Life of Pi Study Guide

Glossary of Terms

acuity

keenness of hearing, sight, or intellect

agnostics

those who believe that the truth of religious or spiritual claims are impossible to prove or disprove

amenable

willing to cooperate; responsive to suggestion

anemic

suffering from a lack of hemoglobin in the blood, usually caused by a deficiency in iron

anthropomorphized

when nonhuman things have been treated or considered as human-like

arboreal

relating to trees

archipelago

a group or chain of islands

arduous

difficult and demanding

artesian well

a pumpless well that allows water to rise to the surface that has traveled through porous rock from a higher elevation

ashram

a community formed primarily for the spiritual uplifting of its members

attrition

slow destruction through wear and tear, weakening by persistent attack

brackish

salty

bracts

the plant parts from which the flowers grow

buoyant

able to float

cantankerous

easily angered and difficult to get along with

carapace

shell

carrion

the rotting flesh of a dead animal

cataleptic

in a state resembling a trance or unconsciousness, often associated with schizophrenia, epilepsy, or drug use

catholicity

wideness of range and inclusiveness, as in taste

chimera

a wildly unrealistic idea or hope

chromatic

relating to color

commensal

describing a relationship between two species in which one derives benefit from the association while the other is unharmed but also not benefited

cordate

heart-shaped

cosmogony

a theory of the creation of the universe

craw

throat or gullet

deputation

a group of people chosen to represent a larger group and act on their behalf

discordant

consisting of sounds that are clashing or harsh

dissembling

the adoption of a false appearance or pretending in order to conceal facts, feelings, or intentions

diurnal

active in daytime

durian

a foul-smelling but deliciously flavored fruit

feral

animals that live in the wild after having been domestically reared

ferment

an opening between two organs caused by disease or injury

founders

sinks or crumples

frugivorous

feeding primarily on fruit

gaff

a hooked fish pole, or to catch and hold with a hooked fish pole

garden of Gethsemane

believed to be the place where Jesus and the disciples prayed the night before Jesus' crucifixion

heijira

the emigration of Muhammad and his followers to Medina in 622CE

herald

something that gives an indication of something that is going to happen; a sign

in situ

in place

incongruously

unsuitably or inconsistently

ineluctably

inescapably

insousciant

having lighthearted unconcern; nonchalant

Kathakali dancer

a dancer in a highly stylized classical form of Indian dance-drama

kinetic

relating to motion

Kumkum powder

a powder used for social and religious markings in Hinduism

lampoonery

the ridicule or satirizing of someone or something

lasciviousness

lewdness

licit

allowed by law

lithesome

flexible; easily bendable

maharaja

a Hindu ruler

mange

an infectious skin disease of animals and sometimes humans

marauder

one who raids for plunder

memento mori

a work of art that is designed to remind the viewer of their imminent death, and the general brevity and fragility of human life

menagerie

a collection of animals, usually for royalty

mien

general air or bearing

nadaswaram

a wind instrument that is highly popular in South India

oestrous

in heat

olfactory

relating to the sense of smell

onanists

those who practice masturbation

ordnance

military weapons and supplies

pandit

a scholar killed in Sanskrit and Hindu law, religion, music, or philosophy

porosity

the porous nature of something

prusten

the quietest tiger call, a puff through the nose used to express friendliness and harmless intentions

raiments

clothing

rambutan

a medium-sized tropical tree

rufous

of a reddish-brown color

ruminants

hoofed animals that chew cud

sambar

a dish common in South Indian and Sri Lankan communities

sanguinary

bloodthirsty

scimitars

an Arab or Turkish sword with a curved blade

ungulates

hoofed mammals

unpalatably

unpleasantly, in terms of taste

vagaries

unpredictable changes

venerable

worthy of respect; revered

virulent

extremely infectious or damaging

viscera

internal organs

wallah

one who sells or peddles something