Make Your Point > Archived Issues > METRONOMIC

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connect today's word to others: Whether it's the whoosh-whoosh-whoosh of your windshield wipers or the beating of his hideous heart, something metronomic reminds you of the steady beat of a metronome, that device that helps a musician keep to the tempo. Metronome and metronomic have Greek roots: metron, "measure;" and nomos, "regulating." Something metronomic regulates the measure. It sets the beat. When you see the word metronomic, you might think of other words with "metro," like metropolis and metropolitan, or just Metro itself, as in, "Let's ride the Metro to the museum." But those words are about cities, not measuring, right? Actually, they're about mothers. Sort of. :) A metropolis, literally, is a mother city: a city that gives birth to others by sending out settlers. The "metro" in that word and its relatives comes from Greek meter, "mother." It's just a coincidence, then, that metropolis looks so much like metronomic. Now, here's a true relative for metronomic: diametric. They look alike for a reason--what is it? And how does diametric relate to the diameter of a circle? And what's a diametric reversal, or diametric opposition? (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "METRONOMIC" Something metronomic is very steady and repetitive in a way that reminds you of the mechanical tick-tick-tick-tick of a metronome. Pronunciation: MEH truh NOM ick (Be sure you don't accidentally keep the long "O" in "metronOme"--that is, don't say "meh truh NOME ick." Rhyme "metronomic" with "astronomic," "economic," "subatomic," and "gin and tonic.") 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 metronomic thing." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was metronomic.") Other forms: metronome(s), metronomically How to use it: I love this word because it instantly compares: to call something metronomic is to compare it to a metronome--steady, regular, reliable, unvarying, repetitive, mechanical--and you don't even have to use the word "like" or "as." Whether your tone is negative or positive depends on your meaning. Metronomic things might be boring, predictable, and numbing, or they might be accurate, steadfast, and comforting. Talk about metronomic sounds and speech, metronomic behavior, metronomic motion or movement, metronomic regularity, a metronomic pace, etc. And because a metronome's pendulum rod (the little arm) swings from one side to the other, you might talk about a metronomic back and forth, a metronomic rise and fall, a metronomic dip and rise, and so on. (But if the back-and-forth motion you're talking about isn't regular or rhythmic, a better word than "metronomic" might be "oscillating.") examples: I don't have fancy noise-cancelling headphones, so I just sit there, one eye twitching a bit, and listen to the metronomic rise and fall of the flight attendant's voice. He hated the prison-like rigidity of the school day and felt an ache in his soul with every metronomic transition: exit this class, enter that one. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "metronomic" means when you can explain it without saying "steady" or "repetitive." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "In a metronomic voice, (someone) would (talk about something specific)." Example: "In a metronomic voice, he would walk us through example after example of how to apply the quadratic formula." 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 "Game of Games!" Guess the one-word title of each board game, using your knowledge of vocabulary. From our previous issue:  Designed by J. Alex Kevern, this game has players building and programming robots. The title means "thinking, feeling and alive, or more generally, aware of things or paying close attention to things." It's pictured below, with the title blurred out. What game is this? Answer: Sentient. Check out the game here and the word here. Try this today:  Designed by Donald X. Vaccarino, this game has players racing to build evil gadgets for world domination. The title means "absolutely wicked, vicious, and evil." It's pictured below, with the title blurred out. What game is this? review today's word: 1. A close opposite of METRONOMIC is A. RURAL. B. ERRATIC. C. PATERNAL. 2. Anna stares at the _____, imitating it with a metronomic _____. A. portrait .. and somber stare B. nutcracker .. grimace C. clock .. clucking 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. C