contemplative(kuhn TEM pli tiv) adj. 1. inclined to look at intently; inclined
to gaze at; 2. tending to study closely 3. being involved in a meditative religious
order
- Paul was very contemplativeof the faces of the men in the lineup, seeking
to pick out the killer. - Olga was contemplativeof her geometry facts as she prepared for her final
exam. - After joining a contemplativeorder of monks, Tom became known as
Brother Jerome.
[-ly adv.] [Syn. pensive]
contentious(kuhn TEN shis)adj.1. always ready for an argument; quarrel-
some; 2. likely to provoke a disagreement; provoking controversy - Defense attorneys tend to be contentious,which is what their clients are
paying them for. - As election day approaches, politicians’ behavior grows more and more
contentious.
[-ly adv.] [Syn. belligerent]
contradiction(KAHN truh DIK shin) n. 1. in opposition to another position; a
denial; 2. a condition in which things are contrary to each other; 3. having ele-
ments that appear opposed to one another - According to Tom, Jerry’s account of the accident was a contradictionof the
facts. - The history of Germany in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries is a
series of contradictions. - Racism is a contradictionto the principles expressed in the U.S.
Constitution.
[Syn. denial]
conventional(kuhn VEN shuh nil) adj. 1. growing out of custom or normal
usage; customary; 2. conforming to accepted standards, rather than natural;
- non-nuclear
- Saying please and thank you is just part of conventional,polite manners.
- It is conventionalto peel a banana before eating it.
- Conventionalweapons have become so dangerous that the use of nuclear
weapons is overkill.
[-ly adv.] [Syn. customary]
convivial(kuhn VIV ee uhl) adj. 1. festive; 2. jovial; fond of having a good
time; fond of eating, drinking, and good company - Most religions have some convivialholiday where celebrating is the rule.
- A birthday is usually an occasion for a convivialtime.
[-ity n.] [Syn. jovial]
262 Essential Vocabulary