Proficient Plus — Set 52

Set 52 of Proficient Plus covers 5 words: posterity, incubus, exegesis, palliative, braggart. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. posterity · noun/pɑˈstɛr.ɪ.ti/

   all future generations of people

   The leaders wanted to create a better world for posterity.

   Synonyms: descendants, future generations, offspring

   Origin: from Latin 'posteritas', meaning 'future, descendants'

2. incubus · noun/ˈɪnkjəˌbəs/

   a male demon believed to lie upon sleeping women to engage in sexual intercourse

   She woke up in the middle of the night, feeling as if an incubus had been laying on her chest.

   Synonyms: demon, ghost, spirit

   Origin: from Latin 'incubus', meaning 'to lie upon'

3. exegesis · noun/ˌɛksɪˈdʒisɪs/

   critical interpretation or explanation of a text, especially a religious scripture

   The teacher gave a clear exegesis of the Bible passage, helping us understand its meaning better.

   Synonyms: interpretation, explanation, analysis

   Origin: from the Greek word 'exēgēsis', meaning 'to lead out' or 'explanation'

4. palliative · adjective/ˈpæl.i.eɪ.tɪv/

   relieving pain without dealing with the cause of the condition

   The doctor prescribed palliative care to help manage her pain during the illness.

   Synonyms: soothing, comforting, alleviating

   Origin: from Latin 'palliativus', meaning 'to cloak or cover' (from 'pallium', meaning 'a cloak')

5. braggart · noun/ˈbræɡ.ɚt/

   a person who boasts about achievements or possessions

   He is such a braggart that he always talks about his new car and fancy clothes.

   Synonyms: boaster, show-off, swaggerer

   Origin: The origin of 'braggart' is Middle English 'braggart', from the verb 'brag', which comes from Old Norse 'bragga', meaning 'to boast'.