THE GIVER VOCABULARY
Palpable (adjective): Plainly seen, heard,
perceived, etc.; obvious; evident.
“Jonas remembered that moment of palpable,
stomach-sinking terror when the aircraft had
streaked above.”
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Distraught (adjective): Distracted; deeply
agitated.
Asher: “The crew was separating some salmon. I
guess I just got distraught, watching them.”
Teacher: “ ‘Distraught’ is too strong an adjective
to describe salmon-viewing.”
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THE GIVER VOCABULARY
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Adherence (noun): The act of following closely
or exactly.
“Jonas glanced at his mother, the one
responsible for adherence to the rules, and was
relieved that she was smiling.
Aptitude (noun): capability; ability; talent for
something.
Jonas’s Father: “Well, it was clear to me what my
aptitude was. I had always loved the newchildren
more than anything.”

THE GIVER VOCABULARY
-Chastise (verb): To discipline; scold.
“Jonas didn’t like that Lily had mentioned
his eyes. He waited for his father to
chastise her.”
-Bewildered (adjective): Completely
puzzled or confused; perplexed.
“Jonas thought again about that incident.
He was still bewildered by it.”
THE GIVER VOCABULARY
-Invariably (adverb): Always; without exception.
“They almost invariably did their hours on
recreation duty first..”
-Chortled (verb): Chuckled gleefully.
“ ‘We’ll have to suggest that to the committee.
Maybe they’d study it,’ Jonas said slyly, and
Larissa chortled with laughter.”
THE GIVER VOCABULARY
-Disquieting (adjective): Causing anxiety or
uneasiness; disturbing.
“Jonas tried to pay better attention while his
mother told of a dream fragment, a disquieting
scene...”
-Reprieve (noun): delay from punishment or an
unpleasant event.
“Gabe had been given a special reprieve from
the committee, and granted an additional year
of Nurturing before his Naming and Placement.”
THE GIVER VOCABULARY
-Buoyancy (noun): The power to float or rise;
lightness.
Jonas: “Buoyancy.”
Asher: “Whatever. I don’t have it. I sink.”
-Disposition (noun): A person’s usual
temperament or frame of mind; character.
“Asher’s cheerful disposition was well-known
throughout the community.”
THE GIVER VOCABULARY
-Meticulously (adverb): Very carefully; precisely.
“Finally the Chief Elder paid tribute to the hard
work of her committee, which had performed
the observations so meticulously all year.”
-Avert (verb): To turn away or aside.
“Jonas saw the others in his group glance at
him, embarrassed, and then avert their eyes
quickly.”
THE GIVER VOCABULARY
 Benign
(adjective): Showing gentleness or
kindness.
“The community, relieved very slightly from
its discomfort by her benign statement,
seemed to breathe more easily.”
 Compel (verb): To force or drive,
especially to a course of action.
“Reading the rule again, however, he
realized that it didn’t compel him to be
rude; it simply allowed him the option.”
The GIVER VOCAB

Transmit (verb): To pass or spread to another.
Receiver: “I am now going to transmit the memory
of snow.”

Conspicuous (adjective): Easily seen or noticed.
“But the most conspicuous difference was the
books…The room was completely covered with
bookcases that reached the ceiling.”
THE GIVER VOCAB

Frigid (adjective): Very cold in temperature.
“He was filled with energy, and he breathed
again, feeling the sharp intake of frigid air.”
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Tentatively (adverb): Uncertainly, hesitantly,
cautiously.
“Tentatively he opened his eyes…”
THE GIVER VOCAB
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Relinquish (Verb): To give up, to let go.
The Giver: “We relinquished color when we
relinquished sunshine and did away with the
differences.”
-Wryly (Adverb): In a sarcastic manner,
sometimes indicating dislike.
“The Giver looked startled at the certainty of
Jonas’s reaction. Then he smiled wryly.”
THE GIVER VOCAB

Assimilated (verb): To take in, adjust, gather
together.
The Giver: “Finally it subsided as the memories
were assimilated.”
-Assuage (verb): To soothe or calm.
“It was not enough to assuage the pain that
Jonas was beginning, now, to know.”