Words of the Week
September 2006
Nouns to Know
September 1 (Friday)
aberration (noun)
(ab uh RAY shun)
Definition: something not typical; a deviation from the standard
Sentence: The chef at this restaurant is dreadful; the good meal we just had was an aberration.

September 5 (Tuesday)
benefactor (noun)
(BEN uh fak tur)
Definition: one who provides help, especially in the form of a gift or donation
Sentence: To give benefits is to be a benefactor. To receive benefits is to be a beneficiary.

September 7 (Thursday)
charisma (noun)
(kuh RIZ muh)
Definition: a magical seeming ability to attract followers or inspire loyalty
Sentence: The glamorous presidential candidate had a lot of charisma; voters did not seem to support him so much as be entranced by him.

September 11 (Monday)
enormity (noun)
(i NOR muh tee)
Definition: extreme evil; a hideous offense; immensity
Sentence: Hitler’s soldiers stormed through the village, committing one enormity after another.

September 13 (Wednesday)
insurgent (noun)
(in SUR junt)
Definition: a rebel; someone who revolts against a government
Sentence: The heavily armed insurgents rushed into the presidential palace, but the president’s bodyguards captured them.

September 15 (Friday)
libel (noun)
(LYE bul)
Definition: a written or published falsehood that injures the reputation of, or defames someone
Sentence: The executive said that the newspaper had committed libel when it called him a stinking, no good, corrupt, incompetent, overpaid, lying, worthless moron.

OVER
September 19 (Tuesday)
magnate (noun)
(MAG nayt)
Definition: a rich, powerful, or very successful business person
Sentence: John D. Rockefeller was a magnate who was never too busy to give a
shoeshine boy a dime for his troubles.

September 21 (Thursday)
paradox (noun)
(PAR uh dahks)
Definition: a true statement or phenomenon that nonetheless seems to contradict itself; an untrue statement or phenomenon that nonetheless seems logical
Sentence: Mr. Cooper is a political paradox; he is a staunch Republican who votes only for Democrats.

September 25 (Monday)
ramification (noun)
(ram uh fuh KAY shun)
Definition: a consequence; a branching out
Sentence: The professor found a solution to the problem, but there are many ramifications; some experts are afraid that he created more problems than he has solved.

September 27 (Wednesday)
tirade (noun)
(TYE rayd)
Definition: a prolonged, bitter speech
Sentence: Perry launched into a tirade against imitation cheese on the school lunch menu.

September 29 (Friday)
volition (noun)
(voh LISH un)
Definition: will; conscious choice
Sentence: The question the jury had to answer was whether the killing had been an accident or an act of volition.