Vocab 16

Question 1

Conjecture

Answer 1

Conjecture – conclusion based on incomplete information, speculation, guess, hypothesis

(E.g. “Conjectures about the newcomer were many and varied.”)

Question 2

Extrapolation

Answer 2

Extrapolation – educated guess, prediction based on known facts & observations

Question 3

Nonchalant

Answer 3

Nonchalant – unconcerned, casual or indifferent

(French: nonchaloir = not being concerned)

(E.g. “She gave a nonchalant shrug.”)

Question 4

Quintessential

Answer 4

Quintessential – possessing pure essence of something, most typical example of quality

(Latin: quinta essentia = fifth essence)

Question 5

Platitude

Answer 5

Platitude – trite, banal remark, ​cliché

(French: plat = flat)

(E.g. “He can only mouth the same old platitudes to audiences who already agree with him.”)

Question 6

Cliché

Answer 6

Cliché – unoriginal, predictable

(French: clicher = to stereotype)

Clichés are typically pejorative, may or not be true, some are stereotypes, but some are simply truisms and facts.

Question 7

Writ

Answer 7

Writ – written document issuing a legal order

(German base of write)

Question 8

Deify & Deity

Answer 8

Deify – worship or regard as a god

Deity – god or goddess, or divine status, quality

(Latin: deus = god)

Question 9

Intractable

Answer 9

Intractable – hard to control or manage

(E.g. “Intractable economic problems.”)

Question 10

Crescendo

Answer 10

Crescendo – gradual increase in loudness or intensity

(Latin: crescere = grow)

Question 11

Sanctioned

Answer 11

Sanctioned – established by authority, officially approved (ratified = give formal consent)

Question 12

Punctilious

Answer 12

Punctilious – great attention to detail or correct behaviour

(E.g. “Old-money aristocrats with a punctilious sense of propriety.”)

Question 13

Prodigious

Answer 13

Prodigious – exceptional or great

(Latin: prodigium = portent – exceptional person)

(E.g. “The stove consumed a prodigious amount of fuel.”)

Question 14

Garrulous

Answer 14

Garrulous – talkative on trivial matters, loquacious

(Latin: garrulus = chatter)

(E.g. “A garrulous cab driver.”)

Question 15

Ascetic

Answer 15

Ascetic – self-discipline & abstention from indulgences, typically for religious reasons

(Greek: askētēs = monk)

(E.g. “An ascetic life of prayer, fasting, and manual labour.”)

Question 16

Evanescence

Answer 16

Evanescence – gradually fading & vanishing

(Latin: evanescere = disappear, vanish)

(E.g. “After coming down with cancer, the dying woman realized the real evanescence of life and her fleeting existence.”)

Question 17

Cabalistic

Answer 17

Cabalistic – secretive, mysterious, cryptic

(E.g. “They have often cabalistic figures engraved on them.”)

Question 18

Fortuitous

Answer 18

Fortuitous – fortunate, by happy chance, adventitious

(E.g. “The similarity between the paintings may not be simply fortuitous.”)