jaunt, inebriation, quandary, pyromania, stanza: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Word Master set 79. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. jaunt · noun/dʒɔnt/

   a short journey for pleasure or enjoyment

   We took a weekend jaunt to the beach to relax and have fun.

   Synonyms: trip, outing, excursion

   Origin: The word 'jaunt' originated in the early 17th century from the French word 'jante,' which means a short journey; it is also possibly derived from the Middle English 'jaunten,' meaning to travel or to go.

2. inebriation · noun/ɪˌniː.briˈeɪ.ʃən/

   a state of being intoxicated or excessively drunk

   His inebriation made it hard for him to walk straight.

   Synonyms: drunkenness, intoxication, booze

   Origin: from Latin 'inebriātiō', meaning 'to make drunk'

3. quandary · noun/ˈkwɑːn.dri/

   a state of uncertainty or perplexity

   She found herself in a quandary about whether to go to the party or stay home.

   Synonyms: dilemma, predicament, uncertainty

   Origin: from Latin 'quando' meaning 'when' or 'in what state'

4. pyromania · noun/ˌpaɪrəˈmeɪniə/

   a rare impulse-control disorder involving repeated deliberate fire-setting and a strong fascination with fire

   The boy had pyromania, which made him want to start fires wherever he went.

   Synonyms: fire-setting, arson, firebug

   Origin: derived from the Greek words 'pyro' meaning 'fire' and 'mania' meaning 'madness' or 'frenzy'

5. stanza · noun/ˈstæn.zə/

   a grouped set of lines in a poem, typically separated by a blank line

   Each stanza of the poem tells a different story about nature.

   Synonyms: verse, stanzaic, section

   Origin: from Italian 'stanza', meaning room or stanza, originally used in poetry to denote a grouping of lines