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connect today's word to others:
Imagine a sunset, with clouds in ten different shades of pink.
With that image in mind, you can see why the Latin word for "cloud" (nubes) gave rise to a French word meaning "shade of color:" nuance.
We borrowed nuance straight into English. A nuance isa fine shade of difference, a subtle variation.
(Pronounce "nuance" as "NOO ons.")
Thanks to its origin in the clouds, nuance is related to the words neb___us (cloudy and hazy, or vague and unclear) and ni__us (a halo or a bright surrounding aura or "cloud"--or, Harry Potter's flying broomstick).
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
make your point with...
"NUANCED"
From a French word meaning "shade of color," a nuance is a very small difference. (What kind? It can be a very small difference in what something means, what someone believes, how someone feels, how someone says or shows something, etc.) And to nuance something is to give it nuances: to fill it with small, subtle differences.
So, something nuanced has or shows very small differences (in meaning, opinion, emotion, or expression, etc.).
Pronunciation:
NOO onst
Part of speech:
Adjective: "a nuanced view," "the policy is nuanced."
Other forms:
The noun is "nuance." It's both countable ("these nuances") and uncountable ("such nuance," "a film with nuance").
"Nuance" is also a verb, meaning to add or show small differences to something's meaning or feeling: that is, you can nuance something, or say that something is nuanced by something else. The act of doing that is "nuancing."
And if you need a fancier, Frenchier version of "nuance," use the rare "nuancé" (NOO on SAY).
How to use it:
Pick this graceful word to describe what's not just either-or, not just black-and-white, but full of fine, subtle, delicate distinctions.
Talk about nuanced meanings and definitions, nuanced feelings and attitudes, nuanced descriptions and explanations, nuanced responses and judgments, nuanced views and opinions, nuanced understandings, nuanced issues and situations, nuanced methods and approaches, nuanced books and shows, nuanced performances, etc.
examples:
When campaigning for president, John Kerry spoke with care, detail, and precision--in the kind of nuanced responses that could never be reduced to five-syllable media sound bites.
Explain the meaning of "nuanced" without saying "full of fine differences" or "having delicate variations."
try it out:
Fill in the blanks: "_____ is a nuanced (book, series, show, song, or album), balancing _____ with _____."
Example: "Me and Dog is a nuanced children's book, balancing simple rhymes and colorful illustrations with thoughtful observations on causation and omnipotence."
before you review, play:
Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first.
Our game this month is "Inspired by, but in no way associated with, Jeopardy!"
In each issue, I'll create three "answers" for you, and you supply the "questions." (That is, you'll respond in the form of a question, like "What is...?" or "Who is...?")
From the previous issue:
1. Category: A-Z.
Answer: Including the German word for "lightning," this two-word phrase indicates a sudden, violent attack from above.
Question: What is an air blitz?
2. Category: On the What?
Answer: Postponed or deferred--perhaps you'll stir it later, or leave it to simmer.
Question: What is "on the back burner"?
3. Category: 2019 Models.
Answer: It's a Kia model, probably named for the Latin for "strong."
Question: What is the Kia Forte?
Try these today:
1. Category: On the What?
Answer: To be here is to be in the perilous vanguard of science or technology.
2. Category: 2019 Models.
Answer: This Hyundai's name is a monstrous mash-up of words meaning "speed" and "sporty two-seater."
3. Category: Ends in "Ends."
Answer: They're the closest companions.
review today's word:
1. One opposite of NUANCED is
A. SHADY.
B. SIMPLE.
C. PRACTICAL.
2. Kelly Gallagher has a nuanced perspective on the issue of assigning long, difficult, academic novels: that _____.
A. it is a form of torture and must never be done
B. we absolutely must do it if we expect students to become critical thinkers
C. nixing novels from the curriculum would intellectually deprive students, yet over-teaching any novel will kill their love for reading
Answers are below.
a final word:
Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
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.
Answers to review questions:
1. B
2. C
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Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.