Make Your Point > Archived Issues > ANTIPODAL
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pronounce
ANTIPODAL:
Say it "an TIP uh dull."
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connect this word to others:
Today we're checking out the word antipodal, which we often use literally to describe things on opposite sides of the globe--and figuratively to describe things that are so different that they may as well be.
Before, we studied a really similar word, one that focuses less on geography and more on geometry. See if you can recall it:
If you and I believe completely opposite things, then it's like we're on opposite ends of a circle, each of us standing on an endpoint of a straight line that passes through the circle's center. Our views are dia_____al.
And if your beliefs are a giant stone and you're pushing them toward me, while I'm pushing back against them, then we're both wasting our time with these Sis___ian arguments. Let's agree to disagree! (Thanks for the cartoon, Larry!)
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
The word "antipodes" (pronounced "an TIP uh deeze") has Greek roots that literally mean "opposite feet."
Strictly speaking, antipodes are people or places that are on exact opposites of the surface of the earth. And loosely speaking, antipodes are things or ideas that are exact opposites of each other.
So, something antipodal to something else is totally opposite to it, as if it's standing on the opposite side of the earth.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Adjective: "these antipodal characters;" "this character is antipodal to that one."
Other forms:
The singular noun is "antipode," pronounced "AN tih pode." (An antipode is a precise opposite.)
The plural noun is "antipodes," pronounced "an TIP uh deeze." (As I mentioned above, antipodes are precise opposites of each other.)
There's an adverb, "antipodally," but it's not recognized by all dictionaries... so when you use it, you get to feel like a rebel. ;)
how to use it:
Although the word "antipodal" is a bit rare, it's pretty easy for your listeners to understand.
So, feel free to call things antipodal when you need to draw extra attention to just how opposite they are.
You might describe two certain things, people, or places as antipodal, or antipodal to each other. "These two philosophies aren't just different; they're antipodal." "This philosophy is antipodal to that one." "These philosophies are antipodal to one another."
What other pairs of things might be antipodal? Goals, beliefs, interests, intentions, principles, qualities, personalities, characteristics, etc.
examples:
"The style and thought of these two remarkable artists is antipodal."
— James Huneker, Unicorns, 1917
"The attorneys general of Nebraska and Oklahoma...Jon Bruning and Scott Pruitt, filed a lawsuit against Colorado for legalizing marijuana. [Their crusade] conflicts with their ostensible support of states' rights... Both men believe their states have a right to control their own health insurance systems... This strange little lawsuit against Colorado is so astonishingly hypocritical, so brazenly antipodal to Bruning and Pruitt's professed philosophy, that even admirers of both men are aghast."
— Mark Joseph Stern, Slate, 30 December 2014
has this page helped you understand "antipodal"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "antipodal" without saying "like polar opposites" or "100% different."
try it out:
In The Main Chance, Meredith Nicholson writes:
"Raridan was the plaything of many moods; Saxton was equable and steady. They sought each other with the old perversity of antipodal natures."
Do you think it's true that opposites attract, or in Nicholson's words, that antipodal natures seek each other? Consider some of your own characteristics: what would it be like if someone were to have antipodal ones, and would you seek that person's company?
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game this month is Everyday Etymologies!
If you're in the habit of looking up the etymologies of everyday words (wait, you aren't?), then you find, occasionally, certain ones that strike you as particularly apt, cute, strange, or poetic. I'd like to share some of those finds with you this month. In each issue, I'll give you the etymology of an everyday word, and you supply the word. We'll start easy and move into some tougher ones as the month goes on, but every answer will be an everyday kind of word, one you've been familiar with since, say, adolescence at least. To see the answer, scroll to the bottom of the issue.
Try this one today: This two-syllable noun and adjective names a cloth, a color, and pieces of clothing; it comes from an Urdu word meaning "dust."
review this word:
A. STABLE.
B. CLOSE-BY.
C. MULTI-MODAL.
2. In The Itching Palm, William R. Scott argues that the custom of tipping forces people into roles that are artificially antipodal: one group of people feels _____; the other, _____.
A. superior .. inferior
B. proud .. undemocratic
C. powerful .. hardworking
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Today we're checking out the word antipodal, which we often use literally to describe things on opposite sides of the globe--and figuratively to describe things that are so different that they may as well be.
The word "antipodes" (pronounced "an TIP uh deeze") has Greek roots that literally mean "opposite feet."
Part of speech:
Although the word "antipodal" is a bit rare, it's pretty easy for your listeners to understand.
"The style and thought of these two remarkable artists is antipodal."
Explain the meaning of "antipodal" without saying "like polar opposites" or "100% different."
In The Main Chance, Meredith Nicholson writes:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
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