Question 1

Before we went to her house, Hannah told us her aunt was a FLIBBERTIGIBBET.

Accepted Answer

Insult - A flibbertigibbet is “a silly flighty person.” It is a word of onomatopoeic origins, created from sounds meant to resemble idle chatter.

Question 2

People who worked with him generally considered Deshaun a computer MAVEN.

Accepted Answer

Compliment - Originating from Yiddish and Late Hebrew, maven means “one who is experienced or knowledgeable.”

Question 3

During the war, Tony’s grandpa earned a reputation as a QUISLING.

Accepted Answer

Insult - Synonymous with traitor and collaborator, quisling comes from Vidkun Quisling, a Norwegian army officer who encouraged Adolf Hitler to occupy Norway.

Question 4

The billionaire’s MAGNANIMINITY was a frequent topic on social media.

Accepted Answer

Compliment - Magnanimity is “loftiness of spirit enabling one to bear trouble calmly, to disdain meanness and pettiness, and to display a noble generosity.”

Question 5

Darla thought her daughter’s new boyfriend was certainly URBANE.

Accepted Answer

Compliment - Urbane means “notably polite or polished in manner” and comes from the same root word as urban (“of, relating to, characteristic of, or constituting a city”).

Question 6

Kelly reconnected with her old friend and was surprised she’d become a REPROBATE.

Accepted Answer

Insult - Reprobate was originally used in religious contexts, but now it can be used to describe anyone who is “an unprincipled or depraved person.”

Question 7

Yasmin was ORNERY when it came to schoolwork.

Accepted Answer

Insult - Ornery means “having an irritable disposition” or “difficult to deal with or control.” The word comes from ordinary and was used to describe things that were common or of inferior quality. Later it came to mean “lazy” and became associated with being easily agitated.

Question 8

The marble statue had a CALLIPYGIAN quality.

Accepted Answer

Compliment - Callipygian means “having shapely buttocks.”

Question 9

Oscar could hear his wife’s DULCET tones emanating from the shower.

Accepted Answer

Compliment - Dulcet means “pleasing to the ear,” as well as “sweet to the taste,” and can be applied to most things generally pleasing, such as a smile.

Question 10

Sam was next at the podium and delivered a PIPPIN of a speech.

Accepted Answer

Compliment - As well as being a type of crisp tart apple, pippin means “a highly admired or very admirable person or thing.”

Question 11

Amy was PRODIGAL when it came to clothing.

Accepted Answer

Insult - Prodigal means “characterized by profuse or wasteful expenditure” and is perhaps best known for its use in the Bible story about the Prodigal Son, which describes a wayward son’s lavish lifestyle.

Question 12

Everyone in town knew Sue and Andy had PULCHRITUDE children.

Accepted Answer

Compliment - Pulchritude is defined as “physical comeliness,” and pulchritudinous can be a colorful (if slightly obscure) way of describing someone or something as beautiful.

Vocabulary Quiz: Insult or Compliment?

2) People who worked with him generally considered Deshaun a computer MAVEN.

3) During the war, Tony’s grandpa earned a reputation as a QUISLING.

4) The billionaire’s MAGNANIMINITY was a frequent topic on social media.

5) Darla thought her daughter’s new boyfriend was certainly URBANE.

6) Kelly reconnected with her old friend and was surprised she’d become a REPROBATE.

7) Yasmin was ORNERY when it came to schoolwork.

8) The marble statue had a CALLIPYGIAN quality.

9) Oscar could hear his wife’s DULCET tones emanating from the shower.

10) Sam was next at the podium and delivered a PIPPIN of a speech.

11) Amy was PRODIGAL when it came to clothing.

12) Everyone in town knew Sue and Andy had PULCHRITUDE children.