founder, husband, exploration, motif, inverse: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from SAT Vocabulary Level 1 set 272. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. founder · noun/ˈfaʊndər/

   a person who establishes an institution, organization, or settlement

   As the founder of the organization, she dedicated her life to improving education for underprivileged children.

   Synonyms: creator, initiator, establisher

   Origin: Middle English founde, from Old French fonder, from Latin fundare 'to lay a base, establish', from fundus 'bottom, base'.

2. husband · noun/ˈhʌzbənd/

   a married man in relation to his spouse

   Her husband always supports her in her career choices.

   Synonyms: spouse, partner, mate

   Origin: Old English 'husbonda', from 'hus' (house) and 'bonda' (dweller).

3. exploration · noun/ˌɛk.spləˈreɪ.ʃən/

   the act of traveling through an unfamiliar area in order to learn about it

   The team's extensive exploration of the ancient ruins revealed secrets about the civilization that once thrived there.

   Synonyms: investigation, examination, inquiry

   Origin: from Latin 'exploratio', meaning 'a searching out, investigation', from 'explorare', meaning 'to explore'

4. motif · noun/moʊˈtiːf/

   a recurring subject theme or idea in a literary or artistic work

   In many of Shakespeare's plays, the motif of unrequited love recurs, highlighting the complexities of human emotions.

   Synonyms: theme, subject, idea

   Origin: French, from 'motif', meaning 'a motif, a theme', from 'mot', meaning 'word'.

5. inverse · noun/ɪnˈvɜrs/

   something that is opposite or contrary to something else

   The inverse relationship between supply and demand illustrates how prices are affected by market fluctuations.

   Synonyms: opposite, reverse, antithesis

   Origin: From Latin 'inversus', which means 'turned upside down', from 'invertere' (to turn over)