C2 Mastery vocabulary

A

• abhor verb To feel intense hatred or disgust toward something, usually on moral grounds.
• antediluvian adjective Extremely old-fashioned or outdated, often used humorously to exaggerate how behind the ti...
• augury noun A sign that is believed to predict what will happen in the future.

B

• banal adjective So ordinary and overused that it has become boring or meaningless.

C

• cacophony noun A loud, harsh mixture of sounds that is unpleasant to hear.
• calumny noun A false statement made to damage someone's reputation.
• castigate verb To criticize someone severely and publicly, usually to punish or correct them.
• compendium noun A short, complete collection of information on a subject.

E

• ephemeral adjective Lasting for only a very short time.
• epicure noun A person who takes great pleasure in fine food and drink.

O

• obstreperous adjective Noisy, unruly, and difficult to control.

P

• penury noun Extreme poverty.

S

• sardonic adjective Mocking and cynical, especially in a dry, humorous way.