irascible, superfluous, opaque, specious, tenuous: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from GRE Vocabulary set 6. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. irascible · adjective/ɪˈræs.ə.bəl/

   easily provoked to anger

   Despite his irascible temperament, he managed to keep his cool during the meeting.

   Synonyms: irritable, testy, fractious

   Origin: from Latin 'irascibilis', from 'irascor' meaning 'to be angry'

2. superfluous · adjective/suˈpɜrfləs/

   exceeding what is sufficient or necessary

   The report was filled with superfluous details that only confused the main argument.

   Synonyms: excessive, redundant, unnecessary

   Origin: from Latin 'superfluus', meaning 'overflowing', from 'super-' (over) + 'fluere' (to flow)

3. opaque · adjective/oʊˈpeɪk/

   not able to be seen through not transparent

   The glass was treated to be opaque, preventing anyone from peering inside the room.

   Synonyms: cloudy, obscure, impenetrable

   Origin: from Latin 'opacus' meaning 'shadowy, dark, or obscure'

4. specious · adjective/ˈspiːʃəs/

   superficially plausible but actually wrong or misleading

   The politician's specious arguments convinced many voters, despite the lack of evidence to support them.

   Synonyms: deceptive, misleading, illusory

   Origin: from Latin 'speciosus', meaning 'beautiful, fair, or plausible', derived from 'species', meaning 'appearance'.

5. tenuous · adjective/ˈtɛnjuəs/

   having little substance or strength; flimsy

   Her argument was based on a tenuous connection between the two events, making it hard to validate her claim.

   Synonyms: weak, flimsy, insubstantial

   Origin: Late Latin 'tenuōsus', from Latin 'tenuare' meaning 'to make thin'.