Vocabulary 100 - ed. 3

ambivalent – Continually wavering between opposites or alternate courses of action.
-In case ambivalent is too difficult of a word to understand, feel free to insert ‘flip-flopper’ as it is commonly used by our country’s leaders.

ephemeral – Lasting a very short time.
-My positive attitude towards the White Sox 2007 campaign was quite ephemeral.

thermocline – The region in a body of water that divides the warmer, oxygen-rich surface layer from the colder, oxygen-poor deep water.
-Never, ever, swim below the thermocline. (Not very practical..but it just sounds cool.. you could use it to insult someone too….damn frank, you are such a thermocline – he won’t know what hit him.

polyglot – One who can speak or write several languages.
-I wish I was a polyglot. Wait! Donde esta la carnacia? No se senor. That’s all I got.

polyphony – Music consisting of two or more independent but harmonious melodies.
-You don’t actually need an example of polyphony do you? Go pick up a Bach CD and prepare to get blown away. FUGUE!

primiparous – Bearing a first offspring
-The purpose of the study was to compare the average duration of labor for primiparous women with that of multiparous women. (2 for the price of 1).

primordial – Existing in or from the very beginning.
-Larry King is a primordial talk show host.

homonym – One of two or more words pronounced and/or spelled alike but different in meaning.
-I like swimming in the pool. I like playing pool. Get it? Pool is such a homonym.

ad hominem – Marked by an attack on an opponent’s character rather than by an answer to the arguments made or the issues raised.
-Watch the democratic or republican candidate debates, you will get a enormous serving of ad hominem abuse.

ex post facto – Done, made, or formulated after the fact.
-Most of Carl’s so-called reasons are merely ex post facto excuses for impulsive behavior. What a stroke.

And of course, your reward!