Make Your Point > Archived Issues > APPOSITE
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pronounce
APPOSITE:
Say it "APP uh zit."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
If our word apposite reminds you of opposite, that's for good reason! They both come from the Latin ponere, "to place, to put, to position." Opposite literally means "placed against," while apposite literally means "placed near."
So while the two words like alike, you could say they're opposites--etymologically, at least. Because apposite doesn't exactly mean "the same, or similar." It means appropriate, related, relevant, or pertinent.
See if you can recall two more synonyms of apposite:
1. Something g____ne is closely related or closely connected to the topic at hand. This one comes from Latin and literally means "having the same parents."
2. Something a___po is fitting and appropriate, or closely related to the topic at hand. This one comes from French and literally means "to the purpose," or, even more literally, "to [that which is] placed in front [of you]."
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
The word "apposite" comes from a Latin one meaning "touching or neighboring," or more literally, "placed to, toward, or near (something)."
In English, at first, we used "apposite" in a literal way: "placed well, applied well."
These days, we use it figuratively. Something apposite is fitting, suitable, or appropriate.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Adjective: "an apposite description;" "The music is apposite to the story's theme."
Other forms:
The adverb is "appositely," and the noun is "appositeness."
You might wonder why "apposition" isn't the noun, since it sounds more graceful. But "apposition" means something slightly different: it's a more literal process of placing things together.
The exact opposite is "inapposite," with the adverb "inappositely" and the noun "inappositeness."
how to use it:
When you're tired of the more familiar synonyms "apt" and "appropriate," pick the semi-common, academic-sounding "apposite."
You might say that one thing is apposite to another, or that one thing is apposite for a certain place or person, or in a certain context or situation.
And you might talk about an apposite name, nickname, definition, description, comment, etc.
examples:
"[The song's] 'Feet, don't fail me now!' refrain was apposite for a musician whose typical concert puts his audience through a four-hour workout. Don't even think about listening to it sitting down."
— Tony Karon, Time, 21 October 2011
"A friend gave him an amusingly apposite definition [of 'intimacy']. They were having dinner and she said: "Oh intimacy: In-to-me-I-see.'"
— Paula Cocozza, The Guardian, 1 July 2017
has this page helped you understand "apposite"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "apposite" without saying "apt" or "applicable."
try it out:
Think about something that seems too extraordinary for its kind.
Fill in the blanks: "(Something) (has a few normal characteristics), but it doesn't seem apposite to call it (a certain thing)."
Example 1: "Taylor Swift's 'All Too Well' has verses and a chorus, but it's ten minutes long and feels like a movie, so it doesn't seem apposite to call it a pop song."
Example 2: "[Rachel Harrison's The Conquest of the Useless] is three-dimensional and uses sculptural pedestals – but somehow it does not seem apposite or helpful to call it sculpture."
— Jonathan Jones, The Guardian, 12 May 2010
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 for this month is MYP Wordles!
You're likely familiar with the popular new game Wordle, created by Josh Wardle and recently purchased by the New York Times. You can play the real Wordle each day here.
It's fun, simple, and addictive. You try to guess the five-letter word. Each time you guess, you see how close you are: a green box means you've gotten the right letter in the right spot; a yellow box means you've gotten a letter that's in the word but in the wrong spot; a gray box means you've guessed a letter that isn't in the word at all.
There's only one real Wordle every day. But luckily for us, the good folks at StriveMath.com have created a copycat Wordle tool, so you can play as many Wordles as you want, and even create and share your own.
So, in each issue this month, try the MYP Wordle linked below. The answer will be a word we've studied. I'll give a series of hints that you can reveal if you choose to. If you can't figure out the answer, you can let the puzzle reveal it, or you can scroll all the way down. Enjoy!
Click here to play today's MYP Wordle.
If you need some hints, highlight the hidden white text below.
The letter it starts with is… V
The vowels it includes are… A and U
The part of speech is… verb
The definition is… to brag about things or display them in a boastful way
review this word:
A. OPPOSABLE.
B. IMPOSSIBLE.
C. INAPPLICABLE.
2.
Howard Ho noted that the song "We Don't Talk About Bruno," from Disney's Encanto, is in essence a madrigal: an elaborate song with many layered voices. Ho's point is apposite because _____.
A. "Bruno" is sung by the Madrigal family
B. scholars disagree on the definition of a madrigal
C. a madrigal is sung a cappella, but "Bruno" is sung with accompaniment
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:
On vocabulary...
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.
From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
A 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.
If our word apposite reminds you of opposite, that's for good reason! They both come from the Latin ponere, "to place, to put, to position." Opposite literally means "placed against," while apposite literally means "placed near."
The word "apposite" comes from a Latin one meaning "touching or neighboring," or more literally, "placed to, toward, or near (something)."
Part of speech:
When you're tired of the more familiar synonyms "apt" and "appropriate," pick the semi-common, academic-sounding "apposite."
"[The song's] 'Feet, don't fail me now!' refrain was apposite for a musician whose typical concert puts his audience through a four-hour workout. Don't even think about listening to it sitting down."
Explain the meaning of "apposite" without saying "apt" or "applicable."
Think about something that seems too extraordinary for its kind.
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.
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. |