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peccadillo

noun/ˌpɛkəˈdɪloʊ/

a minor sin or offense

Despite his many peccadillos, his friends found him to be a loyal and caring person.

misdemeanortransgressionfault
word origin — from Spanish 'peccadillo', diminutive of 'pecado' meaning sin, from Latin 'peccatum'

SAT Vocabulary Level 3 — Set 320

Set 320 of SAT Vocabulary Level 3 covers 5 words: peccadillo, verisimilitude, rectitude, nonconformity, stanza. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

  1. peccadillo · noun/ˌpɛkəˈdɪloʊ/

    a minor sin or offense

    Despite his many peccadillos, his friends found him to be a loyal and caring person.

    Synonyms: misdemeanor, transgression, fault

    Origin: from Spanish 'peccadillo', diminutive of 'pecado' meaning sin, from Latin 'peccatum'

  2. verisimilitude · noun/ˌvɛrɪsɪˈmɪlɪˌtud/

    the appearance of being true or real

    The film achieved a remarkable level of verisimilitude, making it feel as though the events were actually happening in real life.

    Synonyms: likeness, realism, authenticity

    Origin: from Latin 'verisimilitudo', from 'verus' meaning 'true' and 'similitudo' meaning 'similarity'

  3. rectitude · noun/ˈrɛktɪtuːd/

    moral integrity and righteousness

    Her unwavering rectitude in the face of adversity earned her the respect of her colleagues.

    Synonyms: uprightness, morality, integrity

    Origin: Middle French 'rectitude', from Latin 'rectitūdō', from 'rectus' meaning 'right' or 'straight'

  4. nonconformity · noun/ˌnɑn.kənˈfɔr.mɪ.ti/

    refusal to conform to established norms or practices

    Her nonconformity in fashion often turned heads, as she proudly wore clothes that defied conventional trends.

    Synonyms: unorthodoxy, dissent, individuality

    Origin: The term 'nonconformity' is derived from the prefix 'non-' meaning 'not' and 'conformity' which comes from the Latin 'conformare', meaning 'to form or shape together', with 'con-' meaning 'with' and 'formare' meaning 'to form'.

  5. stanza · noun/ˈstæn.zə/

    a grouped set of lines in a poem that often follows a specific rhyme scheme

    The poet structured the poem into four stanzas, each with its own unique rhyme scheme.

    Synonyms: verse, section, strophe

    Origin: from Italian stanza, meaning 'room' or 'stopping place', derived from Latin 'stans', meaning 'standing'.