Make Your Point > Archived Issues > INNOCUOUS

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connect today's word to others: In Latin, nocere means "to harm, to injure," and combined with the prefix in, meaning "not," it gave us two English words: innocent and innocuous. Take that prefix in back off, and we get nocent, meaning "guilty," or no___us, meaning "harmful, hurtful, or poisonous." (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "INNOCUOUS" Straight from Latin roots meaning "not harmful," our word "innocuous" describes things that are not hurtful, not harmful, or not causing serious injury. Pronunciation: in OCK you us Part of speech: Adjective: "some innocuous purpose," "the exchange seemed innocuous." Other forms: innocuously, innocuousness or innocuity ("IN uh CUE uh tee") How to use it: Everything from cookies, smiles, offers, and events can be called innocuous: the key here is to apply the word to things that seem like they could be hurtful, harmful, or offensive but aren't, or to things that seemed harmless at first but are actually harmful. Here's an example from the New York Times: "A seemingly innocuous YouTube channel may recommend other, more inflammatory channels, which in turn may recommend ever more extremist content." So, talk about innocuous fires, tackles, injuries, objects, foods, gifts, products, buildings, businesses, names, titles, slogans, conversations, requests, comments, instructions, reports, explanations, encounters, moments, events, scenes, films, books, songs, images, art, etc. Or, more generally: innocuous methods, effects, intentions, surroundings, personalities, appearances, etc. Often we add an adverb: things are "apparently," "evidently," or "relatively" innocuous, or they seem "innocuous enough." examples: That innocuous name somehow makes The Peoples Temple sound even more sinister. "In horror movies, something seemingly innocuous always happens before the terror."    — Theresa Vargas, Washington Post, 16 November 2018 study it: Explain the meaning of "innocuous" without saying "unoffensive" or "seeming to cause no pain or stress." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "(Someone's) innocuous offer to _____ led to _____." Example: "Her innocuous offer to bring over cheese and wine for a gathering led to an awkward sales pitch for overpriced skincare." before you review, play: Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first. Controversial Catchphrases! This month, let's consider all kinds of important, ongoing controversies in our world. I'll give you a handful of key phrases that people use when they argue over a controversial question, and you try to pinpoint what that question is. I'll be drawing these issues and phrases from ProCon.org, a fantastic resource for understanding controversial issues (and for introducing those issues to your kids). From the previous issue: People who argue "yes" say things like "reformed," "disenfranchisement," and "racially disproportionate impact." People who argue "no" say things like "untrustworthy," "unconstitutional," and "a state issue, not a federal one." What's the question? The question is, "Should felons who have completed their sentence be allowed to vote?" (Explore this issue at ProCon.org.) Try this one today: People who argue "yes" say things like "diverse culture," "stimulate the economy," and "inhumane to deport." People who argue "no" say things like "rule of law," "jumped the line," and "a privilege, not a right." What's the question? review today's word: 1. The exact opposite of INNOCUOUS is NOCUOUS. But a close opposite of INNOCUOUS is A. DEFINITIVE. B. DESTITUTE. C. DESTRUCTIVE. 2. In spite of its lowly, innocuous appearance, the plant _____. A. exudes a sweet, soothing fragrance  B. provides maintenance-free ground cover C. causes an itchy rash that persists for weeks 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. C 2. C