GRE Vocabulary — Set 181

Set 181 of GRE Vocabulary covers 5 words: perfidy, pestilence, petulance, plethora, polymath. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. perfidy · noun/ˈpɜrfɪdi/

   deceitfulness or untrustworthiness

   His perfidy was revealed when he betrayed his closest friends for personal gain.

   Synonyms: treachery, betrayal, duplicity

   Origin: From Latin 'perfidia', meaning 'treachery' or 'betrayal'.

2. pestilence · noun/ˈpɛs.tə.ləns/

   a fatal epidemic disease, especially bubonic plague

   The village was devastated by the pestilence that swept through during the summer months, claiming countless lives without mercy.

   Synonyms: plague, scourge, disease

   Origin: Middle English: from Old French 'pestilence', from Latin 'pestilentia', from 'pestilens', 'pestilent-' (infected, pestiferous).

3. petulance · noun/ˈpɛtʃələns/

   the quality of being childishly sulky or bad-tempered

   Her petulance during the meeting made it difficult for the team to stay focused on the tasks at hand.

   Synonyms: irritability, peevishness, snappishness

   Origin: Late Middle English: from Latin 'petulantia', from 'petulans', meaning 'immodest' or 'forward'

4. plethora · noun/ˈplɛθ.ər.ə/

   an excessive abundance or large quantity of something

   The garden was filled with a plethora of colorful flowers, creating a stunning visual display.

   Synonyms: abundance, excess, surfeit

   Origin: From Greek 'plēthōra' meaning 'fullness, abundance', from 'plēthein' meaning 'to be full'.

5. polymath · noun/ˈpɑl.ɪ.mæθ/

   a person of wide-ranging knowledge or learning

   Leonardo da Vinci is often regarded as a quintessential polymath, excelling in art, science, and engineering.

   Synonyms: sage, savant, learned person

   Origin: The word 'polymath' comes from the Greek 'polymathēs', which means 'having learned much', from 'poly-' meaning 'much' and 'manthanein' meaning 'to learn'.