accolade, vituperation, conjecture, prelude, underdog: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Word Master set 98. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. accolade · noun/ˈæk.ə.leɪd/

   an award or privilege granted as a special honor or as an acknowledgment of merit

   The teacher received an accolade for her hard work in helping students succeed.

   Synonyms: award, honor, recognition

   Origin: From Old French 'accolade', which means 'embrace' or 'to embrace, to hug', derived from the Latin 'ad collum' meaning 'to the neck'.

2. vituperation · noun/ˌvaɪ.tʊ.pəˈreɪ.ʃən/

   bitter and abusive language

   The vituperation from the crowd made the speaker feel very sad.

   Synonyms: abuse, insult, invective

   Origin: from Latin 'vituperatio', from 'vituperare', meaning 'to blame' or 'censure'

3. conjecture · noun/kənˈdʒɛk.tʃɚ/

   an opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information

   His conjecture about the missing cat was based on what he heard from the neighbors.

   Synonyms: guess, hypothesis, assumption

   Origin: from Latin 'conjectura', meaning 'a throwing together of ideas or notions'

4. prelude · noun/ˈprɛl.juːd/

   an introductory event or action that comes before something more important

   The concert was a prelude to the big festival happening next week.

   Synonyms: introduction, prologue, overture

   Origin: from the Latin word 'praeludere', meaning 'to play beforehand'

5. underdog · noun/ˈʌndərˌdɔg/

   a competitor who is expected to lose or is at a disadvantage

   Everyone loves to cheer for the underdog in the big game because they often surprise us.

   Synonyms: loser, underprivileged, weakling

   Origin: The term 'underdog' originated from the 19th-century practice in dog fighting, where the dog that was expected to lose was called the 'underdog'.