*efficacy, n.
efficiency; effeciveness
*effrontery, n.
shameless boldness; presumptuousness
egoism, n.
the tendency to see things in relation to oneself; self-centeredness
egotistical, adj.
excessively self-centered; conceited
*elegy, n.
poem or song expressing lamentation
*elicit, v.
to provoke; draw out
elixir, n.
substance believed to have the power to cure ills
Elysian, adj.
blissful; delightful
emaciated, adj.
thing and wasted
*embellish, v.
to adorn; decorate; enhance; make more attractive by adding details
emollient, adj.
soothing; mollifying
*empirical, adj.
derived from observation or experiment
*emulate, v.
to imitate; copy
encomium, n.
a formal expression of praise
*endemic, adj.
inherent; belonging to an area
*enervate, v.
to weaken
engender, v.
to cause; produce
enhance, v.
to increase; improve
entomology, n.
the scientific study of insects
enunciate, v.
to pronounce clearly
*ephemeral, adj.
short-lived; fleeting
epistemology, n.
branch of philosophy that examines the nature of knowledge
equable, adj.
steady; unvarying; serene
*equanimity, n.
composure; calmness
*equivocate, v.
to intentionally use vague language
errant, adj.
mistaken; straying from the proper course
*erudite, adj.
learned; scholarly
*esoteric, adj.
hard to understand; known only to a few
essay, v.
to make an attempt; subject to a test
estimable, adj.
admirable; possible to estimate
ethnocentric, adj.
based on the attitude that one’s group is superior
etiology, n.
causes or origins
etymology, n.
origin and history of a word
eugenics, n.
study of factors that influence the hereditary qualities of the human race and ways to improve these qualities
eulogy, n.
high praise, especially of a person who has recently died
*euphemism, n.
use of agreeable inoffensive language in place of unpleasant or offensive language
euphoria, n.
a feeling of extreme happiness
euthanasia, n.
mercy killing
evince, v.
to show plainly; be an indication of
evocative, adj.
tending to call to mind or produce a reaction
*exacerbate, v.
to aggravate; make worse
exact, v.
to force the payment of; demand and obtain by authority
*exculpate, v.
to clear of blame; vindicate
*execrable, adj.
detestable; abhorrent
exhort, v.
to urge by strong appeals
*exigency, n.
crisis; urgent requirements
*existential, adj.
having to do with existence; based on experience; having to do with the philosophy of existentialism
exorcise, v.
to expel evil spirits; free from bad influences
expatiate, v.
to speak or write at length
expatriate, v.
to send into exile