The grand jury issued a formal indictment against the suspect after reviewing the evidence presented by the prosecutor.
synonyms
accusationchargeallegation
word origin — from Old French 'indictement', from Latin 'indictare', meaning 'to proclaim or announce' (from 'in-' + 'dicere' meaning 'to say').
SAT Vocabulary Level 2 — Set 260
Set 260 of SAT Vocabulary Level 2 covers 5 words: indictment, venom, fanatic, fad, bereavement. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.
indictment · noun/ɪnˈdaɪtmənt/
a formal charge or accusation of a serious crime
The grand jury issued a formal indictment against the suspect after reviewing the evidence presented by the prosecutor.
Synonyms: accusation, charge, allegation
Origin: from Old French 'indictement', from Latin 'indictare', meaning 'to proclaim or announce' (from 'in-' + 'dicere' meaning 'to say').
venom · noun/ˈvɛn.əm/
a toxic substance produced by certain animals for predation or defense
The snake injected its venom into the prey, quickly paralyzing it for easier consumption.
Synonyms: poison, toxin, harmful secretion
Origin: from Middle English 'venim', from Old French 'venin', from Latin 'venenum' meaning 'poison, drug, charm, spell'
fanatic · noun/fəˈnætɪk/
a person with excessive and uncritical zeal or enthusiasm for a particular cause or idea
The environmental fanatic spent countless hours organizing protests to raise awareness about climate change.
Synonyms: zealot, extreme, enthusiast
Origin: The word 'fanatic' originates from the Latin 'fanaticus', meaning 'of or belonging to a temple', which came from 'fanum', meaning 'temple'. It was used to describe someone with excessive devotion to a cause.
fad · noun/fæd/
a temporary popular trend or craze
The latest fitness fad has everyone signing up for dance classes to get in shape.
Synonyms: fashion, craze, trend
Origin: The word 'fad' originated from the late 19th century, possibly as a variation of 'faddy', influenced by the Old English 'fēad', which meant to be inclined or to show a liking.
bereavement · noun/bɪˈriːv.mənt/
the state of having lost someone close, especially through death
After the sudden bereavement of her father, she found it difficult to cope with her emotions.
Synonyms: grief, sorrow, loss
Origin: Middle English 'beriue' (meaning 'to bereave') from Old French 'berever' and Latin 'bereavere', meaning 'to take away'.