Learn on PengiVocabulary for the College Bound Student (Grade 8)Chapter 3: Building Vocabulary Through Central Ideas

Lesson 2: Animal, Health and medicine, Praise, Defamation, Jest

In this Grade 8 lesson from Vocabulary for the College Bound Student, students expand their vocabulary across five central idea categories — Animal, Health and Medicine, Praise, Defamation, and Jest — learning words such as ornithology, malignant, hypochondriac, and defamation alongside their precise meanings and typical uses. The lesson builds contextual understanding by grouping related terms like apiary, aviary, and menagerie or benign and malignant as antonym pairs, helping students recognize patterns in English vocabulary. This chapter-based approach prepares college-bound eighth graders to use sophisticated, topic-specific language accurately in reading and writing.

Section 1

Animal-Related Words

Key Words

Ready to go on a verbal safari? These words are all connected to the animal kingdom, from where they live to how they act!

apiary (n.)aviary (n.)badger (v.)
halcyon (adj.)lionize (v.)menagerie (n.)
molt (v.)ornithology (n.)parasite (n.)
parasitic (adj.)parrot (v.)scavenger (n.)

Explanation

This group of words takes inspiration from the animal world. Some words name places where animals like bees and birds are kept, like an apiary or aviary. Others describe actions that mimic animal behaviors, such as to badger someone relentlessly or to parrot what you've heard without thinking. You'll even find words for studying animals, like ornithology (the study of birds).

Section 2

Words for Health and Medicine

Key Words

Time for a check-up on your vocabulary! All these words relate to health, sickness, and the remedies we use to feel better.

antidote (n.)astringent (n.)astringent (adj.)
benign (adj.)convalesce (v.)convalescent (n.)
fester (v.)hypochondriac (n.)immunity (n.)
immunize (v.)lesion (n.)malignant (adj.)
morbid (adj.)pestilential (adj.)regimen (n.)
salubrious (adj.)sebaceous (adj.)therapeutic (adj.)
toxic (adj.)unguent (n.)viral (adj.)
virulent (adj.)virus (n.)

Explanation

This set of terms is your prescription for a healthier vocabulary, covering everything from sickness to healing. You'll find words for remedies like an antidote or unguent, and terms to describe conditions, such as a benign tumor versus a malignant one. It also includes words for the recovery process, like to convalesce, and the rules you follow to get better, known as a regimen.

Section 3

Words of Praise

Key Words

Let's hear it for these words! This group is all about giving credit where credit is due, from a round of applause to a formal speech.

acclaim (v.)encomium (n.)eulogize (v.)
kudos (n.)laudable (adj.)laudatory (adj.)
plaudit (n.)

Explanation

When you want to praise someone, these are the words you need. They range from loud, public approval, like acclaim or plaudits, to more formal or written tributes, such as an encomium. An action that is praiseworthy is described as laudable. These terms help you express high admiration and celebrate achievements in a sophisticated way.

Section 4

Words of Defamation

Key Words

Sticks and stones may break your bones, but these words can definitely hurt your reputation! This group is all about insult and speaking ill of others.

calumnious (adj.)derogatory (adj.)imputation (n.)
libel (n.)libelous (adj.)malign (v.)
slander (n.)stigma (n.)stigmatize (v.)

Explanation

This group of words deals with the dark side of communication: damaging someone's good name. It's important to know the difference between slander (a spoken false statement) and libel (a written one). A comment that expresses low opinion is derogatory, while a false accusation is an imputation. Being associated with something negative can leave a stigma, or a mark of disgrace.

Section 5

Words of Jest and Joking

Key Words

Ready for a laugh? These words are perfect for describing everything from a lighthearted joke to biting sarcasm and hilarious situations.

banter (n.)caricature (n.)droll (adj.)
facetious (adj.)flippant (adj.)harlequin (n.)
hilarious (adj.)hilarity (n.)ironic/ironical (adj.)
irony (n.)jocose (adj.)levity (n.)
ludicrous (adj.)parody (n.)sarcasm (n.)
sarcastic (adj.)sardonic (adj.)satire (n.)
satiric/satirical (adj.)travesty (n.)

Explanation

This collection of words explores the many shades of humor. It includes light, playful teasing (banter) and jokes that aren't meant to be serious (facetious remarks). But humor can also be sharp, using irony, where the intended meaning is the opposite of the words used, or biting sarcasm. A parody imitates something for laughs, while a satire uses ridicule to expose foolishness.

Book overview

Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.

Continue this chapter

Chapter 3: Building Vocabulary Through Central Ideas

  1. Lesson 1

    Lesson 1: Joy, Pleasure, Sadness, Stoutness, Thinness, Flattery

  2. Lesson 2Current

    Lesson 2: Animal, Health and medicine, Praise, Defamation, Jest

  3. Lesson 3

    Lesson 3: Willingness-Unwillingness, Height, Lowness and depth, relatives, Smell

  4. Lesson 4

    Lesson 4: Age, Sobriety-Intoxication, Sea, Cleanliness-Uncleanliness, Nearness

  5. Lesson 5

    Lesson 5: Reasoning, Shape, Importance-Unimportance, Modesty, Vanity

Lesson overview

Expand to review the lesson summary and core properties.

Expand

Section 1

Animal-Related Words

Key Words

Ready to go on a verbal safari? These words are all connected to the animal kingdom, from where they live to how they act!

apiary (n.)aviary (n.)badger (v.)
halcyon (adj.)lionize (v.)menagerie (n.)
molt (v.)ornithology (n.)parasite (n.)
parasitic (adj.)parrot (v.)scavenger (n.)

Explanation

This group of words takes inspiration from the animal world. Some words name places where animals like bees and birds are kept, like an apiary or aviary. Others describe actions that mimic animal behaviors, such as to badger someone relentlessly or to parrot what you've heard without thinking. You'll even find words for studying animals, like ornithology (the study of birds).

Section 2

Words for Health and Medicine

Key Words

Time for a check-up on your vocabulary! All these words relate to health, sickness, and the remedies we use to feel better.

antidote (n.)astringent (n.)astringent (adj.)
benign (adj.)convalesce (v.)convalescent (n.)
fester (v.)hypochondriac (n.)immunity (n.)
immunize (v.)lesion (n.)malignant (adj.)
morbid (adj.)pestilential (adj.)regimen (n.)
salubrious (adj.)sebaceous (adj.)therapeutic (adj.)
toxic (adj.)unguent (n.)viral (adj.)
virulent (adj.)virus (n.)

Explanation

This set of terms is your prescription for a healthier vocabulary, covering everything from sickness to healing. You'll find words for remedies like an antidote or unguent, and terms to describe conditions, such as a benign tumor versus a malignant one. It also includes words for the recovery process, like to convalesce, and the rules you follow to get better, known as a regimen.

Section 3

Words of Praise

Key Words

Let's hear it for these words! This group is all about giving credit where credit is due, from a round of applause to a formal speech.

acclaim (v.)encomium (n.)eulogize (v.)
kudos (n.)laudable (adj.)laudatory (adj.)
plaudit (n.)

Explanation

When you want to praise someone, these are the words you need. They range from loud, public approval, like acclaim or plaudits, to more formal or written tributes, such as an encomium. An action that is praiseworthy is described as laudable. These terms help you express high admiration and celebrate achievements in a sophisticated way.

Section 4

Words of Defamation

Key Words

Sticks and stones may break your bones, but these words can definitely hurt your reputation! This group is all about insult and speaking ill of others.

calumnious (adj.)derogatory (adj.)imputation (n.)
libel (n.)libelous (adj.)malign (v.)
slander (n.)stigma (n.)stigmatize (v.)

Explanation

This group of words deals with the dark side of communication: damaging someone's good name. It's important to know the difference between slander (a spoken false statement) and libel (a written one). A comment that expresses low opinion is derogatory, while a false accusation is an imputation. Being associated with something negative can leave a stigma, or a mark of disgrace.

Section 5

Words of Jest and Joking

Key Words

Ready for a laugh? These words are perfect for describing everything from a lighthearted joke to biting sarcasm and hilarious situations.

banter (n.)caricature (n.)droll (adj.)
facetious (adj.)flippant (adj.)harlequin (n.)
hilarious (adj.)hilarity (n.)ironic/ironical (adj.)
irony (n.)jocose (adj.)levity (n.)
ludicrous (adj.)parody (n.)sarcasm (n.)
sarcastic (adj.)sardonic (adj.)satire (n.)
satiric/satirical (adj.)travesty (n.)

Explanation

This collection of words explores the many shades of humor. It includes light, playful teasing (banter) and jokes that aren't meant to be serious (facetious remarks). But humor can also be sharp, using irony, where the intended meaning is the opposite of the words used, or biting sarcasm. A parody imitates something for laughs, while a satire uses ridicule to expose foolishness.

Book overview

Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.

Continue this chapter

Chapter 3: Building Vocabulary Through Central Ideas

  1. Lesson 1

    Lesson 1: Joy, Pleasure, Sadness, Stoutness, Thinness, Flattery

  2. Lesson 2Current

    Lesson 2: Animal, Health and medicine, Praise, Defamation, Jest

  3. Lesson 3

    Lesson 3: Willingness-Unwillingness, Height, Lowness and depth, relatives, Smell

  4. Lesson 4

    Lesson 4: Age, Sobriety-Intoxication, Sea, Cleanliness-Uncleanliness, Nearness

  5. Lesson 5

    Lesson 5: Reasoning, Shape, Importance-Unimportance, Modesty, Vanity