dupe, insurgent, cavalcade, lummox, pedant: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Proficient Plus set 75. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. dupe · verb/duːp/

   to deceive or trick someone into believing something false

   The scammer tried to dupe many people by selling fake tickets to the concert.

   Synonyms: fool, trick, deceive

   Origin: The word 'dupe' comes from the French word 'duper', which means 'to deceive'. It is believed to have originated in the 17th century.

2. insurgent · noun/ɪnˈsɜrdʒənt/

   a person who rises in revolt against an established government or authority

   The insurgent group fought against the government for their rights.

   Synonyms: rebel, upriser, insurrectionist

   Origin: from Latin 'insurgentem', meaning 'to rise up'

3. cavalcade · noun/ˈkæv.əl.keɪd/

   a formal procession of people walking or riding

   The town celebrated with a grand cavalcade of floats and riders during the festival.

   Synonyms: procession, parade, march

   Origin: from French 'cavalcade', from Italian 'cavalcata', meaning 'a riding or procession', from 'cavallo' meaning 'horse'

4. lummox · noun/ˈlʌməks/

   a clumsy, awkward, or stupid person

   He acted like a lummox when he tripped over his own feet in front of everyone at the party.

   Synonyms: oaf, clumsy, fool

   Origin: Origin unknown, possibly from a dialectal term in the early 19th century

5. pedant · noun/ˈpɛd.ənt/

   a person who is excessively concerned with minor details and rules or with displaying academic learning

   The teacher was such a pedant that he corrected every little mistake in our essays.

   Synonyms: stickler, purist, nitpicker

   Origin: from French 'pédant', originally from Italian 'pedante', meaning 'teacher'