Set 269 · Study 1 / 5

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bugbear

noun/ˈbʌɡ.bɛr/

a cause of anxiety or fear

One of the main bugbears of the project was the constant budget overrun that caused significant stress among the team members.

boogeymanterrordread
word origin — The term 'bugbear' originated in the early 14th century, derived from the Middle English 'bugge' meaning 'a scare' or 'a bugbear', and 'bear', likely referring to a creature that would frighten children.

Word Ultra — Set 269

Set 269 of Word Ultra covers 5 words: bugbear, compotation, parasigmatism, cenobite, trompe-l'œil. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

  1. bugbear · noun/ˈbʌɡ.bɛr/

    a cause of anxiety or fear

    One of the main bugbears of the project was the constant budget overrun that caused significant stress among the team members.

    Synonyms: boogeyman, terror, dread

    Origin: The term 'bugbear' originated in the early 14th century, derived from the Middle English 'bugge' meaning 'a scare' or 'a bugbear', and 'bear', likely referring to a creature that would frighten children.

  2. compotation · noun/ˌkɑmpəˈteɪʃən/

    the act of drinking together or consuming beverages in a social setting

    After a long week at work, we decided to have a compotation at our favorite pub to unwind and enjoy each other's company.

    Synonyms: drinking, libation, toast

    Origin: from Latin 'compotatio', from 'com-' (together) + 'potare' (to drink)

  3. parasigmatism · noun/ˌpɛrəˈsɪɡmətɪzəm/

    a condition characterized by a disturbance in the perceptual processing of speech sounds

    Children with parasigmatism often struggle to distinguish between similar speech sounds, which can significantly affect their communication skills.

    Synonyms: auditory processing disorder, phonological processing disorder

    Origin: The term 'parasigmatism' is derived from the prefix 'para-' meaning 'beside' or 'abnormal', combined with 'sigmatism', which comes from 'sigma', indicating a relation to sounds or pronunciation.

  4. cenobite · noun/ˈsiː.noʊ.baɪt/

    a member of a religious community living together in a monastery

    The cenobites of the monastery dedicated their lives to prayer and communal living.

    Synonyms: monk, friar, religious

    Origin: from Late Latin 'cenobita', from Greek 'koinobios' meaning 'living in community' (from 'koinos' meaning 'common' and 'bios' meaning 'life')

  5. trompe-l'œil · noun/trɑmp loʊˈeɪ/

    a painted or sculpted representation that creates the optical illusion of three dimensions

    The artist amazed visitors with her stunning trompe-l'œil mural that made the ceiling appear much higher than it actually was.

    Synonyms: illusionistic art, three-dimensional representation, visual illusion

    Origin: French, literally meaning 'deceive the eye'