelve people were rescued from the snow after the avalanche.

biodiversity (say buy-oh-duh-ver-suh-tee) noun a diversity of species of plants and animals: The rise in temperature is a threat to coastal biodiversity.

bombora (say bom-baw-ruh) noun a reef of rocks below the surface of the sea: We like to surf the waves caused by the bombora.

camellia (say kuh-meel-yuh) noun one of several shrubs or trees native to Asia, with glossy evergreen leaves and white, pink, or red, waxy, roselike flowers: The camellia flowers best when planted in a semi-shaded area.

caterpillar (say kat-uh-pil-uh) noun the worm-like larva of a moth or butterfly: This big black caterpillar will become a beautiful butterfly.

constellation (say kon-stuh-lay-shuhn) noun a group of stars: The Southern Cross is the most widely known constellation in the southern hemisphere.

cygnet (say sig-nuht) noun a young swan: The cygnet paddled across the lake behind the adult swans.

deciduous (say duh-sid-yooh-uhs) adjective Trees which are deciduous lose their leaves every year: Deciduous trees can look a little bare in winter.

defoliate (say duh-foh-lee-ayt) verb To defoliate a plant is to take off all its leaves: The farmer had to spray his wheat fields to make sure the locusts would not defoliate the entire crop.

echidna (say uh-kid-nuh) noun a spiny, ant-eating animal which lays eggs and feeds its young with its own


milk: The echidna can be found all over Australia.

eclipse (say uh-klips) noun A solar eclipse is the darkness that comes when the moon is between the sun and the earth and blocks the sun's light: You must never look at the sun during an eclipse.

equatorial (say ek-wuh-taw-ree-uhl) adjective relating to or near the equator: We are studying equatorial rainforests this term.

fissure (say fish-uh) noun a crack or split: The earthquake caused a fissure in the cliff.

germinate (say jerm-uh-nayt) verb To germinate is to begin to grow or develop: The seeds will take at least fourteen days to germinate.

geyser (say gee-zuh or guy-zuh) noun a hot spring that sometimes sends up a column of water and steam into the air: All the tourists stood back as the water and steam erupted from the geyser.

hemisphere (say hem-uhs-fear) noun half of a round shape, such as the earth: When it's summer in the northern hemisphere it's winter in the southern hemisphere.

hurricane (say hu-ruh-kuhn or hu-ruh-kayn) noun a violent tropical storm with a very strong wind: The hurricane tore the roof off the football stadium.

icicle (say uy-sik-uhl) noun a hanging tapering piece of ice formed by the freezing of water falling in drops: It was so cold that an icicle had formed above the window.

igneous (say ig-nee-uhs) adjective An igneous rock is formed from volcanic activity: Basalt is an igneous rock.

jonquil (say jong-kwuhl) noun a flowering plant of the narcissus group with long, narrow leaves and sweet-smelling yellow or white flowers: The jonquil starts to flower in early winter.

liana (say lee-ahn-uh) noun a climbing tropical plant: In the rainforest, tangled liana jostled with strangler figs and massive tree ferns.

mahogany


(say muh-hog-uh-nee) noun a hard, reddish-brown wood, used for making furniture: The house was full of old furniture made of cedar and mahogany.

meteoroid (say meet-ee-uh-royd) noun any of the small bodies travelling through space: A fast meteoroid can travel around the sun at more than 40 kilometres a second.

monolith (say mon-uh-lith) noun a single, huge rock: Uluru in the centre of Australia is the largest monolith in the world.

oasis (say oh-ay-suhs) noun An oasis is a place in a desert where there is water and plants: They were relieved to come across an oasis as they were running low on water.

omnivorous (say om-niv-uh-ruhs) adjective eating both animals and plants: We had to list the animals as herbivorous, carnivorous or omnivorous according to what they eat.

organism (say aw-guh-niz-uhm) noun any form of animal or plant life: She saw the tiny organism under the microscope.

perentie (say puh-ren-tee) noun the largest Australian lizard, found in dry areas of northern and central Australia: We heard a rustling in the grass and suddenly an enormous perentie was looking at us with great interest.

promontory (say prom-uhn-tree) noun a high point of land or rock jutting out into the sea: The promontory was the obvious site for the lighthouse.

quartz (say kwawts) noun a common mineral, used in making clocks and watches: Quartz is the most common mineral in the earth's crust.

sassafras (say sass-uh-fras) noun an Australian tree with sweet-smelling bark: Oak and cedar were used for cabinetwork and fittings -- and sassafras for flooring.

sierra (say see-air-ruh) noun a chain of hills or mountains, the tops of which look like the teeth of a saw: From a distance, the peaks of the mountains in the sierra looked like the edge of a saw.

skillion (say skil-yuhn) noun an outer building sometimes leaning against a wall, with a roof sloping in one


direction: It was necessary to pass through the sitting room to the bedroom, which was a skillion at the back. Also, skilling.

spinifex (say spin-uh-feks) noun a kind of spiny grass: The property abounded in spinifex and stunted saltbush.

tsunami (say sooh-nah-mee or tsooh-nah-mee) noun an extremely large, often destructive sea wave caused by an earthquake beneath the sea: The tsunami killed thousands of people on the island and destroyed many buildings.

vegetation (say vej-uh-tay-shuhn) noun the whole plant life of a particular area: Much of the vegetation was cleared for grazing animals.

waratah (say wo-ruh-tah) noun an Australian shrub with large red flowers: The waratah is the floral emblem of New South Wales.

whirlwind (say werl-wind) noun a very strong wind that blows in a spiral: The roar of the whirlwind filled the air.

Senior Natural World Level 5 amphibious

(say am-fib-ee-uhs) adjective able to live, move or operate both on land and in water: A frog is an amphibious animal.

arachnid (say uh-rak-nid) noun one of a group of animals that includes spiders and scorpions: An arachnid has eight legs.

assimilation (say uh-sim-uh-lay-shuhn) noun the resemblance of an animal to its surroundings, in both shape and colour: The assimilation of snow leopards to their natural surroundings is so effective that it is almost impossible to see them.

barnacle (say bah-nuh-kuhl) noun a crustacean that attaches itself to the bottom of ships, floating timber and marine rocks: He cut his foot on a barnacle attached to a piece of driftwood on the beach.

chasm


(say kaz-uhm) noun a deep hole or opening in the ground: The earthquake left a large chasm in the earth's surface.

comfrey (say kum-free) noun (plural -freys) a kind of plant of Europe and Asia, having blue, purplish or white flowers, used in making herbal tea, etc: They made a paste out of comfrey leaves to put on her bruise.

crustacean (say kruss-tay-shuhn) noun a type of animal with a hard shell instead of a skeleton, such as a crab, usually living in water: Krill is a tiny shrimp-like crustacean vital in the food chain.

dandelion (say dan-duh-luy-uhn) noun a plant with yellow flowers which form fluffy balls when they go to seed: The strong wind blew the seeds of the dandelion away.

diurnal (say duy-er-nuhl) adjective active or out by day, as certain birds, insects, flowers, and so on: It's much easier to observe diurnal animals than nocturnal ones.

equinox (say eek-wuh-noks or ek-wuh-noks) noun the time when the sun is directly over the earth's equator, making night and day all over the earth of equal length: There is one equinox in March and another in September.

eucalyptus (say yooh-kuh-lip-tuhs) noun a type of tree with many different varieties, used for its timber and its strong oil: The Australian landscape is characterised by the eucalyptus.

geomorphic (say jee-oh-maw-fik) adjective relating to the form of the earth and its surface: The geomorphic map showed the steep descent to the floor of the Pacific Ocean.

gerbera (say jer-buh-ruh) noun a type of flower like a large daisy: The gerbera is a flower that comes in a wide range of bright colours.

kikuyu (say kuy-kooh-yooh) noun a type of grass: Many people use kikuyu to make lawns in their gardens.

loquat (say loh-kwot or loh-kwuht) noun a small, evergreen tree native to China and Japan, but grown elsewhere for its yellow plumlike fruit: The loquat produces its fruit early in the season.

lucerne


(say looh-suhn) noun a plant used to feed animals: The cows love to be let into the paddock to graze on lucerne.

maelstrom (say mayl-struhm) noun a large whirlpool: In the past, many ships were wrecked in the maelstrom off the coast.

magnolia (say mag-noh-lee-uh) noun a large tree with spectacular flowers: The garden is beautiful when the magnolia is in bloom.

megafauna (say meg-uh-faw-nuh) noun the largest animals existing in a particular region or in a particular geological period: Australia's prehistoric megafauna included a giant wombat-like creature.

pheasant (say fez-uhnt) noun a kind of large, long-tailed bird, often eaten as food: Pheasant is a popular item on menus in Europe.

protea (say proh-tee-uh) noun a South African shrub with large showy flowers: The flowers of the protea look very striking in a flower arrangement.

quagmire (say kwog-muy-uh) noun an area of muddy or boggy ground: The building site looked like a quagmire after the rain.

sapphire (say saf-uy-uh) noun a clear blue gem: The sapphire in her necklace matched the colour of her eyes.

sirocco (say suh-rok-oh) noun a hot, oppressive wind: The hot winds of the sirocco made our trip to southern Italy uncomfortable.

stalagmite (say stal-uhg-muyt) noun a stick of limestone or other material that forms, little by little, on the floor of a cave, from water dripping from above: The stalagmite in the cave was several metres high.

symbiotic (say sim-buy-ot-ik) adjective relating to a relationship between two living things that is advantageous or necessary to both: In some symbiotic relationships one organism cannot survive without the other.

tyrannosaurus (say tuh-ran-uh-saw-ruhs) noun a great meat-eating dinosaur which walked upright on its powerful back limbs: The tyrannosaurus was probably the most vicious of the dinosaurs.


venomous (say ven-uh-muhs) adjective inflicting a poisonous bite or sting: The bite from the venomous snake made me very sick.

Senior Natural World Level 6 aardvark

(say ahd-vahk) noun a large African mammal, active at night, which digs burrows, lives on termites, and has a long tongue and ears: The aardvark uses its snout to suck up termites.

amphibian (say am-fib-ee-uhn) noun an animal that begins life in the water and lives on land as an adult: A frog is an example of an amphibian.

angophora (say ang-gof-uh-ruh) noun an Australian tree related to the eucalypt, with gnarled pinkish branches and creamy-white flowers: The huge angophora in the playground is covered in white blossoms all summer.

chrysalis (say kris-uh-luhs) noun the form that a butterfly or moth takes when changing from a grub to its adult form: We found a chrysalis in the garden and watched it every day until a beautiful butterfly emerged.

cumulonimbus (say kyooh-myuh-loh-nim-buhs) noun a heavy, tall mass of cloud characteristic of thunderstorm conditions: When we saw the sky fill with cumulonimbus, we knew we had to head for home.

germination (say jer-muh-nay-shuhn) noun the development of a seed into a plant: We watched the germination of the bean seed with great interest.

hydrangea (say huy-drayn-juh) noun a shrub which has large blue or pink flowers and loses its leaves in winter: My grandmother had a blue hydrangea by the front steps.

metamorphosis (say met-uh-maw-fuh-suhs) noun a change from one form to another: For our assignment we had to write about the metamorphosis of a tadpole into a frog.

precipitation (say pruh-sip-uh-tay-shuhn) noun water that falls from the sky, whether as rain, snow or hail: Parts of Australia may experience no precipitation for years at a time.

scavenger


(say skav-uhn-juh) noun an animal which eats flesh from dead animals: The hyena is a scavenger and has strong jaws for crushing bones.

stratosphere (say strat-uhs-fear) noun a region of the atmosphere high above the earth's surface: Only a few specialised aircraft are designed to fly in the stratosphere.

thylacine (say thuy-luh-seen) noun a wolf-like marsupial of Tasmania, tan-coloured, with black stripes across the back, now thought to be extinct: The thylacine is also known as the Tasmanian tiger.

Senior Natural World Level 7 chihuahua

(say chuh-wow-wuh or chuh-wah-wuh) noun a Mexican breed of very small dog: My friend carries his chihuahua in his backpack!

isthmus (say is-muhs) noun a narrow strip of land, with water on both sides, joining two larger pieces of land: The town was joined to the mainland by an isthmus no wider than a road.

rhododendron (say roh-duh-den-druhn) noun a large evergreen shrub with pink, purple or white flowers: The rhododendron in our front garden is covered with huge pink flowers.

sphagnum (say sfag-nuhm) noun any of the bog mosses found chiefly in temperate areas of high rainfall and little sun, where they may build up deep layers of peat; used especially by gardeners in potting plants: Stunted bracken and spongy sphagnum covered the wet ground.

Senior Science & Technology Level 2 atom

(say at-uhm) noun the smallest part that an element can be divided into and still keep its special qualities or take part in a chemical reaction: An atom is made up of protons, neutrons and electrons.

computer (say kuhm-pyooh-tuh) noun an electronic machine which stores and gives out information, and does


calculations very quickly, according to a set of instructions called a program: Our new computer allows us to access the internet very quickly.

current (say ku-ruhnt) noun a movement or flow of electric charges: The electrician used a special meter to measure the current.

friction (say frik-shuhn) noun the rubbing of two surfaces against each other: The friction of two stones being rubbed together can produce a spark.

gravity (say grav-uh-tee) noun Gravity is the strong force that pulls things or that makes them fall towards the earth: If it wasn't for gravity, we would all be floating around.

length (say length) noun the measure of something from one end to the other: The length of the pool is 50 metres.

litre (say lee-tuh) noun a measure of liquid in the metric system: The container holds one litre of milk.

measure (say mezh-uh) verb to find out the size or quantity of something, usually by using a special instrument such as a ruler or scales: We need to measure the window before we buy blinds.

modem (say moh-dem or moh-duhm) noun an electronic device that allows one computer to link to others through the telephone system: We turned on the modem so we could send an email to our grandmother.

theory (say thear-ree) noun a suggested explanation with little or no basis in fact: They had to undertake a lot a research before their theory could be proved.

volume (say vol-yoohm) noun the size, measure, or amount of anything in three dimensions: We had to work out what the volume of the parcel was before we could send it.

wireless (say wuy-uh-luhs) adjective not using telephone lines, cables, etc: Wireless technology allows people the freedom to sit in a shady park and access the internet.


Senior Science & Technology Level 3 altitude

(say al-tuh-tyoohd) noun height above sea level: The top of the mountain is at such a high altitude that it is above the clouds.

biofuel (say buy-oh-fyooh-uhl) noun any type of fuel that is made from renewable sources such as plants: Ethanol is a type of biofuel that is made from sugar cane or grains.

browser (say brow-zuh) noun a computer program that allows you to access web pages: This new browser is much faster than the previous version.

byte (say buyt) noun a unit of information stored by a computer: A byte is a small unit of information -- this CD-ROM holds 700 million bytes!

calculation (say kal-kyuh-lay-shuhn) noun the act or result of calculating: Dean's calculation that we'd need forty sausages for the barbecue was correct.

cosmonaut (say koz-muh-nawt) noun a person trained as a pilot, to take part in the flight of a spacecraft: The cosmonaut prepared the spacecraft for its return to Earth.

diagonal (say duy-ag-uh-nuhl) adjective a diagonal line is a sloping line that joins two opposite corners of a square or rectangle: If you draw a diagonal line from one corner of a square to another, you will make two triangles.

dissect (say duh-sekt or duy-sekt) verb to cut something up carefully to examine it: In our science class we watched the teacher dissect a sheep's heart to show us how it worked.

engineer (say en-juh-near) noun someone who is trained to design and build things and to use machinery: His father was an engineer who designed roads and bridges.

enzyme (say en-zuym) noun a protein in the body which produces a chemical change: Each enzyme aids the digestion of food in the stomach.

equipment (say uh-kwip-muhnt) noun anything used in doing a job, especially tools, machines, materials, and so on: All of the laboratory equipment was stored in the locked cupboard.


formula (say faw-myuh-luh) noun in chemistry, the representation of the atoms in a molecule by symbols: The formula for ordinary salt is NaCl.

futuristic (say fyooh-chuh-ris-tik) adjective in a style thought likely to be in fashion at some future time: The design of the car was very futuristic -- it could hover in the air.

hydroponics (say huy-druh-pon-iks) noun the growing of plants with their roots in water rather than soil: With a system of hydroponics you need only a small area to grow food that is both tasty and nutritious.

hyperlink (say huy-puh-lingk) noun (in computers) a link from one document to another: I clicked on the hyperlink to get to the next page.

kilowatt (say kil-uh-wot) noun 1000 watts: The power company charges us for each kilowatt we use.

methodology (say meth-uh-dol-uh-jee) noun (plural -gies) the science of method, especially a branch of logic dealing with the logical principles underlying the organisation of the various special sciences, and the conduct of scientific enquiry: The success of the experiment was helped by a sound methodology.

molecule (say mol-uh-kyoohl) noun the smallest unit or particle into which something can be divided without changing its features: A molecule of water is made up of two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen.

prism (say priz-uhm) noun a transparent object, usually of glass and with triangular ends, used for breaking light down into the colours of the rainbow: We used a prism to break up light into the colours of the rainbow.

procedure (say pruh-see-juh) noun writing or speaking which tells how to do or make something step by step: The procedure for our science experiment was written clearly on the whiteboard.

propulsion (say pruh-pul-shuhn) noun a force which moves something forward: The missile was under rocket propulsion.

quotient (say kwoh-shuhnt) noun the number or result you get when one number is divided by another: In the expression 15 ÷ 3, the quotient is 5.


rhombus (say rom-buhs) noun a shape with four equal sides, and angles that are not right angles: I have a kite that is in the shape of a rhombus.

specimen (say spess-uh-muhn) noun a single thing or part taken as being typical of a whole group or mass: We found a very good starfish specimen in a shallow rock pool.

Senior Science & Technology Level 4 accelerator

(say uhk-sel-uh-ray-tuh) noun a pedal in a car which the driver presses to make the car go faster: A manual car has three pedals: the accelerator, brake and clutch.

aerosol (say air-ruh-sol) noun a substance made up of tiny particles mixed into a gas: To protect us against insects on the bushwalk, we took an aerosol as well as a cream insecticide.

aluminium (say al-yuh-min-ee-uhm) noun a light, silvery-grey type of metal: Aluminium is used to make cans, and can be rolled into thin sheets to make aluminium foil.

ampere (say am-pair) noun a unit of electric current: Electricians usually shorten the word `ampere' to `amp'.

analyst (say an-uh-luhst) noun someone who is skilled in analysis: We hired an analyst to examine our business opportunities.

apparatus (say ap-uh-rah-tuhs) noun a collection of tools or machines used for a particular purpose: We set up the apparatus for the experiment.

aviation (say ay-vee-ay-shuhn) noun the science or act of flying in an aircraft: The air force had an exhibition on the history of aviation.

barometer (say buh-rom-uh-tuh) noun an instrument that measures air pressure, used to help work out what changes in the weather can be expected: The barometer is falling which means we are in for bad weather.

calculate


(say kal-kyuh-layt) verb to work out by mathematical methods: We must calculate how much we've spent this month.

caustic (say koss-tik) adjective capable of burning or eating away living cells in the body: We handled the caustic cleaning substance with great care.

chemistry (say kem-uh-stree) noun the science of what substances are made of and the ways they react with each other: My father studied chemistry and physics at university.

circuitry (say ser-kuh-tree) noun a system of electrical circuits: Grandad liked to tinker with the circuitry of old toasters.

circumference (say suh-kum-fuh-ruhns) noun the distance around something, especially around a circle or circular object: The good thing about knowing the circumference of a circle is that you can then work out its diameter.

combustion (say kuhm-bus-chuhn) noun the process of burning: The heater worked on a process of slow combustion.

concentric (say kuhn-sen-trik) adjective Two or more circles are concentric when they have the same centre: The teacher told us to draw three concentric circles with our compasses.

conductivity (say kon-duk-tiv-uh-tee) noun the ability of a substance to conduct heat, electricity or sound: Copper has a high conductivity.

contraption (say kuhn-trap-shuhn) noun a complicated device or piece of machinery: They pulled the contraption apart to try and see how it worked.

cyberspace (say suy-buh-space) noun the internet: She spent hours at the computer lost in cyberspace.

cylinder (say sil-uhn-duh) noun a tube-shaped object, either hollow or solid, with circular ends: A toilet roll is a good example of a cylinder.

denominator (say duh-nom-uh-nay-tuh) noun the number under the line in a fraction which shows how many equal parts it may be divided into: In the fraction ¾ 4 is the denominator.


diffusion (say duh-fyooh-zhuhn) noun the filling of any space by a fluid, or the mixing of fluids due to the way their particles or molecules move freely: We experimented with diffusion by mixing different types of liquids together.

ethanol (say eth-uh-nol or ee-thuh-nol) noun an alcohol produced from crops and used as a biofuel: Ethanol can be blended with other fuels for use in vehicles.

evaporation (say uh-vap-uh-ray-shuhn or ee-vap-uh-ray-shuhn) noun the act or process of water turning to vapour: Evaporation increases as the temperature increases.

fulcrum (say full-kruhm) noun the point on which something balances or turns: To make a seesaw we put a plank of wood on a stool which acted as the fulcrum.

generator (say jen-uh-ray-tuh) noun a machine for producing electricity: The hospital was able to depend on the generator when power cuts occurred.

hypothesis (say huy-poth-uh-suhs) noun an idea put forward as a useful starting point for a discussion or scientific investigation: The scientist proposed the hypothesis that the earth was much older than commonly thought.

insecticide (say in-sek-tuh-suyd) noun any chemical substance used to kill insects: The farmer had to spray his crop with insecticide to protect it from locusts.

longitude (say long-guh-tyood) noun the distance, measured in degrees, by which a point on the earth is east or west of Greenwich in England: We had to find the longitude and latitude of each of the capital cities in Australia.

magnetism (say mag-nuh-tiz-uhm) noun typical qualities of magnets: We learned lots about magnetism by moving the poles of the magnets around.

microscopic (say muy-kruh-skop-ik) adjective extremely small: The insects they were studying were microscopic, so they needed a microscope in order to see them.

observation (say ob-zuh-vay-shuhn) noun When you make an observation, you watch something or someone carefully: After his observation of the classroom, he decided that more tables and chairs were needed.


perpendicular (say per-puhn-dik-yuh-luh) adjective meeting a line or surface at right angles: This instrument will indicate if the wall is exactly perpendicular to the floor.

probability (say prob-uh-bil-uh-tee) noun a likelihood or chance of something: There is a probability that the army will be called in if the fires continue to rage.

programming (say proh-gram-ing) noun the writing of instructions in a computer language which will cause a computer to perform a particular operation: My sister is studying programming because she loves working with computers.

protractor (say pruh-trak-tuh) noun an instrument used to measure or mark off angles: He needed a protractor to measure the angles accurately.

satellite (say sat-uh-luyt) noun an object sent into orbit around the earth or around another planet to send information back to earth: The satellite transmitted images of Mercury's surface back to Earth.

solubility (say sol-yuh-bil-uh-tee) noun the property of being able to be dissolved: In most situations, solubility goes up as temperature increases.

synthetic (say sin-thet-ik) adjective made from artificial substances, not natural ones: Fabrics made from synthetic fibres can be hot to wear, as they don't let air through.

transportation (say trans-paw-tay-shuhn) noun the act of transporting: The train is the best form of transportation for moving large groups of people at the same time.

zoology (say zoh-ol-uh-jee) noun the science or study of animal life: My brother is passionate about animals and is studying zoology at university.

Senior Science & Technology Level 5 algebra

(say al-juh-bruh) noun the branch of mathematics which uses letters to stand for numbers: We have just started to learn about algebra in maths.

alkali


(say al-kuh-luy) noun a chemical that reduces the effect of acid: In science today we learned that soap is an alkali.

buoyant (say boy-uhnt) adjective tending to float or rise in a fluid: This rubber ring will keep you buoyant in the water.

centrifugal (say sen-trif-uh-guhl or sen-truh-fyooh-guhl) adjective moving outwards from the centre: Centrifugal force is what keeps water in a bucket when you swing it over your head.

chassis (say shaz-ee) noun the frame, wheels and sometimes the machinery of a car or truck, designed to support its body: The car's chassis was damaged in the accident.

chromosome (say kroh-muh-sohm or kroh-muh-zohm) noun a tiny threadlike body found in the nucleus of all living cells, which carries the genetic codes for the characteristics of the organism: Down syndrome occurs when a person has an extra chromosome or one chromosome has an extra part.

fuselage (say fyooh-zuh-lahzh) noun the body of an aircraft: The aircraft's fuselage was damaged on landing.

gelignite (say jel-uhg-nuyt) noun an explosive substance used in mining: The miners kept their store of gelignite locked away safely.

horizontal (say ho-ruh-zon-tuhl) adjective parallel, or in line, with the horizon, as opposed to vertical: He had to leap over a horizontal bar a metre from the ground.

interstellar (say in-tuh-stel-uh) adjective between the stars: The science fiction novel was about interstellar travel.

irradiation (say i-ray-dee-ay-shuhn) noun exposure to radiation: Irradiation is a method used to preserve food, but some people think it may be dangerous.

luminescence (say looh-muh-nes-uhns) noun light given out from a substance, but not as a result of a process which involves the production of heat: Luminescence is sometimes called `cold light' because it is created by some other energy than heat.

mathematician


(say math-uh-muh-tish-uhn) noun an expert in mathematics: Grace was good with numbers and wanted to be a mathematician.

oxygenate (say ok-suh-juh-nayt) verb to treat or combine with oxygen: The therapist maintained that the exercises would help to oxygenate the blood.

pneumatic (say nyooh-mat-ik) adjective worked by air or air pressure: The invention of the pneumatic tyre made car travel much more comfortable.

quadrilateral (say kwod-ruh-lat-ruhl) noun a closed, plane figure with four sides: A parallelogram is an example of a quadrilateral.

rhomboid (say rom-boyd) noun a four-sided shape like a diamond: Each tile had four sides and was in the shape of a rhomboid.

seismograph (say suyz-muh-graf) noun an instrument for measuring and recording vibrations within the earth, such as earthquakes: At the museum, we were shown how a seismograph measures the strength of an earthquake.

spherical (say sfe-ruh-kuhl) adjective having the shape of a sphere or ball: Soccer is played with a spherical ball, unlike Rugby.

statistician (say stat-uh-stish-uhn) noun someone who compiles statistics: A statistician analysed the tide recordings from the past twenty years.

stereophonic (say ste-ree-uh-fon-ik) adjective using two channels and two speakers to transmit and broadcast sound: Joshua listened to his MP3 player with stereophonic headphones.

symmetry (say sim-uh-tree) noun the arrangement of the parts of something so that they are all balanced in size and shape: We marvelled at the perfect symmetry of the butterfly's wings.

synthesis (say sin-thuh-suhs) noun the mixing together of parts into a whole: The synthesis of all the different seeds created a stunning garden of flowers.

technician (say tek-nish-uhn) noun someone skilled in the technical aspects of something: We called a technician when the photocopier broke down.


thermodynamics (say ther-moh-duy-nam-iks) noun the science concerned with the relationship between heat and mechanical energy: Thermodynamics is a branch of science studied at university.

titanium (say tuy-tay-nee-uhm) noun a dark grey metal used to remove oxygen and nitrogen from steel and to toughen it: Titanium can make steel extremely strong.

trapezium (say truh-pee-zee-uhm) noun a four-sided figure, two of whose sides are parallel: He based his table design on a trapezium.

veterinary (say vet-uh-ruhn-ree or vet-uhn-ree) adjective relating to the study, prevention and treatment of animal diseases and injuries: She wants to study veterinary science so she can treat sick animals.

Senior Science & Technology Level 6 algebraic

(say al-juh-bray-ik) adjective of or occurring in algebra: We were set a number of algebraic problems to solve for our homework.

centrifuge (say sen-truh-fyoohj or sen-truh-fyoohzh) noun a machine used to separate two substances by spinning them around very fast in a rotating container: A centrifuge is used to separate serum from blood.

formaldehyde (say faw-mal-duh-huyd) noun a chemical substance used as a disinfectant and preservative: Formaldehyde is a chemical used in the manufacture of resins and plastics.

hypotenuse (say huy-pot-uhn-yoohz) noun the side opposite the right angle in a triangle: Only a right-angled triangle has a hypotenuse.

laboratory (say luh-bo-ruh-tree) noun a building or room for doing scientific tests or for making chemicals or medicines: The mad scientist worked in his laboratory all night.

metallurgist (say met-uh-ler-juhst) noun a scientist who studies metals:


The metallurgist studied the rocks to determine which minerals and metals they contained.

meteorological (say mee-tee-uh-ruh-loj-i-kuhl) adjective relating to weather: The weather bureau is much more precise with meteorological predictions these days than it used to be.

oscillation (say o-suh-lay-shuhn) noun Physics a repetitive to and fro motion of an object; regular variation in value, etc., as in alternating current, etc.: The computer readout recorded the degree of oscillation.

parabola (say puh-rab-uh-luh) noun in geometry, a special kind of even curve, like the path of an object when it is thrown forward into the air and falls back to the earth: The catapult projected the stone in a perfect parabola.

parallelogram (say pa-ruh-lel-uh-gram) noun a four-sided figure whose opposite sides are parallel to each other: A square is an example of a special type of parallelogram.

physicist (say fiz-uh-suhst) noun a person trained in physics and its methods: She wanted to be a physicist and study space.

tachometer (say tak-om-uh-tuh) noun an instrument for measuring the revolutions per minute of a machine: The tachometer in my car is not registering properly.

Senior Science & Technology Level 7 anemometer

(say an-uh-mom-uh-tuh) noun an instrument for indicating wind velocity: A pilot needs an anemometer because knowing wind speed is vital when flying a plane.

ichthyology (say ik-thee-ol-uh-jee) noun the branch of zoology that deals with fish: He wants to study ichthyology because he is very interested in marine life.

isosceles (say uy-soss-uh-leez) adjective An isosceles triangle has two equal sides: Our maths teacher asked us to draw an isosceles triangle.

logarithm (say log-uh-rith-uhm) noun a mathematical term relating to multiplication: Knowing how to calculate a logarithm can make working with large numbers easier.

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