Make Your Point > Archived Issues > SATURNINE

Send Make Your Point issues straight to your inbox.

"SATURNINE" Meaning: Although "saturnine" can literally mean "influenced by the planet Saturn," more often it describes people who act gloomy, cold, and sluggish. Pronunciation: SAD ur nine 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 saturnine attitude.” 2. After a linking verb, as in "Her attitude was saturnine.") Other forms: saturninely, saturninity How to use it: Talk about saturnine people and personalities, saturnine moods, saturnine facial expressions, saturnine statements and predictions, etc. In the ninth and tenth grade, I tended to hang around with the most saturnine kids you'd ever meet, the kind that always dressed in black and spoke with a slow, jaded reluctance about anything. It was pretty silly. A dark, rainy evening makes me want to curl up with a book of saturnine poems. Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "saturnine" means when you can explain it without saying "grave" or "glum." Think of a time you were in a grouchy and cheerless mood, and fill in the blanks: "_____ put me in a saturnine mood for (a certain length of time)." Example: "Wasting time on the phone, having to explain the same issue to multiple people, always puts me in a saturnine mood for at least ten or twenty minutes afterward." 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: I’ll start a chain of two-word phrases. See if you can keep it going for at least three more phrases. (Your phrases should be common enough that you’ll find them in a dictionary—you can’t just use any common phrase. For example, I wrote “minor penalty,” which is listed in the OED, but I couldn’t write “minor smudge,” because it isn’t listed in a dictionary even though it’s a reasonable thing to say.) minor penalty penalty kick kick ? ? ? ? ? Answers: Here’s one possible set of answers out of many: minor penalty penalty kick kick flip flip phone phone number number sign sign language … Try this one today: Spot the error! Of the two-word phrases listed below, which one is always properly written as one word with a hyphen? drip dry  drop leaf drill press A Point Well Made: Albert Einstein: “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” 1. The opposite of SATURNINE is A. EARTHY B. EXORBITANT C. CHEERFUL 2. She responded to our every request with a saturnine _____. A. grimace B. smile C. puzzlement 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. C 2. A Exploring the archives: Today's "saturnine," meaning "gloomy, cold, and sluggish," is an interesting vestige from astrology. Though "saturnine" is a useful and fun word, I'd be surprised to find anyone who literally believes that saturnine people got their gloom-and-doom temperaments from being born under the influence of Saturn! Speaking of superstitions, could you recall a word for a magical object that protects you from evil or attracts good luck?