English Vocabulary - Archives

For each word, you will get the meaning and the root of the word and synonyms and antonyms for the word. For each word, you will also get a simple sentence which uses the word. These sentences help you understand the usage of the words.

PACHYDERM (noun)

Meaning
a very large animal with thick skin
Root of the word
derma = skin
Synonyms
-
Antonyms
-
Usage
The rhino is the fastest pachyderm.

PACIFIC (adj)

Meaning
peace-loving
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
peaceable, non-violent, non-aggressive, mild, gentle
Antonyms
hostile, aggressive, belligerent
Usage
His pacific nature prevented him from getting involved in the brawl.

PACT (noun)

Meaning
something which is agreed on, an agreement esp. not legally enforceable
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
agreement, treaty, entente, protocol, deal, contract, settlement, arrangement, bargain, compact, obl
Antonyms
-
Usage
The extremist organisation made a peace pact with the government.

PADDOCK (noun)

Meaning
a small field or enclosure for horses.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
field, meadow, pasture, yard, pen, pound, stockade.
Antonyms
-
Usage
The farmer kept a fine breed of horses in the paddock behind his house.

PAEAN (noun)

Meaning
song of praise
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
plaudit, exaltation, extolment, encomium
Antonyms
censure, calumination
Usage
Even members belonging to the dissident group changed tune and began singing paeans to the new leadership as soon as it came to power.

PAEANS (noun)

Meaning
prayers offered in praise
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
thanks giving
Antonyms
criticism
Usage
Paeans were sung in praise of the lord when the king recovered.

PAGEANTRY (noun)

Meaning
elaborate or sumptuous show or display
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
spectacle, display, ceremony, ceremoniousness, magnificence, pomp, glory, splendour, grandeur, glamo
Antonyms
-
Usage
The audience watched spell bound, the rare pageantry displayed by the Air Force cadets at the recent air show.

PALLID (adj)

Meaning
pale, especially because of poor health
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
pale, white, pasty, wan, ashen
Antonyms
flushed, rosy
Usage
Although she has recovered from her illness, she still looks weak and pallid.

PALLY (adj)

Meaning
having a close, friendly relationship.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
friendly, on good terms, close, familiar, affectionate, intimate.
Antonyms
-
Usage
Being an amicable person, he is pally with most of his colleagues.

PALMY (adj)

Meaning
flourishing
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
happy, fortunate, glorious, halcyon, golden, successful, thriving, rosy, roaring, booming, triumphan
Antonyms
-
Usage
People were happier during the palmy days of yore because the stress and strain of modern life was unknown to them.

PANACEA (noun)

Meaning
cure-all
Root of the word
pan = all
Synonyms
universal remedy, solution, cure, magic potion, answer
Antonyms
-
Usage
It is rightly said that music is the panacea for all ailments.

PANACHE (noun)

Meaning
impressive or flamboyant confidence of style or manner
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
flair, elan, vivacity, gusto
Antonyms
-
Usage
The hostess displayed considerable panache in conducting the show.

PANDEMIC (adj)

Meaning
prevalent over a whole country or the world
Root of the word
demos = people
Synonyms
endemic
Antonyms
local, concentrated
Usage
Doctors are trying to ensure that bird flu does not become pandemic.

PANDEMONIUM (noun)

Meaning
chaos
Root of the word
pan = all
Synonyms
bedlam, uproar, mayhem, racket
Antonyms
peace, calm
Usage
Pandemonium prevailed in the house when the opposition leader insulted a ruling party member.

PANTOMIME (noun)

Meaning
acting that is unaccompanied by words
Root of the word
mime = imitate
Synonyms
-
Antonyms
-
Usage
He is the undisputed king of pantomime.

PARABLE (noun)

Meaning
a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
allegory, moral story, moral tale, fable, lesson, exemplum.
Antonyms
-
Usage
Narrating parables is an interesting way of inculcating moral values in children.

PARANOID (adj)

Meaning
irrationally anxious
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
suspicious, mistrustful, distrustful, fearful, insecure
Antonyms
-
Usage
When my fears turned out to be unfounded, I realized how paranoid I was.

PARIAH (noun)

Meaning
a social outcast.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
outcast, persona non grata, reject, untouchable, undesirable.
Antonyms
-
Usage
He was treated like a pariah by his neighbours because of his involvement in criminal activities.

PARITY (noun)

Meaning
the state of being equal or equivalent
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
equality, equivalence, uniformity, sameness, consistency, correspondence, congruity, congruence, lev
Antonyms
inequality
Usage
Women labourers demanded wage parity with their male counterparts.

PARLEY (noun)

Meaning
a discussion between enemies or people who disagree, in order to try and find a way of solving the problem.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
negotiation(s), talk(s), meeting, conference, summit, discussion, dialogue, conclave, consultation,
Antonyms
-
Usage
The peace parley between the two belligerent nations eventually bore fruit.

PARLOUS (adj)

Meaning
dangerously uncertain
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
dire, bad, dreadful, awful, terrible, appalling
Antonyms
safe, conducive, good, suitable
Usage
Unmindful of the parlous weather, the brave soldiers went ahead with their mission of defending the country.

PAROCHIAL (adj)

Meaning
having a narrow outlook or range
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
narrow-minded, insular, narrow, limited, conservative.
Antonyms
cosmopolitan, broad-minded, liberal.
Usage
He felt out of place among the parochial and clannish members of the community.

PAROXYSM (noun)

Meaning
any sudden violent action
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
spasm, attack, fit, burst, bout, convulsion, seizure, outburst, outbreak, eruption, flare–up, access
Antonyms
-
Usage
She broke into a paroxysm of rage when she saw her brother's murderer.

PARSIMONIOUS (adj)

Meaning
extremely unwilling to spend money
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
miserly, mean, niggardly, frugal
Antonyms
generous, extravagant, lavish
Usage
Despite amassing a lot of wealth, he leads a parsimonious existence.

PASSABLY (adv)

Meaning
in an acceptable or satisfactory way.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
to some extent, tolerably, adequately, satisfactorily
Antonyms
-
Usage
His knowledge about the subject is passably good.

PAST MASTER (noun)

Meaning
a person who is very good at something because he/she has a lot of experience in it.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
expert, virtuoso, master, wizard, genius, artist, old hand, adept, professional, doyen, veteran, mae
Antonyms
-
Usage
She is a past master in extracting work from her subordinates.

PASTICHE (noun)

Meaning
a work of art , etc. that imitates that of another artist or period.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
mixture, blend, medley, melange, miscellany, mixed bag, pot-pourri, mosaic, patch work, assortment,
Antonyms
-
Usage
This new modern dance form is a pastiche of a variety of classical dance forms.

PASTY (adj)

Meaning
pale and unhealthy-looking
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
pale, pallid, wan, colourless, anaemic, bloodless, ashen, white, grey, jaundiced, waxen, chalky, sic
Antonyms
-
Usage
The long bout of illness has left her pasty and debilitated.

PATOIS (noun)

Meaning
the form of a language spoken by people in a particular area which is different from the standard language of the country.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
vernacular, dialect, local parlance, local variety, regional language, jargon, argot, patter, cant.
Antonyms
-
Usage
A vast majority of the population in the area speak a French based patois.

PATRICIAN (adj and noun)

Meaning
aristocratic
Root of the word
pater/pat = father
Synonyms
noble, titled, posh
Antonyms
-
Usage
People were stunned by his patrician good looks.

PATRIOTIC (adj)

Meaning
having love for one's country
Root of the word
pater/pat = father
Synonyms
nationalist, jingoist, partisan, compatriot
Antonyms
traitorous
Usage
Mahatma Gandhi's inspiring speeches roused the patriotic spirit of several Indians.

PATRONIZING (adj)

Meaning
showing that you are more intelligent than somebody else.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
condescending, supercilious, imperious, haughty, lofty, lordly, magisterial, disdainful, scornful, c
Antonyms
-
Usage
People distance themselves from him because they resent his patronizing behaviour.

PECCADILLO (noun)

Meaning
a minor sin or fault
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
misdemeanour, misdeed, infraction, error, slip
Antonyms
-
Usage
Since he was a neophyte, his boss was tolerant of his peccadillos.

PECUNIARY (adj)

Meaning
having to do with money, financial
Root of the word
pec = money ; ary = related to
Synonyms
economic, fiscal
Antonyms
-
Usage
Constrained by pecuniary difficulties, he was forced to discontinue his studies. Social work is very satisfying though one cannot expect pecuniary benefits.

PEDESTRIAN (adj)

Meaning
dull and boring
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
tedious, monotonous, uneventful, tiresome, wearisome
Antonyms
inspired, exciting
Usage
The programme, which started with a lot of promise, turned out to be a pedestrian affair.

PEERAGE (noun)

Meaning
the position of being a peer.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
aristocracy, nobility, peers and peeresses, lords and ladies, titled nobility
Antonyms
-
Usage
Pleased with his work of exceptional merit, he was honoured with a peerage by the Prime Minister.

PEEVISH (adj)

Meaning
irritable
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
irascible, fractious, fretful, cross, petulant, pettish, crabbed, crabby, crotchety, cantankerous, d
Antonyms
affable, easy-going
Usage
Lack of proper sleep tends to make a person dull and peevish.

PENCHANT (noun)

Meaning
a strong liking
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
liking, fondness, preference, taste, relish, appetite, partiality, soft spot, love, passion, desire
Antonyms
-
Usage
She has a penchant for dressing up in trendy clothes.

PENSIVE (adj)

Meaning
in deep thoughtfulness
Root of the word
pens/pond = to weigh, to attach
Synonyms
meditative, thinking, brooding, pondering, contemplative, preoccupied, lost in thought
Antonyms
-
Usage
He sat beside the lake in a pensive mood, cogitating about life.

PENURIOUS (adj)

Meaning
extremely poor
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
impecunious, impoverished, destitute, indigent, needy
Antonyms
wealthy
Usage
Although he was born into a wealthy family, he is now leading a penurious life thanks to his prodigal habits.

PEREGRINATIONS (noun)

Meaning
travel or wandering from place to place
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
travels, wanderings, journeys, voyages, expeditions
Antonyms
-
Usage
She has an exquisite collection of rare artefacts which she acquired during the course of her innumerable peregrinations

PEREMPTORY (adj)

Meaning
insisting on immediate attention or obedience
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
brusque, imperious, high-handed, summary, commanding, authoritative, dogmatic, autocratic, dictatori
Antonyms
-
Usage
The court issued peremptory summons to the defaulting customers.

PERENNIAL (adj and noun)

Meaning
happening again and again; something which is there for a very long time
Root of the word
per = through; ann/enn = year
Synonyms
continual, unceasing, everlasting
Antonyms
momentary, temporary, fleeting
Usage
My mother has been a perennial source of inspiration for me.

PERFIDIOUS (adj)

Meaning
that which cannot be trusted
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
treacherous, duplicitous, deceitful, disloyal, faithless
Antonyms
faithful, loyal
Usage
The turncoat politician was expelled by his party's leadership for his perfidious act.

PERFUNCTORY (adj)

Meaning
carried out with a minimum effort or thought
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
quick, brief, hasty, token, casual
Antonyms
careful, thorough
Usage
His work, which is perfunctory and slipshod and does not comply with the expected standards.

PERNICIOUS (adj)

Meaning
having a harmful effect
Root of the word
per = through by, for, throughout, against
Synonyms
deadly, evil, mischievous, virulent, harmful, injurious, detrimental, preventing, pervasive, maligna
Antonyms
good, healthy, invigorating, wholesome, pure, innocuous, advantageous, inoffensive, excellent, fine,
Usage
Smoking is a pernicious habit which has a detrimental effect on one's health.

PERPETUATE (verb)

Meaning
to make something such as a bad situation, a belief etc continue for a long time.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
presence, conserve, sustain, maintain, continue, eternalize
Antonyms
-
Usage
Films and television, to a large extent, are responsible for perpetuating violence among youth.

PERSPECTIVE (noun)

Meaning
viewpoint, outlook
Root of the word
spec/spic/spect = look, see
Synonyms
perception, standpoint, viewpoint, side, angle
Antonyms
-
Usage
He came out with a strange perspective about the issue.

PERSPICACIOUS (adj)

Meaning
insightful
Root of the word
spec/spic/spect = look, see
Synonyms
astute, wise, sagacious, smart, sharp
Antonyms
inattentive, dull
Usage
It is astonishing that a perspicacious person like John did not spot the blunder in the computer program.

PERTNESS (noun)

Meaning
cheekiness
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
impudence, impertinence, sauciness, effrontery, irreverence, insolence, disrespect, flippancy, presu
Antonyms
-
Usage
We were greatly appalled by the young lady's pertness.

PERTURBATION (noun)

Meaning
agitation, make uneasy
Root of the word
turb = shake, whirling
Synonyms
discomposure, trepidation, worry, derangement, quiver, shock, turmoil, tumult, disturbance, commotio
Antonyms
peace, quietness, tranquility, composure, quietude, silence, moderation, repression, apathy, inertia
Usage
The star player's perturbation was very obvious when questions were asked about his illicit relationships.

PERVASIVE (adj)

Meaning
spreading widely through or present every where in something
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
prevalent, penetrating, pervading, permeating, extensive, ubiquitous, omnipresent, rife, widespread
Antonyms
-
Usage
Movies have a pervasive influence on adolescent behaviour.

PETER OUT (phrasal verb)

Meaning
to gradually become smaller, quieter etc
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
fizzle out, fade (away), dwindle, diminish, taper off, tail off, trail away, wane, melt away, evapor
Antonyms
-
Usage
The strike petered out as the management failed to concede to the employees' demands.

PETRIFIED (adj)

Meaning
paralysed with fear
Root of the word
petr = rock
Synonyms
alarmed, terrified, scared
Antonyms
-
Usage
We were petrified on seeing the ghastly road accident.

PETULANT (adj)

Meaning
Bad-tempered and unreasonable, especially because you cannot do or have what you want
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
peevish, bad-tempered, ill-tempered, pettish, cross, impatient, irritable, moody, sulky, snappish
Antonyms
good-humoured, easy-going, affable
Usage
Age and ill health have made him senile and petulant.

PHILANTHROPIC (adj)

Meaning
related to the practice of helping the poor, especially by giving them money
Root of the word
anthrop = mankind; phil = love
Synonyms
charitable, generous, considerate
Antonyms
misanthropic, miserly, selfish
Usage
His philanthropic nature earned him a lot of respect and love from the poor and the needy.

PHILIPPIC (noun)

Meaning
any discourse full of invectives
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
trade, tirade, invective, denunciation, rant, polemic, broadside, language, reviling, railing, decry
Antonyms
-
Usage
Byron's philippic against the ruling aristocracy exemplifies his trenchant style of writing.

PHLEGMATIC (adj)

Meaning
calm and unemotional
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
apathetic, cold, cool, imperturbable, lethargic, passive, placid, sluggish, stoical, stolid, torpid
Antonyms
-
Usage
Since Dhoni has a phlegmatic temperament, his reactions are muted.

PHONEY (adj)

Meaning
A person or thing that is not genuine
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
bogus, not genuine, sham, false, fake, fraudulent, forged, feigned, spurious, counterfeit, pseudo
Antonyms
authentic, genuine
Usage
It was not difficult for me to make out that the excuse given by him was phoney.

PHOTOGRAPHIC (adj)

Meaning
accurate and in great detail
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
detailed, graphic, exact, precise, accurate, minute, life-like, vivid, realistic, naturalistic, cine
Antonyms
-
Usage
He is blessed with such a photographic memory that he can vividly recall events which took place several decades ago.

PHYSIOGNOMY (noun)

Meaning
the shape and features of a person's face.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
face, features, countenance, profile, expression, facial expression
Antonyms
-
Usage
I could discern from her physiognomy that she is of Asian origin.

PIECE DE RESISTANCE (noun)

Meaning
the most important or impressive feature of a creative work
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
masterpiece, magnum opus, masterwork, tour de force, showpiece, prize, gem, jewel, jewel in the crow
Antonyms
-
Usage
The off-white brocade sari, studded with diamonds and gold sequins was the piece de resistance of her bridal trousseau.

PIFFLING (adj)

Meaning
trivial or unimportant
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
inadequate, insufficient, tiny, small, minimal, trifling, paltry, pitiful, miserly, miserable, negli
Antonyms
critical, important, serious, huge
Usage
The teenager protested against the piffling allowance given to him by his parents.

PINCHED (adj)

Meaning
(of a person's face) pale and thin, especially because of illness, cold or worry.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
strained, stressed, fraught, tense, taunt, tired, worn, drained, sapped, wan, pale, pallid.
Antonyms
healthy, glowing, chubby.
Usage
Although she recovered fully from her illness she still has a pinched look on her face

PINION (verb)

Meaning
to hold or tie somebody especially by their arms, so that they cannot move
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
hold down, pin down, press down, restrain, constrain, hold fast, immobilize, tie, bind, rope, fasten
Antonyms
-
Usage
Thieves gained entry into the house through the rear door, pinioned the inmates and looted all valuable items.

PIONEER (noun)

Meaning
a person who develops new ideas or techniques
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
developer, innovator, ground-breaker, trailblazer, pathfinder, founder, front runner, instigatory
Antonyms
-
Usage
The American scientists who were the pioneers of robotic technology won the admiration of the scientific community.

PIPE–DREAM (noun)

Meaning
hope or scheme that will never be realised
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
fantasy, false hope, illusion, delusion, daydream, reverie, mirage, chimera
Antonyms
-
Usage
The project is just a pipe–dream and hankering for it would be a waste of time and money.

PIQUANT (adj)

Meaning
stimulating to the mind
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
intriguing, stimulating, interesting, fascinating, colourful
Antonyms
bland, insipid, dull
Usage
The piquant story line of the movie kept the audience glued to their seats.

PITFALL (noun)

Meaning
a hidden danger or difficulty.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
hazard, danger, risk, peril, difficulty, catch, snag, stumbling block, drawback.
Antonyms
-
Usage
Although he was not against the idea of accepting the foreign assignment, he was apprehensive of the pitfalls involved in it.

PITHY (adj)

Meaning
short, but expressed well and full of meaning
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
succinct, terse, concise, compact, brief, condensed, compendious, to the point, summary, epigrammati
Antonyms
-
Usage
His speech was interspersed with pithy aphorisms.

PITTANCE (noun)

Meaning
very small or inadequate amount of money.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
a very small amount, an insufficient amount, next to nothing, very little.
Antonyms
-
Usage
Due to recession and unemployment in the country, even highly qualified people are forced to work for a pittance.

PIVOTAL (adj)

Meaning
crucially, important
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
central, crucial, vital, critical, focal, essential, key, significant, important, determining, decis
Antonyms
-
Usage
Agriculture plays a pivotal role in the Indian economy.

PLACATE (verb)

Meaning
pacify
Root of the word
plac/pac/peac = please, calm, peace
Synonyms
calm down, conciliate, mollify, soothe, appease, assuage
Antonyms
enrage
Usage
The husband tried to placate his angry wife with a bouquet.

PLACID (adj)

Meaning
not easily excited or irritated
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
calm, equable, tranquil, imperturbable, unexcitable
Antonyms
excitable, temperamental
Usage
She is, by nature, a placid person who seldom gets perturbed.

PLAGUE (verb)

Meaning
to cause continual distress to
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
importune, solicit, petition, harass, hound
Antonyms
-
Usage
Credit card agents constantly plague customers for payment.

PLAINTIVE (adj)

Meaning
sounding sad and mournful
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
mournful, sad, wistful, doleful, pathetic, pitiful, melancholic, sorrowful, unhappy, wretched, woefu
Antonyms
-
Usage
His voice sounded plaintive when he recalled nostalgically the pleasant memories of the past.

PLATITUDINOUS (adj)

Meaning
a comment or statement that has been made very often before and is therefore not interesting.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
hackneyed, overused, banal, clichéd, trite, commonplace
Antonyms
original, fresh
Usage
For a majority of youth, old sayings are rather platitudinous.

PLAUSIBLE (adj)

Meaning
seeming reasonable or probable
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
credible, reasonable, believable, likely, feasible, tenable, probable, possible, conceivable, imagin
Antonyms
unlikely, improbable
Usage
The excuse which he gave for shirking away from the work given to him, did not sound very plausible to me.

PLEASANTRY (noun)

Meaning
an unimportant remark made as part of a polite conversation.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
banter, badinage, inconsequential remark, friendly remark, polite remark, casual remark.
Antonyms
-
Usage
After the initial pleasantries, he came to the actual point of discussion.

PLEBEIAN (adj)

Meaning
lacking refinement
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
uncultivated, unrefined, lowbrow, rustic, coarse, uncouth
Antonyms
refined, cultivated, sophisticated
Usage
His plebeian tastes were heckled by the snobs of the club.

PLEBISCITE (noun)

Meaning
a vote by the people of a country or a region on an issue that is very important.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
vote, poll, referendum, ballot.
Antonyms
-
Usage
The government decided to hold a plebiscite in order to guage the people's opinion before implementing the reforms.

PLENARY (adj)

Meaning
entire or absolute
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
unconditional, unlimited, unrestricted, unqualified, absolute, complete, sweeping, comprehensive
Antonyms
-
Usage
The Supreme Court has plenary powers to revoke a law.

PLETHORA (noun)

Meaning
overabundance, an excessive amount
Root of the word
ple = full
Synonyms
excess, glut, surfeit, superfluity, surplus, inundation
Antonyms
dearth, scarcity
Usage
A plethora of opportunities await job seekers who are willing to put in a lot of hard work.

PLUMB (verb)

Meaning
try to understand or succeed in understanding something mysterious.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
explore, probe, delve into, search, examine, investigate, scrutinize, inspect, understand, fathom.
Antonyms
-
Usage
The celebrity's enigmatic life attracted the attention of biographers who tried to plumb the mysteries of life.

PLUMMET (verb)

Meaning
fall straight down at high speed
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
plunge, tumble, drop, sink, slump
Antonyms
rise
Usage
Share prices have plummeted to an all time low in the past three months.

PLUTOCRAT (noun)

Meaning
a person who is powerful because of his wealth
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
rich person, capitalist, tycoon, magnate, nabob, millionaire, billionaire, multimillionaire, nouveau
Antonyms
-
Usage
The officials fell a prey to the bribe offered by plutocrats.

POINT-BLANK (adj)

Meaning
very definite and direct.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
blunt, direct, straight, straight forward, frank, candid, forthright, open, explicit, unequivocal.
Antonyms
-
Usage
She was deeply hurt by his point-blank refusal to comply with her request.

POISE (noun)

Meaning
a calm and confident manner
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
balance, equilibrium, control, grace, gracefulness, presence
Antonyms
-
Usage
Few people can match the poise and grace of the veteran actress.

POLARITY (noun)

Meaning
the situation when two tendencies, opinions etc oppose each other
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
difference, separation, opposition, contradiction, antithesis, duality, antagonism
Antonyms
congruity, conformity
Usage
The polarity between the two wings of the ruling party led to its destabilization.

POLYMATH (noun)

Meaning
a person with a wide knowledge of many subjects.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
accomplished, savant
Antonyms
ignoramus
Usage
He was a polymath who commanded a lot of respect on account of his exhaustive knowledge.

PONDER (verb)

Meaning
consider carefully
Root of the word
pens/pond = to weigh, to attach
Synonyms
contemplate, deliberate, muse, brood
Antonyms
-
Usage
He pondered over ther issue for a while before expressing his opinion.

POPULOUS (adj)

Meaning
where a large number of people live.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
densely populated, heavily populated, thickly populated, heavily settled, crowded, congested, packed
Antonyms
uninhabited, deserted
Usage
India is the second most populous country in the world.

PORTENT (noun)

Meaning
a sign or warning that something (important or unpleasant) is likely to happen
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
omen, sign, indication, presage, warning, forewarning, harbinger, augury, signal, promise, threat
Antonyms
-
Usage
The failure of monsoon this year is a portent of the impending drought.

POSIT (verb)

Meaning
put forward as a fact or as a basis for argument
Root of the word
pon/pos = put, place
Synonyms
imagine, conceive, speculate, conjecture
Antonyms
-
Usage
Several psychologists have posited that rote learning stultifies a child's creative abilities.

POSTERITY (noun)

Meaning
all succeeding generations
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
future generations, succeeding generations, those who come after us, the future
Antonyms
-
Usage
These rare works of art which symbolize our country's cultural heritage should be preserved for posterity.

POT-POURRI (noun)

Meaning
a mixture of things
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
mixture, assortment, collection, selection, assemblage, medley, miscellany, melange, mix, variety, m
Antonyms
-
Usage
India is a pot-pourri of people belonging to diverse cultures.

POTABLE (adj)

Meaning
safe to drink
Root of the word
pot = potion, potable
Synonyms
clean, filtered
Antonyms
-
Usage
There is an acute shortage of potable water in many cities in India.

POTENT (adj)

Meaning
strong
Root of the word
pot = power, drink
Synonyms
forceful, powerful, effective, intoxicating, heady, compelling, persuasive
Antonyms
weak, impotent
Usage
Quinine is a potent antidote for malaria.

POTENTATE (noun)

Meaning
a ruler who has a lot of power, esp. when it is not restricted by a parliament etc.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
ruler, head of state, monarch, sovereign, king, queen, emperor, empress, prince, tsar, crowned head,
Antonyms
-
Usage
People eventually rebelled against the potentate's tyrannical rule.

PRE-EMINENTLY (adv)

Meaning
mainly, or to a very great extent.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
primarily, principally, above all, chiefly, mostly, mainly, in particular, particularly, par excelle
Antonyms
-
Usage
Being a scholar who was pre-eminently qualified to speak on the subject, he put forth his views quite emphatically.

PRE-EMPT (verb)

Meaning
take action so as to prevent (something) happening.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
forestall, prevent, steal a march on, anticipate, get in before.
Antonyms
-
Usage
You can pre-empt an attack of a flu by taking an anti-pyretic drug at the first warning sign.

PREAMBLE (noun)

Meaning
an introduction, an opening statement.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
introduction, preliminary, preface, lead-in, overture, prologue, foreword, prelude, front matter.
Antonyms
-
Usage
She conveyed the message without a preamble.

PRECARIOUS (adj)

Meaning
not safe or certain
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
uncertain, insecure, unreliable, unsure, unpredictable, risky, hazardous
Antonyms
safe, secure
Usage
He cannot afford to be extravagant due to his precarious financial position.

PRECINCT (noun)

Meaning
the area around a place or building, often enclosed by a wall.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
area, zone, sector, district, section, quarter, region
Antonyms
-
Usage
Women are not allowed to enter the precincts of the temple at Sabarimala.

PRECLUDE (verb)

Meaning
prevent
Root of the word
pre = before
Synonyms
rule out, stop, prohibit, disqualify, exclude
Antonyms
permit
Usage
People's discomfort precludes many women from joining the police or armed forces.

PRECOCIOUS (adj)

Meaning
Having abilities at an earlier age than is expected
Root of the word
pre = before
Synonyms
bright, talented, gifted
Antonyms
slow
Usage
The precious child won all the chess tournaments.

PRECURSOR (noun)

Meaning
a person or thing that comes before some body or something
Root of the word
pre = before
Synonyms
ancestor, herald, predecessor, antecedent, pioneer, originator
Antonyms
-
Usage
Autumn is the precursor of spring.

PREDICATE (verb)

Meaning
to base something on a particular belief, idea or principle.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
base, be independent, found, establish, rest, build, ground, premise.
Antonyms
-
Usage
The progress of a nation is predicated on its economic success.

PREDILECTION (noun)

Meaning
a preference or special liking for something
Root of the word
pre = before
Synonyms
preference, partiality, liking, tendency, weakness, taste
Antonyms
-
Usage
Jane has a predilection for Shakespeare's comedies.

PREDISPOSITION (noun)

Meaning
a condition that makes somebody or something likely to behave in a particular way or to suffer from a particular disease.
Root of the word
pre = before
Synonyms
susceptibility, proneness, tendency, liability, inclination, disposition, vulnerability, weakness.
Antonyms
-
Usage
People who are obese have a predisposition to heart ailments.

PREEN (verb)

Meaning
to make oneself look attractive and then admire one's appearance.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
admire oneself, primp, smarten oneself, prink oneself, beautify oneself, groom oneself.
Antonyms
-
Usage
The teenager spent a lot of time preening herself in front of the mirror, much to the chagrin of her mother.

PREFATORY (adj)

Meaning
coming at the beginning of a piece of writing or a speech.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
introductory, preliminary, opening, initial, preparatory, explanatory, precursory, prior, antecedent
Antonyms
final, closing
Usage
The orator began his speech after a few prefatory comments.

PREFERMENT (noun)

Meaning
the act of being given a more important job or a higher rank.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
promotion, advancement, elevation, being upgraded, betterment, moving up
Antonyms
demotion
Usage
Impressed by his diligence and sincerity, his boss gave him a preferment.

PRELUDE (noun)

Meaning
an action or event that happens before another important one
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
preliminary, overture, opening, preparation, introduction, start, beginning, curtain-raiser, lead-in
Antonyms
-
Usage
The quirky weather conditions which we are witnessing today, are a prelude to the more dangerous consequences of global warming which we are likely to face in the future.

PREORDAIN (verb)

Meaning
decided or determined beforehand
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
predestine, destine, fate, doom, foredoom, predetermine, prescribe
Antonyms
-
Usage
Stoics believe that the trials and tribulations which man has to endure during the course of his life are preordained.

PREPONDERATE (verb)

Meaning
be greater in number or importance.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
be in the majority, predominate, be prevalent, be predominant, prevail, dominate, reign
Antonyms
-
Usage
Women and children preponderate at shopping malls and amusement parks.

PREROGATIVE (noun)

Meaning
privilege
Root of the word
roga/rogat = ask
Synonyms
choice, right, sanction, due
Antonyms
-
Usage
Many people feel that it should be the captain's prerogative to choose his team members.

PRESAGE (verb)

Meaning
be a sign or warning of
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
foreshadow, portend, augur, prophesy
Antonyms
-
Usage
In the past, people believed that the hooting of an owl presaged death.

PRESCIENT (adj)

Meaning
prophetic, far-sighted
Root of the word
scien/sci = to know
Synonyms
psychic, clairvoyant, discerning, perceptive
Antonyms
-
Usage
Nobody paid heed to his prescient warnings.

PREVAIL (verb)

Meaning
triumph
Root of the word
val/vail = value, strength
Synonyms
overcome, win through, reign, succeed
Antonyms
fail
Usage
After a tough, see-saw battle, India prevailed over Australia

PREVARICATE (verb)

Meaning
avoid giving a direct answer to a question
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
be evasive, be vague, cavil, lie, temporize
Antonyms
-
Usage
When questioned about his involvement in the scandal, the minister prevaricated on the issue.

PRIGGISH (adj)

Meaning
making a show of being morally superior to other people.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
self-righteous, smug, sanctimonious, moralistic, sententious, prudish, puritanical, prim, strait-lac
Antonyms
broad-minded, permissive
Usage
The fun loving young girls of the hostel considered the warden's behaviour to be priggish.

PRIMEVAL (adj)

Meaning
relating to the earliest times in history
Root of the word
aev, ev = age, era
Synonyms
primitive, prehistoric, ancient, archaic, primal
Antonyms
modern
Usage
Primeval society showed respect for nature.

PRIMORDIAL (adj)

Meaning
existing at or from the beginning of time.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
ancient, earliest, first, prehistoric, antediluvian, antique, primeval, primitive, primal
Antonyms
modern
Usage
A phenomenal growth in human population over the years has led to the destruction of several primordial forests.

PRISTINE (adj)

Meaning
immaculate
Root of the word
pri/prim = first
Synonyms
perfect, pure, spotless, faultless, unspoiled, untouched
Antonyms
dirty, spoilt
Usage
I wish the pristine purity of our rivers could be restored some how.

PROBE (noun and verb)

Meaning
an investigation
Root of the word
prob/prov = truth, prove
Synonyms
investigate, query, explore, survey, prod
Antonyms
-
Usage
The Minister ordered a judicial probe into the incident.

PROBITY (noun)

Meaning
honesty and decency
Root of the word
prob/prov = trust, prove
Synonyms
integrity, uprightness, rectitude
Antonyms
untrustworthiness
Usage
He is an extremely trustworthy person, I can vouch for his probity.

PROCLIVITY (noun)

Meaning
a natural tendency to do something or to feel something, often something bad
Root of the word
cliv = slope, lean
Synonyms
liking, inclination, tendency, leaning, disposition, propensity, bent, bias, penchant, predispositio
Antonyms
disinclination, dislike
Usage
His criminal proclivities are perhaps inherited.

PROCRUSTEAN (adj)

Meaning
rigid and inflexible
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
unbending, unyielding
Antonyms
-
Usage
The school – level education system in our country is rather procrustean.

PRODIGAL (adj)

Meaning
using money or resources in a wasteful way
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
wasteful, extravagant, improvident, imprudent, thriftless
Antonyms
thrifty, economical, parsimonious
Usage
His prodigal habits eventually left his family bankrupt.

PROFANE (adj)

Meaning
blasphemous
Root of the word
pro = ahead, forth
Synonyms
irreverent, wicked, irreligious, sacrilegious, disrespectful
Antonyms
pious
Usage
His profane language horrified the believers.

PROFFER (verb)

Meaning
to offer something such as an advice or explanation.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
offer, tender, present, extend, give, submit, volunteer, suggest, propose, put forward; hold out.
Antonyms
refuse, withdraw
Usage
He did not like the advice proffered to him by his juniors.

PROFUNDITY (noun)

Meaning
great intellectual depth and understanding.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
wisdom, (deep) insight, intelligence, sagacity, acuity, depth, profoundness, perceptiveness
Antonyms
-
Usage
His works depict great profundity and a thorough understanding of the human psyche.

PROFUSE (adj)

Meaning
plentiful
Root of the word
fus = pour
Synonyms
excessive, overflowing, lavish, prodigal, extravagant, abundant, liberal
Antonyms
scarce, meagre, insufficient, inadequate, scanty, limited, curtailed
Usage
The injured man was bleeding profusely while the driver was making profuse apologies to all the onlookers.

PROGENITORS (noun)

Meaning
forefathers
Root of the word
gen = birth, race, creation
Synonyms
ancestors, forefathers, forebears
Antonyms
-
Usage
Our progenitors will be proud as our son has brought name and fame to the family.

PROGENY (noun)

Meaning
offspring
Root of the word
gen = birth, race, creation
Synonyms
young , descedants, children
Antonyms
predecessor, ancestor
Usage
The proud father exclaimed, “To have such a gifted progeny, who is a good poet as well as a prolific story writer, is indeed a blessing!”

PROGNOSTICATION (noun)

Meaning
a thing that somebody says will happen in the future
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
forecast, prediction, prophecy
Antonyms
-
Usage
Many an economist's gloomy prognostication about the downward trend of the country's economy eventually turned out to be false.

PROLIFIC (adj)

Meaning
productive, abundant
Root of the word
pro = a lot
Synonyms
creative, inexhaustible, fruitful, plentiful
Antonyms
unproductive
Usage
He is a prolific wiriter who, on an average, writes about 100 stories in a year.

PROLIX (adj)

Meaning
tiresomely wordy and dull
Root of the word
locu/loqu/logue/logy/lix = speak, speech
Synonyms
verbose, flowery, rambling, protracted, long-winded
Antonyms
concise
Usage
The orator's prolix speech had a soporific effect on the listeners.

PROPENSITY (noun)

Meaning
a tendency to behave in a certain way
Root of the word
pens/pond = to weigh, to attach
Synonyms
tendency, inclination, partiality, proclivity, predisposition, susceptibility, predilection, penchan
Antonyms
-
Usage
His peripatetic existence is a result of his propensity for travel.

PROPHECY (noun)

Meaning
a prediction about what will happen
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
prediction, forecast, prognostication, divination, augury
Antonyms
-
Usage
The prophecies of Nostradamus are said to be coming true one by one.

PROPHYLACTIC (adj)

Meaning
intended to prevent a disease
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
preventive, precautionary, protective, pre-emptive, counter-active, preclusive, anticipatory, inhibi
Antonyms
-
Usage
Prophylactic drugs were administered to people against the flu and other epidemics.

PROPINQUITY (noun)

Meaning
nearness in time or space
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
proximity, closeness, nearness, adjacency, contiguity, vicinity.
Antonyms
-
Usage
The two nations have several features in common because of their geological propinquity.

PROPULSION (noun)

Meaning
the action of propelling or driving forward.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
thrust, motive, force, propelling force, impetus, impulse, drive, driving force, actuation, push
Antonyms
-
Usage
Most water birds use their tail feathers for propulsion.

PROSCRIBE (verb)

Meaning
ban
Root of the word
scrib/scrip/scriv = write
Synonyms
make illegal, bar, veto, disallow, rule out, exclude, forbid
Antonyms
allow
Usage
The doctor proscribed the diabetic from having sweets.

PROTAGONIST (noun)

Meaning
the leading character
Root of the word
proto = first
Synonyms
hero, leading role, central character
Antonyms
-
Usage
The protagonist in the play is a versatile actor.

PROTEAN (adj)

Meaning
able to change or adapt
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
variable, mutable, kaleidoscopic
Antonyms
consistent
Usage
The protean landscape transforms itself with the seasons.

PROTOCOL (noun)

Meaning
procedure
Root of the word
proto = first
Synonyms
etiquette, practice, set of rules
Antonyms
-
Usage
The protocol demands that a visiting dignitary be received by a senior officer.

PROTOTYPE (noun)

Meaning
first or earlier form from which other forms are developed or copied
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
original, first example, first model, master, mould, template, framework, pattern, type, design, gui
Antonyms
-
Usage
The prototype of the radar will be displayed for the benefit of research students.

PROTRACTED (adj)

Meaning
delay / defer, lasting longer than expected or longer than usual
Root of the word
pro = for; tract = draw, pull
Synonyms
extend, prolong, stretch out, drag out, spin out, expand, lengthen, prolonged, extended, endless
Antonyms
concise, brief, shortened, curtailed
Usage
After a protracted discussion, the team finally solved the problem. He expired last week after being bedridden for six months due to a protracted illness.

PROTRUSION (noun)

Meaning
projection
Root of the word
trud/trus = push, thrust
Synonyms
flange, lip, outcropping, overhang, protuberance, extension
Antonyms
depression
Usage
The protrusion in his left elbow is symptomatic of tennis elbow.

PROVENANCE (noun)

Meaning
the origin or earliest known history of something
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
origin, source, birthplace, spring, wellspring, roots, history, pedigree, derivation, etymology
Antonyms
-
Usage
Some of the antique artefacts in the mansion are of Italian provenance.

PROVIDENTIAL (adj)

Meaning
happening by chance and at a favourable time
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
opportune, advantageous, favourable, propitious
Antonyms
inopportune
Usage
The ghastly accident was averted by the driver's presence of mind and the passengers had a providential escape.

PROVISO (noun)

Meaning
a condition attached to an agreement
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
condition, stipulation, provision, clause, rider, qualification, restriction reservation, caveat, li
Antonyms
-
Usage
I had to agree to his proviso in order to make him comply to my request.

PROVOCATION (noun)

Meaning
prompting, stimulus
Root of the word
voc/voca/vok/vow = call, word
Synonyms
incitement, urging
Antonyms
-
Usage
There was no provocation for her rude behaviour.

PROWESS (noun)

Meaning
skill or expertise in a particular activity
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
skilfulness, expertise, effectiveness, mastery, facility, ability, capability, capacity, genius, adr
Antonyms
inability, ineptitude
Usage
Although he is extremely intelligent, he seldom boasts about his intellectual prowess.

PROXY (noun)

Meaning
a person authorized to act on behalf of another
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
deputy, representative, substitute, delegate, agent, surrogate, attorney, ambassador
Antonyms
-
Usage
The Chief Minister who was supposed to be the Chief Guest, sent one of his cabinet colleagues as his proxy to attend the function.

PSEUDONYM (noun)

Meaning
false name, especially one used by an author
Root of the word
nom/nym/nomen = name
Synonyms
false name, stage name, pen name, nom de plume
Antonyms
-
Usage
Mary Ann Evans wrote under the pseudonym, George Eliot.

PUERILE (adj)

Meaning
childishly silly
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
fatuous, infantile, inane, immature
Antonyms
mature, sensible
Usage
It did not take much time for me to discern that the excuse given by him was a puerile and evasive one.

PUMMEL (verb)

Meaning
strike repeatedly with the fists.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
batter, pound, belabour, drub, hammer, punch, beat, strike, hit, thump, thrash, bang
Antonyms
-
Usage
He caught hold of the thief and pummelled him severely before handing him over to the police.

PURLOINED (adj)

Meaning
steal
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
pilfered, thieved, robbed
Antonyms
-
Usage
He was nabbed by the police when he was found possessing a purloined cheque.

PURPORT (verb)

Meaning
appear to be or do, especially falsely.
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
claim, lay claim, profess, pretend, set oneself up (as), appear, seem, allege.
Antonyms
-
Usage
The book purports to reveal the whole truth.

PURPOSEFUL (adj)

Meaning
firm and resolute
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
resolute, determined, full of determination, purposive, resolved, decided, adamant, firm, unswervabl
Antonyms
-
Usage
He was a purposeful person who would not rest until his goals were achieved.

PURVEY (verb)

Meaning
provide or supply (food or drink) as one's business
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
sell, supply, provide, furnish, cater, retail, deal in, carry, handle, auction, peddle, hawk
Antonyms
-
Usage
He began his career by purveying sundry items on the pavement and eventually grew to become a business tycoon.

PUSILLANIMITY (noun)

Meaning
lacking courage
Root of the word
-
Synonyms
timorousness, timidity, cowardliness, fearfulness
Antonyms
bravery, fearlessness, courage
Usage
Mahatma Gandhi's advocacy of non-violence was misconceived by the extremists as pusillanimity.