English vocabulary learning 17/1

1. featureless 英 [ˈfiːtʃələs]  美 [ˈfiːtʃərləs] adj. 无特色的

词根词缀: feat(fac: make/do)+ure(n后缀: 表示状态)+less(表示无)-> 无特色的

adj.缺乏特征的: lacking distinguishing characteristics or features

■e.g. the featureless landscape of the steppe 大草原上缺乏特色的地貌

■同: beige, characterless, faceless, indistinctive, neutral, noncommital, vanilla

■反: diagnostic, discriminating, distinct, distinctive, distinguishing, identifying, peculiar, typical 特征的

2. potentate 英 [ˈpəʊtnteɪt]  美 [ˈpoʊtnteɪt] n. 统治者，君主；有权势的人

词根词缀: pot(power)+ent+ate(v/n后缀) -> 引申为有权力的人 -> 君主

n.有权的人: one who has the power and position to rule over others

■e.g. a son of a potentate 官二代

■同: authority, autocrat, monarch, ruler, sovereign

■反: figurehead (有名无权的)傀儡

3. needy 英 [ˈniːdi]  美 [ˈniːdi] adj. 贫困的；贫穷的；生活艰苦的

adj.贫困的: being in need; impoverished, poor

■e.g. As a child, she was extremely needy and had no self-confidence.她是一个非常贫穷的小孩，因此缺乏自信

■同: destitute, impecunious, impoverished, indigent, penurious, poor, threadbare

■反: affluent, opulent, wealthy 富有的

4. minatory 英 [ˈmɪnətəri]  美 [ˈmɪnətɔːri] adj. 恐吓的，威胁的

词根词缀: min(project伸出)+at+ory(adj后缀) -> 原指古代人放牧通过喊叫或者拿出鞭子鞭打等方式来驱赶牲畜 后引申为威胁; 恐吓

adj.带来威胁的，有凶兆的: being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come

■e.g. The novel's protagonist is haunted by a minatory black specter.小说的主人公被不详的黑色幽灵所骚扰

■同: baleful, direful, doomy, foreboding, ill-boding, inauspicious, menacing, portentous, sinister, threatening

■反: unthreatening不威胁的；reassuring令人安心的