2.5
BIO
Life
Biography (n) – A written account of another person’s life
Helpful Hints: If you get confused between biography and autobiography,
remember the prefix “auto” means “oneself,” as in something automatic, which
works on its own. An autobiography is a written account of the author’s own life.
You May Remember: From unit 1.6, the GRAPH root means “to write,” so a
biography is literally a “life-writing.”
Biology (n) - The science of living material
You May Remember: From our first unit, we learned that -LOGY means “the
study of,” so biology is “the study of life.”
VAG
Wander
Extravagant (adj) - Spending or doing more than is necessary
Synonyms: lavish, excessive
Antonyms: moderate, thrifty, cheap
Helpful Hints: This word often carries a negative connotation; it does not indicate
“going above and beyond” but instead, “going too far” or “going over the top”
You May Remember: From unit 1.6, the prefix EXTRA- means “Outside”.
Something extravagant “wanders outside” of what is normal or ordinary.
Vagrant (n) - A person with no settled home, income or job, a vagabond (adj) –
Nomadic, tending to roam from place to place
Synonyms: (n) vagabond, drifter, homeless person; (adj) transient, homeless
HYDRO- / HYDRA-
Water
Hydraulic (adj) - Operated by employing water in motion
Helpful Hints: You may have heard of hydraulic brakes or hydraulic pumps.
Those devices generate their force or resistance using compressed liquids. (For
any words with this prefix, think of the word you probably know best: dehydrated
= lacking water.)
Hydroelectric (adj) – Pertaining to the generation of electricity derived from
moving water
Helpful Hints: You’ll see this word most commonly in the phrases “hydroelectric
dam” or “hydroelectric power.”
REVERE
Respect
Irreverent (adj) – Disrespectful towards someone or something that is usually
treated very seriously
Synonyms: flippant, cheeky, scornful
Antonyms: respectful, serious, solemn
Helpful Hints: You will see this word most often in the phrases “irreverent humor”
or “irreverent jokes,” when someone makes light of a topic that people usually
approach with a serious or somber attitude, such as religion or a tragedy like 911. (For any words with this root, think of the word “reverend,” used to address
church officials.)
You May Remember: From unit 1.2, the IR- prefix means “not” – irreverent
behavior is something “not respectful.”
Reverential (adj) – Characterized by a feeling or attitude of deep respect tinged
with awe
Synonyms: respectful, admiring
Antonyms: disrespectful, impudent, contemptuous
Helpful Hints: This has a distinctly more positive connotation than “respectful.” If
you are polite and do not gossip when speaking about someone, you are being
respectful, but you would probably speak reverentially about the actions & traits
of a personal hero.
PHIL / PHILO
Love
Philanthropist (n) – a person who tries to help others and support worthy
causes, usually by donating money
Synonyms: benefactor, donor
Helpful Hints: Dropping a quarter in a homeless person’s cup does not make you
a philanthropist. The word is generally used for rich people who make major
contributions to charities, museums, and the like.
You May Remember: In unit 1.9, we learned that the root ANTHROP means
“Human” or “Man”, and unit 1.7 showed us how the suffix -IST means “One
Who…” – put it all together and a Philanthropist is “One Who Loves Mankind”
Philosophy (n) – 1. The study of the truths and principles of being, knowledge or
behavior 2. A personal set of principles or guiding rules to follow
Synonyms: 1. theory, underlying idea 2. belief, view, principles
Helpful Hints: Next time you want to question a teacher’s assignment, but you
want to sound earnest and thoughtful, ask, “What is the philosophy behind
having us memorize these definitions?”
SUB-
Under
Substantiate (v) – To establish by proof or competent evidence
Synonyms: prove, show, validate Antonyms: undermine Helpful Hints: Think of
substantiating an idea as giving the idea “substance,” putting something real and
“substantial” behind it (or under it). You may have heard the phrase
“unsubstantiated rumor” – that’s a story that has not been confirmed as true.
Subtle (adj) – 1. Not immediately obvious or comprehensible 2. Difficult to
detect or analyze, often due to being delicate or highly refined
Synonyms: understated, fine (as in a fine line, as opposed to a thick one)
Antonyms: obvious, blatant
Helpful Hints: A “subtle hint” is one that only a few people will pick up on. It’s
partially hidden, or under the surface. The ‘b’ is silent – this vocabulary word
rhymes with shuttle.
SYN- / SYM- / SYL- / SYS-
With, Together
Symbiotic (adj) - Having an interdependent relationship
Synonyms: mutually beneficial
Helpful Hints: An example of a symbiotic relationship in nature, made famous by
Finding Nemo: The clownfish consumes bacteria that is harmful to the sea
anemone, while the anemone provides protection from predators to the
clownfish. Both creatures mutually benefit from one another
You May Remember: From this same unit, BIO means “life” – so symbiosis
means “Life, Together”
Syncopated (adj) – 1. In music, having accents placed on normally unaccented
beats 2. Abbreviated, Cut short
Helpful Hints: Not a musician? Watch this youtube video tutorial on syncopated
beats and notice how the snare beats feel “cut short” rather than regular and
predictable
TEMP
Time
Temperamental (adj) – 1. Moody, Irritable, Sensitive 2. Given to erratic
behavior; Unpredictable
Synonyms: volatile, emotional, touchy
Antonyms: stable Helpful Hints: People can be temperamental if they are
sensitive and easily upset, and a device can be temperamental in the same
sense — an engine that won’t start if it’s raining, for instance.
Temporize (v) – To be indecisive or evasive to delay action; to put something off;
to delay in order to “buy time”
Synonyms: equivocate, procrastinate, stall, drag one’s feet
Helpful Hints: This word sounds like it should mean to make something
temporary. It doesn’t, but you can think of temporizing as remaining in a
temporary state, an undecided state, for a long time.