Austere

• very plain
• adjective
• aw-steer
• 1300–50 Middle English < Latin < Greek
• It was after dark by the time Waldo returned to the cinder-block cabin that,   all winter long,centered his austere  homestead. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/austere



This room is austere.
http://www.simplicitylove.com/2013/06/la-chiesuola-italy-marina-sinibaldi.html

Esoteric

• difficult to understand
• adjective
• es-uh-ter-ik
• 1645-55 Greek
• Some of their anthems can be a bit too intricate and esoteric  for newcomers. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/esoteric?s=t



Hieroglyphics are esoteric and take many years to learn.
http://www.bl.uk/learning/images/whywrite/new/large7408.html

Facsimile

• an accurate copy
• noun
• fak-sim-uh-lee
• 1655-65 Latin
• The expanded system would also provide for facsimile  and computer data transmission. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/facsimile?s=t



The word fax is the same as facsimile.  You can use a facsimile machine to send copies from one place to another.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/facsimile

Grotesque

• strange-looking
• adjective
• groh-tesk
• 1555–65 French < Italian
• She looked like some kind of grotesque  praying mantis. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/grotesque?s=t



The object on the side of the building looks like some kind of grotesque caveman.
http://groteskology.blogspot.com/2010/09/ruskin-around-2-back-in-habit.html

Mesmerize

• to fascinate
• verb
• mez-muh-rahyz, mes-
• 1820-30 German
• Sure, a simple sandbox and climbing gym are enough to mesmerize  toddlers. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mesmerize?s=t



The picture mesmerizes me every time I look at it and I can't take my eyes off it.
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/mesmerize-michael-durst.html

Metamorphosis

• a change in form
• noun
• met-uh-mawr-fuh-si
• 1525–35 Neo-Latin < Greek
• In earliest human life, some cells undergo a dramatic metamorphosis . http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/metamorphosis?s=t



A caterpillar changes to a butterfly in a process called metamorphosis.
http://doulafaith.org/tag/creationism/ 

Notorious

• regarded negatively
• adjective
• noh-tawr-ee-uhs, -tohr-, nuh-
• 1540-50 Medieval Latin
• Spiders are notorious  hunters, luring prey into their sticky webs or ambushing them from be hind a leaf. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/notorious?s=t



The Oakland Raiders are notorious for drafting fast thugs.
http://www.thisis50.com/profiles/blogs/ice-cube-shows-his-raider-love

Perfunctory

• uninterested, boring
• adjective
• per-fuhngk-tuh-ree
• 1575-85 Late Latin
• The daughter remembers how she was too busy with city life to make anything   more than aperfunctory phone   call home. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/perfunctory



The women brushes her teeth as a part of her perfunctory morning routine.
http://kidsproblem.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Brushing-Teeth.jpg

Provocative

• attention-getting
• adjective
• pruh-vok-uh-tiv
• 1375–1425 late Middle English < Late Latin
• That's a brave and provocative  idea that may not come as a complete surprise to   the latest  generation of biophysicists. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/provocative?s=t



This "Twerk Team Captain" shirt is provocative because it will draw every ones attention that walks by.
http://www.geekosystem.com/twerk-in-oed/

Travesty

• a joking, disrespectful imitation
• noun
• trav-uh-stee
• 1655–65 French < Italian < Latin
• The retraction that does not spell out what's wrong is not a retraction, it's a joke and a travesty . http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/travesty?s=t



This picture is a travesty because it mocks Edvard Munch's painting called "The Scream".
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/travesty

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