belligerent, innocuous, effervescent, prolific, circumspect: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from TOEFL Vocabulary set 148. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. belligerent · adjective/bəˈlɪdʒɪrənt/

   hostile and aggressive

   His belligerent attitude during the meeting made it difficult to reach a consensus.

   Synonyms: hostile, aggressive, combative

   Origin: from Latin 'belligerare', meaning 'to wage war', from 'bellum' meaning 'war' and 'gerere' meaning 'to carry on'

2. innocuous · adjective/ɪˈnɑː.kjʊ.əs/

   not harmful or offensive

   The doctor assured me that the vaccine was innocuous and posed no risk to my health.

   Synonyms: harmless, inoffensive, mild

   Origin: from Latin 'innocuus', meaning 'harmless'.

3. effervescent · adjective/ˌɛf.ɚˈvɛs.ənt/

   bubbling or fizzy carbonation in a liquid or lively and enthusiastic in personality

   The effervescent champagne filled the glass with delightful bubbles that danced to the surface.

   Synonyms: bubbly, fizzy, vivacious

   Origin: from Latin 'effervescens', which is the present participle of 'effervescere', meaning 'to bubble up', from 'ex-' meaning 'out' and 'fervere' meaning 'to boil'

4. prolific · adjective/prəˈlɪfɪk/

   producing a large number of works, results, or offspring

   The prolific author released three novels this year, each one more compelling than the last.

   Synonyms: fertile, productive, creative

   Origin: from Latin prolificus, from pro- 'forth' + facere 'to make, do'

5. circumspect · adjective/ˈsɜr.kəm.spekt/

   careful to consider all circumstances and potential consequences

   The manager took a circumspect approach when discussing the potential merger, weighing all possible outcomes carefully.

   Synonyms: cautious, prudent, vigilant

   Origin: from Latin 'circumspectus', meaning 'looking around'