accumulative
growing by gradual increases
allocate
to set aside or portion out for a specific purpose
assert
to state a fact or belief confidently
autonomy
freedom from external control or influence
cohort
a specific group, usually one that shares an identifying trait or function
demographic
a particular sector of a population
distill
to purify or refine
embody
to represent in clear or visible form
entrepreneur
a person who sets up a business or businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope of making a profit
flaunt
to show off; to display prominently
indigenous
native to a specific place
irrigate
to transfer water to crops or land, often through the use of channels or other infrastructure
mellow
easygoing, laid-back, or unconcerned
mitigation
the lessening of a negative or detrimental influence
patchwork
a thing composed of many different elements
petticoat
a women's undergarment that consists of a skirt; not used in contemporary society
postmortem
1) an inspection of a dead body, with the goal of determining the cause of death; 2) an inspection of a misfortune, with the goal of determining what went wrong
skeptical
disbelieving or critical in an intellectual or analytic manner
tenement
an apartment house, often designated for relatively poor families and individuals
terminal
situated at the end or extremity of something
