Weekly Words

September 5, 2010 - September 11, 2010

pretentious
adj. affected, fake; especially to exaggerate one's importance or status
prih-ten-shus
Lat.
praetendere : to pretend
The lead actresses in Mean Girls had fun pretending they were such pretentious snobs.
smug
adj. self-satisfied
smuhg
Ger.
smuck : neat, sleek
The creator of the saying snug as a bug in a rug smiled smugly when he realized how famous he was.
nostalgic
adj. longing for the past; wistful
nah-stal-gihk
Gk.
nostos : to return home
algos/algia : pain
Nostalgia overwhelms me each time I return to my old neighborhood and swim in the sea of memory.
retroactive
adj. to apply a new law or condition to a time in the past
reht-troh-ac-tihv
Lat.
retro : back
agere : push, drive
If the law banning retro clothing had been retroactive, John Travolta would have had to worry!
wistful
adj. thoughtful but slightly sad, especially thinking about the past
wihst-full
Un.
wishful
Misty's eyes became misty when she thought wistfully about the past.
ambivalent
adj. simultaneously feeling opposing feelings
am-bih-vuh-lehnt
Lat.
ambi : both, two
valence : direction
The ambidextrous student was ambivalent about being forced to write with her right hand.
cerebral
adj. excessively rational; intellectual
sur-ee-brul
Lat.
cerebrum : brain
Cerebral people make decisions with their cerebrums rather than with their hearts.