vocab

Word polls!! run by @oplishin Most definitions/examples are taken from Merriam Webster

[vocabulary-polls]

ancillary

adjective: providing support to the primary activities or operation of an organization, system, etc.

example usage: Paragraph 19 was merely ancillary to paragraph 16.

To what degree did you understand the word "ancillary" prior to reading the definition

I fully understood what the word means and how to use it.

I mostly understood the meaning but would have trouble using it.

I vaguely understood the meaning, but not exactly

I thought I understood, but the precise definition threw me off.

I'd heard it before, but that's about it.

This is my first time hearing it.

nuance/other

Voting ended onNov 16, 2025

[vocabulary-polls]

pettifog

verb: to quibble about petty points example sentence: they pettifogged on detail and fretted about moral hazard

To what degree did you understand the word "pettifog" prior to reading the definition

I fully understood what the word means and how to use it.

I mostly understood the meaning but would have trouble using it.

I vaguely understood the meaning, but not exactly

I thought I understood, but the precise definition threw me off.

I'd heard it before, but that's about it.

This is my first time hearing it.

nuance/other

Voting ended onNov 10, 2025

[vocabulary-polls]

postlapsarian

adjective: of, relating to, or characteristic of the time or state after the fall of humankind described in the Bible.

example sentence: "On the drive home, a postlapsarian melancholy crept over me. I had failed some unspoken initiation rite, and life's possibilities were no longer infinite." - Fun Home, Alison Bechdel.

To what degree did you understand the word "postlapsarian" prior to reading the definition

I fully understood what the word means and how to use it.

I mostly understood the meaning but would have trouble using it.

I vaguely understood the meaning, but not exactly

I thought I understood, but the precise definition threw me off.

I'd heard it before, but that's about it.

This is my first time hearing it.

nuance/other

Voting ended onAug 27, 2025

[vocabulary-polls]

rate the word "postlapsarian" on a scale from 1-5 fruits of the knowledge of good and evil

🍎

🍎🍎

🍎🍎🍎

🍎🍎🍎🍎

🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎

Voting ended onAug 27, 2025

[vocabulary-polls]

postlapsarian

adjective: of, relating to, or characteristic of the time or state after the fall of humankind described in the Bible.

example sentence: "On the drive home, a postlapsarian melancholy crept over me. I had failed some unspoken initiation rite, and life's possibilities were no longer infinite." - Fun Home, Alison Bechdel.

To what degree did you understand the word "postlapsarian" prior to reading the definition

I fully understood what the word means and how to use it.

I mostly understood the meaning but would have trouble using it.

I vaguely understood the meaning, but not exactly

I thought I understood, but the precise definition threw me off.

I'd heard it before, but that's about it.

This is my first time hearing it.

nuance/other

Voting ended onAug 27, 2025

[vocabulary-polls]

pontificate

verb: to speak or express opinions in a pompous or dogmatic way

example usage:

We had to listen to her pontificate about the best way to raise children.

To what degree did you understand the word "pontificate" prior to reading the definition?

I fully understood what the word means and how to use it.

I mostly understood the meaning but would have trouble using it.

I vaguely understood the meaning, but not exactly.

I thought I understood, but the precise definition threw me off.

I'd heard it before, but that's about it.

This is my first time hearing it.

Other

Voting ended onJun 17, 2025

[vocabulary-polls]

rate the word "pontificate" on a scale from 1-5

1

2

3

4

5

Voting ended onJun 17, 2025

[vocabulary-polls]

pontificate

verb: to speak or express opinions in a pompous or dogmatic way

example usage:

We had to listen to her pontificate about the best way to raise children.

To what degree did you understand the word "pontificate" prior to reading the definition?

I fully understood what the word means and how to use it.

I mostly understood the meaning but would have trouble using it.

I vaguely understood the meaning, but not exactly.

I thought I understood, but the precise definition threw me off.

I'd heard it before, but that's about it.

This is my first time hearing it.

Other

Voting ended onJun 17, 2025

[vocabulary-polls]

avuncular

adjective: suggestive of an uncle especially in kindliness or geniality

example usage:

Hanks carries the show along with his familiar, avuncular charm, telling endearing stories and adding to the overall vintage Pixar aura of this approach to nature.—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Feb. 2025

To what degree did you understand the word "avuncular" prior to reading the definition?

I fully understood what the word means and how to use it.

I mostly understood the meaning but would have trouble using it.

I vaguely understood the meaning, but not exactly.

I thought I understood, but the precise definition threw me off.

I'd heard it before, but that's about it.

This is my first time hearing it.

Voting ended onApr 11, 2025

[vocabulary-polls]

rate the word "avuncular" on a scale from 1-5

1

2

3

4

5

Voting ended onApr 11, 2025

[vocabulary-polls]

avuncular

adjective: suggestive of an uncle especially in kindliness or geniality

example usage:

Hanks carries the show along with his familiar, avuncular charm, telling endearing stories and adding to the overall vintage Pixar aura of this approach to nature.—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Feb. 2025

To what degree did you understand the word "avuncular" prior to reading the definition?

I fully understood what the word means and how to use it.

I mostly understood the meaning but would have trouble using it.

I vaguely understood the meaning, but not exactly.

I thought I understood, but the precise definition threw me off.

I'd heard it before, but that's about it.

This is my first time hearing it.

Voting ended onApr 11, 2025

[vocabulary-polls]

mendacious

adjective: not telling the truth; lying.

example usage: The government issued mendacious propaganda.

my favorite example:

an aged life mendaciously smiling, its lips opened by vacated agonies; an aged poverty rotting under the sun, silently; an aged silence bursting with tepid pustules, the awful futility of our raison d'etre. -Notebook of a Return to the Native Land, Aime Cesaire

To what degree did you understand the word "mendacious" prior to reading the definition?

I fully understood what the word means and how to use it.

I mostly understood the meaning but would have trouble using it.

I vaguely understood the meaning, but not exactly.

I thought I understood, but the precise definition threw me off.

I'd heard it before, but that's about it.

This is my first time hearing it.

Other

Voting ended onMar 10, 2025

[vocabulary-polls]

rate the word "mendacious" on a scale of 1-5

1

2

3

4

5

Voting ended onMar 16, 2025

[vocabulary-polls]

mendacious

adjective: not telling the truth; lying.

example usage: The government issued mendacious propaganda.

my favorite example:

an aged life mendaciously smiling, its lips opened by vacated agonies; an aged poverty rotting under the sun, silently; an aged silence bursting with tepid pustules, the awful futility of our raison d'etre. -Notebook of a Return to the Native Land, Aime Cesaire

To what degree did you understand the word "mendacious" prior to reading the definition?

I fully understood what the word means and how to use it.

I mostly understood the meaning but would have trouble using it.

I vaguely understood the meaning, but not exactly.

I thought I understood, but the precise definition threw me off.

I'd heard it before, but that's about it.

This is my first time hearing it.

Other

Voting ended onMar 10, 2025

[vocabulary-polls]

fenestration

noun: the arrangement of windows and doors on the elevations of a building.

Example Sentence: "The revolving doors and complex fenestration made entering the museum crowded and confusing." Dodie Kazanjian, Vogue, 5 Aug. 2024.

To what degree did you understand the word "fenestration" prior to reading the definition

I fully understood what the word means and how to use it.

I mostly understood the meaning but would have trouble using it.

I vaguely understood the meaning, but not exactly

I thought I understood, but the precise definition threw me off.

I'd heard it before, but that's about it.

This is my first time hearing it.

button that defenestrates you

Other

Voting ended onMar 15, 2025

(yeah, i was surprised that "defenestrate" had a real root word too)

[vocabulary-polls]

rate the word "fenestration" on a scale from 1-5

1

2

3

4

5

Voting ended onMar 15, 2025

my propaganda: its existence is very funny to me.

[vocabulary-polls]

fenestration

noun: the arrangement of windows and doors on the elevations of a building.

Example Sentence: "The revolving doors and complex fenestration made entering the museum crowded and confusing." Dodie Kazanjian, Vogue, 5 Aug. 2024.

To what degree did you understand the word "fenestration" prior to reading the definition

I fully understood what the word means and how to use it.

I mostly understood the meaning but would have trouble using it.

I vaguely understood the meaning, but not exactly

I thought I understood, but the precise definition threw me off.

I'd heard it before, but that's about it.

This is my first time hearing it.

button that defenestrates you

Other

Voting ended onMar 15, 2025

(yeah, i was surprised that "defenestrate" had a real root word too. thank you @netetete for telling me)

[vocabulary-polls]

putrefaction

noun: the process of decay or rotting in a body or other organic matter.

Example Sentence: The breeze shifted and we caught the stench of putrefaction.

My favorite example:

Who can boast of being better off than I? Virginia. Tennessee. Georgia. Alabama Monstrous putrefaction of revolts stymied, Notebook of a Return to the Native Land, Aime Cesaire

To what degree did you understand the word "putrefaction" prior to reading the definition?

I fully understood both what the word means and how to use it.

I understood the meaning but would have trouble using it.

I kind of knew what the word meant but not exactly.

I thought I understood, but the precise definition threw me off.

I'd heard it before, but that's about it.

This is my first time hearing it.

Other answer

Voting ended onMar 8, 2025

This is definitely a word where I feel most people could intuit the definition based on the related verb form "putrefy."

[vocabulary-polls]

rate the word "putrefaction" on a scale from 1-5

1

2

3

4

5

Voting ended onMar 14, 2025

propaganda: it's just kind of a banger idk

[vocabulary-polls]

putrefaction

noun: the process of decay or rotting in a body or other organic matter.

Example Sentence: The breeze shifted and we caught the stench of putrefaction.

My favorite example:

Who can boast of being better off than I? Virginia. Tennessee. Georgia. Alabama Monstrous putrefaction of revolts stymied, Notebook of a Return to the Native Land, Aime Cesaire

To what degree did you understand the word "putrefaction" prior to reading the definition?

I fully understood both what the word means and how to use it.

I understood the meaning but would have trouble using it.

I kind of knew what the word meant but not exactly.

I thought I understood, but the precise definition threw me off.

I'd heard it before, but that's about it.

This is my first time hearing it.

Other answer

Voting ended onMar 8, 2025

This is definitely a word where I feel most people could intuit the definition based on the related verb form "putrefy."

[vocabulary-polls]

Vicissitude:

noun: a change of circumstances or fortune, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant.

Example Sentence: Despite its many vicissitudes, few in the business would swap their lifestyle for selling insurance.

To what degree did you understand the word "vicissitude" prior to reading the definition?

I fully understood both what the word means and how to use it.

I understood the meaning but would have trouble using it.

I vaguely knew what the word meant but not exactly.

I thought I understood, but the definition threw me off.

I'd heard it before, but that's about it.

This is my first time hearing it.

Other answer

Voting ended onMar 13, 2025

[vocabulary-polls]

rate the word "vicissitude" on a scale from 0-10

0

1

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3

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6

7

8

9

10

Voting ended onMar 13, 2025

my propaganda: it's fun to say :) it is a good shape :))

[vocabulary-polls]

Vicissitude:

noun: a change of circumstances or fortune, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant.

Example Sentence: Despite its many vicissitudes, few in the business would swap their lifestyle for selling insurance.

To what degree did you understand the word "vicissitude" prior to reading the definition?

I fully understood both what the word means and how to use it.

I understood the meaning but would have trouble using it.

I vaguely knew what the word meant but not exactly.

I thought I understood, but the definition threw me off.

I'd heard it before, but that's about it.

This is my first time hearing it.

Other answer

Voting ended onMar 13, 2025