Vocabulary: Living in "Sin" Trivia Quiz

Answer: sincere

Some sources claim that the word sincere comes from the Latin words "sine" (without) and "cera" (wax). The story goes that during the Renaissance years, many dishonest sculptors would cover up mistakes, cracks or chips in their works with coloured wax and that ethical sculptors would label their works "sincera" (without wax).

However, etymologists (people who study the origin and history of words) disclaim this origin, stating that the word sincere actually comes from the Latin word "sincerus", meaning pure, clean or true. So while the story about the use of wax may be true, the word sincere does not mean "without wax".

Answer: an office or position that requires little or no work and usually provides an income

Sinecure is derived from the Latin "sine" (without) and "cura" (care), meaning without care. This word was coined around 1660 and originally referred to a position in the church which did not involve caring for the souls of parishioners but which usually involved a lot of work.

However, today it usually refers to political appointments and typically those which are paid but require little or no work.

Answer: singe

To singe means to burn something superficially or around the edges. Its usage dates back to the late 15th century.

Answer: an athletic jersey or undershirt

As a piece of clothing, the singlet derives its name from the fact that the garment has only one layer or thickness, as opposed to the doublet, which is a padded vest of two layers.

The word singlet, however, does have another meaning. In chemistry, it refers to a chemical bond consisting of one pair of shared electrons between two atoms.

Answer: sinister

Sinister is a Latin word meaning "left, on the left side". Its association with evil or trouble dates back to the 14th century. Since the majority of the world's population is right-handed (about 90%), left-handed people were viewed historically with suspicion in some countries, particularly in Europe. Often left-handedness was perceived as a sign of the devil or witchcraft, which gave rise to the usual meaning of sinister as "giving the impression that something harmful or evil is happening or will happen" (Oxford Dictionary).

The opposite was "dexter" meaning right, or skillful. In other words, right is right and left is wrong! This meaning is reflected in words such as dexterity (skill and ease of using either hand) and ambidextrous (meaning to be able to use both hands equally).

Sinister is also used to denote the left-hand side, usually in the context of heraldry, when describing the design of things such as flags, coats-of-arms and badges.

Answer: sine

Sine is a mathematical function used in trigonometry and is defined as being "equal to the ratio of the side opposite a given angle (in a right-angled triangle) to the hypotenuse" (Oxford dictionary). The word is derived from the Latin "sinus", meaning curve.

Answer: China and Chinese culture

Sinology is the study of China and aspects of Chinese culture, including language, literature, customs, history and politics.

The study of disorders of the sinuses comes under the umbrella of rhinology (study of the nose).

Siagonology is the study of jawbones (an obsolete medical term which is not used nowadays).

The study of The Shroud of Turin is sindonology (from the Latin "sindon" meaning shroud or linen).

Answer: sinew

Another word for sinew is tendon, which refers to the tough fibrous connective tissue which joins muscle to bone (or occasionally to some other body part, such as the eyeball).

Answer: singleton

The correct medical terminology for a singleton birth is "the birth of only one child during a single delivery with a gestation of 20 weeks or more". By this definition, approximately 97% of births are singletons.

According to the dictionary, singleton is a term which is also applied to playing cards; "a playing card that is the only one of its suit in a hand, especially at bridge".

Answer: sinus

A sinus is defined medically as a "hollow curve or cavity in the body" and comes from the Latin "sinus" meaning curve. Although it can be applied medically in a variety of ways, it is usually used to refer to air cavities within a bone, especially any of the cavities within the bones of the face or skull.