loose, malicious, marginal, coherent, observant: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Upper-Intermediate set 32. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. loose · adjective/lus/

   not tight or tightly controlled

   The vet informed me that three of my dog's teeth were loose and needed to be extracted.

   Synonyms: lax

   Origin: Middle English loos ‘free from bonds’, from Old Norse lauss, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German los

2. malicious · adjective/məˈlɪʃəs/

   intended to harm or upset someone

   Malicious gossip could result in lawsuits against you and your company.

   Synonyms: destructive, spiteful, malevolent, hostile,vindictive

   Origin: Middle English: from Old French malicios, from Latin malitiosus, from malitia (see malice)

3. marginal · adjective/ˈmɑrdʒənəl/

   small and not important

   Vehicles are the biggest cause of air pollution in the country, while deforestation has a marginal effect on the overall ecosystem.

   Synonyms: slight, minor, insignificant, minimal, negligible

   Origin: late 16th century: from medieval Latin marginalis, from margo, margin- (see margin)

4. coherent · adjective/koʊˈhɪrənt/

   clear, logical, and easy to understand

   Jamie was so drunk that he had difficulty in maintaining a coherent conversation with the others at the table.

   Synonyms: orderly, logical, reasonable, consistent, well-organized

   Origin: mid 16th century (in the sense ‘logically related to’): from Latin cohaerent- ‘sticking together’, from the verb cohaerere (see cohere)

5. observant · adjective/əbˈzərv(ə)nt/

   good or quick at noticing things

   The detailed descriptions in his journal shows that he was an observant person who could analyze others' feelings very well.

   Synonyms: alert, attentive, vigilant, aware

   Origin: late Middle English (as a noun): from French, literally ‘watching’, present participle of observer (see observe)