Diss Words for Eliza Doolittle Quiz

Answer: Flibbertigibbet

'Flibbertigibbet' dates back to the Middle Ages. It indicates a flighty and whimsical person, often given to gossip. Although the word can be used for either gender, it typically has been applied to females. Two memorable examples of 'flibbertigibbets' are Maria in "The Sound of Music" and the character played by Meg Ryan in "Joe Versus the Volcano". 'Flibbertigibbet' is often used in a self-deprecating manner, more as a term of whimsy than lack of intelligence that similar terms, such as clueless, imply. Eliza may very well have used this word for herself, if she had had a stronger vocabulary.

Answer: Lothario

A 'lothario' is an unscrupulous seducer of women. The term is derived from a character in a side story to the epic novel "Don Quixote". Lothario is the best friend of Anselmo, and Anselmo convinces Lothario to test his wife's fidelity - with predictable results. Professor Higgins and (especially) Colonel Pickering would protect Eliza from such a person; certainly her love struck swain, Freddie Eynsford-Hill, was too shy and bashful to qualify as a Lothario.

Answer: Poltroon

The words 'poltroon', poultry, and pullet (immature hen) have the same derivation. The Latin word 'pullus' (chicken) was the source of the Italian word poltrone. The word poltroon entered the English language in the early 16th century from Middle French.

The chicken is a very timid bird that shrinks from confrontation and "chicken" is a well-known pejorative for a coward. The classic movie "The Four Feathers" makes use of the symbolism of bird feathers for cowardice.

Answer: Confidant

A 'sycophant' or one of its many synonyms, such as toady or parasite, indicate a person of lower ranks who praises his superior to gain a personal advantage.
A 'confidant' is a trusted advisor to a higher ranked individual. The word itself is derived from the Latin words 'con' and 'fides', meaning with faith or trust. Many writers use the word confidant for males and the word confidante for females. A confidant is certainly not synonymous with sycophant, but may be used in an ironic sense.

Answer: Grandiloquent

'Grandiloquent' indicates pomposity and extravagance in words, style, or manner. The word is derived from the Latin words 'grandis' and 'loquare', meaning to talk greatly. Perhaps at the Embassy Ball Eliza may have met a retired army officer, who droned on about his exploits in the Raj or Africa. How pleased would he be to be called grandiloquent, thinking it better than being merely eloquent?

Answer: Xanthippe

'Xanthippe', the wife of Socrates, had the reputation of a scold, although the evidence for this is open to question. Plato wrote favorably about her, but the historian Xenephon seems to be the major source of her unfavorable reputation. Some letters by Socrates picture her as strong-willed and hot tempered. One, perhaps apocryphal, story claimed that Xanthippe once was angry with Socrates and emptied the chamber pot on him. Xanthippe may have been a scold, but more likely was a strong-willed wife - and the term may not be considered insulting.

Answer: Astute

Eliza's father, Alfred Doolittle, was the embodiment of a knavish, scheming man. He was a generally unemployed dustman, but never out of ideas how to obtain a windfall. When he discovered that Eliza was staying with Higgins and Pickering, he wangled five pounds from them; Higgins recommended him to an American millionaire as the most amoral man he had ever met. 'Astute' means crafty and wise in the operation of the real world without using underhanded or manipulative tactics. Mr. Doolittle would undoubtedly be pleased to be referred to as astute, rather than scheming.

Answer: Soporific

'Soporific' derives from the Latin word 'sopor', meaning sleep. The wider meaning of the word is anything that causes sleep or drowsiness, especially medicine, however, it is also used for something that is tediously boring or monotonous, especially a speech. Would Eliza drift off to sleep while listening to the soporific discourses by Professor Higgins about the various accents of Englishmen?

Answer: Supercilious

'Supercilious' is derived from the Latin term for an eyebrow. An arched or raised eyebrow is often considered a sign of superiority and arrogance. The late American conservative commentator and TV personality William F. Buckley perfected this haughty look. To a Cockney flower girl, the upper class society appeared full of pretentious snobs.

Answer: Dissembler

A 'dissembler' conceals one's true motives and feelings. The deception often occurs by looks and actions, rather than words. Whereas a liar makes overt misstatements, a dissembler may deceive only by failing to correct incorrect assumptions. Eliza became a dissembler by learning the speech and mannerisms of the upper class society to pass herself off as a lady.

Her dissembling at the Embassy Ball fooled everyone into believing she was a true-born lady, except the great Hungarian phoneticist Zoltan Karpathy, who was convinced she was a Hungarian lady of royal blood.

Answer: Indolent

The original definition of 'indolent' was slow to develop or heal, derived from the words for 'no pain'. In that context it was often used for slow-healing wounds or tumors, however, it has come to mean averse to activity, effort, or movement. Eliza's father, Alfred, fit the description of an indolent worker.

Answer: Martinet

The word 'martinet' is derived from the name of the French Inspector General Jean Martinet, who was famous for his demanding training regimen for the army of Louis XIV. In Eliza's opinion, Professor 'Enry 'Iggins, certainly was a martinet. He designed a set of exercises ("The rain in Spain falls mainly in the plain" and "In Hertford, Hereford, and Hampshire, hurricanes hardly ever happen" among others) that Eliza was forced to speak to learn upper class diction.

She expressed her dislike and frustration for him in the song "Just You Wait", where she dreamed of various ways of killing the professor.

Answer: Spendthrift

Perhaps ladies at the ball spoke of their household allowance and how they tried to keep from going too far over that budget. Would Eliza look at their expensive gowns and jewelry and comment sardonically what 'spendthrifts' they were? How pleased the other ladies would be at that "compliment". Unfortunately for the ladies, the word 'spendthrift' doesn't mean what one would think.

The earlier meaning of the word 'thrift' was prosperity and wealth, and a spendthrift was one who destroyed his wealth by profligate spending.

The word thrift didn't take its modern meaning of frugality until the 15th century; a spendthrift is not someone who spends frugally.

Answer: Parsimonious

The English language contains many words that indicate frugality. Some, such as stingy or miserly, indicate a meanness of spirit or unnecessary lack of generosity. 'Parsimonious', besides sounding nicer, carries a connotation that is less cold-hearted. It indicates extreme frugality that borders on stinginess. The word is derived from the Latin parsimony, meaning thrift.

Answer: Rubenesque

Unfortunately, there are a number of body-shaming words. 'Rubenesque', besides being a somewhat obscure word for a more curvaceous woman, is actually complimentary. Rubens preferred to paint full-figured attractive women, and both of his wives (Isabella Brandt and Helene Foument) were models in some of these paintings.

The term 'rubenesque' refers to an attractive woman who has a more rounded body.