Ch 2.1: Unit 4

This group of words comes from the Latin root peccare, meaning "to sin, to be flawed."

Key Words

Example Usage

• My father is usually tolerant of my brother's behavior, but he will not tolerate any peccant actions.
• The chef's kitchen was impeccable; every surface was polished and every utensil was in its place.

Word Spark

• peccadillo: Think of your friend who is always a few minutes late to everything.
• impeccable: Like a drawing where every single line is perfectly straight and clean.

These words originate from the Latin root pejor, meaning "worse."

Key Words

Example Usage

• The coach worried that the player's injury would impair his performance in the championship game.
• I found the critic's use of pejorative language to be unprofessional and biased.

Word Spark

• pejorative: Like calling someone's creative idea "silly" instead of giving helpful feedback.
• impair: Think of how smudges on your glasses make it harder to see clearly.

This set of words is derived from the Latin root malus, which means "bad."

Key Words

Example Usage

• A general malaise fell over the team after their third consecutive loss.
• The candidate lost the election because his opponent successfully maligned him in a series of ads.

Word Spark

• malinger: Think of a student who suddenly gets a "headache" when it's their turn to clean the classroom.
• malaise: Like the quiet, heavy feeling in the air after a big argument has ended.

These words are built on the Latin roots negare, "to deny," and neglegere, "to neglect."

Key Words

Example Usage

• The pet owner was negligent for not taking his sick dog to the veterinarian.
• A single poor grade will not negate an entire year of hard work and good test scores.

Word Spark

• negligent: Like a babysitter who spends the whole time looking at their phone instead of the kids.
• negligible: Think of one typo in a 20-page essay; it's there, but it barely matters.