Intermediate — Set 25

Set 25 of Intermediate covers 5 words: preference, disappearance, prediction, necessity, coincidence. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. preference · noun/ˈprɛf(ə)rəns/

   a strong liking

   I definitely have a preference for water over sugary drinks.

   Synonyms: liking, desire

   Origin: late Middle English (in the sense ‘promotion’): from Old French, from medieval Latin praeferentia, from Latin praeferre ‘carry in front’ (see prefer)

2. disappearance · noun/ˌdɪsəˈpɪrəns/

   stop to exist or to be no longer seen

   Surprisingly, the black box survived four years after the disappearance of the plane.

   Synonyms: vanish, fade

3. prediction · noun/priˈdɪkʃ(ə)n/

   guess, often an educated guess

   Isn't it too soon to make a prediction about a player's future based on one game?

   Synonyms: projection, forecast

   Origin: mid 16th century: from Latin praedictio(n-), from praedicere ‘make known beforehand’ (see predict)

4. necessity · noun/nəˈsɛsədi/

   the quality of being necessary

   Theresa May herself has described cars as a necessity, not a luxury, for ordinary working families.

   Synonyms: indispensable, essential, requirement

   Origin: late Middle English: from Old French necessite, from Latin necessitas, from necesse ‘be needful’

5. coincidence · noun/koʊˈɪnsədns/

   Events that happen by chance but seem to be connected

   There's no such thing as coincidence. Notice how every major event in your life somehow leads up to the next?

   Synonyms: incident, chance, happenstance

   Origin: early 17th century (in the sense ‘occupation of the same space’): from medieval Latin coincidentia, from coincidere ‘coincide, agree’ (see coincide)