Make Your Point > Archived Issues > MEPHITIC

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connect today's word to others: A mephitis is an outpouring of poisonous gas, and mephitic things are literally or figuratively foul-smelling or retch-inducing. I know: ew! See if you can recall a synonym of mephitis that starts with E. Here's an example: "Opening the classroom window helped clear out the e_____um of thirteen different Bath and Body Works products liberally applied." (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "MEPHITIC" A disgusting, poisonous smell or leakage is a mephitis ("muh FIGHT us"). We got this word from Latin: it literally means "noxious vapor," and in Roman mythology, the goddess Mephitis (or Mefitis) ruled over volcanoes and maybe some other underground sources of deadly, nasty, knock-you-flat gases. So, something mephitic is disgusting in a way that reminds you of poisonous gas. Pronunciation: muh FID ick 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 "a mephitic thing." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was mephitic.") Other forms: mephitis Is "mephitic" related to "Mephistopheles," the name of that devilish character from German folklore? Probably not. I can't find any evidence. But we can definitely use "mephitic" to suggest a hellish, sulfuric smell, both literally and figuratively. How to use it: "Mephitic" is rare, scholarly, and extremely harsh in tone: to call something mephitic is to suggest that it's so gross-smelling that it could actually poison you or knock you dead. So, pick this word when you need to emphasize how extremely nasty and harmful something is. To be literal, talk about mephitic air, fumes, vapors, and exhalations; mephitic odors and stenches; mephitic rooms and vaults, etc. And to be figurative, talk about a mephitic atmosphere, the mephitic stench of some situation, a mephitic haze around someone's past, the mephitic odor clinging to a memory, etc. examples: You can feel the exhaustion and anguish, and smell the mephitic air, as Frodo trudges through the Dead Marshes. Their dorm room was unlivable, repulsive, a mephitis of moldy pizza crusts, sweaty gym clothes, and debauchery. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "mephitic" means when you can explain it without saying "offensive to the sense of smell" or "morally rotten." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "_____ seemed poisoned with the mephitic stench of _____." Literal example: "The stretch of road along the river seemed poisoned with the mephitic stench of the paper factory." Figurative example: "Her memory of second grade seemed poisoned with the mephitic stench of dread." 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. This month, we're playing with The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce. It's a collection of silly, sarcastic, satirical definitions of everyday words, and--lucky us!--it's in the public domain. In each issue this month, I'll give you one of Bierce's definitions and, if it's a tough one, I'll give you the word's first letter. And you try to come up with the word. From our previous issue: Bierce defines it as "that which discloses to the wise and disguises from the foolish their lack of understanding." It's a noun. It starts with E. What is it? Answer: Education. Try this today: Bierce defines it as "an interior convulsion, producing a distortion of the features and accompanied by inarticulate noises. It is infectious and, though intermittent, incurable." It's a noun. What is it? review today's word: 1. A close opposite of MEPHITIC is A. PESTILENTIAL B. ARBOREAL C. AMBROSIAL 2. Appropriately, Mephitis mephitis is a type of _____. A. snake B. skunk C. rodent 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. B