11

HOW TO INSULT YOUR ENEMIES

(Sessions 28–31)

TEASER PREVIEW

What do you call a person who:

insists on complete and blind obedience?

toadies to the rich or influential?

dabbles in the fine arts?

is a loud-mouthed, quarrelsome woman?

has a one-track mind?

sneers at other people’s cherished traditions?

does not believe in God?

has imaginary ailments?

SESSION 28

There are few of us who do not need warm and nourishing

relationships to lead a fulfilled life.

Psychology makes clear that loving and being loved are important

elements in emotional health, but also points out the necessity for

expressing, rather than repressing, our hostilities. (You know how

good you feel once you blow off steam? And how much closer you

can become attached to someone once you directly and honestly

vent your anger, resentment, or irritation instead of bottling it up

and seething in fury?)

It is a mark of your own emotional maturity if you can accept

hostility as well as dish it out. So let us pretend, in order to

encourage you to become personally involved in the introductory

ten words of this chapter, that each paragraph in the next few pages

accurately describes you. What label exactly fits your personality?

IDEAS

1. slave driver

You make everyone toe the mark—right down to the last

centimeter. You exact blind, unquestioning obedience; demand the

strictest conformity to rules, however arbitrary or tyrannical; and

will not tolerate the slightest deviation from your orders. You are, in

short, the very epitome of the army drill sergeant.

You are a martinet.

2. bootlicker

You toady to rich or influential people, catering to their vanity,

flattering their ego. You are the personification of the traditional

ward heeler, you out-yes the Hollywood yes men. And on top of all

these unpleasant characteristics, you’re a complete hypocrite. All

your servile attentions and unceasing adulation spring from your

own selfish desires to get ahead, not out of any sincere admiration.

You cultivate people of power or property so that you can curry

favor at the opportune moment.

You are a sycophant.

3. dabbler

Often, though not necessarily, a person of independent income,

you engage superficially in the pursuit of one of the fine arts—

painting, writing, sculpturing, composing, etc. You do this largely

for your own amusement and not to achieve any professional

competence; nor are you at all interested in monetary rewards. Your

artistic efforts are simply a means of passing time pleasantly.

You are a dilettante.

4. battle-ax

You are a loud-mouthed, shrewish, turbulent woman; you’re

quarrelsome and aggressive, possessing none of those gentle and

tender qualities stereotypically associated with femininity. You’re

strong-minded, unyielding, sharp-tongued, and dangerous. You can

curse like a stevedore and yell like a fishwife—and often do.

You are a virago.

5. superpatriot

Anything you own or belong to is better—simply because you

own it or belong to it, although you will be quick to find more

justifiable explanations. Your religion, whatever it may be, is far

superior to any other; your political party is the only honest one;

your neighborhood puts all others in the city in the shade; members

of your own sex are more intelligent, more worthy, more

emotionally secure, and in every way far better than people of the

opposite sex; your car is faster, more fun to drive, and gets better

gas mileage than any other, no matter in what price range; and of

course your country and its customs leave nothing to be desired,

and inhabitants of other nations are in comparison barely civilized.

In short, you are exaggeratedly, aggressively, absurdly, and

excessively devoted to your own affiliations—and you make no

bones about advertising such prejudice.

You are a chauvinist.

6. fanatic

You have a one-track mind—and when you’re riding a particular

hobby, you ride it hard. You have such an excessive, all-inclusive

zeal for one thing (and it may be your business, your profession,

your husband or wife, your children, your stomach, your money, or

whatever) that your obsession is almost absurd. You talk, eat, sleep

that one thing—to the point where you bore everyone to distraction.

You are a monomaniac.

7. attacker

You are violently against established beliefs, revered traditions,

cherished customs—such, you say, stand in the way of reform and

progress and are always based on superstition and irrationality.

Religion, family, marriage, ethics—you weren’t there when these

were started and you’re not going to conform simply because most

unthinking people do.

You are an iconoclast.

8. skeptic

There is no God—that’s your position and you’re not going to

budge from it.

You are an atheist.

9. self-indulger

You are, as a male, lascivious, libidinous, lustful, lewd, wanton,

immoral—but more important, you promiscuously attempt to satisfy

(and are often successful in so doing) your sexual desires with any

woman within your arm’s reach.

You are a lecher.

10. worrier

You are always sick, though no doctor can find an organic cause

for your ailments. You know you have ulcers, though medical tests

show a healthy stomach. You have heart palpitations, but a

cardiogram fails to show any abnormality. Your headaches are

caused (you’re sure of it) by a rapidly growing brain tumor—yet X

rays show nothing wrong. These maladies are not imaginary,

however; to you they are most real, non-existent as they may be in

fact. And as you travel from doctor to doctor futilely seeking

confirmation of your imminent death, you become more and more

convinced that you’re too weak to go on much longer. Organically,

of course, there’s nothing the matter with you. Perhaps tensions,

insecurities, or a need for attention is taking the form of simulated

bodily ills.

You are a hypochondriac.

USING THE WORDS

Can you pronounce the words?

  1. martinet

mahr-tƏ-NET′

  2. sycophant

SIK′-Ə-fƏnt

  3. dilettante

dil′-Ə-TANT

  4. virago

vƏ-RAH′-go

  5. chauvinist

SHŌ′-vƏ-nist

  6. monomaniac

mon′-Ə-MAY′-nee-ak

  7. iconoclast

ī-KON′-Ə-klast′

  8. atheist

AY′-thee-ist

  9. lecher

LECH′-Ər

10. hypochondriac

hī′-pƏ-KON′-dree-ak

Can you work with the words?

WORDS

KEY IDEAS

  1. martinet

a. superficiality

  2. sycophant

b. patriotism

  3. dilettante

c. godlessness

  4. virago

d. single-mindedness

  5. chauvinist

e. antitradition

  6. monomaniac

f. sex

  7. iconoclast

g. illness

  8. atheist

h. discipline

  9. lecher

i. turbulence

10. hypochondriac

j. flattery

KEY:  1–h, 2–j, 3–a, 4–i, 5–b, 6–d, 7–e, 8–c, 9–f, 10–g

Do you understand the words?

  1. Does a martinet condone carelessness and neglect of duty?

YES      NO

  2. Is a sycophant a sincere person?

YES      NO

  3. Is a dilettante a hard worker?

YES      NO

  4. Is a virago sweet and gentle?

YES      NO

  5. Is a chauvinist modest and self-effacing?

YES      NO

  6. Does a monomaniac have a one-track mind?

YES      NO

  7. Does an iconoclast scoff at tradition?

YES      NO

  8. Does an atheist believe in God?

YES      NO

  9. Is a lecher misogynous?

YES      NO

10. Does a hypochondriac have a lively imagination?

YES      NO

KEY:  1–no, 2–no, 3–no, 4–no, 5–no, 6–yes, 7–yes, 8–no, 9–no, 10–

yes

Can you recall the words?

  1. a person whose emotional disorder is reflected in non-organic or

imaginary bodily ailments

  1. H__________________

  2. a strict disciplinarian

  2. M__________________

  3. a lewd and sexually aggressive male

  3. L__________________

  4. a toady to people of wealth or power

  4. S__________________

  5. a disbeliever in God

  5. A__________________

  6. a dabbler in the arts

  6. D__________________

  7. a shrewish, loud-mouthed female

  7. V__________________

  8. a scoffer at tradition

  8. I__________________

  9. person with a one-track mind

  9. M__________________

10. a blatant superpatriot

10. C__________________

KEY:    1–hypochondriac, 2–martinet, 3–lecher, 4–sycophant, 5–

atheist, 6–dilettante, 7–virago, 8–iconoclast, 9–monomaniac,

10–chauvinist

Can you use the words?

  1. She scoffs at beliefs you have always held dear.

  1. __________________

  2. You know he’s hale and hearty—but he constantly complains of

his illness.

  2. __________________

  3. She insists her political affiliations are superior to yours.

  3. __________________

  4. She insists on her subordinates toeing the mark.

  4. __________________

  5. He makes sexual advances to everyone else’s wife—and is too

often successful.

  5. __________________

  6. He cultivates friends that can do him good—financially.

  6. __________________

  7. She dabbles with water colors.

  7. __________________

  8. She insists there is no Deity.

  8. __________________

  9. She’s a shrew, a harridan, a scold, and a nag.

  9. __________________

10. His only interest in life is his fish collection—and he is

fanatically, almost psychotically, devoted to it.

10. __________________

KEY:  1–iconoclast, 2–hypochondriac, 3–chauvinist, 4–martinet, 5–

lecher, 6–sycophant, 7–dilettante, 8–atheist, 9–virago, 10–

monomaniac

(End of Session 28)

SESSION 29

ORIGINS AND RELATED WORDS

1. the French drillmaster

Jean Martinet was the Inspector General of Infantry during the

reign of King Louis XIV—and a stricter, more fanatic drillmaster

France had never seen. It was from this time that the French Army’s

reputation for discipline dated, and it is from the name of this

Frenchman that we derive our English word martinet. The word is

always used in a derogatory sense and generally shows resentment

and anger on the part of the user. The secretary who calls his boss a

martinet, the wife who applies the epithet to her husband, the

worker who thus refers to the foreman—these speakers all show

their contempt for the excessive, inhuman discipline to which they

are asked to submit.

Since martinet comes from a man’s name (in the Brief Intermission

which follows we shall discover that a number of picturesque

English words are similarly derived), there are no related forms

built on the same root. There is an adjective martinetish (mahr-tƏ-

NET′-ish) and another noun form, martinetism, but these are used

only rarely.

2. a Greek “fig-shower”

Sycophant comes to us from the Greeks. According to Shipley’s

Dictionary of Word Origins:

When a fellow wants to get a good mark, he may polish up an

apple and place it on teacher’s desk; his classmates call such a

lad an apple-shiner. Less complimentary localities use the term

bootlicker. The Greeks had a name for it: fig-shower. Sycophant

is from Gr. sykon, fig, [and] phanein, to show. This was the

fellow that informed the officers in charge when (1) the figs in

the sacred groves were being taken, or (2) when the Smyrna

fig-dealers were dodging the tariff.

Thus, a sycophant may appear to be a sort of “stool pigeon,” since

the latter curries the favor of police officials by “peaching” on his

fellow criminals. Sycophants may use this means of ingratiating

themselves with influential citizens of the community; or they may

use flattery, servile attentions, or any other form of insinuating

themselves into someone’s good graces. A sycophant practices

sycophancy (SIK′-Ə-fƏn-see), and has a sycophantic (sik-Ə-FAN′-tik)

attitude. All three forms of the word are highly uncomplimentary—

use them with care.

Material may be so delicate or fine in texture that anything

behind it will show through. The Greek prefix dia- means through;

and phanein, as you now know, means to show—hence such material

is called diaphanous (dī-AF′-Ə-nƏs). Do not use the adjective in

reference to all material that is transparent (for example, you would

not call glass diaphanous, even though you can see right through it),

but only material that is silky, gauzy, filmy, and, in addition,

transparent or practically transparent. The word is often applied to

female garments—nightgowns, negligees, etc.

3. just for one’s own amusement

Dilettante is from the Italian verb dilettare, to delight. The dilettante

paints, writes, composes, plays a musical instrument, or engages in

scientific experiments purely for amusement—not to make money,

become famous, or satisfy a deep creative urge (the latter, I

presume, being the justifications for the time that professional

artists, writers, composers, musicians, poets, and scientists spend at

their chosen work). A dilettantish (dil-Ə-TAN′-tish) attitude is

superficial,

unprofessional;

dilettantism

(dil-Ə-TAN′-tiz-Əm)

is

superficial, part-time dabbling in the type of activity that usually

engages the full time and energy of the professional artist or

scientist.

Do not confuse the dilettante, who has a certain amount of native

talent or ability, with the tyro (TĪ′-rō), who is the inexperienced

beginner in some art, but who may be full of ambition, drive, and

energy. To call a person a tyro is to imply that he is just starting in

some artistic, scientific, or professional field—he’s not much good

yet because he has not had time to develop his skill, if any. The

dilettante usually has some skill but isn’t doing much with it. On the

other hand, anyone who has developed consummate skill in an

artistic field, generally allied to music, is called a virtuoso (vur′-ch

ōō

-

Ō′-sō)—like Heifetz or Menuhin on the violin, Horowitz or

Rubinstein on the piano. Pluralize virtuoso in the normal way—

virtuosos; or if you wish to sound more sophisticated, give it the

continental form—virtuosi (vur′-ch

ōō

-Ō′-see). Similarly, the plural of

dilettante is either dilettantes or dilettanti (dil-Ə-TAN′-tee).

The i ending for a plural is the Italian form and is common in

musical circles. For example, libretto, the story (or book) of an

opera, may be pluralized to libretti; concerto, a form of musical

composition, is pluralized concerti. However, the Anglicized librettos

and concertos are perfectly correct also. Libretto is pronounced lƏ-

BRET′-ō; libretti is lƏ-BRET′-ee; concerto is kƏn-CHUR′-tō; and concerti

is kƏn-CHUR′-tee. Suit your plural form, I would suggest, to the

sophistication of your audience.

4. “masculine” women

Virago comes, oddly enough, from the Latin word for man, vir.

Perhaps the derivation is not so odd after all; a virago, far from

being stereotypically feminine (i.e., timid, delicate, low-spoken,

etc.), is stereotypically masculine in personality—coarse, aggressive,

loud-mouthed. Termagant (TUR′-mƏ-gƏnt) and harridan (HAIR′-Ə-

dƏn) are words with essentially the same uncomplimentary meaning

as virago. To call a brawling woman a virago, a termagant, and a

harridan is admittedly repetitious, but is successful in relieving one’s

feelings.

5. the old man

Nicolas Chauvin, soldier of the French Empire, so vociferously

and unceasingly aired his veneration of Napoleon Bonaparte that he

became the laughingstock of all Europe. Thereafter, an exaggerated

and blatant patriot was known as a chauvinist—and still is today.

Chauvinism (SHŌ′-vƏ-niz-Əm), by natural extension, applies to

blatant veneration of, or boastfulness about, any other affiliation

besides one’s country.

To be patriotic is to be normally proud of, and devoted to, one’s

country—to be chauvinistic (shō′-vƏ-NIS′-tik) is to exaggerate such

pride and devotion to an obnoxious degree.

We might digress here to investigate an etymological side road

down which the word patriotic beckons. Patriotic is built on the Latin

word pater, patris, father—one’s country is, in a sense, one’s

fatherland.

Let us see what other interesting words are built on this same

root.

1. patrimony (PAT′-rƏ-mō-nee)—an inheritance from one’s father.

The -mony comes from the same root that gives us money, namely

Juno Moneta, the Roman goddess who guarded the temples of

finance. The adjective is patrimonial (pat′-rƏ-MŌ′-nee-Əl).

2. patronymic (pat′-rƏ-NIM′-ik)—a name formed on the father’s

name, like Johnson (son of John), Martinson, Aaronson, etc. The

word combines pater, patris with Greek onyma, name. Onyma plus

the Greek prefix syn-, with or together, forms synonym (SIN′-Ə-nim),

a word of the same name (or meaning), etymologically “a together

name.” Onyma plus the prefix anti- against, forms antonym (AN′-tƏ-

nim), a word of opposite meaning, etymologically “an against

name.” Onyma plus Greek homos, the same, forms homonym (HOM′-

Ə-nim), a word that sounds like another but has a different meaning

and spelling, like bare—bear, way—weigh, to—too—two, etc.,

etymologically “a same name.” A homonym is more accurately called

a homophone (HOM′-Ə-fōn′), a combination of homos, the same, and

phone, sound. The adjective form of synonym is synonymous (sƏ-

NON′-Ə-mƏs). Can you write, and pronounce, the adjective derived

from:

antonym? __________________

homonym? __________________

homophone? __________________

3.

paternity

(pƏ-TUR′-nƏ-tee)—fatherhood,

as

to

question

someone’s paternity, to file a paternity suit in order to collect child

support from the assumed, accused, or self-acknowledged father.

The adjective is paternal (pƏ-TUR′-nƏl), fatherly. Paternalism (pƏ-

TUR′-nƏ-liz-Əm) is the philosophy or system of governing a country,

or of managing a business or institution, so that the citizens,

employees, or staff are treated in a manner suggesting a father-

children relationship. (Such a system sounds, and often is, benign

and protective, but plays havoc with the initiative, independence,

and creativity of those in subordinate roles.) The adjective is

paternalistic (pƏ-turn′-Ə-LIS′-tik).

4. patriarch (PAY′-tree-ark′)—a venerable, fatherlike old man; an

old man in a ruling, fatherlike position. Here pater, patris is

combined with the Greek root archein, to rule. The adjective is

patriarchal (pay′-tree-AHR′-kƏl), the system is a patriarchy (PAY′-

tree-ahr′-kee).

5. patricide (PAT′-rƏ-sīd′)—the killing of one’s father. Pater, patris

combines with -cide, a suffix derived from the Latin verb caedo, to

kill. The adjective is patricidal (pat-rƏ-SĪ′-dƏl).

This list does not exhaust the number of words built on pater,

father, but is sufficient to give you an idea of how closely related

many English words are. In your reading you will come across other

words containing the letters pater or patr—you will be able to figure

them out once you realize that the base is the word father. You

might, if you feel ambitious, puzzle out the relationship to the

“father idea” in the following words, checking with a dictionary to

see how good your linguistic intuition is:

1. patrician

2. patron

3. patronize

4. patronizing (adj.)

5. paterfamilias

6. padre

6. the old lady

Pater, patris is father. Mater, matris is mother.

For example:

1. matriarch (MAY′-tree-ahrk′)—the mother-ruler; the “mother

person” that controls a large household, tribe, or country. This

word, like patriarch, is built on the root archein, to rule. During the

reign of Queen Elizabeth or Queen Victoria, England was a

matriarchy (MAY′-tree-ahr′-kee). Can you figure out the adjective

form? __________________.

2. maternity (mƏ-TUR′-nƏ-tee)—motherhood

3. maternal (mƏ-TURN′-Əl)—motherly

4. matron (MAY′-trƏn)—an older woman, one sufficiently mature

to be a mother. The adjective matronly (MAY′-trƏn-lee) conjures up

for many people a picture of a woman no longer in the glow of

youth and possibly with a bit of added weight in the wrong places,

so this word should be used with caution; it may be hazardous to

your health if the lady you are so describing is of a tempestous

nature, or is a virago.

5. alma mater (AL′-mƏ MAY′-tƏr or AHL′-mƏ MAH′-tƏr)—

etymologically, “soul mother”; actually, the school or college from

which one has graduated, and which in a sense is one’s intellectual

mother.

6. matrimony (MAT′-rƏ-mō′-nee)—marriage. Though this word is

similar to patrimony in spelling, it does not refer to money, as

patrimony does; unless, that is, you are cynical enough to believe

that people marry for money. As the language was growing,

marriage and children went hand in hand—it is therefore not

surprising that the word for marriage should be built on the Latin

root for mother. Of course, times have changed, but the sexist nature

of the English language has not. The noun suffix -mony indicates

state, condition, or result, as in sanctimony, parsimony, etc. The

adjective is matrimonial (mat′-rƏ-MŌ′-nee-Əl).

7. matricide (MAT′-rƏ-sīd′)—the killing of one’s mother. The

adjective? __________________.

7. murder most foul…

Murder unfortunately is an integral part of human life, so there is

a word for almost every kind of killing you can think of. Let’s look

at some of them.

1. suicide (S

ōō

′-Ə-sīd′)—killing oneself (intentionally); -cide plus

sui, of oneself. This is both the act and the person who has been

completely successful in performing the act (partially doesn’t count);

also, in colloquial usage, suicide is a verb. The adjective?

__________________.

2. fratricide (FRAT′-rƏ-sīd′)—the killing of one’s brother; -cide plus

frater, fratris, brother. The adjective? __________________.

3. sororicide (sƏ-RAWR′-Ə-sīd′)—the killing of one’s sister; -cide

plus soror, sister. The adjective? __________________.

4. homicide (HOM′-Ə-sīd′)—the killing of a human being; -cide plus

homo, person. In law, homicide is the general term for any slaying. If

intent and premeditation can be proved, the act is murder and

punishable as such. If no such intent is present, the act is called

manslaughter and receives a lighter punishment. Thus, if your

mate/lover/spouse makes your life unbearable and you slip some

arsenic into his/her coffee one bright morning, you are committing

murder—that is, if he/she succumbs. On the other hand, if you run

your victim down—quite accidentally—with your car, bicycle, or

wheelchair, with no intent to kill, you will be accused of

manslaughter—that is, if death results and if you can prove you

didn’t really mean it. It’s all rather delicate, however, and you might

do best to put thoughts of justifiable homicide out of your mind. The

adjective? __________________.

5. regicide (REJ′-Ə-sīd′)—the killing of one’s king, president, or

other governing official. Booth committed regicide when he

assassinated Abraham Lincoln. Adjective? __________________. Derivation:

Latin rex, regis, king, plus -cide.

6. uxoricide (uk-SAWR′-Ə-sīd′)—the killing of one’s wife.

Adjective? __________________. Derivation: Latin uxor, wife, plus -cide.

7. mariticide (mƏ-RIT′-Ə-sīd′)—the killing of one’s husband.

Adjective? __________________. Derivation: Latin maritus, husband, plus -

cide.

8. infanticide (in-FAN′-tƏ-sīd′)—the killing of a newborn child.

Adjective? __________________. Derivation: Latin infans, infantis, baby,

plus -cide.

9. genocide (JEN′-Ə-sīd′)—the killing of a whole race or nation.

This is a comparatively new word, coined in 1944 by a UN official

named Raphael Lemkin, to refer to the mass murder of the Jews,

Poles, etc. ordered by Hitler. Adjective? __________________. Derivation:

Greek genos, race, kind, plus -cide.

10. parricide (PAIR′-Ə-sīd′)—the killing of either or both parents.

Adjective? __________________.

Lizzie Borden was accused of, and tried for, parricide in the 1890s,

but was not convicted. A bit of doggerel that was popular at the

time, and, so I have been told, little girls jumped rope to, went

somewhat as follows:

Lizzie Borden took an ax

And gave her mother forty whacks—

And when she saw what she had done,

She gave her father forty-one.

REVIEW OF ETYMOLOGY

PREFIX, ROOT, SUFFIX

MEANING

  1. sykon

fig

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  2. phanein

to show

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  3. dia-

through

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  4. vir

man (male)

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  5. pater, patris

father

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  6. syn-

with, together

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  7. onyma

name

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  8. anti

against

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  9. homos

the same

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

10. phone

sound

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

11. -ity

noun suffix

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

12. -ism

noun suffix

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

13. -al

adjective suffix

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

14. -ic

adjective suffix

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

15. archein

to rule

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

16. -cide

killing

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

17. mater, matris

mother

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

18. alma

soul

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

19. -mony

noun suffix

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

20. sui

of oneself

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

21. frater, fratris

brother

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

22. soror

sister

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

23. homo

person, human

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

24. rex, regis

king

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

25. uxor

wife

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

26. maritus

husband

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

27. infans, infantis

baby

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

28. genos

race, kind

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

USING THE WORDS

Can you pronounce the words? (I)

  1. martinetish

mahr-tƏ-NET′-ish

  2. sycophancy

SIK′-Ə-fƏn-see

  3. sycophantic

sik′-Ə-FAN′-tik

  4. diaphanous

dī-AF′-Ə-nƏs

  5. dilettanti

dil′-Ə-TAN′-tee

  6. dilettantism

dil-Ə-TAN′-tiz-Əm

  7. dilettantish

dil-Ə-TAN′-tish

  8. tyro

TĪ′-rō

  9. virtuoso

vur′-ch

ōō

-Ō′-sō

10. virtuosi

vur′-ch

ōō

-Ō′-see

11. termagant

TUR′-mƏ-gƏnt

12. harridan

HAIR′-Ə-dƏn

Can you pronounce the words? (II)

  1. chauvinism

SHŌ′-vƏ-niz-Əm

  2. chauvinistic

shō-vƏ-NIS′-tik

  3. patrimony

PAT′-rƏ-mō-nee

  4. patronymic

pat′-rƏ-NIM′-ik

  5. synonym

SIN′-Ə-nim

  6. synonymous

sƏ-NON′-Ə-mƏs

  7. antonym

AN′-tƏ-nim

  8. antonymous

an-TON′-Ə-mƏs

  9. homonym

HOM′-Ə-nim

10. homonymous

hƏ-MON′-Ə-mƏs

11. homophone

HOM′-Ə-fōn

12. homophonous

hƏ-MOF′-Ə-nƏs

Can you pronounce the words? (III)

1. paternity

pƏ-TUR′-nƏ-tee

2. paternal

pƏ-TUR′-nƏl

3. paternalism

pƏ-TUR′-nƏ-liz-Əm

4. paternalistic

pƏ-turn′-Ə-LIS′-tik

5. patriarch

PAY′-tree-ahrk′

6. patriarchal

pay′-tree-AHR′-kƏl

7. patriarchy

PAY′-tree-ahr′-kee

8. patricide

PAT′-rƏ-sīd′

9. patricidal

pat′-rƏ-SĪ′-dƏl

Can you pronounce the words? (IV)

  1. matriarch

MAY′-tree-ahrk′

  2. matriarchy

MAY′-tree-ahr′-kee

  3. matriarchal

may′-tree-AHR′-kƏl

  4. maternity

mƏ-TUR′-nƏ-tee

  5. maternal

mƏ-TURN′-Əl

  6. matron

MAY′-trƏn

  7. matronly

MAY′-trƏn-lee

  8. alma mater

AL′-mƏ MAY′-tƏr or AHL′-mƏ

MAH′-tƏr

  9. matrimony

MAT′-rƏ-mō-nee

10. matrimonial

mat-rƏ-MŌ′-nee-Əl

11. matricide

MAT′-rƏ-sīd′

12. matricidal

mat-rƏ-SĪ′-dƏl

Can you pronounce the words? (V)

  1. suicide

S

ōō

′-Ə-sīd′

  2. suicidal

s

ōō

-Ə-SĪ′-dƏl

  3. fratricide

FRAT′-rƏ-sīd′

  4. fratricidal

frat-rƏ-SĪ′-dƏl

  5. sororicide

sƏ-RAWR′-Ə-sīd′

  6. sororicidal

sƏ-rawr′-Ə-SĪ′-dƏl

  7. homicide

HOM′-Ə-sīd′

  8. homicidal

hom′-Ə-SĪ′-dƏl

  9. regicide

REJ′-Ə-sīd′

10. regicidal

rej′-Ə-SĪ′-dƏl

Can you pronounce the words? (VI)

  1. uxoricide

uk-SAWR′-Ə-sīd′

  2. uxoricidal

uk-sawr′-Ə-SĪ′-dƏl

  3. mariticide

mƏ-RIT′-Ə-sīd′

  4. mariticidal

mƏ-rit′-Ə-SĪ′-dƏl

  5. infanticide

in-FAN′-tƏ-sīd′

  6. infanticidal

in-fan′-tƏ-SĪ′-dƏl

  7. genocide

JEN′-Ə-sīd′

  8. genocidal

jen′-Ə-SĪ′-dƏl

  9. parricide

PAIR′-Ə-sīd′

10. parricidal

pair′-Ə-SĪ′-dƏl

Can you work with the words? (I)

  1. sycophancy

a. murder of one’s father

  2. dilettantism

b. excessive patriotism

  3. chauvinism

c. murder of one’s ruler

  4. patrimony

d. inheritance from one’s father

  5. patricide

e. murder of one’s sister

  6. matricide

f. murder of one’s brother

  7. fratricide

g. murder of a person

  8. sororicide

h. toadying

  9. homicide

i. murder of one’s mother

10. regicide

j. dabbling

KEY:  1–h, 2–j, 3–b, 4–d, 5–a, 6–i, 7–f, 8–e, 9–g, 10–c

Can you work with the words? (II)

  1. uxoricide

a. marriage

  2. infanticide

b. killing of one’s child

  3. genocide

c. fatherhood

  4. matrimony

d. mother-ruler

  5. matriarch

e. killing of one’s wife

  6. maternity

f. older woman

  7. matron

g. one’s school or college

  8. alma mater

h. motherhood

  9. paternity

i. old man in governing position

10. patriarch

j. killing of whole groups of

people

KEY:  1–e, 2–b, 3–j, 4–a, 5–d, 6–h, 7–f, 8–g, 9–c, 10–i

Can you work with the words? (III)

1. parricide

a. catering to people of power or

position

2. patronymic

b. name from father

3. chauvinistic

c. dabblers

4. sycophantic

d. an accomplished musician

5. diaphanous

e. filmy, gauzy

6. dilettanti

f. blatantly overpatriotic

7. tyro

g. loud-mouthed woman

8. virtuoso

h. a beginner

9. termagant

i. killing of either or both parents

KEY:  1–i, 2–b, 3–f, 4–a, 5–e, 6–c, 7–h, 8–d, 9–g

Can you work with the words? (IV)

  1. synonyms

a. system in which those in

power have a father-child

relationship with subordinates

  2. antonyms

b. like a strict disciplinarian

  3. homonyms

c. self-killing

  4. paternalism

d. fatherly

  5. suicide

e. referring to or like, those who

“play at” an art

  6. mariticide

f. words that sound alike but are

spelled differently and have

unrelated meanings

  7. martinetish

g. words of similar meaning

  8. dilettantish

h. referring to, or like, an older

woman

  9. paternal

i. husband-killing

10. matronly

j. words of opposite meaning

KEY:  1–g, 2–j, 3–f, 4–a, 5–c, 6–i, 7–b, 8–e, 9–d, 10–h

Can you work with the words? (V)

  1. harridan

a. motherly

  2. homophones

b. similar in meaning

  3. maternal

c. referring to a system in which

older men are in power

  4. matrimonial

d. the same in sound but not in

spelling or meaning

  5. synonymous

e. likely to kill; referring to the

killing of a person

  6. antonymous

f. referring to a system in which

older women are in power

  7. homonymous

g. virago

  8. patriarchal

h. opposite in meaning

  9. matriarchal

i. referring to marriage

10. homicidal

j. words that sound the same

KEY:  1–g, 2–j, 3–a, 4–i, 5–b, 6–h, 7–d, 8–c, 9–f, 10–e

Do you understand the words?

  1. Does a sycophantic attitude show sincere admiration?

YES      NO

  2. Is a diaphanous gown revealing?

YES      NO

  3. Does dilettantism show firmness and tenacity?

YES      NO

  4. Is a tyro particularly skillful?

YES      NO

  5. Is a violin virtuoso an accomplished musician?

YES      NO

  6. Is a termagant a pleasant person?

YES      NO

  7. Does chauvinism show modesty?

YES      NO

  8. Does a substantial patrimony obviate financial insecurity?

YES      NO

  9. If you know a person’s patronymic can you deduce his father’s

name?

YES      NO

10. Is a patriarch a male?

YES      NO

11. Does a matriarch have a good deal of power?

YES      NO

12. Does fratricide mean murder of one’s sister?

YES      NO

13. Did the assassin of Abraham Lincoln commit regicide?

YES      NO

14. Do dictators and tyrants sometimes commit genocide?

YES      NO

15. Are an uxoricidal husband and his mariticidal wife likely to have

a peaceful and affectionate marriage?

YES      NO

KEY:  1–no, 2–yes, 3–no, 4–no, 5–yes, 6–no, 7–no, 8–yes, 9–yes, 10–

yes, 11–yes, 12–no, 13–yes, 14–yes, 15–no

Can you recall the words? (I)

  1. father-killing (noun)

  1. P__________________

  2. wife-killing (noun)

  2. U__________________

  3. mature woman

  3. M__________________

  4. toadying to people of influence (adj.)

  4. S__________________

  5. skilled musician

  5. V__________________

  6. exaggerated patriotism

  6. C__________________

  7. turbulent female (three words)

  7. T__________________

  or H__________________

  or V__________________

  8. name derived from father’s name

  8. P__________________

  9. powerful father figure in a ruling position

  9. P__________________

10. powerful mother figure in a ruling position

10. M__________________

11. motherly

11. M__________________

12. motherhood

12. M__________________

13. marriage

13. M__________________

14. one’s school or college

14. A__________________

15. attitude of catering to wealth or prestige (noun)

15. S__________________

16. killing of a race or nation

16. G__________________

17. dabbling in the fine arts (noun)

17. D__________________

18. a beginner in a field

18. T__________________

19. plural of virtuoso (Italian form)

19. V__________________

20. having an attitude of excessive patriotism (adj.)

20. C__________________

21. inheritance from father

21. P__________________

22. sheer, transparent

22. D__________________

23. mother-killing (noun)

23. M__________________

24. brother-killing (noun)

24. F__________________

25. sister-killing (noun)

25. S__________________

26. killing of a human being

26. H__________________

27. killing of one’s ruler

27. R__________________

28. killing of a baby

28. I__________________

29. killing of one’s husband

29. M__________________

30. killing of either parent or of both parents

30. P__________________

KEY:    1–patricide, 2–uxoricide, 3–matron, 4–sycophantic, 5–

virtuoso, 6–chauvinism, 7–termagant, harridan, virago, 8–

patronymic, 9–patriarch, 10–matriarch, 11–maternal, 12–

maternity, 13–matrimony, 14–alma mater, 15–sycophancy,

16–genocide, 17–dilettantism, 18–tyro, 19–virtuosi, 20–

chauvinistic, 21–patrimony, 22–diaphanous, 23–matricide,

24–fratricide, 25–sororicide, 26–homicide, 27–regicide, 28–

infanticide, 29–mariticide, 30–parricide

Can you recall the words? (II)

  1. words of similar meaning

  1. S__________________s

  2. words of opposite meaning

  2. A__________________s

  3. words of the same sound

  3. H__________________s

  or H__________________s

  4. fatherly

  4. P__________________

  5. protective and fatherly toward one’s subordinates (adj.)

  5. P__________________

  6. older woman

  6. M__________________

  7. self-destructive

  7. S__________________

  8. meaning the same (adj.)

  8. S__________________

  9. having opposite meanings (adj.)

  9. A__________________

10. sounding the same but spelled differently (adj.)

10. H__________________

or H__________________

KEY:    1–synonyms, 2–antonyms, 3–homonyms or homophones, 4–

paternal,

5–paternalistic,

6–matron,

7–suicidal,

8–

synonymous,

9–antonymous,

10–homonymous

or

homophonous

(End of Session 29)

SESSION 30

ORIGINS AND RELATED WORDS

1. brothers and sisters, wives and husbands

Frater, brother; soror, sister; uxor, wife; and maritus, husband—

these roots are the source of a number of additional English words:

1. to fraternize (FRAT′-Ər-nīz′)—etymologically, to have a

brotherly relationship (with). This verb may be used to indicate

social intercourse between people, irrespective of sex, as in,

“Members of the faculty often fraternized after school hours.”

Additionally, and perhaps more commonly, there may be the

implication of having a social relationship with one’s subordinates

in an organization, or even with one’s so-called inferiors, as in, “The

president of the college was reluctant to fraternize with faculty

members, preferring to keep all her contacts with them on an

exclusively professional basis”; or as in, “The artist enjoyed

fraternizing with thieves, drug addicts, prostitutes, and pimps, partly

out of social perversity, partly to find interesting faces to put in his

paintings.”

The verb also gained a new meaning during and after World War

II, when soldiers of occupying armies had sexual relations with the

women of conquered countries, as in, “Military personnel were

strictly forbidden to fraternize with the enemy.” (How euphemistic

can you get?)

Can you write the noun form of fraternize? __________________.

2. fraternal (frƏ-TUR′-nƏl)—brotherly. The word also designates

non-identical (twins).

3. fraternity (frƏ-TUR′-nƏ-tee)—a men’s organization in a high

school or college, often labeled with Greek letters (the Gamma Delta

Epsilon Fraternity); or any group of people of similar interests or

profession (the medical fraternity, the financial fraternity).

4. sorority (sƏ-RAWR′-Ə-tee)—a women’s organization in high

school or college, again usually Greek-lettered; or any women’s

social club.

5. uxorious (uk-SAWR′-ee-Əs)—an adjective describing a man who

excessively, even absurdly, caters to, dotes on, worships, and

submits to the most outlandish or outrageous demands of, his wife.

This word is not synonymous with henpecked, as the henpecked

husband is dominated by his wife, perhaps because of his own fear

or weakness, while the uxorious husband is dominated only by his

neurosis, and quite likely the wife finds his uxoriousness (uk-SAWR′-

ee-Əs-nƏs) comical or a pain in the neck. (There can, indeed, be too

much of a good thing!)

6. uxorial—pertaining to, characteristic of, or befitting, a wife, as

uxorial duties, privileges, attitudes, etc.

7. marital (MAIR′-Ə-tƏl)—etymologically, pertaining or referring

to, or characteristic of, a husband; but the meaning has changed to

include the marriage relationship of both husband and wife (don’t

ever let anyone tell you that our language is not sexist!), as marital

duties, obligations, privileges, arguments, etc. Hence extramarital is

literally outside the marriage, as in extramarital affairs (hanky-panky

with someone other than one’s spouse). And premarital (Latin prefix

pre-, before) describes events that occur before a planned marriage,

as premarital sex, a premarital agreement as to the division of

property, etc.

2. of cabbages and kings (without the cabbage)

Rex, regis is Latin for king. Tyrannosaurus rex was the king (i.e., the

largest) of the dinosaurs (etymologically, “king of the tyrant

lizards”). Dogs are often named Rex to fool them into thinking they

are kings rather than slaves. And regal (REE′-gƏl) is royal, or fit for a

king, hence magnificent, stately, imperious, splendid, etc., as in regal

bearing or manner, a regal mansion, a regal reception, etc. The noun

is regality (rƏ-GAL′-Ə-tee).

Regalia (rƏ-GAYL′-yƏ), a plural noun, designated the emblems or

insignia or dress of a king, and now refers to any impressively

formal clothes; or, more commonly, to the decorations, insignia, or

uniform of a rank, position, office, social club, etc. “The Shriners

were dressed in full regalia,” “The five-star general appeared in full

regalia,” etc.

3. “madness” of all sorts

The monomaniac develops an abnormal obsession in respect to one

particular thing (Greek monos, one), but is otherwise normal. The

obsession itself, or the obsessiveness, is monomania (mon′-Ə-MAY′-

nee-Ə), the

adjective is monomaniacal (mon′-Ə-mƏ-NĪ′-Ə-kƏl).

Monomaniacal, like the adjective forms of various other manias, is

tricky to pronounce—practice carefully to make sure you can say it

correctly without stuttering.

Psychology recognizes other abnormal states, all designating

obsessions, and built on Greek mania, madness.

1. dipsomania (dip′-sƏ-MAY′-nee-Ə)—morbid compulsion to keep

on absorbing alcoholic beverages (Greek dipsa, thirst). The

dipsomaniac has been defined as the person for whom one drink is

too many, a thousand not enough. Recent investigations suggest that

dipsomania, or alcoholism, may not necessarily be caused by

anxieties or frustrations, but possibly by a metabolic or

physiological disorder.

Adjective: dipsomaniacal (dip′-sƏ-mƏ-NĪ′-Ə-kƏl).

2. kleptomania (klep′-tƏ-MAY′-nee-Ə)—morbid compulsion to steal,

not from any economic motive, but simply because the urge to take

another’s possessions is irresistible. The kleptomaniac (Greek klepte,

thief) may be wealthy, and yet be an obsessive shoplifter. The

kleptomaniac, for reasons that psychologists are still arguing about,

is more often a female than a male, and may pinch her best friend’s

valueless trinket, or a cheap ashtray or salt shaker from a restaurant,

not because she wants, let alone needs, the article, but because she

apparently can’t help herself; she gets carried away. (When she

arrives home, she may toss it in a drawer with other loot, and never

look at it again.)

Can you write (and correctly pronounce) the adjective?

3. pyromania (pī′-rƏ-MAY′-nee-Ə)—morbid compulsion to set fires.

Pyromania should not be confused with incendiarism (in-SEN′-dee-Ə-

riz-Əm), which is the malicious and deliberate burning of another’s

property, and is not a compulsive need to see the flames and enjoy

the thrill of the heat and the smoke. Some pyromaniacs join

volunteer fire companies, often heroically putting out the very

blazes they themselves have set. An incendiary (in-SEN′-dee-air-ee) is

antisocial, and usually sets fires for revenge. Either of these two

dangerous characters is called, colloquially, a “firebug.”

In law, setting fire to another’s, or to one’s own, property for the

purpose of economic gain (such as the collection of the proceeds of

an insurance policy) is called arson (AHR′-sƏn) and is a felony. The

pyromaniac sets fire for the thrill; the incendiary for revenge; the

arsonist (AHR′-sƏ-nist) for money.

Pyromania is built on Greek pyros, fire; incendiarism on Latin

incendo, incensus, to set fire; arson on Latin ardo, arsus, to burn.

Can you write, and pronounce, the adjective form of pyromaniac?

__________________.

4. megalomania (meg′-Ə-lƏ-MAY′-nee-Ə)—morbid delusions of

grandeur, power, importance, godliness, etc. Jokes accusing the

heads of governments of megalomania are common. Here’s an old

chestnut from the forties:

Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin were talking about their

dreams.

Churchill: I dreamed last night that God had made me Prime

Minister of the whole world.

Roosevelt: I dreamed that God had made me President of the

whole world.

Stalin: How could you gentlemen have such dreams? I didn’t

dream of offering you those positions!

Hitler, Napoleon, and Alexander the Great have been called

megalomaniacs—all three certainly had delusions about their

invincibility.

Can you write (and pronounce correctly!) the adjective derived

from megalomaniac? __________________.

Megalomania is built on Greek megas, great, big, large, plus mania.

[Can you think of the word for what someone speaks through to

make the sound (phone) of his voice greater? __________________.

5.

nymphomania

(nim′-fƏ-MAY′-nee-Ə)—morbid,

incessant,

uncontrollable, and intense desire, on the part of a female, for

sexual intercourse (from Greek nymphe, bride, plus mania).

The person? __________________.

The adjective? __________________.

6.

satyromania

(sƏ-teer′-Ə-MAY′-nee-Ə)—the

same

morbid,

incessant, etc. desire on the part of a male (from Greek satyros,

satyr, plus mania).

The person? __________________.

The adjective? __________________.

A satyr (SAY′-tƏr) was a mythological Greek god, notorious for

lechery. He had horns, pointed ears, and the legs of a goat; the rest

of him was in human form. Satyromania is also called satyriasis (sat′-

Ə-RĪ′-Ə-sis).

4. and now phobias

So much for maniacs. There is another side to the coin. Just as

personality disorders can cause morbid attraction toward certain

things or acts (stealing, fire, power, sex, etc.), so also other

emotional ills can cause violent or morbid repulsions to certain

conditions, things, or situations. There are people who have

irrational and deep-seated dread of cats, dogs, fire, the number

thirteen, snakes, thunder or lightning, various colors, and so on

almost without end:¹ Such morbid dread or fear is called, in the

language of psychology, a phobia, and we might pause to investigate

the three most common ones. These are:

1. claustrophobia (klaw′-strƏ-FŌ′-bee-Ə)—morbid dread of being

physically hemmed in, of enclosed spaces, of crowds, etc. From

Latin claustrum, enclosed place, plus Greek phobia, morbid fear. The

person: claustrophobe (KLAW′-strƏ-fōb′). Adjective: claustrophobic

(klaw′-strƏ-FŌ′-bik).

2. agoraphobia (ag′-Ə-rƏ-FŌ′-bee-Ə)—morbid dread of open space,

the reverse of claustrophobia. People suffering from agoraphobia

prefer to stay shut in their homes as much as possible, and become

panic-stricken in such places as open fields, large public buildings,

airport terminals, etc. From Greek agora, market place, plus phobia.

The person? __________________.

The adjective? __________________.

3. acrophobia (ak′-rƏ-FŌ′-bee-Ə)—morbid dread of high places.

The victims of this fear will not climb ladders or trees, or stand on

tops of furniture. They refuse to go onto the roof of a building or

look out the window of one of the higher floors. From Greek akros,

highest, plus phobia.

The person? __________________.

The adjective? __________________.

REVIEW OF ETYMOLOGY

PREFIX, ROOT, SUFFIX

MEANING

  1. frater, fratris

brother

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  2. soror

sister

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  3. uxor

wife

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  4. maritus

husband

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  5. rex, regis

king

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  6. mania

madness

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  7. monos

one

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  8. -ac

noun suffix, “one who”

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  9. -al

adjective suffix

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

10. dipsa

thirst

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

11. klepte

thief

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

12. pyros

fire

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

13. incendo, incensus

to set fire

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

14. ardo, arsus

to burn

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

15. mega

great, large, big

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

16. phone

sound

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

17. satyros

satyr

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

18. nymphe

bride

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

19. claustrum

enclosed place

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

20. agora

market place

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

21. akros

highest

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

22. -ic

adjective suffix

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

23. phobia

morbid dread

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

24. pre-

before

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

25. extra-

outside

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

USING THE WORDS

Can you pronounce the words? (I)

  1. fraternize

FRAT′-Ər-nīz′

  2. fraternization

frat′-Ər-nƏ-ZAY′-shƏn

  3. fraternal

frƏ-TUR′-nƏl

  4. fraternity

frƏ-TUR′-nƏ-tee

  5. sorority

sƏ-RAWR′-Ə-tee

  6. uxorious

uk-SAWR′-ee-Əs

  7. uxorial

uk-SAWR′-ee-Əl

  8. marital

MAIR′-Ə-tƏl

  9. extramarital

ek′-strƏ-MAIR′-Ə-tƏl

10. premarital

pree-MAIR′-Ə-tƏl

11. regal

REE′-gƏl

12. regality

rƏ-GAL′-Ə-tee

13. regalia

rƏ-GAYL′-yƏ

Can you work with the words? (I)

  1. fraternize

a. pertaining to, characteristic of,

or befitting, a wife

  2. fraternal

b. outside the marriage

  3. sorority

c. kingly, royal; splendid, stately,

magnificent, etc.

  4. uxorious

d. referring to marriage

  5. uxorial

e. before marriage

  6. marital

f. socialize

  7. extramarital

g. excessively indulgent to, or

doting on, one’s wife

  8. premarital

h. brotherly

  9. regal

i. badges, insignia, dress, etc. of

rank or office

10. regalia

j. sisterhood

KEY:  1–f, 2–h, 3–j, 4–g, 5–a, 6–d, 7–b, 8–e, 9–c, 10–i

Can you pronounce the words? (II)

  1. monomania

mon′-Ə-MAY′-nee-Ə

  2. monomaniac

mon′-Ə-MAY′-nee-ak

  3. monomaniacal

mon′-Ə-mƏ-NĪ′-Ə-kƏl

  4. dipsomania

dip′-sƏ-MAY′-nee-Ə

  5. dipsomaniac

dip′-sƏ-MAY′-nee-ak

  6. dipsomaniacal

dip′-sƏ-mƏ-NĪ′-Ə-kƏl

  7. kleptomania

klep′-tƏ-MAY′-nee-Ə

  8. kleptomaniac

klep′-tƏ-MAY′-nee-ak

  9. kleptomaniacal

klep′-tƏ-mƏ-NĪ′-Ə-kƏl

10. pyromania

pī′-rƏ-MAY′-nee-Ə

11. pyromaniac

pī′-rƏ-MAY′-nee-ak

12. pyromaniacal

pī′-rƏ-mƏ-NĪ′-Ə-kƏl

Can you work with the words? (II)

1. monomania

a. obsession for alcohol

2. dipsomania

b. obsession for setting fires

3. kleptomania

c. obsession in one area

4. pyromania

d. obsession for thievery

KEY:  1–c, 2–a, 3–d, 4–b

Can you pronounce the words? (III)

  1. incendiarism

in-SEN′-dee-Ə-riz-Əm

  2. incendiary

in-SEN′-dee-air-ee

  3. arson

AHR′-sƏn

  4. arsonist

AHR′-sƏ-nist

  5. megalomania

meg′-Ə-lƏ-MAY′-nee-Ə

  6. megalomaniac

meg′-Ə-lƏ-MAY′-nee-ak

  7. megalomaniacal

meg′-Ə-lƏ-mƏ-NĪ′-Ə-kƏl

  8. nymphomania

nim′-fƏ-MAY′-nee-Ə

  9. nymphomaniac

nim′-fƏ-MAY′-nee-ak

10. nymphomaniacal

nim′-fƏ-mƏ-NĪ′-Ə-kƏl

11. satyromania

sƏ-teer′-Ə-MAY′-nee-Ə

12. satyromaniacal

sƏ-teer′-Ə-mƏ-NĪ′-Ə-kƏl

13. satyriasis

sat′-Ə-RĪ′-Ə-sis

Can you pronounce the words? (IV)

1. claustrophobia

klaw′-strƏ-FŌ′-bee-Ə

2. claustrophobe

KLAW′-strƏ-fōb′

3. claustrophobic

klaw′-strƏ-FŌ′-bik

4. agoraphobia

ag′-Ə-rƏ-FŌ′-bee-Ə

5. agoraphobe

AG′-Ə-rƏ-fōb′

6. agoraphobic

ag′-Ə-rƏ-FŌ′-bik

7. acrophobia

ak′-rƏ-FŌ′-bee-Ə

8. acrophobe

AK′-rƏ-fōb′

9. acrophobic

ak′-rƏ-FŌ′-bik

Can you work with the words? (III)

1. incendiarism

a. delusions of grandeur

2. arson

b. compulsive sexual needs on

the part of a male

3. megalomania

c. morbid dread of open spaces

4. nymphomania

d. morbid dread of enclosed

places

5. satyromania

e. malicious setting of fires, as for

revenge, etc.

6. claustrophobia

f. morbid dread of heights

7. agoraphobia

g. compulsive sexual needs on

the part of a female

8. acrophobia

h. felony of setting fire for

economic gain

KEY:  1–e, 2–h, 3–a, 4–g, 5–b, 6–d, 7–c, 8–f

Can you work with the words? (IV)

1. incendiary

a. one who has delusions of

greatness or power

2. arsonist

b. male compulsion for sexual

intercourse

3. megalomaniac

c. one who fears shut-in or

crowded places

4. nymphomaniac

d. one who sets fires out of

malice

5. satyriasis

e. one who fears heights

6. claustrophobe

f. one who fears large or open

spaces

7. agoraphobe

g. one who sets fires for

economic and illegal profit

8. acrophobe

h. woman with compulsive,

incessant sexual desire

KEY:  1–d, 2–g, 3–a, 4–h, 5–b, 6–c, 7–f, 8–e

Do you understand the words?

  1. Is a sorority a men’s organization?

YES      NO

  2. Is an uxorious husband likely to be psychologically dependent on

his wife?

YES      NO

  3. Are extramarital affairs adulterous?

YES      NO

  4. Do VIPs often receive regal treatment?

YES      NO

  5. Is an admiral of the fleet in regalia informally dressed?

YES      NO

  6. Do monomaniacal people have varied interests?

YES      NO

  7. Can a dipsomaniac safely indulge in social drinking?

YES      NO

  8. Do people of pyromaniacal tendencies fear fire?

YES      NO

  9. Is incendiarism an uncontrollable impulse?

YES      NO

10. Does an arsonist expect a reward for his actions?

YES      NO

11. Is it necessary to seduce a nymphomaniac?

YES      NO

12. Do megalomaniacs have low opinions of themselves?

YES      NO

13. Is a satyromaniac lecherous?

YES      NO

14. Are satyriasis and asceticism compatible conditions?

YES      NO

15. Does a claustrophobe enjoy cramped quarters?

YES      NO

16. Would an agoraphobe be comfortable in a small cell-like room?

YES      NO

17. Does an acrophobe enjoy mountain-climbing?

YES      NO

KEY:  1–no, 2–yes, 3–yes, 4–yes, 5–no, 6–no, 7–no, 8–no, 9–no, 10–

yes, 11–no, 12–no, 13–yes, 14–no, 15–no, 16–yes, 17–no

Can you recall the words?

  1. to socialize

  1. F__________________

  2. excessively indulgent to, and doting on, one’s wife

  2. U__________________

  3. full dress, with ribbons, insignia, badges of office, etc.

  3. R__________________

  4. obsessed in one area or with one overriding interest (adj.)

  4. M__________________

  5. having a compulsion to set fires (adj.)

  5. P__________________

  6. having a psychological compulsion to steal (adj.)

  6. K__________________

  7. person who sets fires for revenge

  7. I__________________.

  8. felony of putting the torch to property for economic profit

  8. A__________________

  9. obsessive need for sexual gratification by a male

  9. S__________________

  or S__________________

10. morbidly dreading enclosed or cramped places (adj.)

10. C__________________

11. morbidly dreading heights (adj.)

11. A__________________

12. morbidly dreading wide-open spaces (adj.)

12. A__________________

13. having delusions of grandeur or power (adj.)

13. M__________________

14. referring to a female who obsessively needs sexual gratification

(adj.)

14. N__________________

15. alcoholism

15. D__________________

16. stealing for thrills or out of psychological compulsion (adj.)

16. K__________________

17. brotherly

17. F__________________

18. characteristic of, or befitting, a wife

18. U__________________

19. referring to, characteristic of, or involved in, the matrimonial

relationship

19. M__________________

20. kingly; royal; splendid; etc.

20. R__________________

21. outside the marriage (adj.)

21. E__________________

22. before marriage (adj.)

22. P__________________

KEY:    1–fraternize, 2–uxorious, 3–regalia, 4–monomaniacal, 5–

pyromaniacal, 6–kleptomaniacal, 7–incendiary, 8–arson, 9–

satyromania or satyriasis, 10–claustrophobic, 11–acrophobic,

12–agoraphobic, 13–megalomaniacal, 14–nymphomaniacal,

15–dipsomania, 16–kleptomaniacal, 17–fraternal, 18–uxorial,

19–marital, 20–regal, 21–extramarital, 22–premarital

(End of Session 30)

SESSION 31

ORIGINS AND RELATED WORDS

1. no reverence

The iconoclast sneers at convention and tradition, attempts to

expose our cherished beliefs, our revered traditions, or our

stereotypical thinking as shams and myths. H. L. Mencken was the

great iconoclast of the 1920s; Tom Wolfe (The Kandy-Kolored

Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby), of the 1960s.

Adolescence is that confused and rebellious time of life in which

iconoclasm

(ī-KON′-Ə-klaz′-Əm)

is

quite

normal—indeed

the

adolescent who is not iconoclastic (ī-kon′-Ə-KLAST′-ik) to some

degree might be considered either immature or maladjusted. The

words are from eikon, a religious image, plus klaein, to break.

Iconoclasm is not of course restricted to religion.

2. is there a God?

Atheist combines the Greek negative prefix a- with theos, God. Do

not confuse atheism (AY′-thee-iz-Əm) with agnosticism (ag-NOS′-tƏ-

siz-Əm), the philosophy that claims that God is unknowable, that He

may or may not exist, and that human beings can never come to a

final conclusion about Him. The agnostic (ag-NOS′-tik) does not deny

the existence of a deity, as does the atheist, but simply holds that no

proof can be adduced one way or the other.

3. how to know

Agnostic (which is also an adjective) is built on the Greek root

gnostos, known, and the negative prefix a-. An agnostic claims that

all but material phenomena is unknown, and, indeed, unknowable.

A diagnosis (dī-Əg-NŌ′-sis), constructed on the allied Greek root

gnosis, knowledge, plus dia-, through, is a knowing through

examination or testing. A prognosis (prog-NŌ′-sis), on the other

hand, is etymologically a knowing beforehand, hence a prediction,

generally, but not solely, as to the course of a disease. (The Greek

prefix pro-, before, plus gnosis.)

Thus, you may say to a doctor: “What’s the diagnosis, Doc?”

“Diabetes.”

Then you say, “And what’s the prognosis?”

“If you take insulin and watch your diet, you’ll soon be as good as

new.”

The doctor’s prognosis, then, is a forecast of the development or

trend of a disease. The doctor knows beforehand, from previous

similar cases, what to expect.

The verb form of diagnosis is diagnose (dī′-Əg-NŌS′); the verb form

of prognosis is prognosticate (prog-NOS′-tƏ-kayt′). To use the verb

prognosticate correctly, be sure that your meaning involves the

forecasting of developments from a consideration of symptoms or

conditions—whether the problem is physical, mental, political,

economic, psychological, or what have you.

In school, you doubtless recall taking diagnostic (dī′-Əg-NOS′-tik)

tests; these measured not what you were supposed to have learned

during the semester, but your general knowledge in a field, so that

your teachers would know what remedial steps to take, just as

doctors rely on their diagnosis to decide what drugs or treatments to

prescribe.

In a reading center, various diagnostic machines and tests are used

—these tell the clinician what is wrong with a student’s reading and

what measures will probably increase such a student’s reading

efficiency.

The medical specialist in diagnosis is a diagnostician (dī′-Əg-nos-

TISH′-Ən).

The noun form of the verb prognosticate is prognostication (prog-

nos′-tƏ-KAY′-shƏn).

4. getting back to God

Theos, God, is also found in:

1. Monotheism (MON′-Ə-thee-iz-Əm)—belief in one God. (Monos,

one, plus theos, God.)

Using atheism, atheist, and atheistic as a model, write the word for

the person who believes in one God: __________________. The adjective?

__________________.

2. Polytheism (POL′-ee-thee-iz-Əm)—belief in many gods, as in

ancient Greece or Rome. (Polys, many, plus theos.)

The person with such a belief? __________________. The adjective?

__________________.

3. Pantheism (PAN′-thee-iz-Əm)—belief that God is not in man’s

image, but is a combination of all forces of the universe. (Pan, all,

plus theos,) The person? __________________. The adjective? __________________.

4. Theology (thee-OL′-Ə-jee)—the study of God and religion. (Theos

plus logos, science or study.)

The student is a theologian (thee′-Ə-LŌ′-jƏn), the adjective is

theological (thee′-Ə-LOJ′-Ə-kƏl).

5. of sex and the tongue

A lecher practices lechery (LECH′-Ər-ee). The derivation is Old

French lechier, to lick. The adjective lecherous (LECH′-Ə-rƏs) has

many close or not-so-close synonyms, most of them also, and

significantly, starting with the letter l, a sound formed with the

tongue, supposedly the seat of sensation.

1. libidinous (lƏ-BID′-Ə-nƏs)—from libido, pleasure.

2. lascivious (lƏ-SIV′-ee-Əs)—from lascivia, wantonness.

3. lubricious (l

ōō

-BRISH′-Əs)—from lubricus, slippery, the same

root found in lubricate. The noun is lubricity (l

ōō

-BRIS′-Ə-tee).

4. licentious (lī-SEN′-shƏs)—from licere, to be permitted, the root

from which we get license, etymologically, “permission,” and illicit,

etymologically, “not permitted.”

5. lewd—the previous four words derive from Latin, but this one is

from Anglo-Saxon lewed, vile.

6. lustful—from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning pleasure, desire.

Noun: lust.

Libidinous, lascivious, lubricious, licentious, lewd, lecherous, lustful

are seven adjectives that indicate sexual desire and/or activity. The

implication of all seven words is more or less derogatory.

Each adjective becomes a noun with the addition of the noun

suffix -ness; lubricity and lust are alternate noun forms of two of the

adjectives.

6. of sex and the itch

Prurient (PR

ŏŏ

′-ee-Ənt), from Latin prurio, to itch, to long for,

describes someone who is filled with great sexual curiosity, desire,

longing, etc. Can you form the noun? __________________.

Pruritis (pr

ŏŏ

r-Ī′-tis), from the same root, is a medical condition in

which the skin is very itchy, but without a rash or eruptions.

(Scratch enough, of course, as you will be irresistibly tempted to do,

and something like a rash will soon appear.) The adjective is pruritic

(pr

ŏŏ

r-IT′-ik).

7. under and over

Hypochondria (hī-pƏ-KON′-dree-Ə) is built on two Greek roots:

hypos, under, and chondros, the cartilage of the breastbone. This

may sound farfetched until you realize that under the breastbone is

the abdomen; the ancient Greeks believed that morbid anxiety about

one’s health arose in the abdomen—and no one is more morbidly,

unceasingly, and unhappily anxious about health than the

hypochondriac.

Hypochondriac is also an adjective—an alternate and more

commonly used adjective form is hypochondriacal (hī′-pƏ-kƏn-DRĪ′-Ə-

kƏl).

Hypos, under, is a useful root to know. The hypodermic needle

penetrates under the skin; a hypothyroid person has an underworking

thyroid gland; hypotension is abnormally low blood pressure.

On the other hand, hyper is the Greek root meaning over. The

hypercritical person is excessively fault-finding; hyperthyroidism is an

overworking of the thyroid gland; hypertension is high blood

pressure; and you can easily figure out the meanings of hyperacidity,

hyperactive, hypersensitive, etc.

The adjective forms of hypotension and hypertension are hypotensive

and hypertensive.

REVIEW OF ETYMOLOGY

PREFIX, ROOT, SUFFIX

MEANING

  1. eikon

religious image

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  2. klaein

to break

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  3. a-

negative prefix

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  4. theos

God

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  5. gnostos

known

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  6. -ism

noun suffix

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  7. -ic

adjective suffix

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  8. gnosis

knowledge

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

  9. dia-

through

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

10. pro-

before

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

11. -ate

verb suffix

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

12. -ion

noun suffix for verbs ending in -

ate

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

13. -ician

one who; expert

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

14. monos

one

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

15. polys

many

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

16. pan

all

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

17. logos

science, study

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

18. -al

adjective suffix

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

19. prurio

to itch, to long for

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

20. hypos

under

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

21. hyper

over

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

22. -ive

adjective suffix

ENGLISH WORD   _________________

USING THE WORDS

Can you pronounce the words? (I)

  1. iconoclasm

ī-KON′-Ə-klaz-Əm

  2. iconoclastic

ī-kon′-Ə-KLAS′-tik

  3. atheism

AY′-thee-iz-Əm

  4. atheistic

ay′-thee-IS′-tik

  5. agnostic

ag-NOS′-tik

  6. agnosticism

ag-NOS′-tƏ-siz-Əm

  7. diagnosis

dī′-Əg-NŌ′-sis

  8. diagnose

DĪ′-Əg-nōs′

  9. diagnostic

dī′-Əg-NOS′-tik

10. diagnostician

dī′-Əg-nos-TISH′-Ən

11. prognosis

prog-NŌ′-sis

12. prognostic

prog-NOS′-tik

13. prognosticate

prog-NOS′-tƏ-kayt′

14. prognostication

prog-nos′-tƏ-KAY′-shƏn

Can you pronounce the words? (II)

  1. monotheism

MON′-Ə-thee-iz-Əm

  2. monotheist

MON′-Ə-thee′-ist

  3. monotheistic

mon′-Ə-thee-IS′-tik

  4. polytheism

POL′-ee-thee-iz-Əm

  5. polytheist

POL′-ee-thee′-ist

  6. polytheistic

pol′-ee-thee-IS′-tik

  7. pantheism

PAN′-thee-iz-Əm

  8. pantheist

PAN′-thee-ist

  9. pantheistic

pan′-thee-IS′-tik

10. theology

thee-OL′-Ə-jee

11. theologian

thee′-Ə-LŌ′-jƏn

12. theological

thee′-Ə-LOJ′-Ə-kƏl

Can you pronounce the words? (III)

  1. lechery

LECH′-Ər-ee

  2. lecherous

LECH′-Ər-Əs

  3. libidinous

lƏ-BID′-Ə-nƏs

  4. lascivious

lƏ-SIV′-ee-Əs

  5. lubricious

l

ōō

-BRISH′-Əs

  6. lubricity

l

ōō

-BRIS′-Ə-tee

  7. licentious

lī-SEN′-shƏs

  8. lewd

L

ōō

D

  9. lustful

LUST′-fƏl

10. lust

LUST

Can you pronounce the words? (IV)

  1. prurient

PR

ŏŏ

R′-ee-Ənt

  2. prurience

PR

ŏŏ

R′-ee-Əns

  3. pruritis

pr

ŏŏ

r-Ī′-tis

  4. pruritic

pr

ŏŏ

r-IT′-ik

  5. hypochondria

hī-pƏ-KON′-dree-Ə

  6. hypochondriacal

hī′-pƏ-kƏn-DRĪ′-Ə-kƏl

  7. hypotension

hī′-pō-TEN′-shƏn

  8. hypertension

hī′-pƏr-TEN′-shƏn

  9. hypotensive

hī′-pō-TEN′-siv

10. hypertensive

hī′-pƏr-TEN′-siv

This has been a long chapter, and we have discussed, more or less

in detail, over one hundred words. Just to keep everything straight

in your mind now, see how successfully you can work out the

following matching exercises, which will concern any of the words

discussed in this chapter.

Can you work with the words? (I)

  1. martinet

a. lack of seriousness in an art or

profession

  2. sycophancy

b. harridan, shrew

  3. dilettantism

c. excessive patriotism

  4. tyro

d. name from father

  5. virtuoso

e. venerable and influential old

man

  6. termagant

f. beginner

  7. chauvinism

g. brilliant performer

  8. patrimony

h. bootlicking

  9. patronymic

i. inheritance from father

10. patriarch

j. strict disciplinarian

KEY:1–j, 2–h, 3–a, 4–f, 5–g, 6–b, 7–c, 8–i, 9–d, 10–e

Can you work with the words? (II)

  1. patricide

a. mother-killing

  2. alma mater

b. tending to fixate obsessively

on one thing

  3. matricide

c. wife-killing

  4. fratricide

d. father-killing

  5. uxoricide

e. tending to set fires

  6. uxorious

f. alcoholic

  7. monomaniacal

g. wife-doting

  8. pyromaniacal

h. school or college from which

one has graduated

  9. megalomaniacal

i. tending to delusions of

grandeur

10. dipsomaniacal

j. brother-killing

KEY:  1–d, 2–h, 3–a, 4–j, 5–c, 6–g, 7–b, 8–e, 9–i, 10–f

Can you work with the words? (III)

  1. kleptomania

a. disbelief in God

  2. libidinous

b. belief in many gods

  3. atheism

c. lewd

  4. agnosticism

d. belief that God is nature

  5. polytheism

e. morbid anxiety about health

  6. monotheism

f. belief in one God

  7. theology

g. study of religion

  8. pantheism

h. obsessive thievery

  9. satyriasis

i. abnormal male sexual needs

10. hypochondria

j. skepticism about God

KEY:  1–h, 2–c, 3–a, 4–j, 5–b, 6–f, 7–g, 8–d, 9–i, 10–e

Can you work with the words? (IV)

  1. hypotension

a. high blood pressure

  2. lascivious

b. malicious fire-setting

  3. hypertension

c. abnormally low blood pressure

  4. agnostic

d. fire-setting for illegal gain

  5. incendiarism

e. to forecast (probable

developments)

  6. arson

f. a determination through

examination or testing of the

nature, type, causes, etc. of a

condition

  7. iconoclasm

g. one who claims that ultimate

reality is unknowable

  8. prognosticate

h. sexually immoral

  9. diagnosis

i. a foretelling of probable

developments

10. prognosis

j. a scoffing at tradition

KEY:  1–c, 2–h, 3–a, 4–g, 5–b, 6–d, 7–j, 8–e, 9–f, 10–i

Can you work with the words? (V)

  1. prurience

a. abnormal need for sexual

intercourse by a male

  2. satyromania

b. fear of enclosed places

  3. agoraphobia

c. student of religion

  4. claustrophobia

d. sexual longing or curiosity

  5. acrophobia

e. fear of heights

  6. theologian

f. fear of open spaces

  7. lubricious

g. having, or referring to,

abnormally low blood pressure

  8. hypochondriacal

h. itching

  9. hypotensive

i. having, or referring to, high

blood pressure

10. hypertensive

j. sexually immoral; lewd

11. pruritis

k. beset by anxieties about one’s

health

KEY:  1–d, 2–a, 3–f, 4–b, 5–e, 6–c, 7–j, 8–k, 9–g, 10–i, 11–h

Can you recall the words? (I)

I. manias and phobias

  1. single fixed obsession

  1. M__________________

  2. irresistible compulsion to set fires

  2. P__________________

  3. unceasing desire, on the part of a woman, for sexual intercourse

  3. N__________________

  4. obsessive desire to steal

  4. K__________________

  5. delusions of grandeur

  5. M__________________

  6. alcoholism

  6. D__________________

  7. compulsion for sexual intercourse by a male

  7. S__________________

  or S__________________

  8. dread of heights

  8. A __________________

  9. dread of open spaces

  9. A__________________

10. dread of cramped quarters

10. C__________________

KEY: 

 

1–monomania,

2–pyromania,

3–nymphomania,

4–

kleptomania, 5–megalomania, 6–dipsomania, 7–satyromania

or

satyriasis,

8–acrophobia,

9–agoraphobia,

10–

claustrophobia

Can you recall the words? (II)

II. sex

Write seven adjectives; all starting with L, more or less meaning

“sexually immoral, desirous, etc.”; write the adjective starting with

P meaning “sexually curious or longing.”

  1. L__________________

  2. L__________________

  3. L__________________

  4. L__________________

  5. L__________________

  6. L__________________

  7. L__________________

  8. P__________________

KEY:  (1–7 in any order) 1–lecherous, 2–libidinous, 3–lascivious, 4–

lubricious, 5–licentious, 6–lewd, 7–lustful, 8–prurient

Can you recall the words? (III)

III. God

  1. study of religion

  1. T__________________

  2. belief that God is the sum total of natural forces

  2. P__________________

  3. belief that there is no God

  3. A__________________

  4. belief that God’s existence is unknowable

  4. A__________________

  5. belief in one God

  5. M__________________

  6. belief in many gods

  6. P__________________

KEY:    1–theology, 2–pantheism, 3–atheism, 4–agnosticism, 5–

monotheism, 6–polytheism

Can you recall the words? (IV)

  1. morbid anxiety about one’s health

  1. H__________________

  2. high blood pressure

  2. H__________________

  3. malicious fire-setting

  3. I__________________

  4. the felony of setting fire for economic gain

  4. A__________________

  5. sneering contempt for convention or tradition

  5. I__________________

  6. a forecast of development (of a disease, etc.)

  6. P__________________

  7. designed to discover causes or conditions (adj.)

  7. D__________________

  8. abnormally low blood pressure

  8. H__________________

  9. to forecast (probable future developments) by examining present

conditions

  9. P__________________

10. to determine the nature of a disease, condition, or state by

examination

10. D__________________

11. the act of forecasting (probable future developments) by

examining present conditions

11. P__________________

12. doctor who is an expert at recognizing the nature of a disease or

condition

12. D__________________

13. possessed of, or referring to, high blood pressure

13. H__________________

14. possessed of, or referring to, abnormally low blood pressure

14. H__________________

15. one who studies religion

15. T__________________

KEY:  1–hypochondria, 2–hypertension, 3–incendiarism, 4–arson, 5–

iconoclasm, 6–prognosis, 7–diagnostic, 8–hypotension, 9–

prognosticate,

10–diagnose,

11–prognostication,

12–

diagnostician,

13–hypertensive,

14–hypotensive,

15–

theologian

CHAPTER REVIEW

A. Do you recognize the words?

  1. Disciplinarian:

(a) martinet, (b) virago, (c) dilettante

  2. Bootlicker:

(a) chauvinist, (b) sycophant, (c) lecher

  3. Scoffer at tradition:

(a) monomaniac, (b) hypochondriac, (c) iconoclast

  4. Disbeliever in God:

(a) agnostic, (b) atheist, (c) chauvinist

  5. Accomplished musician:

(a) tyro, (b) dilettante, (c) virtuoso

  6. Sheer, flimsy:

(a) diaphanous, (b) uxorious, (c) paternal

  7. Abusive woman:

(a) termagant, (b) virtuoso, (c) matriarch

  8. Murder of one’s wife:

(a) genocide, (b) uxoricide, (c) sororicide

  9. Old man in ruling position:

(a) matriarch, (b) patricide, (c) patriarch

10. Morbid compulsion to steal:

(a) dipsomania, (b) nymphomania, (c) kleptomania

11. Delusions of grandeur:

(a) megalomania, (b) egomania, (c) pyromania

12. Lewd, lustful:

(a) prurient, (b) agnostic, (c) hypochondriac

13. Belief in many gods:

(a) polytheism, (b) monotheism, (c) agnosticism

14. Setting fire for economic gain:

(a) pyromania, (b) incendiarism, (c) arson

15. Morbid fear of heights:

(a) agoraphobia, (b) acrophobia, (c) claustrophobia

16. High blood pressure:

(a) hypotension, (b) hypertension, (c) hypochondria

17. Abnormal need for sexual intercourse by a male:

(a) lechery, (b) lubricity, (c) satyriasis

KEY:  1–a, 2–b, 3–c, 4–b, 5–c, 6–a, 7–a, 8–b, 9–c, 10–c, 11–a, 12–a,

13–a, 14–c, 15–b, 16–b, 17–c

B. Can you recognize roots?

ROOT

MEANING

  1. sykon

_________________

EXAMPLE   sycophant

  2. phanein

_________________

EXAMPLE   diaphanous

  3. vir

_________________

EXAMPLE   virago

  4. pater, patris

_________________

EXAMPLE   paternal

  5. onyma

_________________

EXAMPLE   synonym

  6. homos

_________________

EXAMPLE   homonym

  7. phone

_________________

EXAMPLE   homophone

  8. archein

_________________

EXAMPLE   matriarchy

  9. mater, matris

_________________

EXAMPLE   maternity

10. alma

_________________

EXAMPLE   alma mater

11. sui

_________________

EXAMPLE   suicide

12. caedo (-cide)

_________________

EXAMPLE   parricide

13. frater, fratris

_________________

EXAMPLE   fraternity

14. soror

_________________

EXAMPLE   sorority

15. homo

_________________

EXAMPLE   homicide

16. rex, regis

_________________

EXAMPLE   regal

17. uxor

_________________

EXAMPLE   uxorious

18. maritus

_________________

EXAMPLE   mariticide

19. infans, infantis

_________________

EXAMPLE   infanticide

20. genos

_________________

EXAMPLE   genocide

21. mania

_________________

EXAMPLE   egomania

22. monos

_________________

EXAMPLE   monomania

23. dipsa

_________________

EXAMPLE   dipsomania

24. klepte

_________________

EXAMPLE   kleptomania

25. pyros

_________________

EXAMPLE   pyromania

26. incendo, incensus

_________________

EXAMPLE   incendiarism

27. ardo, arsus

_________________

EXAMPLE   arson

28. mega

_________________

EXAMPLE   megalomaniac

29. satyros

_________________

EXAMPLE   satyriasis

30. nymphe

_________________

EXAMPLE   nymphomaniac

31. claustrum

_________________

EXAMPLE   claustrophobia

32. agora

_________________

EXAMPLE   agoraphobia

33. akros

_________________

EXAMPLE   acrophobia

34. phobia

_________________

EXAMPLE   zoophobia

35. eikon

_________________

EXAMPLE   iconoclastic

36. klaein

_________________

EXAMPLE   iconoclasm

37. theos

_________________

EXAMPLE   monotheism

38. gnostos

_________________

EXAMPLE   agnostic

39. gnosis

_________________

EXAMPLE   prognosis

40. polys

_________________

EXAMPLE   polytheism

41. pan

_________________

EXAMPLE   pantheism

42. logos

_________________

EXAMPLE   theology

43. prurio

_________________

EXAMPLE   pruritis

44. hypos

_________________

EXAMPLE   hypotension

45. hyper

_________________

EXAMPLE   hypertension

KEY:    1–fig, 2–to show, 3–man (male), 4–father, 5–name, 6–the

same, 7–sound, 8–to rule, 9–mother, 10–soul, 11–of oneself,

12–to kill, killing, 13–brother, 14–sister, 15–person, 16–king,

17–wife, 18–husband, 19–baby, 20–race, kind, 21–madness,

22–one, 23–thirst, 24–thief, 25–fire, 26–to set fire, 27–to

burn, 28–great, large, 29–satyr, 30–bride, 31–enclosed place,

32–market place, 33–highest, 34–morbid dread, 35–religious

image, 36–to break, 37–God, 38–known, 39–knowledge, 40–

many, 41–all, 42–science, study, 43–to itch, 44–under, 45–

over

TEASER QUESTIONS FOR THE AMATEUR

ETYMOLOGIST

1. If a patronymic is a name derived from the name of one’s father,

can you figure out the word for a name derived from one’s mother’s

name? __________________.

2. Incendo, incensus, to set on fire, is the origin of the adjective

incendiary, the noun incense, and the verb to incense.

(a) What is an incendiary statement or speech? __________________.

(b) Why do people use incense, and why is it called incense?

__________________.

(c) If someone incenses you, or if you feel incensed, how does

the meaning of the verb derive from the root?

__________________.

3. Ardo, arsus, to burn, is the source of ardent and ardor. Explain

these two words in terms of the root.

(a) ardent: __________________.

(b) ardor: __________________.

4. What is used to make sound greater (use the roots for great and

sound)? __________________.

5. A metropolis, by etymology, is the mother city (Greek meter,

mother, plus polis, city, state). Construct a word for a great city

(think of megalomania, delusions of greatness): __________________.

6. Polis, city, state, is the origin of the word for the uniformed

group guarding the city or state. The English word? __________________.

Can you think of the word from the same root for the art of

governing the city or state? __________________.

7. What is a bibliokleptomaniac? _________________________.

Coin a word for one who has an irresistible compulsion to steal

women: __________________. To steal children (use the Greek, not the Latin,

root for child): __________________. To steal males (use the Greek root):

__________________. To steal people (use the Greek root): __________________.

8. What word can you coin for someone who has an obsession to

reach the highest places? __________________. To be in the market place, or

in wide-open spaces? __________________. To be in confined places?

__________________.

9. Coin a word for one who has a morbid dread of thieves:

__________________; of fire: __________________; of women: __________________; of males:

__________________; of people: __________________.

10. Guess at the meaning, thinking of the roots you have learned,

of gnosiology: __________________.

11. Wolfgang Amadeus Theophilus Gottlieb Mozart was a famous

eighteenth-century Austrian composer. You can recognize the roots

in Theophilus. How are his other two middle names similar to

Theophilus? __________________________________.

12.

Thinking

of

the

root

phanein,

define

cellophane:

___________________________.

13. Recognizing the root hypos, can you define hypoglycemia?

__________________. Construct a word that is the opposite of hypoglycemia:

_________________________________.

14. Pan, all, occurs in Pantheon, pandemonium, and panorama. Can

you figure out the meanings?