BOSTON, MA — The editors of the American Heritage® dictionaries have compiled a list of 100 words they recommend every high school graduate should know.
“The words we suggest,” says senior editor Steven Kleinedler, “are not meant to be exhaustive but are a benchmark against which graduates and their parents can measure themselves. If you are able to use these words correctly, you are likely to have a superior command of the language.”
A few of the words are:
abjure
abstemious
feckless
hegemony
inculcate
lugubrious
moiety
quotidian
supercilious
xenophobe
| Cripes, I’m gonna have to look up a few words. |
| The rest are here. |
I thought it was the Redundancy Department of Redundancies (that way you get to use the word redundant redundantly)
and @12 – a ziggurat is a pyramid temple with stepped sides – I’m not exactly sure why one would want to summon one (rather immobile).
Summon more ziggurats? – as if the place isn’t lousy with ’em already?
#31, Bruce, at least I’m not from the Recursive Department of Redundany Department of Recursiveness – wouldn’t that be 1600 Penn. Ave.?
I know about 75% of that list but most not well enough to use freely in my own speech.
However, I have a master’s degree and decades of avid reading behind me. I probably would have known about 10% right out of high school.
What’s the prize if someone can use all of them together in the same sentence?
#35, It certainly won’t be an invitation to appear on Cranky Geeks 🙂
That Ultimate King Kahuna Moron Award is available.