The Color of Water Glossary

Glossary of Terms

artisan

craftsperson

Baptist

a member of a church who practices the particular doctrines of an evangelical form of Christianity

Black Panther

a member of the militant African-American political party

Black Power

a movement amongst African-Americans to consolidate power and build their own political and cultural institutions

bowlegged

having legs that curve out at the knees

brimstone

sulphur

callous

toughened; unfeeling

civic

relating or belonging to the citizens of a city

clairvoyance

the power to perceive objects or events without the use of the "ordinary" senses

denizen

a resident or frequenter of a place

derision

ridicule; contempt

diabetes

metabolic disorder often resulting in extreme thirst and urination

dialogue

conversation between two people

disrepair

state of being in need of repair

dowry

property given to the husband by the bride's family

gentiles

persons not of the Jewish faith; Christians

gentrification

the restoration of run-down urban properties, often resulting in the displacement of low-income residents

ghetto

the area of a city in which a particular minority group is compelled to live

henpecked

dominated by persistent nagging

housing project

a development for low-income families erected and managed by public funds

immaculate

spotless; impeccable

indignity

degrading treatment; an affront

infallible

incapable of error or failure

kaddish

Jewish prayer given by mourners at the death of a relative

kosher

ritually pure, conforming with Jewish dietary laws

Ku Klux Klan

a white, Southern secret society that employed terrorist tactics to suppress African-Americans

leavened

made light with baking powder or yeast

maul

to injure, usually by beating roughly

modicum

a small amount

motley

variegated; of many colors; heterogeneous

oblivion

complete forgetfulness

Orthodox

traditional or established aspect of Judaism

pep

high energy

polio

viral disease that damages the spinal cord

populous

with many people

privileged

having a special advantage

rabbi

leader, scholar, and teacher of the Jewish congregation, trained in Jewish laws and rituals

racism

discrimination on the basis of race

reefer

slang for marijuana

reveille

military bugle call used to wake soldiers up in the morning

salvation

redemption; being saved from evil

scavenge

to search for or collect useful material from refuse

shiva

seven-day Jewish mourning period after the death of a relative

synagogue

the Jewish place of meeting and worship

tableau

an arranged scene

tallis

a prayer shawl with fringed edges worn by Jewish males

torrid

scorching; passionate

wharf

a pier or platform on a shoreline where ships are moored

yarmulke

skullcap worn by Jewish men and boys