False Roots

Question 1

What does this word mean?

glacial

Answer 1

slow moving

It’s the way glaciers move.

Question 2

Break down and try to define:

fundamentalist

Answer 2

Meaning: someone who bases beliefs on strict interpretation of core texts

Not related so closely to money or funds.

Question 3

Break down and try to define:

denigrate

Answer 3

Meaning: to lower a reputation.

It is related to the Latin root for black, but the connection is an offensive one today.

Question 4

Break down and try to define

lapidary

Answer 4

Meaning: gem cutting

Has nothing to do with lap, or lapping.

Question 5

Break down and try to define:

impale

Answer 5

Meaning: to stick a stick through

Has nothing to do with being pale, though you’d probably turn pale if you were properly impaled.

Question 6

Break down and try to define:

lacrimous

Answer 6

Meaning: sad, doleful, like a funeral sad

There is no crime here.

Question 7

Break down and try to define:

mimicry

Answer 7

mimic / ry

Question 8

Break down and try to define:

mnemonic

Answer 8

Meaning: aiding in memory

Has nothing to do with nemesis.

Question 9

Break down and try to define:

repast

Answer 9

Meaning: meal

Has nothing to do with again, passing, or the past.

Question 10

What does this word mean?

fastidious

Answer 10

Meaning: really picky, having unattainable standards

Has nothing to do with either speed or not eating.

Question 11

What does this word mean?

compromise

Answer 11

Positive AND negative meaning:

1. compromise is positive in that it solves difficulties, shows respect
2. compromise is negative referring to principles, showing a lack of conviction

Question 12

What does this word mean?

restive

Answer 12

Meaning: unable to keep still

The opposite of rest.

Question 13

What does this word mean?

fatuous

Answer 13

Meaning: silly

Not fat.

Question 14

What does this word mean?

latent

Answer 14

Meaning: hidden within, capable or surfacing

Not related to being late.

Question 15

What does this word mean?

quandary

Answer 15

Meaning: in a state of confusion

Not related to when.

Question 16

What does this word mean?

rail

Answer 16

Meaning: to complain bitterly

You’d think you know this word, and eliminate it, and THEN, you’d be wrong.

Question 17

What does this word mean?

eclectic

Answer 17

Meaning: deriving ideas, style or taste from a variety of sources

Not related to lecture or electric.

Question 18

What does this word mean?

taciturn

Answer 18

Meaning: reserved in speech, unwilling to speak too much

There is no turn here, either left or right.

Question 19

What does this word mean?

abet

Answer 19

Meaning: giving shelter or help

Wanna bet it has nothing to do with a wager.

Question 20

What does this word mean?

callous

Answer 20

Meaning: unfeeling, hard-hearted

It doesn’t mean “call us.”

Question 21

What does this word mean?

debunk

Answer 21

Meaning: prove something to be nonsense

Doesn’t mean dumping someone out of their bed at camp.

Question 22

What does this word mean?

decorous

Answer 22

Meaning: socially proper

Not really too closely related to decoration.

Question 23

What does this word mean?

fallacious

Answer 23

Meaning: incorrect, misleading

Not so much “fall”, but “FAIL”.

Question 24

What does this word mean?

maxim

Answer 24

Meaning: words to live by

Not related to maximum or scantily clad celebrities.

Question 25

# What does this word mean? carp

Answer 25

SAT Meaning: to annoy, pester It's a fish, but a badger, a nag, a termagent, and a shrew are all just animals. They all have meanings related to being a pain in the ass.

Question 26

# What does this word mean? expound

Answer 26

Meaning: explain systematically and in great detail The word is related to "ponder" which means "to weigh, to wonder at, to consider deeply, to mull over", but it is really probably better not to root this one.

Question 27

# What does this word mean? recalcitrant

Answer 27

Meaning: defiant, unapologetic Neither "calcium" nor "calculate" leads you to the right meaning here.

Question 28

# What does this word mean? tenable

Answer 28

Meaning: able to be defended or maintained Doesn't mean "able to be ten".

Question 29

# What does this word mean? redoubtable

Answer 29

Meaning: respected as a serious challenge, formidable, commanding respect Doesn't not mean "able to doubt again" or "able to be doubted again".

Question 30

# What does this word mean? winsome

Answer 30

Meaning: charming, pleasing Doesn't mean "some that you win".

Question 31

# What does this word mean? adumbrate

Answer 31

Meaning: to explain in a sketchy way "Umbrella" doesn't really help\[\\]There's no dumb here.

Question 32

# What does this word mean? clairvoyant

Answer 32

Meaning: clearsighted, insightful to the point it seems supernatural "Voyage" is not in this word.

Question 33

# What does this word mean? clamor

Answer 33

Meaning: loud noise from generally various sources Sinces clams never contribute to any clamor, the word is not related to the tasty mollusk.

Question 34

# What does this word mean? clandestine

Answer 34

Meaning: secret, covert Has nothing to do with the destiny of the clan.

Question 35

# What does this word mean? cleave

Answer 35

Meaning both: to chop apart, separate AND to stick to (something) Not really a false root, but watch out because a child cleaves to his mother and your tongue can cleave to the roof of your mouth.

Question 36

# What does this word mean? empirical

Answer 36

Meaning: based upon observations or experience, capable of being proved or disproven This word is used in science related to data and is not related to the empire.

Question 37

# What does this word mean? noisome

Answer 37

Meaning: offensive, unpleasant, usually to the sense of smell More like "annoying" than "noisy".

Question 38

# What does this word mean? ambiguous

Answer 38

Meaning: unclear Not having to do with bigness though.

Question 39

# What does this word mean? entail

Answer 39

Meaning: comes with, included as a necessary step Maybe as the tail comes with the dog.

Question 40

# What does this word mean? espouse

Answer 40

Meaning: to take up as a cause Not really so close to the "husband" or "wife".

Question 41

# What does this word mean? stagnate

Answer 41

Meaning: to cease motion, progress, or change Not a deer named Nate.

Question 42

# What does this word mean? arboreal

Answer 42

Meaning: related to trees Although trees can be boring.

Question 43

# What does this word mean? arcane

Answer 43

Meaning: obscure, known to a select few, secret Doesn't have anything to do with a cane.

Question 44

# What does this word mean? mores

Answer 44

Meaning: moral attitudes and fixed customs of people Not related to having more.

Question 45

# What does this word mean? buffet

Answer 45

Meaning: a smack or punch, a blow Of course it also means a spread of food where you serve yourself. You wouldn't want a buffet of buffets, because that would be a savage beatdown.

Question 46

# What does this word mean? atrophy

Answer 46

Meaning: loss of strength or size due to lack of use Not really related to a trophy.

Question 47

# What does this word mean? curtail

Answer 47

Meaning: to lessen or reduce A "cur" is an old word for dog, but this doesn't mean doggy tail.

Question 48

# What does this word mean? dogmatic

Answer 48

Meaning: asserting a position based on faith, not fact Again, no dog here.

Question 49

# What does this word mean? ribaldry

Answer 49

Meaning: humor based in rude or vulgar subject matter Has little to do with bald dudes, although they might dig ribald humor.

Question 50

# What does this word mean? surfeit

Answer 50

Meaning: overabundant in supply, indulgent No one is surfing here, although there could be a surfeit of wonderwaves.