veritable, forbearing, plaintive, seminal, bizarre: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Word Master set 66. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. veritable · adjective/ˈvɛrɪtəbl/

   used as an intensifier to emphasize the aptness of a description

   After the rain, the garden looked like a veritable paradise filled with blooming flowers.

   Synonyms: genuine, true, actual

   Origin: from Old French 'veritable', from Latin 'veritas' meaning 'truth'

2. forbearing · adjective/fɔrˈbɛr.ɪŋ/

   characterized by patience and self-control

   The forbearing teacher listened to her students' problems with great patience.

   Synonyms: patient, self-controlled, tolerant

   Origin: Middle English 'forberen', from Old English 'forberan' meaning 'to endure, to stand firm'

3. plaintive · adjective/ˈpleɪn.tɪv/

   expressing sorrow or melancholy

   The cat let out a plaintive meow when it was feeling lonely.

   Synonyms: sorrowful, mournful, sad

   Origin: From Middle English 'plaintif', from Old French 'plaintif', from 'plaint' meaning 'lamentation', from Latin 'plangere' meaning 'to strike, beat, lament'.

4. seminal · adjective/ˈsɛm.ɪ.nəl/

   strongly influencing later developments

   Her seminal research on plants changed how scientists study nature.

   Synonyms: influential, important, foundational

   Origin: from Latin 'semin-, semen' meaning 'seed'

5. bizarre · adjective/bɪˈzɑr/

   very strange or unusual

   The movie had a bizarre ending that no one expected.

   Synonyms: strange, odd, unusual

   Origin: The word 'bizarre' comes from the French word 'bizarre', which means 'odd' or 'fantastic'. Its origin may also be traced to the Italian word 'bizzarro', meaning 'angry' or 'eccentric'.