Set 69 · Study 1 / 5

Exit

atavism

noun/ˈætəˌvɪzəm/

the reappearance of an earlier characteristic or trait in an organism

The unexpected atavism of certain physical traits in the modern species sparked interest among evolutionary biologists.

reversionregressionthrowback
word origin — from Latin 'atavus' meaning 'ancestor' combined with the suffix '-ism'

Word Ultra — Set 69

Set 69 of Word Ultra covers 5 words: atavism, denegation, prestidigitation, polyptoton, conflux. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

  1. atavism · noun/ˈætəˌvɪzəm/

    the reappearance of an earlier characteristic or trait in an organism

    The unexpected atavism of certain physical traits in the modern species sparked interest among evolutionary biologists.

    Synonyms: reversion, regression, throwback

    Origin: from Latin 'atavus' meaning 'ancestor' combined with the suffix '-ism'

  2. denegation · noun/ˌdɛnɪˈɡeɪʃən/

    the act of denying or refusing to acknowledge something

    His persistent denegation of the facts made it difficult for the team to move forward with the project.

    Synonyms: negation, denial, refusal

    Origin: from the Latin 'denegare', meaning 'to deny'

  3. prestidigitation · noun/ˌprɛstəˌdɪdʒɪˈteɪʃən/

    the performance of magic tricks with the hands

    His prestidigitation skills captivated the audience, leaving them in awe of his dexterous sleight of hand.

    Synonyms: sleight of hand, conjuring, magic

    Origin: from Latin 'praestigitatio', meaning 'deception, juggling' which derives from 'praestigiae' meaning 'illusions, tricks'

  4. polyptoton · noun/ˌpɑːlɪpˈtoʊtən/

    the rhetorical repetition of a word in a different form or case

    The poet skillfully employed polyptoton to enrich the emotional depth of his verses, creating a resonant echo of meaning throughout the poem.

    Synonyms: repetition, variation, change

    Origin: from the Greek 'polyptoton', meaning 'having many cases', from 'poly' (many) + 'ptosis' (falling, a case in grammar)

  5. conflux · noun/ˈkɑːn.flʌks/

    the act of flowing together or merging

    The conflux of cultures at the festival created a vibrant atmosphere that celebrated diversity.

    Synonyms: convergence, merging, junction

    Origin: from Latin 'confluxus', meaning 'a flowing together', from 'con-' (together) + 'fluere' (to flow)