CHAPTER 3 / BUILDING AN IMPRESSIVE VOCABULARY 145
Vocabulary Lesson 38: Arts and Entertainment
Today’s roots: curare to take care of levis light in weight
jocus joke para- beside, beyond❑ mirth(n) merriment; laughter
The little boy could not contain his mirthwhen playing with the bubbles.
Synonyms:jollity, levity, gaiety Antonyms:melancholy, dejection, despondency❑ aesthetic(adj) relating to beauty or a theory of beauty (aisthetikosGr perception)
The beautiful colors that emerged from the crystal when struck by the sunlight were aestheticallypleasing.❑ satire(n) a mocking literary or dramatic work (satiraa poetic medley)
Animal Farmby George Orwell is a satirethat mocks socialism.
Synonyms:burlesque, parody, lampoon, travesty, spoof❑ curator(n) the individual in charge of a museum (curareto take care of)
Thecuratorin charge of the Louvre in Paris controls the Mona Lisa, perhaps the world’s most famous painting.❑ witticism(n) a clever or funny remark
Will Rogers was famous for his witticismsabout American life.
Synonyms:epigram, bon mot, quip, badinage❑ jocular(adj) done in a joking way (jocusjoke)
Jeff’sjoculartone relaxed the visitors trapped in the elevator; he even made a few people laugh.
Synonyms:facetious, waggish, salty Antonyms:despondent, somber, morose, plaintive, lugubrious❑ malapropism(n) the outrageous misuse of a word
Saying “for all intensive purposes” instead of “for all intents and purposes” is a classic example of a malapropism.
Synonyms:misusage, solecism, catachresis❑ levity(n) a lack of seriousness (levislight in weight)
Synonyms:frivolity, flippancy❑ bard(n) a skilled poet
Synonyms:sonneteer, versifier❑ parody(n) a spoof (para-beside+odesong)
Synonyms:burlesque, lampoon, travesty, satire❑ epic(n) a lengthy poem that celebrates the life of a hero (Gr eposword, story)
❑ aesthete(n) a person interested in the pursuit of beauty (Gr aisthetikossensitive)
❑ dilettante(n) one who dabbles in an art (dilettareto delight)
Synonym:amateur❑ lampoon(v) to make fun of
Synonyms:satirize, mock, parody