SAT Vocabulary Level 3 — Set 260

Set 260 of SAT Vocabulary Level 3 covers 5 words: wispy, unimportant, precipitous, itinerant, obstreperous. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. wispy · adjective/ˈwɪspi/

   thin and light in appearance or texture

   The sunset painted the sky with wispy clouds that seemed to float delicately above the horizon.

   Synonyms: thin, airy, delicate

   Origin: Originates from the word 'wisp', which means a small, thin, or delicate piece, often associated with something light or insubstantial.

2. unimportant · adjective/ʌnɪmˈpɔrtənt/

   not significant or worthy of attention

   The committee decided to focus on the more pressing issues, considering the minor details to be unimportant.

   Synonyms: trivial, insignificant, minor

   Origin: The word 'unimportant' is composed of the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not', and 'important' derived from the Latin 'importans', from 'importare' meaning 'to bring in' or 'to signify'.

3. precipitous · adjective/prɪˈsɪpɪtəs/

   steep orrapid in degree or nature

   The hikers had to be careful as they descended the precipitous cliff that jutted out over the valley.

   Synonyms: steep, sheer, abrupt

   Origin: from Latin 'praecipitō', meaning 'to throw down' or 'to fall headlong'

4. itinerant · adjective/aɪˈtɪnərənt/

   traveling from place to place

   The itinerant musician traveled from city to city, sharing his melodies with diverse audiences.

   Synonyms: nomadic, wandering, roving

   Origin: from Latin itinerans, itinerant-, from itinerare to journey

5. obstreperous · adjective/ɑbˈstrɛp.ər.əs/

   noisily and stubbornly defiant

   The obstreperous children in the classroom were making it impossible for the teacher to give her lesson.

   Synonyms: disobedient, unruly, boisterous

   Origin: From Latin 'obstrepere', meaning 'to make a noise against' (from 'ob-' meaning 'against' and 'strepere' meaning 'to make a noise')