How and where to use 500 of the words that make you sound more cultured, worldly, and downright smart.

Whoever said sounding smart had to be painful? It’s all in how you acquire the “ten-dollar words” of English. Smart Words makes fast and smooth learning of words such as prelapsarian , sedulous , sybaritic and draconian . How? By sticking to ultra-simple definitions, then offering a memorable—and often funny— description of when or why to use the word. A sample sentence shows you how. And the phonetics are a snap.

Here’s the description of sybaritic , defined as luxurious : “Make that luxurious with a capital S. The word got its start from Sybaris, an ancient Greek city known for being a tad over the top in the pamper-me department.”

Whether you’re a word lover, a fan of quirky reference books, or simply in need of a vocabulary makeover, Smart Words will help you be smart(er) about the words you use and the way you use them.