(KIL), verb
To cause the death of; deprive of life; put an end to.
fratricide (FRAT-rih-side). The act of killing a brother; the murder of a male sibling.
It is only when Hamlet is told of the king’s FRATRICIDE that a tragic chain of events is initiated.
genocide (JENN-uh-side). The deliberate, systematic destruction of a culture, people, or nation.
Attempts at tribal GENOCIDE have drawn attention to the African province of Darfur.
herbicide (URB-ih-syde). A chemical that kills plants, especially that which eradicates weeds.
Although originally described as a comparatively harmless HERBICIDE, Agent Orange was (as thousands of soldiers learned much later) anything but.
sororicide (suh-RAWR-uh-side). The act of killing one’s own sister.
Once past their teenage years, most sisters get over the feelings of SORORICIDE.
uxoricide (uk-SOR-ih-side). The crime of murdering one’s wife.
Eventually, the defendant was acquitted of UXORICIDE; his wife’s death was ruled a suicide.
vaticide (VAT-uh-side). The act of murdering a prophet.
Tom took the reviewer’s negative article on his religious poetry as an act tantamount to VATICIDE.
decapitate (dee-KAP-ih-tate). To remove the head of.
Although the guillotine was initially proposed as a humane method of execution, the idea of using a machine to DECAPITATE criminals now strikes most people as barbaric.
defenestrate (de-FEN-uh-strayt). To throw something or someone through or from a window.
Successful completion of the plan to DEFENESTRATE the dictator depended upon timing, luck, and courage.
fumigate (FYOO-mih-gate). To release fumes in order to get rid of insects or other pests.
We had the place FUMIGATED, used sound-waves, and set dozens of traps, but our house continued to be plagued by cockroaches.
immolate (IM-uh-late). To kill as if as a sacrifice, especially by fire.
The monk’s dramatic act of self-IMMOLATION made headlines around the world.
lapidate (LAP-ih-dayt). To stone to death.
Due to worldwide outrage and diplomatic pressure, the decision to LAPIDATE a person for infidelity was rescinded.
martyr (MAR-ter). To put to death for adhering to a belief or particular faith.
Many religions have historically seen fit to MARTYR disbelievers.
contrive (kuhn-TRAHYV). To invent; design; fabricate; to bring about.
“There is nothing which has yet been CONTRIVED by man, by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern.”
—Samuel Johnson, English poet, critic and writer
spawn (SPAWN). To bring forth or be the source of; to give birth to; to give rise to.
The national games served to SPAWN athletes for future Olympic competitions.
(KIND), adjective
Possessing sympathetic or generous qualities; of a benevolent nature.
avuncular (A-VUN-cue-lar). Kind, genial, benevolent, like an uncle.
Myron’s AVUNCULAR personality makes women think of him as a friend, not as a lover.
beneficent (be-NE-fih-sent). Kindly in action, purpose, or speech.
In a BENEFICENT gesture, the neighborhood raised $10,000 to help pay for the young boy’s leukemia treatments.
benevolent (buh-NEV-uh-lent). Characterized by feelings of charity and good will; kindly feelings.
As spring approaches and the weather warms, it seems that BENEVOLENT attitudes are in greater supply.
benign (Beh-NINE). Kindly, gentle, generous of spirit, not harmful.
We thought Amanda BENIGN until she began to inflate her family pedigree.
magnanimous (mag-NAN-ih-mus). A kind and generous act.
“In a serious struggle there is no worse cruelty than to be MAGNANIMOUS at an inopportune time.”
—Leon Trotsky, Bolshevik revolutionary and Marxist theorist
bonhomie (bon-uh-MEE). A good-natured, genial manner.
Even though he has no family pedigree, Walker is accepted into our group because of his contagious BONHOMIE.
chivalry (SHIV-ul-ree). Brave, kind, courteous, or gentlemanly behavior.
“We hear much of CHIVALRY of men towards women; but . . . it vanishes like dew before the summer sun when one of us comes into competition with the manly sex.”
—Martha Coston, American author
malevolent (muh-LEV-uh-luhnt). Wishing harm or evil to others; having ill will; malicious.
“Writers take words seriously . . . and they struggle to steer their own through the crosswinds of meddling editors and careless typesetters and obtuse and MALEVOLENT reviewers into the lap of the ideal reader.”
—John Updike, American writer
malignant (muh-LIG-nuhnt). Having an evil influence; wishing evil; very harmful.
“Doubtless criticism was originally benignant, pointing out the beauties of a work rather that its defects. The passions of men have made it MALIGNANT.”
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, American poet
(NOL-ij), noun
Facts, truths, and principles as obtained and accumulated by study and investigation; all that has been perceived and grasped by the mind.
cognition (kog-NISH-un). Perception; the process of knowing.
The process of COGNITION develops with amazing rapidity over the first two years of life.
epistemology (uh-PIST-uh-mall-uh-jee). The study of the nature of knowledge and understanding.
An interest in people’s purchasing habits led Martina to begin studying EPISTEMOLOGY.
pansophy (PAN-suh-fee). Universal knowledge.
It’s safe to say that PANSOPHY is a goal as unreachable as world peace and an end to hunger.
prescience (PRESS-ee-unce). The knowledge of events before they take place; foreknowledge.
Lacking PRESCIENCE, I really can’t tell you what Sally intends to do.
sagacity (suh-GASS-ih-tee). Wisdom; soundness of judgment; keen perceptivity or shrewdness.
“Our minds are endowed by nature with such activity and SAGACITY that the soul is believed to be produced from heaven.”
—Quintilian, Roman rhetorician
cerebral (suh-REEB-rul). Appealing to or involving the human mind; characteristic of intellectual pursuits; pertaining to the brain.
Bill’s lofty observations on the nature of existence are a little too CEREBRAL for a party like this; you’d be better off inviting Charlie, who tells such funny stories.
empirical (imm-PEER-ih-kuhl). Describes knowledge that is based on direct observation or practical experience.
Phyllis failed her science class because her experiment was based on EMPIRICAL evidence rather than on scientific verification.
erudite (AIR-yoo-dyte). Sophisticated; well educated; deeply learned; knowledgeable; scholarly.
Beneath his ERUDITE image, Dr. John Brinkley was a money-grubbing con man.
gnostic (NOSS-tik). Possessing spiritual knowledge.
The ancient GNOSTIC gospels, while not part of my formal church teaching, nevertheless made for illuminating reading.
omniscient (ahm-NIH-shent). Describes someone who knows everything.
“The god of love, if omnipotent and OMNISCIENT, must be the god of cancer and epilepsy as well.”
—George Bernard Shaw, Irish playwright
sapient (SAY-pee-ent). Wise; sagacious.
The judge made a SAPIENT ruling in splitting custody between the two parents.
dilettante (DIL-uh-tont). Someone with only an amateurish or superficial interest in a subject or discipline.
The cafe was once a meeting place for struggling artists and poets of genuine talent, but by 1970 it was nothing more than a swamp of DILETTANTES.
hearsay (HEER-say). Unverified information gathered from another that is not part of one’s direct knowledge; gossip; rumor.
“My talk to thee must be how Benedick / Is sick in love with Beatrice. Of this matter / Is little Cupid’s crafty arrow made, / That only wounds by HEARSAY.”
—William Shakespeare
sciolism (SIGH-uh-liz-im). Superficial knowledge; shallow learning; charlatanism.
We were shocked and annoyed when we discovered that the “professor” had been guilty of blatant SCIOLISM all these years.
See also: Judgment, Learn, Think, Understanding