Word smart #2

Question 1

Consecrate

Answer 1

Denotation: make or declare (something, typically a church) sacred; dedicate formally to a religious or divine purpose.
Connotation: sanctify, bless, ordain
Root word: Latin stem consecrat, which means dedicated, devoted, and sacred.
Sentence: We will see the princess consecrate a decree at her inauguration.

Question 2

Consensus

Answer 2

Denotation: a general agreement.
Connotation: agreement, concord, consent
Root word: from Latin, ‘agreement’, from consens- ‘agreed’, from the verb consentire.
Sentence: The team came to a consensus after finding out the problem.

Question 3

Consonant

Answer 3

Consonant-
Denotation: one of the speech sounds or letters of the alphabet that is not a vowel.
Connotation: alphabet, letters, speech sounds
Root word: from Latin consonare ‘sound together’, from con- ‘with’ + sonare ‘to sound’ (from sonus ‘sound’).
Sentence: The alphabet is made up of consonants and vowels.

Question 4

Construe

Answer 4

Denotation: interpret (a word or action) in a particular way.
Connotation: interpret, understand, elucidate
Root word: from the Latin verb construere, meaning “to construct.”
Sentence: People construe words and phrases in various ways.

Question 5

Consummate

Answer 5

Denotation: a newly-wedded couple having sex on their wedding night. OR showing a high degree of skill and flair; complete or perfect.
Connotation: complete, accomplish, achieve
Root word: Latin verb consummare (meaning “to sum up” or “to finish”)
Sentence: She’s a consummate learner

Question 6

Contentious

Answer 6

Denotation: causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial.
Connotation: controversial, disputable, vexed
Root word: from Latin contentiosus, from content- ‘striven’, from the verb contendere.
Sentence: She has some very contentious views in politics.

Question 7

Contiguous

Answer 7

Denotation: sharing a common border; touching.
Connotation: adjacent, adjoining, bordering
Root word: from Latin contiguus ‘touching’, from the verb contingere ‘be in contact, befall’ (see contingent), + -ous.
Sentence: Chile has a contiguous border with Argentina.

Question 8

Contingent

Answer 8

Denotation: subject to chance.
Connotation: chance, accidental, unforeseen
Root word: from Latin contingere ‘befall’, from con-‘together with’ + tangere ‘to touch’.
Sentence: Buying my new phone was contingent.

Question 9

Contrite

Answer 9

Denotation: feeling or expressing remorse or penitence; affected by guilt.
Connotation: remorseful, regretful, apologetic
Root word: from the Latin verb conterere, meaning “to grind” or “to bruise.”
Sentence: The person was contrite after committing the crime.

Question 10

Contrived

Answer 10

Denotation: deliberately created rather than arising naturally or spontaneously; arranged
Connotation: unnatural, artificial, manufactured
Root word: Latin contropare ‘compare’.
Sentence: Her feelings for him were contrived.

Question 11

Conventional

Answer 11

Denotation: behavior or opinions that are ordinary and normal.
Connotation: typical, normal, regular
Root word: Latin conventionalis “pertaining to convention or agreement,”
Sentence: The bride was conventional when wearing white on her wedding day.

Question 12

Convivial

Answer 12

Denotation: relating to, occupied with, or fond of feasting, drinking, and good company.
Connotation: congenial, friendly, lively
Root word: “convivium,” a Latin word meaning “banquet,”
Sentence: The host was very convivial at the party.

Question 13

Copious

Answer 13

Denotation: abundant in supply or quantity.
Connotation: abundant, plentiful, bountiful
Root word: copia, meaning “abundance.”
Sentence: She had a copious amount of clothes.

Question 14

Corollary

Answer 14

Denotation: something that naturally follows.
Connotation: inference, conclusion, generalization.
Root word: corollarium, which means “a garland given as a reward.”
Sentence: A corollary may be undeniably true if the concept or theory it’s based on the truth.

Question 15

Corroborate

Answer 15

Denotation: to support with evidence or authority.
Connotation: confirm, authenticate, sapport
Root word: Latin corrōborāre, formed from the prefix cor- “completely” plus rōborāre “to strengthen” (from rōbur “strength”).
Sentence: In the CER, the claim was not sufficiently corroborated.

Question 16

Cosmopolitan

Answer 16

Denotation: including or containing people from many different countries.
Connotation: international, universal, worldwide
Root word: root polit-, from the Greek word for “citizen”, someone who is cosmopolitan is a “citizen of the world”.
Sentence: New York is a cosmopolitan city.

Question 17

Countenance

Answer 17

Denotation: a person’s face or facial expression. Or acceptable, tolerable
Connotation: expression, features, appearance
Root word: contenance ‘bearing, behavior’, from contenir (see contain). The early sense was ‘bearing, demeanor’, also ‘facial expression’, hence ‘the face’.
Sentence: The person’s countenance was wide-eyed with a big smile.

Question 18

Coup

Answer 18

Denotation: a sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from a government.
Connotation: overthrow, takeover, ousting
Root word: Latin colpus ‘blow’
Sentence: The King and Queen face a coup attempt last week.

Question 19

Covenant

Answer 19

Denotation: an agreement.
Connotation: compact, treaty, bond
Root word: covenir ‘agree’, from Latin convenire
Sentence: The priest’s covenant is an agreement between him and God.

Question 20

Covert

Answer 20

Denotation: not openly acknowledged or displayed.
Connotation: secret, stealthy, concealed
Root word: ‘covered’, past participle of covrir.
Sentence: The spy did not reveal his covert plans to anybody.

Question 21

Covet

Answer 21

Denotation: yearn to possess or have (something).
Connotation: desire, crave, want
Root word: from Latin cupiditas “passionate desire, eagerness, ambition,”
Sentence: The ten commandments state that one should not covet another’s goods.

Question 22

Credulous

Answer 22

Denotation: having or showing too great a readiness to believe things.
Connotation: gullible, naive, impressionable
Root word: from Latin credulus (from credere ‘believe’)
Sentence; My friend Jasmine is credulous and believes anything.

Question 23

Criterion

Answer 23

Denotation: a principle or standard by which something may be judged or decided.
Connotation: basis, standard, benchmark
Root Word: from κριτής (kritḗs, “judge”), from κρίνω (krínō, “to judge”); see critic.
Sentence: Teh criterion for joining a band is to know how to play an instrument.

Question 24

Cryptic

Answer 24

Denotation: having a meaning that is mysterious or obscure.
Connotation: mysterious, mystifying, obscure
Root word: Latin crypticus, from Greek kryptos, “hidden.”
Sentence: Obama has issued a cryptic statement on climate change.

Question 25

Culinary

Answer 25

Denotation: of or for cooking.
Connotation: delicious, dietary, edible
Root word: Latin culinarius, from culina ‘kitchen’.
Sentence: My friend Carlos is studying Culinary Arts.