You know the drill…

1. You know the drill… • Write down the words along with the definition and memory tip. • Plan for the next assessment to be on November 3. This means there will only be four weeks worth of words.

2. Week 1 • Hi! Words that relate to being friendly.

3. Amiable- adj • Friendly; kind • This word is for you, French students! What does amimean in French? • Amiable Amy says only the kindest things about others.

4. Convivial- adj • Sociable; outgoing in a festive way • Use the last part of the word, vivial, to remind you of a carnival. • The great snacks, awesome dj, and fun crowd made the Homecoming Dance one of the convivial yet!

5. Gregarious- adj • Talkative and outgoing • Think about the grin group to help you. • I hope that the shy new student from Texas emerges from her shell and becomes more gregarious.

6. Jocular- adj • Joking around, liking to be with people • Joking sounds just like jocular. • Dave Letterman’s jocular personality makes him a great night show host.

7. Week 2 • Grrr! Not so friendly anymore. Words related to quarreling.

8. Bellicose- adj • Eager to fight; war-like • Think about the ringing of a bell, like in boxing. • The bellicose coach lost his job after he told his players, “Kill them bums!”

9. Cantankerous- adj • Bad tempered; quarrelsome • Think of one of those canker sores you can get on your lip or in your mouth. • When Mrs. Jones gets up on the wrong side of the bed, she’s cantankerous all day long.

10. Contentious- adj • Belligerent; quarrelsome • Think about that show The Next Big Contender (or something like that) • If you don’t stop being so contentious, no one will want to work in a group with you.

11. Pugnacious- adj • Eager to fight • Think about a growling, snarling pug dog. • Pugnacious Paul, as you might expect, was involved in another schoolyard brawl.

12. Week 3 • “Here! Take mine!” • Words related to generosity

13. Altruistic- adj • Showing an unselfish concern for others • Just memorize it. • Barbara’s motives were not altogether altruistic; she had too much to gain from serving as the blood drive leader.

14. Benevolent- adj • Giving freely and easily to others; charitable; kind • The prefix bene always means good. • Bill Gates is a benevolent benefactor to many charitable organizations.

15. Munificent- adj • Very generous • The beginning looks and sounds a bit like “money.” • It’s easy to be munificent when you have more of everything than you’ll ever need.

16. Philanthropic- adj • Charitable; humane • Think of how easily Dr. Phil dispenses advice! • Bill Gates donates millions of dollars every year to education, medical research, and other philanthropic causes.

17. Week 4 • Can you say “tightwad?” • Words related to being cheap and stingy.

18. Austere- adj • Showing self control when it comes to spending money • Link this word to stern, and think about being stern with money. • The monks led austere lives, foregoing all luxuries and comforts.

19. Mercenary- adj • Greedy for self gain • Think of mercenary soldiers. • The soldiers of fortune fought battles in different countries, thinking more about mercenary desires than safety.

20. Parsimonious-adj • Overly thrifty or miserly • Think about poor country parsons. • Gramps is parsimonious with his words; sometimes he doesn’t speak for days!

21. Penurious- adj • Relating to great poverty • Link the beginning of the word to “penny.” • Stop being so penurious and give a few pennies to the homeless!

22. Avarice- noun • Greed • Avarice looks like vice, and let’s face it, being greedy isn’t a virtue. • Avarice motivates many people to swindle others.