charlatan, misanthropy, qualm, hyperbole, minion: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Proficient Plus set 87. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. charlatan · noun/ˈʃɑr.lə.tən/

   a person falsely claiming to have special knowledge or skills

   The charlatan promised to heal people's illnesses with magic spells, but he was just a fake.

   Synonyms: fraud, phony, impostor

   Origin: The word 'charlatan' originates from the Italian 'ciarlatano', which means 'a chatterer' or 'a clown'.

2. misanthropy · noun/ˌmɪsˈæn.θrə.pi/

   a general dislike, distrust, or disdain for the human species or human nature

   His misanthropy made it hard for him to make friends because he did not trust anyone.

   Synonyms: antipathy, cynicism, distrust

   Origin: The word 'misanthropy' originates from the Greek words 'misein' meaning 'to hate' and 'anthropos' meaning 'human.'

3. qualm · noun/kwɑlm/

   a feeling of uneasiness or doubt about whether something is right or appropriate

   She had a qualm about telling her friend a lie.

   Synonyms: unease, doubt, misgiving

   Origin: The word 'qualm' comes from the Old English 'cwealm', meaning 'death' or 'a state of being killed', which evolved to mean a feeling of uneasiness.

4. hyperbole · noun/haɪˈpɜr.bəˌli/

   exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally

   When she said she had a million things to do, it was just a hyperbole.

   Synonyms: exaggeration, overstatement, embellishment

   Origin: from the Greek 'hyperbolē', meaning 'excess' or 'throwing over'

5. minion · noun/ˈmɪn.jən/

   a follower or underling of a powerful person

   The evil queen had many loyal minions who did her bidding.

   Synonyms: follower, assistant, subordinate

   Origin: from Middle French 'mignon' meaning 'darling' or 'favorite', which comes from the Latin 'mignus' meaning 'delicate' or 'cute'