Make Your Point > Archived Issues > OMISSIBLE

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"OMISSIBLE" Meaning: To omit something is to leave it out: to decide to not include it. An omission is something left out. So, something omissible can be left out (or should be left out.) In other words, omissible things are not needed and should be deleted, skipped over, excluded, or not mentioned. Pronunciation: oh MISS uh bull 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 omissible explanation.” 2. After a linking verb, as in "The explanation was omissible.”) Other forms: none How to use it: More than just saying something is "redundant" or "unneeded," "omissible" takes things to the next level and quickly expresses that something can and should be removed. Stuff is omissible if it's already been said, if it's obvious or if the audience already knows it, or if it's boring or too long or unrelated to the main point. So, talk about omissible information and descriptions, labels, explanations, introductions and instructions, words and phrases, material and content, repetitions, and so on. It's also useful to point out what's not omissible: "the information may be new to many readers and is simply not omissible," "regulation requires complete dosage information, none of which is omissible," "these footnotes are not omissible; they clear up potential confusion and provide solid evidence for the claims in the text." Some assembly instructions are a godawful mess, others a model of elegant simplicity with nothing omitted and nothing omissible. In your college application essays, all those club-related acronyms that you're so familiar with need to be written out in full the first time you mention them. Not everybody knows what FBLA, NHS, and JA are. I'm not being nit-picky here--determining who your audience is and what information is and is not omissible in your writing is a big deal. Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "omissible" means when you can explain it without saying "unnecessary" or "can be removed." Think of a time you needed to get straight to the point when you were saying or writing something, and fill in the blanks: "I find/found that _____ was/were/is/are omissible when _____." Example: "I find that expressions of my general frustration are omissible when trying to arrive at a solution with any customer service provider over the phone." Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game and quote below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. Playing With Words: This month, challenge your powers of memory and recall (or just get ready to reign supreme on Wheel of Fortune) as we play with two-word phrases that you’ll find in a dictionary. We’ll start off with easy tasks and advance to harder ones as the month goes on. See the right answer to each question the following day. You might even see a new phrase that inspires your curiosity and makes you look it up. Have fun! (Note: Every dictionary recognizes a different set of two-word phrases. I used the OED to make these game questions.) Yesterday's question: What six-letter word fits into each phrase below? ______ access ______ copolymer ______ distribution ______ error ______ noise ______ number ______ play ______ process ______ sample ______ sampling ______ selection ______ shot ______ variable ______ variate ______ walk Answer: random. Try this one today: What seven-letter word fits into each phrase below?  _______ childbirth _______ deduction _______ food _______ high _______ immunity _______ liberty _______ logarithm _______ number _______ park _______ resources _______ scale _______ state _______ wit A Point Well Made: Marie Kondo: “…our possessions very accurately relate the history of the decisions we have made in life. Tidying is a way of taking stock that shows us what we really like.” 1. The opposite of OMISSIBLE is A. REGRETTABLE B. ESSENTIAL C. PRESENT 2. In an explanation of _____, _____ is definitely omissible. A. why you want that particular job .. the need to pay your bills B. how an industry currently operates .. its brief history C. where to turn in to get to your house .. a landmark Answers are below. To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each day for free by Mrs. Liesl Johnson, M.Ed., a word lover, learning enthusiast, and private tutor of reading and writing in the verdant little town of Hilo, Hawaii. For writing tips, online learning, essay guidance, and more, please visit www.HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. A Exploring the archives: Today's word means "able to be omitted" ("able to be left out or deleted.") It might look and sound like another word of ours, "immiscible," but that word's meaning is different. Could you recall it? And could you explain why "immiscible" looks more like "miscellaneous" than "omit"?