By Kim Gonzalez Vocab2 11-15

Macabre Adjective muh-kah-bruh Something gruesome, or horrifying; something having to do with death. A song I liked a great deal as a child was “Bloody Valentine,” by Good Charlotte, which was a macabre song about a man killing another man out of jealousy. A way to remember macabre is both massacre and macabre both start with “ma” and end in “e,” whilst having the same amount of “a’s.”

Oxymoron ok-si-mawr-uh Noun Oxymora and oxymorons Oxymoron ok-si-mawr-uh Noun Oxymora and oxymorons. A phrase containing two things that seem contradictory. A common oxymoron that one might encounter is “jumbo shrimp.” One way to remember oxymoron is you’re a moron if you don’t know what an oxymoron is. No, I’m kidding. The way I remember it is by knowing really entertaining oxymorons such as: jumbo shrimp or freezer burn.

Pejorative pi-jawr-uh-tiv Adjective Pejoratively (adverb) nonpejorative (adjective) Nonpejoratively (adverb) Unpejorative (adjective) Unpejoratively (adverb) A phrase that is used to cause more harm; could be a racial slur or ethnic slur. “You’re stupid, you striped being!” He pejoratively yelled at his calico kitten Whiskers. Pejorative makes me think of the saying “rubbing salt in the wound,” and the word pejorative has the same first two letters of the word pepper. Coincidence, I think not!

Polysyndeton pol-ee-sin-di-ton Noun Using multiple conjunctions (such as and) close together. The avid use of polysyndetons in one’s essay can result in a point deduction. The prefix Poly means many. And when you sync things you combine the two into the same pattern, (like using an as a combining word). And when your mom asks you how much homework you have, you might reply with “a ton.” Poly, syn, ton.

Proselytize pros-uh-li-tahyz Verb Proselytization (noun) Proselytizer (noun) Proselytistic (adjective) To attempt to convert or recruit. Often people from various religious groups go door to door attempting to proselytize people for their church. Baptize Proselytize