Make Your Point > Archived Issues > OPULENT

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explore the archives: Opulent things are rich, sumptuous, even showy because they're so fancy. It makes sense, then, that we got this word from the Latin opus, meaning "work or labor:" opulent things took a lot of work to put together, or they're the result of a great amount of labor that led to wealth and abundance. Could you recall the two other terms we've checked out that also came from opus? This word means "requiring a whole lot of effort and labor." It's three syllables. And this term is Latin for "great work," meaning just that: a masterful work of art or literature. It's two words. make your point with... "OPULENT" Something opulent impresses you because it's so fancy or so abundantly full of good things. Pronunciation: "OPP yuh lunt" or "OPP you lunt" 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 "an opulent person." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was opulent.") Other forms: The noun is "opulence," and the adverb is "opulently." How to use it: "Opulent" stands halfway between "grand in a lovely way" and "grand in an obnoxious, showy way." So although it often has a positive, complimentary tone, it can also take on a negative, insulting tone. It depends on context. You can talk straightforwardly about opulent curtains and chandeliers, about opulent palaces and cathedrals and so on. But you can also be flexible, even abstract, with "opulent." An opulent body or figure is beautifully plump and ample; opulent flowers and other plants have strong scents, plenty of blooms, or plenty of color; opulent parties, opulent entertainment, and opulent lifestyles are fancy and rich; and an opulent style of speaking or writing is very full of grandeur or richness of detail, image, wit, etc. You can even have an opulent imagination, an opulent mind, or an opulent soul. You might say that something is opulent in something else: "a room opulent in custom furnishings," "a poem opulent in images," "a nation opulent in athletic talent." examples: I remember the cold surface of the family's white marble dining table, so opulent a surface to be littered with stray Crayola marks. Making sure to return each can for the five cent rebate, trying to avoid using the A.C., soaking in every view of the snow-capped mountain and the tall, dense ohia trees--life in Hilo was an odd blend of careful frugality and natural opulence. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "opulent" means when you can explain it without saying "too fancy" or "lush and abundant." try it out: Think of something with a strong, wonderful smell or a deep, rich sound. Fill in the blanks: "The opulent (scent, smell, sound, or tone) of _____ (surrounded, overwhelmed, soothed, or startled) me." Example: "The opulent smell of the pines surrounded me." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. This month, we're playing with KWIKORD, an addictive, challenging new word game for solo or group play, created by Wayne Ellice.  We're dipping our toes into the game this month, trying some simple challenges first and working our way toward harder tasks. (Check out my interview with the game's creator here, and order your own copy of the full version of KWIKORD here.) You'll see a sample answer to each puzzle the following day. Enjoy! Yesterday, you took the letters RGNAEU and arranged them into words to completely fill a 3x3 grid. Many solutions were possible. Here are two: Try that again today with the letters CHTAOO. Draw a tic-tac-toe board on some scrap paper and go for it! review today's word: 1. One opposite of OPULENT is A. STARK B. STREAMING C. STRUTTING 2. Wilde's novel and plays are opulent in _____. A. witty epigrams B. anthologies of Irish literature C. most English-speaking countries Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@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. A 2. A