preposterous

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C1 — Advanced

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

From Latin praeposterus (“with the hinder part before, reversed, inverted, perverted”), from prae (“before”) + posterus (“coming after”).

It sounds preposterous, doesn't it? — Erik Dorn, Ben Hecht
Man is a preposterous animal. — The Passionate Friends, H. G. (Herbert George) Wells
Helmets are, of course, perfectly preposterous." — Mike and Psmith, Wodehouse, P. G. (Pelham Grenville)

absurd, cockeyed, derisory, idiotic, laughable, ludicrous, nonsensical, ridiculous

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