mercurial(me ̆r·kyoor·i·a ̆l) adj.1. liable to change moods suddenly. 2. lively,
changeable, volatile. Fiona is so mercurial that you never know what kind of
reaction to expect.
narcissism(narh·si·siz·e ̆m) n. admiration or worship of oneself; excessive
interest in one’s own personal features. Some critics say that movie stars are
guilty of narcissism.
occult(o ̆·kult) adj.1. secret, hidden, concealed. 2. involving the realm of
the supernatural. 3. beyond ordinary understanding, incomprehensible. The
rights and beliefs of the occult organization were finally made a matter of public
record after a long investigation.
omnipotent(om·nip·o ̆·te ̆nt) adj.having unlimited or universal power or
force. In Greek mythology, Zeus was the most powerful god, but he was not
omnipotent, since even his rule was often held in check by the unchangeable laws
of the Three Fates.
omniscient (om·nish·e ̆nt) adj. having infinite knowledge; knowing all
things. In a story with an omniscient narrator, we can hear the thoughts and feel-
ings of all of the characters.
phoenix(fee·niks) n.1. a person or thing of unmatched beauty or excel-
lence. 2. a person or thing that has become renewed or restored after suf-
fering calamity or apparent annihilation (after the mythological bird that
periodically immolated itself and rose from the ashes as a new phoenix). The
phoenix is often used to symbolize something that is indomitable or immortal.
protean(proh·tee·a ̆n) adj.taking many forms, changeable; variable, versa-
tile. In Native American mythology, the coyote is often called the “shape shifter”
because he is such a protean character.
sacrilegious(sak·r ̆·leej·u ̆s) adj.disrespectful or irreverent towards some-
thing regarded as sacred. Her book was criticized by the church for being sacri-
legious.