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threnody

noun/ˈθrɛn.ə.di/

a poem or song of lamentation for the dead

The mourners gathered to hear the threnody that weaved together their collective sorrow for the beloved community leader who had passed away.

elegydirgelament
word origin — from Greek 'threnoidion', meaning 'song of lament', derived from 'threne', meaning 'dirge' or 'lamentation'

Word Ultra — Set 155

Set 155 of Word Ultra covers 5 words: threnody, adumbration, palaver, hellenophile, epizeuxis. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

  1. threnody · noun/ˈθrɛn.ə.di/

    a poem or song of lamentation for the dead

    The mourners gathered to hear the threnody that weaved together their collective sorrow for the beloved community leader who had passed away.

    Synonyms: elegy, dirge, lament

    Origin: from Greek 'threnoidion', meaning 'song of lament', derived from 'threne', meaning 'dirge' or 'lamentation'

  2. adumbration · noun/ˌæd.ʌmˈbreɪ.ʃən/

    a foreshadowing or vague representation of something

    The novel's opening chapter offered a subtle adumbration of the tragic events that would unfold later in the story.

    Synonyms: outline, shadow, foreshadowing

    Origin: The term 'adumbration' comes from the Latin 'adumbratio', meaning 'representation in shadow' or 'to overshadow', which itself derives from 'adumbrare', meaning 'to cast a shadow upon'.

  3. palaver · noun/pəˈlæ.vɚ/

    prolonged and idle discussion or conversation

    After an hour of pointless palaver about the weather, the meeting finally got down to business.

    Synonyms: discussion, chatter, talk

    Origin: The word 'palaver' originates from the Portuguese 'palavra,' meaning 'word,' which passed into English via West African languages, emphasizing lengthy or aimless conversation.

  4. hellenophile · noun/ˈhɛlənəˌfaɪl/

    a person who loves or is enthusiastic about Greek culture and history

    As a passionate hellenophile, she spent her summers exploring ancient ruins and studying classical literature from Greece.

    Synonyms: Hellenist, Greek enthusiast, philhellene

    Origin: The term 'Hellenophile' is derived from the Greek word 'Hellenes' meaning Greeks, combined with the suffix '-phile' meaning lover of.

  5. epizeuxis · noun/ˌɛpɪˈzuːksɪs/

    the repetition of a word or phrase in immediate succession for emphasis

    In her passionate speech, she emphasized her point by using epizeuxis to repeat the phrase 'Never give up, never give up!'

    Synonyms: repetition, reiteration, duplication

    Origin: From the Greek 'epizeuxis', meaning 'superimposition', from 'epi-' meaning 'upon' and 'zeuxis' meaning 'to join'.