Page 321 - Word Power Made Easy: The Complete Handbook for Building a Superior Vocabulary

in general (a verbal ght); or it may mean, loosely, oral or spoken, rather than written

(verbal agreement or contract); or, describing people (“she is quite verbal”), it may refer to a
ready ability to put feelings or thoughts into words.
Working from verbal, can you add a common verb su x to form a word meaning to put
into words? __________________
Verbiage (VUR′-bee-Əj) has two meanings: an excess of words (“Such verbiage!”); or a style
or manner of using words (medical verbiage, military verbiage).

6. roll on, and on!

Volvo, volutus, to roll, the source of voluble, is the root on which many important English
words are based.

Revolve (rƏ-VOLV′)—roll again (and again), or keep turning round. Wheels revolve, the
earth revolves around the sun, the cylinder of a revolver revolves, (The pre x is re-, back or
again.)
The noun is revolution (rev-Ə-L ′-shƏn), which can be one such complete rolling, or, by

logical extension, a radical change of any sort (TV was responsible for a revolution in the
entertainment industry), especially political (the American, or French, Revolution). The
adjective revolutionary (rev′-Ə-L ′-shƏn-air′-ee) introduces us to a new adjective su x, -ary,
as in contrary, disciplinary, stationary, imaginary, etc. (But -ary is sometimes also a noun
suffix, as in dictionary, commentary, etc.)
Add different prefixes to volvo to construct two more English words:

1. involve—etymologically, “roll in” (“I didn’t want to get involved!”). Noun: involvement.
2. evolve (Ə-VOLV′)—etymologically, “roll out” (e-, out); hence to unfold, or gradually
develop (“The nal plan evolved from some informal discussions”; “The political party
evolved from a group of interested citizens who met frequently to protest government

actions”).
By analogy with the forms derived from revolve, can you construct the noun and adjective
of evolve? Noun: __________________. Adjective: __________________.

REVIEW OF ETYMOLOGY

PREFIX, ROOT, SUFFIX MEANING

1. Laconia Sparta

ENGLISH WORD _________________

2. -ness noun suffix

ENGLISH WORD _________________

3. -ism noun suffix

ENGLISH WORD _________________