Make Your Point > Archived Issues > ORPHIC
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pronounce
ORPHIC:
Say it "OR fick."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
As we check out the word orphic, see if you can recall a similar word that also comes from ancient Greek culture: something or____ar seems full of mystical wisdom, information, or predictions--or, it's mysterious in a hazy, unclear way.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
In Greek myth, Orpheus is a magical poet, musician, and prophet, known as the "father of songs."
He uses his music to charm people and animals, which is how he's able to charm his way safely into, and out of, the underworld to rescue his wife. It's also how he's able to protect his companions from the deadly songs of the sirens.
Orpheus is also associated with an entire mystic religion, Orphism, which involved mysteries, rituals, and reincarnation.
So, if we describe things as orphic, we mean they remind us of Orpheus and his powers because they seem mystical or magical, often in a musical way, or in a hazy, unclear way.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Adjective: "his orphic powers;" "the orphic sounds of their flutes."
Other forms:
None are common. If you need an adverb, it's "orphically."
If you prefer, you can capitalize it, "Orphic," to emphasize its connection to Orpheus, the character.
how to use it:
"Orphic" is a scholarly word, and a bit rare.
Its tone is positive when it means "mystically musical," and mildly negative when it means "mystically vague." Personally, I recommend sticking to that first meaning, "mystically musical." We've already got other words that more definitely mean "mystical, vague, hazy, and unclear, like the vague words of a prophet," like "oracular" and "Nostradamic."
You might talk about orphic speakers and writers, orphic people and characters, orphic comments and responses, orphic powers and tools, orphic sounds and music and instruments, and orphic wisdom and imagination.
examples:
"[Django Reinhardt] is an orphic figure of mythical allure because of the incredible things he could do with a guitar."
— Dominic Conway, as quoted by Lyn Gardner, The Guardian, 27 March 2013
"He turned 50, he got married, he had a child, he lost his mother, and now, he's addressing all of these things in songs — with happy, legible images bumping up against orphic, unknowable ones."
— Chris Richards, Washington Post, 15 July 2019
has this page helped you understand "orphic"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "orphic" without saying "entrancing" or "mystical."
try it out:
To your ears, what's a song, an instrument, or a sound from nature that's so powerful or so beautiful that you'd call it orphic? Talk about why it's so entrancing: what features or qualities make it seem like it could lull a hellhound to sleep.
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game for this month is Rhyming Puzzles!
I'll give you a description of something, and you name it in a rhyming phrase.
Longtime readers will recognize this game from years past, when we grappled with silly answers like "shopworn popcorn," "hidebound guide hound," "cow chow kowtow," "unflagging pun bragging," and "catch-as-catch-can Etch A Sketch fan."
The answers will get longer as the month goes on. To see the clue, click the link. To see the answer, scroll all the way down. Enjoy!
Try this one today:
It's hard to look like a tough, brave spelunker when you're quaking and shivering with cold in those deep, dark caves. So, before heading into a cave, you always pull on your well-insulated full-length coat. It's your _____ ______ _____.
Three words, two syllables each.
Clue: use this word.
review this word:
A. RESONANT: sounding profound, like an echo.
B. MELLIFLUOUS: sounding sweet and charming, like honey.
C. CACOPHONOUS: sounding ugly, harsh, and jarring.
2.
Mack Hagood refers to tools like _____ as "orphic media," noting that they imbue us with the power to _____.
A. digital maps and high-resolution binoculars .. see what's around us with godlike clarity
B. white-noise machines and noise-cancelling headphones .. protect ourselves from the sounds around us
C. cell phone cameras and livestreaming platforms .. record and even project our own visual realities
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
On vocabulary...
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.
From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
A 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.
As we check out the word orphic, see if you can recall a similar word that also comes from ancient Greek culture: something or____ar seems full of mystical wisdom, information, or predictions--or, it's mysterious in a hazy, unclear way.
In Greek myth, Orpheus is a magical poet, musician, and prophet, known as the "father of songs."
Part of speech:
"Orphic" is a scholarly word, and a bit rare.
"[Django Reinhardt] is an orphic figure of mythical allure because of the incredible things he could do with a guitar."
Explain the meaning of "orphic" without saying "entrancing" or "mystical."
To your ears, what's a song, an instrument, or a sound from nature that's so powerful or so beautiful that you'd call it orphic? Talk about why it's so entrancing: what features or qualities make it seem like it could lull a hellhound to sleep.
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |