Vocab 13

Question 1

Facetious

Answer 1

Facetious – inappropriately humorous, flippant, witty

(Latin: facetus = witty)

(E.g. “Stop being facetious; this is serious.”)

Question 2

Fatuous

Answer 2

Fatuous – silly, pointless

(Latin: fatuus = foolish)

(E.g. “Buying a car without negotiating down the price is a fatuous move.”)

Question 3

Erudite

Answer 3

Erudite – well educated person with great academic knowledge (Latin: erudire – instruct, train)

(E.g. “Ken could turn any conversation into an erudite discussion.”)

Question 4

Mores

Answer 4

Mores – customs, traditions, behaviours of society

(Latin: mōrēs = custom, habit but ALSO manners)

(E.g. “An offence against social mores.”)

Question 5

Moral

Answer 5

Moral – concerned with principles of right & wrong behaviour, ALSO lesson from story or experience

(Latin: mōrēs = custom, habit but ALSO manners)

(E. g. “The moral dimensions of medical intervention.” “The corruption of public morals.” “The moral of the story.”)

Question 6

Moralise

Answer 6

Moralise – comment on issues of right & wrong, with unfounded superiority

Question 7

Patrician

Answer 7

Patrician – aristocrat, nobleman, highly educated with refined upbringing & manners

Question 8

Vicissitude

Answer 8

Vicissitude – change in life’s circumstances or fortune often unpleasant

(Latin: vicis = change, alteration)

(E.g. “Some say that we must go through the vicissitudes in life to become a stronger person.”)

Question 9

Misandry &

Misogyny

Answer 9

Misandry – (from misanthropy) dislike of male sex

Misogyny – dislike, contempt or hatred of women, sexism

Question 10

Falter

Answer 10

Falter – lose strength, or be hesitant, weak, stammer

(E.g. “The music faltered, stopped, and started up again.”)

Question 11

Per ardua ad astra

Answer 11

Per ardua ad astra – through adversity to the stars

(from Latin)

(motto of USA & Australian Royal Air Force)

Question 12

Zealot

Answer 12

Zealot – fanatical pursuit of religious or political beliefs

(Greek mythology: zēlotes = admirer, follower)

(E.g. “He is a zealot, but fortunately he does not have an army of zealots to lead.”)

Question 13

Libidinous

Answer 13

Libidinous – strong sexual drive, lustful

(Latin: libido = desire, lust)

Question 14

Puerile

Answer 14

Puerile – childish, silly & immature, relating to youth

(Latin: puer = boy)

Question 15

Ken

Answer 15

Ken – understanding, knowledge, perception

(Scottish Gaelic: kennen = to make known)

Question 16

Perfidy

Answer 16

Perfidy – deceitful, untrustworthy, treachery

(Latin: per = to ill effect; fides = faith)

(E.g. “Her life was notorious for intrigue and perfidy.”)

(Notorious = famous for a bad quality)

Question 17

Beget

Answer 17

Beget – cause, bring about, create ALSO bring a child to existence, to father

(E.g. “Killings beget more killings.”)

Question 18

Analogous

Answer 18

Analogous (from analogy) – similar, comparable in certain respects