Chapter 11 — Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from Chapter 11

lobotomy (noun)

A surgical procedure that severs nerve connections in the prefrontal lobe of the brain, historically used to treat mental illness, often resulting in dramatic personality changes or emotional blunting.

electroshock (noun)

A medical treatment in which electric current is passed through the brain to trigger seizures, used to treat severe mental conditions; also called electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

specimen (noun)

An individual animal, plant, or item used as an example for scientific study or display; when applied to a person, it implies dehumanization.

inert (adjective)

Lacking the ability to move or act; sluggish or motionless.

eugenics (noun)

The now-discredited pseudoscience of improving the genetic quality of a human population by selectively breeding people considered superior and sterilizing or eliminating those deemed inferior.

accommodationist (adjective)

A person or approach that seeks to adjust to or cooperate with the demands of a dominant group rather than resisting or challenging them.

crucible (noun)

A container in which metals are melted at high temperatures; figuratively, a severe test or trial that brings about transformation.

paradox (noun)

A statement or situation that seems contradictory or absurd but may reveal a deeper truth upon examination.

nostalgia (noun)

A sentimental longing or affection for the past, often for a period or place with happy personal associations.

trickster (noun)

A character in folklore who uses wit, cunning, and deception to outwit more powerful opponents, often subverting social norms in the process.

detached (adjective)

Emotionally uninvolved or impartial; lacking personal connection or warmth.

liability (noun)

Legal responsibility for something, especially the costs incurred from injury or damage; also, a person or thing that causes problems.

dissolution (noun)

The process of dissolving, disintegrating, or breaking apart; the undoing or destruction of something previously solid.

predicate (noun)

In grammar, the part of a sentence that tells something about the subject; figuratively, something that defines or gives meaning to another thing.

eradicate (verb)

To destroy completely; to pull up by the roots; to eliminate entirely.