word origin — From Middle English 'grevous', from Old French 'greuvous', from 'grever' meaning 'to burden' or 'to cause harm'.
Proficient — Set 77
Set 77 of Proficient covers 5 words: grievous, visceral, baleful, tardy, pallid. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.
grievous · adjective/ˈɡriː.vəs/
causing great sorrow or suffering
The grievous loss of her pet made her very sad.
Synonyms: serious, dire, severe
Origin: From Middle English 'grevous', from Old French 'greuvous', from 'grever' meaning 'to burden' or 'to cause harm'.
visceral · adjective/ˈvɪs.ɚ.əl/
relating to deep inward feelings rather than to the intellect
The movie gave me a visceral reaction, and I felt deep sadness for the characters.
Synonyms: instinctive, intuitive, emotional
Origin: from Latin 'viscera' meaning 'internal organs'
baleful · adjective/ˈbeɪlfəl/
threatening harm or evil
The monster had a baleful glare that made everyone feel scared.
Synonyms: menacing, sinister, threatening
Origin: From Middle English 'bale', meaning 'evil' or 'sorrow', combined with the suffix '-ful', meaning 'full of'
tardy · adjective/ˈtɑr.di/
being late or not on time
She was tardy to school today, and the teacher gave her a warning.
Synonyms: late, delayed, behind
Origin: from Latin 'tardus' meaning 'slow' or 'late'
pallid · adjective/ˈpæl.ɪd/
lacking color or liveliness
The pallid sun set quietly behind the hills, offering little light and warmth.
Synonyms: pale, dull, wan
Origin: from Latin 'pallidus', meaning 'pale, wan'