IELTS Vocabulary — Set 59

Set 59 of IELTS Vocabulary covers 5 words: hazardous, interpersonal, precious, profound, monumental. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. hazardous · adjective/ˈhæz.ɚ.dəs/

   involving risk or danger

   Working with hazardous materials requires strict safety protocols to prevent accidents.

   Synonyms: dangerous, risky, perilous

   Origin: The word 'hazard' originates from the Old French word ' hasard', meaning 'a game of chance', which comes from the Arabic 'al-zahr', meaning 'the dice'.

2. interpersonal · adjective/ˌɪn.tɚˈpɝː.sən.əl/

   relating to or involving relationships between people

   Effective leaders often possess strong interpersonal skills that enable them to connect with their teams.

   Synonyms: social, communal, relational

   Origin: The word 'interpersonal' is formed from the prefix 'inter-' meaning 'between' and 'personal', which comes from the Latin 'personalis', meaning 'of a person'.

3. precious · adjective/ˈprɛʃəs/

   of great value or worth highly esteemed

   She kept her grandmother's necklace in a safe place, knowing it was a precious family heirloom.

   Synonyms: valuable, cherished, esteemed

   Origin: Middle English, from Old French 'precieus', from Latin 'preciosus', meaning 'valuable' or 'precious'

4. profound · adjective/prəˈfaʊnd/

   having deep meaning or significance

   The speaker delivered a profound message that resonated deeply with the audience.

   Synonyms: deep, significant, meaningful

   Origin: from Middle English 'profound', from Old French 'profond', from Latin 'profundus', meaning 'deep' or 'bottomless'

5. monumental · adjective/ˌmɑn.jəˈmɛn.təl/

   of great significance or importance

   The scientist made a monumental discovery that changed the course of medicine forever.

   Synonyms: significant, important, historic

   Origin: from Latin 'monumentalis', from 'monumentum' meaning 'monument'