caitiff, mumpsimus, somnolence, conflagration, jactitation: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Word Ultra set 91. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. caitiff · noun/ˈkeɪ.tɪf/

   a cowardly or despicable person

   He acted like a caitiff in the face of danger, abandoning his friends when they needed him most.

   Synonyms: craven, coward, scoundrel

   Origin: Middle English, from Old French 'catif', meaning 'captured' or 'base'; related to Latin 'captivus', meaning 'captive'.

2. mumpsimus · noun/ˈmʌmpsɪməs/

   a stubborn person who insists on sticking to an incorrect belief or way of doing things despite clear evidence to the contrary

   Despite the overwhelming evidence presented by the researchers, he remained a mumpsimus, unwilling to change his disbelief in climate change.

   Synonyms: stickler, diehard, pedant

   Origin: The word 'mumpsimus' is derived from a mispronunciation of the Latin phrase 'sumpsimus,' which means 'that which has been taken.' The term refers to someone who clings to a mistake despite being corrected.

3. somnolence · noun/ˈsɑmnləns/

   a state of drowsiness or sleepiness

   After a long night of studying, he felt a heavy somnolence that made it difficult to concentrate during his morning class.

   Synonyms: drowsiness, sleepiness, lethargy

   Origin: from Latin 'somnolentia', from 'somnolent-', meaning 'sleepy', from 'somnus', meaning 'sleep'

4. conflagration · noun/ˌkɑnfləˈɡreɪʃən/

   a large and destructive fire

   The firefighters worked tirelessly to contain the massive conflagration that had engulfed the entire neighborhood.

   Synonyms: fire, blaze, inferno

   Origin: from Latin 'conflagratio', from 'conflagrare', meaning 'to burn up'

5. jactitation · noun/ˌdʒæk.tɪˈteɪ.ʃən/

   the act of tossing or shaking about restlessly

   The child's jactitation during the long meeting made it difficult for anyone to concentrate on the presentation.

   Synonyms: restlessness, agitation, tossing

   Origin: from Latin 'jactitatio', from 'jactitare', which means to toss or to throw