Simple and Unsubdivided Trivia Quiz

Answer: Pulchritudinous

Now you can add "pulchritudinous" to your vocabulary, if you were unfamiliar with it. Other synonyms include "beautiful", "lovely", "charming", and "appealing", to name a few. I don't know about you, but I would rather be called pretty, beautiful, etc., just because they sound better in my opinion. However, I can hear it now--some guy would say, "You look pulchritudinous today!" That is, if he could pronounce it.

"Pulchritudinous" comes from the Latin "pulchritudino", which means "beauty".

Answer: Mellifluous

"Mellifluous" is a synonym for "sweet", but I should note that it is related to honey, so it might not be the best word substitute for "sugary". Sugar and honey are both sweet, but different types of sweet, you know. "Dictionary.com", for example, gives two definitions for it: "flowing with honey" and "sweetly or smoothly flowing; sweet-sounding".

A similar but distinct word is "melliferous", which means "yielding or producing honey".

"Mellifluous" derives from the Latin "mel", which means "honey".

Answer: Unadulterated

If something is adulterated, it is corrupt, defiled, unclean, impure, contaminated, etc. If it is unadulterated, it is the opposite of those things; it is pure.

"Adulterated" is etymologically related to "adultery", which is a corruption or violation of the marriage bed, but "adulterated" and "unadulterated" don't have to refer to marriage or anything like that. For example, if your food is contaminated, you can say it is adulterated. If the food is clean, it is unadulterated.

"Unadulterated" comes from the Latin "adulteratus", which means "to corrupt". ("Un" means "not").

Answer: Phosphorescent

According to "Thesaurus.com", "phosphorescent" is a synonym of "light" and it means "shining, glowing in appearance". Other synonyms include "incandescent", "irradiated", and "resplendent".

"Phosphorescent" comes from the Greek word "phosphoros", which means "morning star", or the planet Venus; modern phosphorescent products, however, are glow-in-the-dark.

Answer: Repugnant

If something is ugly, it is also repugnant, grotesque, unsightly, repulsive, and revolting, to name a few.

Interestingly, the "Oxford Living Dictionary" lists "pugnant" as a rare word. It means hostile or conflicting.

The word "repugnant" derives from the Old French "repugnant", which means "contradictory" or "opposing".

Answer: Pungent

"Sour", "pungent", "bitter", "peppery", "salty", and "spicy" are all synonyms. Now, I personally don't consider these words to be very similar, but Thesaurus.com does. When I think of sour, I think of unsweetened lemon, while I consider coffee with no cream or sugar to be bitter. I think jalapenos are spicy, but not lemons. However, it is worth noting that synonyms don't always have the exact same meanings. Sometimes they have merely similar meanings.

The word "pungent" comes from the Latin word "pungentem", which means "to prick, pierce; sting".

Answer: Debased

"Debased" is a synonym of "impure". Other similar words include "depraved", "immoral", "sinful", "wicked", and, yes, "adulterated".

I should note, though, that "impure" doesn't need to refer to immorality or morally impure subjects. A physically dirty or polluted item can be considered impure without being sinful. Some of the other words I listed, on the other hand, refer more to morally impure subjects instead of physically impure ones.

"Debased" is etymologically related to the Old French "bas", which means "low".

Answer: Murky

Other synonyms include "gloomy", "foggy", "black", "stormy", and "drab".

Etymologically, the word "murk" derives from the Old Norse word "myrke", which means "darkness".

Answer: Jubilant

If someone is jubilant, he or she is happy, joyful, triumphant, elated, etc.

The Hebrew Bible or Christian Old Testament discusses the Year of Jubilee, a joyous event that celebrates the forgiveness of debts, among other things, every fifty years.

The word "jubilant" comes from the Latin "ibuilare", which means "to let out whoops" or "shout for joy".

Answer: Melancholy

The word "melancholy" means sadness and depression. Synonyms include "despondent", "disconsolate", and even "down in the dumps".

The "Online Etymology Dictionary" states that "melancholy" came from the Old French "melancolie", which interestingly means "black bile".