Mendacious Definition: 1. given to or characterized by deception or falsehood or divergence from absolute truth 2.  someone who tells lies 3. dishonest, lying; untruthful A mendacious person is one who tells lies habitually and intentionally. – Vocabulary Dictionary Part of Speech (POS): adjective Why is it important to know a word’s part of speech?…

Ameliorate Definition: 1. to make a bad or unpleasant situation better 2.  to improve something or make it less severe 3. to relieve or soothe a negative effect To ameliorate is to step in and make a bad situation better – Vocabulary Dictionary Part of Speech (POS): verb Why is it important to know a…

Coquette Definition: 1. a woman who flirts lightheartedly with men to win their admiration and affection; flirt 2. a woman who regularly makes romantic or sexual overtures; a flirt 3. a seductive woman who uses her sex appeal to exploit men A coquette is a flirt, a girl or woman who knows how to flatter…

Scurrilous Definition: 1. making or spreading scandalous claims about someone with the intention of damaging their reputation 2. grossly or obscenely abusive 3. using or given to coarse language; vulgar and evil If something is scurrilous, it’s meant to offend.  If you say something scurrilous about someone, your intentions are bad: you mean to damage…

Sagacious Definition: 1. having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment; shrewd 2. intelligent and has the ability to make good decisions Someone like an inspirational leader or an expert in a field who seeks knowledge and has foresight can be described as sagacious. Vocabulary Dictionary Part of Speech (POS) adjective FYI – Why…

Capricious Definition: 1. given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior 2. subject to, led by or indicative of a sudden, odd notion or unpredictable change; erratic 3. tending to change abruptly and without apparent reason Someone who is capricious often changes their mind unexpectedly. Capricious is an adjective to describe a person…

Temerity Definition: 1. a willingness to do or say something that shocks or upsets other people 2. excessive confidence or boldness; audacity Use the noun temerity to mean the quality of being unafraid of danger or punishment. Someone who has the temerity to do something is usually considered to be bold in a foolish way….

Credulous Definition: 1. ready to believe; especially on slight or uncertain evidence 2. having or showing too great a readiness to believe things 3. someone who is too eager to believe things, often without thinking them through If you describe someone as credulous, you have a low opinion of them because they are too ready…

Taciturn Definition: 1. (of a person) reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little 2. temperamentally disinclined to talk 3. A person that does not say very much and can seem unfriendly Someone who is taciturn is reserved; not loud and talkative. The word itself refers to the trait of reticence, or seeming aloof and uncommunicative….

Assuage Definition: 1. to make milder or less severe; relieve; ease; mitigate: to assuage one’s grief; to assuage one’s pain. 2. to lessen the intensity of (something that pains or distresses) 3. to make (something burdensome or painful) less intense or severe: assuage her grief 4. to provide relief; causing to feel better If you…