Nouns - 20(951-1000)


Non sequitor (n):  non-en-ti-tee
a conclusion that does not follow from the facts stated
Had she missed something inportant or was this just a non sequitur?

Nosegay (n):  nohz-gey
fragrant bouquet

Nostalgia (n):  no-stal-juh
Nostalgia is an affectionate feeling you have for the past, especially for a particularly happy time = homesickness,  longing for the past
He might be influenced by nostalgia for his happy youth

Nostrum (n):  nos-truhm
You can refer to ideas or theories about how something should be done as nostrums, especially when you think they are old-fashioned or wrong in some way = questionable remedy
In India, some parties still maintain old social nostrums for poverty alleviation and employment generation

Novice (n):  nov-is (955)
A novice is someone who has been doing a job or other activity for only a short time and so is not experienced at it = beginner
I'm a novice at these things, Lieutenant You're the professional

Nuance (n):  nir-vah-nuh
A nuance is a small difference in sound, feeling, appearance, or meaning
Example sentences in this book help convey the nances of meaning of a word

Numismatist (n):  noo-miz-muh-tist, -mis-, nyoo-
Things that are numinous seem holy or spiritual and mysterious
The numismatist had a splendid collection of antique coins

Oaf (n):  ohf
If you refer to someone, especially a man or boy, as an oaf, you think that they are impolite, clumsy, or aggressive = lout
He called the unfortunate waiter a clumsy oaf

Obeisance 
(n):  oh-bey-suhns, oh-bee-
Obeisance to someone or something is great respect shown for them = revenrence, homage
When he was young and strong, all paid obeisance to him

Obelisk (n):  ob-uh-lisk (960)
An obelisk is a tall stone pillar that has been built in honour of a person or an important event

Obituary (n):  oh-bich-oo-er-ee
Someone's obituary is an account of their life and character which is printed in a newspaper or broadcast soon after they die = death notice
I read your brother's obituary in the Times of India

Objurgation (n):  ob-jer-geyt
a severe rebuke, scolding

Oblation (n):  o-bley-shuhn
a gift that is offered to God or a god, or the act of offering the gift

Obliquity (n):  uh-blik-wi-tee
departure from right principle = perversity

Obloquy (n):  ob-luh-kwee (965)
very strong, offensive criticism
He endured years of contempt and obloquy and kept on doing his work

Obsession (n):  uhb-sesh-uhn
If you say that someone has an obsession with a person or thing, you think they are spending too much time thinking about them = fixed idea, continued brooding
She would try to forget her obsession with Mohan

Obsidian (n):  uhb-sid-ee-uhn
black volcanic rock

Obstetrician (n):  ob-sti-trish-uhn
An obstetrician is a doctor who is specially trained to deal with pregnant women and with women who are giving birth
Flores was able to take paid family-care time to go to the obstetrician with her

Occident (n):  ok-si-duhnt
The West
The occident is the anti thesis of the Orient

Oculist (n):  ok-yuh-list (970)
Physician who specializes in treatment of the eyes
I went to an oculist after having some difficulty in seeing distant things

Odium (n):  oh-dee-uhm
Odium is the dislike, disapproval, or hatred that people feel for a particular person, usually because of something that the person has done = repugnance, dislike
As is often the case, the principal odium falls on an innocent party

Offal (n):  aw-fuhl
Offal is the internal organs of animals, for example their hearts and livers, when they are cooked and eaten = waste, garbage
They sometimes got incredibly bold in the competition for the fish offal

Offertory (n):  aw-fer-tawr-ee
collection of money at religious ceremony
This is the sense of the offertory as seen from the liturgical texts

Oligarchy (n):  ol-i-gahr-kee
An oligarchy is a small group of people who control and run a particular country or organization You can also refer to a country which is governed in this way as an oligarchy
Athens was suffering under the rule of an oligarchy that had no concern for the people’s welfare

Ombudsman (n):  om-buhdz-muhn (975)
The ombudsman is an independent official who has been appointed to investigate complaints that people make against the government or public organizations
Grievances against public machinery The government has appointed on ombudsman to look into allegations of nepotism in the recent petrol pump appointments

Onomatopoeia (n):  on-uh-mat-uh-pee-uh
Onomatopoeia refers to the use of words which sound like the noise they refer to `Hiss', `buzz', and `rat-a-tat-tat' are examples of onomatopoeia

Onslaught (n):  on-slawt
An onslaught on someone or something is a very violent, forceful attack against them = vicious assault
The rebels responded to a military onslaught against them by launching a major assault on an army camp

Onus (n):  oh-nuhs
If you say that the onus is on someone to do something, you mean it is their duty or responsibility to do it = responsibility
The onus is on employers to follow health and safety laws

Opiate (n):  oh-pee-it
An opiate is a drug that contains opium Opiates are used to reduce pain or to help people to sleep = sedative
It was Karl Marx who said ‘Religion is the opiate of the masses’

Opportunist (n):  op-er-too-niz-uhm (980)
If you describe someone as opportunist, you are critical of them because they take advantage of any situation in order to gain money or power, without considering whether their actions are right or wrong
Voters should be cautious of opportunistic politicians who change their ideology every now and then

Opprobrium (n)    :  uh-proh-bree-uh
Opprobrium is open criticism or disapproval of something that someone has done = censure
His political opinions have attracted the opprobrium of the Left 

Optician (n):  op-tish-uhn
An optician is someone whose job involves testing people's sight, and making or selling glasses and contact lenses

Optometrist (n):  op-tom-i-trist
One who fits glasses to remedy visual defects
An optometrist is the same as an optician

Opulence (n):  op-yuh-luhns
Opulent things or places look grand and expensive = wealth
The opulence and grandeur of the palace was stunning

Opus (n):  oh-puhs (985)
You can refer to an artistic work such as a piece of music or writing or a painting as an opus = work
Film critics consider Roza and Bombay as AR Rehman’s magnum opus

Oratorio (n):  awr-uh-tawr-ee-oh
An oratorio is a long piece of music with a religious theme which is written for singers and an orchestra

Ordinance (n):  awr-dn-uhns
An ordinance is an official rule or order = regulation, decree
In India, the president can pass ordinances when the Parliament is not in session

Orientation (n):  awr-ee-uhn-tey-shuhn
If you talk about the orientation of an organization or country, you are talking about the kinds of aims and interests it has  = inclination
The proposal is open to everyone, irrespective of his or her orientation

Orifice
 (n):  awr-uh-fis
An orifice is an opening or hole, especially one in your body such as your mouth = mouthlike opening; small opening
After a massive heart attack, he was strapped to a bed, with tubes in every orifice

Orison (n):  awr-uh-zuhn (990)
A prayer

Ornithologist
 (n):  or·ni·thol·o·gy
Scientific student of birds
That area is an ornithologist's paradise

Orthography (n):  awr-thog-ruh-fee
A correct spelling
English orthography isn’t easy for both native speakrs and foreign learners

Pacifist (n):  pas-uh-fist
A pacifist is someone who believes that violence is wrong and refuses to take part in wars
She was never a pacifist -- “too dynamic and aggressive” - but she always fought for the underdog

Pachyderm (n):  pak-i-durm
A thick-skinned animal

Paddock (n):  pad-uhk (995)
A paddock is a small field where horses are kept
When horses are put together in paddocks, they need to be carefully chosen for their mutual compatibility

Paean (n):  pee-uhn
A paean is a piece of music, writing, or film that expresses praise, admiration, or happiness  = eulogy, song of praise or joy
Paeans celebrating the victory filled the air

Palaver (n):  puh-lav-er
Palaver is unnecessary fuss and bother about the way something is done = discussion, misleading speech, chatter
We don't want all that palaver, do we?

Palette (n):  pal-it
A palette is a flat piece of wood or plastic on which an artist mixes paints

Palimpsest (n):  pal-imp-sest
A parchment used for second time after original writing has been erased

Palindrome (n):  pal-in-drohm (1000)
A palindrome is a word or a phrase that is the same whether you read it backwards or forwards, for example the word ‘refer’