Make Your Point: PROLIX

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pronounce PROLIX:

Either "pro LIX" or "PRO lix."

(I like "PRO lix.")

connect this word to others:

A high five to Megan, who spotted the entertaining word prolixity and suggested we explore it. In just a moment we'll see the passage from the novel where she spotted it. It's pretty funny!

To be guilty of prolixity—that is, to be prolix—is to pour words all over the place, letting them flow like water. So it's no coincidence that prolix resembles the words liquor and liquid.

Synonyms of prolix include wordy, lengthy, rambling, v___ose, or d_ff_se. Can you recall those last two? They both meaning "using too many words." Specifically, to be v___ose is to treat words as if they're abundant, and to be d_ff_se is to sprinkle or scatter words all over the place.

(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)

definition:

The word "prolix" has Latin bits that literally mean "poured out" or "poured forth." (The pro- part means "out or forth," and the lix part traces back to the Latin liquere, "to flow, to pour, or to be fluid.")

In English, we've used "prolix" for centuries to mean "going on for too long: using too many words."

grammatical bits:

Part of speech:

Adjective: "a prolix speech;" "The speech was tedious and prolix."

Other forms:

The adverb is "prolixly," and the noun is "prolixity" (or, if you prefer, but why would you?, "prolixness").

how to use it:

Pick the formal, semi-common word "prolix" when you want to complain about someone being annoyingly, unnecessarily long-winded.

You might talk about prolix descriptions, comments, speeches, writing, signs, articles, lyrics, poems, novels, or plays. And though it's less common, you could also say that a person is being prolix.

examples:

"From General Peckem's office on the mainland came prolix bulletins each day headed by such cheery homilies as 'Procrastination is the Thief of Time' and 'Cleanliness is Next to Godliness.'"
— Joseph Heller, Catch-22, 1961

"There are all-gender restrooms at the University of Utah. Illinois State University also decided on that signage, with a somewhat prolix addendum: 'Anyone may use this restroom regardless of gender, gender identity or expression.'"
— Aimee Lee Ball, New York Times, 5 November 2015

has this page helped you understand "prolix"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this term, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "prolix" without saying "too long" or "too wordy."

try it out:

Okay, here's the passage from the novel, Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë, where Megan spotted the word "prolixity," and it cracks me up because the narrator is so self-deprecating:

"I have not enumerated half the vexatious propensities of my pupils, or half the troubles resulting from my heavy responsibilities, for fear of trespassing too much upon the reader’s patience... he that has no interest in such matters will doubtless have skipped them over with a cursory glance, and, perhaps, a malediction against the prolixity of the writer."

Relatable! I've definitely harbored "a malediction against the prolixity of the writer" a few times, most memorably when I had to read Ivanhoe in eighth grade. To me, it seemed like an infuriatingly prolix story.

How about you: have you ever raged or cursed at the prolixity of some writer?

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 for this month is Confounding Contronyms!

In each issue, I'll give you two quotes, each with a blank. The same word goes in both blanks—but it means opposite things. Your job is to come up with that word: that slippery little contronym. To see the hints, highlight the hidden white text. To see the answer, scroll to the bottom.

Try this today:

Quote 1: "He stood up, _____ed his hands on his trousers."
— Donna Tartt, The Secret History, 1992

Quote 2: "Gray fingers of moonlight parted the clouds, touching on blue ridges and black trees _____ed with snow."
— Traci Chee, The Reader, 2016

Hint 1: This word starts with the letter... D

Hint 2: This word means both... "to add small particles to" and "to remove small particles from."

review this word:

1. The opposite of PROLIX could be

A. EASY.
B. CONCISE.
C. DEFIANT.

2. The Guardian complained about a film that was "prolix, _____."

A. artsy, abstract and often just plain odd
B. inert, indulgent and often just plain dull
C. demented, dizzying, and often just plain absurd

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:
On vocabulary...
  36 ways to study words.
  Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
  How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.

From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

A 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.

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