fatuous, hyaline, stertorous, juvenescent, lophodont: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Word Ultra set 43. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. fatuous · adjective/ˈfætʃ.ə.wəs/

   silly or foolish

   His fatuous remarks during the meeting only served to annoy everyone present.

   Synonyms: silly, foolish, absurd

   Origin: Latin 'fatuus' meaning 'silly, foolish'

2. hyaline · adjective/ˈhaɪəˌlaɪn/

   resembling glass in transparency or clarity

   The laboratory examined the hyaline cartilage from the joint for any signs of degeneration.

   Synonyms: transparent, clear, glassy

   Origin: From the Greek word 'hyalos' meaning 'glass' or 'glassy'

3. stertorous · adjective/ˈstɜr.tər.əs/

   characterized by a heavy snoring or labored breathing sound

   After a long day of hiking, he fell into a deep sleep, punctuated by stertorous breaths that echoed through the quiet cabin.

   Synonyms: snoring, wheezing, labored

   Origin: from Latin 'stertorus', meaning 'snoring', derived from 'stertre', meaning 'to snore'

4. juvenescent · adjective/ˌdʒu.vəˈnɛs.ənt/

   becoming young or youthful

   The juvenescent spirit of the festival brought together people of all ages, sparking joy and enthusiasm in the community.

   Synonyms: youthful, young, adolescent

   Origin: from Latin 'juvenescens', which is the present participle of 'juvenescere', meaning 'to become young'

5. lophodont · adjective/ˈloʊfəˌdɑnt/

   having flat molar teeth with ridges for grinding food

   The lophodont characteristics of the ancient herbivore's teeth indicate that it was well adapted for grinding tough plant material.

   Synonyms: grinding, molar, flat

   Origin: from Greek 'lophos' meaning ridge and 'odous' meaning tooth