Are You Smarter Than A New York Times Reader?

    The Times recently published a list of the most looked-up words of 2011. Here are the top 20 -- how many of these do you know without having to look them up? Highlight the area below the word for a definition, and share your score.

    1. Panegyric

    Noun

    A formal speech or opus publicly praising someone or something.

    Example: "BuzzFeed posted another panegyric on Nyan Cat today."

    2. Immiscible

    Adjective

    Two or more liquids that are not mutually soluble; unmixable.

    Example: "A mixture of oil, water and mercury forms three immiscible layers."



    3. Manichaean



    Adjective

    Of or relating to Manichaeism, of or characterized by dualistic contrast or conflict between opposites.

    Example: "He has a simplistic, Manichaean view of the world."



    4. Inveighs



    Verb (Third-person singular simple present indicative form of inveigh.)

    To rant and rave or complain angrily

    Example: "All men inveighed against him; all men, except court vassals, opposed him." — John Milton.



    5. Crepuscular



    Adjective

    Of or relating to twilight; dim; active at or around dusk, dawn or twilight.

    Example: "He looked out into the crepuscular gloom, and only saw Maru jump into a box among the growing shadows.



    6. Legerdemain



    Noun

    Sleight of hand; "magic" trickery; a show of skill or deceitful ability.

    Example: "His ledgermain at the blackjack table of the casion landed him in jail."



    7. Churlish



    Adjective

    Of or pertaining to a serf, peasant, or rustic; rude, surly, ungracious; stingy or grudging.

    Example: "The churlishness of YouTube commenters is well-known on the web."



    8. Risible



    Adjective

    Of or pertaining to laughter; provoking laughter; ludicrous; ridiculous; humorously insignificant.

    Example: "I'm using the word risible in this example right now."



    9. Anathema



    Noun

    A ban or curse pronounced with religious solemnity by ecclesiastical authority, often accompanied by excommunication; denunciation of anything as accursed; an imprecation; a curse; a malediction.

    Example: "Eating vegetables is anathema to most children."



    10. Recognizance



    Noun

    A form of bail; a promise made by the accused to the court that he/she will attend all required judicial proceedings and will not engage in further illegal activity or other prohibited conduct as set by the court.

    Example: "The defendant was released on his own recognizance."



    11. Omertà



    Noun

    A code of silence amongst members of a criminal organization (especially the Mafia) that forbids divulging insider secrets to law enforcement.

    Example: "I'd tell you what omertà means, but then I'd have to kill you. Probably."



    12. Superannuated



    Adjective

    Obsolete due to age; retired or discarded due to age.

    Example: "Most of my posts on BuzzFeed are superannuated, so I win the 'classic' badge a lot."



    13. Perfidy



    Noun

    A state or act of violating faith or allegiance; violation of a promise or vow, or of trust reposed; faithlessness; treachery.

    Example: "The traitor's perfidy made the townspeople very, very angry. There was a run on pitchforks and torches."



    14. Hauteur



    Noun

    Haughtiness or arrogance; loftiness.

    Example: "The fashionistas gazed at the mom jeans that the crowd of tourists were all wearing with barely concealed hauteur."



    15. Samizdat



    Noun

    The secret copying and sharing of illegal publications, chiefly in the Soviet Union; underground publishing and its publications; a samizdat publication.

    Example: "Samizdat editors were often on the run from the authorities in the 1960's and 1970's."



    16. Avuncular



    Adjective

    In the manner of an uncle, pertaining to an uncle; kind, genial, benevolent, or tolerant.

    Example: "In Christopher Nolan's Batman films, Michael Cain plays the avuncular butler Alfred."



    17. Inchoate



    Adjective

    Recently started but not fully formed yet; just begun; only elementary or immature; chaotic, disordered, confused; also, incoherent, rambling.

    Example: "Dear Internet Troll: Your argument is inchoate."



    18. Duplicitous



    Adjective

    Given to or marked by deliberate deceptiveness in behavior or speech.

    Example: "Batman could never trust the duplicitous Ra's Al Ghul."



    19. Perfunctory



    Adjective

    Done merely to discharge a duty; performed mechanically and as a thing of rote; done in a careless and superficial manner; characterized by indifference; as, perfunctory admonitions.

    Example: "He did a perfunctory job cleaning his dad's car, finishing quickly but leaving a few spots still dirty."



    20. Dyspeptic



    Adjective

    Of, relating to, or having dyspepsia or indigestion; irritable or morose.

    Example: "Uh-oh, it looks like my boss is in another of his dyspeptic moods, better lay low today."