Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, meaning different people perceive beauty in various ways.
synonyms
viewerobserverwitness
word origin — derived from the Middle English 'beholden', which comes from the Old English 'behealdan', meaning 'to hold in sight' or 'to observe'.
SAT Vocabulary Level 3 — Set 42
Set 42 of SAT Vocabulary Level 3 covers 5 words: beholder, squabble, toady, academe, magnanimity. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.
beholder · noun/bɪˈhoʊldər/
one that sees or observes
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, meaning different people perceive beauty in various ways.
Synonyms: viewer, observer, witness
Origin: derived from the Middle English 'beholden', which comes from the Old English 'behealdan', meaning 'to hold in sight' or 'to observe'.
squabble · noun/ˈskwɑː.bəl/
a noisy quarrel about something trivial
The children had a squabble over who got to play with the new toy first.
Synonyms: argument, bicker, dispute
Origin: Middle English 'squablen', possibly from 'squabble' with a diminutive suffix
toady · noun/ˈtoʊdi/
a person who flatters or ingratiates themselves with someone important for personal gain
During the meeting, it was clear that Jacob was just a toady, trying to win favor with the new manager through excessive flattery.
Synonyms: sycophant, flatterer, bootlicker
Origin: The word 'toady' originated in the early 19th century from 'toad', referring to the idea of someone who is toadying or behaving obsequiously like a toad, which was often associated with being unpleasantly servile.
academe · noun/ˌæk.əˈdiːm/
the academic environment or community
She has made significant contributions to academe by publishing several influential research papers.