Make Your Point > Archived Issues > QUASI

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pronounce QUASI: Many ways are correct. I suggest "KWOZ eye" or "KWOZ ee." To hear it, click here. connect this word to others: You guys remember Dr. Evil and his son Scott Evil from the Austin Powers movies? Scott: Why did you run out on me? Dr. Evil: Because you're not quite evil enough. [audience boos]  Dr. Evil: Well, it's true! It's true! You're semi-evil. You're quasi-evil. You're the margarine of evil. You're the Diet Coke of evil. Just one calorie, not evil enough. And there we have our funny, scholarly, very Latin-y word: quasi, often coupled to another word with a hyphen, meaning "kinda, sorta, similar, not enough, almost, the Diet Coke of whatever it is." See if you can recall some more words with that distinctive Latin look: 1. Latin for "who should live?," the two-word term qu_ v___ means "[being on] the lookout for something: [being] cautious and wary." 2. Latin for "which stuff in order for the day?," the four-syllable word qu_____an means "dull and ordinary in an everyday kind of way." 3. Possibly from the Latin for "when?" or "what time?," the three-syllable word qu_____y means "a difficult, confusing situation that you don't know how to get out of. (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) definition: The word "quasi" comes straight from Latin, where it means "as if" or "nearly: somewhat like." We use that same meaning in English. That is, we use "quasi" to mean "nearly: almost, in-effect, virtually, or sort-of." grammatical bits: Part of speech: When you write it as a standalone word, it's either an adjective ("She's a quasi professional;" "They're a quasi musical group;" "It's a quasi solution") or an adverb ("She's quasi succeeding;" "They're quasi performing;" "It'll quasi work"). And when you stick it onto another word with a hyphen, it's a combining form: "quasi-war," "quasi-marriage," "quasi-celebrity;" "quasi-violent," "quasi-loving," "quasi-famous." Other forms:  None how to use it: Should you write "quasi" as its own word, or tack it onto another word with a hyphen? Either way is fine. I prefer the hyphen. While the tone of "quasi" can be academic and serious, it's such an academic-sounding word that it's perfect for humor, too. So, pick "quasi" when you need to be formal or fake-formal as you point out how a certain label doesn't really apply: "The book is a quasi poem, veering in and out of images and scenes;" "Let's be honest, she's a quasi-celebrity at best." examples: "It’s a quasi democracy at best, in delicate transition from military rule, a nation at war with itself and yet to be forged."     — Tyler McCarthy, Fox News, 10 September 2020 "I may say a few words here of that quasi-wonderful woman, Lola Montès. I say 'quasi,' because really there was nothing wonderful about her, except perhaps her beauty and her consummate impudence. She had not a scrap of talent of any kind; education she had none..."    — Albert D. Van Dam, An Englishman in Paris, 1982 has this page helped you understand "quasi"? Awesome, I'm glad it helped! Thanks for letting me know! If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. study it: Explain the meaning of "quasi" without saying "almost" or "sort-of." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "I am, let's say, a quasi-(type of person). I can _____ but not _____." Example: "I am, let's say, a quasi-webmaster. I can edit and modify scripts, but not write them from scratch." If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.) 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 October is "Silly Smashings!" In each issue this month, I'll give you the definition of a word I've concocted by smashing together two words we've studied before. See if you can come up with the same silly smashing that I did. For example, I'll say, "This noun means 'an extremely outdated, old-fashioned, ill-considered assumption that there are only two ways of dealing with a certain problem.'" And you'll say, "That's a troglodichotomy." (Which is a silly smashing of troglodyte and dichotomy.) I'll list the answer at the bottom of each issue. Maybe your answer will match mine. Or maybe yours will be even better; if so, be sure to share it with me! Try this one today: This four-syllable word ends in "-ing" and means "the act of pushing people (as if with a stick) to get out on the dance floor and bust a move with you in your loud, lively, showy, boisterous way." review this word: 1. A near opposite of QUASI is A. PRO BONO (for free). B. BONA FIDE (genuine). C. ET CETERA (and the rest). 2. Despite their name, Quasi Skateboards is a company that _____. A. does make actual skateboard accessories B. makes skateboarding gear for both men and women C. prints bizarre graphics on its shirts, like a flaming skull sinking into a basketball hoop Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. A Answer to the game question: Fandangoading. That's a silly smashing of fandango and goading. 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:    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.