Word Ultra — Set 8

Set 8 of Word Ultra covers 5 words: perihelion, ophidiophobia, narquois, zeitgeber, abulia. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. perihelion · noun/ˌpɛrɪˈhiːliən/

   the point in the orbit of a celestial object where it is closest to the sun

   Earth reaches its perihelion in early January, making it the closest point to the Sun in its orbit.

   Synonyms: aphelion, closest approach

   Origin: from Greek 'peri-' meaning 'near' and 'helios' meaning 'sun'

2. ophidiophobia · noun/əˌfɪd.i.oʊˈfoʊ.bi.ə/

   fear of snakes

   Many people suffer from ophidiophobia, which can lead to intense anxiety when they encounter even pictures of snakes.

   Synonyms: serpentophobia, snakephobia

   Origin: from Greek 'ophis' meaning snake and 'phobos' meaning fear

3. narquois · noun/ˈnɑrkwɔɪ/

   a person who is an expert in or obsessed with the esoteric or arcane

   As a leading narquois in ancient alchemical texts, she hosted numerous seminars on the secrets of transmutation.

   Synonyms: sage, guru, scholar

   Origin: Derived from the French 'narquois', which is a colloquial term referring to someone knowledgeable in obscure or hidden knowledge, from 'narq' relating to secret knowledge.

4. zeitgeber · noun/ˈzaɪtˌɡeɪbər/

   an external cue that influences the timing of biological rhythms

   Light is one of the most powerful zeitgebers, helping to regulate our sleep-wake cycles.

   Synonyms: time cue, environmental cue, time signal

   Origin: From German 'Zeitgeber', meaning 'time giver', from 'Zeit' meaning 'time' and 'geben' meaning 'to give'.

5. abulia · noun/əˈbjuːliə/

   a lack of willpower or initiative

   His abulia prevented him from pursuing his dreams, leaving him stuck in a monotonous routine.

   Synonyms: apathy, lethargy, inertia

   Origin: from Greek 'aboulēia', meaning 'lack of will', from 'a-' (without) + 'boulē' (will, intention)