126 | August• 2017
WORD POWER
Answers
1.cryptology– [C] study of codes
(-ology= ‘study’). The Enigma code
was cracked by aces in cryptology.
2.empathetic– [A] showing
understanding or sensitivity
(-pathy= ‘feeling’). Do you think
women are more empathetic
than men?
3.ovoid– [A] egg-shaped (-oid=
‘resembling’). Jay’s ovoid physique
made him a shoo-in for the role of
the plump, jolly Falstaff.
4.deify– [A] treat as a god (-fy=
‘make into’). First we deify pop stars,
then we tear them down.
5.perspicacious– [B] of acute
mental vision (-acious= ‘with a
quality of ’). She’s too perspicacious
to fall for their hoax.
6.indigenous– [B] native (-genous=
‘producing’). The protesters argued
that chemical
testing would
hurt the island’s
indigenous species.
7.herbicide–[C]
agentusedto
inhibit or kill plant
growth (-cide=
‘killing’). Mother
Nature is not fond
of lawn herbicides.
8.pachyderm– [A]
very large mammal
with thick skin
(-derm= ‘skin’). Elephants,
rhinoceroses and hippopotamuses
are all pachyderms.
9.Kafkaesque– [A] nightmarishly
complex (-esque= ‘resembling’).
Getting my passport back involved
a Kafkaesque maze of bureaucracies.
10.atrophy– [A] waste away
(-trophy= ‘nourishment’). Without
rehab, Alison’s knee will atrophy.
11.knavish– [C] deceitful or
dishonest (-ish= ‘like’). Who’s the
knavish sneak who swiped my drink?
12.legalese– [C] legal language
(-ese= ‘language style’). Please, cut
the legalese and speak plain English.
13.patriarch– [B] father figure
(-arch= ‘chief ’). That loudmouth
is the patriarch of all spin doctors.
14.obsolescent– [C] going out of
use (-escent= ‘becoming’). Our
landline is now
obsolescent.
15.solarium– [A]
sunroom (-arium=
‘place’). Let us retire
to my solarium for
a little more
inspiration.VOCABULARY
RATINGS
9 & below:Linguist
10–12:Wordaholic
13–15:Word Power
WizardPSEUDO SUFFIXES
The ending-gateis not a
natural suffix; it was taken
from the Watergate affair and
tacked onto new scandals:
Camillagate, debategate.
Same with-athon,taken from
the Greek battle of Marathon,
‘to make things long’:
telethon, walkathon. Others
include-itis,for modern
maladies (computeritis),
and-holic,for addictions
(shopaholic, tweetaholic).