“Milieu” means “environment” or “surroundings.” This word refers to both physical and metaphysical space.

Example 1:  “A rose garden is the perfect milieu for a wedding.”
Example 2:  “Her years in the political milieu have made her comfortable with people in all walks of life.”

“Ribald”. This adjective means “vulgar, but in a humorous way.” It can be applied to off-color jokes, or to the person who tells them. Another word for ribald is “bawdy.”

Example:  “The stand-up comic was known for his ribald jokes about his girlfriend.”

“Judicious” means “with good judgment” or “using common sense.” A judicious balance of work and play is good for you.

Example:  “The chef used a judicious blend of sweet and hot spices to season the grilled fish.”

The word “assiduous” means “with care and persistent effort.” The best students are usually the ones who are assiduous in their study habits.

Example:  “She is devoted to her mother and is assiduous in caring for her and her three cats.”

“Adroit” means “skillful” or “adept.” Someone who is adroit makes the best possible choices in any given situation.

Example:  “His adroit use of humor kept the debaters calm, even though the topic was very controversial.”

“Requisite” means essential or necessary. Many schools have classes they call “prerequisites” – these are classes that it is necessary to take before moving on to a higher-level class.

Example:  “The two candidates were both very skilled, but only one had the requisite qualifications for the position.”

One important aspect of increasing your vocabulary is knowing which word is pertinent to your situation. “Pertinent” means relevant and to the point, something that is logically connected.

Example:  “Karen doesn’t always speak up in the weekly meetings, but when she does, she always has something pertinent to contribute.

Regular use of these powerful words will convince your friends that you’re erudite. Someone who is erudite is learned and scholarly, and has read many books to get that education. “Erudite” is from the Latin verb “erudio” or “to train.”

Example:  “Kate has spent years studying and traveling abroad; she’s so erudite, she can talk knowledgeably about almost anything.”

The word “chronology” comes from the Greek root “kronos” meaning “time.” A chronology is a series of events, or timeline.

Example:  “Deep waterways like the Grand Canyon show the chronology of geologic deposits in the strata revealed on the cliff walls.”

Changes in society require changes in vocabulary, and these neologisms are created to describe them. “Neologism” means “new word”, from the Greek roots “neo” (new) and “logos” (word).

Example:  “It takes several years for the Oxford English Dictionary to officially add a neologism like ‘fembot’ or ‘webmaster’ to its word list.”