a subtle difference or distinction in meaning, expression, or response
example
The artist captured the nuances of light and shadow in her painting, creating a lifelike representation of the scene.
synonyms
shadedistinctionsubtlety
word origin — The word 'nuance' comes from the French 'nuance' meaning 'shade' or 'tone,' which itself is derived from 'nuer,' meaning 'to shade.' The term entered English in the early 19th century.
SAT Vocabulary Level 2 — Set 292
Set 292 of SAT Vocabulary Level 2 covers 5 words: nuance, pandemic, disinterest, divergence, epitome. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.
nuance · noun/ˈnuːɑns/
a subtle difference or distinction in meaning, expression, or response
The artist captured the nuances of light and shadow in her painting, creating a lifelike representation of the scene.
Synonyms: shade, distinction, subtlety
Origin: The word 'nuance' comes from the French 'nuance' meaning 'shade' or 'tone,' which itself is derived from 'nuer,' meaning 'to shade.' The term entered English in the early 19th century.
pandemic · noun/pænˈdɛmɪk/
an outbreak of a disease occurring over a wide geographic area and affecting a large proportion of the population
The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed how we view public health and safety measures around the world.
Synonyms: epidemic, outbreak, plague
Origin: The word 'pandemic' originates from the Greek word 'pandēmios', meaning 'of all the people', derived from 'pan-' meaning 'all' and 'demos' meaning 'people'.
disinterest · noun/ˌdɪsˈɪntrəst/
lack of interest or concern
His disinterest in the project was evident, as he rarely attended the meetings or contributed any ideas.
Synonyms: apathy, indifference, detachment
Origin: The word disinterest comes from the prefix 'dis-' meaning 'not' and 'interest', which originates from the Latin 'interesse', meaning 'to concern or be of importance'.
divergence · noun/daɪˈvɜrdʒəns/
the act of moving away from a common point or standard
The divergence of opinions among the team members led to a more thorough discussion about the project's direction.
Synonyms: divergence, deviation, separation
Origin: Originates from the Latin word 'divergentem', which means 'to turn aside' or 'to differ'.
epitome · noun/ɪˈpɪtəmi/
a person or thing that is a perfect example of a particular quality or type
She is the epitome of elegance and grace, always dressed impeccably at every event.
Synonyms: embodiment, paragon, archetype
Origin: The word 'epitome' originates from the Greek word 'epitome,' meaning 'an abstract or summary,' which is derived from 'epitemnein,' meaning 'to cut short.'