baffled, hereditary, imminent, predominantly, distort: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Advanced Plus set 8. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. baffled · adjective/ˈbæf.əld/

   unable to understand or perplexed by something

   I was baffled by the math problem because I didn't understand it at all.

   Synonyms: confused, puzzled, bewildered

   Origin: The word 'baffled' originates from the early 17th century, likely derived from the verb 'to baffle', which comes from the Middle English 'to baffle' meaning to confuse or defy understanding.

2. hereditary · adjective/həˈrɛdɪˌtɛri/

   relating to inheritance or passed down from ancestors

   Some diseases are hereditary and can be passed down from parents to children.

   Synonyms: inherited, ancestral, familial

   Origin: from Latin 'hereditarius' meaning 'heir' or 'inherited'

3. imminent · adjective/ˈɪmɪnənt/

   about to happen very soon

   The rain clouds are dark, and a storm is imminent.

   Synonyms: near, impending, looming

   Origin: from Latin 'imminens', meaning 'overhanging, impending'

4. predominantly · adverb/prɪˈdɑːmɪnəntli/

   mainly or mostly in number or degree

   The group was predominantly made up of young people from the city.

   Synonyms: mainly, mostly, primarily

   Origin: from Latin 'praedominari', meaning 'to be in control' or 'to prevail over'

5. distort · verb/dɪsˈtɔrt/

   to twist out of shape or meaning

   The funhouse mirrors distort your reflection, making you look funny.

   Synonyms: twist, warp, misrepresent

   Origin: from Latin 'distortus', past participle of 'distorquere', meaning 'to twist apart'