Lesson 10: From Head to Toe

This word comes from the Latin root SUPERCILIUM, meaning "eyebrow." Think of someone looking down on you, with one eyebrow raised in a haughty, disdainful way.

Key Words

📝Example Usage:

• The star player's supercilious attitude made him unpopular with his teammates, who were tired of him acting superior.

🧠Memory Trick

• The supercilious butler gave a faint, disapproving smile as he looked down on the guests.

These words are derived from the Latin root OS, ORIS, which means "mouth." They relate to openings or actions performed with the mouth.

Key Words

📝Example Usage:

• The scientists were excited to discover a new species of deep-sea fish with a glowing orifice near its tail.
• As part of the silly play, the clown pretended to osculate the hand of a surprised audience member.

🧠Memory Trick

• He puckered his lips to osculate her cheek, but she laughingly pointed to the tiny orifice of the keyhole instead.

The Latin root ORO, ORARE, meaning "to speak," gives us words related to formal speaking, divine pronouncements, and the inability to be persuaded by speech.

Key Words

📝Example Usage:

• Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address is a famous oration that is still studied by students today.
• Despite our pleas, the principal was inexorable and refused to change the date of the final exam.
• My grandmother is the family's oracle; we all go to her for advice on important decisions.

🧠Memory Trick

• The wise oracle delivered a memorable oration, warning the town of the inexorable march of time.

From the Latin root DENS, DENTIS, meaning "tooth," we get words related to notches, pronged weapons, and even contracts that were historically torn with a tooth-like pattern.

Key Words

📝Example Usage:

• To start a new paragraph, you should leave a one-inch indentation from the margin.
• In mythology, the sea god Poseidon is often depicted holding a powerful trident.
• The blacksmith and his apprentice signed a formal indenture that outlined the terms of their work agreement.

🧠Memory Trick

• The ancient indenture had a curious indentation along its torn edge, shaped like the tines of a tiny trident.

This term comes from the Greek root ODON, ODONTOS, which also means "tooth." It is the foundation of many modern dental and scientific terms.

Key Words

📝Example Usage:

• In the past, people with crooked teeth had no access to an orthodontist to help straighten their smiles.

🧠Memory Trick

• If you want your teeth to be straight and not crooked, you should visit an orthodontist.

The Latin root GURGES, GURGITIS, meaning "throat" or "whirlpool," gives us a group of vivid words related to eating, vomiting, and monstrous figures with prominent throats.

Key Words

📝Example Usage:

• The hikers stood at the edge of the deep gorge, amazed by the river flowing far below.
• After eating too much cake, he felt the need to gorge himself on water, but his stomach started to hurt.
• The baby bird waited for its mother to regurgitate its meal.
• That fantasy movie featured a gargantuan dragon that was larger than a castle.

🧠Memory Trick

• The gargantuan stone gargoyle looked as if it might disgorge or regurgitate water at any moment, making my stomach gorge rise with nausea.