City Words Trivia Quiz

Answer: mendacity

Mendacity is the quality of untruthfulness. In other words, telling lies. It is a property popularly associated with second-hand car dealers and politicians - but not exclusively! Mendacity is not a trait associated with people of integrity and probity.

Answer: opacity

Opacity is the property of being opaque, meaning that light does not pass through the material. It is the opposite of transparency. Figuratively, something opaque is difficult to understand - a technical journal may seem opaque to the uninitiated reader due to its use of specialised vocabulary and assumption of common knowledge.

Answer: simplicity

Simplicity is the property of being simple, which can include being easy to understand or master. The word simple can also be used to describe something which is relatively unadorned and lacks complexity.

Answer: pugnacity

Pugnacity is the characteristic of being willing to have a fight, which can be either an aggressive confrontation or a willing response to such an approach. The Latin root of the word is 'pugnus', meaning fist, and pugnacity is often associated with actual fisticuffs. It can, however, be confined to verbal interactions.

Answer: precocity

Someone who develops either physical or mental capacities at an earlier age than usual may be described as precocious; the noun form of this adjective is precocity. Mozart, who was a child prodigy on the piano, was precocious, as was Doogie Howser, who graduated from medical school at 14 in the television show 'Doogie Howser, M.D.'

Answer: paucity

Paucity is a noun describing a situation of lack. In a time of famine, there is a paucity of food. When health experts try to determine the origins of an epidemic disease and predict its future course, they start with a paucity of information, and can only make guesses based on past experience until the necessary data is available.

Answer: elasticity

Elasticity is the property of being able to be stretched without deforming, meaning that the object returns to its original shape when the stretching force is removed. Something whose shape is deformed so that it does not return to its original shape is said to be plastic, not elastic. Objects which are elastic often only show that property within certain limits - stretch an elastic band too far, and it snaps.

Answer: loquacity

Loquacity, the property of being very, perhaps excessively, talkative, is a real asset for someone whose job requires them to conduct sustained conversations, such as the host of a talk show on radio or television. It is less desirable when someone's propensity for chat in the workplace intrudes on your personal space, or keeps them from doing their own job efficiently. Loquacity comes from the Latin word 'loquere', meaning to speak; other words from the same root include soliloquy (literally single speaking) and ventriloquist (stomach talker).

Answer: duplicity

Duplicity literally means being doubled. It is usually used to imply that appearances are deceptive, that someone is pretending to be other than they are. A double-dealer similarly says one thing but does another, a form of betrayal of trust.

Answer: publicity

Publicity is the action of disseminating information widely, to promote a person or cause. Many public figures (especially in entertainment or politics) employ publicity agents to ensure that the information people receive is positive, and that matters they wish to keep private remain so.