infectious, distant, insightful, ambitious, articulate: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from SAT Vocabulary Level 1 set 174. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. infectious · adjective/ɪnˈfɛkʃəs/

   capable of causing disease through transmission from one organism to another

   The doctor confirmed that the patient had an infectious disease that required immediate treatment.

   Synonyms: contagious, transmissible, communicable

   Origin: from Latin 'infectious', from 'infectus', past participle of 'inficere' meaning 'to taint, dye, or stain'

2. distant · adjective/ˈdɪstənt/

   far away in space or time

   The distant mountains loomed on the horizon, their peaks shrouded in mist.

   Synonyms: remote, far-off, faraway

   Origin: Middle English, from Latin 'distantem', the accusative singular of 'distantem', which is the present participle of 'distare' meaning 'to stand apart'

3. insightful · adjective/ˌɪnˈsaɪt.fəl/

   having or showing a deep understanding and keen perception

   Her insightful analysis of the situation revealed underlying issues that had previously gone unnoticed.

   Synonyms: perceptive, astute, shrewd

   Origin: The word 'insightful' originates from 'insight,' which comes from the Middle English 'insihte' (meaning 'the power of seeing into a situation') and is derived from the Old English 'insihth,' where 'in-' means 'into' and 'sihth' means 'sight.'

4. ambitious · adjective/æmˈbɪʃ.əs/

   having a strong desire and determination to succeed

   Her ambitious plans to launch a startup within the next year reflect her strong determination to succeed in the competitive market.

   Synonyms: aspiring, driven, enterprising

   Origin: from Latin 'ambitiosus', from 'ambitio' meaning 'a going around' or 'solicitation for office', from 'ambire' meaning 'to go around'

5. articulate · adjective/ɑrˈtɪkjʊlɪt/

   able to express thoughts and feelings clearly and effectively

   She is an articulate speaker who can convey complex ideas with ease.

   Synonyms: eloquent, fluent, expressive

   Origin: From Latin 'articulatus', meaning 'jointed' or 'divided into joints', which evolved to mean 'clearly expressed'.