Word
Roots in Word
Definition of Word:
synthesis
syn
combination
magniloquence
magn loqu
synopsis
syn
viable
vie= life
able to live
Russophobe
phobia
one who fears Russia
kleptomaniac
kleptes= thief
mobocracy
cracy
pathological thief
mob rule
in loco parentis
in
in place of parents
sanction
sanct
terra firma
terra
entomology
entomon=insect
omnifarious
omni
deduction
de
sis
great eloquence
opia
summary
sis
mania
loco
authorize
tion
solid ground
study of insects
of all kinds
ous
duct
logy
tion
reasoning down from
principles
Word
Roots in Word
Definition of Word:
prognosis
pro
medical forecast
colloquy
co loqu
conversation
mundane
mund
worldly
joie de vivre
viv
joy of living
gerontocracy
geron= old man
audiophile
audi
perspicacity
perspicaci=sharpness of sight
insight
nihilism
nihil=nothing
belief in nothing
philanthropy
phile
invidious
in vid
polychrome
poly chrom
many-colored
unequivocal
un equi voc
direct
gno sis
cracy
stereo buff
phile
anthropo
ous
government of the old
ism
love of humankind
causing envy
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
A synopsis of a course is a summary, a paper which presents a look (opia) at the
whole course together (syn).
We can land on terra firma with our boats, but we can also land on intellectual
terra firma.
When we sanction something, we authorize it, or approve it, or make it holy
(sanct).
A prognosis is a medical forecast of a disease; it is the attempt to know (gno) in
advance (pro) what course the disease will follow.
Philanthropy is made of roots which mean love of humankind, but actually we
use philanthropy not to refer to someone’s feelings about people, but to the
actual act of doing generous things to help humankind. Wealthy philanthropists
donate libraries and art galleries to communities.
Perspicacity is similar to perspicuous, except that perspicuous refers to the
product of someone’s mind: a perspicuous essay, whereas perspicacity refers to
the mind itself.
Unequivocal reminds us of equivocate. To equivocate is to hedge by positioning
oneself in the middle, like a hedge between two fields. To be unequivocal is
there to take sides, to go clearly into the left field or the right field. The
unequivocal politician can often gain passionate support (and opposition),
whereas the equivocating politician can often gain victory.
Invidious praise often causes envy by leaving someone else unpraised—the
unpraised outsider winds up on the outside looking (vid) in (in) enviously.
gerontocracy
colloquy
perspicacity
synopsis
terra firma
viable sanction
mobocracy
prognosis
Russophobe
polychrome
philanthropy
magniloquence
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
They had a private ____________ in the corner.
Is the fetus mature enough to be ___________?
Here is a brief ____________ of the course.
The sailors dreamed of standing on __________.
We cannot ____________ the use of the company’s trademark.
Because he had never traveled, the editor was a ___________.
The doctor presented a/n ___________ of the advance of the
disease to the patient.
We purchased a large _______________ statue.
Her generous deeds of _____________ were legendary.
Everyone admired the ______________ of her mind.
Unfortunately, the government turned into an uncontrollable
______________.
The ___________ is a bit susceptible to Alzheimer’s.
His ______________ in speeches was impressive.
deduction
entomology
unequivocal
joie de vivre
in loco parentis
audiophile
omnifarious
synthesis
invidious
kleptomaniac
mundane
nihilism
14.The police attempt to catch the __________ in a sting
operation.
15. Her ____________ was an inspiration to the depressed.
16. The school must often act ___________________.
17. The thinker was reluctant to deal with _________ matters.
18. This end-product represents a/n __________ of many
different ideas.
19. The politician gave a rare ______________ answer to the
reporter’s question.
20. His ______________ philosophy unnerved many people.
21. The man subscribed to a magazine for _______________.
22. The oft-bitten ________________ finally caught the beetle.
23. His ______________ exploits earned him fame and fortune.
24. The teacher inadvertently gave an ____________
compliment.
25. His astute ____________ was worthy of Sherlock Holmes.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Do talk shows feature colloquy between guests and the
host?
Can a teacher singling out a student for praise be
considered invidious?
Are Bill and Melinda Gates philanthropists?
Can being on a trans-atlantic flight for hours make you
look forward to being on terra firma?
Would an entomologist be interested in the origins of
words?
Is synthesis a higher-order level of thinking?
Were the first photographs polychrome?
Would a Russophobe wish to travel to Moscow?
Do orphanages operate in loco parentis?
Should you go shopping with a kleptomaniac?
DIVERGENCE:
What wonderful
things would
you buy for or
contribute to
your community
if you became a
wealthy
philanthropist?
Why would you
choose those
items?
EVALUATION:
To what extent do you
think a school has the
right to discipline
children in loco parentis
during the school day?
Explain your reasoning.
1. From Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights
It was a marvelous effort of _____________ to discover that I did not love her.
a. mobocracy
b. perspicacity
c. joie de vivre
d. synthesis
2. From Kate Wiggin’s Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
The day would have been an ___________ success had nothing else happened.
a. unequivocal b. omnifarious
c. invidious
d. audiophile
3. From William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying
The ____________ say it is the end; the fundamentalists, the beginning.
a. Russophobes b. audiophiles
c. kleptomaniacs d. nihilists
4. From Herman Melville’s Moby Dick
In maritime life, far more than in that of ___________, wild rumors abound.
a. philanthropy b. terra firma
c. entomology
d. gerontocracy
5. From Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The House of Seven Gables
There was an _________ acrimony in the zeal with which he had sought the
condemnation of Matthew.
a. invidious
b. omnifarious
c. viable
d. magniloquent






viable
synopsis
polychrome
philanthropy
perspicacious
kleptomaniac






mundane
synthesis
unequivocal
nihilism
invidious
deduction