C2 Unit 33: Describing things 2
18 C2 words: resounding, veritable, abject, austere, superfluous, ephemeral… Learn them in 4 steps, then review them every day.
Word list
| Word | Meaning | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| resounding/riˈsaʊndɪŋ/ adj | resoundingvery clear and impressive | The team won a resounding victory in the final.The team won a resounding victory in the final. | |
| veritable/ˈvɛrɪtəbəl/ adj | veritabletruly; used to stress a description | The garden was a veritable paradise of flowers.The garden was a veritable paradise of flowers. | |
| abject/ˈæbdʒɛkt/ adj | abjectextremely bad and without hope | Many families once lived in abject poverty.Many families once lived in abject poverty. | |
| austere/ɔˈstɪr/ adj | austeresimple and plain without luxury | The monk lived in an austere room with a bed and a chair.The monk lived in an austere room with a bed and a chair. | |
| superfluous/ˈsupɚflˌwʌs/ adj | superfluousmore than is needed | Delete any superfluous words from your essay.Delete any superfluous words from your essay. | |
| ephemeral/ɪˈfɛmɚəl/ adj | ephemerallasting for a very short time | Fame can be ephemeral, lasting only a short time.Fame can be ephemeral, lasting only a short time. | |
| interlocking/ˈɪntɚˌlɑkɪŋ/ adj | interlockingfitting tightly together | The children made a pattern with interlocking pieces.The children made a pattern with interlocking pieces. | |
| bona fide/ˈboʊnə faɪd/ adj | bona fidereal and genuine | This is a bona fide Italian restaurant run by a family from Rome.This is a bona fide Italian restaurant run by a family from Rome. | |
| spurious/ˈspjʊriəs/ adj | spuriousfalse, not genuine | The expert showed that the painting was a spurious copy.The expert showed that the painting was a spurious copy. | |
| amorphous/əˈmɔrfəs/ adj | amorphoushaving no clear shape | The cloud was an amorphous shape without clear edges.The cloud was an amorphous shape without clear edges. | |
| idiosyncratic/ˌɪdioʊˌsɪnˈkrætɪk/ adj | idiosyncraticunusual and personal to one person | His idiosyncratic style of dressing makes him easy to spot.His idiosyncratic style of dressing makes him easy to spot. | |
| painstaking/ˈpeɪnˌsteɪkɪŋ/ adj | painstakingdone with great care and effort | The painstaking restoration of the church took ten years.The painstaking restoration of the church took ten years. | |
| opulent/ˈɑpjələnt/ adj | opulentlooking rich and luxurious | The hotel had an opulent lobby with gold lights.The hotel had an opulent lobby with gold lights. | |
| hapless/ˈhæpləs/ adj | haplessunlucky and unfortunate | The hapless tourist lost his bag and then missed his train.The hapless tourist lost his bag and then missed his train. | |
| sandwiched/ˈsænˌdwɪtʃt/ adj | sandwichedsqueezed in between two other things | The small cafe is sandwiched between two tall buildings.The small cafe is sandwiched between two tall buildings. | |
| opacity/oʊˈpæsəti/ n | opacitythe quality of not letting light through | The opacity of the fog hid the road from view.The opacity of the fog hid the road from view. | |
| painstakingly/ˈpeɪnˌsteɪkɪŋli/ adv | painstakinglyin a very careful and detailed way | Omar painstakingly copied the old map by hand.Omar painstakingly copied the old map by hand. | |
| flagging/ˈflæɡɪŋ/ adj | flaggingbecoming weaker or tired | Flagging energy at the end of the hike slowed the group.Flagging energy at the end of the hike slowed the group. |