Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

prevaricate

/pɹɪˈvæɹɪkeɪt/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.58 in modern English

Syllables: pre-var-i-cate
IPA: /pɹɪˈvæɹɪkeɪt/

18

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

4

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To deviate, transgress; to go astray (from).

Intransitive verb; Obsolete; Transitive verb

verb

To speak or act in a manner that is intentionally ambiguous or evasive; equivocate.

Intransitive verb

verb

To collude, as where an informer colludes with the defendant, and makes a sham prosecution.

Intransitive verb

verb

To undertake something falsely and deceitfully, with the purpose of defeating or destroying it.

British usage

Example Sentences

"The people saw the politician prevaricate every day."
"At the moment of her departure he could prevaricate no longer, and, confessing to the gambling, told her the truth as far as he knew it—that the guineas had been won by Wildeve."
"[Boris Johnson] went: “You’re right, let’s get on with it. Let’s make the decision.” It took him another hour of prevaricating to reach the decision. He went outside, and I think that announcement changed the course of history."

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin praevāricātus, perfect active participle of praevāricor (“to walk crookedly; to play a false or double part”), from prae- + vāricō (“to stand with feet apart, straddle”), from vāricus (“with feet spread apart”); see -ate (verb-forming suffix).

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /pɹɪˈvæɹɪkeɪt/
British English: /pɹɪˈvaɹɪkeɪt/

Usage

Inflected Forms

prevaricates (present, singular) prevaricating (participle, present) prevaricated (participle, past) prevaricated (past) prævaricate (alternative, archaic)

Derived Forms

prevaricatest prevaricatingly prevarication prevaricator unprevaricating

Frequently Paired Words

lie

Synonyms

equivocate waffle evade beat about the bush beat around the bush fabricate fib lie tergiversate

Antonyms

direct

Questions

How do you pronounce prevaricate?: The recorded pronunciation is /pɹɪˈvæɹɪkeɪt/.
What does prevaricate mean?: To deviate, transgress; to go astray (from).
Where does prevaricate come from?: Borrowed from Latin praevāricātus, perfect active participle of praevāricor (“to walk crookedly; to play a false or double part”), from prae- + vāricō (“to stand with feet apart, straddle”), from vāricus (“with feet spread apart”); see -ate (verb-forming suffix).

How to pronounce prevaricate

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