insouciant, itinerant, didactic, impecunious, munificent: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from GRE Vocabulary set 22. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. insouciant · adjective/ɪnˈsuːʃənt/

   casual lack of concern or indifference

   Despite the looming deadline, she remained insouciant about her project, confident that everything would work out in the end.

   Synonyms: carefree, nonchalant, unconcerned

   Origin: French, from 'insouciant' meaning 'not caring' (in- 'not' + 'souciant' from 'souci' meaning 'trouble')

2. itinerant · adjective/aɪˈtɪn.ɚ.ənt/

   traveling from place to place

   The itinerant musician traveled from town to town, sharing his songs with anyone who would listen.

   Synonyms: traveling, wandering, roving

   Origin: from the Latin 'itinerans', from 'itinerare', meaning 'to journey'

3. didactic · adjective/dɪˈdæktɪk/

   intended to teach or convey information, often in a moralistic way

   The didactic approach of the children's book ensured that complex moral lessons were conveyed through simple stories.

   Synonyms: instructive, educational, moralistic

   Origin: from the Greek 'didaktikos', meaning 'skilled in teaching', from 'didaskō', meaning 'to teach'

4. impecunious · adjective/ɪmˈpɛkjʊniəs/

   having little or no money

   Despite his keen intellect and creative ideas, he remained an impecunious artist struggling to make ends meet.

   Synonyms: poor, impoverished, destitute

   Origin: From Latin 'impecuniosus', from 'in-' meaning 'not' + 'pecunia' meaning 'money'

5. munificent · adjective/məˈnɪfɪsənt/

   very generous or giving

   The munificent donation from the philanthropist allowed the charity to expand its services significantly.

   Synonyms: generous, lavish, open-handed

   Origin: from Latin 'munificus', meaning 'generous, bountiful', from 'munus' meaning 'gift or service'