Chapter 9 — Vocabulary
1984 by George Orwell — key words and definitions
Vocabulary Words from Chapter 9
- oligarchical
- Relating to a form of government in which power rests with a small, elite group rather than the population at large.
- collectivism
- A political or economic system in which property and resources are owned communally rather than by individuals.
- hierarchical
- Organized into a system of ranks or levels of authority, with each level subordinate to the one above it.
- rectify
- In Newspeak, to alter historical records so they conform to the Party's current version of the truth; in standard English, to correct or set right.
- treatise
- A formal, systematic written work that examines a subject in depth.
- superstate
- A large, powerful political entity formed by the union of multiple nations or territories.
- perpetual
- Never ending or changing; continuing without interruption.
- saboteur
- A person who deliberately destroys or obstructs something, especially for political or military advantage.
- usurp
- To seize power, position, or authority without legal right, often by force.
- surplus
- An amount or quantity that exceeds what is needed or used.
- doublethink
- The Party-enforced ability to hold two contradictory beliefs simultaneously and accept both as true.
- austerity
- Conditions of strict economy, reduced spending, and limited comfort, often imposed by authority.
- empirical
- Based on observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic.
- hegemony
- Dominance or leadership, especially of one state or social group over others.