Vocabulary Test – Average Score Is 6

Posted by Jack

Score 1 point for each correct answer. Define the following words or phrases by the closest match. You may write your answers down, but don’t consult a dictionary or peek at answers:

1. Pusillanimous
(a) An extinct duck billed creature (b) Foul tasting (c) Cowardly (d) Fr. meaning generous

2. Malodorous
(a) An offensive word (b) Sweet smelling (c) Rank smelling (d) An offensive phrase

3. Volkswagen
(a) Gr. for station wagon (b) Gr. for Beetle (c) Gr. for People’s Car (d) Just a made up name

4. Hoist by your own petard
(a) Hanging fish on a stringer (b) Self inflicted wound (c) Means nothing (d) Caught by your own cleverness

5. Non sequitur
(a) A type of knot (b) A reply that makes no sense (c) Poor design (d) Trial and error

6. Pedant
(a) A bicyclist (b) A walker (c) Displaying excess education (d) A lover of fine art

7. Piquerism
(a) To search for butterflies (b) To prick something (c) Very selective (d) To notice details

8. Genarian
(a) To count by decades (b) a royal flower (c) A mineral (d) Works in a library

9. Expurgate
(a) To purge (b) To be found not guilty (c) A type of iron gate (d) To search

10. Decrescent
(a) A deviant (b) A criminal (c) To decrease (d) A moon phase

11. BONUS WORD: Malison
(a) Fr. meaning victory (b) To offend (c) To curse (d) A type of soup

SCORE: 10 PHD – Magna Cum Laude 9 PHD 7-8 College grad 6-7 AA degree 4-5 Graduated public high school 2-3 Dropped out of 10th grade. 0-1 Not allowed to use sharp objects.


1. (c) Lacking courage or resolution; cowardly; faint-hearted; timid

2. (c) Foul smelling

3. (c) Ger. Peoples Car

4. (d) Done in by your own devices/trickery.

5. (b) A comment which has no relation to the comment it follows.

6. (c) A person who overemphasizes rules or minor details – excessive or inappropriate display of learning.

7. (b) Deviant behavior. One finds pleasure in stabbing or cutting bodies with sharp objects.

8. (a) To count age by decades

9. (a) To purge or cleanse of moral offensiveness.

10. (c) To decrease

11. (c) To curse.

This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.