Building a Better Vocabulary

Lecture 26: A Vocabulary Grab Bag

Detritus (noun)

Disintegrated or eroded matter; debris.

z The primary sense of detritus appears in this context sentence:

“The detritus of battle littered the city, with crumbled buildings and

smoking hulks of vehicles everywhere.” You may also encounter

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relationship included bitterness and mistrust.”

z To remember detritus, use the related-word strategy with the more

familiar word detriment. Both detriment and detritus ultimately

come from the Latin verb detero, meaning “to wear away.”

Something that is detrimental to your health, such as drinking too

much, “wears away” at your health, and detritus is debris that’s

been “worn away.”

Target Word Review

z A sophist is skilled in clever and devious arguments designed to

persuade. Remember, sophists don’t care much for the truth; they

simply want to win the argument.

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charlatans who try to sell quack remedies.

z Ersatz refers to an inferior substitute or imitation.

z Querulous means complaining in an annoying way. Querulous

people can also be irritating JDGÀLHV, who pester and nitpick.

z Contumacious means stubbornly disobedient and rebellious to

authority.

z Treacle is sickly sweet writing, speech, or music.

z Bromides are tired clichés that have lost all meaning.