prescience, pedant, pedantry, malaise, intemperance: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from SAT Vocabulary Level 3 set 109. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. prescience · noun/ˈprɛʃəns/

   the ability to know or predict events before they happen

   The scientist's prescience about climate change has been validated by recent data showing extreme weather patterns.

   Synonyms: foreknowledge, foresight, predictive ability

   Origin: from Latin 'praescientia', where 'prae-' means 'before' and 'scientia' means 'knowledge'

2. pedant · noun/ˈpɛdnt/

   a person who is excessively concerned with minor details and rules or with displaying academic learning

   Despite the interesting topic, the discussion was bogged down by the pedant who insisted on correcting every minor grammatical mistake.

   Synonyms: nitpicker, stickler, academic

   Origin: The word 'pedant' comes from the Italian word 'pedante', which means 'a teacher' or 'a schoolmaster', and is derived from the Latin 'paedagogans', meaning 'to lead a child'.

3. pedantry · noun/ˈpɛd.ən.tri/

   excessive concern for minor details and rules or with displaying academic knowledge

   His pedantry regarding the correct use of punctuation made him a difficult colleague to work with on collaborative projects.

   Synonyms: nitpicking, pedanticism, hair-splitting

   Origin: The word 'pedantry' comes from the French 'pédant' meaning 'a schoolmaster, a pedant', which has its roots in the Latin 'pædagogus', meaning 'teacher' or 'guide'.

4. malaise · noun/məˈleɪz/

   a general feeling of discomfort, illness, or unease whose exact cause is difficult to identify

   After months of uncertainty and worry, the community began to experience a pervasive malaise that left everyone feeling listless and unmotivated.

   Synonyms: discomfort, unease, languor

   Origin: from French malaise, meaning 'ill at ease'

5. intemperance · noun/ɪnˈtɛmpərəns/

   lack of moderation or restraint in consuming food or drink or in behavior

   His intemperance in drinking often led to embarrassing situations at social gatherings.

   Synonyms: excess, immoderation, indulgence

   Origin: from Middle French 'intemperance' and Latin 'intemperantia', from 'in-' (not) + 'temperare' (to moderate)