a decision reached after consideration, especially in a court of law
example
The jury reached a unanimous verdict after several days of deliberation.
synonyms
decisionrulingjudgment
word origin — from Middle French 'verdit', from Old French 'veredicte', which comes from Latin 'veredictum', meaning 'to say the truth' (from 'verus' meaning 'true' and 'dicere' meaning 'to say')
SAT Vocabulary Level 1 — Set 35
Set 35 of SAT Vocabulary Level 1 covers 5 words: verdict, extremist, dictator, genealogy, sierra. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.
verdict · noun/ˈvɜrdɪkt/
a decision reached after consideration, especially in a court of law
The jury reached a unanimous verdict after several days of deliberation.
Synonyms: decision, ruling, judgment
Origin: from Middle French 'verdit', from Old French 'veredicte', which comes from Latin 'veredictum', meaning 'to say the truth' (from 'verus' meaning 'true' and 'dicere' meaning 'to say')
extremist · noun/ɪkˈstriː.mɪst/
a person who holds extreme political or religious views that may incite violence
The government has been cracking down on extremist groups that promote violence and hatred.
Synonyms: radical, fanatic, zealot
Origin: The word 'extremist' originates from the Latin 'extremus', meaning 'outermost' or 'farthest'. The term entered the English language in the early 20th century.
dictator · noun/dɪkˈteɪtər/
a political leader who wields absolute power and authority, often ruling without the consent of the governed
The dictator imposed strict censorship on the media to control the narrative and maintain his grip on power.
Synonyms: tyrant, despot, autocrat
Origin: The word 'dictator' originates from the Latin 'dictator', which is a combination of 'dicere' meaning 'to say' or 'to declare'. In ancient Rome, a dictator was a magistrate with extraordinary powers, appointed during times of emergency.
genealogy · noun/ˌdʒiːniˈæləʤi/
the study of family lineage and history
She spent years researching her family's genealogy to uncover their origins and stories.
Synonyms: family history, lineage, ancestry
Origin: from Greek 'genea' meaning 'generation, descent' + '-logy' meaning 'study of'
sierra · noun/siˈɛrə/
a mountain range or a series of peaks
The breathtaking views from the top of the Sierra Nevada left us speechless during our hiking trip.
Synonyms: mountains, range, peak
Origin: From the Spanish word 'sierra', meaning 'saw', referring to the jagged silhouette of a mountain range.