Chapter 5 — Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from Chapter 5

annihilation (noun)

Complete destruction or obliteration of something; the act of reducing to nothing.

solidarity (noun)

Unity or agreement of feeling or action among a group; mutual support within a collective.

pneumatic (adjective)

Literally meaning filled with air; in the novel, used as slang for physically attractive or pleasingly plump.

Malthusian (adjective)

Relating to the theories of Thomas Malthus, who warned that population growth would outpace food supply.

crematorium (noun)

A facility where dead bodies are burned to ashes, typically as part of a funeral process.

phosphorus (noun)

A chemical element essential for plant growth; in the novel, recovered from cremated bodies for use as fertilizer.

communion (noun)

A Christian sacrament involving the sharing of bread and wine; more broadly, the sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts.

ecstasy (noun)

An overwhelming feeling of great happiness or rapture; a trance-like state of mystical experience.

consummation (noun)

The act of completing or fulfilling something; the achievement of a desired end or climax.

parody (noun)

An imitation of a style or work that exaggerates its features for comic or critical effect.

ersatz (adjective)

A substitute or imitation, usually inferior to the original; not genuine.

juxtaposition (noun)

The placement of two things close together for contrasting effect.

commodification (noun)

The process of treating something as a mere commodity to be bought, sold, or exploited for profit.

dissolution (noun)

The act of breaking up or dissolving; the disintegration of a structure or identity.

singery (noun)

A coined term in the novel for the building where Solidarity Services are held; the World State's equivalent of a church.