Building a Better Vocabulary

Lecture 7: Wicked Words

Malinger (verb)

To fake or exaggerate illness, usually to avoid work.

Venal (adjective)

Open to corruption; capable of being bought through bribery.

z Venal is derived from the Latin venum, meaning “something for

sale.” Related English words include vendor and vending, either of

which can be used as a key word for venal. Just as these words

relate to selling, venal describes describe corrupt people who are

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z Venal is often confused with venial, which means “forgivable,

pardonable, minor,” as in a “venial sin” as opposed to a mortal sin.

Insidious (adjective)

Intended to entrap, ensnare, or beguile; stealthily treacherous or deceitful.

z Here again, etymology helps with remembering the word insidious.

This word is derived from the Latin insidere, meaning “to sit in or

on.” Thus, insidious is used to describe a type of evil that works on

the inside—an inside job that is secret, stealthy, and harmful.

z 3XOOLQJRXWWKH¿UVW¿YHOHWWHUVRIinsidious yields insid, which looks

almost like inside and serves as a built-in mnemonic for recalling

this word.

Invidious (adjective)

Creating ill will, envy; causing resentment; unfairly or offensively discriminating.

z Just as we did with insidious, we can use the spelling-meaning

connection to help remember invidious. This word comes from

the Latin invidia, meaning “envy.” When you see invidious, focus