academic words

acronym
–noun
1.a word formed from the initial letters or groups of letters of words in a set phrase or series of words, as Wac from Women's Army Corps, OPEC from Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, or loran from long-range navigation.
2.an acrostic.
–verb (used with object)
3.to make an acronym of: The committee's name has been acronymed MIKE.
—Related forms
ac·ro·nym·ic, a·cron·y·mous /əˈkrɒnəməs/,adjective
ac·ro·nym·i·cal·ly, adverb

analogy

–noun, plural -gies.
1.a similarity between like features of two things, on which a comparison may be based: the analogy between the heart and a pump.
2.similarity or comparability: I see no analogy between your problem and mine.
3.Biology. an analogous relationship.
4.Linguistics.
a.the process by which words or phrases are created or re-formed according to existing patterns in the language, as when shoon was re-formed as shoes, when -ize is added to nouns like winter to form verbs, or when a child says foots for feet.
b.a form resulting from such a process.
5.Logic. a form of reasoning in which one thing is inferred to be similar to another thing in a certain respect, on the basis of the known similarity between the things in other respects.

articulate

–adjective
1.uttered clearly in distinct syllables.
2.capable of speech; not speechless.
3.using language easily and fluently; having facility with words: an articulate speaker.
4.expressed, formulated, or presented with clarity and effectiveness: an articulate thought.
5.made clear, distinct, and precise in relation to other parts: an articulate form; an articulate shape; an articulate area.
6.(of ideas, form, etc.) having a meaningful relation to other parts: an articulate image.
7.having parts or distinct areas organized into a coherent or meaningful whole; unified: an articulate system of philosophy.
8.Zoology. having joints or articulations; composed of segments. –verb (used with object)
9.to utter clearly and distinctly; pronounce with clarity.
10.Phonetics. to make the movements and adjustments of the speech organs necessary to utter (a speech sound).
11.to give clarity or distinction to: to articulate a shape; to articulate an idea.
12.Dentistry. to subject to articulation.
13.to unite by a joint or joints.
14.to reveal or make distinct: an injection to articulate arteries so that obstructions can be observed by x-ray. –verb (used without object)
15.to pronounce clearly each of a succession of speech sounds, syllables, or words; enunciate: to articulate with excessive precision.
16.Phonetics. to articulate a speech sound.
17.Anatomy, Zoology. to form a joint.
18.Obsolete. to make terms of agreement. –noun
19.a segmented invertebrate.

coherent

–adjective
1.logically connected; consistent: a coherent argument.
2.cohering; sticking together: a coherent mass of sticky candies.
3.having a natural or due agreement of parts; harmonious: a coherent design.
4.Physics, Optics. of or pertaining to waves that maintain a fixed phase relationship, as in coherent light.

contradict

–verb (used with object)
1.to assert the contrary or opposite of; deny directly and categorically.
2.to speak contrary to the assertions of: to contradict oneself.
3.(of an action or event) to imply a denial of: His way of life contradicts his stated principles.
4.Obsolete. to speak or declare against; oppose. –verb (used without object)
5.to utter a contrary statement.

—Related forms
con·tra·dict·a·ble, adjective
con·tra·dict·er, con·tra·dic·tor, noun

correlate

–verb (used with object)
1.to place in or bring into mutual or reciprocal relation; establish in orderly connection: to correlate expenses and income. –verb (used without object)
2.to have a mutual or reciprocal relation; stand in correlation: The results of the two tests correlate to a high degree. –adjective
3.mutually or reciprocally related. –noun
4.either of two related things, esp. when one implies the other.

—Related forms
cor·re·lat·a·ble, adjective

critique

–noun
1.an article or essay criticizing a literary or other work; detailed evaluation; review.
2.a criticism or critical comment on some problem, subject, etc.
3.the art or practice of criticism. –verb (used with object)
4.to review or analyze critically.