Proficient Plus — Set 8

Set 8 of Proficient Plus covers 5 words: plumage, debility, admonition, inertia, cornucopia. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. plumage · noun/ˈplumɪdʒ/

   the feathers covering a bird's body

   The peacock is famous for its beautiful plumage that shines in bright colors.

   Synonyms: feathers, plum, down

   Origin: from Middle English, from Old French 'plumage' meaning 'feathers', related to 'plume' (feather) from Latin 'pluma'

2. debility · noun/dɪˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/

   a state of weakness or infirmity

   After the long illness, she faced great debility and needed help to walk.

   Synonyms: weakness, infirmity, fragility

   Origin: from Latin 'debilitas', meaning weakness or feebleness

3. admonition · noun/ˌæd.məˈnɪʃ.ən/

   a warning or reprimand about behavior

   The teacher gave a clear admonition about not talking during the test.

   Synonyms: warning, reprimand, caution

   Origin: From Latin 'admonitio', which means 'a reminding or warning'

4. inertia · noun/ɪˈnɜr.ʃə/

   the resistance of an object to changes in its state of motion

   The car's inertia kept it moving forward even when the driver pressed the brakes.

   Synonyms: resistance, immobility, passivity

   Origin: The word 'inertia' comes from the Latin word 'iners', meaning 'idle' or 'inactive'.

5. cornucopia · noun/ˌkɔrn.jʊˈkoʊ.pi.ə/

   an abundant supply of good things of a specific kind

   The festival had a cornucopia of delicious foods for everyone to enjoy.

   Synonyms: abundance, plenty, wealth

   Origin: The word 'cornucopia' comes from Latin 'cornucopia', meaning 'horn of plenty', which is derived from the Greek 'καρνέᾱ (karnéia)', which refers to a horn filled with food.