12th Grade Word List: Difficult Words (2)

Basic words to improve spelling bee and academic reading skills. The 12th Grade Word List: Difficult Words (2) set is for students in 12th Grade, which is an essential supplementary resource for 12th Grade classes.

Get Word List by group: 1 2

Page Link Share By Email Ads-free VIP

Search Quotes from Classic Book
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

12th Grade Vocabulary List

Actions upon the list:
Word List Online Card Printable Worksheet

adulation
n. excessive flattery or admiration; unmerited praise

androgyny
n. showing characteristics of both sexes

apogee
n. the highest point; point in orbit most distant from the body being orbited

attenuate
v. make slender, fine, or small; weaken; lessen density of

betimes
ad. in good time; before the usual or expected time

billiards
n. any of several games played on rectangular cloth-covered table in which long tapering cue sticks are used to propel ivory balls

bumptious
a. offensively self-assertive; liable to give or take offense; forward; pushing

cajolery
n. flattery intended to persuade

caparison
n. stable gear consisting of a decorated covering for a horse, especially for a warhorse

chimerical
a. fantastically improbable; highly unrealistic; imaginative

coddle
v. treat gently; cook in water just below boiling point

colloquy
n. a conversation, especially a formal one

concatenate
v. combine two strings to form a single one; add by linking or joining so as to form a chain or series

confederacy
n. a league or compact for mutual support or common action; alliance

conspirator
n. one who engages in a conspiracy; plotter

contrivance
n. an artificial or unnatural arrangement of details or parts; inventive skill; skill to bring something about or create something

corollary
n. natural consequence or effect; result

cosmogony
n. the branch of astrophysics that studies the origin and evolution and structure of the universe

debilitate
v. make weak; enfeeble; impair the strength of

degeneracy
n. moral perversion; impairment of virtue and moral principles

dendrology
n. the scientific study of trees

derogation
n. a communication that belittles somebody or something; a partial repeal or abolition of a law

desultory
a. aimless; haphazard; at random; not connected with subject

didactic
a. instructive, especially excessively

disavowal
n. denial of any connection with or knowledge of

disputation
n. a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement

dissonant
a. not in accord; lacking in harmony; characterized by musical dissonance

diversity
n. point or respect in which things differ; difference

divination
n. successful conjecture by unusual insight or good luck; the art or gift of prophecy by supernatural means

ductile
a. easily influenced; flexible; pliable

eccentricity
n. oddity; departure from that which is stated, regular, or usual; deviation from center

effluvium
n. a foul-smelling outflow or vapor, especially a gaseous waste

elide
v. omit a vowel, consonant, or syllable in pronunciation; leave or strike out

emulate
v. be a match or counterpart for; eager to equal or excel

encomium
n. high praise; formal expression of praise; tribute

epicycle
n. a circle that rolls around inside or outside another circle; generates an epicycloid or hypocycloid

eulogize
v. praise formally and eloquently

execration
n. hate coupled with disgust; an appeal to some supernatural power to inflict evil on someone; the object of cursing

expeditious
a. marked by speed and efficiency

extrude
v. force or push out; drive away; displace or remove, as a person from a place or office

fervid
a. extremely hot; eager; impassioned; burning

flay
v. strip off the skin or outer covering of

freethinker
n. a person who believes that God created the universe and then abandoned it

gelid
a. very cold, icy, or frosty

hacienda
n. the main house on a ranch or large estate

immunosuppressant
n. a drug that lowers the body's normal immune response

inexpedient
a. not appropriate to the purpose; not suitable or advisable

interlocutor
n. one who speaks in dialogue or takes part in conversation

introspect
v. reflect on one's own thoughts and feelings

involution
n. the shrinkage of an organ in old age or when inactive; the act of sharing in the activities of a group; the action of enfolding something

irrefrangible
a. not to be broken or violated; inviolable; incapable of being refracted

jocular
a. humorous, amusing or joking; sportive; not serious

lariat
n. a long noosed rope used to catch animals

lethargy
n. inactivity; showing an unusual lack of energy

liege
n. a feudal lord entitled to allegiance and service; a person holding a fief

lithograph
n. a flat surface, of stone or metal, is treated to absorb or repel ink in the desired pattern; a print produced by lithography

luminescent
a. emitting light not caused by heat

mandibular
a. relating to the lower jaw, either the upper or lower part of the bill of a bird

merino
n. white sheep originating in Spain and producing a heavy fleece of exceptional quality

microscopy
n. research with the use of microscopes

missal
n. a book containing all the prayers and responses needed to celebrate Mass throughout the year; any books of prayers or devotions

monocracy
n. a form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator, not restricted by a constitution, laws or opposition

muffle
n. bare end of nose between nostrils

nasalization
n. the act of nasalizing; the utterance of sounds modulated by the nasal resonators

neopaganism
n. a modern religious movement that seeks to incorporate beliefs or ritual practices from traditions outside the main world religions

nostrum
n. patent medicine whose efficacy is questionable; quack medicine

obstreperous
a. noisily aggressive; making great noise or outcry

opprobrium
n. state of disgrace resulting from public abuse; state of extreme dishonor

outrigger
n. a stabilizer for a canoe; spars attach to a shaped log or float parallel to the hull

pariah
n. social outcast; person who is rejected from society or home

pedant
n. one who is overly concerned with formal rules and trivial points of learning

pentameter
n. a verse line having five metrical feet

perspicacious
a. having keen insight; mentally perceptive; astute

pestilential
a. tending to produce infectious disease; destructive

planisphere
n. a representation of the circles of the sphere on a plane surface, such as a polar projection of the celestial sphere onto a chart

prattle
v. speak about unimportant matters rapidly and incessantly; talk artlessly and childishly

prehension
n. the act of gripping something firmly with the hands or the tentacles

pseudonymity
n. the fact or state of being signed with a pseudonym

rejuvenescence
n. a renewal of youthfulness or vigor

repugnance
n. extreme dislike or aversion; opposition; conflict; resistance, in a physical sense

runnel
n. a small stream, brook, rivulet; a small channel, as for water

saponaceous
a. resembling or having the qualities of soap

sinuosity
n. having curves; a turn, curve, or intricacy

submersible
n. a warship designed to operate under wate; capable of being immersed in water or functioning while submerged

unmitigated
a. unrelieved or immoderate in intensity or severity; without exception; absolute

vociferate
v. utter in a very loud voice

Quick Access Worksheet

Word List Word/Explanation Card 2-Sided Card Word Quiz

All Lists (Subgroups) of 12th Grade

LAK12 Spelling Words:
Basic words to improve writing skills.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

LAK12 Difficult Words:
Basic words to improve spelling bee and academic reading skills.
1 2

Word Lists By District Or School:
Hyde Park Central School District - Hyde Park, New York
Dehcho Divisional Education Council - Dehcho, NT, Canada

Please contact HERE if you want to add your district/school word list to the web app.