Correct Answer:
B. Quiet
The antonym of 'Loquacious' is 'Quiet'. The word 'loquacious' describes someone who talks a great deal; they are very talkative or garrulous. It comes from the Latin root 'loqui', meaning 'to speak'. Therefore, an antonym would be a word that describes someone who speaks little or not at all.
Let's examine the given options:
- A: 'Talkative' is a direct synonym of 'loquacious', meaning someone who talks a lot.
- B: 'Quiet' accurately describes someone who makes little or no noise, or who speaks very little. This is the direct opposite of being loquacious.
- C: 'Verbose' means using or expressed in more words than are needed. While a loquacious person might also be verbose, 'verbose' specifically refers to the style of speaking (using too many words), whereas 'loquacious' refers to the quantity of speech (talking a lot). It's a related concept but not a direct antonym.
- D: 'Wordy' is another synonym for 'verbose', meaning using too many words.
Thus, 'quiet' is the most fitting antonym for 'loquacious', representing the absence of excessive speech.