Make Your Point > Archived Issues > TACITURN

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pronounce TACITURN: Say it "TASS ih turn." To hear it, click here. connect this word to others: "I can't figure it out, Badger. You seem like a smart kid. Why do you waste your time with all this kid-stuff garbage? You're almost eight..." Taciturn people are the silent type, like Badger here, who never utters a word throughout the movie Better Off Dead. For whatever reason, taciturn people simply prefer to say very little, or nothing at all. The word taciturn traces to the Latin word for "silent," and so does our word tacit, which describes things rather than people. Can you explain what it means to show tacit support, or to reach a tacit agreement? Getting back to taciturn, it has a few synonyms we've checked out before. See if you can recall them: c_g_y ("shrewd and careful, as if keeping secrets") and r_t_c_nt ("quiet and secretive, unwilling to share thoughts or feelings"). (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)  definition: In Latin, tacitus means "silent," and taciturnus means "silent by nature." Taciturnus kept its meaning as it entered English. Taciturn people are silent, because they don't want to communicate, and they don't want to take part in the conversation. grammatical bits: Part of speech: Adjective: "her taciturn parents;" "This character is usually taciturn, but in this scene he has a lot to say." Other forms:  The noun is "taciturnity," pronounced "TASS ih TUR nuh tee." The other two forms are rare: you can do something "taciturnly," and people who hardly ever speak are "taciturnists." how to use it: When you need to emphasize someone's habitual silence, pick the semi-common word "taciturn." It's a formal, serious kind of word, so pick it when words like "mum," "tight-lipped," and "clammed-up" are too casual.  "Taciturn" most often describes someone's entire personality: "He's known for being taciturn." "Buffy, I, too, know the love of a taciturn man, and you have to look at their actions." Still, we might occasionally use "taciturn" to describe someone's mood or behavior that varies from moment to moment: "Why was she so taciturn about her day at camp?" "He's normally so outgoing--I wonder what's making him taciturn today?" examples: "As for Hester, she sat taciturn in the bow, her long ears flat against her skinny back and her eyes narrowed."    — Philip Pullman, The Subtle Knife, 2000 "Leadership skills mean a lot, though the taciturn [Derek] Jeter leads by example. "     — Richard Corliss, Time, 27 September 2014 has this page helped you understand "taciturn"? 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 "taciturn" without saying "tight-lipped" or "uncommunicative." try it out: If you've read the kids' book No Talking by Andrew Clements, you might remember how the fifth graders challenge each other to stop talking so much--in fact, to stop talking at all, saying a maximum of three words, and only when someone else directly asks you a question. If you imposed this kind of taciturnity on yourself for a day, how would it go? Would it be easy, or hard? Would you enjoy it? Despise it? A little of both?  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 this month is Everyday Etymologies! If you're in the habit of looking up the etymologies of everyday words (wait, you aren't?), then you find, occasionally, certain ones that strike you as particularly apt, cute, strange, or poetic. I'd like to share some of those finds with you this month. In each issue, I'll give you the etymology of an everyday word, and you supply the word. We'll start easy and move into some tougher ones as the month goes on, but every answer will be an everyday kind of word, one you've been familiar with since, say, adolescence at least. To see the answer, scroll to the bottom of the issue. Try this one today: This three-syllable noun traces back to a Greek phrase meaning "milky circle." (Hint: it's an astronomical term.) review this word: 1. A near opposite of TACITURN is A. LAMBENT (gently glowing). B. LOQUACIOUS (very talkative). C. LUGUBRIOUS (very sad and mournful). 2. In the New York Times, Vanessa Friedman wrote: "A _____ from Mr. Arnault, a famously taciturn executive, is the equivalent of a _____ from another chief executive." A. smile .. scream of triumph B. stern lecture .. raised eyebrow C. quick pep talk .. written warning Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. A Answer to the game question: Galaxy. 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.