Descriptionary

annotate vb. (AN uh tayt) to add notes. The edi­tor asked the author to annotate his book to make it easier for students to understand.

annul vb. (uh NUL) to nullify or cancel. The city council voted to annul several outmoded laws.

anomalous adj. (uh NOM uh lus) out of the norm; unusual. Santa Claus arriving on the fourth of July instead of Christmas would be quite anomalous.

anomaly n. (uh NOM uh lee) an abnormality; a deviation from the norm. A blizzard in Florida would be considered an anomaly.

antecedent n. (AN ti SEED unt) that which came before. The antecedent of the compact disk was the eight-track tape.

antediluvian adj. (an ti duh LOO ve un) coming before the biblical flood and therefore very old or antiquated. The politician's philosophy of "might makes right" was absolutely antediluvian.

antipathy n. (an TIP uh thee) a strong dislike. Many people feel a certain antipathy toward telephone solicitors.

antiquated adj. (ANT i kwat id) old-fashioned; out­moded or out of date. The crank style telephone was considered antiquated decades ago.

opposite. The antith-

anti-Semitism n. (AN ti SEM i tiz um) hatred or prejudice toward Jew or Judaism. Adolf Hitler was history's strongest proponent of anti-Semitism.

antithesis n. (an TITH uh sis) esis of love is hate.

apartheid n. (uh PART hite) originally, the policy of racial segregation in South Africa; now, any form of segregation. A cultural apartheid is dividing inner-city blacks from suburban whites.

apathy n. (AP uh thee) complete lack of interest; indifference. If we are to defeat political corruption, we must first conquer voter apathy.

aplomb n. (uh PLOM) great poise and confidence. She hosted the gala with exceptional aplomb.

apocalypse n. (uh POK uh lips) mass destruction or devastation, as a holocaust. Some seers predict that an apocalypse will occur in the 21st century.

apocryphal adj. (uh POK ruh ful) questionable or strongly suspected to be inauthentic or erroneous. The celebrity's so-called lost diary turned out to be apocryphal.

appease vb. (uh PEEZ) to pacify or calm. We bought a doughnut in order to appease the screaming toddler.

apprehensive adj. (AP ri HEN siv) filled with anx­iety, especially about the future. I'm apprehensive about that speech I have to give tomorrow.

apropos adv. (AP ruh POH) appropriate or fitting; timely. With Arbor Day right around the corner, his speech on tree conservation was apropos.

arbiter n. (ARB i tur) a mediator, negotiator, or judge. The warring parties needed an outside arbiter to help them settle their differences.