Make Your Point > Archived Issues > ETIOLATED

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connect today's word to others: Our word etiolate comes from a French one meaning "to blanch, to turn white," and when we describe things as etiolated--like etiolated plants, or etiolated skin--we mean they're pale and weak, as if they've wasted away into an unhealthy whiteness, as if deprived of sunlight. See if you can recall this synonym of etiolated: em___ated people and things are weak, as if they've wasted away into an unhealthy slenderness, as if deprived of nourishment. (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "ETIOLATED" To etiolate plants is to weaken and whiten them by keeping them in the dark, away from the sunlight. (You can also say that plants etiolate on their own: that they become weak and white.) And so, etiolated people and things used to be strong and vibrant, but now they're weak, pale, or feeble. Pronunciation: EE dee uh lay did Part of speech: Adjective. (Adjectives are describing words, like "large" or "late." They can be used in two ways: 1. Right before a noun, as in "an etiolated system" or "an etiolated person." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was etiolated" or "He was etiolated.") Other forms: etiolate, etiolating, etiolation How to use it: This word is rare; it calls attention to itself. Use it when you need to be especially emphatic. You could be literal and talk about etiolated plants, leaves, or stems; etiolated animals; or etiolated skin, complexions, arms, legs, bodies, etc. Or you could be figurative. When you want to suggest that something was once vigorous and thriving but now is as weak and feeble as a houseplant deprived of sunlight, call it etiolated. You might talk about etiolated systems, companies, industries, or economies; etiolated colors or qualities; etiolated thoughts, ideas, or philosophies; or an etiolated sense or meaning of a word or phrase. Or say that something is in an etiolated condition. Or, refer to the etiolated form or version of something. We use "etiolated" as an adjective, but it's also a verb (just like "weakened" and "enervated"), so you can say that things or people are etiolated by something. For example, Marcel Theroux describes a character "etiolated by Bikram yoga." Let's also look at the verb by itself. Because "etiolate" is both transitive and intransitive, you can talk about things that etiolate other things ("the long imprisonment etiolated his mind") as well as things that etiolate on their own ("during his long imprisonment, his mind etiolated").  examples: Silent, dusty, and dim, the wine cellar hides clouded bottles and etiolated barrels. "September became October. [...] One afternoon from his window Michael was pondering the etiolated season whose ghostliness was more apparent in Leppard Street, because no fall of leaves marked material decline."    — Compton Mackenzie, Sinister Street, 1914 study it now: Look away from the screen to define "etiolated" without saying "puny" or "anemic." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "(Doing something) is essential; without it, we risk (social, political, academic, intellectual, creative, spiritual, or romantic) etiolation." Example: "Reading fiction is essential; without it, we risk creative etiolation." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. Complete the Clichés! In each issue this month, I'll present a general theme and a handful of common expressions that apply to it--but only the first few words of each expression. See if you can complete them!  To keep things interesting, I've picked a mixture of phrases both new and familiar to me. I hope some will pique your curiosity and inspire you to Google them for their meanings and backstories. (Please try that first, and if your search turns up empty, email me for help.) If you're playing this game with the kids in your family or your class, you might enjoy talking together about what the phrases mean. Enjoy! In the previous issue, the theme was "good ideas:" A. Cut the coat... B. Heap coals of... C. Hitch your... D. Improve each... Answers: A. Cut the coat according to the cloth B. Heap coals of fire on his head C. Hitch your wagon to a star D. Improve each shining hour Try these today. The theme is "bad ideas:" A. Beard the lion in... B. The blind leading... C. Carry coals to... D. Put the cart... E. Buy a pig... review today's word: 1. A close opposite of ETIOLATED is A. CLARIFIED. B. REVITALIZED. C. STIMULATED. 2. The once-_____ carnival seems etiolated this year, the lights and colors of the rides increasingly _____. A. verdant .. faded B. childish .. sophisticated C. creepy .. vibrant and inviting Answers are below. a final word: Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From Liesl's 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. Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. A