remunerative, incredulous, apologetic, conciliatory, buxom: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from SAT Vocabulary Level 3 set 286. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. remunerative · adjective/rɪˈmjunəˌreɪtɪv/

   paying or rewarding for work or services

   After years of hard work, she finally found a remunerative position that matched her skills and education.

   Synonyms: lucrative, profitable, rewarding

   Origin: from the Latin word 'remunerare', meaning 'to reward' or 'to pay back'

2. incredulous · adjective/ɪnˈkrɛdʒ.əl.əs/

   unwilling or unable to believe something

   She looked incredulous when she heard the news about the sudden change in plans.

   Synonyms: disbelieving, skeptical, doubtful

   Origin: from Latin 'incredulus', meaning 'not believing'; from 'in-' (not) + 'credulus' (believing)

3. apologetic · adjective/əˌpɑː.ləˈdʒɛ.tɪk/

   expressing or showing regret or remorse

   She gave an apologetic smile when she realized she had interrupted the meeting.

   Synonyms: regretful, remorseful, contrite

   Origin: from Late Latin 'apologeticus,' meaning 'defensive,' from Greek 'apologetikos,' which refers to making a defense or justification.

4. conciliatory · adjective/kənˈsɪl.i.əˌtɔːr.i/

   intended to overcome distrust or hostility

   During the meeting, the manager proposed a conciliatory approach to address the team's concerns about workload, aiming to build trust and improve morale.

   Synonyms: reconciling, appeasing, pacifying

   Origin: from Latin 'conciliatorius', which derives from 'concilium' meaning 'assembly' or 'meeting', related to 'conciliar' meaning 'to bring together'

5. buxom · adjective/ˈbʌksəm/

   having a full rounded figure and large breasts

   The buxom waitress captivated the patrons with her cheerful demeanor and generous curves.

   Synonyms: voluptuous, curvy, well-endowed

   Origin: Middle English 'buxom,' meaning 'compliant' or 'flexible,' from the Old English 'būhsum,' which is derived from 'būc,' meaning 'body.'