carcinogen

Pronunciation: \kär-ˈsi-nə-jən,

Function: noun

Date: 1853

: a substance or agent causing cancer

• carousel• Variant(s): car·rou·sel \ˌker-ə-ˈsel, • Function: noun • Etymology: French carrousel, from Italian carosello Date: 1650 • 1: a tournament or exhibition in which horsemen execute evolutions2

a: merry-go-round b: a circular conveyor <the luggage carousel at the airport> c: a revolving case or tray used for storage or display

• zenith• Pronunciation: \ˈzē-nəth, • Function: noun • Etymology: Middle English cenyth, senyth, from Middle French

cenit, from Medieval Latin, from Old Spanish zenit, modification of Arabic samt (al-ra's) way (over one's head)

• Date: 14th century • 1 : the point of the celestial sphere that is directly opposite the nadir

and vertically above the observer — see azimuth illustration 2 : the highest point reached in the heavens by a celestial body

• hemorrhage• Pronunciation: \ˈhem-rij, ˈhe-mə-\ • Function: noun • Etymology: Latin haemorrhagia, from Greek haimorrhagia, from

haimo- hem- + -rrhagia • Date: 1671 • 1 : a copious discharge of blood from the blood vessels 2 : a rapid

and uncontrollable loss or outflow <a financial hemorrhage> • — hem·or·rhag·ic \ˌhe-mə-ˈra-jik\ adjective

• quorum• Pronunciation: \ˈkwor-əm\ • Function: noun • Etymology: Middle English, quorum of justices of the peace, from

Latin, of whom, genitive plural of qui who; from the wording of the commission formerly issued to justices of the peace

• Date: 1602 • 1 : a select group 2 : the number (as a majority) of officers or

members of a body that when duly assembled is legally competent to transact business 3 : a Mormon body comprising those in the same grade of priesthood

• refurbish• Pronunciation: \ri-ˈfər-bish\ • Function: transitive verb • Date: 1611 • : to brighten or freshen up : renovate • — re·fur·bish·er noun • — re·fur·bish·ment \-bish-mənt\ noun

• ruminant• Pronunciation: \ˈrü-mə-nənt\ • Function: noun Date: 1661 • : a ruminant mammal noun:   any of various cud-chewing hoofed

mammals having a stomach divided into four (occasionally three) compartments adjective:   related to or characteristic of animals of the suborder Ruminantia or any other animal that chews a cud (Example: "Ruminant mammals")

• septum• Pronunciation: \ˈsep-təm\ • Function: noun • Inflected Form(s): plural sep·ta \-tə\ • Etymology: New Latin, from Latin saeptum enclosure, fence, wall,

from saepire to fence in, from saepes fence, hedge Date: 1698

• : a dividing wall or membrane especially between bodily spaces or

masses of soft tissue — compare dissepiment

• flout• Pronunciation: \ˈflau> t\ • Function: verb • Etymology: probably from Middle English flouten to play the flute,

from floute flute Date: 1551 to treat with contemptuous disregard : scorn <flouting the rules> : to indulge in scornful behavior synonyms see scoff usage see

flaunt

• writhePronunciation: \ˈrīth\ • Function: verb • Inflected Form(s): writhed; writh·ing • Etymology: Middle English, from Old English wrīthan; akin to Old

Norse rītha to twist • Date: before 12th century  to twist into coils or folds b: to twist so as to distort : wrench c: to twist (the body or a bodily part) in pain