Grendel Vocabulary 11-20

Vocabulary Words from the novel Grendel by John Gardner

(Words 11-20)

Hoary Gray or white with or as if with age. (Adjective)

Old English/Anglo-Saxon

Dirge A funeral hymn or lament. (Noun)

Latin

Dogmatism Arrogant, stubborn assertion of opinion or belief. (Noun) [A dogmatist is someone who stubbornly asserts opinions or beliefs.]

Greek

Petulant Unreasonably irritable or ill-tempered; peevish. (Adjective)

Latin

Intimation A hint; an obscure or indirect suggestion or notice; a remote or ambiguous reference; as, he had given only intimations of his design. (Noun)

Latin

Nihilism A belief that rejects all values, morals, purposes for living, etc. as baseless and arbitrary (Noun)

[A nihilist is someone who rejects all values, morals, purposes, etc.]

Latin

Paradox A seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true (Noun)

Greek

Inchoate 1. In an initial or early stage; incipient (Adjective). 2. not fully formed, incomplete (Adjective)

Latin

Ossify 1. To change into bone; become bony. (Verb); 2. To become rigid. (Verb)

Latin

Omnipotent Having unlimited power (Adjective) [Omnipotence is unlimited or universal power (Noun)]

Latin