superfluous
superfluity (noun)
When editing research papers, it is crucial to remove superfluous information—details that do not add value to the main argument but only clutter the text.
misnomer
a use of a wrong or inappropriate name
Calling Greenland “green” is actually a misnomer, since much of the island is covered by ice and snow, making the name misleading.
adept
thoroughly proficient
adeptness
Chopin was so adept at playing the piano that by age ten, he was already impressing audiences, and by twelve, he had surpassed his own teacher’s skill.
granular
finely detailed
granularity
The Panorama of the Battle of Racławice in Wrocław amazes visitors with its granular depiction of uniforms, weapons, and facial expressions — every tiny element is painted with remarkable precision.
abate
reduce or lessen
abatement
Lockdowns were put in place across the globe to help abate the rapid spread of COVID-19.
penultimate
next to last
The penultimate chapter of George Orwell’s 1984 reveals Winston’s psychological breaking point, right before the novel’s grim conclusion
epistemic
related to knowledge
Professor Rich is convinced that the quest for epistemic certainty is a foolhardy one
epistemology
epistemically
In debates, phrases like “I believe” or “it seems” are epistemic markers that express the speaker’s level of certainty.
redact
censor or obscure (part of text) for legal or security purposes
redaction
During the Depp v. Heard defamation trial, several court documents were redacted to protect the privacy of witnesses, with entire lines blacked out from public view.
vilify
speak ill, defame
vilification
In the 2022 trial, Johnny Depp argued that Amber Heard’s Washington Post op-ed vilified him by portraying him as abusive, a claim he said destroyed his career.
subjectify
judgement based on individual personal impressions and feelings rather than external facts
subjectification
Instagram users tend to subjectify public remarks, interpreting neutral comments as personal attacks.
