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Meaning: A verb, acquiesce means to accept, comply, or submit tacitly or passively.

Origin: The word is borrowed from the French word "acquiescer" meaning to agree. It is borrowed from the Latin word "acquiscere" meaning to rest or find peace. Its first known use was in 1613.

Usage: As the kingdom's fate hung in the balance, the king had no other choice than to relinquish his crown and acquiesce to the rule of his wicked sister's son.

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Meaning: A noun, the term foundling refers to a baby that has been abandoned or deserted by its parents and is found and cared for by others.

Origin: The term has its origins in Middle English fundelyng and is arrived at by combining 'found' (past participle of find') and the suffix-ling' meaning "small or immature." It's been in use since the 14th Century.

Usage: She is a foundling and has grown up in a home for abandoned children. The book narrates the touching story of an elderly woman adopting a foundling and giving her a bright future.

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Meaning: An adjective, "indomitable" means incapable of being subdued or defeated.

Origin: The word has its origin in late Latin, from the word indomitabilis which means untameable, from in (not) + Latin domitare (to tame). Its fust known usage was in 1634.

Usage: Despite the curveballs life threw at her, June had an indomitable spirit which helped her surmount the difficulties she encountered.

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Meaning: The word unprecedented denotes something that is never done or known before.

Origin: The word has been around since the 1620s and is in common use from around 1760. It is arrived at by combining ‘un’ with precedented. Precedented is the past-participle adjective from precedent and conveys the meaning "authorised by precedent, in accordance with established custom."

After steady usage through the 19th Century, the word's usage increased constantly through the 20th Century and its usage is now close to its peak.

Usage: The Australian women won an unprecedented sixth Women's T20 World Cup in 2023.

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It refers to the point at which something is realised or accomplished, often indicating the fulfilment or completion of a goal, plan, or desire.

Origin: The word originated from the Latin word "fruitio," which means "enjoyment" or "use." It entered the English language in the late 15th century.

Usage: After years of hard work and dedication, Sarah's dream of starting her own business finally came to fruition.

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Meaning: This is an adjective referring to what is characterised by much sitting and little physical exercise.

Origin: The origin of the word lies in the Latin verb sedere, which means 'to sit’. This root word produced two Latin adjectives: sedens, which is quite common in Latin and just means 'sitting', and sedentarius, which is rarer and has the more specific meaning of 'tending to sit around a lot’. These words found their way into English as sedent and sedentary respectively. However, sedent is used rarely while sedentary has come into its own as we find ourselves increasingly in need of a word that describes our tendency to sit down and stare at a screen all day.

Usage: We can ensure ours is not a sedentary job.

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Meaning: An adjective, adept means skilled or having a natural ability to do something that requires skill. It is usually followed by at. As a noun, it corresponds to an expert or a proficient person.

Origin: The term adept is derived from Latin adeptus meaning achieved. Adeptus is the past participle of adipisci which means 'obtain, attain. The word has been in use in English since the mid-17th Century.

Usage: He is adept at keeping his private life out of the media. He is an adept pianist.

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Meaning:  This is a formal word that refers to a learned person; especially someone with detailed knowledge about a particular subject. The word is also used to refer to a person affected with a developmental disorder who exhibits exceptional skill or brilliance in a particular subject or field.

Origin: Savant comes from the Latin sapere which means to be wise.

Usage: His sister is a computer savant, so he knows he can call her whenever he has technical issues.

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Meaning: The word bulldoze denotes clearing the ground or destroying buildings, trees in order to make an area flat with a bulldozer. It is also used when someone is forced to do something, even though they might not want to do it.

Origin: The word has been around since 1880 and is from an earlier noun, ‘bulldose’. The bull element in the word is likely to be connected to that in bull-whip and might even be directly from that word. The "ground clearing" meaning is from 1942.

Usage: The little greenery that was left in the city was bulldozed to make way for more high-rise buildings.

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Meaning: A noun, the word gambit means a calculated move or a move to gain an advantage.

Origin: The word is borrowed from Spanish word "gambito", which is borrowed from Italian "gambetto" which means the "act of tripping someone". The word was first used in 1656.

Usage: The thrilling opening gambit by the jester’s son had everyone at their wit's end because no suitor could surpass what he had just done.

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Meaning: This noun refers to a light food made from a mixture of beaten egg whites and other ingredients that is baked in the oven.

It can be either sweet or savoury.

Origin: This word has its origin in the French word soufflé, from the past participle of souffle, meaning "to puff up". This, in turn, is from Latin sufflare, from sub (meaning "up from under") + flare ("to blow").

Example: His chocolate soufflé is always incredibly delicious and light.

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(Pronounced tree-kuhl-ee)

Meaning: This adjective means dark and sticky, like treacle - a thick sweet syrup. Also, too pleasant or kind, or expressing feelings of love in a false way.

Origin: The word comes from treacle - a British term for molasses-originally "an antidote to poison", from the Greek root theriake, "antidote for poisonous wild animals". The sense of "molasses" is recorded from 1690s (the connection may be from the use of molasses as a laxative, or its use to disguise the bad taste of medicine). The use as "anything too sweet or sentimental" is from 1771.

Usage: The film is marked by a treacly sentiment.

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(Pronounced uhn.soo.see.uhns)

Meaning: A noun, insouciance refers to a feeling of careless indifference. It is a lack of concern shown by someone towards something they might be expected to take seriously

Origin: Originating from the French insouciant in the late 18th Century, the word is a combination of the negative prefix in- and soucier, meaning "to worry or disturb." Soucier in turn came from the Latin sollicitus meaning "anxious". The word "insouciance" has been part of the English language since the 1800s.

Usage: She entered the meeting hall with complete insouciance to the fact that she was late.

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(Pronounced vi-cin-i-ty)

Meaning: This word is often used as a synonym of neighbourhood meaning the area around or near a particular place. It can also mean the quality or state of being near or an approximate amount, extent, or degree.

Origin: Vicinity first appeared in English in the 16th Century. It comes from Latin vicus, meaning "row of houses" or “village,” by way of Latin vicinus, meaning neighbouring.

Usage: She lives in Los Angeles, or somewhere in that vicinity.

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(Pronounced as: o-ra-kyoo-ler)

Meaning: An adjective, "oracular” means resembling an oracle or of, relating to, or being an oracle.

Origin: The word is borrowed from the Latin word "oraculum" meaning a divine announcement or a prophetic declaration. Its first known use was in 1631.

Usage: The return of the gypsy to the king's court brought much cheer because if anything could save the king and the kingdom then it was the oracular pronouncements the gypsy would make.

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