The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate (16 page)

epigone
(EP-i-
GOHN
)
noun, plural
epigones
and
epigoni
(e-PI-goh-n
I
); the singular form is also given as
epigon
(EP-i-
GON
),
plural
epigons

an undistinguished imitator or descendant of an illustrious person or family.

Related words:
epigonic
(
EP
-i-GON-ik)
adjective
,
epigonism
(i-PIG-
e
-
NIZ
-
e
m)
noun
.

epiphany
(i-PIF-
e
-nee)
noun, plural
epiphanies

1. a manifestation, as of God; usually, a manifestation of Christ as divine.

2. a sudden, intuitive insight into the essential meaning of something.

Related words:
epiphanic
(
EP
-
e
-FAN-ik) and
epiphanous
(i-PIF-
e
-n
e
s)
both adjectives
.

epistolary
(i-PIS-t
e
-
LER
-ee)
adjective

contained in or carried on by letters; of or pertaining to letters.

epitaph
(EP-i-
TAF
)
noun

See
epithet
.

epithet
(EP-
e
-
THET
)
noun

1. a descriptive word or phrase.

2. a contemptuous word or phrase.

Do not confuse
epithet
with the well-understood
epitaph
, meaning
words inscribed on a tomb or describing a dead person
. While
epitaph
is almost never used incorrectly,
epithet
frequently appears incorrectly in student themes.

Related words:
epithetic
(
EP
-i-THET-ik) and
epithetical
(
EP
-i-THET-i-k
e
l)
both adjectives
.

epitome
(i-PIT-
e
-mee)
noun

1. something that shows on a small scale the qualities of something larger.

2. a person who embodies a quality.

Epitome
does not mean
the best
, even though many people think this is one of the word's meanings. Use the word only as defined above, for example, “She is the
epitome
of grace.”

Related words:
epitomic
(
EP
-i-TOM-ik) and
epitomical
(
EP
-i-TOM-i-k
e
l)
both adjectives
,
epitomize
(i-PIT-
e
-
M
I
Z
)
verb
.

eponym
(EP-
e
-nim)
noun

a person whose name is taken for a people, place, institution, etc.

Related words:
eponymic
(
EP
-
e
-NIM-ik) and
eponymous
(
e
-PON-
e
-m
e
s)
both adjectives
,
eponymy
(
e
-PON-
e
-mee)
noun
.

equable
(EK-w
e
-b
e
l)
adjective

1. uniform, unvarying.

2. even-tempered.

Do not confuse
equable
with
equitable
, which see.

Related words:
equability
(
EK
-w
e
-BIL-i-tee) and
equableness
(EK-w
e
-b
e
l-nis)
both nouns
,
equably
adverb
.

equitable
(EK-wi-t
e
-b
e
l)
adjective

fair and just.

Do not confuse
equitable
with
equable
, meaning
uniform, unvarying; even-tempered
. A legal claim may be
equitable
; a region's weather conditions and a person's temperament may be
equable
.

Related words:
equitableness
noun
,
equitably
adverb
.

equivocal
(i-KWIV-
e
-k
e
l)
adjective

1. able to be interpreted in two ways; ambiguous.

2. of doubtful nature or character; questionable; suspicious.

Related words:
equivocacy
(i-KWIV-
e
-k
e
-see),
equivocality
(i-
KWIV
-
e
-KAL-i-tee), and
equivocalness
(i-KWIV-
e
-k
e
l-nis)
all nouns
;
equivocally
adverb
.

equivocate
(i-KWIV-
e
-
KAYT
)
verb

1. use ambiguous words in order to conceal the truth.

2. tell lies.

Related words:
equivocatingly
(i-KWIV-
e
-
KAYT
-ing-lee)
adverb
,
equivocation
(i-
KWIV
-
e
-KAY-sh
e
n) and
equivocator
(i-KWIV-
e
-
KAY
-t
e
r)
both nouns
.

equivoque
(EK-w
e
-
VOHK
)
noun
, also given as
equivoke

1. a play on words; a pun.

2. ambiguity.

eremite
(ER-
e
-
M
I
T
)
noun

a hermit or recluse, especially one who has taken religious vows.

Related words:
eremitic
(
ER
-
e
-MIT-ik),
eremitical
(
ER
-
e
-MIT-i-k
e
l), and
eremitish
(ER-
e
-
M
I
-tish)
all adjectives
;
eremitism
(ER-
e
-
MIT
-iz-
e
m)
noun
.

eructation
(i-ruk-TAY-sh
e
n)
noun

1. belching.

2. discharge of a volcano.

Related words:
eruct
(i-RUKT) and
eructate
(i-RUK-tayt)
both verbs
,
eructative
(i-RUK-t
e
-tiv)
adjective
.

eschew
(es-CHOO)
verb

avoid; abstain from.

Related words:
eschewal
and
eschewer
both nouns
.

escritoire
(
ES
-kri-TWAHR)
noun

a writing desk with drawers.

esoteric
(
ES
-
e
-TER-ik)
adjective

intended only for people with special knowledge or interest; not generally intelligible.

Do not confuse
esoteric
with
exoteric
, which see.

Related words:
esoterica
(
ES
-
e
-TER-i-k
e
)
noun
,
esoterically
adverb
.

esurient
(i-SUUR-ee-
e
nt)
adjective

1. hungry.

2. greedy.

Related words:
esurience
and
esuriency
both nouns
,
esuriently
adverb
.

ethos
(EE-thos)
noun

the characteristic spirit and beliefs of a community, person, or literary work.

etiology
(
EE
-tee-OL-
e
-jee),
plural
etiologies

1. the study of causes, as in philosophy, physics, etc.

2. the assignment of cause, especially in disease.

Related word:
etiologist
noun
.

eulogy
(YOO-l
e
-jee)
noun, plural
eulogies
; also given as
eulogium
(yoo-LOH-jee-
e
m),
plural
eulogiums
and
eulogia
(yoo-LOH-jee-
e
)