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circumspect

adjective/ˈsɜr.kəm.spekt/

careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences

She was circumspect in her decision to invest in the stock market, thinking about the risks involved.

cautiouscarefulwary
word origin — The word 'circumspect' comes from the Latin 'circumspectus', meaning 'looking around'. It is derived from 'circum-' meaning 'around' and 'specere' meaning 'to look'.

circumspect, soporific, normative, diurnal, recumbent: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Proficient set 78. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

  1. circumspect · adjective/ˈsɜr.kəm.spekt/

    careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences

    She was circumspect in her decision to invest in the stock market, thinking about the risks involved.

    Synonyms: cautious, careful, wary

    Origin: The word 'circumspect' comes from the Latin 'circumspectus', meaning 'looking around'. It is derived from 'circum-' meaning 'around' and 'specere' meaning 'to look'.

  2. soporific · adjective/ˌsɑːpəˈrɪfɪk/

    tending to induce drowsiness or sleep

    The warm milk had a soporific effect, making it easy for him to fall asleep.

    Synonyms: sleepy, drowsy, calming

    Origin: from Latin 'sopor' meaning 'deep sleep'

  3. normative · adjective/ˈnɔːrmətɪv/

    relating to an evaluative standard or norm

    In our class, we discussed the normative rules for fair behavior during games.

    Synonyms: standard, typical, expected

    Origin: from Latin 'normativus', meaning 'pertaining to a norm'

  4. diurnal · adjective/daɪˈɜrnəl/

    active during the day or occurring every day

    Many birds are diurnal animals, singing and flying during the day.

    Synonyms: daily, daytime, everyday

    Origin: from Latin 'diurnalis' meaning 'of a day'

  5. recumbent · adjective/rɪˈkʌm.bənt/

    lying down or resting

    The cat lay recumbent on the warm windowsill, enjoying the sunshine.

    Synonyms: reclining, resting, lying

    Origin: from Latin 'recumbens', the present participle of 'recumbere' meaning 'to lie down'