amity, subpoena, litigation, hypothesis, anomaly: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from TOEFL Vocabulary set 92. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. amity · noun/ˈæmɪti/

   a friendly relationship between people or groups

   The two nations signed a treaty to promote amity and cooperation in trade and security.

   Synonyms: friendship, harmony, goodwill

   Origin: from Middle English, from Latin 'amitas' meaning friendship, derived from 'amare' meaning to love.

2. subpoena · noun/səˈpiːnə/

   a legal order requiring a person to attend a court or produce evidence

   The attorney issued a subpoena to the witness, requiring her to appear in court next week.

   Synonyms: summons, warrant, court order

   Origin: The word 'subpoena' originates from the Latin phrase 'sub poena', meaning 'under penalty'.

3. litigation · noun/lɪtɪˈɡeɪʃən/

   the process of taking legal action in a court of law

   The ongoing litigation between the two companies has attracted significant media attention.

   Synonyms: lawsuit, legal action, litigation process

   Origin: from Latin 'litigatio', from 'litigare' meaning 'to dispute' or 'to quarrel'

4. hypothesis · noun/haɪˈpɑːθɪsɪs/

   a proposed explanation for a phenomenon that can be tested through experimentation

   The scientist formulated a hypothesis to explain the unusual behavior of the particles in the experiment.

   Synonyms: theory, assumption, proposition

   Origin: from the Greek 'hypothesis,' meaning 'a placing under, a supposition', derived from 'hypo-' meaning 'under' and 'thesis' meaning 'a placing or position'.

5. anomaly · noun/əˈnɑː.mə.li/

   deviation from the norm or standard

   The scientist found an anomaly in the data that indicated a possible error in the experiment.

   Synonyms: abnormality, irregularity, deviation

   Origin: from Greek 'anomalía', meaning 'unevenness, irregularity', from 'anomalos', meaning 'uneven, irregular'