waggish, prudent, irrevocable, extant, prone: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from SAT Vocabulary Level 2 set 209. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. waggish · adjective/ˈwæɡɪʃ/

   humorously playful or mischievous

   His waggish remarks during the meeting lightened the mood and made everyone laugh.

   Synonyms: playful, jesting, whimsical

   Origin: The word 'waggish' originates from the late Middle English term 'wag', which means 'a witty or playful person'. It is derived from the Old English 'wagga', meaning 'to move to and fro'.

2. prudent · adjective/ˈpruː.dənt/

   acting with or showing care and thought for the future

   It is prudent to save a portion of your salary for emergencies in the future.

   Synonyms: wise, cautious, judicious

   Origin: From Latin 'prudentem', meaning 'foreseeing, sagacious'.

3. irrevocable · adjective/ɪˈrɛvəkəbl/

   not able to be changed or reversed

   Once the decision was made, it created an irrevocable commitment that the team had to uphold regardless of the consequences.

   Synonyms: unchangeable, irreversible, final

   Origin: Late Middle English, from Old French 'irrevocable', from Latin 'irrevocabilis', from 'in-' meaning 'not' + 'revocabilis' meaning 'able to be called back'.

4. extant · adjective/ɪkˈstænt/

   still in existence or surviving

   The museum has the largest collection of extant manuscripts from the medieval period.

   Synonyms: existing, surviving, present

   Origin: from Latin 'extantem', the present participle of 'exstare', meaning 'to stand out or be evident'.

5. prone · adjective/proʊn/

   having a tendency to do something or likely to suffer from something

   Children are often prone to colds during the winter months.

   Synonyms: inclined, susceptible, vulnerable

   Origin: from Latin 'pronus' meaning 'bent forward' or 'inclined'