Ten-letter A-Words Trivia Quiz

Answer: Applesauce

Applesauce is made by cooking apples with a small amount of liquid. They are typically peeled, then may have some sweetener such as sugar or honey, as well as spices such as cinnamon or allspice added. Applesauce is a favourite side dish in Europe and North America where it is served with pork, goose, potato pancakes, latkes, chicken, French fries, blood sausage, and other dishes.

It is also eaten on its own as a dessert, or used to make applesauce cake.

Answer: Auctioneer

An auctioneer is the person who is responsible for supervising the bidding at sales where multiple people are trying to buy goods. They may also try to set those bidding on items against one another in order to increase the cost of the goods. This is because in most cases, the auctioneer or the auction house for which they work receives a percentage of the sales.

When the bidding on an item is concluded, the auctioneer shouts "sold" to indicate the person who has won the bid. They may also bang a gavel to draw attention to the conclusion of the bid on the item.

The word auctioneer comes from the Latin "auctionem" which means "increasing sale or public sale".

Answer: Accelerate

Accelerate means to move faster or to gain speed. It can also mean to increase (e.g., accelerate food production). Etymologists suggest that this word comes from the Latin word "accelerātus", which meant "to add speed to, hasten the occurrence of, go quickly".

Answer: Aftershave

Aftershave is not absolutely necessary after a shave, but some men enjoy the astringent effect that it provides. It is also typically fragranced, so can substitute for a cologne. As a side note, astringent is another good ten-letter "a" word, but photos to represent it are hard to come by. ;-)

Answer: Astronauts

The word astronaut comes from the Greek words "astro" (star) and "naut" (sailor). Russians who travel to space are known as cosmonauts from the Greek words "cosmos" (universe) and "naut" (sailor). In China, space travellers are known as taikonauts from the Chinese word for "space", and the Greek word for "sailor".

Answer: Aquamarine

Aquamarine is a light blue, blue-green, or light green gemstone that is a variety of beryl. "Aqua marina" is Latin for "seawater". The semiprecious stone is named after the colour of many seas in the Mediterranean and Caribbean areas.

Answer: Acrophobia

Acrophobia is an extreme and irrational fear of heights. According to some etymologists, the first known use of the word was in the late 1800s. Etymologists suggest that it is a combination of Greek and English words. The Greek akron, or 'summit' is combined with the English word 'phobia', which comes from the Greek word 'phobos', meaning fear.

Answer: Agronomist

Agronomists are scientists who study soil management and crop production. The "agro" portion of this ten-letter word stems from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "field". Other words that stem from this root include acorn, acre, agrarian, and agriculture.

Answer: Automobile

An automobile is defined as a small vehicle that is powered by an engine (gas, diesel, or electric), that typically has room to carry a few passengers. The word automobile has been traced to the late 1800s when the French first used the word to mean "self mobile". Up until that point, all carriages needed horses or other animals to move, but the new vehicles were able to move by themselves with only a driver to steer them.

Answer: Avalanches

Avalanches are sudden masses of snow and ice that slide down mountainsides, wiping out everything in their paths. They can be very unpredictable, especially at higher elevations where extreme skiers go to engage in their sport. At lower elevations and at ski resorts, controlled avalanches are often set off with explosives rather frequently in order to reduce the devastation of larger avalanches that can occur if snow and ice are left to build up.

The word "avalanche" first appeared in the 1600s.

It comes from the old French word "avaler", meaning "descend" or "go down".