Vocab P Flashcards
The priests at the ancient temple viewed anyone who did worship the Greek Gods as a pagan.
Pagan - one with no religious restraints; one who delights in sensual pleasures and material things; a hedonistic person
SYNONYM: heathen, idolater, irreligious, primitive
The politician had a “partisan” view of the tax bill. He was not listening to the people in his constituency. He was only listening to his party, the democrats.
Partisan - person devoted to another or a cause
SYNONYM: adherent, backer, devotee, proponent, stalwart, supporter, sympathizer, votary
The adopted boy had two men claiming to be his father. Those men had to prove their “paternal” claims by taking a paternity test.
Paternal - like a father; fatherly
SYNONYM: benevolent, devoted, patriarchal
The “patriarch” of the modern family is usually the father.
Patriarch - male head of a family or tribe
SYNONYM: ancestor, creator, father, senior
The fear of “perdition” had the devout Catholic worried about the fate of his soul. He decided to confess and admit to killing his business associate and turned himself to the authorities.
Perdition - eternal damnation; hell
SYNONYM: netherworld, the pit
The roses are “perennial” - they loose their flowers in the winter and come back in spring.
Perennial - year after year; again and again
SYNONYM: ceaseless, constant, continual, perpetual
The politician’s “perfunctory” response to the people’s concerns about schools had a widespread negative criticism. The politician lost his election because of not doing everything to help the very people who voted for him.
Perfunctory - mechanical, unenthusiastic, apathetic
SYNONYM: halfhearted, halfhearted, indifferent, mechanical, nonchalant
While the “periphery” of the pond looked small and safe, it was deceptively deep. Anyone who does not know how to swim can easily drown here.
Periphery - outermost edge
SYNONYM: border, boundary, circumference, edge, extremity, fringe, margin, outside, outskirts, perimeter
The smell of the delicious cookies “permeated” through the house staying around for days.
Permeate - to spread throughout
SYNONYM: drench, imbue, impregnate, infuse, ingrain, interfuse, penetrate, pervade, saturate, soak, steep, suffuse
The box found in the garden was “pertinent” to the case of the missing boy.
Pertinent - pertaining to the matter at hand
SYNONYM: admissible, applicable, apposite, appropriate, apropos, apt, fitting, germane, justifiable, legitimate, opportune, related, warranted
He was “perturbed” by the lack of response from the hospital with regards to his biopsy. He thought the doctors were taking too long and his might have cancer.
Perturb - to upset greatly
SYNONYM: acerbate, agitate, bewilder, confound, discompose, disconcert, dismay, disturb, fluster, irritate, perplex, p
The billionaire was commited to “philanthropy”. He contributed millions to education and the homeless.
Philanthropy - love of mankind (often expressed through charity)
SYNONYM: altruism, assistance, beneficence, generosity, gifting, humanitarianism
The “phylogeny” of the modern English words traces much of its roots back to Shakesperae.
Phylogeny - the evolutionary history of a kind of organism; a history or development of a word or custom
His “physiognomy” was a great reflection of his kind and gentle nature.
Physiognomy - the face or outside (taken as offering insight into character)
pithy
(adj) PITH-ee
brief, to the point
SYNONYM: cogent, compact, concise, crisp, curt, honed, laconic, pointed, succinct, terse
ANTONYM: long-winded, prolix, verbose, wordy
The cost of preventative care is “pittance” compared to the cost of remedial care. A cancer vaccination costs less than the cost of treating cancer.
(n) PIT-uns
a tiny amount
SYNONYM: bit, drop, inadequacy, insufficiency, mite, scrap, smidgen, trace, trifle
ANTONYM: abundance, lot, plenitude, plenty, profusion
The testimony of the witness was “pivotal” for the lawsuit against the tobacco company. The tobacco company lost their case and had to pay millions as compensation to throat cancer victims.
(adj) PIV-uh-tul
crucial
SYNONYM: cardinal, climactic, critical, decisive, determining, essential, focal, key, momentous
ANTONYM: inconsequential, insignificant, secondary, unimportant, unsubstantial
The petty and “plebeian” approach to the value of life is rampant when people find it hard to meet their basic needs for food, and shelter.
(adj) plee-BEE-un
relating to the common people
SYNONYM: common, low-class, lowborn, lowly, peasant, proletarian
ANTONYM: aristocratic, blue-blooded, elite, highborn, patrician
Copper wire is “pliable” but granite is not.
(adj) PLAHY-uh-buhl
bendable, adaptable
SYNONYM: compliant, ductile, flexible, limber, malleable, manageable, manipulable, moldable, plastic, pliant, supple, tractable, yielding
ANTONYM: inadaptable, inflexible, rigid, stiff, unyielding
He was “pompous” and conceited - never quite caring what people felt when he hurt their feelings.
(adj) POM-puhs
arrogant, egotistical
SYNONYM: affected, big-headed, boastful, bombastic, conceited, flaunting, grandiose, highfaluting, inflated, narcissistic, pretentious, showy, vainglorious
ANTONYM: dull, modest, plain, simple, unassuming
The “portentous” howling of the dogs sent shivers down my spine. Was there a calamity looming?
(adj) pawr-TEN-tuhs
foreboding
SYNONYM: apocalyptic, augural, ill-boding, impending, ominous, premonitory, prophetic, threatening
The early scientist “postulated” that the world was square because they could not fathom how people would stay on the earth and not fall off, if earth was round.
(v) PAHS-chuh-layt
to assume as a premise
SYNONYM: ascertain, assume, aver, conclude, conjecture, divine, estimate, hypothesize, infer, posit, presume, presuppose, speculate, suppose, surmise, theorize
ANTONYM: doubt, question
I think it was “presumptuous” of you to walk into my house and look through my things.
(adj) pri-ZUHMP-choo-uhs
excessively forward
SYNONYM: arrogant, audacious, bold, cheeky, egotistic, overconfident, pompous, presuming, pretentious
ANTONYM: modest, reserved, retiring, timid
The gathering for raising money for the homeless was full of “pretentious” people who did not care much for the poor. They were at the show only for the photo op.
(adj) pri-TEN-shuhs
marked by extravagant showiness
SYNONYM: assuming, bombastic, grandiose, imposing, magniloquent, ostentatious, overblown, pompous, splashy, vainglorious
ANTONYM: humble, modest
The shells found at the excavation site dates back to the “primeval” age.
(adj) pry-MEE-vul
of or related to the earliest ages of the earth
SYNONYM: ancient, primitive
ANTONYM: current, modern
The “pugnacious” street vendor has been warned many times by the cops.
(adj) puhg-NEY-shuhs
belligerent
SYNONYM: antagonistic, combative, contentious, defiant, quarrelsome, rebellious, scrappy, truculent
ANTONYM: cooperative, easy-going, laid-back
The “pungent” aroma of bleach can make you sick.
(adj) PUHN-juhnt
penetrating, biting
SYNONYM: acid, acrid, piquant, poignant, sharp, stinging, tangy, tart
ANTONYM: bland, dull, flavorless, tasteless
It has been “purported” that the mayor took bribes from the casino.
(adj) pur-PORT-id
supposed; rumored; reported
SYNONYM: alleged, averred, claimed, contended
ANTONYM: denied, denounced, refused
The “putrid” smell from lutefisk does not deter fans from enjoying the fermented fish..
(adj) PYOO-trid
rotten, stinking
SYNONYM: decayed, decomposed, fetid, foul, malodorous, noisome, putrefied, rancid, reeking, rotting, spoiled, tainted
ANTONYM: fresh, perfumed, refreshing, sweet
