mollify

Moll (soft) + fy (make) =

v.

Make soft

It can be difficult to mollify

someone’s anger.

ichthyologist

ichthy (fish) + logy (science) +

ist (one who) =

n.

Fish scientist

The ichthyologist discovered a

new species of fish.

polyglot

Poly (many) + glot (tongue)=

n.

Multi-linguist

She is a brilliant polyglot

who speaks seven languages.

diaphanous

Dia (across) + phan (appearance) +

ous (full of) =

Adj.

Semitransparent

Look through the diaphanous

curtains.

somniferous

Somn (sleep) + fer (carry) +

ous (full of) =

adj.

bringing sleep

The somniferous speech put him

to sleep.

sinecure

Sine (without) + cur (care for) =

n.

An easy lucrative job

He has a comfortable sinecure

on his uncle’s farm.

soliloquy

Sol (alone) + loqu ( talk) =

n.

Speech to oneself

Hamlet’s famous soliloquy

is the question.

adherent

Ad (to) + here (stick) =

n.

supporter

Today’s adherents of a militaristic foreign policy are called “neo-cons.”

abjure

Ab (away) + jur (swear) =

v.

renounce

To abjure one’s former beliefs

is difficult.

caustic

Caust (burn) =

Adj.

burning

The caustic comments about

her clothes hurt her.

confluence

Con (together) + flu (flow) =

n.

A flowing together

The idea was formed by a

confluence of other ideas.

depose

De (down) + pos (put) =

v.

Topple from power

He was deposed without violence.

egomania

Ego (I) + mania (madness) =

n.

self-obsession

His egomania made him

offensive to his former friends.

egregious

e (out) + greg (group) +

ous (full of) =

Adj.

blatant

His egregious disrespect to the

teacher was obvious to everyone.

analgesic

an (without) + algia (pain) =

n.

painkiller

Tylenol is a popular analgesic.

chiromancy

Chiro (hand) + mania (madness) =

n.

Palm reading

Some people use chiromancy to

try to predict the future.

oligarchy

Oligo (few or small) +

cracy (government) =

n.

government by a fewIn Animal Farm, control was kept

by an oligarchy of the pigs.

intractable

In (not) + tract (pull) =

adj.

stubborn

Mules have a reputation for being

intractable.

intransigent

In (not) + trans (across) =

Adj.Not-compromising

Voters are very frustrated with

the intransigent members of

Congress. Compromise is not in

their vocabulary.

perfidious

Per (through) + fid (faith) +

ous (full of) =

Adj.

treacherous

His perfidious cowardice made

him infamous.

perspicuous

Per (through) + spec (look)+

ous (full of) =

Adj.

Brilliantly clear

Her perspicuous essay won her the

scholarship.

ingenuous

In (in) + gen (origin) + ous

(full of) =

Adj.

Innocent and naive

The ingenuous—but not

Ingenious—girl believed it.

circumlocution

Circum (around) + loqu (talk) =

n.Talking in circles

To avoid answering the question,

the politician resorted to

circumlocution.

gregarious

Greg (group) + ous (full of) =

Adj.

sociable

Most middle school students

are gregarious and like to be with

friends.

discursive

Dis (away) + curs (run) =

Adj.

rambling

Instead of being concise, her

discursive answer confused

everyone.