Chapter 2 — Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from Chapter 2

philanthropy (noun)

The desire to promote the welfare of others, typically expressed through generous donations of money to good causes.

pariah (noun)

An outcast; a person who is rejected or avoided by others in their community.

servility (noun)

Excessive willingness to serve or please others; submissive obedience.

benefactor (noun)

A person who gives money or other help to a person or cause.

paternalistic (adjective)

Relating to the practice of providing for people's needs while restricting their responsibilities and freedoms, in the manner of a father dealing with his children.

voyeuristic (adjective)

Deriving pleasure from observing the private actions, suffering, or intimate details of others.

transgression (noun)

An act that violates a law, rule, or moral code; a serious offense.

deference (noun)

Humble submission and respect shown toward another person, often one in a position of authority.

dilapidated (adjective)

In a state of disrepair or ruin as a result of age or neglect.

commodity (noun)

A raw material or product that can be bought and sold; something useful or valued.

vicarious (adjective)

Experienced through imaginative or sympathetic participation in the experience of another.

paradoxical (adjective)

Seemingly contradictory or absurd but perhaps actually true or well-founded.

incest (noun)

Sexual relations between closely related persons, considered a profound taboo in most societies.

composure (noun)

The state of being calm and in control of one's feelings or behavior.

concealment (noun)

The action of hiding something or preventing it from being known.