florid, gregarious, hackneyed, heterogeneous, homogeneous: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from GRE Vocabulary set 49. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. florid · adjective/ˈflɔːr.ɪd/

   elaborately intricate or ornate

   The florid prose of the author captivated readers with its intricate descriptions and ornate imagery.

   Synonyms: ornate, flamboyant, detailed

   Origin: From Middle English, from Latin 'floridus,' meaning 'flowery, blossoming,' derived from 'flos,' meaning 'flower.'

2. gregarious · adjective/ɡrɪˈɡɛr.i.əs/

   fond of company; sociable

   Despite being shy at first, she quickly revealed her gregarious nature by engaging everyone at the party in conversation.

   Synonyms: sociable, social, outgoing

   Origin: from Latin 'gregarius', meaning 'of a flock' or 'herd', derived from 'grex', meaning 'flock' or 'herd'

3. hackneyed · adjective/ˈhæknid/

   lacking in originality or freshness due to overuse

   The movie's plot was so hackneyed that I could predict the ending within the first ten minutes.

   Synonyms: trite, clichéd, overused

   Origin: The word 'hackneyed' originates from the term 'hackney', which referred to a horse for hire. Over time, it came to describe something that is worn out or overused, similar to a rented horse.

4. heterogeneous · adjective/ˌhɛtərəˈdʒinəs/

   composed of different or diverse elements or constituents

   The research team conducted a study on a heterogeneous population to ensure a diverse range of perspectives.

   Synonyms: diverse, varied, mixed

   Origin: from the Greek 'hetero-', meaning 'different', and 'geneous', meaning 'born of, produced by'

5. homogeneous · adjective/həˈmoʊdʒɪnəs/

   of the same kind or nature uniform in structure or composition

   The research team found that the sample was made up of a homogeneous mixture of various minerals, indicating a consistent geological formation.

   Synonyms: uniform, consistent, analogous

   Origin: from the Greek 'homogeneous', meaning 'of the same kind', from 'homo-' (same) + 'genos' (kind, race, family)