premonition, yore, anathema, spatula, sojourn: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from SAT Vocabulary Level 3 set 73. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. premonition · noun/ˌprɛm.əˈnɪʃ.ən/

   a strong feeling that something is about to happen, especially something unpleasant

   She had a strong premonition that something bad would happen during the storm.

   Synonyms: forewarning, intuition, inkling

   Origin: from Latin 'praemonitio', from 'praemonere' meaning 'to forewarn'

2. yore · noun/jɔr/

   a time long past

   The legends of yore tell tales of brave knights and epic battles.

   Synonyms: past, bygone, former

   Origin: Middle English 'yore', from Old English 'geāra', meaning 'of (the) years'

3. anathema · noun/əˈnæθəˌmə/

   a person or thing detested or loathed

   For many traditionalists, the idea of modern art is anathema to their values and beliefs.

   Synonyms: abomination, pariah, curse

   Origin: From Greek 'anathema', meaning 'something dedicated or set apart (for a curse)'

4. spatula · noun/ˈspætʃələ/

   a kitchen utensil with a flat, broad blade used for mixing, spreading, or lifting food

   She used a rubber spatula to scrape the last bit of batter from the bowl into the pan.

   Synonyms: flipper, turner, paddle

   Origin: from late Latin 'spatula', diminutive of 'spatha', meaning 'broad blade'

5. sojourn · noun/ˈsoʊdʒɜrn/

   a temporary stay or visit

   During their sojourn in Paris, they visited all the famous landmarks and enjoyed the local cuisine.

   Synonyms: stay, visit, stopover

   Origin: Middle English, from Old French 'sojourner' meaning 'to stay for a time', from Latin 'subdiurnare' meaning 'to spend the day under' (from 'sub-' = under + 'diurna' = daylight)