Vocabulary Mnemonics

May 31, 2024

Matt’s words

Caprice: (n) a sudden, unpredictable change, as of one’s mind or the weather; a whim

“Mom was tired of dealing with her unruly kids, so she capriciously took a trip to the Bahamas.”

Mnemonic: “Price” is in the word. You see a low price at the checkstand and, on a whim, decide to buy it.

Effluent: (adj)flowing out or flowing forth

“The effluent water started in the mountains and ended up in the ocean.”

Mnemonic: If someone is ef”fluent” in language, the words flow out of their mouth.

Hirsute: (adj) hairy, shaggy

“When the hirsute man heard someone say he looked like Sasquatch, he knew it was time to shave.”

Mnemonic: Sounds like “hair suit.” Picture someone who has a thick suit of hair.

Nostrum: (n) a medicine sold with false or exaggerated claims but with no demonstrable value; quack medicine

“The bedridden woman was so sick that she was willing to try any and all nostrums presented to her.”

Mnemonic: Sounds like “nostril.” A quack doctor might want you to take medicine (imagine a pill) through your nostril rather than your mouth, so you might suspect the medicine is bogus.

Regicide: (n) the killing of a king

“The citizens never expected that the person responsible for the regicide was the king’s own son.”

Mnemonic: “Regal” means kingly or having to do with royalty. “Cide” means killing, so combine the two and you have the killing of a king.

Dr. Mom’s words

Alacrity: (n) cheerful readiness; eagerness, willingness, zeal

“Upon being invited to go see his Broncos play in a Monday Night Football game, Matthew became sanguine, accepting with alacrity!”

Mnemonic: “A la” _________ (you’re eagerly ready for what comes next to fill in the blank; e.g., mode, carte, king)

Obstreperous: (adj) resisting control or restraint; noisy, boisterous, unruly

“When Mom took her 7^th-grade students to the school library, the obstreperous ones caused such a commotion she was forced to remove them all back to the classroom.”

Mnemonic: When you are noisy, yelling, arguing, resisting, you might get a sore, “strep” throat.

Lucubrate: (v) to study laboriously, especially at night; also, to write in a scholarly fashion; studious

“Graduate school provides students with myriad opportunities to lucubrate, often resulting in a dearth of sleep. Hopefully, though, the end result is a published dissertation.”

Mnemonic: Think of “Luke” Skywalker from Star Wars studying to be jedi, taking notes late into the night.

Dearth: (n) an inadequate supply

“When scanning the TV channels late at night, Mom often notices a dearth of the classic old films she so enjoys.”

Mnemonic: Think of coming to Earth at birth. You have a dearth of everything–no clothes, skills, words, etc.

Urbane: (adj) having a polish and suavity regarded as characteristic of sophisticated social life in major cities; marked by a wide-ranging knowledge of and appreciation of many parts of the world arising from urban life and world travel

“When Mom pictures someone urbane, the suave George Clooney immediately comes to mind.”

Mnemonic: Think of “urban,” which means relating to the big city.

BIG sentences:

“While you lucubrate this week, try to do so with alacrity. Indulge your caprice to let the words flow from you like an effluent stream; after all, we suffer from no dearth of opportunities to wax loquacious. I guarantee the effort won’t enervate you, even if you are a hirsute, obstreperous tyro.”