MY VOCABULARY #2

1) cacoëthes (noun) - an insatiable desire
Example: The man's cacoëthes for his work overwhelmed him, and he soon found himself doing nothing else.

2) catharsis (noun) - the process of releasing strong, usually repressed, emotions through some sort of outlet
Example: Many people use creating art or music as a catharsis, allowing them relief from their usual troubles and anxieties.

3) drive (noun) - in psychology, an internal state of tension that arises in animal as a result of a need
Example: Humans are somewhat unique in that our drives may result from more abstract 'wants', as opposed to 'needs' like food, water, and shelter.

4) engrossment (noun) - a state of complete and total absorption or immersion
Example: His engrossment in the project made the hours that passed feel like mere minutes.

5) equivocal (adjective) - subject to multiple interpretations; uncertain or questionable in nature
Example: Everyone argued incessantly about what the true meaning of the equivocal lyrics was, failing to realize that the element of personal interpretation that such ambiguity allows for only contributes to the effect of the music.

6) exultation (noun) - a feeling of great happiness and excitement
Example: The performer did not expect such exultation in his audience, so he was pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming applause that he received.

7) faculty (noun) - a power of one's body or mind
Example: Her acute faculty of vision gave her an enormous advantage in the target shooting competition.

8) felicity (noun) - intense happiness
Example: Unfortunately, the felicity of their relationship didn't last, and they eventually parted ways.

9) incisive (adjective) - very clear and direct, especially in terms of thinking or explaining
Example: The incisive tutorial made the device's complicated assembly feasible for the average do-it-yourselfer.

10) joie de vivre (noun) - a feeling of excitement and joyousness about life
Example: Such joie de vivre made her pleasant to be around, as positive energy radiating from one person can easily spread to others.

11) lucid (adjective) - clear and easy to understand; bright or luminous; having full use of one's faculties, especially during brief intervals in between more prominent periods of confusion or lunacy
Example: The stars were exceptionally lucid on the moonless night.

12) mellifluous (adjective) - having a smooth, flowing sound (to the extent of being "sweet")
Example: The mellifluous, neoclassical, guitar solo provided a nice contrast to the heaviness of the rest of the metal song.

13) onset (noun) - the beginning of something (usually something unpleasant)
Example: The onset of freezing rain ruined the camping trip.

14) predicate (verb) - in logic, to affirm a proposition
Example: A can be said to predicate B since B is true because of A.

15) predilection (noun) - a natural tendency or preference
Example: In general, humans have a predilection for music, as evidenced by its popularity and long-standing history.

16) rapt (adjective) - showing complete interest or fascination (as if being lifted up and carried away)
Example: He lay there staring at the sky for hours, completely rapt by the meteor shower.

17) rapture (noun) - a state of being carried away by overwhelming emotion; a feeling of great happiness
Example: Receiving news that their son's tumor is benign was nothing short of a rapture for the parents.

18) rumination (noun) - deep contemplation
Example: The deep questions that philosophy attempts to answer can lead to seemingly indefinite rumination if the curious mind is not careful.

19) sentiment (noun) - an attitude or opinion prompted by feeling; a refined feeling or sensibility
Example: The sentiment of the song touched the listeners on an emotional level.

20) serendipity (noun) - luck involving unexpected yet pleasant developments.
Example: The girl's friends resent her serendipity--she always seems to stumble into favorable externalities without even trying.