Who were the Vestal Virgins, and what was their job? - Peta Greenfield

Important Vocabulary Words From The Video

proclaims

To proclaim something is to say or write it publicly. When the president proclaims a holiday, he is is declaring it to be a national holiday.

  • The mayor proclaimed that the city would be closed on Christmas day.
  • The newspaper proclaimed that the president was the winner of the election.
aristocratic

An aristocrat is someone who is very wealthy, and they often live in a very fancy house. They are often very distant from the common people, and they have very different customs and values.

  • The aristocrat was very rude to the waiter, and she didn't even have the decency to apologize.
  • The aristocrat is very rude, and she has no respect for other people.
suspecting

To suspect something is to think that it is probably true, but you don't have enough evidence to know for sure.

  • He was suspicions that the secretary was stealing from the office.
  • The police are currently suspecting the killer.
patrician

A patrician is a person who belongs to the upper class. This class usually consists of the wealthy and influential people in society.

  • The patrician's family has been in the city for generations.
  • The patrician is a very important person in the city, and he has a lot of power.
priestesses

A priestess is a female member of a priestly or religious order. Priestesses usually have a very important role in their religion, and they often have a lot of power.

  • The priestesses sacrificed themselves so that the temple could be rebuilt.
  • The priestesses are the custodians of the temple.
symbolizes

To symbolize something is to represent or represent as something. When you symbolize a group of people, you are saying that they are similar to a group of things.

  • The flag symbolizes the country's values.
  • The statue symbolizes the city's history.
signaled

When you signal someone, you are using some type of signal to tell them that you want them to do something. You might signal them with a hand gesture or a look.

  • The driver signaled to the other driver to stop.
  • He signaled to the waitress to bring him another beer.
intently

To intensely something is to focus all of your attention on it. When you intensely study for a test, you are putting all of your effort into the task.

  • She intensely listened to the lecture, trying to take everything in.
  • He intensely studied for the test, memorizing all of the answers.
weeps

To weep is to cry loudly, to cry bitterly. When she wept in her bedroom, she was very upset.

  • When she saw the dress on the rack, she wept with joy.
  • I can tell that she's weeping because her voice is shaking.