The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate by Eugene Ehrlich

epitaph is almost never used incorrectly, epithet frequently appears incorrectly in student themes.
     
     
     
    Related words: epithetic ( EP -i-THET-ik) and epithetical ( EP -i-THET-i-k e l) both adjectives .
     
     
     
    epitome (i-PIT- e -mee) noun
     
    1. something that shows on a small scale the qualities of something larger.
     
    2. a person who embodies a quality.
     
     
    Epitome does not mean the best , even though many people think this is one of the word's meanings. Use the word only as defined above, for example, “She is the epitome of grace.”
     
     
     
    Related words: epitomic ( EP -i-TOM-ik) and epitomical ( EP -i-TOM-i-k e l) both adjectives , epitomize (i-PIT- e - M I Z ) verb .
     
     
     
    eponym (EP- e -nim) noun
     
    a person whose name is taken for a people, place, institution, etc.
     
     
    Related words: eponymic ( EP - e -NIM-ik) and eponymous ( e -PON- e -m e s) both adjectives , eponymy ( e -PON- e -mee) noun .
     
     
     
    equable (EK-w e -b e l) adjective
     
    1. uniform, unvarying.
     
    2. even-tempered.
     
     
    Do not confuse equable with equitable , which see.
     
     
     
    Related words: equability ( EK -w e -BIL-i-tee) and equableness (EK-w e -b e l-nis) both nouns , equably adverb .
     
     
     
    equitable (EK-wi-t e -b e l) adjective
     
    fair and just.
     
     
    Do not confuse equitable with equable , meaning uniform, unvarying; even-tempered . A legal claim may be equitable ; a region's weather conditions and a person's temperament may be equable .
     
     
     
    Related words: equitableness noun , equitably adverb .
     
     
     
    equivocal (i-KWIV- e -k e l) adjective
     
    1. able to be interpreted in two ways; ambiguous.
     
    2. of doubtful nature or character; questionable; suspicious.
     
     
    Related words: equivocacy (i-KWIV- e -k e -see), equivocality (i- KWIV - e -KAL-i-tee), and equivocalness (i-KWIV- e -k e l-nis) all nouns ; equivocally adverb .
     
     
     
    equivocate (i-KWIV- e - KAYT ) verb
     
    1. use ambiguous words in order to conceal the truth.
     
    2. tell lies.
     
     
    Related words: equivocatingly (i-KWIV- e - KAYT -ing-lee) adverb , equivocation (i- KWIV - e -KAY-sh e n) and equivocator (i-KWIV- e - KAY -t e r) both nouns .
     
     
     
    equivoque (EK-w e - VOHK ) noun , also given as equivoke
     
    1. a play on words; a pun.
     
    2. ambiguity.
     
     
    eremite (ER- e - M I T ) noun
     
    a hermit or recluse, especially one who has taken religious vows.
     
     
    Related words: eremitic ( ER - e -MIT-ik), eremitical ( ER - e -MIT-i-k e l), and eremitish (ER- e - M I -tish) all adjectives ; eremitism (ER- e - MIT -iz- e m) noun .
     
     
     
    eructation (i-ruk-TAY-sh e n) noun
     
    1. belching.
     
    2. discharge of a volcano.
     
     
    Related words: eruct (i-RUKT) and eructate (i-RUK-tayt) both verbs , eructative (i-RUK-t e -tiv) adjective .
     
     
     
    eschew (es-CHOO) verb
     
    avoid; abstain from.
     
     
    Related words: eschewal and eschewer both nouns .
     
     
     
    escritoire ( ES -kri-TWAHR) noun
     
    a writing desk with drawers.
     
     
    esoteric ( ES - e -TER-ik) adjective
     
    intended only for people with special knowledge or interest; not generally intelligible.
     
     
    Do not confuse esoteric with exoteric , which see.
     
     
     
    Related words: esoterica ( ES - e -TER-i-k e ) noun , esoterically adverb .
     
     
     
    esurient (i-SUUR-ee- e nt) adjective
     
    1. hungry.
     
    2. greedy.
     
     
    Related words: esurience and esuriency both nouns , esuriently adverb .
     
     
     
    ethos (EE-thos) noun
     
    the characteristic spirit and beliefs of a community, person, or literary work.
     
     
    etiology ( EE -tee-OL- e -jee), plural etiologies
     
    1. the study of causes, as in philosophy, physics, etc.
     
    2. the assignment of cause, especially in disease.
     
     
    Related word: etiologist noun .
     
     
     
    eulogy (YOO-l e -jee) noun, plural eulogies ; also given as eulogium (yoo-LOH-jee- e m), plural eulogiums and eulogia (yoo-LOH-jee- e )
     
    a speech