SAT Vocabulary Level 3 — Set 28

Set 28 of SAT Vocabulary Level 3 covers 5 words: pronouncement, trinket, quagmire, flotilla, loquacity. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. pronouncement · noun/prəˈnaʊnsmənt/

   an official or formal declaration

   The CEO's pronouncement about the new policy was met with both praise and criticism from the employees.

   Synonyms: declaration, announcement, statement

   Origin: from Middle English 'pronouncemen', from Old French 'prononciement', from Latin 'pronuntiare' meaning 'to proclaim'.

2. trinket · noun/ˈtrɪŋ.kɪt/

   a small decorative item or a piece of jewelry that is of little value

   She collected little trinkets from all her travels, each one holding a special memory.

   Synonyms: gimmick, bauble, knickknack

   Origin: Middle English trinket, diminutive of trink, from the verb trinket meaning to make a tinkling sound.

3. quagmire · noun/ˈkwæɡˌmaɪər/

   a difficult or precarious situation that is hard to escape

   After failing to resolve the conflict, the negotiation team found themselves in a political quagmire that seemed impossible to escape.

   Synonyms: predicament, dilemma, plight

   Origin: The word 'quagmire' originates from the early 17th century, combining the words 'quag', meaning 'soft, boggy ground', and 'mire', meaning 'a stretch of swampy or boggy ground'.

4. flotilla · noun/floʊˈtɪl.ə/

   a formation of boats or ships

   The flotilla of rescue boats quickly responded to the distress call from the stranded yacht.

   Synonyms: fleet, armada, flotage

   Origin: from Spanish 'flotilla', diminutive of 'flota', meaning 'fleet'

5. loquacity · noun/loʊˈkwæs.ɪ.ti/

   the quality of being very talkative or chatty

   Her loquacity during the meeting was both entertaining and slightly distracting for the team.

   Synonyms: talkativeness, garrulity, chattyness

   Origin: from Latin 'loquacitas', from 'loquax' meaning 'talkative'