Amicable
Friendly; without disagreement or rancor.
Antebellum
Referring to the historical period in the American south before the Civil War; literally meaning 'before war'.
Auburn
A dark red-brown.
Chateaubriand
A type of thick steak, cut from the tenderloin.
Chifforobe
A stand-alone piece of furniture in which one hangs clothes; a wardrobe.
Corn pone
Another name for corn bread; a type of sweet bread containing corn.
Defoliant
A chemical that strips the leaves from plants and trees.
Degustationary
Characterized by careful, appreciative tasting of food.
Fiddleheads
A small shoot from an edible type of fern. Its name comes from its resemblance to the curled top of a fiddle.
Fie
An expression of disgust or outrage.
Gentility
Good manners, behavior, and appearance; social superiority.
Grits
A popular southern dish, made of ground corn, whole milk, and cheese.
High Cotton
Doing well, being successful.
High Yellow
Slang term for a light-skinned black child.
Huarache shoes
Light, woven sandals.
Insipid
Lacking vigor; uninteresting.
Jelly-rolling
Slang term for sexual activity.
Law
When spoken by Minny or Aibileen, this word means "Lord"; used to express great emotion.
Kudzu
Long trailing vines; they grow in tangled bunches on trees.
Taffeta
A smooth, plan fabric, often used for ball gowns.
