CHAPTER 3 / BUILDING AN IMPRESSIVE VOCABULARY 155
Vocabulary Unit 7
Today’s roots: astrum star luna moon
naus ship celum sky
❑ arid(adj) extremely dry (arereto be dry)
Some regions of Africa have become so aridthat entire lakes have evaporated.
Synonyms:barren, parched Antonyms:fecund, fertile
❑ astral(adj) relating to the stars (astrumstar)
The supernova is perhaps the most dramatic of astralevents.
Synonyms:celestial, cosmic
❑ nautical(adj) pertaining to sailing (nausship)
The southern tip of Africa poses many nauticalchallenges to even the most adept and experienced sailor.
Synonyms:marine, maritime
❑ lunar(adj) relating to the moon (lunamoon)
Thelunarvehicle can traverse some of the rockiest and most forbidding terrain on the moon.
❑ fecund(adj) fertile; fruitful (fecundusfruitful)
Over the summer, our fecundvegetable garden provided us with an endless supply of wonderful salads.
Synonyms:prolific, abundant Antonyms:barren, infertile, sterile
❑ fallow(adj) unused; plowed but not cultivated
Thefallowland would be replanted in two years, once all the nutrients had been restored.
Synonyms:dormant, inactive, uncultivated
❑ cosmic(adj) relating to the universe (kosmosGr universe, order)
The enormous and unprecedented meteor shower was being hailed as the cosmicevent of the century.
Synonyms:astral, celestial, astronomical
❑ celestial(adj) relating to the sky (celumsky, heaven)
Synonyms:heavenly, astral
❑ arable(adj) able to be cultivated (arareto plow)
Synonyms:fertile, fruitful
❑ desiccated(adj) completely dried out
Synonyms:arid, parched
❑ quagmire(n) swampy land; difficult situation (quagbog)
Synonyms:marsh, swamp, bog
❑ bucolic(adj) characteristic of the countryside
Synonyms:rustic, sylvan, rural, pastoral
❑ cultivate(v) to nurture; to grow crops (cultivustilled)
Synonyms:farm, till, sow
Vocabulary Lesson 43: Earth, Moon, and Sky