Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

PARLIAMENTARIAN

DEFINITION:
A consultant who advises the presiding officer and other officers, committees, and members on matters of parliamentary procedure.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
Mia Cooper, a parliamentarian for the district, brought her daughter to district meetings and state-level education forums as the girl grew up.
►The Los Angeles Times, 03/09/2026

Generate your own quiz
Select a grade level
 Elementary
 Middle School
 High School
Select a quiz type
 By words
 By Definitions
Select how many questions
5   10   15   20  

Words in the News Quiz
5 Middle School Words

Click on the correct answer in the quiz below.
Then see if you can find the word in your newspaper -- the print edition, the website or the digital edition and copy the sentence for context. NOTE: High School words are much harder to find!

1. Hieroglyphic

► A characteristic rate or rhythm of activity; a pace

► Relating to a system of writing, such as that of ancient Egypt, in which pictorial symbols are used to represent meaning or sounds or a combination of meaning and sound.

► Having no specific pattern, purpose, or objective.

► One thing conceived as representing another; a symbol.

2. Polygon

► A closed plane figure bounded by three or more line segments.

► The distribution of energy emitted by a radiant source, arranged in order of wavelengths.

► Having or demonstrating enthusiasm

► A disorderly commotion or disturbance.

3. Symbiosis

► A disorderly commotion or disturbance.

► A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image.

► A relationship of mutual benefit or dependence.

► To abstain from or act together in abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with as an expression of protest or disfavor or as a means of coercion

4. Marsupial

► A rebirth or revival.

► To rejoice greatly; be jubilant or triumphant

► A cult or religious movement, a group sharing particular (often unorthodox) political and/or religious beliefs.

► Any of various nonplacental mammals, including kangaroos, opossums, bandicoots, and wombats, found principally in Australia and the Americas.

5. Formidable

► A dense evergreen forest occupying a tropical region with an annual rainfall of at least 100 inches.

► A form of a verb that in some languages, such as English, can function independently as an adjective.

► Inspiring awe, admiration, or wonder

► Sharing the same opinions or views; being in complete harmony or accord.

Get more Quizzes 

 Elementary School    Middle School   High School  

 By Word     By Definition    5  10  15  20 Questions

Common Core State Standard
LS.CCS.4/5/6 Grades 3-12: Students are asked to determine the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words through multiple choice vocabulary quizzes. Quizzes are designed to help students demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in words, acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words, and gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. Students are then asked to find the words within the newspaper and copy the sentence for context to its overall meaning or function in a sentence.