veracious, discursive, turbid, dispassionate, interminable: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from SAT Vocabulary Level 3 set 239. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. veracious · adjective/vəˈreɪ.ʃəs/

   habitually speaking the truth or having a strong desire for accuracy

   The journalist was known for her veracious reporting, always striving to present the facts accurately.

   Synonyms: truthful, honest, accurate

   Origin: from Latin 'verax', meaning 'truthful, speaking the truth'; from 'verus', meaning 'true'.

2. discursive · adjective/dɪsˈkɜːr.sɪv/

   relating to discourse or modes of discourse often characterized by a conversational style or covering a broad range of topics

   The professor's discursive style kept the students engaged as he jumped from one intriguing topic to another during the lecture.

   Synonyms: rambling, verbose, digressive

   Origin: from Latin 'discursus', meaning 'running to and fro', from 'dis-' (meaning 'apart') + 'currere' (meaning 'to run')

3. turbid · adjective/ˈtɜr.bɪd/

   cloudy or opaque due to suspended matter

   The river was unusually turbid after the heavy rainfall, making it difficult to see the bottom.

   Synonyms: cloudy, muddy, murky

   Origin: from Latin 'turbidus', meaning 'disturbed, confused'

4. dispassionate · adjective/dɪsˈpæʃ.ə.nɪt/

   not influenced by strong emotion or personal bias

   His dispassionate analysis of the situation helped the team make a more informed decision.

   Synonyms: unemotional, impartial, objective

   Origin: Late Middle English, from Old French 'despassioné', from 'des-' (from) + 'passion' (passion, emotion).

5. interminable · adjective/ɪnˈtɜrmɪnəbl/

   endless or seemingly endless

   The meeting dragged on with interminable discussions that seemed to lead nowhere.

   Synonyms: unending, eternal, ceaseless

   Origin: from Latin 'interminabilis', from 'inter' (not) + 'terminabilis' (able to be finished)