entrepreneur n. (on truh pruh NUR) one who starts and runs an enterprise, business, etc. She was an aggressive entrepreneur; as soon as she closed the boutique she opened a restaurant.
entropy n. (EN truh pee) a state of ongoing deterioration in a system. The entropy found in some third world societies is difficult to turn around.
enunciate vb. (e NUN see ayt) to pronounce clearly. When giving a speech, be sure to enunciate each word clearly.
envoy n. (ON voy) a representative. A special envoy was sent to the state house to relay a diplomatic message.
ephemeral adj. (i FEM ur al) fleeting; of short duration. The appearance of a comet in our night sky was ephemeral.
epic adj. (EH pik) on a grand scale; mythical, legendary; heroic; extraordinary. Last February we were blasted by a blizzard of epic proportions.
epiphany n. (i PIH fuh nee) a great revelatory experience or insight; an illumination of a truth. The astronaut experienced a great epiphany as he orbited the Earth; next to the vastness of the universe, he suddenly realized how small his problems really were.
epitome n. (i PIT uh me) the perfect example or representation. Many thought that Jimi Hendrix was the epitome of cool.
equanimity n. (EE kwuh NIM i tee) composure. Even as his house burned down in front of him, my neighbor maintained his equanimity.
equilibrium n. (EE kwuh LIB ree um) balance, composure, and stability. Long-term power outages tend to test my family's equilibrium.
equitable adj. (EK wi tuh bul) fair. The judge divided the prizes among the contestants in an equitable manner.
equivocate vb. (i KWIV uh kayt) to speak ambiguously or evasively. When asked whether they will or will not raise taxes, politicians often equivocate.
ergonomics n. (ur go NOM iks) the science of design that seeks to serve human form and facilitate functioning and productivity, especially in a work environment. The ergonomics of the plant was considered state-of-the-art; everything was designed with worker safety, comfort, and productivity in mind.
erroneous adj. (i RO nee us) incorrect; wrong. The politician insisted that the accusations against him were totally erroneous.
erudite adj. (ER yoo dite) highly educated; learned. The professor was erudite and difficult to debate.
eschew vb. (es CHOO) shun; forego; avoid. I tend to eschew any sort of rich, fatty food.
esoteric adj. (ES uh TER ik) designed for a small group; difficult for ordinary people to understand. Only a handful of scientists truly understood the physicist's esoteric theories about the universe.
esprit de corps n. (es SPREE de COHR) in a group, a common bond that unifies and facilitates friendliness and cooperation. All of the runners in the charity marathon babbled together excitedly; the esprit de corps even spilled over to the spectators.
estranged adj. (e STRAYNJD) alienated. After the fight, the couple became increasingly estranged.
ethereal adj. (i THIR ee ul) heavenly or otherworldly. Also, celestial. The mysterious woman had an ethereal quality, almost like an angel.
eugenics n. (yoo JEN iks) a highly controversial philosophy or science that claims the human population can and should be strengthened by prohibiting weaker members from procreating. Eugenics theoretically can strengthen genetic stock, but it may do so at the price of human rights.
euphemism n. (YOO fum iz um) a polite word or phrase used in place of an offensive one. "Darn" has long been used as a euphemism for "damn."
euphoria n. (yoo FOR ee uh) elation; great happiness and joy. As the home team scored the winning touchdown, the crowd reacted with shrieks of euphoria.
euthanasia n. (yoo than AY szhuh) mercy killing. Some believe in euthanasia for people with terminal illnesses and agonizing pain.
exacerbate vb. (ek ZAS ur bayt) to make worse; to aggravate. Insulting your opponent during an argument will only exacerbate the matter.
exacting adj. (eg ZAK ting) rigorous and painstaking; difficult, meticulous. Filing an accurate tax return is an exacting task.
exalt vb. (eg ZAWLT) to honor or glorify. Our society tends to exalt athletes and ignore engineers.
exasperate vb. (eg ZAS puh RAYT) to madden, infuriate, or frustrate profoundly. If you're planning to have children, be forewarned; they will exasperate you at every turn.
exemplary adj. (eg ZEM pluh ree) that which is of such quality as to be made an example of or imitated by others. Her needlepoint is exemplary.
exemplify vb. (eg ZEM pluh fye) to serve as a great example or model. Michael Jordan will always exemplify the superstar athlete.
exhaustive adj. (ex ZAWS tiv) thorough, complete. We made an exhaustive search through our computer files but came up empty.
exonerate vb. (eg ZAWN ur rayt) to prove innocent. The attorney announced confidently that the new evidence would exonerate his client.
exorbitant adj. (eg ZORB uh tunt) excessive, unreasonable. A required twenty-five-percent tip for the wait staff is exorbitant, and I refuse to pay it.
expedient adj. (ek SPEE dee unt) immediately useful. If your toilet is overflowing, it would be expedient to use a plunger.
expedite vb. (EK spi DITE) to speed things along or help to speed things along. My real estate agent said he would expedite matters by delivering the document himself.
explicit adj. (eks PLIS it) clearly and unambiguously expressed. The movie was restricted to minors because of its explicit sex and violence.
exploit vb. (ek SPLOYT) to make use of or take advantage of. I want an agent who will exploit every opportunity to the fullest.