Desiccation [DES-ih-kay-shun]

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, 16th century

1. The removal of moisture from something.

Examples of desiccation in a sentence

"The archaeologists were surprised by the level of desiccation that had occurred in the caves."

"His process of desiccation takes a few days, but it makes the perfect dried fruit for homemade granola."

Talisman [TAL-is-mən]

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Arabic, early 17th century

1. An object, typically an inscribed ring or stone, that is thought to have magic powers and to bring good luck.

2. A person regarded as representing and inspiring a particular group.

Examples of talisman in a sentence

"In the fairy tale, the girl was never supposed to take off her talisman, or the witch would find her."

"I've always viewed Sally Ride as a talisman for young women entering the sciences."

Adjudicate [ə-joo-dih-kayt]

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Latin, late 17th century

1. Make a formal judgment or decision about a problem or disputed matter.

2. Act as a judge in a competition.

Examples of adjudicate in a sentence

"The student council was required to adjudicate any issues with the code of conduct."

"After years as a public defender, he was ready for his promotion to adjudicate on the state Supreme Court."

Nirvana [nir-VAH-nə]

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Sanskrit, 1830s

1. A state of perfect happiness; an ideal or idyllic place.

2. (In Buddhism) A transcendent state in which there is neither suffering, desire, nor sense of self, and the subject is released from the effects of karma and the cycle of death and rebirth. It represents the final goal of Buddhism.

Examples of nirvana in a sentence

"After a stressful year at work, the week at the spa was nirvana for her."

"When he started studying Buddhism, he was fascinated by the idea of achieving Nirvana."

Culpable [KULL-pə-bəl]

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, 14th century

1. Deserving blame.

Examples of culpable in a sentence

"The little boy’s mother knew he was culpable for eating the last cookie because of the crumbs on his mouth. "

"All the evidence proved she was culpable for the accident. "

faith, hope, love, charity, Jesus, God, Holy Spirit, uplifting, encouraging, inspirational, motivational, self help, knowledge, learning, lesson, body, mind, soul, educational

Velocious [və-LOH-shəs]

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, 18th century

1. Rapid; fast.

Examples of velocious in a sentence

"The velocious cyclists blew past the spectators in a blur."

"The roller coaster is too velocious for me to ride."

MacGuffin [mə-GUFF-in]

Part of speech: noun

Origin: British English, 1930s

1. An object or device in a movie or a book that serves merely as a trigger for the plot.

Examples of macguffin in a sentence

"The Holy Grail serves as a MacGuffin in many films, including 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail,' 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,' and 'The Da Vinci Code.'"

"Critics said his story relied too heavily upon a MacGuffin and never resolved the mystery."

Appurtenance [ə-PERT-ən-ns]

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, 14th century

1. An accessory or other item associated with a particular activity or style of living.

Examples of appurtenance in a sentence

"She decorated her new car with fun appurtenances, such as fuzzy seat covers and a phone holder."

"I keep a bag packed with all the appurtenances I need for the gym so I can go at any time."

Élan [ey-LAN]

Part of speech: noun

Origin: French, mid-19th century

1. Energy, style, and enthusiasm.

Examples of élan in a sentence

"She was a star employee, demonstrating skill and élan with her work."

"She showed élan with her coordinated accessories and sophisticated fashion."