Brave New World: Chapters 7–12

by Aldous Huxley
In the futuristic World State, the genetically altered citizens are happy and free of pain—but they cannot exercise free will. Learn these words from Huxley's influential dystopian novel, first published in 1932.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–6, Chapters 7–12, Chapters 13–18
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. reciprocate
    act, feel, or give mutually or in return
    Her feeling was evidently reciprocated; the very back of the man, as he walked along before them, was hostile, sullenly contemptuous.
  2. inaudible
    impossible to hear; imperceptible by the ear
    Sometimes the pulsing of the drums was all but inaudible, at others they seemed to be beating only just round the corner.
  3. incredulity
    doubt about the truth of something
    “But how can they live like this?” she broke out in a voice of indignant incredulity.
  4. unorthodox
    breaking with tradition or typical norms
    Ashamed, now that the effects of the soma had worn off, of the weakness he had displayed that morning in the hotel, he went out of his way to show himself strong and unorthodox.
  5. innocuous
    lacking intent or capacity to injure
    But a little later it was reminding her a good deal less of that innocuous function.
  6. aseptic
    free of pathological microorganisms
    I remember how it used to upset me, all that dirt, and nothing being aseptic.
  7. squeamish
    easily disturbed or disgusted by unpleasant things
    His conditioning had made him not so much pitiful as profoundly squeamish.
  8. heinous
    extremely wicked or deeply criminal
    Consider the matter dispassionately, Mr. Foster, and you will see that no offence is so heinous as unorthodoxy of behavior.
  9. ignominy
    a state of dishonor
    For this reason I propose to dismiss him, to dismiss him with ignominy from the post he has held in this Centre.
  10. rejuvenate
    return to life; get or give new life or energy
    No more breathing. Finished. And a good thing too. If we could rejuvenate, of course it would be different. But we can’t.
  11. unwonted
    out of the ordinary
    Pale, her blue eyes clouded with an unwonted melancholy, she sat in a corner, cut off from those who surrounded her by an emotion which they did not share.
  12. subversive
    in opposition to an established system or government
    “The author’s mathematical treatment of the conception of purpose is novel and highly ingenious, but heretical and, so far as the present social order is concerned, dangerous and potentially subversive. Not to be published.”
  13. magnanimity
    nobility and generosity of spirit
    Touched, Bernard felt himself at the same time humiliated by this magnanimity—a magnanimity the more extraordinary and therefore the more humiliating in that it owed nothing to soma and everything to Helmholtz’s character.
  14. estrangement
    separation resulting from hostility
    At their first meeting after the estrangement, Bernard poured out the tale of his miseries and accepted consolation.
  15. latent
    potentially existing but not presently evident or realized
    As though I were beginning to be able to use that power I feel I’ve got inside me — that extra, latent power.
Created on Mon Feb 09 20:54:55 EST 2015 (updated Fri Jun 27 15:45:04 EDT 2025)

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