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dalliance

noun/ˈdæl.i.əns/

definition

a brief or casual involvement or activity

example

Her dalliance with painting lasted only a few months before she returned to her true passion for photography.

synonyms
flirtationaffairengagement
word origin — from the Middle English 'daliance', from 'dallien' meaning 'to waste time, to act lightly' influenced by 'dalliance' in Old French.

SAT Vocabulary Level 3 — Set 116

Set 116 of SAT Vocabulary Level 3 covers 5 words: dalliance, animosity, equivocation, poseur, piety. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

  1. dalliance · noun/ˈdæl.i.əns/

    a brief or casual involvement or activity

    Her dalliance with painting lasted only a few months before she returned to her true passion for photography.

    Synonyms: flirtation, affair, engagement

    Origin: from the Middle English 'daliance', from 'dallien' meaning 'to waste time, to act lightly' influenced by 'dalliance' in Old French.

  2. animosity · noun/ˌæn.əˈmɑː.sɪ.ti/

    a strong feeling of dislike or hatred

    The longstanding animosity between the two rival factions escalated into open conflict.

    Synonyms: hostility, enmity, antipathy

    Origin: Originating from Latin 'animositas', from 'animus' meaning mind or spirit.

  3. equivocation · noun/ɪˌkwɪvəˈkeɪʃən/

    the use of ambiguous language to conceal the truth or to avoid committing oneself

    The politician’s equivocation during the debate left voters confused about his true intentions.

    Synonyms: ambiguity, prevarication, evasiveness

    Origin: Derived from the Latin 'aequivocatio', from 'aequivocus' meaning 'of equal voice or meaning', from 'aequi-' (equal) + 'vocare' (to call).

  4. poseur · noun/poʊˈzɜr/

    a person who pretends to be what they are not or adopts a particular attitude to impress others

    Everyone could tell that he was just a poseur trying to impress the group with his fake knowledge of art.

    Synonyms: faker, pretender, impostor

    Origin: French 'poseur', meaning 'to pose' or 'to put into position'

  5. piety · noun/ˈpaɪ.ə.ti/

    the quality of being religious or reverent

    Her piety was evident in her daily prayers and charitable acts, reflecting her deep religious commitment.

    Synonyms: devotion, reverence, holiness

    Origin: From Middle English 'piete', from Old French 'piete', from Latin 'pietas', meaning 'piety, duty, loyalty'.