To Kill a Mockingbird: Vocabulary to Know

Chapters 1-5

Piety, 4 Noun – strict observance of religious principles

Taciturn, 5 Adjective – habitually uncommunicative or reserved in speech or manner

Imprudent, 5 Adjective – showing no care, forethought, or judgment

Malevolent, 10 Adjective – having or showing a desire to harm others

Entailment, 27 Noun – inherited situation or consequence

Diminutive, 36 Adjective – very small or much smaller than usual

Auspicious, 43 Adjective – lucky; the promise of success or happiness

Chapters 6-10

Prowess, 68 Noun – skill

Bewilderment, 75 Noun – state of being confused

Aberration, 85 Noun – a departure from what is normal or desirable

Caricature, 90 Noun – a drawing, description, or performance that exaggerates somebody’s or something’s characteristics

Shambles, 97 Noun – a scene or state of great destruction

Guileless, 106 Adjective – having or showing no deceit or expectations of being deceived

Tarried, 112 Verb – to delay a departure or arrival, especially in idle time

Provocation, 114 Noun – something that incites somebody to attack somebody else

Vehemently, 127 Adverb – done with vigor or force

To Kill a Mockingbird: Vocabulary to Know

Chapters 11-15

Passé, 132 Adjective – out of date or no longer fashionable

Degeneration, 136 Noun – the process of becoming physically, morally, or mentally worse

Umbrage, 136 Noun – resentment or annoyance arising from some offense

Undulate, 142 Verb – to move, or cause something to move, in waves or in a movement resembling waves

Propensity (propensities), 144 Noun – a tendency to demonstrate a particular behavior

Formidable, 171 Adjective – inspiring respect, wonder or fear because of size, strength, or ability

Prerogative, 172 Noun – an exclusive privilege or right enjoyed by a person or group occupying a particular rank or position

Myopic, 174 Adjective – showing a lack of foresight or long-term planning

Edification, 184 Noun – instruction or enlightenment, especially when it is morally or spiritually uplifiting

Chapters 16-19

Façade, 201 Noun – the face of a building, especially the principal or front face showing its most prominent architectural features

Uncouth, 205 Adjective – behaving in an ill-mannered or unrefined way

Impassive, 206 Adjective – showing no emotion, especially on the face

Solicitor, 217 Noun – the chief officer for legal matters in a city, town, or county or in a government department

Litigants, 221 Noun – a party involved in a lawsuit

Acrimonious, 229 Adjective – full of or displaying anger and resentment

Perpetual, 245 Adjective – lasting for an indefinitely long time; occurring over and over

To Kill a Mockingbird: Vocabulary to Know

Chapters 20-30

Corroborative (corroborate) 270 Adjective – make more certain with additional evidence

Indicted 270 Verb – to charge somebody formally with commission of a crime

Unmitigated 273 Adjective – absolute and complete

Temerity 273 Noun – reckless confidence that might be offensive to others

Acquit 277 Verb – to declare officially that somebody is not guilty of a charge or accusation

Indignant 277Adjective – angry or annoyed at the unfairness or unreasonableness of something

Furtive 293 Adjective – done by stealth

Statute, 294 Noun – a law enacted by the legislative branch of government

Circumstantial 294 Adjective – when related to evidence, it is evidence that tends to prove a fact by proving other events or circumstances, which would create a reasonable inference of proof

Sordid 296 Adjective – dirty, filthy, wretched

Squalor 309 Noun – marked by filthiness from neglect or poverty (from squalid)

Nondescript 333 Adjective – not easily described

Eccentric (eccentricities) 335 Adjective – deviation from the norm; odd behavior

Ascertain 346 Verb – to make certain

Untrammeled 357 Verb – not caught or held, unable to prevent (from trammel, meaning to catch, hold, or prevent)

Shrewd (shrewder) 375 Adjective – marked by clever understanding or awareness