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Difficulty: HardRoot Word Analysis

The museum curator described the mechanical calculating device as completely antediluvian. In this sentence, the word antediluvian most nearly means which of the following?

  1. A
    precautionary
  2. B
    waterlogged
  3. antiquatedAnswer
  4. D
    modern

Answer

The word 'antediluvian' most nearly means 'antiquated'.
The word 'antediluvian' is composed of the Latin prefix 'ante-' (meaning 'before') and the root 'diluvium' (meaning 'flood'). Figuratively, it refers to something so ancient that it is out of date. Therefore, 'antiquated' is the precise synonym.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the prefix and root components of the target word 'antediluvian'.
The Latin prefix 'ante-' means 'before', and the base root 'diluvium' refers to 'a flood' (specifically the biblical deluge).
Deconstructing the morphological components provides the foundation for deducing the word's literal and historical meaning.
2
Synthesize the literal root meaning into its standard figurative definition.
Literally meaning 'before the flood', the term is used figuratively to describe something so old that it belongs to an earlier, primitive era.
Advanced English vocabulary derived from classical roots frequently transitions from specific historical/biblical allusions to general descriptive adjectives.
3
Compare the deduced meaning against the available answer choices to select the closest synonym.
'Antiquated' directly corresponds to the meaning of being obsolete, primitive, or extremely old-fashioned.
Identifying the accurate synonym requires matching both the temporal reference and the evaluative tone of the root derivation.

Key Concept

Root Word Analysis (Latin prefix 'ante-' and root 'diluvium')
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Root Word Analysis

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