WordSkills: Lesson One

WordSkills: Lesson One Part One

Word of the day: rigmarole From ragman roll In 1291, when King Edward I of England asked for allegiance from Scottish nobles, they have him the ragman roll, which was a bundle of papers carelessly thrown together. Today rigmarole is confused, rambling, or incoherent speaking or writing.

a (an): no, not, without, lacking amnesia a (without) mne (memory) ia (condition, state of) anarchy an (without) arch (rule, government) y (result of) atheist a (lacking, without) theo (god) ist (one who)

ambi: both ambiguous ambi (both) ag (do, drive) ous (full of) ambidextrous ambi (both) dextro (right-handed) ous (full of) ambivalent ambi (both) val (strong) ent (full of)

anti: against antidote anti (against) dot (give) antibiotic anti (against) bio (life) ic (having characteristics of) antisocial anti (against) soc (society) al(having characteristics of)

circum: around circumference circum (around) fer (carry) ence(state or condition) circumscribe circum (around) scribe (write) circumnavigate circum (around) nav (sail) ate (make, cause)s

de: down, from demote de (down) mot (move) descend de (down) scend (climb) decline de (down) clin (bend)

WordSkills: Lesson One Part Two

Word of the day: etymology From etumos (true) and logos (word) The etymology of a word is its literal meaning or definition as well as its origin and historical development.

dis (di, dif): apart, away, not divert di (away) vert (turn) differ dif (away) fer (carry) disrupt dis (apart) rupt (break)

endo: inside, within endoderm endo (within) derm (skin) endocardium endo (inside) cardi (heart) ium (condition, place) endocrine endo (inside) krin (separate)

exo: outside exocrine exo (outside) krin (separate) exotic exo (outside) ic (having characteristics of) exosphere exo (outside) sphere (sphere)

extra (extro): beyond extraordinary extra (beyond) ordin (order) ary (place where) extrasensory extra (beyond) sens(feel) ory (having characteristics of) extraterrestrial extra (beyond) terrestri (earth) al (related to)

hetero: different heterogeneous hetero (different) gen (kind) ous (full of) heteromorphic hetero(different) morph(shape) ic(having characteristics of) heterosexual hetero (different) sex (sex) al (related to)

WordSkills: Lesson One Part Three

Word of the day: groggy - from “Grog,” the nickname of 18 th century British admiral Edward Vernon, who wore a coat made of grogram, a course material made of silk, wool, and mohair -When Vernon decided to water down the ship’s rum, the sailors called it grog, and they became groggy after drinking too much of it. -Today groggy means unsteady and dazed or shaky.

hetero: different heterogeneous hetero (different) gen (kind) ous (full of) heteromorphic hetero(different) morph(shape) ic(having characteristics of) heterosexual hetero (different) sex (sex) al (related to)

homo: same homonym homo (same) onym (name) homogeneous homo (same) gen (kind) ous (full of) homophone homo (same) phon (sound)

in (il, im, ir): in, into inject in (in, into) ject (throw) illuminate il (in) lumin (light) ate (make, cause) import im (in) port (carry) irrigate ir (in) rigar (water) ate (make, cause)

in (ig, il, im, ir) Inactive in (not) act (act, do) ive (having power) Ignoble ig (not) nobilis (noble) Illegal il (not) leg (law) al (related to) Imperfect im (not) per (thoroughly) fect (make) Irrational ir (not) ration (reason) al (related to)

inter: between, among interact inter (between) act (act, do) interrupt inter (between) rupt (break) intervene inter (between) vene (come)

WordSkills: Lesson One Part Four

Word of the day: charley horse In 17 th century England, King Charles II created the position of night guard for disabled veterans who were nicknamed charleys. Later the term charley horse was used for a horse that went lame. Today the term refers to a cramp or stiffness in a person’s muscle, especially in the upper leg.

intra (intro): inside, within intravenous intra (inside) ven (vein) ous (full of) introduce intro (inside) duc (lead) introspect intro (inside) spect (look)

iso: same isometric iso (same) metr (measure) ic (related to) isosceles iso (same) skelos (leg) isothermal iso (same) therm (heat) al (related to)

macro: large, great macroscopic macro (large) scop (look, see) ic (having characteristics of) macrocosm macro (large) cosm (world, universe) macrocyte macro (large) cyte (cell)

micro: small microscopic Micro (small) scop (look, see) ic (having characteristics of) microcosm micro (small) cosm (world) microcyte Micro (small) cyte (cell)

medi: middle median medi (middle) an (related to) medieval medi (middle) ev (time, age) al (related to) medium medi (middle) ium(state, condition of)

per: through, thoroughly perspire per (through) spir (breath) permit per (through) mit (send) perennial per (through) enn (year) al (related to)

WordSkills: Lesson One Part Five

Word of the day: paparazzi From Paparazzo, a photographer in the 1957 movie La Dolce Vita by Frederico Fellini Mr. Paparazzo tried to photograph people in embarrassing situations. Today the term paparazzi refers to photographers who pursue famous people in hopes of taking pictures to sell to magazines and newspapers. Fellini said that he chose this name for his character because it sounded like a “buzzing, stinging, annoying sort of insect.”

pre: before prefix pre (before) fix (place, put) precede pre (before) ced (go) prevent pre (before) ven (come)

post: after postpone post (after) pon (place, put) postscript post (after) script (write) postmeridian post (after) meridian (midday)

se: apart, away secede se (apart) ced (go) seclude se (away) clud (close, shut) seduce se (away) duc (lead)

syn (syl, sym, sys): same, together with synonym syn (same) onym (name) symphony sym (together) phon (sound) y (result of) syllable syl (together) lambanein (take)

ultra: beyond ultraliberal ultra (beyond) liber (free) al (related to) ultramodern ultra (beyond) mod (now) ern (related to) ultrasound ultra (beyond) son (sound)