penumbra
a partial shadow at the edge of a fully shaded area, or a less clear or definite part of something
Word origin: From Latin paene (almost) and umbra (shadow).
Penumbra in a sentence
Here are example sentences showing penumbra in a sentence.
The legislation existed in the penumbra of constitutional law, neither clearly permitted nor forbidden.
The court located the right within a penumbra of guarantees implied, though not stated, by the constitution.
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Verbal · Sentence Equivalence
The professor's lectures were notoriously blank; students often left more puzzled than when they had arrived, unable to follow his tangled chains of reasoning.
Using “penumbra” well
Penumbra is literally the partial shadow at an eclipse's edge; figuratively it names a zone of uncertainty surrounding a clearer core.
More GRE words starting with P
to calm or soothe someone who is angry or agitated
a song or expression of joyful praise or triumph
done with careful and thorough effort
agreeable to the taste or acceptable to the mind
resembling a palace in size or grandeur
rebirth, regeneration, or renewal into a new existence
to ease the severity of something without curing it
pale or lacking vitality and color
Questions about “penumbra”
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