secular, gaunt, haphazard, quiescent, callous: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from TOEFL Vocabulary set 133. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. secular · adjective/ˈsɛkjəlɚ/

   not connected with religious or spiritual matters

   The country's government promotes a secular education system that is free from religious influence.

   Synonyms: nonreligious, worldly, temporal

   Origin: from Middle English 'seculare', from Latin 'saecularis' meaning 'of a generation or age', 'temporal'.

2. gaunt · adjective/ɡɔnt/

   extremely thin and bony, especially due to illness or suffering

   After months of illness, he returned home looking gaunt and weary, his cheeks sunken and eyes hollow.

   Synonyms: emaciated, scrawny, lanky

   Origin: Middle English 'gaunt', from Old French 'gant', meaning 'thin, haggard', possibly influenced by the Latin 'cancer', meaning 'crab', referring to thinness.

3. haphazard · adjective/hæpˈhæzɚd/

   lacking any obvious principle of organization

   The books were arranged in a haphazard manner, making it difficult for anyone to find what they were looking for.

   Synonyms: random, chaotic, disorganized

   Origin: The word 'haphazard' originates from the early 16th century, combining 'hap', meaning chance, and 'hazard', meaning danger, implying a reliance on chance without careful planning.

4. quiescent · adjective/kwiˈɛsənt/

   in a state of inactivity or dormancy

   During the winter months, many animals remain in a quiescent state, conserving energy until warmer weather arrives.

   Synonyms: inactive, dormant, idle

   Origin: from Latin 'quiescentem', the present participle of 'quiescere', meaning 'to rest' or 'to be at rest'

5. callous · adjective/ˈkæl.əs/

   emotionally insensitive or unfeeling

   His callous disregard for the feelings of others made it difficult for him to maintain friendships.

   Synonyms: insensitive, unfeeling, heartless

   Origin: Late Latin 'callosus', meaning 'hard-skinned', from 'callus' meaning 'hard skin'