calamity, disease, savant, gut, variable: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from TOEFL Vocabulary set 21. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. calamity · noun/kəˈlæm.ɪ.ti/

   a serious event causing distress or misfortune

   The sudden earthquake was a calamity for the entire region, leaving thousands homeless and in need of assistance.

   Synonyms: disaster, catastrophe, misfortune

   Origin: from the Latin 'calamitas', meaning 'damage, loss, or misfortune'

2. disease · noun/dɪˈziz/

   a disorder of structure or function in a living organism

   Heart disease is a leading cause of death in many countries, affecting millions of people each year.

   Synonyms: illness, sickness, ailment

   Origin: from Middle English 'diseas', from Old French 'desaise', from 'des-', meaning 'away', and 'aise', meaning 'ease'

3. savant · noun/səˈvænt/

   a person of profound or extensive knowledge in a particular field

   The renowned physicist was considered a savant in quantum mechanics, revered for his groundbreaking theories.

   Synonyms: expert, scholar, specialist

   Origin: From French 'savant', meaning 'knowing', from the Latin 'sapere', meaning 'to be wise'.

4. gut · noun/ɡʌt/

   the digestive tract or system

   During the marathon, I felt a cramp in my gut that made it difficult to continue running.

   Synonyms: intestines, belly, digestive system

   Origin: Middle English 'gut', from Old Norse 'gutr', probably of Germanic origin

5. variable · noun/ˈvɛr.ə.bəl/

   a symbol or quantity that can change or vary

   In the experiment, temperature was the key variable that influenced the outcome.

   Synonyms: factor, parameter, entity

   Origin: from Latin 'variabilis', meaning 'changeable', from 'variare', meaning 'to change'