Unfamiliar words, places, and sundry other references get added to the list with a view toward richer cultural and conversational engagement.
| Recently Erased Ignorance | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ignorance | Explained | |
| 1 | gainsay | to declare to be untrue or invalid. CONTRADICT, OPPOSE |
| 2 | simulacrum | an image or representation of someone or something |
| 3 | deracinate | UPROOT; to remove or separate the cultural or ethnic influences from |
| 4 | verklempt | overcome with emotion |
| 5 | precipitously | hastily and without careful consideration |
| 6 | panopticon | a circular prison with cells arranged around a central well, from which prisoners could at all times be observed. |
| 7 | subsidence | the gradual caving in or sinking of an area of land |
| 8 | nonpareil | having no equal |
| 9 | obloquy | strong public criticism or verbal abuse |
| 10 | fulsome | characterized by abundance; generous in amount, extent, or spirit |
The full list can be viewed here.
Definitions appearing on this page are generally either verbatim or derived from Merriam-Webster's College Dictionary, Tenth Edition, 1999 or its online counterpart.