Make Your Point > Archived Issues > VENERABLE

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"VENERABLE" Meaning: When you venerate people or things, you treat them with extreme respect, almost like you're worshiping them. So, venerable people or things are worthy of a very high level of respect (and almost worthy of being worshiped). Pronunciation: VEN er 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 “a venerable professor.” 2. After a linking verb, as in "The professor was venerable.”) Other forms: venerate, venerated, venerating, veneration, venerableness, venerably How to use it: Whether you're being serious or just exaggerating, keep in mind that "venerable" often applies to old or aged things and people (but it doesn't have to). Note also that the word has a religious flavor: titles like "Peter the Venerable" or "The Ven. Bartholomew Holzhauser" are earned as the first step toward sainthood. So, talk about venerable people (like venerable poets or leaders,) venerable groups and organizations and institutions, venerable companies and brands, venerable homes and buildings and architecture, and so on. Finally, note the tiny difference between "venerable" (deserving very high respect) and "venerated" (having very high respect). Albert Bandura is one of the venerable old figures in psychology, known and loved for his work on self-efficacy and social learning theory. As we enter the main dining area, we're confronted by a venerable bull's head mounted on the wall. It gives me the creeps. Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "venerable" means when you can explain it without saying "honorable" or "deserving respect." Think of a highly respected person or thing in your field or hobby, and fill in the blanks: "Without the venerable (person or thing,) we _____." Example: "Without the venerable TurnItIn.com, we'd have no good way to identify plagiarism." 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, we're playing New Word Order! It's a card game that I recently created; it involves figuring out the order in which certain words and phrases entered our language. I'll give you several words and/or phrases, and you'll use your knowledge of history, slang, technology, popular culture, fashion, psychology, etc. to put them into chronological order. I'll post the right answer to each question on the following day. If you like this game, you can download and print it to play with your family and friends. (It's free.) When you play New Word Order on hard mode with a group of friends, you make one big timeline together, which can get pretty long—and that makes it challenging to place new terms on it! For about the final third of this month, we’re building one big timeline. (And we’ll finish out the month—the 28th through the 30th— with three unique and highly challenging questions.) Yesterday's task was to add "inner child" to this timeline: Brainwashing, 1950 Parallel parking, 1962 Pimped-out, 1988 Fauxhawk, 2000 Answer: Brainwashing, 1950 Inner child, 1955 Parallel parking, 1962 Pimped-out, 1988 Fauxhawk, 2000 Today, add this term to the timeline above: "Smokey Bear." Special preview of next month's game: In December, we'll be sampling questions from Orijinz, an awesome series of games about the origins of words, phrases, and quotes. Click here or on the logo below if you want to go ahead and check them out! A Point Well Made: Richard Feynman: “We are not to tell nature what she’s gotta be. … She's always got better imagination than we have.” 1. The opposite of VENERABLE is A. DEFINABLE B. DESPICABLE C. DESTRUCTIBLE 2. This venerable dish is _____. A. a staple on menus and family dinner tables B. too spicy for most people's taste C. served with rice 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: "Venerable" might remind you of both "sagacious" and "lapidary." Which of the three do you think is best for describing your most beloved grandparent or mentor?