Daily Buzzwords
Up to February 9: Practice the buzzwords using this Quizlet!
February 9, 2016 commodious (adjective)
What does it mean?
: having a comfortable amount of space
How do you use it?
Each of these divisions of the city possesses a large and commodious harbor,
which is protected by strong fortifications
Are you a word wiz?
Which word do you think is a synonym of "commodious"?
A. lush
B. constrained
C. impeccable
D. ample
January 29, 2016: complicit (adjective)
What does it mean?
: associating or participating in or as if in a wrongful act
---of Middle English complice ‘an associate,’ via Old French from late Latin complex, complic- ‘allied,’ from com- ‘together’ + the root of plicare ‘to fold.’
How do you use it?
The district attorney promised that the criminals, along with any others complicit in the crimes, would be brought to justice.
Are you a word wiz?
Which of the sentences uses "complicit" correctly?
A. The jury found him complicit of committing murder.
B. If I ignore her shoplifting, am I complicit in it?
C. I will not stand for this--I will be complicit!
D. She was charged as a complicit to the crime.
January 28, 2016: constituent (noun)
What does it mean?
1 : one of the parts of which a thing is made up: element, ingredient
2 : any of the voters who elect a person to represent them
How do you use it?
In science class we learned that the main constituents of Earth's atmosphere are oxygen and nitrogen.
Are you a word wiz?
Which word do you think is a synonym of "constituent"?
A. component
B. commerce
C. confluence
D. consideration
A. component- Latin , from com- ‘together’ + ponere ‘put.’
B. commerce- from Latin com- ‘together’ + (from merx, merc- ‘merchandise’).
C. confluence- late 15th cent.: from Latin con- ‘together’ + fluere ‘to flow.’
D. consideration- , from Latin considerare ‘examine,’ perhaps based on sidus, sider- ‘star.’
January 20, 2015 confection (noun)
What does it mean?
: a fancy dish or sweet
How do you use it?
For the bake sale, Riley brought in two dozen raspberry confections with powdered sugar on top, and they all sold within an hour.
Are you a word wiz?
Which of the following do you think is the ancestor of our word "confection"?
A. a Latin word meaning "to prepare"
B. a Dutch word meaning "to eat"
C. a Spanish word meaning "to serve"
D. a Hindi word meaning "to cook"
Are you prepared for the answer? The Latin "conficere," meaning "to prepare," is the ancestor of "confection." "Confection" was first used in English in the 1400s, but it developed from the older verb "confect," an offspring of "confiscere" which means "to put together from varied material" or "to prepare or preserve." Another descendant of "conficere" is "comfit," which is a candy consisting of a piece of fruit, a root (such as licorice), a nut, or a seed coated and preserved with sugar.
January 19, 2016: condition (verb)
What does it mean?
1 : to put into a proper or desired condition
2 a : to adapt, modify, or mold to respond in a particular way b : to change the behavior of (an organism) in such a way that a response to a given stimulus becomes connected with a different and formerly unrelated stimulus
How do you use it?
My aquarium fish are conditioned to swim to the top of the tank for food when they see me.
Are you a word wiz?
What language do you think "condition" stems from?
A. Spanish
B. Chinese
C. German
D. Latin
from Latin condicio(n-) ‘agreement,’ from condicere ‘agree upon,’ from con- ‘with’ + dicere ‘say.’
January 7, 2016: conspire (verb)
What does it mean?
1 : to agree secretly to do an unlawful act: plot
2 : to act together
How do you use it?
"On Easter Monday the rain began in earnest. It was as though the elements were conspiring to ruin their short week of freedom." (Katherine Paterson, Bridge to Terabithia)
Are you a word wiz?
What do you think the root word of "conspire" means?
A. to decide
B. to breathe
C. to gather
D. to perform
"Conspire" comes from the Latin verb "spirare," which means "to breathe," paired with the prefix "con-," meaning "together."
"Aspire," "aspirare" (literally, "to breathe upon") which combines "spirare" with the prefix "ad-."
"Perspire," "spirare" combined with the prefix "per-," meaning "through."
Other "spirare" offspring include "inspire," "expire," "transpire," and "spirit."
December 18, 2015: dystopia (noun)
What does it mean?
: an imaginary place where people are unhappy and usually afraid because they are not treated fairly
How do you use it?
The book The Hunger Games is set in a dystopia whose geography is similar to the geography of the United States.
Are you a word wiz?
Where did "dystopia" come from?
A. the name of a book
B. two Greek roots
C. a Russian author's name
D. Old English
Put on sheet
"Dystopia" was coined in 1950 from the Greek root "dys-," which means "bad," and "topos," the Greek word for "place." The word "dystopia" was influenced by a far older word: "utopia," which refers to a perfect world and which is often contrasted with "dystopia." But even though "utopia" describes a perfect place, it comes from the Greek "ou," meaning "no," and "topos," meaning "place." (In other words, there is no perfect place.) "Dystopia" appeared during what is sometimes called "The Golden Age of Science Fiction," where it came in very handy. It's been in common use since.
December 17, 2015: submissive
What does it mean?
: inclined or willing to submit to others : tending to give in to the wishes of others
How do you use it?
By lying on his back and turning his head away, Aaron's new dog is showing that he is submissive to the older dog that's already living in the house.
Are you a word wiz?
Which one of these words do you think has the same parent word as "submissive"?
A. suspicion
B. message
C. coward
D. business
December 15, 2015: October (noun)
What does it mean?
: the tenth month of the year
How do you use it?
The threadbare trees, so poor and thin, They are no wealthier than I; But with as brave a core within They rear their boughs to the October sky. (Henry David Thoreau, "The Fall")
Are you a word wiz?
What do you think the Latin root of "October" means?
A. amber
B. spirit
C. eight
D. autumn
December 10, 2015: horticulture (noun)
What does it mean?
: the science of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants
How do you use it?
Kelly majoring in horticulture so that when she graduates from college she can help out with her family's landscaping business.
Are you a word wiz?
The first part of "horticulture" comes from the Latin word "hortus." What do you think "hortus" means?
A. garden
B. farm
C. tractor
D. herb
December 9, 2015: manacle (noun)
What does it mean?
1 : a shackle for the hand or wrist : handcuff
2 : something that prevents free action
How do you use it?
He was chained to the wall, his wrists and ankles shackled by iron manacles.
Are you a word wiz?
We're betting you can answer this with your hands tied behind your back: which of the following words do you think are related to "manacle"?
A. punishment, prisoner, penitentiary
B. monocle, barnacle, icicle
C. clinch, clink, clerk
D. manual, manicure, manicotti
December 8, 2015: manipulate (verb)
What does it mean?
1 : to treat or operate with or as if with the hands or by mechanical means especially with skill
2 : to manage or use skillfully
3 : to manage especially with intent to deceive
How do you use it?
The mutant was telepathic and able to manipulate people’s minds.
tele pathos
Are you a word wiz?
Tom Sawyer and Huck engaged in all of the actions listed in our choices below. But only three of those words were formed in the way that "manipulate" was. Can you pick out the one word which was NOT formed as "manipulate" was? (Hint: "Manipulate" is a shortened version of "manipulation.")
A. "eavesdrop," meaning "to listen secretly to private conversation"
B. "reminisce," "to talk or think about things that happened in the past"
C. "scheme," meaning "to form plans, especially, to engage in a plot"
D. "scavenge," meaning "to collect usable things from what has been discarded"
December 7, 2015: maneuver (noun)
What does it mean?
1a : a planned government movement of troops or ships b : a training exercise by armed forces
2 : a clever or skillful move or action
How do you use it?
Several maneuvers in sports, such as the salchow in figure skating and the Tsukahara in gymnastics, are named after the athletes who invented them.
Are you a word wiz?
To which one of these do you think the word "maneuver" first referred?
A. a map showing weak spots in enemy territory
B. a somersault performed by acrobats
C. work that is done by hand
D. a move in chess
December 3, 2015: pandemonium (noun)
What does it mean?
: a wild uproar : tumult
How do you use it?
Pandemonium had broken loose when one student thought it was cool to unleash a stink bomb.
mid 17th cent.: modern Latin (denoting the place of all demons), from pan-‘all’ + Greek daimōn ‘demon.’
Are you a word wiz?
Would you be surprised to learn that "pandemonium" started out as the name of a place? It did--a fictional place, at least. Which writer do you think invented "pandemonium" as a place name in one of his works?
A. Stephen King in The Shining
B. John Milton in Paradise Lost
C. Susan Cooper in The Dark Is Rising
D. J.R.R. Tolkien in The Hobbit
December 2, 2015: pantheon (noun)
What does it mean?
1 : a temple dedicated to all the gods; also : the gods of a people
2 : a group of illustrious people
How do you use it?
When he completed the race in record time, Jesse joined the pantheon of students who hold speed records at his school.
Are you a word wiz?
"Pantheon" entered English as "Panteon" in the 14th century. What do you think "Panteon" referred to back then?
A. a domed building in Rome
B. an ancient Greek god
C. an Egyptian city with a famous library
D. a mountain in Greece where a very wise woman lived
Etymology:
via Latin from Greek pantheion, from pan ‘all’ + theion ‘holy’ (from theos ‘god’).
December 1, 2015: panacea (noun)
What does it mean?
: a remedy for all ills or difficulties : cure-all
How do you use it?
Eric thought vitamin C was a panacea that could cure everything from his stuffy nose to his sore feet.
Are you a word wiz?
"Panacea" comes from two Greek roots, "pan-" and "akos." Based on what you know about "panacea," what do you think those roots mean?
A. "all" and "remedy"
B. "vitamin"" and "C"
C. "feel" and "good"
D. "best" and "medicine"
November 30, 2015: tranquil (adjective)
What does it mean?
: free from disturbance or turmoil : quiet
How do you use it?
When Nikki started planning her island vacation, she decided to look for a small inn in a tranquil village rather than a high-rise hotel in a busy tourist spot.
Are you a word wiz?
Which word do you think means about the same thing as "tranquil"?
A. perplexed
B. serene
C. elusive
D. anxious
November 10, 2015 infatuate (verb)
What does it mean?
: to fill with a foolish or excessive love or admiration
How do you use it?
"She was one of those people who are infatuated with patent medicines and all new-fangled methods of producing health or mending it." (Mark Twain, _The Adventures of Tom Sawyer_)
Are you a word wiz?
"Infatuate" comes from the Latin word "fatuus." What do you think "fatuus" means?
A. extreme
B. serious
C. silly
D. dramatic
November 4, 2015 misconstrue (verb)
What does it mean?
: to construe wrongly : misinterpret
How do you use it?
Jamal misconstrued the arrival of bunk beds as a sign he would have to share his room, but then he found out his brother got a new bed as well.
Are you a word wiz?
"Misconstrue" traces to the Latin root "struere," which means "to build." What other word do you think traces to "struere"?
A. strike
B. constrain
C. illustrate
D. destroy
November 3, 2015 rebellion (noun) (Related to uproar)
What does it mean?
1. : open opposition to authority
2. : open fighting against authority (as one's government)
How do you use it?
In an armed rebellion, the colonists told the King that they would not be pushed around anymore.
Are you a word wiz?
The word "rebellion" traces to the Old Latin word "duellum." What do you think "duellum" means?
A. war
B. duel
C. opposition
D. authority
November 2, 2015: recede (verb)
What does it mean?
1 a : to move back or away b : to slant backward
2 : to grow less or smaller
How do you use it?
Even though I have a full head of hair now, if I have my grandfather's genes, my hair will quickly recede leaving a huge forehead!
Are you a word wiz?
"Recede" comes from a large word family. Which of the following do you think is NOT a member of that family?
A. "proceed," meaning "to go forward or onward, advance"
B. "necessary," meaning "going to happen with no way of preventing it"
C. "receipt," meaning "a written statement saying that money or goods have been received"
D. "ancestor," meaning "one from whom an individual, group, or species is descended"
October 29, 2015 covert (adjective)
What does it mean?
1 : not openly made or done
2 : covered over: sheltered
How do you use it?
"And may I further suggest that you keep your voice down to a whisper? We are, after all, on a covert mission." (Kate DiCamillo, The Tale of Despereaux)
Are you a word wiz?
One of the items of clothing below has a name that traces back to the same root word as "covert" does. Which one do you think it is?
A. glove
B. apron
C. boot
D. kerchief
October 26, 2015: intercept (verb)
What does it mean?
1 : to take or seize on the way to or before arrival
2 : to include (part of a line surface, or solid) between two points, curves, or surfaces
How do you use it?
"I can't say everything I would like to in a letter, it's too risky in case the owl is intercepted--we need to talk face-to-face." (J. K. Rowling, _Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_)
Are you a word wiz?
Which one of these words do you think is a relative of "intercept"?
A. untangle
B. receive
C. frighten
D. practice
Etymology
late Middle English (in the senses ‘contain between limits’ and ‘halt (an effect)’): from Latin intercept- ‘caught between,’ from the verb intercipere, from inter- ‘between’ + capere ‘take.’
October 22, 2015 optimist (noun)
What does it mean?
: a person who has the habit of expecting everything to turn out for the best
How do you use it?
"The children could tell, from Phil's statement about everything and everybody having a good side, that he was an optimist." (Lemony Snicket, _The Miserable Mill_)
Are you a word wiz?
We expect you'll have no trouble with today's quiz. "Optimist" traces back to the Latin word "optimus." What do you think "optimus" means?
A. clear
B. best
C. light
D. opposite
Etymology
from Latin optimum ‘best thing’ (see optimum) .
October 20, 2015: luminous (adjective)
What does it mean?
1 : giving off light : shining
2 : being lighted
How do you use it?
Having fought against the storm for hours, the sailors rejoiced at the sight of the luminous beacon marking their home port.
Are you a word wiz?
"Luminous" has another meaning, too. Which one of the following definitions do you think is the other meaning of "luminous"?
A. very active or strong
B. of great importance
C. full of spirit, lively
D. easily heard, seen, or understood
Etymology
from Old French lumineux or Latin luminosus, from lumen, lumin- ‘light.’
October 16, 2015: mellifluous (adjective)
What does it mean?
: smoothly flowing
How do you use it?
On the way home from work, Mom likes to listen to a local radio station that plays the mellifluous R&B tunes from the 1970s that she loved growing up.
Are you a word wiz?
If you trace "mellifluous" back to its origins, you'll find that it owes its existence to a food. What food do you think is at the root of "mellifluous"?
A. popcorn
B. tomatoes
C. cantaloupe
D. honey
Origin
late 15th cent.: from late Latin mellifluus (from mel ‘honey’ + fluere ‘to flow’) + -ous.
October 13, 2015: commemorate (verb)
What does it mean?
1 : to call or recall to mind
2 : to serve as a memorial of
How do you use it?
To commemorate the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr., my class collected canned goods and donated them to our local food bank.
Are you a word wiz?
Like many English words, "commemorate" derives from Latin. Which of the Latin words below do you think is the root of "commemorate"?
A. "comes" meaning "companion"
B. "oratio" meaning "speech"
C. "memor" meaning "mindful"
D. "liberare" meaning "to liberate"
Origin
late 16th cent.: from Latin commemorat- ‘brought to remembrance,’ from the verb commemorare, from com- ‘altogether’ + memorare ‘relate’ (from memor ‘mindful’).
October 9, 2015: hoax (noun)
What does it mean?
1 : an act intended to trick or deceive
2 : something false passed off or accepted as genuine
How do you use it?
Though the children convinced the world that the pictures of fairies were real, they later revealed that the whole thing was an elaborate hoax.
Are you a word wiz?
Word experts aren't certain of the origin of "hoax," but they think one of the answers below is the probable explanation. Which answer do you think it is?
A. "Hoax" comes from the Latin word "crux," meaning "cross."
B. "Hoax" comes from the name of a person who committed a large-scale fraud in eighteenth century England.
C. "Hoax" is ultimately a shortening and alteration of the word "hocus-pocus."
D. "Hoax" is from a less common alternate spelling of "coax."
Origin
late 18th cent. (as a verb): probably a contraction of hocus.
10/7/15 transcend (verb)
What does it mean?
1 : to rise above or go beyond the limits of : exceed
2 : to be greatly superior to : surpass
How do you use it?
Throughout her life, Helen Keller found ways to transcend limitations, becoming a famous author and lecturer despite being both blind and deaf.
Are you a word wiz?
OK, Word Detectives, let's see how observant you are. If you can spot similarities, this question will be a breeze. Which of these words do you think comes from the same parent word as "transcend"?
A. descend
B. tranquil
C. science
D. consent
Origin
Middle English: from Old French transcendre or Latin transcendere, from trans- ‘across’ + scandere ‘climb.’
10/5/2015 uproar (noun)
What does it mean?
: a state of commotion, excitement, or violent disturbance
How do you use it?
"Now he thought I lived in a madhouse with a trigger-happy grandma and snakes and monkeys in the attic. But everybody was in such an uproar, I was lost in the shuffle."
Are you a word wiz?
Originally, "uproar" had a different meaning than the one we use today. What do you think "uproar" first referred to?
A. lion
B. silence
C. party
D. rebellion
ORIGIN
early 16th cent.: from Middle Dutch uproer, from op ‘up’ + roer ‘confusion,’ assimilated to roar.