hereditary , resilient, impaired, nutritious, debilitating: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Advanced set 40. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. hereditary · adjective/həˈrɛdəˌtɛri/

   anything passed down genetically from the parents

   Family medical histories are important to know since many diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, have a hereditary component, regardless of environmental and lifestyle factors.

   Synonyms: innate, congenital, inborn, inherited, genetic

   Origin: late Middle English: from Latin hereditarius, from hereditas (see heredity)

2. resilient · adjective/rəˈzɪliənt/

   being able to recover from a difficult situation

   Despite facing numerous setbacks and challenges in her career, Jane remained resilient, bouncing back stronger each time and never giving up on her goals.

   Synonyms: tough, strong

   Origin: mid 17th century: from Latin resilient- ‘leaping back’, from the verb resilire (see resile)

3. impaired · adjective/ɪmˈpɛrd/

   weakened or damaged

   Children that are visually impaired are seldomly diagnosed before they start primary school.

   Synonyms: damaged, flawed, harmed

4. nutritious · adjective/nuˈtrɪʃəs/

   food that includes beneficial substances that are healthy for the body

   The cookbook pointed out that vegetables were more nutritious if they were not overcooked and offered several recipes for steaming.

   Synonyms: beneficial, healthy

   Origin: mid 17th century: from Latin nutritius ‘that nourishes’ (from nutrex ‘a nurse’) + -ous

5. debilitating · adjective/dəˈbɪləˌteɪdɪŋ/

   making someone weak or unable to fully function

   Parkinson's is a debilitating disease gradually causing the loss of movement control and leading, ultimately, to the need of round-the-clock care.

   Synonyms: weakening, impairing