Unit Five Vocab

Root Words

VID/VIS (Latin VIDERE, to see)

PARI (Latin PARERE, PARITUM, to be visible, appear) 

SPEC (Latin SPECERE, SPECTRUM, to look)

PHAN (Greek PHANEIN, to appear, to show)

VID

Envisage (verb)

  1. To imagine; to conceive of, to see into 

  1. Synonym: perceive 

2) No matter how hard she tried, Larraine could not envisage living anywhere but California 

Visage (noun)

  1. Face; facial expression

  1. Synonym: Expression

2) The twisted visage of the monster costume frightened the toddlers in the room. 

PARI

Apparition (noun)

  1. An unreal figure; a ghost, appear to

  1. Synonym: Specter 

2) The first time Hamlet sees the apparition of his dead father, he can hardly believe his eyes.

SPEC

Perspicacious (adjective)

  1. Wise; insightful; acutely intelligent, seeing through 

  1. Synonym: Perceptive short-sighted 

  2. Antonym: 

2) Having praised Kate for her perspicacious decisions as treasurer, Nigel went on to warn her of the obstacles ahead. 

Retrospective (adjective) 

  1. Looking backward over a period of time 

  2. The museum will be showcasing a retrospective exhibit of the sculptor’s works. 

Aspect (noun)

  1. A part that can be considered or viewed 

  1. Synonym: Facet

2) Not every aspect of this situation is negative, though we have made mistakes, we can learn from them.

Introspective (adjective) 

  1. Contemplating one’s own thoughts and feelings. 

  1. Synonym: Meditative 

  2. Antonym: shallow

2) The introspective poet enjoyed taking long walks alone 

PHAN

Phenomenon (noun)

  1. A fact or event which can be observed and/or documented 

  2. We observed the same phenomenon numerous times among the songbirds. 

Diaphanous (adjective) 

  1. Lightweight and transparent, to show through

  1. Synonym: opaque

2) The diaphanous curtains were slightly lifted by any breeze, no matter how slight. 

Epiphany (noun)

  1. A moment of great insight, revelation,  appearing near to

  2. The doctor's epiphany eventually led to a breakthrough vaccine. 

Sycophant (noun)

  1. A person who flatters; a yes-man, fig-displayer

  2. The new president of the company was surrounded by Sycophants who never dis-agreed with him.