THE LANGUAGE OF IDEAS: VOCABULARY FOR SAT EVIDENCE-BASED READING - McGraw-Hill Education SAT 2017 Edition (Mcgraw Hill's Sat) (2016)

McGraw-Hill Education SAT 2017 Edition (Mcgraw Hill's Sat) (2016)

CHAPTER 3 THE LANGUAGE OF IDEAS: VOCABULARY FOR SAT EVIDENCE-BASED READING

The Language of Ideas and Learning
The Language of Argument, Reasoning, and Persuasion
The Language of Dissent, Criticism, and Rebellion
The Language of Power and Submission
The Language of Language and Literature
The Language of Judgment
The Language of Extremism and Exaggeration
The Language of Care and Restraint
The Language of Freedom
The Language of Change and Force
The Language of Dullness and Stasis
The Language of Truth, Truthfulness, and Beauty
The Language of Deceit, Error, and Confusion
The Language of Creativity and Productivity
The Language of Mystery, Surprise, Adventure, and Discovery
The Language of Harm, Deficit, and Decline
The Language of Kindness, Favor, and Benefit
The Language of Wisdom, Strength, and Skill
The Language of Capital and Wealth
The Language of Passion, Emotion, and Sensation

The Power Roots and Affixes for the SAT

The SAT Reading Test: Vocabulary

Why is vocabulary important on the SAT Reading, Writing, and Essay tests?

Although the SAT no longer includes strictly vocabulary-focused questions—such as antonym, analogy, or sentence completion questions—vocabulary-building is still an essential component of improving your SAT Reading, SAT Writing, and SAT Essay scores. The new SAT assesses your effective vocabulary by asking you to comprehend, analyze, and write about extended college-level passages that may include vocabulary from the humanities, like iconoclast , aesthetic , and colloquial ; vocabulary from the physical and human sciences, like catalyst , catharsis , and anomaly ; and vocabulary from rhetoric, like apologist , polemic , and advocate .

According to the College Board, numerous SAT Reading and Writing questions will assess

whether students are able to interpret the meanings of relevant words and phrases in context and/or analyze how word choice influences meaning, shapes mood and tone, reflects point of view, or lends precision or interest.

Sound intimidating? It”s not. Here”s how to build an effective vocabulary for the SAT:

Spend one hour per week making 30 flashcards of new words and/or roots from this chapter, using the formats described below.
Spend 10 minutes per night, at least three nights per week reviewing the flashcards.

Daily Flashcard Study Methods

Sentence Method: Your friend reads you the word, and you give its definition and use it in a sentence different from the one on the front of the card. Try to come up with a different sentence each time.

Root Method: Your friend reads you the word, and you identify and define its roots and affixes and give examples of other words that share the root or affixes.

Crossword Method: Your friend reads you the definition and first letter of the word, and you give the word.

Mnemonic Method: For obscure words, teach your friend a clever mnemonic trick—like a crazy picture or sound association—for remembering its meaning.

1 THE LANGUAGE OF IDEAS AND LEARNING

abstract (adj) ab - away + tractus pulled

existing as an idea but not as a tangible experience : For over a thousand years, mathematicians regarded subtracting a large number from a small one as impossible because the concept of negative numbers was too abstract .

Form: abstraction = something that exists only as an idea

Root family: [tract] retraction (a pulling back), protract (to extend in time), tractor (vehicle that pulls farm instruments), detract (reduce the value of someone or something), tractable (manageable)

anthropology (n) anthro human + -ology study

the study and comparison of human cultures : The Amazon basin has long been a focus of anthropological research because of its many isolated indigenous tribes .

Root family: [anthro] misanthrope (one who distrusts all people), philanthropy (generosity to charitable causes), anthropomorphic (having human form), anthropocentric (pertaining to the belief that humans are the center of the universe)

Don”t confuse with: archaeology (the study of ancient civilizations), paleontology (the study of fossils)

comprehensive (adj) com - together + prehendere to grasp

thorough and complete; covering all relevant subjects : My doctor gave me a comprehensive physical examination .

Synonyms: exhaustive , encyclopedic

Root family: [prehens] reprehensible (morally objectionable), apprehensive (fearful)

Don”t confuse with: comprehensible (understandable)

Mnemonic: To avoid confusing comprehensive with comprehensible , focus on the roots and, especially, the suffixes. Recall that –ible or –able means “able to be”; for instance, defensible means “able to be defended.” Therefore, comprehensible means “able to be grasped by the mind (prehendere = to grasp), while comprehensive means “encompassing (or grasping) everything relevant.”

construe (v) con - together + struere to build

to interpret in a particular way : Some opinion polls are unreliable because their biased phrasing encourages people to construe issues to conform to the ideology of the pollster .

Form: misconstrue = to interpret incorrectly

Root family: [con-, co-, com-, col-] conjecture (guess), consensus (general agreement), conspire (to plot together), coalesce (to come together), coherent (forming a united whole), compliant (willing to obey), confluence (a place at which two things merge)

Root family: [stru, stroy, stry] destroy (put an end to by attacking), instruct (to teach), industry (manufacturing activity), obstruct (impede)

Don”t confuse with: construct (to build)

discerning (adj) dis - apart + cernere to separate

showing a keen ability to distinguish subtle elements : Elena has a very discerning palate for olives and can even tell in what region of Italy they were grown .

Forms: discern = to recognize and distinguish, discernment = keen judgment, discernible = perceivable

Synonyms: discriminating , judicious , astute , percipient , perspicacious

Root family: [dis-] disparate (very different; variegated), discrepancy (a lack of compatibility between facts or claims), disseminate (to cast widely), disperse (to spread or scatter), diffuse (spread over a wide area)

Root family: [cern, cert, cret, cre] ascertain (find something out for certain), certain (known for sure), certify (formally attest or confirm), discretion (behavior to avoid offense or revealing private information; freedom to make decisions)

discriminating (adj) dis - apart + crimen judicial decision

showing good taste or judgment : Our interior designer has a discriminating eye for bold fabrics .

Forms: indiscriminate = done without careful judgment

Synonyms: discerning , judicious , astute , percipient , perspicacious

Root family: [crim] criminal (one who commits a crime), recrimination (counteraccusation), crime (illegal act)

Usage: The word discrimination generally has a negative connotation because of its association with unfair practices like racial or sexual discrimination and because of its connection, via the Latin root crimen (judicial decision) with words like crime and criminal . Discriminating , however, has a generally positive connotation because it is associated with an expert”s judicious ability to distinguish good things from bad.

disseminate (v) dis - widely + semen seed

to cast (something, usually information) widely, as seed is scattered : The rumor was disseminated almost instantaneously over the Internet .

Form: dissemination = the process or act of spreading information widely

Synonyms: promulgate , propagate , circulate

Root family: [dis-] disconcerting (unsettling), disparate (very different; variegated), discrepancy (a lack of compatibility between facts or claims), disperse (to spread or scatter), dispel (to drive away; to eliminate), diffuse(spread over a wide area)

Root family: [semin] seminary (a college to prepare clergy), seminal (serving as a primary influence on later works), seminar (a discussion-based class)

Don”t confuse dissemination with disinformation (incorrect or misleading information)

Mnemonic: Picture a farmer casting seed widely ( dis = widely + semen = seed).

erudite (adj) e - not + rudis untrained, unwrought

having or showing great learning or knowledge : Professor Jacoby could be engagingly erudite without seeming pompous .

Form: erudition = an expression of great learning or knowledge; the quality of having great learning or knowledge

Root family: [rud] rudiment (a most basic element or undeveloped first form of something), rudimentary (basic or undeveloped), rude (ill-mannered)

Synonyms: scholarly , cerebral , learned

Don”t confuse with: eradicate (to destroy completely)

indoctrinate (v) in - in + docere to teach

to teach someone to accept a set of beliefs uncritically : The parents were concerned that the guest speaker was going to indoctrinate their children .

Forms: doctrine = a set of beliefs held by a political, philosophical, or religious group

Synonyms: proselytize , inculcate , propagandize

Root family: [doc, dox] doctrinaire (seeking to impose rigid doctrine), orthodox (conforming strictly to traditional teachings), docile (compliant and easy to instruct), paradox (a self-contradictory statement or situation)

insular (adj) insula island

isolated from cultural and intellectual influences outside one”s own experience : The farming village was too insular for Madeleine, who wanted to experience the outside world .

Form: insularity = the quality of being culturally isolated

Root family: [insula] insulation (the state of being protected from loss of heat, electrical conduction, or unpleasant effects, or the materials or situations that provide such protection), isolate (to set apart from others), island (land mass surrounded by water), peninsula (land mass surrounded on three sides by water)

Mnemonic: An insular community is insulated from outside influences.

orthodox (adj) orthos right, straight + docere to teach

conforming strictly to traditional teachings : Doctor Altbaum is respectfully skeptical of treatments that have not been tested via orthodox trials .

Forms: orthodoxy = authorized theory or practice, unorthodox = straying from conventional teachings

Root family: [ortho] orthogonal (at right angles), orthopedics (the branch of medicine dealing with correcting bone and muscle deformities), orthodontics (the treatment of the misalignment of teeth)

Root family: [doc, dox] doctrinaire (seeking to impose rigid doctrine), indoctrinate (to teach someone to accept a set of beliefs uncritically), docile (compliant and easy to instruct)

pedantic (adj) pedante schoolmaster (< pais child)

inclined to show off one”s learning or knowledge; acting like a know-it-all : Jennifer”s pedantic displays in class earned her the scorn of her classmates .

Forms: pedant = a know-it-all; pedantry = the quality or practice of being a know-it-all

Root family: [ped] pediatrician (a children”s doctor), pedagogy (the art of teaching)

Mnemonic: The word pedant derives from pedagogue (schoolmaster, or literally “leader of children”), so a pedant is anyone who acts like a know-it-all schoolmaster. Or, for a wacky visual mnemonic, picture a gigantic pet antthat comes to school and raises his hand all the time because he knows all the answers.

Don”t confuse words that derive from ped (foot)—like pedestrian , podiatrist , and pedal —with words that derive from pais (child)—like pediatrician , pedagogy , and pedant .

peruse (v) per - thoroughly + use use

to read thoroughly and carefully : Pitifully few of the congressmen perused the bill before signing it .

Form: perusal = the act of reading thoroughly

Root family: [per-] perfect (as good as can be), perpetuate (to help to continue for an extended period of time), perfunctory (carried out with a minimum of effort), perturb (to make uncomfortable or anxious)

Don”t confuse with: carouse (drink alcohol abundantly, merrily, and boisterously), pursue (to follow in order to catch or attack)

Mnemonic: It”s common to mistake perusal with cursory (casual) reading when in fact it means careful reading . Remember that it derives from per which means “thoroughly,” so to peruse means to “use thoroughly.”

postulate (v)

[POS chew late] assume the existence or truth of something as a basis for reasoning : Copernicus postulated that the simplest explanation for planetary motion was probably the best explanation .

Form: postulate (n) [POS chew let] = an assumption made for the purpose of reasoning

Synonyms: posit , presume , hypothesize

Don”t confuse with: pustule (a small pimple)

provincial (adj)

unsophisticated or narrow-minded; particular to the narrow views of an isolated community : Glen”s comments reflected his provincial political views rather than an understanding of the national interest .

Form: provincialism = narrow-mindedness or lack of sophistication

Synonyms: parochial

Don”t confuse with: providential (opportune; involving benevolent divine intervention)

Mnemonic: A province is a small region within an empire, so someone who has never been beyond his or her province is provincial .

revelation (n)

a fact revealed in a surprising way : The biography provided many interesting revelations .

Form: revelatory = revealing something previously unknown

Synonym: epiphany

Don”t confuse with: revelry (noisy festivities)

2 THE LANGUAGE OF ARGUMENT, REASONING, AND PERSUASION

advocate (v) ad - for + vocare to call, to give voice

[AD vo kate] to provide public support for a person, cause, or policy : Gina is a tireless advocate for human rights and freedom .

Form: advocate (n) [AD voh kit] = one who advocates

Root family: [ad-] allude (to hint at indirectly), aspire (to strive for a lofty goal), adhere (stick fast (to)), acquiesce (to comply reluctantly), annul (to declare invalid)

Root family: [voc, vok] evocative (bringing strong images or feelings to mind), revoke (to take back), provocative (causing anger or annoyance), equivocate (to speak ambiguously and noncommittally)

Mnemonic: To advocate is to give voice to ( vocare = to call) someone or something.

Don”t confuse with: abdicate = to step down from a position of power

apologist (n) apo - away + logos word, study

one who argues for a particular, often controversial, position : We were surprised to discover that a few of the history professors seemed to be apologists for fascism .

Forms: apology = an argument for a particular position, apologetics = the study or practice of arguing for a particular position

Synonym: polemicist

Root family: [apo-] apostasy (the renunciation of a religious belief), apocryphal (having doubtful authenticity)

Root family: [log] eulogy (a praising speech), epilogue (afterword), anthology (a collection of literary works)

Don”t confuse with: apologizer (one who expresses regret); apologizers regret their positions, but apologists do not.

appease (v) pais peace

to yield to demands in order to conciliate : We must not appease belligerent dictators .

Form: appeasement = the act of conciliating

Synonyms: propitiate , pacify , mollify , placate

Root family: [pac, peas] pacify (to calm), pact (a peace agreement)

Usage: See usage note at pacify in section 4.

bolster (v)

to strengthen or support : The case was bolstered by the testimony of three eyewitnesses .

Synonyms: fortify , augment , buttress

Don”t confuse with: booster (one who promotes something), holster (a handgun holder)

buttress (n) or (v)

[1] (n) a projecting support for a building, usually of stone or brick; any strong support : Each buttress on the cathedral was over forty feet long .

Synonym: bulwark

[2] (v) to provide with support or justification : The prince”s claim to the throne was buttressed by papal decree .

Synonyms: fortify , augment , bolster

cajole (v)

to persuade through flattery or coaxing : Theo could not be cajoled into accepting the position .

Form: cajolery = flattery designed to persuade

Synonyms: wheedle , coax , inveigle

circumlocutory (adj) circum around + loqui to talk

inclined to speak evasively; speaking as if to avoid the subject : We expected the candidate to give a circumlocutory and politically correct answer to the question, but were surprised to hear her give a direct and candid response .

Form: circumlocution = evasive speech

Synonym: periphrastic ( peri- around + phrasis speech)

Root family: [circum] circumspect (cautious), circuitous (roundabout)

Root family: [loqu, locu] loquacious (talkative), colloquial (conversational), eloquent (well-spoken), obloquy (verbal abuse)

circumscribe (v) circum around + scribere to write or draw

to define the limits of something, often an issue or problem : Although the Reimann Hypothesis has yet to be proven, many mathematicians believe that the problem is so well circumscribed that it soon will be .

Synonym: encompass

Root family: [circum] circumspect (wary, cautious)

Root family: [scrib, script] inscribe (to write on or carve into something indelibly), description (a spoken or written representation of a person, event, or object)

Don”t confuse with: circumstance (general situation or condition), circumspect (cautious)

cohesive (adj) co - together + haerere to stick

forming a united whole : A good jazz band must be cohesive, because its members must communicate instantaneously with subtle musical and gestural cues .

Form: cohesion = the act of forming a united whole

Synonym: coherent

Root family: [con-, co-, com-, col-] consensus (general agreement), conspire (to plot together), coalesce (to come together), compliant (willing to obey), confluence (a place at which two things merge)

Root family: [her, hes] adhesive (glue-like substance), coherent (clear and rational), inherent (existing as an inseparable attribute), adherent (a faithful believer in a particular practice or philosophy)

Don”t confuse with: adhesive (a glue-like substance)

Usage: See usage note at coherent in section 5.

conjecture (n) con - together + ject thrown

a guess based on incomplete information : Our controversial conjecture on the nature of the newly discovered planet turned out to be correct .

Form: conjectural = based on conjecture

Synonyms: speculation , postulation

Root family: [con-, co-, com-, col-] conformist (one who conscientiously complies with the standards of a group), conventional (according to common practice), consensus (general agreement), conspire (to plot together), coalesce (to come together), coherent (forming a united whole), confluence (a place at which two things merge)

Root family: [ject] objective (based on fact), subjective (based on opinion), reject (to throw back), eject (to throw outward)

Mnemonic: A conjecture is an idea that is “thrown together” ( con (together) + ject (throw)) from incomplete evidence, rather than determined definitively.

consensus (n) con - together + sentire to feel

[1] general agreement : The senators were happy to finally reach consensus on the bill .

Synonyms: concord , unanimity

[2] the generally held opinion on a matter : The consensus was that David was the better player .

Root family: [sens, sent] sentient (having the ability to feel), sensation (the experience of feeling), dissent (disagreement with conventional views)

Don”t confuse with: census (an official survey of a population), concession (something granted due to a demand)

contentious (adj)

causing or likely to provoke an argument : Carl”s accusation was as contentious as it was false .

Forms: contend (with) = struggle to surmount, contend (for) = struggle to win (something), contention = disagreement; an assertion made in an argument, contentiousness = argumentativeness

Synonyms: belligerent , bellicose , pugnacious , truculent

Don”t confuse with: content (adj) (satisfied)

credulous (adj) credere to believe

willing to believe : None of Dave”s friends were credulous when he said he was going to start his own business .

Forms: incredulous = unwilling to believe, credulity = willingness to believe, incredulity = skepticism

Synonyms: gullible , ingenuous

Root family: [cred] credence (acceptance as true; believability), credit (good faith, particularly with regard to financial loans), credible (believable)

criteria (n, pl) kritikos judge

principles or standards by which something is judged or decided : The candidate did not meet our criteria for a management position .

Form: criterion (n, sing) = a single standard or principle by which something is judged or decided

Root family: [crit] critic (one who judges the merit of something; one who expresses a negative opinion), critique (a detailed evaluation), diacritic (a symbol above or below a letter indicating its pronunciation)

Usage: Remember that criteria is the plural of criterion .

cursory (adj) currere to run

hasty and superficial : Marco was only able to take a cursory glance at the report before making his presentation .

Synonyms: perfunctory , desultory

Root family: [cur] cursive (written so that adjacent characters are connected), courier (messenger), curriculum (a course of study), incur (to become subject to something because of one”s own actions), precursor (a forerunner; a substance from which something else is formed)

Don”t confuse with: cursive (written such that letters run together), curse (a solemn utterance intended to bring harm; a swear)

Mnemonic: If you perform a cursory reading, you just run through it quickly and hastily ( currere = to run).

debunk (v)

to expose the falseness of a belief : Harry Houdini debunked all of the mediums who claimed to be able to talk to his dead mother .

Form: debunker = one who debunks; bunk = nonsense

Synonyms: refute , invalidate

Don”t confuse debunker with bunker (reinforced underground shelter; sand hazard on a golf course).

delineate (v) de - completely + lineare to create with lines

to describe or portray precisely : The committee delineated the rules by which future officers would be chosen .

Forms: delineation = the process or act of describing something precisely

Root family: [line] collinear (on the same line), alignment (the process of arranging in a line), lineage (family tree)

Don”t confuse with: lineage (family tree)

Usage: Because of their common root lineare (to create with lines), delineate is often confused with outline . But while outline means to sketch briefly, delineate means nearly the opposite: to describe precisely and in detail .

dispel (v) dis - away + pellere to force

to drive away; to eliminate a rumor, misconception, or bad feeling : Even the trip to the fair did not dispel Jerome”s sadness .

Synonyms: banish , allay , quell

Root family: [dis-] disconcerting (unsettling), disdain (feeling that something is unworthy), discredit (harm the reputation of something or someone), disparate (very different; variegated), discrepancy (a lack of compatibility between facts or claims), disseminate (to cast widely), disperse (to spread or scatter)

Root family: [pul, pel] expel (to force out), repel (to drive back), propel (to exert a forward push), compel (to force someone to do something)

Don”t confuse with: disperse (to scatter)

disputatious (adj) dis - apart + putare to reckon

[1] (of a person) fond of having heated arguments : Ron was ostracized from the group because of his disputatious attitude .

[2] (of a situation) likely to cause an argument : The meetings became more disputatious over time, forcing the group to disband .

elucidate (v) lux light

to make clear; to shed light on : The mysterious disappearance was elucidated by the discovery of the ransom note .

Root family [luc, lum] lucid (clear), illuminate (to shed light on), luminary (a person who inspires others), translucent (allowing light through, but not transparently)

Synonym: explicate

Don”t confuse with: elusive (hard to catch)

Mnemonic: When you elucidate something you make it more lucid .

enticement (n)

something that attracts or tempts, particularly because it offers pleasure or advantage : The school offered an iPod as an enticement to the student who sells the most candy bars .

Form: entice = to attract or tempt

Synonyms: lure , bait

enumerate (v) e - out + numerus number

to list one by one : We calmly enumerated our complaints to the committee .

Form: enumeration = the process of listing one by one

Synonym: itemize

Root family: [numer] denumerable (countable), innumerable (uncountably infinite), numerous (plentiful)

Don”t confuse with: remunerate (to pay for services rendered)

equivocate (v) equi - same + vocare to call

to speak ambiguously so as to avoid commitment : Sheila complained about her boyfriend”s tendency to equivocate when the conversation turned to marriage .

Forms: equivocation = the use of noncommittal language, equivocal = noncommittal, unequivocal = clear and unambiguous

Synonyms: dither , waver , waffle

Root family: [voc, vok] advocate (to provide vocal support (for)), provoke (to cause a strong negative response), revoke (to officially take back), evocative (having the effect of drawing out emotions or ideas), invoke (to bring to bear)

Mnemonic: Politicians frequently equivocate about issues, that is, give “equal voice” ( equi-vocare ) to both sides so as not to offend any potential voters.

exhortation (n) ex - out + hortari to encourage

a strong plea, usually through an urgent speech : The mayor”s exhortation that we conserve water seems to have fallen on deaf ears .

Forms: exhort = to encourage vehemently

Root family: [ex-] extol (to praise highly), extemporaneous (without planning), exuberant (filled with liveliness and energy)

Don”t confuse with: extortion (the practice of obtaining something by threat), excitation (application of energy or stimulation), exertion (great effort)

Mnemonic: In Horton Hears a Who , the tiny Whos living on a speck of dust ask Horton to save them. They are exhortin” when they ask Horton .

exonerate (v) ex - out, from + onus burden

to absolve someone of blame or fault : The testimony of the eyewitnesses exonerated the defendant .

Synonyms: absolve , acquit , exculpate , vindicate

Root family: [onus, oner]: onus (burden), onerous (burdensome)

Don”t confuse with: exaggerate (to overstate), exasperate (to irritate (someone))

Mnemonic: To exonerate is to take the burden (of guilt) from someone ( ex- = from + onus = burden).

fallacious (adj) fallere to deceive, to be untrue

based on a mistaken belief or unsound reasoning : The argument presented by the defense is fallacious because it is founded on an invalid assumption .

Form: fallacy = a mistaken belief or example of unsound reasoning

Synonyms: specious , spurious

Root family: [fall, fals] fallible (capable of making errors), fault (an unsatisfactory feature), fail (to be unsuccessful)

Don”t confuse with: ferocious (savagely cruel), felicitous (well-chosen for the circumstances)

harangue (n)

a lengthy and bombastic speech : The dictator”s harangues were designed to inspire fear as much as patriotism .

Synonyms: tirade , rant , diatribe

Don”t confuse with: harass (to intimidate; to bother in an aggressive and annoying way), heresy (an anti-orthodox act or belief)

Usage: See usage note at tirade in this section.

Mnemonic: Imagine a vivid scene, from your own experience, when one person was really chewing someone else out. Then imagine that the person yelling is also throwing meringue pies at him (or her), to add injury to insult.

incongruous (adj) in - not + con together + ruere to fall

not consistent with expectations or surroundings : An incongruous football-shaped telephone sat amid the otherwise tasteful and expensive auction items .

Form: incongruity = something out of place or out of keeping

Synonyms: dissonant , jarring , anomalous , discordant , anachronistic

Don”t confuse with: not congruent (not having the same shape and size)

induce (v) in - in + ducere to lead

[1] to bring about : The doctor had to induce vomiting after Helen accidentally swallowed drain cleaner .

Synonyms: instigate

[2] to persuade to do something : The clever advertisements induced many customers to come see what the store had to offer .

Synonyms: wheedle , cajole , coax

[3] to derive by inductive (from specific instances to general principles) reasoning : From my experiences in the hotel, I have induced that the people of Jamaica are unusually friendly .

Form: induction = the process of drawing general conclusions from specific instances

Root family: [in-] inundate (to flood), infer (to conclude from evidence), incisive (showing keen judgment), ingratiate (to curry favor), inherent (existing as an inseparable element), invoke (to bring to bear), indoctrinate (to teach doctrine), infiltrate (to gain access secretly)

Don”t confuse with: induct (to admit someone into an organization in a formal ceremony)

inexorable (adj)

[1] (of an eventuality) unpreventable : We cannot stop the inexorable march of time .

Synonyms: relentless , inevitable , irrevocable , unremitting

[2] (of a person) impossible to persuade : She was inexorable in her belief in the defendant”s innocence .

Form: inexorability = inevitability

Synonyms: obdurate , staunch , obstinate , recalcitrant , intransigent

infer (v) in - into + ferre to bring, to bear

to conclude from evidence : The fossil record allows us to infer the existence of reptiles during this era .

Form: inference = a conclusion drawn by reasoning from evidence; the process of reaching such a conclusion

Root family: [in-] inundate (to flood), incisive (showing keen judgment), ingratiate (to curry favor), inherent (existing as an inseparable element), invoke (to bring to bear), indoctrinate (to teach doctrine), induce (to bring about), infiltrate (to gain access secretly)

Root family: [fer] fertile (productive), defer (to put off until later; to submit to the authority of another), coniferous (cone-bearing), aquifer (rock formation that carries groundwater)

Usage: Don”t use infer when you mean imply (suggest). Although a fingerprint at a crime scene might imply guilt, only a person can infer that guilt.

insinuate (v)

to suggest or hint at something, usually something morally dubious : The lawyers released the racy photographs in order to insinuate that the defendant was not as morally upright as he claimed to be .

Form: insinuation = a sly hint

Don”t confuse with: instigate (to initiate an event or action)

intransigent (adj)

stubbornly unwilling to compromise or agree with someone : The peace talks reached an impasse when the rebels became intransigent with their demands .

Form: intransigence = reluctance to compromise or agree

Synonyms: obdurate , staunch , obstinate , recalcitrant

Don”t confuse with: intransitive ((of a verb) not taking a direct grammatical object)

Usage: See usage note at tenacious in section 4.

irresolute (adj) ir - not + re - (intensive) + solvere to loosen

hesitant; showing a lack of certainty or determination : This irresolute and inept congress seems unable to put aside its petty bickering and do what is best for the country .

Form: resolute = determined and unwavering; resolve = determination to do something; resolution = determination

Synonyms: wavering , equivocating , dithering , ambivalent

Root family: [solv, solu] absolve (to free from blame), dissolve

Don”t confuse with: low resolution

Mnemonic: The words solve , solution , resolve , and resolution derive from the Latin solvere (to loosen, to break into parts). To solve a problem almost always involves analyzing it first, that is, breaking it into parts. Similarly, it”s easier to make a saltwater solution if you break the salt into smaller pieces, and the resolution of your television or computer screen depends on how many pieces, or pixels, it is broken into. Because people have historically liked to institutionalize solutions to big problems, the term resolution came to mean not just the action of solving a problem (the pact provided a temporary resolution to the conflict ), but also the formal decision that resulted from it (the legislature passed a resolution declaring its commitment to balancing the budget ), and then the commitment required to stick to that decision (she maintained her resolution to abstain from chocolate ).

litigious (adj)

unreasonably prone to suing as a means of settling disputes : I try to appease my customers whenever they are angry, because I know how litigious our society is .

Forms: litigiousness = tendency to settle dispute with lawsuits, litigate = to settle a dispute with a lawsuit, litigant = someone involved in a lawsuit

Don”t confuse litigate with mitigate (to make a situation less severe).

Mnemonic: After someone lit my gate on fire, I decided to litigate .

obstinate (adj)

stubbornly refusing to change one”s position : He obstinately refused to accept the plea bargain .

Form: obstinacy = strong reluctance to change

Synonyms: obdurate , staunch , intransigent , recalcitrant

Don”t confuse with: obstreperous (noisy and difficult to control)

Usage: See usage note at tenacious in section 4.

Mnemonic: Imagine Nate the obstetrician stubbornly refusing to deliver a baby.

partisan (adj)

prejudiced in favor of a particular party, typically a political one : I don”t watch cable news because it is so partisan .

Forms: nonpartisan = unbiased, bipartisan = (of a legislative action) partaken by members of two different parties

Don”t confuse with: partition (a process of dividing into parts; a physical barrier between areas)

Usage: See usage note at objective in section 18.

placate (v) placare to please

to pacify with conciliatory gestures : The angry customer could only be placated by the offer of a full refund and a sincere apology .

Forms: implacable = unable to be appeased

Synonyms: propitiate , conciliate , appease , mollify

Root family: [plac, plais] complacent (self-satisfied), implacable (unable to be pleased), placid (peaceful), placebo (a sugar pill used as a control in a medical experiment), pleasant

Don”t confuse with: placid (peaceful)

Usage: See usage note at pacify in section 4.

precedent (n) pre - before + cedere to go

a previous occurrence that is used as an example, particularly in a legal context : There are few precedents for truly interactive textbooks .

Form: precedence = the condition of being more important, unprecedented = unheard of before a recent or hypothetical occurrence

Root family: [pre-] premeditated (planned in advance), precocious (having exceptional ability at an early age)

Root family: [ced, ces] concession (something surrendered), recede (move back from a previous position), secede (withdraw from a formal union or alliance), proceed (go forth)

Don”t confuse with: president (head of a republican state; head of an organization)

prevalent (adj) pre - before + valere to have power

abundant and widespread in a particular area : Be careful—poison ivy is prevalent in this forest .

Form: prevail = to be victorious; to be the most powerful, prevalence = widespread abundance

Synonyms: prolific , profuse , copious

Root family: [pre-] precedent (a previous example), premeditated (planned in advance), precocious (having exceptional ability at an early age)

Root family: [val] ambivalent (having mixed feelings), valence (the power of an atom to make bonds with other atoms), valor (courage and nobility in the face of danger)

Don”t confuse with: relevant (connected and appropriate to the matter at hand)

propensity (n) pro - forward + pendere to hang

a natural inclination to behave a certain way : Warner has a propensity for needless exaggeration .

Root family: [pro-] protracted (lasting longer than expected), prophecy (prediction), promote (further the progress of something; raise in rank), progeny (offspring), reciprocate (to respond in kind)

Root family: [pond, pend, pens] pendant (a piece of jewelry hanging from a necklace), impending (about to happen; imminent), dependent (requiring something or someone for support), appendix (a table or other supporting matter at the end of a book; a vestigial sac on the large intestine), ponderous (heavy)

Don”t confuse with: preposterousness (absurdity)

Mnemonic: If you have a propensity for something, you are propelled toward it with great intensity .

provocative (adj) pro - forward + vocare to call

[1] intended to cause a strong negative emotional response : Daniel”s protest was designed to be provocative, rather than informative .

Form: provocation = action intended to annoy or anger

Synonyms: vexing , galling , incendiary , inflammatory

[2] intended to arouse sexual desire : The school dress code imposes severe restrictions on provocative clothing .

Synonyms: alluring , seductive

Root family: [voc, vok] revoke (to take back), evocative (bringing strong images or emotions to mind), advocate (to give public support), avocation (hobby), equivocate (to speak ambiguously), vocation (calling; chosen career)

Don”t confuse with: evocative (bringing strong images or emotions to mind)

Usage: Provocative and evocative have very similar meanings, but provocative is usually reserved to describe something that elicits emotions that are not desired or appropriate, while evocative describes something that elicits emotions to enrich an experience.

pugnacious (adj) pugnare to fight

quarrelsome; prone to fighting : Senator McGinley was a pugnacious defender of his causes, but a sweet and gentle man outside of chambers .

Form: pugnacity = belligerence; tendency to pick fights

Synonyms: belligerent , bellicose , contentious , truculent

Root family: [pug] impugn (to attack as invalid or dishonest), pugilist (prize fighter), repugnant (extremely distasteful)

Mnemonic: Imagine a combative little pug dog.

qualify (v) qualis of what kind

[1] to moderate a statement to make it less extreme : I should qualify my statement so that I don”t seem to be advocating total anarchy .

[2] to meet a necessary condition (for) : Carlos qualified for the state tennis tournament .

Form: qualification = a moderation of a previous statement; an accomplishment or quality that makes a person suitable for a position or activity

Synonyms: temper , moderate

Don”t confuse qualify (a statement) with qualify (for a position or privilege) .

rebut (v)

to respond to an accusation by asserting or proving it false; refute : The candidate spent as much time rebutting her opponent”s accusations as she did describing her own positions .

Form: rebuttal = an act of refutation

Synonyms: repudiate , discredit

Don”t confuse with: rebuff (to reject ungraciously)

recalcitrant (adj) re - back + calcitrare to kick with the heel

stubbornly uncooperative : The entire kindergarten class was finger-painting, save for one recalcitrant toddler .

Synonyms: obdurate , staunch , obstinate , intransigent , steadfast

Root family: [re-] reprehensible (deserving of condemnation), recluse (a person who lives a solitary lifestyle), refute (to prove something false), revoke (to take back), renounce (to give up or put aside publicly), reciprocate (to respond in kind), resigned (accepting of an undesirable situation), regress (to return to a less developed state)

Don”t confuse with: calcified ((as of a fossil) hardened into stone, particularly one consisting of calcium compounds)

Usage: See usage note at tenacious in section 4.

Mnemonic: What do the words calcium , calculator , chalk , and recalcitrant have in common? They all derive from the Latin root calx , which means “limestone,” a mineral composed primarily of calcium carbonate, or “heel,” perhaps because the heel is likewise very hard. From this root came calculus , which means “small pebble,” and calcitrare , which means “to kick back with the heel.” Calculate derives from the practice of accounting with pebbles, and recalcitrant derives from the tendency of mules to kick back with their heels rather than obey.

refute (v) re - back + futare to beat

to prove something false : Just because a claim has yet be refuted does not mean that it is true .

Forms: refutation = the process of proving something wrong, irrefutable = proven beyond a shadow of a doubt

Synonyms: debunk , invalidate

Root family: [re-] revoke (to take back), renounce (to give up or put aside publicly), reciprocate (to respond in kind), resigned (accepting of an undesirable situation), regress (to return to a less developed state), relegate (to place in a lower rank)

Don”t confuse with: refuse (to decline (something))

resolute (adj)

unwaveringly purposeful and dutiful : Despite the threat of violence, the marchers were resolute about making their voices heard .

Form: resolve (n) = unwavering commitment to a principle, resolution = statement of determination, irresolute = hesitant

Synonym: steadfast

Don”t confuse with: high-resolution ((of an optical device or image) exceedingly clear down to very fine details)

Usage: See usage note at tenacious in section 4.

rhetoric (n)

[1] the art of persuasion through language : He was an expert orator, skilled in rhetoric .

Forms: rhetorical = intended for persuasive effect, rhetorician = one who is adept at the language of persuasion

Synonyms: argumentation , forensics , oratory , disputation

Usage: A rhetorical question (such as Who would ever buy such a lousy car? ) is not merely a question that is not answered, but one whose answer is assumed by the speaker or writer, because that question is being used to persuade and not to inquire. That is, the question is being used for rhetorical effect.

[2] language that is persuasive but insincere or meaningless : His speech was dismissed as mere rhetoric .

Synonyms: bombast , grandiloquence

specious (adj)

seemingly plausible, but actually incorrect : Beck”s specious theories are informed more by hysteria than by reason .

Synonyms: spurious , fallacious

Don”t confuse with: species (a classification of similar organisms that can interbreed)

Mnemonic: A specious claim is one that should make you su- spicious .

speculation (n) specere to look

a guess based on meager evidence : The theory was based more on speculation than on fact .

Forms: speculate = to form a theory without firm evidence, speculative = based on flimsy evidence

Synonyms: conjecture , surmise , postulation

Root family: [spec] introspective (meditative), circumspect (cautious), inspect (to examine closely)

Don”t confuse with: inspection (close examination)

steadfast (adj)

dutifully firm and unwavering : The steadfast soldier held his post for days without sleeping .

Form: steadfastness = resolute refusal to waver

Synonym: resolute

Usage: See usage note at tenacious in section 4.

strident (adj)

annoyingly loud and harsh, particularly when presenting a point of view : The political operatives were instructed to take very strident tones at the town hall meeting, to make it seem as if their views were widely held .

Form: stridency = harshness in presenting one”s views

Synonyms: vociferous

Don”t confuse with: stride (to walk briskly), trident (a three-pronged pitchfork)

Mnemonic: Imagine a protester striding with a trident and shouting strident slogans during a protest march.

subjective (adj) sub under + ject thrown

based on personal feelings or opinions : Movie reviews are highly subjective .

Root family: [ject] objective (based on fact), conjecture (guess), reject (to throw back), eject (to throw outward)

Mnemonic: In late Middle English, subjective originally meant “submissive, as a royal subject to a king or queen,” but evolved to mean “pertaining to the points of view that were brought by the subjects to the monarch.”

Usage: In modern usage subjective is the opposite of objective (based on fact rather than opinion).

substantiate (v)

provide evidence for : The scientists could not substantiate their hypothesis, because they could not replicate the results of their experiment .

Form: substantive = significant because it is based in reality

Synonyms: vindicate , corroborate , authenticate

Don”t confuse with: substandard (less than the norm in quality)

tenuous (adj) tenuare to make thin, to stretch

flimsy; very weak or slight (esp. pertaining to a link, argument, or relationship) : The link between lowering taxes and stimulating business is more tenuous than most people think .

Root family: [ten] extend (to stretch forward), pretend (to act as if something is so when it is not), pretentious (affecting an exaggerated importance), contend (with) (to struggle to defeat), attenuate (to reduce the force or effectiveness of something)

Don”t confuse with: tense (taut)

Mnemonic: A tenuous connection is a real stretch ( tendere = to stretch).

tirade (v)

a long, angry, and critical speech : His tirades against communism are well known .

Synonyms: harangue , rant , diatribe

Don”t confuse with: torrent (a strong and sudden stream)

Usage: Tirade , harangue , rant , and diatribe are similar, but offer different shades of meaning. Tirade is the most general of these, describing any long, critical speech; a harangue is particularly bombastic, usually inflaming the passions of listeners, and is the primary tool of the demagogue; a rant is primarily an instrument of catharsis, allowing the speaker to blow off steam, but not necessarily persuade or do harm; a diatribe is more tiresome—while a harangue can arouse passion, and a rant can be entertaining to watch, a diatribe is neither inspiring, informative, nor entertaining.

viable (adj) vivere to live

capable of working successfully : We did not want to invest in a company that had not yet shown that it was viable .

Synonyms: feasible

Root family: [viv, vita] convivial (lively and friendly), revive (bring back to life), vivid (inducing clear images in the mind), bon vivant (a person who enjoys a lively and social lifestyle), vivacious (full of lively energy)

Don”t confuse with: enviable (worthy of envy), verifiable (able to be proven true or accurate)

vindicate (v) vin force + dictum declaration

to clear of blame or suspicion : Victor was vindicated when another suspect confessed to the crime .

Form: vindication = the process of clearing someone of blame or suspicion

Synonyms: exonerate , exculpate

Root family: [dict] vindictive (vengeful), dictatorial (tyrannical), dictum (formal declaration), benediction (blessing), malediction (curse)

Don”t confuse with: vindictive (vengeful)

Mnemonic: The words vindictive and vindicate are easy to confuse because they both derive from the Latin vindex (from vin , “force” and dictum , “declaration”), which means “avenger.” But they describe different aspects of vengeance: to vindicate means “to avenge by proving innocent,” while vindictive means “consumed with vengeance.”

zealot (n)

a fanatic; one who is uncompromising and vehement in pursuing ideals : The party zealots had taken over the meeting, so compromise had become impossible .

Forms: zeal = feeling of deep passion for an ideal, zealous = passionate for one”s ideals

Don”t confuse zealous (passionate) with jealous (envious)

3 THE LANGUAGE OF DISSENT, CRITICISM, AND REBELLION

adversary (n) ad - to + vertere to turn

a committed enemy or opponent : The lawsuit turned former friends into adversaries .

Forms: adversarial = inclined to picking fights, pugnacious, adverse = unfavorable, harmful

Synonyms: rival , contender , antagonist

Root family: [ad-] allude (to hint at indirectly), aspire (to strive for a lofty goal), adhere (stick fast (to)), advocate (to provide vocal support for), acquiesce (to comply reluctantly), annul (to declare invalid)

Root family: [vers, vert] diverse (various), diversion (entertainment), adverse (harmful), subvert (undermine), averse (opposed), versatile (adaptable to different functions)

antipathy (adj) anti - against + pathos feeling

deep-seated dislike : Despite the long-standing antipathy between their families, Romeo and Juliet believed their love would triumph .

Synonyms: aversion , animus , antagonism , enmity , loathing , abhorrence

Root family: [path] sympathy (feeling of sorrow for the misfortunes of another), pathology (the science of the causes and course of diseases), apathetic (lacking concern), empathy (the ability to share the feelings of others)

Don”t confuse with: apathy (lack of concern)

audacious (adj)

willing to take bold risks : Desperate to score points, the audacious quarterback called a trick play against the coach”s wishes .

Form: audacity = boldness

Synonyms: impudent , impertinent , insolent , intrepid

Don”t confuse with: mendacious (lying)

averse (adj) ab - away + vertere to turn

having a strong dislike : Although many considered Will a daredevil, he was actually scrupulous in his planning and highly averse to senseless risk .

Form: aversion = strong dislike

Synonyms: antipathetic

Root family: [ab-] abhor (to regard with hate and disgust), abstruse (very difficult to understand), absolve (to free from guilt or blame), abstemious (self-disciplined and restrictive with regard to consumption)

Root family: [vers, vert] adversary (enemy), diverse (various), diversion (entertainment), subvert (undermine), adverse (harmful), versatile (adaptable to different functions)

Don”t confuse with: adverse (harmful)

belligerent (adj) bellum war

hostile and aggressive : We might take your suggestions more seriously if you were not so belligerent when you presented them .

Form: belligerence = hostility and aggression

Synonyms: pugnacious , bellicose , contentious , truculent

Root family: [bell] rebellion (act of violent resistance), bellicose (war-mongering), antebellum (characteristic of the culture in the southern United States prior to the Civil War)

berate (v)

to scold angrily : The coach berated us for not keeping in shape during the off-season .

Synonyms: reproach , censure , rebuke , admonish , chastise , upbraid , reprove

Don”t confuse with: irate (very angry)

Usage: See usage note at rebuke in this section.

cantankerous (adj)

grouchy and argumentative : Mrs. Grieves was a cantankerous old woman who would scream at us from her porch for not wearing shoes .

Synonyms: irascible , curmudgeonly , churlish , peevish , fractious , ornery

circumspect (adj) circum around + specere to look

wary; cautious : Ken”s unpleasant experiences with telemarketers made him circumspect about answering the phone .

Form: circumspection = caution, wariness

Synonyms: wary , vigilant , leery , skeptical

Root family: [circum] circumscribe (to define the limits of something), circuitous (roundabout), circumlocution (evasive speech)

Root family: [spec] speculation (guess based on insufficient evidence), introspective (meditative), inspect (to examine closely)

Don”t confuse with: circumscribe (to define the limits of something)

Mnemonic: Those who are circumspect are always “looking around” ( circum = around + specere = to look) to make sure they are not in danger.

clamor (n) clamare to cry out

an uproar, usually from a crowd showing disapproval : The guards were awakened by a clamor at the gate .

Form: clamor (v) = to raise an outcry, usually in a group

Root family: [clam, claim] acclaim (to praise publicly), proclaim (announce publicly and officially)

Don”t confuse with: clamber (to climb awkwardly)

condescend (v) con - together + de - down + scandere to climb

to act superior to someone else : Teachers should give clear instructions and not condescend to their students .

Forms: condescending = acting superior or arrogant, condescension = looking down on others

Synonyms: patronize , deign

Root family: [con-, co-, com-, col-] conventional (according to common practice), conjecture (guess), convoluted (complicated), coalesce (to come together), coherent (forming a united whole), confluence (a place at which two things merge)

Root family: [de-] deplore (to express strong disapproval), denounce (declare as bad), debase (reduce in value), denigrate (criticize unfairly), deference (submission to the authority of another)

Root family: [scend, scal] transcend (to rise above something), ascend (to climb), escalate (to increase in intensity or magnitude), echelon (level or rank)

encroach (v)

to intrude on a territory or domain : The teachers were beginning to worry that the school board was encroaching on their right to teach as they see fit .

Form: encroachment = intrusion on a territory or domain

Synonyms: trespass , impinge

Don”t confuse with: reproach (to reprimand)

estranged (adj) extra outside of

no longer emotionally close to someone; alienated : After being estranged for many years, the couple finally reconciled .

Form: estrangement = the state of being alienated

Synonym: alienated

Root family: [extra] extraneous (irrelevant to the subject at hand), extravagant (excessive, particularly in spending), extraterrestrial (from beyond Earth)

evade (v) e - out of + vadere to go

to escape or avoid, usually through clever means : The fighter pilot was able to evade the missile with his deft maneuvers .

Forms: evasion = the act of escaping or avoiding, evasive = with the intention of cleverly avoiding something

Synonyms: elude , avoid , skirt

Root family: [vad, vas] invade (to intrude on a region and occupy it), pervasive (widespread)

Don”t confuse with: invade (to intrude on a region and occupy it)

flout (v)

openly disregard (a rule or convention) : It was shocking how openly Gino flouted school rules .

Synonyms: defy , contravene , breach

Don”t confuse with: flaunt (to show off)

Mnemonic: Imagine a flautist (flute-player) playing loudly in the middle of the library, obviously flouting the rule of silence.

heresy (n)

a belief or act that contradicts religious orthodoxy : The Republican senator”s vote for the tax increase was regarded as an unforgiveable heresy .

Forms: heretic = a person guilty of heresy, heretical = having the qualities of heresy

Synonyms: blasphemy , apostasy , heterodoxy , dissension , iconoclasm

Don”t confuse with: harangue (a bombastic speech)

Mnemonic: The first person in beauty school to sport a Mohawk was guilty of hair-esy .

iconoclast (n) eikon likeness + klan to break

(literally a “breaker of icons”) one who attacks cherished beliefs : The Cubist movement consisted of bold iconoclasts shattering the definition of art and reassembling its pieces in disarray .

Synonyms: heretic , skeptic , infidel , renegade

Root family: [clas] pyroclastic relating to the breaking of rocks by volcanic eruptions)

Don”t confuse with: idiosyncrasy (a quirky mannerism)

Mnemonic: Imagine an iconoclast as someone making religious icons crash to the floor.

indignant (adj) in - not + dignus worthy

angered by unjust treatment : Perry became indignant at the suggestion that he was cheating .

Form: indignation = anger at unjust treatment

Synonyms: aggrieved , affronted , disgruntled

Root family: [in-, im-] insipid (flavorless), insuperable (impossible to overcome), inert (lacking vigor), interminable (unending), innocuous (harmless), indefatigable (untiring), ineffable (inexpressible in words), inscrutable(beyond understanding), impassive (unemotional), incongruous (not consistent with expectations)

Root family: [dign, dain] dignity (state of being worthy of respect), dignify (to make worthy), disdain (contempt), deign (to do something that one considers beneath one”s dignity)

Don”t confuse with: indigenous (native), indignity (a circumstance or treatment that makes one feel humiliated)

instigate (v)

bring about or initiate (an action or event) : The regime instigated a brutal crackdown on intellectuals .

Form: instigator = one who brings about an action or event

Synonyms: goad (to provoke or annoy someone into action), incite

Don”t confuse with: investigate (to examine in order to determine the truth of a situation)

Usage: Although instigate is nearly synonymous with cause , it has a more negative and intentional connotation than does cause . A crime is instigated by its perpetrators, but a beautiful cirrus cloud is caused by ice crystals forming in the upper atmosphere.

insurgent (n) in - into + surgere to rise

a rebel : We were attacked by armed insurgents .

Form: insurgency = campaign of rebellion

Synonyms: rebel , insurrectionist , subversive , incendiary

Root family: [surg] resurgence (a revival of activity or popularity), resurrection (the act of rising again)

malign (v) malignus tending to evil

to speak harmful untruths about : I am disgusted by political commercials that merely malign the candidate”s opponent, rather than offering constructive information .

Synonyms: disparage , denigrate , revile , vilify , slander

Root family: [mal] malignant (disposed to causing harm or suffering), malicious (full of spite), malevolence (evil intent)

Don”t confuse with: malignant (disposed to causing harm or suffering)

maverick (n)

a person who thinks independently : Lowell Weicker was a maverick Republican senator who later ran as an independent and was elected governor of Connecticut .

Synonyms: nonconformist , individualist , eccentric , dissident

misanthrope (n) mis bad + anthropos mankind

one who dislikes and avoids humans : Ebenezer Scrooge was a miserly and miserable misanthrope until he learned the value of friends and family .

Form: misanthropic = characterized by a hatred of mankind

Synonym: cynic (one who believes that all people are fundamentally selfish and dishonorable)

Root family: [anthro] anthropology (the study of human cultures), philanthropy (generosity to charitable causes), anthropomorphic (having human form), anthropocentric (pertaining to the belief that humans are the center of the universe)

Don”t confuse with: malapropism (a mistaken use of a word for a similar-sounding one, as in, He is a vast suppository (rather than repository) of information .)

rancor (n) rancidus stinking

deep-seated resentment : The rancor endured from their acrimonious divorce .

Form: rancorous = characterized by deep-seated resentment

Synonyms: malice , animosity , antipathy , enmity , acrimony , vitriol

Root family: [ranc] rancid (stinking due to staleness or rot)

Don”t confuse rancorous with raucous (annoyingly noisy)

rebuke (v)

to express sharp and stern disapproval for someone”s actions : His wife rebuked him for staying out too late .

Synonyms: reproach , censure , reprove , admonish , chastise , upbraid , berate

Don”t confuse with: rebut

Usage: There are many ways to express disapproval. To admonish is to go easy on the wrongdoer, emphasizing advice over scolding; to reprove or reproach is to criticize with a little more force, chiefly to encourage someone to stop whatever he or she is doing wrong. To censure is to scold formally and in public. To rebuke is to scold harshly and sternly, often with a tone of sharp revulsion or condescension; to berate is scold in particular harsh and unreasonable terms, with the intention of belittling.

renounce (v) re - back + nuntiare to announce

to give up or put aside publicly : He renounced his membership in the club when he heard that it would not allow women as members .

Form: renunciation = an act of renouncing

Synonym: relinquish

Root family: [re-] refute (to prove something false), revoke (to take back), reciprocate (to respond in kind), resigned (accepting of an undesirable situation), regress (to return to a less developed state), relegate (to place in a lower rank)

Root family: [nunc, nounc] announce (declare publicly), denounce (to rebuke publicly), enunciate (to pronounce clearly)

reprehensible (adj) re - back + prehendere to grasp

deserving of condemnation : David”s reprehensible behavior during practice earned him a benching for the next two games .

Synonyms: deplorable , despicable , repugnant

Root family: [re-] recluse (a person who lives a solitary lifestyle), refute (to prove something false), recalcitrant (stubbornly uncooperative), revoke (to take back), renounce (to give up or put aside publicly), regress (to return to a less developed state), relegate (to place in a lower rank)

Root family: [prehens] comprehensive (thorough and complete), apprehensive (fearful)

Don”t confuse with: apprehensive (fearful), comprehensible (understandable)

Mnemonic: A reprehensible act is one that any good person would want to take back ( re- back + prehendere to grasp).

reprove (v)

to reprimand : The teacher reproved Jonah for insulting Caroline in front of the class .

Form: reproof = a reprimand

Synonyms: reproach , censure , rebuke , admonish , chastise , upbraid , berate

Don”t confuse with: disprove (to prove false), prove again

Usage: See usage note at rebuke in this section.

revoke (v) re - back + vocare to call

to take back a formal decree, decision, or permission : Glen”s hunting license was revoked soon after the shotgun accident .

Forms: irrevocable = unable to be taken back

Root family: [re-] recluse (a person who lives a solitary lifestyle), refute (to prove something false), renounce (to give up or put aside publicly), reciprocate (to respond in kind), regress (to return to a less developed state), relegate (to place in a lower rank)

Root family: [voc, vok] evocative , advocate , provocative , equivocate

Synonyms: rescind , annul , countermand , repeal

subvert (v) sub - under + vertere to turn

to undermine the authority or power of another : The opposition planned to subvert the Democrats and thwart the lawmaking process .

Forms: subversion = an act that serves to undermine the authority or power of another, subversive = having the effect or intension of undermining the authority or power of another

Synonyms: destabilize , sabotage

Root family: [sub-] submissive (meekly obedient), surreptitious (secret), subjugate (to dominate), subterfuge (trickery)

Root family: [vers, vert] adversary (enemy), diverse (various), diversion (entertainment), adverse (harmful), averse (opposed), versatile (adaptable to different functions)

supplant (v)

to replace in importance or relevance : The old economic system was supplanted by a more sustainable one .

Synonyms: supersede , override

vilify (v) vilis worthless

to denounce someone bitterly : After her callous remarks about the poor, Michelle was vilified in the press .

Form: vilification = the act or process of denouncing bitterly

Synonyms: disparage , denigrate , revile , malign , slander

Root family: [vil] vile (profoundly unpleasant), revile (to criticize angrily)

Don”t confuse with: verify (to demonstrate something to be true)

Mnemonic: To vilify is to treat someone like a villain . (Actually, vilify and villain have different roots, but it”s a pretty good way to remember the word.)

vindictive (adj) vin force + dictum declaration

showing a deep desire for revenge : The vindictive tone of the letter showed that Tom harbored deep resentments .

Form: vindictiveness = desire for revenge

Synonyms: vengeful , spiteful , rancorous

Root family: [dict] vindicate (to clear of blame), dictatorial (tyrannical), dictum (an authoritative pronouncement), benediction (blessing), malediction (curse)

Don”t confuse with: vindicate (to clear of blame), verdict (official ruling of a court)

4 THE LANGUAGE OF POWER AND SUBMISSION

acquiesce (v) ad - to + quiescere to rest

to accept an unpleasant situation or comply to a demand reluctantly : Since the rest of the family wanted to drive to the beach, I stopped my protests and acquiesced .

Form: acquiescent = being inclined to acquiesce

Root family: [ad-] allude (to hint at indirectly), aspire (to strive for a lofty goal), adhere (stick fast (to)), advocate (to provide vocal support for)

Root family: [quies, quiet] quietude (a state of calmness), quiescence (a state of dormancy), disquiet (anxiety)

Don”t confuse with: acquaintance (a passing knowledge; a person one knows only slightly), aquatic (pertaining to water and particularly the creatures that live in it)

Mnemonic: When someone keeps badgering you noisily over and over to do something, you can make a (more) quiet scene by just acquiescing .

capitulate (v) capit head

to surrender; to stop resisting : The corporation finally capitulated to the labor union”s demands .

Form: capitulation = the act of surrendering

Synonym: concede

Root family: [cap, capit] capital (city that serves as administrative seat), decapitate (remove the head), captain (a person in command of a team, ship, or similar organization)

Don”t confuse with: recapitulate (or recap ) (summarize and restate)

coerce (v) co - together + arcere to restrain

to force someone to do something by use of threats : I will not be coerced into betraying my friends .

Form: coercion = the act of forcing someone against his or her will

Root family: [con-, co-, com-, col-] conformist (one who conscientiously complies with the standards of a group, conventional (according to common practice), consensus (general agreement), conspire (to plot together), coalesce (to come together)

Root family: [erc] exercise (physical activity)

Don”t confuse with: co-opt (to divert something to a role other than it was intended for), commerce (the activity of buying and selling)

concession (n) con - together + cedere to yield, to go

[1] the act of admitting reluctantly that something is true : I will make the concession that you have a point .

[2] something surrendered, as land or a right : The territory was gained as a concession from a neighboring country after the war .

Form: concede = to yield

Root family: [ced, ces] precedent (a previous occurrence used as an example), recede (move back from a previous position), secede (withdraw from a formal union or alliance), proceed (go forth)

Don”t confuse with: consensus

Don”t confuse with: concession stand. Most people associate the word concession with concession stands , such as those that sell food at sporting events and assume that concession means food. However, in this context, the term concession refers to the fact that the owner of the venue (a company or town, perhaps), conceded to another party the right to sell food on its property. That is, the stadium owner granted a concession for someone else to run a stand .

contrite (adj) con - together + tritus rubbed

remorseful; full of regret : Harold felt contrite after insulting Jacqueline and bought her flowers to make amends .

Form: contrition = an expression or feeling of remorse

Synonyms: penitent , chastened , rueful

Root family: [trit] attrition (a wearing down via sustained attack), trite (worn out; overused)

Don”t confuse with: content (adj) (satisfied), trite (worn out: overused)

Don”t confuse contrition with attrition (a wearing down via sustained attack).

Mnemonic: The word contrite comes from the Latin word contritus which means “ground to pieces,” from con- (together) + terere (to rub). This may be because the feeling of guilt—of contrition —feels like a grinding in the stomach.

deference (n) de - down + ferre to bring

respect for or submission to the authority or opinion of another : The villagers showed their deference by removing their hats as the duke”s coach passed them .

Forms: deferential = showing humility and respect, defer (to) = to submit to the authority or opinion of another

Synonyms: capitulation , submissiveness , acquiescence

Root family: [de-] decadent (excessively self-indulgent), derivative (imitative of someone else”s work), deplore (to express strong disapproval), denounce (declare as bad), detract (reduce the value of something), debase (reduce in value), denigrate (criticize unfairly), condescend (to act superior to someone else)

Don”t confuse with: difference (a point or way in which things are not the same), deferment (postponement)

Mnemonic: To defer can also mean “to postpone (a decision).” It is easy to confuse the two meanings of defer , particularly when you are thinking about applying to college. To keep the two straight, pay attention to the preposition that follows: if you are deferred from a college, the decision about your acceptance has been postponed to a later date; however, when you defer to another person, you are submitting to his or her authority or opinion.

demagogue (n) demos people + agogos leading

a leader who persuades followers through emotional populist appeal rather than rational argument : The nation had grown tired of its demagogues and elected a well-educated technocrat as its new leader .

Form: demagoguery = speechmaking by a political leader that appeals to popular prejudices

Root family: [dem] democracy (government elected by and representative of the people), demographics (the study of human populations), epidemic (a widespread occurrence of a disease)

Root family: [agog] pedagogy (the art of teaching), synagogue (a Jewish house of worship)

despot (n) potentia power

a (usually cruel) ruler with absolute power : The colonists regarded King George as a despot .

Forms: despotism = the cruel exercise of absolute power, despotic = having the qualities of a despot

Root family: [poten] potentate (powerful ruler), impotence (ineffectiveness), potency (strength), omnipotent (all-powerful)

Don”t confuse with: depot (a railroad or bus station, or a large storage area)

dictatorial (adj) dicere to declare

characteristic of a ruler with total power; tyrannical : Kevin was voted out of office because the other members objected to his dictatorial style .

Form: dictate (v) = to lay down authoritatively

Synonyms: autocratic , peremptory , overweening , overbearing , imperious

Root family: [dict] vindictive (vengeful), malediction (curse), dictum (command), benediction (blessing)

diffident (adj) dis- away + fidere to trust

lacking in self-confidence; shy and modest : Kate had to overcome her natural diffidence in order to audition for the musical .

Form: diffidence = lack of self-confidence

Root family: [dis-] disconcerting (unsettling), dispassionate (not influenced by strong emotions), disparate (very different; variegated), discrepancy (a lack of compatibility between facts or claims), disseminate (to cast widely)

Root family: [fid] fidelity (faithfulness), confidence (faith in oneself), perfidious (untrustworthy), infidel (nonbeliever)

Don”t confuse with: indifferent (lacking concern), different , deferent (respectful of the authority of others)

Mnemonic: To avoid confusing it with words like different and deferent , focus on the root fidere (to trust): one who is diffident lacks confidence .

domineering (adj) dominus lord, master

arrogantly overbearing : Some admired Dave”s confidence, but others considered him arrogant and domineering .

Form: domineer = to act in a domineering manner

Synonyms: imperious , overbearing , dictatorial , despotic

Root family: [domit, domin] dominate (to have power over), dominion (sovereignty; control), domain (an area controlled by a ruler; a specific sphere of knowledge), predominant (acting as the most important or dominant element), indomitable (unconquerable)

eminent (adj)

famous and respected in a particular domain : George is an eminent pediatric oncologist .

Forms: eminence = fame; recognized superiority, preeminent = well known as being superior

Don”t confuse with: imminent (about to happen : The black clouds indicated that the storm was imminent ), emanate (to spread out from : His confidence emanated from him like warmth from a fire ), immanent (inherent : The rights of all humanity are immanent in the Constitution )

Mnemonic: Eminem was one of the first eminent white hip hop-artists.

enthralling (adj) thrall slave

fascinating; captivating : The circus provided an enthralling array of exotic acts .

Forms: enthrall = to captivate, enthrallment = state of captivation

Synonyms: enchanting , beguiling , mesmerizing

Don”t confuse with: appalling (shocking)

Mnemonic: Thrall was an old Norse word meaning “slave,” so to enthrall someone was to acquire great power over someone, as a master over a slave.

Usage: Enthralling , enchanting , beguiling , and mesmerizing offer different shades of meaning to “captivating.” Enthralling derives from the Norse word for “slave,” so it suggests a captivation almost against one”s will; enchanting describes captivation as if by spell or charm (see incantation ); beguiling likewise suggests the power of charm, but perhaps with deceitful motives; mesmerizing connotes a hypnotic power, since it derives from 18th century Austrian physician Franz Anton Mesmer whose theories led to the development of hypnosis.

exploitative (adj)

intended to take selfish advantage of a situation or person : A free market system should allow new companies to exploit the changing demands of consumers .

Form: exploit (v) [ex PLOIT] = to make full use of, often in a selfish way

Don”t confuse with: exploit (n) [EX ploit] (a bold feat)

hierarchy (n) hieros sacred + arkhes ruler

a power structure in which members are ranked by status : Helen has spent many years working her way up the hierarchy of her law firm .

Form: hierarchical = pertaining to or characteristic of a hierarchy

Synonym: pecking order

Root family: [hiero] hieroglyphics (stylized and symbolic writing as found in ancient Egypt), hieratic (pertaining to priests)

Root family: [arch] monarchy (government ruled by a king or queen), autarchy (government ruled by an individual with absolute power), matriarchy (social order in which the female line of descent is predominant), anarchist

imperious (adj) imperare to command

bossy and domineering : Glenda became resentful of her manager”s imperious demands .

Synonyms: peremptory , overweening , overbearing , dictatorial , tyrannical

Root family: [imper, emper] imperialist (one who believes in the value of expanding an empire), empire (domain of a particularly ruler), imperial (royal)

Don”t confuse with: impious (lacking reverence), impervious (unable to be affected), imperial (royal)

impervious (adj) im - not + per - through

not able to be influenced (by) : Jonah was seemingly impervious to the swarming gnats .

Synonym: insusceptible (to)

Root family: [per-] perspicacious (showing keen insight), permeable (allowing liquids or gases to pass through), pervasive (widespread in a certain area)

Don”t confuse with: imperious (domineering)

Mnemonic: A good raincoat is impervious to rain because it does not let water through ( im- not + per through).

indelible (adj) in - not + delere to destroy, to eliminate

forming an enduring impression; unforgettable : The ink created an indelible stain on my tie .

Synonyms: ineradicable , ingrained , enduring

Root family: [in-, im-] interminable (unending), indefatigable (untiring), ineffable (inexpressible in words), inscrutable (beyond understanding)

Root family: [delet] delete (to remove completely), deleterious (harmful)

Don”t confuse with: inedible (repulsive to eat)

insolent (adj)

rude and disrespectful : Craig grew from an insolent adolescent into a well-mannered young adult .

Form: insolence = rudeness and disrespectfulness

Synonyms: impertinent , impudent

Don”t confuse with: indolent (lazy)

Mnemonic: Picture the insole of your shoe making really rude and disrespectful remarks to you about your foot odor.

insubordination (n) in - not + sub - under + ordinare to rank

an act of defying authority; disobedience : The captain was irate about the act of insubordination by his first mate .

Forms: subordinate = lower in rank, subordination = the act of placing something in a position of lesser importance

Synonyms: mutiny , recalcitrance

Root family: [sub-] submissive (meekly obedient), subvert (to undermine the authority of another), surreptitious (secret), subjugate (to dominate)

Root family: [ord] ordinal (relating to a ranking or order), ordain (to decree from a high authority)

Don”t confuse subordination with subornation (the act of bribing someone to perform a criminal act, especially perjury)

mandate (n) manus hand + dare to give

an official order or commission to do something : We objected to our teacher”s mandate that we all write our essays according to her rigid formula .

Form: mandatory = required, usually by official order

Root family: [man] manipulate (to control skillfully), maneuver (a skillful movement), manual (done by hand rather than automatically)

Root family: [dar, don, dos, dot, dow] donation (charitable gift), endow (to donate funds to establish a position or project), antidote (a medicine to counteract a poison), dose (a recommended quantity of medicine), anecdote (a humorous or instructive story), dowry (property or money given to a husband by a bride”s family), pardon (to forgive), rendition (the act of sending a foreign criminal to another country for interrogation)

Don”t confuse with: mendacious (lying)

obtrusive (adj) ob - toward + trudere to push

[1] (of things) prominent in an annoying way : Although cell phones themselves have become less physically obtrusive over time, their users have become far more obnoxious .

Synonyms: conspicuous , intrusive

[2] (of people) obnoxiously intrusive : Donna”s questions seemed solicitous at first, but soon became obtrusive .

Form: unobtrusive = not tending to get in the way

Synonyms: officious , meddlesome

Root family: [trus, trud] extrude (to thrust out), abstruse (very difficult to understand), intruder (one who pushes in where he or she is unwelcome)

pacify (v) pax peace

to quell the agitation of something; to make peaceful : The lullaby seemed to pacify the crying baby .

Form: pacifist = one who advocates for peace rather than war

Synonyms: propitiate , appease , mollify , placate

Root family: [pac, peas] appease (to pacify), pact (a peace agreement)

Usage: The words pacify , placate , appease , propitiate , mollify , and conciliate all share the meaning of “making someone feel better,” but they offer different shades of meaning. To pacify is to calm someone down, like a crying child, but to placate is to pacify and gain favor at the same time. To appease is to calm someone down by complying (perhaps reluctantly) with his or her demands, but to propitiate is to make a deliberate show of pleasing someone (as a god or superior). To mollify is to soothe, as a mother soothes an anxious child, but to conciliate is to win over someone who may not trust you.

pervasive (adj) per - through + vadere to go

widespread : Bigotry is still pervasive in this region, and fear of outsiders is preventing its economic development .

Form: pervade = to be present throughout a region or area

Root family: [per-] perspicacious (showing keen insight), permeable (allowing liquids or gases to pass through), impervious (not able to be influenced)

Root family: [vad] invade (to intrude on a region and occupy it), evade (to escape or avoid)

Don”t confuse with: perverse (showing a stubborn desire to do something unacceptable)

potent (adj) potentia power

particularly powerful, influential, or effective : Oprah”s endorsement is a potent marketing tool .

Forms: impotent = weak and ineffective, potency = strength

Synonyms: formidable , efficacious , redoubtable

Root family: [poten] despot (cruel ruler), potentate (powerful ruler), omnipotent (all-powerful)

Don”t confuse with: potable (drinkable)

predominant (adj) dominat ruled, governed

acting as the main element or the most powerful influence : After their demoralizing defeat, the predominant mood among the players was gloom .

Form: predominance = the state of being the controlling influence

Synonyms: paramount , foremost

Root family: [domit, domin] dominate (to have power over), dominion (sovereignty; control), domain (an area controlled by a ruler; a specific sphere of knowledge), domineering (overbearing), indomitable (unconquerable)

Don”t confuse with: preeminent (highly distinguished)

propagate (v)

[1] to spread and promote : The followers of Plato propagated the concept of “ideal forms” that transcended ordinary sensory experience .

[2] to breed, as organisms : The poison ivy propagated throughout the garden .

Form: propagation = the process of spreading or breeding

Synonyms: disseminate , promulgate

Don”t confuse with: propaganda (biased and misleading information used to promote a particular political cause), prognosticate (to foretell an event)

recluse (n) re - back + claudere to close

a person who lives a solitary lifestyle : Scout and Jem Finch were fascinated by Boo Radley, a mysterious recluse who lived near them .

Form: reclusive = solitary

Synonym: hermit

Root family: [clud, clus, claus, clois] claustrophobia (fear of being in enclosed spaces), cloister (seclude as in a monastery), exclusive (highly restricted), preclude (render impossible), secluded (isolated)

Don”t confuse reclusive with exclusive (highly restricted)

relinquish (v) re - (intensive) + linquere to abandon

to voluntarily give up : Simmons relinquished his position in order to start his own company .

Synonym: renounce

Root family: [linqu, lict] delinquent (failing in one”s duties), relic (a surviving object of historical value), derelict (shamefully negligent in one”s duties)

Don”t confuse with: distinguish (to recognize as different)

ruthless (adj)

without mercy : The piranhas attacked with ruthless abandon .

Synonyms: callous , inhumane

sanction (n) sanctus holy

[1] official approval : The king gave his sanction to the agreement among the nobles .

Form: sanction (v) = to give official approval to

[2] a penalty, usually one imposed by one government upon another : The United Nations voted to impose sanctions on the rogue nation until its government freed its dissidents .

Form: sanction (v) = to impose a penalty

Root family: sanctimonious (acting morally superior), sanctify (to make holy), sanctity (sacredness), sanctuary (place of refuge)

Mnemonic: Sanction is an unusual word because its two meanings are nearly opposite. It derives from sanctus (holy) and originally referred to any decree by a church representative, such as the Pope, which officially condemned or approved something. In modern usage, the positive sense (official approval) is usually intended when the words is applied in a domestic context, but in the negative sense (an official penalty) when applied to foreign affairs.

sequester (v)

to isolate from outside influences : Andrew Wiles sequestered himself for months at a time to work on proving Fermat”s theorem .

Synonyms: cloister , seclude , segregate

Don”t confuse with: semester (one half of an academic year)

Mnemonic: Picture a sequined quester (that is, someone like Frodo Baggins or Don Quixote who is on a quest, wearing a sequined cape) who is being sequestered in a dungeon by an evil nemesis.

servile (adj) servus slave

[1] excessively willing to serve others : The new intern is helpful without being servile .

Form: servility = the quality or habit of being servile

Synonyms: obsequious , sycophantic , deferential , fawning , ingratiating

[2] pertaining to or akin to slave labor : She accepted even the most servile task with good nature .

subjugate (v) sub - under + jugum yoke (< jungere to join)

to bring under one”s domination : The West Indians were subjugated by the early European settlers .

Form: subjugation = the act or process of dominating

Synonyms: vanquish , subdue

Root family: [sub-] submissive (meekly obedient), subvert (to undermine the authority of another), surreptitious (secret)

Root family: [junc, join] conjunction (a part of speech, such as and , but , or or , used to join clauses or terms in a list), disjoint (separate and nonoverlapping), juncture (a place where things join)

Don”t confuse with: subjunctive (relating to the mood of verbs indicating something imagined, wished, possible, or counter to fact), conjugate (to give different forms of a verb)

Mnemonic: Imagine a lowly royal subject trapped under the gate outside the royal palace and being held there by the royal guards. He is clearly a victim of subjugation .

tenacious (adj) tenere to hold

holding fast to a position or claim; stubbornly persistent : Reynolds is a tenacious debater and will rarely yield a single point to an opponent .

Form: tenacity = stubborn persistence

Synonyms: dogged , unflagging , obdurate , staunch , indefatigable , obstinate , intransigent

Root family: [ten, tain] retain (to hold back), abstain (to refrain), attention (the process of focusing mental energy), sustain (to keep something going), untenable (not able to be defended or maintained)

Don”t confuse tenacity with temerity (boldness).

Usage: You can be stubborn in many ways. If you are tenacious , you “hold fast” to a position ( tenax = holding tight) like a pit bull holding on to a bone. When you refuse to change your mind even in the face of substantial evidence, you are being obstinate . If you refuse to compromise with or accommodate another person or position, you are intransigent . When you “kick back” at someone who is trying to guide you or change your mind, you are being recalcitrant ( recalcitrare = to kick back at something). If your stubbornness is an attempt to fulfill a duty or commitment, you are more noble than pigheaded, so you are steadfast or resolute .

tractable (adj) tractare to pull, to handle

easily managed or influenced : The children proved to be more tractable after they had been given their afternoon snack .

Form: intractable = difficult to manage

Root family: [tract] abstract (lacking concrete existence), protract (to extend in time), tractor (vehicle that pulls farm instruments), detract (reduce the value of someone or something)

Don”t confuse with: trackable (able to be followed)

Mnemonic: Something tractable is pull-able ( tractare = to pull), which means it”s easy to manage, handle, or control.

unremitting (adj) un - not + re - back + mittere to send

incessant; never decreasing in intensity : The unremitting winds threatened to tear the roof off the house .

Form: remit = [1] to cease from inflicting something, [2] to send payment, [3] to refer to an authority

Synonyms: relentless , inexorable , unabating , interminable

Root family: [re-] recluse (a person who lives a solitary lifestyle), refute (to prove something false), revoke (to take back), renounce (to give up or put aside publicly), reciprocate (to respond in kind), resigned (accepting of an undesirable situation), regress (to return to a less developed state), relegate (to place in a lower rank)

Root family: [miss, mit] submissive (meekly obedient), dismiss (send away), intermittent

usurper (n)

one who forcibly takes a position of power : Henry was the usurper of his uncle”s throne .

Forms: usurp = to take power by force, usurpation = act of usurping

Don”t confuse usurpation with usury (the practice of charging excessively high interest rates for loans)

5 THE LANGUAGE OF LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

allude (v) ad - to + ludere to play

to hint at indirectly : Many of the Harry Potter novels allude to events that occurred in previous books .

Form: allusion = an indirect reference

Root family: [ad-] aspire (to strive for a lofty goal), adhere (stick fast (to)), advocate (to provide vocal support for), acquiesce (to comply reluctantly), annul (to declare invalid)

Root family: [lud, lus] collusion (a secret understanding that has a harmful purpose), delude (to make someone believe something that is not true), illusion (something that gives a false impression of reality), ludicrous (foolish and ridiculous)

Don”t confuse with: elude (to avoid a pursuer skillfully)

Don”t confuse allusion with illusion (a false idea or perception)

analogy (n)

a correspondence between two things based on structural similarity : To explain the behavior of a magnetic field, our physics professor used the analogy of a field of wheat .

Forms: analogous = similar in terms of general structure, analog = something that is regarded as structurally similar to another thing

Don”t confuse with: apology (argument for a particular position)

anecdote (n)

a short amusing or informative story : My grandfather told many funny anecdotes about life on a submarine .

Form: anecdotal = pertaining to or deriving from an anecdote

Don”t confuse with: antidote (a medicine taken to counteract a poison)

anthology (n) anthos flower + logia collection

a published collection of writings : Several of the poems in the anthology were chosen for national awards .

Synonym: chrestomathy (an instructive collection of passages)

Don”t confuse with: anthropology (the study of human cultures)

bombastic (adj)

(pertaining to speech) pompous and blustery, with little meaning : Some cable news shows have replaced reputable journalists with bombastic blowhards .

Form: bombast = pompous, blustery speech

Synonyms: pompous , turgid , orotund

coherent (adj) co - together + haerere to stick

[1] clear, rational and consistent : David could not construct a coherent sentence, so we couldn”t understand his point .

[2] forming a united whole : The several tribes joined to form a coherent fighting force .

Forms: coherence = the quality of being clear and rational; the quality of forming a whole, incoherent = unclear or irrational; lacking coherence

Synonym: cohesive

Root family: [her, hes] adhesive (glue-like substance), cohesive (forming a united whole), inherent (existing as an inseparable attribute), adherent (a faithful believer in a particular practice or philosophy)

Usage: Coherent and cohesive derive from the same roots and are synonyms as long as they are used to mean “forming a whole.” However, coherent is more commonly used to mean “clear, rational and consistent,” whereas cohesive is the preferred adjective for describing things that form a whole.

colloquial (adj) co - together + loqui to talk

pertaining to informal, conversational speech : The teacher said that my essay was well reasoned, but that I should avoid colloquial terms like “totally” in a formal paper .

Forms: colloquy = casual conversation, colloquialism = a word or phrase commonly heard in casual, but not formal, conversation

Synonym: vernacular

Root family: [loqu, locu] loquacious (talkative), eloquent (well-spoken), circumlocutory (inclined to speak evasively), obloquy (verbal abuse)

Mnemonic: A fancy word for casual conversation is colloquy ( co- together + loqui to talk), so colloquial language is the language you use when talking to friends, but not when giving a formal speech or writing a formal essay.

derivative (adj) de - down + rivus stream

imitative of someone else”s work and therefore unoriginal : The judges suggested that Daria”s version of the song was too derivative and suggested that she try to make it more original .

Root family: [de-] decadent (excessively self-indulgent), deplore (to express strong disapproval), denounce (declare as bad), detract (reduce the value of something), debase (reduce in value), denigrate (criticize unfairly), deference (submission to the authority of another), condescend (to act superior to someone else)

Root family: [riv] river (a large stream), arrival (coming)

eclectic (adj) ex - out + legere to choose

deriving from a variety of sources : Ted has very eclectic tastes in music, ranging from country to jazz to reggae .

Root family: [lect] elect (to choose by voting), select (to choose carefully), delectable (very tasty)

Don”t confuse with: electric (powered by electricity), ecstatic (extremely happy)

eloquent (adj) loqui to talk

articulate and well spoken : The jury was clearly persuaded by the attorney”s eloquent summary .

Form: eloquence = fluency in speaking or writing

Root family: [loqu, locu] loquacious (talkative), colloquial (conversational), circumlocutory (inclined to speak evasively), obloquy (verbal abuse)

Don”t confuse with: elegant (graceful and stylish)

Mnemonic: Avoid confusing eloquent and elegant by focusing on the root loqu , meaning “talk.” A dress can be elegant , but it certainly can”t be eloquent because it can”t talk.

epilogue (n) epi - upon, in addition + logos words

a section at the end of a novel or play that explains the conclusion : The epilogue explained that the protagonist never remarried .

Root family: [epi-] epigram (a pithy saying), epidemic (a widespread disease)

Root family: [log] eulogy (a praising speech, usually for a deceased person)

Don”t confuse with: monologue (a long speech in a play)

evocative (adj) e - out + vocare to call

tending to draw out strong feelings, ideas, or sensations : Gabriel Garcia Marquez”s magical novels are as evocative as they are disorienting .

Forms: evoke = to draw out an idea, emotion, or sensation; to elicit, evocation = the process of bringing a feeling or idea into the conscious mind

Root family: [e-, ex-] extol (to praise highly), extemporaneous (without planning), exuberant (filled with liveliness and energy), elusive (difficult to catch or achieve), exorbitant (excessive)

Root family: [voc, vok] advocate (to speak out for), revoke (to take back), provocative (causing anger or annoyance), equivocate (to speak ambiguously and noncommittally)

Don”t confuse with: provocative (causing anger or annoyance)

irony (n)

a situation that directly contradicts expectations : Rose considered it a delicious irony that her accountant friend Teri miscalculated the waiter”s tip so egregiously .

Form: ironic = contradicting expectations, often humorously

Don”t confuse with: iron (a strong, hard, magnetic metal). Although irony can be used as an adjective to mean “like iron,” it is best to avoid this usage because of the confusion with the adjective, which has an entirely different origin.

Usage: It is common to confuse irony with interesting coincidence , but they are not the same thing. Dying on one”s birthday may well be an interesting coincidence, but it is certainly not ironic , because death is no less expected on one”s birthday than on any other day. Dramatic irony is a literary device in which the audience is aware of an important fact that is unknown to one or more of the characters in a play.

laconic (adj) Laconia Sparta

inclined to use very few words : Harold was so laconic at parties that few knew that he was an articulate and celebrated writer .

Synonyms: taciturn , reticent

Mnemonic: Sparta , the martial city-state of ancient Greece, was known for its disciplined warrior culture. Hence, spartan has come to mean “disciplined, austere, or strict.” From the Latin word for Sparta, Laconia , we get laconic , meaning “inclined to use very few words,” because Spartans, unlike the Athenians, who were educated in philosophy, poetry, and oration, were not considered particularly well spoken.

lament (v)

to mourn or express deep regret : Our friends lamented the loss of our old playground .

Forms: lamentable = regrettable, lamentation = a passionate expression of mourning

Synonyms: rue , deplore

loquacious (adj) loqui to talk

talkative; tending to chatter : Although Anita is well liked, she is a bit too loquacious to be a good listener .

Form: loquacity = the quality of being loquacious

Synonyms: garrulous , voluble

Root family: colloquial (conversational), eloquent (well-spoken), circumlocutory (inclined to speak evasively)

melodrama (n) melos music + drama

sensational drama designed to appeal to the emotions : I prefer realistic crime dramas to melodramas like soap operas .

Form: melodramatic = excessively dramatic

Root family: [melo] melodious (tuneful)

platitude (n)

an overused proverb : My father bored us with his platitudes about hard work and sacrifice .

Synonym: banality , bromide , inanity , cliché

Don”t confuse with: platypus (a semiaquatic egg-laying mammal)

Mnemonic: Imagine a platypus with an attitude spouting inane platitudes like “Don”t put all your eggs in one basket!”

poignant (adj) pungere to prick

emotionally moving; keenly distressing : The climax of the movie was so poignant that virtually the entire audience was reduced to tears .

Form: poignancy = the quality of being emotionally moving

Synonyms: moving , affecting , plaintive

Root family: [punc, pung, poign] punctilious (scrupulously attentive to rules), punctual (on time), compunction (sharp feeling of guilt), puncture (to pierce), pungent (sharp tasting or smelling)

Don”t confuse with: pugnacious

Mnemonic: Poignant derive from pungere (to prick) because sharp emotions often elicit a sharp physical sensation, like a poke in the stomach.

satiric (adj)

employing humor, irony, or ridicule to poke fun at something : The skit was a satiric jab at the gridlocked congress .

Forms: satire = humor, irony, or ridicule used to poke fun at something, satirize = to poke fun at something with satire, satirical = satiric

Don”t confuse satire with satyr (in Greek mythology, a lustful, drunken god with a horse”s ears and tail)

verbose (adj) verbum word

excessively wordy : Sadly, many academics cannot distinguish intelligent prose from that which is merely verbose .

Synonyms: prolix , discursive

Root family: [verb] verbatim (word for word), proverb (a pithy, well-known saying)

6 THE LANGUAGE OF JUDGMENT

ambivalent (adj) ambi - both + valere to be strong

having mixed feelings about something : She was surprisingly ambivalent about attending her own birthday party .

Form: ambivalence = lack of conviction on an issue

Root family: [ambi-] ambiguous (vague), ambidextrous (able to use both hands skillfully)

Root family: [val] prevalent (widespread and abundant), valor (bravery)

Don”t confuse with: ambiguous (vague; having multiple meanings)

arbitrary (adj) arbiter judge

based on personal whim, rather than reason : His coworkers resented his imperious and arbitrary decision-making style .

Root family: [arbit] arbitration (the process of submitting a dispute to a judge), arbiter (a judge with absolute power)

Usage: The word arbitrary is sometimes misused as a synonym for random , as in The shells were scattered on the beach in an arbitrary pattern . This is a misuse of the term, because arbitrary derives from arbiter , meaning “judge,” so it should only be used to describe a decision or the result of a decision.

arbitrate (v) arbiter judge

to serve as a neutral third-party judge in a dispute : My mother arbitrated a resolution to the fight between my sister and me .

Forms: arbitration = the process of resolving a dispute via a neutral third party, arbiter = one who serves as a judge in a dispute

Synonyms: adjudicate , mediate

Don”t confuse with: arbitrary (based on whim rather than reason)

Mnemonic: Picture a judge arbitrating on an Arby”s tray .

carping (adj)

constantly finding fault, particularly about trivial matters : April”s constant carping about the movie forced me to walk out of the theater .

Synonyms: caviling , grousing , griping

Don”t confuse with: carp (n) (a freshwater fish)

Mnemonic: Imagine an annoying patron at a restaurant carping about the carp she”s been served: It”s too dry! It smells fishy!

censor (v) censere to assess

to edit out or repress objectionable material : The prisoners” outgoing letters were being censored by the prison officials .

Form: censorious = severely critical of others

Synonyms: expurgate , bowdlerize

Root family: [cens] census (the official tally of a population), censure (to express formal disapproval)

Don”t confuse with: censure (to express formal disapproval)

censure (v) censere to assess

to express formal disapproval of someone”s behavior : The senator was censured for her misconduct, but was permitted to stay in office .

Synonyms: chastise , rebuke , upbraid , reprove , reproach

Don”t confuse with: censor (to edit out objectionable material)

Usage: See usage note at rebuke in section 3.

clemency (n) clemens mildness

leniency, particularly in judicial sentencing : The judge showed clemency because the convict showed great remorse for his actions .

Synonyms: mercy , compassion

Root family: [clemen] inclement (stormy)

conformist (n) con - together + form

one who conscientiously complies with the standards of a group : I”d rather be an individualist than a conformist .

Forms: conformity = compliance with the standards of a group, nonconformist = an individualist

Synonym: traditionalist

Root family: [con-, co-, com-, col-] conventional (according to common practice), conjecture (guess), convoluted (complicated), consensus (general agreement), conspire (to plot together), coalesce (to come together), coherent(forming a united whole), compliant (willing to obey), confluence (a place at which two things merge)

Root family: [form] reformist (supporting gradual change rather than revolution), formality (rigid observance of conventional rules), deformation (change of form; distortion)

contempt (n)

sharp disgust for something deemed unworthy : Her contempt for Mr. Jones was so deep that she would not even acknowledge his presence .

Forms: contemptible = worthy of contempt, contemptuous = filled with contempt

Synonyms: scorn , disdain , derision , disparagement

Usage: See usage note at disdain in this section.

cynic (n)

one who believes that humans are essentially selfish : Warren was such a cynic that he mistrusted every word of praise from his teachers .

Forms: cynical = distrustful of the goodwill of others, cynicism = belief that everyone is essentially selfish

Don”t confuse with: skeptic (one who doubts)

demeaning (adj)

causing a loss of respect or dignity : The student protest did not elevate the debate, but instead reduced it to a demeaning travesty of intellectual discourse .

Synonyms: degrading , abject

Don”t confuse with: demeanor (general bearing or behavior)

denounce (v) de - down + nuntiare declare

publicly declare as bad or evil : She was denounced for making a racist slur .

Forms: denunciation = the act of denouncing

Synonyms: censure , revile , malign

Root family: [de-] decadent (excessively self-indulgent), derivative (imitative of someone else”s work), deplore (to express strong disapproval), detract (reduce the value of something), debase (reduce in value), denigrate(criticize unfairly), deference (submission to the authority of another), condescend (to act superior to someone else)

Root family: [nunc, nounc] renounce (to give up or put aside publicly), announce (make a formal declaration), enunciate (state clearly), pronounce (sound a word in a particular way)

Don”t confuse with: renounce (to disavow)

depraved (adj)

immoral or wicked : The murderer showed depraved indifference to human life .

Form: depravity = moral corruption

Synonyms: corrupt , degenerate , debased , nefarious , iniquitous

Don”t confuse with: deprived (denied of the benefit of something, particularly basic amenities and cultural advantages)

derision (n)

mockery; contemptuous ridicule : The derision Phil received in the locker room scarred him for life .

Forms: derisive = filled with derision, deride = express contempt for; ridicule

Synonyms: scorn , disdain , contempt , disparagement

Usage: See usage note at disdain in this section.

disdain (n) dis - not + dignus worthy

feeling that something or someone is unworthy : I could feel only disdain for Glen”s self-serving apology .

Synonyms: scorn , contempt , derision , disparagement

Root family: [dis-] disconcerting (unsettling), discredit (harm the reputation of something or someone), discernment (the ability to make fine distinctions), dispassionate (not influenced by strong emotions), disparate (very different; variegated), discrepancy (a lack of compatibility between facts or claims), disseminate (to cast widely), disperse (to spread or scatter), disputatious (argumentative), dispel (to drive away; to eliminate), diffident (lacking in self-confidence), diffuse (spread over a wide area)

Root family: [dign] dignify (to make worthy), indignant (angry about unjust treatment), deign (to do something that one considers beneath one”s dignity)

Usage: Disdain , contempt , derision , disparagement , and denigration are similar, but offer different shades of meaning. Disdain includes a feeling of social superiority; contempt includes a particularly acute disgust; derisionsuggests not just a contemptuous feeling but also an outright verbal attack; disparagement suggests a long-term campaign to bring someone or something down; and denigration involves unjustly harsh criticism.

dogmatic (adj)

proclaiming an inflexible adherence to religious or political principles : Some reporters spend too much time spouting dogmatic opinions rather than providing objective analysis .

Forms: dogma = rigid doctrines of a religion or philosophy, dogmatist = a dogmatic person

Synonyms: peremptory , imperious , doctrinaire

Don”t confuse with: pragmatic (concerned with practical, rather than idealistic, considerations)

Mnemonic: Imagine a robot dog ( dog-a-matic ) barking out political beliefs.

extol (v) ex - out + tol ring out

to praise enthusiastically : She extolled the technical beauty of Chopin”s etudes .

Synonyms: acclaim , exalt , eulogize

Don”t confuse with: exhort (to strongly encourage someone to do something)

futile (adj) futilis leaky (< fundere to pour)

doomed to fail; pointless : All attempts to defeat me are futile!

Form: futility = pointlessness

Root family: [fus, fund, found] confuse (to cause to become perplexed), confound (to fail to distinguish different elements), diffuse (spread over a wide area), fusion (the process of joining two things into a single entity), profuse(abundant), transfusion (a transfer, usually of blood, from one person or animal to another), refuse (to reject)

Don”t confuse with: utile (advantageous)

inane (adj)

silly, stupid : I find most reality shows to be an inane waste of time .

Forms: inanity = a silly act, inaneness = the quality of being inane

Synonyms: fatuous , asinine , vapid , puerile

Don”t confuse with: insane (mentally ill)

irreverent (adj) ir - not + re - (intensive) + vereri to respect

showing no respect for things that are ordinarily given respect : The comedy troupe performed an irreverent sketch that thoroughly insulted the Vice President .

Form: reverent = very respectful

Synonyms: impudent , flippant , insolent

Root family: [ir-, in-, im-] insipid (flavorless), insuperable (impossible to overcome), inert (lacking vigor), interminable (unending), innocuous (harmless), ineffable (inexpressible in words), inscrutable (beyond understanding), impassive (unemotional), incongruous (not consistent with expectations)

Root family: [rever] reverend (a title for a member of the clergy), reverential (highly respectful)

Don”t confuse with: irrelevant (not appropriate to the matter at hand)

mundane (adj) mundus world

dull and uninteresting : She wanted to escape her mundane existence .

Synonyms: humdrum , monotonous , prosaic

punitive (adj) punire to punish

intended to punish : The court imposed punitive damages to discourage such reckless behavior in the future .

Form: impunity = exemption from punishment

Synonyms: retributive , disciplinary

Root family: [puni, peni] punish (to impose a penalty for an offense), penitence (remorse for an offense), penitentiary (prison), penalty (punishment), penal (related to prison or punishment)

Don”t confuse with: putative (generally considered to be)

Don”t confuse impunity with immunity (the ability to resist infection) or impugn (to attack as invalid)

Mnemonic: Punitive damages are those imposed on someone in court as a punishment to discourage behavior.

repudiate (v)

to refuse association with : I repudiate those governments that deny people equal protection under the law .

Form: repudiation = the act of repudiating something

Synonyms: renounce , abjure

Don”t confuse with: reputed (generally believed), reputation (the generally held value judgments about a person)

skeptical (adj)

inclined to doubt; not easily convinced : I was skeptical of Dawn”s claim that she could talk to the dead .

Forms: skeptic = a skeptical person, skepticism = quality of being skeptical

Don”t confuse with: cynical (distrustful of others), septic (infected with bacteria)

Usage: Students commonly confuse skeptical with cynical , but they are very different words. Skeptical describes a questioning attitude toward claims , while cynical describes a negative attitude toward people .

7 THE LANGUAGE OF EXTREMISM AND EXAGGERATION

embellish (v) bellus beautiful

to make a story more interesting by fabricating or exaggerating entertaining details; to decorate; Paul always embellishes his stories with false intrigue .

Form: embellishment = a decorative detail; a detail added to a story to make it more entertaining

Synonyms: festoon , gild , embroider

eradicate (v) e - out + radix root

to eliminate completely : By the 1960s, the Polk vaccine had virtually eradicated polio in North America .

Form: eradicable = capable of being completely destroyed

Root family: [radic] radical (affecting fundamental change), radish (a pungent edible root)

Synonyms: annihilate , abolish

hyperbole (n) hyper above, beyond

exaggeration for persuasive effect: The author”s claim that there was a “literacy crisis” in America was dismissed as hyperbole .

Form: hyperbolic = exaggerated

Root family: [hyper] hyperactive (excessively active), hyperventilate (to breathe too quickly)

Don”t confuse with: hyperbola (a two-part geometric curve).

Mnemonic: It”s interesting to note that three of the “conic sections” you may have studied in math class—the ellipse , the hyperbola , and the parabola —correspond to three literary terms:

ellipsis ( elleipein to leave out) = the omission of language from a quotation or of words that are implied in a sentence, or the symbol (…) indicating such an omission
hyperbole ( huperbole excess) = exaggerated comments
parable ( parabola comparison) = a story used to illustrate a moral lesson

The names of the curves are derived from their “eccentricities”: a conic with an eccentricity less than 1 is “deficient,” hence the name “ellipse”; a conic with an eccentricity greater than 1 is “excessive,” hence the name “hyperbola”; and a conic with an eccentricity of exactly 1 is “comparable,” hence the name “parabola.”

indulgent (adj)

excessively generous or lenient : Her mother was strict, but her grandmother was indulgent .

Forms: indulge (in) = allow oneself to enjoy the pleasure of, indulgence = an act of indulging

Don”t confuse with: indolent (lazy)

superfluous (adj) super above + fluere to flow

unnecessary, excessive : After a week of celebrations, the anniversary ball seemed superfluous .

Form: superfluity = an excessive amount

Root family: [super] insuperable (impossible to overcome), superlative (of the highest degree or quality), superficial (on the surface only), supercilious (haughty and pompous)

Root family: [flu] fluent (able to flow freely; easily conversant in a language or field), affluent (wealthy), confluence (a place where two things flow together)

unstinting (adj)

without reservations; given liberally : She was unstinting in her support for animal rights .

Form: stint = to give only sparingly

Synonyms: unsparing , magnanimous , munificent , profuse

Mnemonic: The verbs stint , stump and stunt (to retard the progress of, as in Smoking stunts your growth .) derive from the same Germanic root. So one who is unstinting does not have a stunted sense of generosity.

8 THE LANGUAGE OF CARE AND RESTRAINT

ameliorate (v)

to make a situation better : The recent highway improvements have done much to ameliorate many of commuters” biggest concerns .

Synonym: mitigate

Don”t confuse with: emancipate (to free from bondage)

Usage: See usage note at mitigate in section 17.

Mnemonic: Imagine Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh who finally gets a cake after he thinks everyone has forgotten his birthday. The cake is a meal Eeyore ate which ameliorated his depression.

assuage (v)

to make something unpleasant less intense : The news story was intended to sensationalize the epidemic rather than assuage people”s fears about it .

Synonyms: mitigate , palliate , attenuate , allay , ameliorate

Don”t confuse with: dissuade (to persuade someone not to do something)

Usage: See usage note at mitigate in section 17.

curtail (v) curtus short

to cut back; to impose a restriction on an activity : The library committee decided to curtail its expenses until it balanced its budget .

Synonyms: pare , retrench , curb

Root family: [curt] curt (rudely abrupt)

Mnemonic: If you cut off the tail of a beaver, it will really curtail its abilities.

equanimity (n) equa same + anima spirit, mind

evenness of temper : During the lockdown drill, our teacher”s equanimity helped assuage the fears of several students .

Synonyms: composure , imperturbability , sangfroid , equability

Root family: [equa, equi-] equilateral (having equal sides), equilibrium (a state of balance between opposing forces or trends)

Root family: [anim] magnanimous (generous), pusillanimous (cowardly)

Don”t confuse with: equity (fairness)

fastidious (adj)

showing great attention to details, particularly in matters of cleanliness : Julia is fastidious about her food, making sure that the vegetables never touch the meat on her plate .

Forms: fastidiousness = the quality of being fastidious

Synonyms: scrupulous , meticulous , punctilious

Usage: See usage note at scrupulous in this section.

impassive (adj) in - not + passivus suffered

unemotional; calm : Despite all the turmoil, Randall was able to remain impassive .

Form: impassivity = a state of calmness and restraint from emotion

Synonyms: stoic , dispassionate , forbearing , phlegmatic , stolid

Root family: [in-, im-] insipid (flavorless), insuperable (impossible to overcome), inert (lacking vigor), interminable (unending), indefatigable (untiring), inscrutable (beyond understanding), incongruous (not consistent with expectations)

Don”t confuse with: impassioned (passionate), impasse (deadlock; point beyond which passage is impossible)

Mnemonic/Usage: Strangely, impassive and passive are closer to being synonyms than antonyms. As they are most commonly used, both suggest a lack of activity or emotion. To make things even more confusing, the similar-sounding words passionate and impassioned , while also seeming to be opposites of each other, actually both mean “full of emotion,” essentially the opposite of impassive or passive . If this distinction is vexing for you, remember that a sieve lets things pass through, so the –sive words, passive and impassive , describe someone who lets things pass easily, without getting too emotional about them.

meticulous (adj)

showing finicky attention to details and precision : A meticulous baker, she often measures her ingredients twice before combining any of them .

Form: meticulousness = attention to details and precision

Synonyms: scrupulous , fastidious , punctilious

Usage: See usage note at scrupulous in this section.

nonchalant (adj)

calm and unconcerned, often inappropriately so : My lab partner took a nonchalant approach to the experiment and almost caused a dangerous explosion .

Form: nonchalance = lack of concern or enthusiasm

Synonyms: blithe , blasé , dispassionate , apathetic , indifferent , insouciant

Usage: A nonchalant person is usually putting on airs, but a blithe person is innocently unself-conscious. One who is blasé has usually become jaded to the point of indifference . One who is dispassionate is adopting a neutral attitude in order to render an objective judgment. One who is apathetic typically has neither airs, innocence, nor judicious motive.

parsimony (n) parcere to be sparing

extreme reluctance to spend money, use unnecessary language, or expend resources : Mastering the art of haiku requires mastering the art of parsimony .

Form: parsimonious (adj) = extremely reluctant to spend money, use unnecessary language, or expend resources

placid (adj) placere to please

[1] (of a person or animal) calm and unexcitable : I chose to ride the most placid horse .

[2] (of a place) calm and peaceful : The chateau was a placid retreat from the city .

Forms: placidity (n) = calmness; peacefulness

Root family: [plac] placate , implacable (unable to be pleased), complacent

Don”t confuse with: passive (permitting things to happen without resistance or involvement), platitude (a trite proverb)

refurbish (v)

to renovate; to restore to good condition : David studied for weeks to refurbish his conversational Italian before traveling to Rome .

Don”t confuse with: refurnish (to restock with furniture)

rejuvenate (v) juvenis young

to restore the vitality of : She felt rejuvenated after her trip to the mountains .

Synonym: revitalize

Root family: [juven] juvenile (immature)

reticent (adj) re - (intensive) + tacere to be silent

unwilling to speak or express one”s feelings : When the conversation turned to her college years, Sheila became uncharacteristically reticent .

Forms: reticence = unwillingness to speak or reveal one”s feelings or thoughts

Root family: [tice, tace] tacit (unspoken, but understood, as a tacit agreement ), taciturn (quiet and reserved)

Usage: Do not confuse reticent with reluctant . For instance, He was reticent to talk about his experiences is redundant. The correct phrasing is He was reluctant to talk about his experiences or He was reticent about his experiences .

scrupulous (adj)

[1] diligent and attentive to details : George is a scrupulous researcher .

Synonyms: meticulous , fastidious

[2] concerned with moral correctness : He is too scrupulous to consider cheating on his taxes .

Forms: scruples = concerns about moral rectitude, unscrupulous = lacking in moral character

Don”t confuse with: scrutinize (to examine closely)

Usage: Scrupulous , meticulous , fastidious , and punctilious are nearly synonymous, but each offers a different shade of meaning. Scrupulous suggests an exactitude combined with high moral standards; meticulous suggests a finicky precision, often but not necessarily about trivial things; fastidious suggests a precision born of a compulsive neatness; and punctilious suggests an extreme attention to rules, such as etiquette.

Mnemonic: Think of the most precise and detailed-oriented person you know (or the most moral person you know) pulling on a screw .

sedate (adj) sedere to sit

calm, to the point of being dull : Small-town life was too sedate for Maia .

Forms: sedate (v) = to calm or put to sleep with drugs, sedative = a drug used to sedate

Root family: [sed, sid] sedentary , dissident (one who opposes official policy), assiduous (hardworking), insidious (subtly dangerous), preside (to sit in a position of authority), reside (to live in a particular location), sediment(material that settles to the bottom of a liquid or body of water, particularly a river)

Don”t confuse with: sedition (incitement to rebellion)

stoic (adj)

enduring hardship without complaint : William remained stoic throughout the funeral .

Form: stoicism = the belief that emotions are the enemy of reason

Synonyms: dispassionate , forbearing , phlegmatic , stolid , impassive

Don”t confuse stoicism with solecism (an error in grammar or usage, particularly a tactless one) or solipsism (the belief that nothing exists except for oneself)

Mnemonic: Stoicism was a Hellenic school of philosophy founded by Zeno of Citium (and which met at the “painted porch”—Stoa Poikile—from which the school got its name) who taught that emotions were incompatible with reasoning and so cultivated a systematic detachment.

succinct (adj) cingere to cinch, as with a belt

expressed clearly and concisely : The documentary was prefaced with a succinct description of the 15-year study it chronicled .

Form: succinctness = the quality of being brief and to the point

Root family: [cinc] cinch (to gird with a belt), precinct (an administrative district)

Mnemonic: The connection between succinct and precinct comes in the idea of “cinching” or “encircling” ( cingere = to cinch or encircle). When you make something more succinct , you make it “smaller and tighter” much as cinching a girdle around your waist would make you smaller and tighter. A precinct is a well-defined (or well “encircled”) district.

temperance (n) temperare to restrain

self-control with regard to consumption : After years of gluttonous behavior, he has learned remarkable temperance .

Forms: temper = to moderate or act as a moderating force, temperate = showing moderation, intemperate = lacking self-control

Root family: [temper] temperature (degree of heat), temperament (disposition or degree of personal restraint)

Don”t confuse the tempe- words that derive from temperare (to restrain) with the tempo- words that derive from tempus (time), like extemporaneous , temporize (to delay making a decision), and contemporary ((adj) modern; (n) one who lives during the same time period as another).

Mnemonic: The Temperance Movement in the 19th century was designed to curb excessive consumption of alcohol and ultimately led to the Prohibition Era.

To avoid confusing the cognate words temperance , temperament , and temperature , notice how they are all related to the root word temperare (to restrain): temperance is essentially one”s “ability to restrain oneself”; temperament refers to much the same thing but has been generalized to encompass emotional dispositions in general; temperature was originally a synonym of temperament but lent its sense of “degree of emotional heat” to the scientific term for “degree of physical heat.”

vigilant (adj) vigil awake

watchful for danger or difficulties : We must remain vigilant against tyranny .

Form: vigilance = watchfulness

Synonyms: circumspect , wary , leery

Root family: [vigil] vigilante (one who takes the law into his or her own hands); vigil (a prayerful period in the night)

Forms: dispute = a heated argument, disputant = a person involved in a heated argument, disputation = the art of debate

Root family: [put] compute (to calculate), reputation (social standing), impute (to attribute)

9 THE LANGUAGE OF FREEDOM

anarchist (n) an - without + arkhos ruler

one who believes in freedom from government : The anarchists wanted to protest the summit but had difficulty organizing themselves .

Forms: anarchy = absence of governmental rule, anarchism = the belief in freedom from government, anarchic = lacking systematic government

Don”t confuse anarchic (lacking government) with archaic (old and outdated)

Usage: Don”t use anarchy to mean chaos unless it refers to chaos that results directly from a rejection of authority.

capricious (adj)

prone to unpredictable behavior : Her decisions seemed more capricious than reasoned .

Forms: capriciousness = unpredictability of mood or behavior, caprice = a sudden and unaccountable change of behavior

Synonyms: fickle , volatile , whimsical , arbitrary

Don”t confuse with: capris (close-fitting calf-length pants), capiche ((from Italian capisci ) slang for “do you understand?”)

emancipate (v)

to free from bondage : The prisoners of war were finally emancipated by the liberating army .

Form: emancipation = the act of freeing those in bondage, emancipator = one who sets prisoners free

Synonyms: unfetter , liberate

Don”t confuse with: emaciate (to make abnormally thin and weak)

extemporaneous (adj) ex - out of + tempor time

improvised; performed without preparation : The senator”s extemporaneous speech was surprisingly coherent and very well received .

Form: extemporize (v) = to improvise

Root family: [tempor] temporize (to delay making a decision), contemporary ((adj) modern; (n) one who lives during the same time period as another)

Don”t confuse with: temporize (to delay making a decision), contemporaneous (occurring or existing at the same time)

Mnemonic: If you must make a speech but you are out of time ( ex tempor ) to plan it, you must extemporize .

extricate (v) ex - out + tricae perplexities

to free from a constraint or difficult situation : We found it difficult to extricate ourselves from our duties .

Synonyms: disentangle , extract

Root family: [tric] intricate (complex), trick

Don”t confuse with: explicate (to analyze and develop (an idea) in detail)

impetuous (adj) im - toward + petere to drive

done without careful thought or planning; spontaneous : David”s jocular and impetuous nature made him the most popular player in the locker room, but it often caused problems on the field .

Form: impetuousness = tendency to be impetuous

Synonyms: whimsical , impulsive , capricious

Root family: [im-] impugn (to call into question), impetus (energizing force), impute (to attribute something to someone)

Root family: [pet] impetus (driving force), perpetuate (to help continue for an extended period), petulant (childishly ill-tempered)

Don”t confuse with: impetus (driving force), petulant (childishly ill-tempered)

mercurial (adj)

inclined to unpredictable mood swings : He was a brilliant but mercurial composer, susceptible to manic bouts of productivity and debilitating depression .

Synonyms: volatile , capricious , temperamental

Mnemonic: A mercurial personality runs hot and cold, up and down, like the mercury in a thermometer.

unfettered (adj) feter foot (< ped foot)

freed from harsh restraints : Shawn finally felt unfettered from her oppressive relationship .

Forms: fetter = (n) chain or manacle used to restrain a prisoner; (v) to restrain the feet with manacles, unfetter = to free from restraint

Synonyms: liberated , uninhibited , rampant , unbridled , emancipated

Mnemonic: Someone who is fettered has his feet tied up in chains.

10 THE LANGUAGE OF CHANGE AND FORCE

catalyst (n) kata - down, fall + luein loosen

something that stimulates and expedites a process, often a chemical one : Coach Johnson”s speech was the catalyst that turned our football season around .

Form: catalyze = to cause (a process) to accelerate, catalytic = acting as or relating to a catalyst, catalysis = the acceleration of a process via a catalyst

Root family: [cata] cataclysm (a violent natural event), catastrophe (disaster), catapult (a machine for heaving heavy objects), cataract (a waterfall), category (a class under which many elements “fall”)

Don”t confuse with: cataclysm (a violent natural event)

Mnemonic: The word catalyst ( kata - down + luein loosen) may have come from the idea of a single event, like a shifting stone, causing snow or rocks to cascade into an avalanche.

disperse (v) dis - apart + spargere to scatter or sprinkle

to spread or scatter over a wide area : The crowd soon dispersed after it was announced that the band had left the stadium .

Form: dispersion = scattering over a wide area

Root family: [dis-] discernment (the ability to make fine distinctions), disparate (very different; variegated), discrepancy (a lack of compatibility between facts or claims), disseminate (to cast widely), dispel (to drive away; to eliminate), diffuse (spread over a wide area)

Root family: [spers] aspersion (a derogatory remark), interspersed (distributed at intervals)

Don”t confuse with: dispense (supply, distribute, or provide), diverse (showing great variety)

ephemeral (adj)

lasting a very short time : Designers try to capture the most ephemeral trends .

Forms: ephemera (plural of ephemeron ) = things that last only a short time : The trappings of fame are mere ephemera .

Synonyms: fleeting , transient , evanescent

Don”t confuse with: ethereal (delicate and sublime, as an ether)

impetus (n) im - toward + petere to strive after

the force that makes something move or energizes a process : The coach”s speech provided the impetus for the team to redouble its efforts in the second half .

Root family: [im-] impugn (to call into question), impute (to attribute something to someone)

Root family: [pet] impetuous (spontaneous and without planning), perpetuate (to help continue for an extended period), petulant (childishly ill-tempered)

Don”t confuse with: impious (not devoutly religious), impish (mischievous)

Mnemonic: Imagine an imp (a mischievous child) poking you ( impaling you?) in the back and giving you the impetus to run faster.

intermittent (adj) inter - between + mittere to send

occurring at irregular intervals; not continuous : The sound of intermittent gunfire revealed that the peace accord was a fragile one .

Forms: intermit (v) = to postpone, intermittence = the quality of being intermittent

Root family: [inter-] intervene (to come between to alter events), international (pertaining to one or more countries)

Root family: [miss, mit] submissive (meekly obedient), dismiss (send away), unremitting (not letting up)

Don”t confuse with: interminable (unending)

mutable (adj) mutare to change

changeable : Her moods are as mutable as the weather .

Forms: immutable = unchangeable, mutability = changeability

Synonyms: protean , fickle , mercurial

Root family: [mut] commute (to travel to and from work; to reduce a criminal sentence; to rearrange numbers that are being added or multiplied), mutation (a change in the structure of a gene, or the result of that change), permutation (rearrangement)

Don”t confuse with: mute (to silence)

Mnemonic: Something that is malleable can be shaped by a mallet , like clay or a soft metal can.

ossify (adj) os bone + -ify to make

to turn into bone; to become stagnant or rigid : Julia could feel her creative impulses ossify as she became inured to the bureaucratic regulations of her job .

Synonym: stagnate

Don”t confuse with: oscillate (swing back and forth)

Mnemonic: The Latin os , meaning “bone,” can be found in a few medical terms you might be familiar with, like osteoarthritis (degeneration of the bone that causes pain in joints) or osteoporosis (the gradual weakening of the bones from loss of tissue due to hormonal changes). Therefore, to ossify is to “make into bone.”

precipitous (adj) praecipitare to throw headlong

[1] dangerously high or steep : It was a precipitous drop to the lake .

[2] (of a decline) sudden and dramatic : The merger led to a precipitous decline in the company”s stock value .

[3] (also precipitate [pre sip eh TET]) hasty : The announcement of the layoffs, unfortunately, was precipitous (or precipitate) .

Form: precipice = steep rock face or cliff

Don”t confuse with: precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, or hail)

Mnemonic: The nouns precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, or hail), precipice (high cliff), and precipitousness (hastiness) all derive from the Latin praecipitare , (to throw headlong), from prae- (before) + caput (head). Notice how they all pertain to the action of “throwing down” in different ways.

Usage: See usage note at expedite in section 14.

synthesis (n) syn - together + tithenai to place

the act of combining elements into a whole, as ideas into a system, or simpler elements into a compound : The concert was a synthesis of modern dance, jazz, and slam poetry

Forms: synthesize = to create something by combining elements, synthetic = formed by human agency via assembling chemical components

Root family: [thes, thet, them] thesis (a theory proposed as a premise), antithesis (a theory presented to oppose a given thesis), prosthesis (an artificial body part), epithet (an adjective or descriptive phrase referring to a defining quality of a person or thing, such as lionhearted in Richard the Lionhearted ), anathema (something that is vehemently disliked)

transient (adj) trans to a different place + ire to go

lasting a short period of time : Selena”s sense of satisfaction was transient .

Forms: transience = impermanence, transitory = transient, transient (n) = a homeless person

Synonyms: fleeting , ephemeral , evanescent

Root family: [trans-] transcend (to rise above), transportation (means of carrying from place to place), translation (the act or result of expressing something in a different language)

Don”t confuse with: intransigent (stubbornly unwilling to change one”s views)

volatile (adj) volare to fly

prone to unpredictable, rapid, and undesirable changes or displays of emotion; explosive : The convergence of the opposing protest marches created a volatile and dangerous situation .

Synonyms: incendiary , inflammatory

Root family: [vol] volley (an exchange of tennis shots; a series of utterances; a flurry of projectiles)

Don”t confuse with: versatile

Mnemonic: In chemistry, a volatile liquid (such as gasoline) is one that evaporates very quickly and, often, one whose vapors are flammable or explosive. The vapors “fly” ( volare = to fly) from the liquid, just as volatilesituations tend to “fly” out of control.

11 THE LANGUAGE OF DULLNESS AND STASIS

banal (adj)

lacking in originality; dull and boring : Ironically, even the most exciting car chases have become banal cinematic devices .

Form: banality = an overused saying or device

Synonyms: trite , hackneyed , vapid , platitudinous

Mnemonic: Today”s romantic comedies are so banal that we should ban all of them.

conventional (adj) con - together + venire to come

according to common practice : It”s not a conventional love story .

Forms: convene = come together in a group; convention = standard way of doing something; unconventional = demonstrating original thinking

Root family: [con-, co-, com-, col-] conformist (one who conscientiously complies with the standards of a group, conjecture (guess), convoluted (complicated), consensus (general agreement), conspire (to plot together), coalesce (to come together), coherent (forming a united whole), compliant (willing to obey), confluence (a place at which two things merge)

Root family: [ven, vene, vent] intervene (to come between to alter events), venture (daring undertaking), revenue (income), circumvent (to avoid by finding a way around)

homogeneous (adj) homo same + gen kind

consisting of parts or members all of the same kind : The club was a homogeneous band of like-minded thinkers .

Root family: [gen] indigenous (native), progenitor (the first in a family tree), heterogeneous (diverse in character or content), disingenuous (not sincere or candid)

Don”t confuse with: homogenous (having a common biological lineage or structure)

indigenous (adj) indi - into + gignere to be born

native; occurring naturally in a particular place : There are over twenty different tribes indigenous to this river valley .

Synonyms: native , aboriginal

Root family: [gen] progeny (offspring), disingenuous (not candid or sincere), progenitor (the first in a family tree), heterogeneous (diverse in character or content), homogeneous (consisting of parts or members all of the same kind)

Don”t confuse with: ingenious (brilliant), indignant (showing anger at unfair treatment)

Mnemonic: The phrase indigenous people refers to a tribe born into ( indi- into + gignere to be born) a particular area.

insipid (adj) in - not + sapere to taste

lacking vigor or interest, flavorless : His latest album drones with insipid songs .

Root family: [in-, im-] insuperable (impossible to overcome), inert (lacking vigor), interminable (unending), innocuous (harmless), indefatigable (untiring), ineffable (inexpressible in words), inscrutable (beyond understanding), impassive (unemotional), incongruous (not consistent with expectations)

Root family: [sap, sav] sapid (flavorful), savor (taste and enjoy thoroughly), savory (having a flavorful spiciness or saltiness)

Mnemonic: It would be insane to sip such an insipid soup.

Don”t confuse with: insidious (subtly harmful or dangerous)

languish (v)

to lack energy; to grow weak : My favorite baseball team has been languishing in last place for two weeks now .

Forms: languor = a state of weakness or stillness, languid = lacking in energy; weak

Synonyms: atrophy , wither

Don”t confuse with: language (a symbolic means of communication), anguish (great distress)

Mnemonic: When your favorite team is languishing , it can cause you long anguish .

prosaic (adj) prosa straightforward discourse

[1] commonplace : The envoy”s duties in Paris were less romantic and more prosaic than she had hoped .

[2] lacking poetic beauty : The band”s arrangements are powerful, but their lyrics are prosaic .

Synonyms: workaday , tedious , pedestrian , mundane

Mnemonic: Your writing might become prosaic and less creative if you take too much Prozac (the antidepressant drug).

Don”t confuse with: mosaic (a picture produced by arranging colorful tiles or pieces of glass).

protracted (adj) pro - forward + tractus pulled

lasting longer than desired or expected : The interview turned into a protracted debate about bigotry .

Form: protract = to prolong

Root family: [pro-] prophecy (prediction), promote (further the progress of something; raise in rank) progeny (offspring), reciprocate (to respond in kind)

Root family: [tract] tractable (manageable), abstract (lacking a concrete existence), detract (to reduce the value of something)

stagnant (adj) stare to stand

[1] (of a pool of water or the air in a confined space) unmoving and hence having an unpleasant smell : The stagnant air of the gym made us feel sick .

[2] sluggish : The economy has been stagnant for years .

Forms: stagnate = to become stagnant, stagnation = the state of being or becoming stagnant

Root family: [stan, stat, stag, stas, stab] stasis (a period of inactivity), constant (unchanging), stable (resistant to movement or failure), apostasy (heresy)

12 THE LANGUAGE OF TRUTH, TRUTHFULNESS, AND BEAUTY

aesthetic (adj) aistheta perceptible things

concerned with the appreciation of beauty or art : The painting gave aesthetic pleasure .

Forms: aesthete = one who has or pretends to have special aesthetic sense, aesthetics = the principles or study of beauty and art

Root family: [esthe] anesthetic (a substance that reduces sensitivity to pain), synesthesia (stimulation of one sense modality by another, such as seeing colors while hearing music)

Don”t confuse with: ascetic (a person who practices strict religious self-discipline), prosthetic (pertaining to an artificial limb or other body part)

candid (adj) candidus white

honest and straightforward : The president gave a very candid interview just one month after leaving office .

Form: candor = honesty and forthrightness

Synonyms: frank , ingenuous

Mnemonic: Candid derives from the Latin candidus , which means “white,” because white has long been associated with purity and honesty. The related word, candidate , derives from the fact that, in ancient Rome, candidates for office wore white togas. In naming his title character Candide , Voltaire was emphasizing his pure, ingenuous nature.

fallible (adj) fallere to deceive

capable of making mistakes or errors : I was crestfallen to discover that my father was fallible .

Forms: infallible = incapable of making errors

Root family: [fall, fals] fallacy (a mistaken belief), fault (an unsatisfactory feature), fail (to be unsuccessful)

incontrovertible (adj) in - not + contra - against + vertere to turn

unable to be disputed; beyond controversy : The proof of the theorem was incontrovertible .

Forms: controvertible = able to be disputed, controversy = dispute

Synonyms: irrefutable , indubitable , unassailable , airtight

Don”t confuse controvertible with convertible (able to be changed in form or function)

introspective (adj) intro - into + specere to look at

inclined to look inward; meditative : Unlike most artists, Warhol eschewed the introspective lifestyle and in fact reveled in his life of celebrity .

Form: introspection = the act of self-examination

Synonyms: reflective , meditative , pensive

Root family: [spec] speculation (guess based on insufficient evidence), circumspect (cautious), inspect (to examine closely)

Don”t confuse with: retrospective (looking back in time)

rectify (v) rectus right

to make correct; to put right : The journalist rectified her error by publishing a retraction .

Synonyms: amend , emend , redress , remedy

Root family: [rect] correct (right), rectangle (quadrilateral with four right angles), direct (by the shortest path)

sublime (adj) sub - just beneath + limen threshold

supremely excellent or beautiful : The pâté was a sublime complement to the homemade bread .

Root family: [sub-] submissive (meekly obedient), subvert (to undermine the authority of another), surreptitious (secret), subjugate (to dominate)

Root family: [lim] limit (the point beyond which something may not pass), eliminate (completely remove), subliminal (below the threshold of perception), sublimate (to alter a crude impulse so as to make it more culturally or socially acceptable)

Don”t confuse with subliminal . Although both words derive from the Latin roots meaning “below the threshold,” subliminal means “below the threshold of perception,” while sublime means “near the threshold of heaven.”

Don”t confuse with sublimate . To sublimate a lowly impulse, such as hatred or sexual desire, means to literally “raise it up” (since the limen , or threshold, of a doorway includes the top part, then bringing something sub limen , just below the threshold, involves raising it up), that is, to channel the energy that would otherwise be dedicated to that impulse into a more culturally and socially acceptable behavior. In chemistry, a substance sublimates when it transforms from a solid directly to a gas, without passing through the liquid phase.

13 THE LANGUAGE OF DECEIT, ERROR, AND CONFUSION

anachronism (n) ana - backward or mixed up + chronos time

something out of place in time, especially something that is outdated : The modern-sounding dialogue was conspicuously anachronistic for a movie set in the 1920s .

Root family: [ana-] anagram (a rearrangement of the letters in a word or phrase to make another word or phrase)

Root family: [chron] synchronize (to make to happen simultaneously or at the same pace), chronological (in proper time order)

Don”t confuse with: anarchic (lacking government)

Mnemonic: Since Anna Karenina is set in the 19th century, Anna”s chronograph (wristwatch) would be very anachronistic .

belie (v)

[1] to fail to give a true impression of something : David”s bluster belies his lack of self-confidence .

[2] to betray; to show to be untrue : The evidence belies the defendant”s claim .

Mnemonic: To belie something is to be a lie about something (meaning [1]) or to show it to be a lie (meaning [2]).

chicanery (n)

devious trickery or evasion : Unlike most politicians, she discusses tax policies openly, rather than using chicanery to hide her true motives and affiliations .

Synonyms: ruse , machination

Don”t confuse with: chimera (something unrealistic or hopelessly wishful)

Mnemonic: Imagine a chick doing magic in a cannery .

circuitous (adj) circum around + ire to go

indirect; roundabout : We took a circuitous route to the cabin because the main highway was closed .

Synonyms: meandering , tortuous , serpentine

Root family: [circum] circumscribe (to define the limits of something), circumspect (wary), circumlocution (evasive speech)

confound (v) con - together + fundere to pour

[1] to cause someone to become confused : She was confounded by the puzzle for many weeks .

Synonyms: befuddle , baffle

[2] to confuse two elements as being one : We should not confound patriotism and loyalty to the government .

Root family: [con-, co-, com-, col-] consensus (general agreement), conspire (to plot together), coalesce (to come together), coherent (forming a united whole), confluence (a place at which two things merge)

Root family: [fus, fund, found] confuse (to cause to become perplexed), effusive (freely expressive), fusion (the process of joining two things into a single entity), profuse (abundant), transfusion (a transfer, usually of blood, from one person or animal to another), refuse (to reject), diffuse (spread out over a large area)

Don”t confuse with: compound (to make something worse : Don”t compound the problem .)

convoluted (adj) con - together + volutus rolled

(1) (of an argument or story) complicated and difficult to follow : The account the witness provided was so convoluted that the jury could not follow it .

(2) intricately folded : The human cortex is a convoluted shell of interconnected neurons .

Form: convolution = a deep fold, esp. one of many; something complex and difficult to understand

Synonyms: tortuous , byzantine

Root family: [con-, co-, com-, col-] conformist (one who conscientiously complies with the standards of a group, coherent (forming a united whole), compliant (willing to obey), confluence (a place at which two things merge)

Root family: [vol] revolution (one complete rotation; a complete political overthrow), involved (“rolled up in”), voluble (fluently talkative)

digress (v) di - away + gradi to walk

stray from the topic in speaking or writing : Powell digressed for several pages to describe the history of the village he was visiting .

Forms: digression = an act of digressing, digressive = prone to digression; having the characteristics of a digression

Root family: [grad, gress] progress (forward movement), regressive (moving backward), egress (exit)

Don”t confuse with: regress (to return to a less developed state)

disingenuous (adj) dis - away + in - in + gignere to be born

not candid or sincere; deceitful : The senator”s disingenuous comments were just another example of political posturing .

Form: ingénue = a naive and innocent person, ingenuous = innocent and naive

Synonyms: duplicitous , mendacious

Root family: [in-] inundate (to flood), infer (to conclude from evidence), incisive (showing keen judgment), ingratiate (to curry favor), innate (inborn)

Root family: [gen] indigenous (native), progenitor (the first in a family tree), heterogeneous (diverse in character or content), homogeneous (consisting of parts or members all of the same kind)

Don”t confuse ingenuous (innocent and naive) with ingenious (brilliant) or not genuine .

Mnemonic: An ingénue is someone who is as innocent and naive as a baby ( in + genuus born), so to be ingenuous means to be innocent and naive. Therefore, to be disingenuous is to be the opposite: deceitful and full of guile.

dubious (adj) dubium doubt

[1] questionable : That is a dubious claim, bordering on the absurd .

Synonyms: controvertible , suspect

[2] doubting : I”m dubious that our team will be able to come back and win .

Forms: dubiousness = doubtfulness

Synonyms: vacillating

Root family: [dub] indubitable (without a doubt), doubt

duplicity (n) duplicitas twofold

deceitfulness; double-dealing : He considered a career as a spy but wondered whether he had the skill or moral flexibility to engage in such duplicity .

Form: duplicitous = deceitful

Synonyms: chicanery , subterfuge , treachery , perfidy

Root family: [dupl, duo] duplicate (to make a copy), duplex (a two-floor apartment building), dual (twofold)

Don”t confuse with: duplication (the process of making a copy)

guile (n)

cunning or slyness in attaining a goal : David Rohde was able to use guile and patience to escape his Taliban captors .

Form: guileless = innocent; incapable of deceit

Synonyms: cunning , artfulness , wiles

Don”t confuse with: guise (outward appearance)

inept (adj) in - not + aptus well suited

unskilled; clumsy : Todd”s awkward joke was a sincere but inept attempt to lighten the mood .

Form: ineptitude = clumsiness; lack of skill

Synonyms: feckless , maladroit , bumbling , ineffectual

Root family: [apt, ept] aptitude (natural skill), adapt (to make to fit a new situation or use), adept (skillful)

Don”t confuse with: inapt (inappropriate or unsuitable to the situation)

machination (n) machina contrivance

a plot or scheme : Dawn”s artful machinations succeeded in gaining her the title of class president .

Root family: [mech, mach] machine (apparatus), mechanical (pertaining to the workings of a machine)

Mnemonic: In Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery , Dr. Evil”s machinations involve building a doomsday machine , “Project Vulcan,” in order to hold the world”s nations hostage.

Usage: A deus ex machina (“god in the machine”) is an unexpected and highly implausible plot twist in a novel or play that magically saves a seemingly hopeless situation.

perjure (v) per - (negative) + jurare to swear

to lie under oath : Martha Stewart”s conviction for conspiracy to commit perjury landed her six months in prison .

Form: perjury = the act of lying under oath

Root family: [jur] jurisprudence (the study of law), abjure (to swear off; renounce), adjure (to command solemnly), conjure (to create, as if by magic), jurisdiction (the power to make official decisions)

Root family: [dict] vindictive (vengeful), dictatorial (tyrannical), malediction (curse), benediction (blessing)

Don”t confuse with: modicum (a small amount)

spurious (adj)

false or fake; not what it seems to be (esp. as applied to claims or theories) : The stories about Jordan”s career as a spy were spurious, generated by his friends” wild imaginations .

Synonyms: specious , fallacious

Don”t confuse with: furious (very angry), spurned (jilted, rejected)

Mnemonic: Imagine a spurious cowboy in fake tinfoil spurs .

subterfuge (n) sub - beneath + fugere to flee

a trick or expedient used to escape a consequence or achieve a goal : Max”s subterfuge involved three alibis and a full-scale replica of himself .

Synonyms: ruse , chicanery

Root family: [sub-] submissive (meekly obedient), subvert (to undermine the authority of another), subjugate (to dominate)

Root family: [fug] fugitive (one who is fleeing arrest), refugee (one fleeing strife or persecution), refuge (safe haven), centrifugal (moving away from the center)

Mnemonic: Imagine the Joker using a sub to flee ( fugere = to flee) from Batman.

surreptitious (adj) sub - under, secretly + rapere to seize

kept secret because it is objectionable : Charlotte was upset when she heard about her husband”s surreptitious affair .

Synonyms: clandestine , furtive , stealthy

Root family: [sub-] submissive (meekly obedient), subvert (to undermine the authority of another), subjugate (to dominate)

Root family: [rap, rav] rapacious (extremely greedy), ravenous (extremely hungry), ravage (to bring destruction to)

Don”t confuse with: superfluous (unnecessary)

treacherous (adj)

[1] characterized by or guilty of betrayal : Benedict Arnold”s treacherous actions are etched in our national history .

Form: treachery = abject betrayal

Synonyms: traitorous , duplicitous , perfidious

[2] hazardous : The ocean currents here are very treacherous .

Synonyms: perilous , precarious

Don”t confuse with: tortuous (full of twists and turns), lecherous (showing excessive sexual desire), trenchant (cutting and incisive)

unscrupulous (adj)

dishonest; showing no moral principles : The broker”s unscrupulous dealings only came to light after he had stolen several million dollars of his client”s money .

Form: scrupulous = very concerned with avoiding sin or rule-breaking

Synonyms: reprobate , unethical , corrupt , venal

Usage: Although scrupulous is primarily used to mean “attentive to rules and details,” whether or not those rules are moral ones, unscrupulous refers exclusively to a lack of moral principles.

vex (v)

to make to feel annoyed or frustrated : I am constantly vexed by my inability to remember the names of all of your friends .

Form: vexation = state of confusion or frustration

Synonyms: nettle , exasperate , pique , gall

Don”t confuse with: hex (a spell or curse)

14 THE LANGUAGE OF CREATIVITY AND PRODUCTIVITY

assiduous (adj)

showing great care and perseverance : He was assiduous in his research, checking every reference and tracing its history .

Synonyms: diligent , industrious , sedulous

Don”t confuse with: deciduous ((of tree) shedding its leaves annually), arduous ((of a task) requiring strenuous effort)

Mnemonic: Imagine a hardworking scientist mixing acid in two ( duo ) beakers.

efficacy (n) facere to do, to make

the ability to produce the intended result : The efficacy of the new medicine could hardly be denied .

Forms: efficacious = effective, inefficacious = ineffective

Root family: [fic, fac, fec, -ify] facile (simplistic), munificent (generous), diversify (to make more varied), ossify (to turn into bone), proficient (competent or skilled)

Don”t confuse with: efficiency (quality of achieving substantial results with a minimum of energy)

Usage: A process or instrument that works efficaciously performs its task particularly well. One that works efficiently , on the other hand, performs its task at least adequately, but with minimal expense or input.

expedite (v) ex - out + ped foot

(of a process) to make happen more quickly or efficiently : We could expedite deliveries by streamlining our method of dispatching the trucks .

Form: expeditious = done with speed and efficiency

Synonyms: precipitate , facilitate

Root family: [ped] pedestrian (ordinary), impede (to hinder or obstruct)

Mnemonic: It is interesting to note that impede and expedite both derive from ped , the Latin root for “foot.” Impede , literally “bind the feet,” means to hinder or delay, whereas expedite , literally “free the feet,” means to make happen more quickly.

Usage: Although expedite , precipitate , and facilitate are similar, they differ in certain important aspects. To expedite a process is to make it happen faster and more efficiently, whereas to facilitate a process is to make it easieron the person or people involved. The verb precipitate applies more to an event than a process ; it is to make the event happen more quickly, although it would likely have happened on its own.

Don”t confuse with: expedition . The words expedite and expedition derive from the same roots but have very different meanings. To expedite is to “free the feet,” but to go on an expedition is to “go out on foot.”

Don”t confuse expeditious (done with speed and efficiency) with expedient (convenient and practical, but perhaps improper or immoral).

facilitate (v) facilis easy (< facere to do or make)

to make easier : A team of clinicians was assembled to facilitate the development of the new vaccine .

Forms: facile = simplistic, facilitator = one who makes a process easier, facility = a natural ability; ease

Root family: [fac, fec, fic] benefactor (one who provides a benefit), munificent (generous)

Don”t confuse facility with felicity (intense happiness).

Don”t confuse facile with vassal (a feudal landowner) or docile (submissive).

Usage: See usage note at expedite in this section.

flourish (v) florere to flower

to grow vigorously; prosper : The arts and letters flourished during the Harlem Renaissance .

Don”t confuse with: florid (characterized by flowery language), flourish (n) (an extravagant action, usually done to attract attention : The dance number concluded with a flourish of backflips )

Mnemonic: The noun flourish and the verb flourish both derive from florere (to flower) but have distinct meanings. A flourish is a “flowery or extravagant display to attract attention,” whereas to flourish means to “blossom like a flower.” Florid also derives from florere but means “characterized by flowery language.”

lineage (n) lineare to create with lines

descent from an ancestor : In most medieval European societies, one”s social status was decided by family lineage .

Synonyms: pedigree , ancestry , genealogy

Root family: [line] collinear (on the same line), alignment (the process of arranging in a line), delineate (to describe precisely)

Don”t confuse with: delineate (to describe precisely)

prodigious (adj) prodigus lavish

great in size or degree : The team consumed prodigious amounts of pizza after the game .

Forms: prodigiously = abundantly

Synonyms: copious

Root family: [prodigi] prodigy (a young person with exceptional talent), prodigal (tending to spend money recklessly)

profuse (adj) pro - forward + fusus poured

very abundantly offered or available : Even the profuse offerings of cards and flowers did not assuage his grief .

Form: profusion = an abundance

Synonyms: prolific , prevalent , copious

Root family: [fus, fund, found] confuse (to cause to become perplexed), confound (to fail to distinguish different elements), diffuse (spread over a wide area), fusion (the process of joining two things into a single entity), effusive(freely expressive), transfusion (a transfer, usually of blood, from one person or animal to another), refuse (to reject)

Don”t confuse with: refuse (to indicate unwillingness to accept something)

progeny (n) pro - forward + gignere to create

the collective descendants of one ancestor : The family trust was established to ensure the well-being of the billionaire”s progeny .

Form: progenitor = the primary ancestor of a collection of descendants

Synonyms: offspring , brood , scions

Root family: [gen] indigenous (native), homogeneous (uniform), heterogeneous (diverse in character)

Don”t confuse progenitor with prognosticator (one who foretells or attempts to foretell future events).

Mnemonic: Think of someone named Jenny you know, and then imagine a profuse number of them in the lower branches of a family tree ( progeny = pro fuse Jennys ).

proliferate (v)

to increase rapidly in numbers or extent : Bootlegging proliferated during the era of Prohibition to satisfy the demand for alcohol .

Form: proliferation = a rapid increase in numbers or extent

Synonyms: burgeon , mushroom

prolific (adj)

[1] highly productive : Johann Strauss was a prolific composer of waltzes .

Synonyms: fertile fecund

[2] plentiful : The mountain laurel is prolific along the side of the highway .

Forms: proliferate = to multiply or reproduce rapidly

Synonyms: copious , profuse , prevalent

Don”t confuse with: prophetic (accurately predictive of the future)

vigor (n)

good health and physical strength : The therapy helped him regain the vigor of his youth .

Forms: invigorating = giving energy or strength, vigorous = full of energy and strength

Synonyms: robustness , hardiness , virility

Don”t confuse with: rigor (thoroughness or strictness)

Don”t confuse with: erudite (scholarly)

15 THE LANGUAGE OF MYSTERY, SURPRISE, ADVENTURE, AND DISCOVERY

ambiguous (adj) ambi - both + agere to do

having more than one meaning or interpretation : In her poem, the meaning of the cloak is intentionally ambiguous .

Form: ambiguity = quality of having more than one interpretation

Synonym: equivocal

Root family: [ambi-, amphi-] ambidextrous (able to use both hands skillfully), ambivalent (having mixed feelings), amphibian (an animal that lives partially in water and partially on land), amphitheater (an outdoor theater with seats surrounding (on both sides of) the stage)

Don”t confuse with: ambivalent (having mixed feelings)

anomaly (n)

something that deviates from the norm or expectation : Astronomers scan the night sky looking for anomalies such as radiation bursts or unusual planetary motions .

Form: anomalous = out of the norm

Synonyms: incongruity , aberration

Don”t confuse with: animosity (strong hostility)

Don”t confuse anomalous with anonymous (unnamed).

diversion (n) di - away + vertere to turn

[1] an entertaining activity to distract one from everyday concerns : In the mountains, our diversions include hiking, fishing, and reading .

Form: diverting = entertaining

[2] an action intended to distract someone : I will create a diversion while you sneak into the house .

Form: divert = to cause something, such as traffic or a river, to change course; to distract someone”s attention from something

Root family: [di-, dis-] discredit (harm the reputation of something or someone), dispassionate (not influenced by strong emotions), disparate (very different; variegated), discrepancy (a lack of compatibility between facts or claims), disseminate (to cast widely), disperse (to spread or scatter), disputatious (argumentative), diffident (lacking in self-confidence), diffuse (spread over a wide area)

Root family: [vers, vert] adversary (enemy), diverse (various), adverse (harmful), subvert (undermine), averse (opposed), versatile (adaptable to different functions)

Don”t confuse with: diverse (various)

divulge (v) di - widely + vulgare to make public

to make widely known, particularly information that was previously kept private : I cannot divulge the information that was discussed in our private meeting .

Form: divulgence = the act of making something widely known

Root family: [dis-, di-] disparate (very different; variegated), discrepancy (a lack of compatibility between facts or claims), disperse (to spread or scatter), diffuse (spread over a wide area)

Root family: [vulg] vulgar (crude and unrefined)

Don”t confuse divulgence with indulgence (an act of being excessively generous or lenient)

elusive (adj) e - out + ludere to play

difficult to catch, find, understand, or achieve : The snow leopard is one of nature”s most beautiful yet elusive creatures, rarely seen by human eyes .

Form: elude = to evade capture or understanding

Synonyms: evasive , impalpable , intangible

Root family: [e-, ex-] extol (to praise highly), extemporaneous (without planning), exuberant (filled with liveliness and energy)

Don”t confuse with: illusory (giving a false impression), allusive (providing or pertaining to an indirect hint)

empirical (adj)

pertaining to or based on observation or experience : Although string theory provides elegant mathematical solutions to many vexing problems in physics, it lacks any empirical evidence .

Form: empiricism = the belief that all knowledge is derived from sensory experience

Mnemonic: Imagine an empire in which everyone, especially the emperor , is a scientist, with telescopes on every rooftop and chemistry labs in every basement, where they constantly gather empirical data.

enigma (n)

someone or something that is difficult to understand : King Lear”s motivation remains an enigma .

Form: enigmatic = difficult to understand

Synonyms: conundrum , quandary , riddle

idiosyncrasy (n) idios unique + syn with + krasis mixture

a mannerism or quirk peculiar to an individual : One of the stranger idiosyncrasies of professional athletes is their tendency to refer to themselves in the second or third person during interviews .

Form: idiosyncratic = quirky

Synonyms: quirk , peculiarity , eccentricity , mannerism , foible

Root family: [idio] idiom (a common phrase that has a nonliteral meaning, such as “at the end of your rope”), idiot (stupid person)

Don”t confuse with: ideology (a system of ideals central to the political power of a group), iconoclast (one who attacks cherished beliefs), idiotic (stupid)

inscrutable (adj) in - not + scrutari to search

beyond understanding : I find quantum physics to be almost as inscrutable as the motivations of my girlfriend .

Synonyms: enigmatic , abstruse

Root family: [in-, im-] insipid (flavorless), insuperable (impossible to overcome), inert (lacking vigor), interminable (unending), innocuous (harmless), indefatigable (untiring), ineffable (inexpressible in words), impassive(unemotional), incongruous (not consistent with expectations)

Root family: [scrut] scrutinize (to examine closely)

Don”t confuse with: unscrupulous (showing no moral principles)

Mnemonic: Something that is inscrutable is un-scrutinize-able , that is, it”s impossible to examine closely because it is beyond our understanding.

intrepid (adj) in - not + trepidus alarmed

fearless and adventurous : The intrepid explorers set out for the summit .

Root family: [trepid] trepidation (fear)

Synonyms: undaunted , stouthearted

Don”t confuse with: insipid (flavorless; uninteresting)

Mnemonic: The aircraft carrier Intrepid , now a museum moored off of Manhattan, is an impressive ship that represents the fearlessness of the U.S. Navy.

nebulous (adj) nebula mist

vague; hazy; having the form of a cloud : The ghost appeared first as a nebulous near-human form .

Synonyms: amorphous , obscure

paradox (n) para - distinct from, beside + doxa teaching

a logically self-contradictory statement or state of affairs : It seemed to be a paradox that light could behave both as a wave and as a particle .

Root family: [para-] paralegal (a lawyer”s assistant), parallel (next to and aligned with), paramedic (a first aid professional)

Root family: [doc, dox] doctrinaire (seeking to impose rigid doctrine), orthodox (conforming strictly to traditional teachings), docile (compliant and easy to instruct)

Don”t confuse with: paradigm (a worldview; a typical model or example)

16 THE LANGUAGE OF HARM, DEFICIT, AND DECLINE

adverse (adj) ad - to + vertere to turn

harmful to success or progress : The short holiday season has had an adverse effect on sales .

Form: adversity = misfortune or difficulties, usually over an extended period

Synonyms: inauspicious , detrimental , deleterious

Root family: [ad-] adhere (stick fast (to)), advocate (to provide vocal support for), annul (to declare invalid)

Root family: [vers, vert] adversary (enemy), diverse (various), diversion (entertainment), subvert (undermine), averse (opposed), versatile (adaptable to different functions)

Don”t confuse with: averse (opposed)

archaic (adj) archaios old

old and outdated : My cell phone, which didn”t even have Internet access, seemed archaic compared to Kris”s tiny smartphone .

Synonyms: outmoded , outdated , anachronistic , obsolete

Root family: [arch] archaeology (the study of ancient civilizations and their artifacts), archetype (a very typical example)

Don”t confuse with: anarchic (having no hierarchical government)

bane (n)

a cause of great and persistent distress : The bane of the traveling salesman is the time spent away from family and friends .

Form: baneful = causing great distress

Synonyms: scourge , blight , affliction

Mnemonic: For farmers, ban ning the rain would be a great bane for their livelihood.

dearth (n)

an utter lack of something : I am disappointed by the dearth of good jazz clubs in this city .

Synonym: paucity

Don”t confuse with: death , dirge (a funereal song), mirth (good-natured amusement)

Mnemonic: The words dearth and dear (expensive) derive from the same root. If there is a dearth of something desired, then it is likely to be very dear .

debilitating (adj)

causing someone or something to become weak : What seemed like a slight ankle sprain soon turned into a debilitating injury .

Forms: debilitate = to make weak or infirm, debility = a weakness or infirmity

Synonyms: incapacitating , enervating

Don”t confuse with: rehabilitate (to restore to health)

deleterious (adj) delere to destroy, to eliminate

very harmful : Prolonged and hopeless poverty has a very deleterious effect on children .

Synonyms: detrimental , injurious , adverse

Root family: [delet] delete (to remove completely), indelible (forming an enduring impression)

Mnemonic: Imagine how deleterious it would be to your grade if you accidentally deleted the research paper that you had spent over a month researching and writing.

enervate (v) e - out of + nervus sinew, strength

to drain of energy or strength : The arduous hike enervated the boys, who decided to rest for the night .

Forms: enervation = the process of draining something of strength; weakness, enervated = weakened

Synonyms: debilitate , enfeeble

Don”t confuse with: energize (to fill with energy), enumerate (to list numerically), innervate (to supply an organ or body part with nerves)

Mnemonic: To avoid confusing enervate with energize , focus on the roots e- (out) and nervus (sinew, strength or muscle): to enervate is to weaken, as if by removing the muscle fibers from one”s body. Gross? Yes, but vivid enough to remember.

exacerbate (v) ex - (making) + acerbus bitter

to make a situation worse : The lawsuit only exacerbated the animosity between the neighbors .

Synonyms: aggravate , compound , inflame

Root family: [acer, acu] acrid (pungent), acerbic (having a bitter taste), acrimonious (defined by bitter feelings), acute (keen, as pain or ability)

Don”t confuse with: exaggerate (to overstate)

insidious (v) in - on + sedere to sit

having a harmful effect, but in a subtle way : Many viral diseases are insidious, remaining dormant for months or even years before symptoms are expressed .

Synonyms: stealthy , surreptitious , treacherous

Root family: [sed, sid] sedentary (inactive), dissident (one who opposes official policy), assiduous (hard working), sedate (calm), preside (to sit in a position of authority), reside (to live in a particular location), sediment(material that settles to the bottom of a liquid or body of water, particularly a river)

Don”t confuse with: invidious (causing resentment)

Mnemonic: An insidious disease lurks inside us until it decides to pounce.

malevolence (n) male evil + volent wishing

evil intent : The villain eyed his victim with malevolence .

Form: malevolent = with evil intent

Synonyms: maliciousness , rancor

Root family: [mal] malignant (disposed to causing harm or suffering), malicious (full of spite), malign (to speak about someone in a spiteful manner)

Root family: [vole] benevolent (kindly), volition (free will), voluntary (performed by choice)

obsolete (adj)

outdated; no longer in production : Mr. King still types all of his manuscripts on an obsolete Corona typewriter .

Forms: obsolesce = to become obsolete, obsolescence = the state of being obsolete

Synonyms: outmoded , outdated , anachronistic , archaic

regress (v) re - back + gressus walking

to return to a less developed state : As he got angrier, Gary seemed to regress into childhood, and began kicking his feet and pouting like a toddler .

Form: regression = the process of moving toward a less developed state, regressive = moving backward or toward a less developed state

Root family: [re-] reprehensible (deserving of condemnation), refute (to prove something false), revoke (to take back), renounce (to give up or put aside publicly), relegate (to place in a lower rank)

Root family: [grad, gress] progress (forward movement), egress (exit), digress (to stray from the topic)

vestige (n)

[VEST idge] a trace of something that no longer exists : The archaeologists wondered whether this small clay shard was a vestige of a once-great civilization .

Form: vestigial = remaining as a trace of something long since gone

Synonyms: remnant , relic , residue

Don”t confuse with: vestment (clothing), prestige [press TEEGE] (widespread respect)

virulent (adj) virus poison

bitterly hostile; extremely harmful : The speech was an incoherent and virulent diatribe against the dangers of socialism .

Form: virulence = ability to cause extreme harm; poisonousness

Synonyms: toxic , pernicious

Root family: [viru] virus (a nucleic acid molecule that acts as an infective agent)

Don”t confuse with: violent (involving physical force to hurt or damage)

17 THE LANGUAGE OF KINDNESS, FAVOR, AND BENEFIT

affable (adj)

friendly and good-natured : Gena is so affable that she will surely make new friends at camp .

Form: affability = friendliness and good nature

Synonyms: amiable , genial , gregarious

Don”t confuse with: ineffable (unable to be described in words)

Mnemonic: An affable person is able to laugh easily ( affable = laugh-able ) which makes him or her very easy to like. But be careful not to confuse affable with laughable (ridiculous to the point of being amusing).

alleviate (v) ad - to + levare to lift

to make something, such as suffering, less severe : She regretted that she could not alleviate her friend”s pain .

Synonyms: mitigate , palliate , attenuate , allay , assuage

Root family: [lev] levity (good-natured humor), elevate (to lift), relevant (raised to an important level), relieve (to lift a burden from another)

Don”t confuse with: abbreviate (to make shorter)

altruistic (adj) alter other

selfless; putting the concerns of others before one”s own : Only the most altruistic doctors can tolerate the hardships of running disease clinics in poor communities .

Form: altruism = the belief in or practice of putting the concern of others before one”s own

Root family: [alter] altercation (a noisy fight), alter (to change or cause to change), alternate (to occur in turn repeatedly, adulterate (to render (something) inferior, usually by adding something to it), alter ego (alternative personality)

Mnemonic: An altruistic person puts others ( alter = other) before himself or herself, and is always true to the idea of charity.

amicable (adj) amicus friend

showing goodwill and a spirit of friendliness : I hope we can reach an amicable settlement .

Root family: [ami] amiable (friendly), inimical (antagonistic), enmity (hostility or active opposition)

Don”t confuse with: applicable (relevant or appropriate)

Usage: Although amicable and amiable derive from the same roots, amicable is more commonly used to describe friendly situations , while amiable is more commonly used to describe friendly people .

auspicious (adj) avis bird + specere to look

conducive to success; favorable to a positive outcome : The rainstorm did not provide an auspicious start to the wedding ceremony .

Form: inauspicious = not favorable

Synonyms: propitious , opportune , felicitous

Root family: [spic, spec] introspective (reflective), speculation (guess based on insufficient evidence), circumspect (cautious), inspect (to examine closely)

Don”t confuse with: suspicious (showing cautious distrust), vicious (cruel)

Mnemonic: Auspicious derives from the Latin avis (bird) and specere (to look) because in mid-16th-century Europe it was believed that observing particular birds in flight was a favorable sign in divination. From this meaning of “favorable omen,” we also get the word auspice , which means “patronage or support,” as in The study was conducted under the auspices of the Labor Board .

benefactor (n) bene good + facere to do or make

one who gives money to benefit a person or cause : The letter acknowledged the many benefactors who had helped the Arts Society stay afloat in trying economic times .

Synonyms: patron , sponsor

Root family: [ben, bon] beneficiary (one who receives a benefit), benevolent (kindly), benign (harmless)

Root family: [fac, fec, fic] facile (simplistic), munificent (generous)

Don”t confuse with: beneficiary (one who receives a benefit)

beneficiary (n) bene good + facere to do or make

one who receives a benefit : Wayne was the beneficiary of his friend”s generosity .

Synonym: legatee

Root family: [ben, bon] benefactor (one who provides a benefit), benevolent (kindly), benign (harmless)

Root family: [fac, fec, fic] facile (simplistic), munificent (generous)

Don”t confuse with: benefactor (one who provides a benefit)

benevolent (adj) bene good + velle to wish

kindly; well meaning : She was a benevolent queen, attentive to the needs of all of her subjects .

Form: benevolence = kindness

Synonyms: altruistic , philanthropic , magnanimous

Root family: [ben, bon] beneficiary (one who receives a benefit), benefactor (one who provides a benefit)

Root family: [vol] malevolent (having evil intent), volition (free will), voluntary (performed by choice)

Mnemonic: English words containing vol can be confusing because they can derive from three different Latin roots: velle ((to wish) (from which we get malevolent (having evil intent) and benevolent ), volare ((to fly) from which we get volatile and volley (to throw at a target)), or volvere ((to roll) from which we get convoluted and revolution (a complete turn)).

benign (adj) bene good + genus born

gentle; causing no harm : Rather than rousing indignation, Senator Paulson”s concession speech was benign and gracious .

Synonyms: innocuous , anodyne

Root family: [ben, bon] beneficiary (one who receives a benefit), benevolent (kindly), benefactor (one who provides a benefit)

Don”t confuse with: benighted (in a woeful state of ignorance, literally “in the darkness of night”)

complement (v) or (n) com - (intensive) + plere to fill

[1] (v) to add to something to make it complete or perfect : The savory sautéed spinach complemented the rich and dense portobello mushroom to make the perfect side dish .

[2] (n) something that completes a whole : Calculus is an important complement to the study of physics .

Forms: complementary = acting to form a complete or perfect whole

Root family: [ple] deplete (to use the supply of), replete (filled to the fullest extent)

Don”t confuse with: compliment (to say something kind about someone else)

conciliatory (adj) concilium council

likely to appease or to bring people together in goodwill : The student exchange was intended as a conciliatory gesture between the formerly antagonistic countries .

Forms: conciliate = to appease or to gain goodwill, conciliation = the act of appeasing or gaining goodwill

Synonyms: appeasing , mollifying , placatory , propitiatory

Root family: [concilium] council (an advisory or legislative body)

Usage: See usage note at pacify in section 4.

Mnemonic: The verb conciliate derives from the Latin concilium , which means “an assembly or council.” If you know anything about how modern city councils work, you know that a lot of compromise and appeasement—a lot of conciliation —is often needed to get people from different backgrounds, temperaments, and political parties to work together.

decorum (n) decorus showing good taste

dignified and tasteful behavior : Please show some decorum while we are touring the palace .

Forms: decorous = in keeping with good taste and propriety, indecorum = lack of decorum, indecorous = lacking in decorum

Synonyms: propriety , etiquette , protocol

Root family: [deco, dec] decoration (ornamentation), decent (conforming to standards of appropriate behavior), decor (the furnishing and decoration of a home)

Don”t confuse with: decor (the furnishing and decoration of a home). To avoid confusing these, you might remember that the um in decorum is like the um in human ; only humans can show decorum , while only homes have decor .

empathy (n) pathos feeling

the ability to understand and share the feelings of another : Dawn has a great empathy for fellow cancer survivors .

Forms: empathize = to understand and share the feelings of others, empathetic = able to empathize

eulogy (n) eu good + logos word

a praising speech, particularly for one who is deceased : Glen”s eulogy was touching yet humorous .

Form: eulogize = to recite or write a eulogy

Synonyms: accolade , paean , encomium

Root family: [eu] euthanasia (mercy killing), euphonious (pleasant sounding), euphoria (extreme happiness), euphemism (a mild term or phrase intended to replace a harsher one)

Don”t confuse eulogize with euthanize (to put a person or animal to death humanely)

euphemism (n) eu good + pheme speaking

a mild term or phrase intended to replace a harsh, embarrassing, or unpleasant one : Senators are adept at inserting euphemisms like “patriot” into the names of their bills to divert the public”s attention from the true nature of the laws .

Form: euphemistic = pertaining to the use of euphemisms; having the qualities of euphemism

Root family: [eu] euthanasia (mercy killing), euphonious (pleasant sounding), euphoria (extreme happiness), eulogy (a praising speech, usually for the deceased)

Root family: [phem] blasphemy (speaking profanely about holy things), dysphemism (a deliberately derogatory or unpleasant term or phrase), prophecy (significant prediction of the future)

Don”t confuse with: euphoria (extreme happiness)

innocuous (adj) in - not + nocuus harmful

not harmful or offensive : The interviewer asked only innocuous questions rather than probing into more interesting topics .

Synonyms: benign , anodyne

Root family: [in-, im-] insipid (flavorless), insuperable (impossible to overcome), inert (lacking vigor), interminable (unending), indefatigable (untiring), ineffable (inexpressible in words), inscrutable (beyond understanding), impassive (unemotional), incongruous (not consistent with expectations)

Root family: [nocu, noxi] innocent (not guilty), noxious (harmful), obnoxious (rudely unpleasant)

mitigate (v)

to make less serious or severe : The effects of hurricanes can be mitigated by the presence of a thriving barrier island system .

Forms: mitigating = serving to make less serious or severe, unmitigated = without redeeming qualities

Synonyms: palliate , attenuate , allay , assuage

Don”t confuse with: litigate (to file and execute a lawsuit), migrate (to move from one habitat to another, usually according to the season)

Usage: While pacify , placate , appease , propitiate , and conciliate all describe things done to people , words like palliate , mollify , and assuage generally apply to feelings , and words like mitigate and ameliorate can pertain to situations as well as feelings .

Mnemonic: Judges or juries often consider mitigating circumstances before sentencing someone who has been convicted of a crime. Assaulting someone who is perceived as a threat is not as serious as assaulting someone without provocation, so the threatening could be a mitigating circumstance that reduces the sentence for assault.

mollify (v) mollis soft

to appease someone”s anger or anxiety : The tax bill was taken off of the agenda to mollify the angry citizens .

Form: mollification = the process of appeasing anger or anxiety

Synonyms: propitiate , conciliate , placate , appease

Root family: [moll] emollient (an agent that softens skin), mollusk (an invertebrate with a soft unsegmented body, usually protected by a shell)

Don”t confuse with: mortify (to make to feel embarrassed or humiliated)

Usage: See usage note at pacify in section 4.

Mnemonic: Imagine someone you know named Molly trying to settle down an angry friend.

obliging (adj) ob - toward + ligare to bind

eager to help : The bellhops were very obliging to those who were good tippers .

Root family: [lig] ligament (a band of connective tissue), obligatory (mandatory; necessary to do), religion (belief in a supernatural power which obligates one to perform rituals)

Don”t confuse with: obligatory (mandatory; necessary to do)

Mnemonic: When you feel obliged to do something for something, you feel bound to do it ( ob- to + ligare to bind). It is obligatory (mandatory; necessary to do). If you always feel bound to your responsibility to help others, you are obliging .

propriety (n) proprius one”s own

conformity to standards of proper behavior : As representatives of our school, we must conduct ourselves with the utmost propriety .

Form: impropriety = improper behavior

Root family: [prop] appropriate (adj) (proper of suitable to the circumstances); (v) (to take something that doesn”t belong to you for your own use, typically without the owner”s permission : The Spanish appropriated many of the discoveries of the Mayans as their own ), proprietor (the legal owner of a business)

Don”t confuse with: proprietor (the legal owner of a business)

Mnemonic: Although proprietor and propriety are easily confused, they derive from different aspects of the root word proprius (one”s own). A proprietor is the legal owner of a small business, but propriety is the respect with which one treats one”s own family and tribe.

reciprocate (v) re - back + pro - forward

to respond to an action or gesture by doing something in kind : If you act kindly to strangers, they are likely to reciprocate .

Forms: reciprocal = done in return, reciprocity = the practice of acting with mutual benefit

Root family: [pro-] protracted (lasting longer than expected), prophecy (prediction), promote (further the progress of something; raise in rank), progeny (offspring)

refinement (n) finire to finish

[1] elegance in taste and manners : Jerrod has all the refinement one would expect of a world traveler .

[2] the process of bringing to a purer state : Crude oil must undergo refinement before it can be used as fuel .

Forms: refined = cultured and well-mannered, refine = to make more cultured, unrefined = uncultured or unimproved

Don”t confuse refine with define (to set forth the meaning of something).

solicitous (adj) citus set in motion

showing interest or concern : Lisa”s office mates became solicitous when they heard that her daughter was ill .

Forms: solicitude = care or concern for someone or something, solicit = to ask (someone) for something

Root family: [cit] excite (to elicit energetic feelings in someone; to energize something), incite (to encourage violence or illicit behavior), resuscitate (to bring back to life)

Usage: Many Americans assume that solicitous has a negative connotation because solicitations (requests for money or other donations) can be annoying. However, solicitude is not badgering but sincere concern. This meaning is conveyed more accurately in the British definition of solicitor as “an attorney who assists a client,” rather than the American definition of “one who requests donations.”

Don”t confuse with: solicitor (one who requests donations for charity; (in the U.K.) an attorney)

symbiosis (n) sym - together + bio life

a mutually beneficial relationship between different species : One example of symbiosis is the relationship between the clownfish and the sea anemone, whereby the clownfish receives protection from its enemies and the anemone receives food .

Form: symbiotic = characterized by symbiosis

Root family: [sym] sympathy (compassion), symmetry (a geometric correspondence among similar parts)

Root family: [bio] biology (the study of living things), biodegradable (able to decompose into nutrients for living things)

Don”t confuse with: symbolic (pertaining to the use of symbols)

tactful (adj) tactus sense of touch

showing sensitivity to the needs of others with difficult private issues : Jerry Springer rarely shows any desire to be tactful about his guests” embarrassing personal problems .

Forms: tact = sensitivity to the needs of others with difficult private issues, tactless = utterly without tact

Synonyms: politic , discreet , judicious , decorous

Root family: [tang, tact, ting, tig, tag, teg] tactile (pertaining to the sense of touch), tangential (barely related to the topic), tangible (touchable), contact (to touch, or get in touch with), contagious (spreadable, as a disease, via close contact), contiguous (physically touching or bordering, as the contiguous 48 states ), integrity (the quality of wholeness or wholesomeness; moral uprightness)

Don”t confuse with: tacky (showing poor taste)

utility (n) utilis useful

the state of being useful : When searching for a new car, the Kearns were clearly more interested in utility than beauty .

Form: utilitarian = designed to be useful rather than attractive; pragmatic, utile = advantageous, utilize = to use effectively

Don”t confuse with: futility (pointlessness)

18 THE LANGUAGE OF WISDOM, STRENGTH, AND SKILL

adroit (adj) a droit as to the right (Fr < L dexter right)

skillful : He was such an adroit salesman that he could sell ice cubes to polar bears .

Form: adroitness = skillfulness

Synonyms: adept , dexterous , deft , proficient

Root family: [dext, droit] dexterity (skill), ambidextrous (having skill in using either hand)

Mnemonic: French speakers will recognize the word adroit from the French phrase a droit , “to the right.” This continues a trend in Romance languages to associate right-handedness with skill and the left-handedness with awkwardness or deceit. For instance, the French word gauche , “left,” in English means “socially inept.” Similarly, the Latin word dexter , “on the right,” is the root of dexterity (skill) and ambidextrous (skilled in using both hands), and the Latin word sinister , “left,” has come to mean “malevolent” in English.

astute (adj)

having or showing keen insight : The announcers made many astute comments about the game .

Synonyms: sagacious , prudent , shrewd , canny , incisive

Don”t confuse with: acute (keen, as pain or ability)

Usage: Although astute , sagacious , prudent , judicious , shrewd , canny , and incisive are similar, they offer different shades of meaning. Astute comes from the Latin astutus (craft), so an astute person is likely to have acquired keen insight through careful study; a sagacious person, however, is likely to have acquired this insight from the benefit of age and trial; a prudent person is both wise and conservative; a judicious person is a keen overall adjudicator, whether he or she has acquired that ability through study, age, or trial; a shrewd or canny person is insightful and even a bit cunning, particularly in pursuit of a goal like power, compromise, or money; an incisivecommentator has the power to “cut” ( cis = cut) to the heart of the matter.

discernment (n) dis - apart + cernere to distinguish

the ability to make sound judgments and fine distinctions : Becoming a master oenologist requires not only discernment but also constant study of wines and how they are produced .

Forms: discern = to perceive something as being distinct from other things, discerning = having a keen ability to make fine distinctions

Synonyms: perspicacity , percipience

Root family: [cern, cert] ascertain (find something out for certain), certain (known for sure), certify (formally attest or confirm)

discretion (n) discretus separate

sensitivity in dealing with others, particularly in not causing offense : The teacher showed admirable discretion in not revealing the students” grades out loud .

Forms: discreet = careful in not causing offense, discretionary = subject to a particular judgment, indiscreet = not careful to avoid offense

Synonyms: tact , tactfulness

Don”t confuse discreet with discrete (individually distinct : The program is broken down into 12 discrete steps .)

ethics (n) ethos customs, behavior

[1] a set of moral principles : His ethics were dubious .

[2] the study of moral principles : David failed his course in medical ethics .

Forms: ethicist = one who studies ethics (ethologists study animal behavior), ethic = moral principles relating to a specific group or field (puritan ethic ), ethical = morally correct; pertaining to ethics

exacting (adj) ex - (intensive) + agere to perform

making great demands on one”s skills : Rock climbing is a very exacting task .

Form: exact (v) = to demand and obtain, usually as a payment : Caesar exacted a tax on all Roman citizens .

Root family: [agi, age, act] agent (someone or something that produces a desired effect), agenda (list of items to be accomplished at a meeting), agile (able to move quickly and skillfully), exigent (pressing; placing demands on someone or something), inactive (not active)

Usage: Exacting does not mean exact (adj). Both words derive from exigere (to drive out), but the adjective exact derives from a more recent Latin word, exactus (precise).

exemplar (n) exemplum sample (< ex - out + emere to take)

someone or something serving as an ideal example of something : William “Boss” Tweed stands as the exemplar of American political corruption and greed .

Form: exemplary = serving as an excellent example

Synonyms: apotheosis , nonpareil , paragon

Root family: [e-, ex-] extol (to praise highly), extemporaneous (without planning), exuberant (filled with liveliness and energy), elusive (difficult to catch or achieve)

Root family: [emp, empt, sumpt] consumption (the process of eating or using resources), presumptuous (failing to observe appropriate limits of behavior), preempt (take action to prevent another event from happening), peremptory (insisting on immediate attention), sumptuous (splendid and abundant)

lithe (adj)

limber and graceful : The dancers resembled nothing so much as rippling water as their lithe bodies undulated rhythmically .

Synonyms: agile , supple , limber , lissome

Don”t confuse with: loathe (to hate), blithe (carefree), lathe (a rotating machine for shaping wood)

Mnemonic: Lithe dancers can lightly writhe , like weightless strips of silk waving in the breeze.

objective (adj)

focused on fact rather than opinion : A good journalist must try to remain objective even when covering emotionally poignant stories .

Form: objectivity = the state of being objective

Synonyms: impartial , dispassionate , disinterested , nonpartisan

Usage: Although objective , impartial , dispassionate , disinterested , and nonpartisan are similar, they offer different shades of meaning. A scientist or journalist should be objective , that is, focused on facts (objects ), to the exclusion of opinions, in the pursuit of gathering and analyzing information; a good judge should be impartial , that is, lacking any bias for or against any of the disputants (legal parties ); a wise judge is also dispassionate , that is, actively discounting his or her feelings (passions ) in favor of the facts; a disinterested judge avoids considerations of personal advantage (interest ); and a fair-minded politician is nonpartisan , that is, inclined to elevate pragmatic concerns over political ideology (the party line).

Usage: In modern usage objective is the opposite of subjective (based on opinion rather than fact).

pragmatic (adj) pragma deed

concerned with practical rather than idealistic considerations : Her choice of car was more pragmatic than aesthetic .

Forms: pragmatism = belief that practical qualities are more important than idealistic ones, pragmatist = a pragmatic person

Don”t confuse with: dogmatic

Usage: Pragmatic and practical have very similar meanings and origins, but while a pair of shoes might be practical (suitable to and effective for general purposes), only people can be pragmatic . Pragmatic can describe a frame of mind or a method, but not a thing.

proficient (adj) pro - for + facere to do or make

competent or skilled in a particular task : He is a proficient drummer, if not an exceptionally talented one .

Form: proficiency = skill in a particular task

Synonyms: adept , adroit , deft , dexterous

sagacious (adj)

having or showing good judgment and discernment : We needed the sagacious mind of Uncle Ted to help us resolve our differences .

Forms: sagacity = wisdom and discernment, sage = a wise person

Synonyms: astute , prudent , judicious , shrewd , canny , incisive

Usage: See usage note at astute in this section.

valor (n) valere to be strong

courage and nobility in the face of danger : His valor on the battlefield earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor .

Form: valiant = courageous

Root family: [val] prevalent (widespread and abundant), ambivalent (having mixed feelings), valence (the power of an atom to make bonds with other atoms)

Don”t confuse with: pallor an unhealthy pale appearance

19 THE LANGUAGE OF CAPITAL AND WEALTH

avarice (n)

extreme greed : David was repulsed by the avarice that thrived on Wall Street in the 1990s .

Form: avaricious = extremely greedy

Synonyms: cupidity , rapacity , covetousness

Don”t confuse avaricious with vicious (deliberately cruel or violent), auspicious (favorable), or avatar (a worldly incarnation of a god; a moving icon representing a person in cyberspace)

Mnemonic: Someone who is avaricious wants to have all riches .

bourgeois (adj) burgus castle, fortified town

pertaining to or characteristic of the conventional and materialistic life of the middle class : He rebelled against the stultifying bourgeois lifestyle and yearned for the life of a bohemian .

Form: bourgeoisie = the middle class

Synonyms: conventional

Root family: [burg] burg (city or town), borough (an administrative district, as or within a town or city), burglar (one who breaks into homes to rob them (< burgier to pillage a town))

decadent (adj) de - down + cadere to fall

excessively self-indulgent : I decided that since I had adhered strictly to my diet for two months, I could be decadent at the wedding .

Form: decadence = excessive self-indulgence

Root family: [de-] denounce (declare as bad), detract (reduce the value of something), debase (reduce in value), denigrate (criticize unfairly), deference (submission to the authority of another), condescend (to act superior to someone else)

Root family: [cide, cade, cas, cay] accident (an unintentional, unexpected, and unfortunate incident), cadence (the rising and falling inflection of the voice), coincide (to occur at the same time), cascade (small waterfall), recidivism (falling back into a life of crime)

exorbitant (adj) ex - out + orbita track, course

excessive ; exceeding the bounds of propriety or reason : She charged an exorbitant fee for only a few hours” work .

Synonym: prohibitive

Root family: [e-, ex-] extol (to praise highly), extemporaneous (without planning), exuberant (filled with liveliness and energy), elusive (difficult to catch or achieve)

Root family: [orb] orbit (elliptical path of a satellite)

frugal (adj)

reluctant to spend money or expend resources : He was too frugal to even pay for a cab ride home .

Form: frugality = thriftiness; reluctance to expend resources

Synonyms: miserly , stingy

indigent (adj) or (n)

[1] (adj) poor; needy : We”ve donated the proceeds to a charity that provides food and shelter to the indigent of our city .

Synonyms: impecunious , destitute , insolvent , penurious

[2] (n) a poor and homeless person : Fewer indigents can be found on the streets since the city opened the new shelter and soup kitchen .

Form: indigence = poverty

Don”t confuse with: indigenous (native)

Mnemonic: During the Depression, homeless wanderers may have been disparaged as hobos or indigents , but many of them might have just considered themselves inde pendent gent lemen.

lavish (adj) or (v)

[1] (adj) extravagant or elaborate : It was a lavish affair, elegant to the last detail .

[2] (v) to give in extravagant quantities : His aunts lavished little Stephen with attention .

Don”t confuse with: slavish (like or characteristic of a slave)

lucrative (adj) lucrum profit

highly profitable : He abandoned his lucrative banking job for a more fulfilling career in teaching .

Synonyms: remunerative , gainful

Root family: [lucr] lucre (profit, usually that which is ill-gotten)

mercenary (adj) or (n) merces payment

[1] (adj) primarily concerned with making money : When our CEO left for a higher-paying job after only six months, he was rightly castigated for being mercenary .

Synonyms: acquisitive , venal , avaricious , covetous

[2] (n) a soldier who fights for money rather than patriotism; a person concerned primarily with making money rather than with personal integrity : The general preferred to work with dedicated soldiers rather than mercenaries .

Synonym: soldier of fortune

Root family: [merc] merchant (s trader or store owner), mercantilism (belief in the benefits of profitable trading), commerce (the activity of buying and selling), merchandise (goods that are bought and sold)

opulent (adj)

ostentatiously rich or lavish : Jay Gatsby threw opulent parties at his elegant mansion .

Form: opulence = lavishness

Synonyms: grandiose , ritzy , splendid

Don”t confuse with: opalescent (exhibiting a milky iridescence, as an opal)

ostentatious (adj) ostens presented for display

intended to attract attention; characterized by vulgar and pretentious display : We decorated our house tastefully, avoiding the ostentatious Christmas displays that were so common in town .

Form: ostentation = pretentious and vulgar display

Synonyms: pretentious , flamboyant , gaudy , ornate , garish

Root family: [osten] ostensible (appearing to be true, but not necessarily so)

Don”t confuse with: austere

prodigal (adj) prodigus lavish

tending to spend resources wastefully : A prodigal manager can squander a year”s worth of careful savings in just a few weeks .

Form: prodigality = wastefulness

Synonyms: profligate , spendthrift , improvident

Root family: [prodigi] prodigy (a young person with exceptional talent), prodigious (great in size or degree)

Mnemonic: The Biblical story of the prodigal son is about a son who squanders all of his inheritance and later comes to regret it.

remuneration (n) munero to share, to give a gift

payment for services : We were unhappy with the remuneration we received for the hard work we put into the project .

Forms: remunerate = to pay someone for services, remunerative = pertaining to payment for services

Synonyms: recompense , reimbursement , compensation

Root family: [muni, muner] immunity (resistance to an infection or toxin), munificent (generous)

Don”t confuse with: enumeration (listing in numerical order)

Mnemonic: Remuneration is re ceived money for your action.

squander (v)

to waste recklessly, particularly money or opportunity : We must not squander this opportunity to get our financial house in order .

Don”t confuse with: wander (roam)

20 THE LANGUAGE OF PASSION, EMOTION, AND SENSATION

abash (v)

to cause to feel embarrassed or ashamed : I was abashed at the sight of her photograph .

Form: abashed = embarrassed, unabashed = confidently unashamed

Don”t confuse with: bash ((v) hit forcefully; (n) a lively party)

Mnemonic: Abash means to make bashful .

alacrity (n)

cheerful eagerness : Howard accepted our invitation to brunch with alacrity .

Synonyms: ardor , fervor , dispatch

Don”t confuse with: anachronism (something out of place in time), clarity (clearness)

apathy (n) a - without + pathos suffering, emotion

lack of interest or concern : Although Glen was happy and excited about the trip, Philip”s glum apathy tempered everyone”s mood .

Form: apathetic = lacking interest or concern

Synonyms: indifference , dispassion , languor

Root family: [a-, an-] amorphous (lacking definite shape), anarchy (lack of hierarchical government)

Root family: [path, pati, pass] sympathy (feeling of sorrow for the misfortunes of another), pathology (the science of the causes and course of diseases), empathy (the ability to share the feelings of others), antipathy (hostility)

Don”t confuse with: antipathy (hostility)

apprehensive (adj) prehendere to grasp, to seize

anxious that something bad might happen : Kyra was apprehensive about entering the abandoned house .

Form: apprehension = fear that something bad might happen; the taking of a criminal suspect into custody

Synonyms: fretful , disquieted

Root family: [prehens] comprehensive (thorough and complete), reprehensible (morally objectionable)

Don”t confuse with: comprehensive (thorough and complete)

Mnemonic: The word apprehend , deriving as it does from the Latin prehendere , meaning “to grasp or seize,” means “to arrest” (apprehend a criminal ) or “to perceive or understand superficially” (apprehend danger ). Apprehensive , however, does not derive from either of those meanings, but rather the idea of being “seized” with fear.

ardor (n) ardere to burn

enthusiasm; passion : He has maintained the same ardor for campaigning as he had when he first ran for office .

Form: ardent = passionate

Root family: [ard, ars] arsonist (one who illegally sets fires)

Don”t confuse with: arbor (a shady alcove covered by trees or climbing plants), barter (exchange of goods or services for payment instead of money)

Mnemonic: Ardor is a burning passion ( ardere = to burn).

callous (adj)

emotionally insensitive to the suffering of others : He showed callous disregard of the pain that we were going through .

Form: callousness = disregard for the suffering of others

Synonyms: ruthless , inhumane , sadistic

Don”t confuse with: callowness (immaturity)

catharsis (n)

the process of purging unwanted or unhealthy emotions : After a frustrating day at the office, kickboxing class offers a welcome catharsis .

Form: cathartic = providing an elimination of unwanted emotions

Synonyms: purgation , venting

Don”t confuse with: catheter (a tube inserted into the body to remove fluid), catechism (a summary of questions and answers summarizing the principles of the Christian religion)

complacent (adj) com - (intensive) + placent pleasing

smugly and uncritically satisfied with one”s situation : A nation should not be complacent about its security .

Form: complacency = smug self-satisfaction

Root family: [plac] placate (to appease), implacable (unable to be pleased), placid (peaceful)

Don”t confuse with: complaisant (willing to please)

Mnemonic: One who is complacent is satisfied with his or her place in the world, but one who is complaisant wants to please ( plais ).

ebullient (adj) e - out + bullire to boil

full of cheerful energy : Jennifer was ebullient about her acceptance to Brown .

Form: ebullience = cheerful energy

Don”t confuse with: emollient (a skin softening agent)

Mnemonic: Someone who is ebullient lets the joy bubble out ( e- out + bullire to boil).

effusive (adj) e - out + fusus poured

freely expressive, particularly of emotions; pouring out : Julie was effusive in her greeting, hugging each of us like a mother bear .

Forms: effusion = an outpouring, usually of emotion

Root family: [fus, fund, found] confuse (to cause to become perplexed), confound (to fail to distinguish different elements), diffuse (spread out over a large area), fusion (the process of joining two things into a single entity), profuse (abundant), transfusion (a transfer, usually of blood, from one person or animal to another), refuse (to reject)

Don”t confuse with: elusive (difficult to find, catch, or achieve)

fervent (adj) fervere to be hot

displaying a passionate intensity : The protest rally was punctuated by several fervent speeches .

Form: fervor = intense and passionate feeling

Synonyms: vehement , zealous , fervid

Root family: [ferv] effervescent (bubbly), fervid (passionate), fever (elevated body temperature due to infection; state of nervous excitement)

Don”t confuse with: fever (elevated body temperature due to infection; state of nervous excitement)

Mnemonic/Usage: Although fervent doesn”t mean exactly the same thing as feverish , both words derive from the same Latin root and both share the meaning of “intense feeling.” In the case of fervent , the feeling is primarily emotional, but in feverish , the feeling is primarily physical.

forlorn (adj)

pitifully sad and lonely : The city was filled with forlorn souls with unfulfilled dreams .

Synonyms: despondent , disconsolate , abject , melancholy

Don”t confuse with: foregone (predetermined)

grudging (adj) grouchier to grumble

given reluctantly or resentfully : Although his opponents hate to compete against him, they give him grudging respect .

Root family: [grudg, grouch] grouchy (irritable and bad-tempered), begrudge (to envy someone”s enjoyment of something)

Don”t confuse with: dredging (cleaning a riverbed by scooping)

indifferent (adj)

having no particular concern or interest : The king was indifferent to the suffering of his own people .

Form: indifference = lack of concern or interest

Synonyms: insouciant , nonchalant , dispassionate , apathetic

Don”t confuse with: not different

Mnemonic: People tend to be indifferent about those things that they think make no difference in the world .

Usage: See usage note at nonchalant in section 8.

inhibited (adj)

reluctant to act or restrained from acting in a natural way, usually because of self-consciousness : Faith felt inhibited in front of her classmates, but was very much a free spirit with her friends .

Forms: inhibit = to restrain or hinder, inhibition = self-conscious reluctance to behave naturally, uninhibited = free-spirited

Synonyms: reticent , diffident

Don”t confuse with: inhabited (occupied as a living space by a person, animal, or group)

palpable (adj) palpare to touch gently

perceivable by touch; so intense as to seem touchable : The tension in the room was palpable .

Form: palpate = to touch gently, especially to diagnose a medical condition

Mnemonic: When you go the doctor with stomach pains, the doctor palpates your stomach with his or her palm to feel the pain .

qualitative (adj)

pertaining to the quality of something rather than a measurable quantity : There has been a qualitative change in the mood of the workers ever since the new contract was signed .

resigned (adj) re - back + signare to sign officially

reluctantly accepting of an undesirable situation : We were resigned to the fact that Ms. Davis, our favorite teacher, would be absent for several weeks .

Form: resignation = reluctant acceptance of an undesirable situation

Synonyms: forbearing , stoical , acquiescent , compliant

Root family: [re-] recluse (a person who lives a solitary lifestyle), renounce (to give up or put aside publicly), regress (to return to a less developed state), relegate (to place in a lower rank)

Root family: [sign] consign (to deliver into another”s custody), designate (to appoint officially), signature (a person”s name written as an official identification mark), significant (noteworthy), assign (to allocate officially)

vehement (adj) vehere to carry

showing intense feeling : The lawyer”s accusation was met with a vehement denial .

Form: vehemence = intense feeling

Synonym: ardent

Root family: [veh, vect] vehicle (a mechanical transportation device; a means of expression), vector (a quantity with magnitude and direction; a means of transmitting disease), convection (the circulation of air by heating and cooling)

Don”t confuse with: violent (physically forceful)

Mnemonic: Vehement sounds like vehicle because they both derive from the Latin verb vehere , “to carry”: someone who is vehement is getting “carried away.”