commence

(v.) – When you begin or start something, you commence with it.

• Synonyms: begin, start, launch, kick off, “get the show on the road”
• Antonyms: culminate, end, finish, cease, stop
• Etymology: Early 14th Century Latin, from com- "together" + in- meaning "into, in" + -ire meaning "to go"
• Morphology: commencement - noun
• Example: I am sure that Ms. Hofstad is ready for her actual teaching career to commence!

serenity

(n) - Serenity is a state of calm or peacefulness.

• Synonyms: peacefulness, calmness, quietness, tranquility
• Antonyms: agitation, excitement, noise
• Etymology:1530s Latin, from serenus meaning "clearness, serenity," and having to do with weather
• Morphology: serene - adj
• Example: A snowy, quiet day with nothing to do can bring some people a feeling of serenity.

Let's have some serenity now:

stamina

(n) - Stamina is physical or mental strength that allows you to continue doing something for a long time without getting tired.

• Synonyms: strength, endurance, "stick-to-it-iveness," tolerance
• Antonyms: laziness, weakness
• Etymology:1670s Latin, from stamina meaning "threads." The current meaning of "power to resist or recover, strength, endurance" was first recorded in 1726.
• Example: The more you read, the more you want to read... this is proof that you have to build up stamina for reading!

Let's see if you have the stamina to read for 5 minutes straight - without looking up at this cool timer!

manipulate

(v) - If you manipulate an object, you use skill in moving or handling it. You can manipulate another person by making them think and behave exactly as you want them to, or by skilfully deceiving or influencing them.

• Synonyms: move, maneuver, shape, manage, influence
• Antonyms: leave alone, ignore
• Etymology:1827 Latin, from manus meaning "hand" (as in manual) + plere meaning "to fill" + verb-forming suffix -ate
• Morphology: manual, manipulation, man, mangle, maneuver
• Example: You may have to collaborate with our guest, Mr. Warner, so that he will be able to manipulate Elmo and the projector.

Can you manipulate this man using only the Q, W, O, and P keys?

inflection

(n) - If a word inflects, its form changes according to its meaning or use. So, an inflection can be the way the sound of your voice goes up and down when you are speaking. It can also be the way in which a word changes its form to show a difference in its meaning or use (like when you a suffix such as -s, -es, -ed, or -ing).

• Synonyms: accent, intonation, pitch, change, variation, morphology
• Antonyms: monotone
• Etymology: Early 15th Century Latin, from in- meaing "in" + flectere meaning "to bend" (as in flexible)
• Morphology: inflected, inflect
• Example: How can your voice inflection change the meaning of a sentence?

Here is a great game to help us learn about Order of Operations math today (notice the inflection...):

juncture

(n) - A juncture is a particular point in an activity or period of time.

• Synonyms: turning point, crossroads, instant, moment, occasion, point in time, 
• Etymology: Late 14th Century Latin, from iungere (notice the spelling!) meaning "to join" (which is also where we get the word jugular!)
• Morphology: junction - n
• Example: At this juncture, we will be taking a short break. What do you plan to do over the long weekend?

commerce

(n) - Commerce is the buying and selling of goods and services.

• Synonyms: business, economics, industry, merchandising, retail
• Etymology: 1530s Latin, from com- "together" + mercis meaning "merchandise" 
• Morphology: commercial - n, adj
• Example: What are some examples of commerce that you learned about with Junior Achievement last week?

discern

(v) – If you are able to discern something, you can understand or recognize it.

• Synonyms: notice, observe, perceive, detect, figure out
• Antonyms: ignore, neglect, overlook
• Etymology: Late 14th Century Latin, from dis- meaning "off, away" + cernere meaning "distinguish, separate, sift" (which is also where we get the word crisis)
• Morphology: discernment – n, discernable – adj, discerning – v or adj
• Example: Watch the video below. Can you discern the meaning of the word "discern" from this film?

• Here's another example: If you look closely at one of Bev Doolittle’s paintings, you are able to discern the different animals in her design.

  Bev Doolittle

acquire

(v) - If you acquire something, you get it, either by buying it or having it be given to you.

• Synonyms: get, receive, earn, achieve, gain, gather, win, find
• Antonyms: lose, give up, surrender
• Etymology: Mid 15th Century Latin, from ad- meaning "extra" + quaerere meaning "to seek to get"
• Morphology: acquisition - n
• Example: Have you made your Christmas list yet? What are some things you hope to acquire?

facetious

(adj.) - If you are being facetious, you are saying (or implying) things in a cleverly amusing tone.

• Synonyms: amusing, joking, kidding, sarcastic, witty
• Antonyms: serious, mature, thoughtful, morose, wise
• Etymology: 1590s Latin, from facetus meaning "witty, elegant, fine, courteous," which may have actually come from the word facis meaning "torch."
• Example: What is the meaning of this rather facetious photograph?

portray

(v) - To portray someone (or something) is to describe or show them (or it) in a particular way, according to your opinion of them. Actors who play the part of a character in a play, film, or television program portray that character.

• Synonyms: represent, imitate, act like, characterize, impersonate, simulate
• Antonyms: misrepresent
• Etymology: 1300 Latin, from por- meaning "forward, forth" (which is related to pro) + traire meaning "trace, draw," which comes from trahere meaning "to drag, draw"
• Morphology: portrayal - n
• Example: Who would you choose to portray you in a movie about your life?

locale

(n) - A locale is the place where something happens or where the action takes place in a book or a film.

• Synonyms: setting, background, hang-out, spot, area, place
•  Etymology: 1772 Latin, from locus meaning "place"
• Morphology: local, locate, location
• Example:  The locale for today's Junior Achievement lesson is Room 1, Burlington!

stimulate

(v) - If you stimulate something, you encourage or help it to begin or develop further.

• Synonyms: excite, activate, fire up, energize, egg on
• Antonyms: calm, discourage, depress
• Etymology: 1610s Latin, from stimulus meaning "spur, goad," which actually comes from PIE *sti- meaning "point, prick, pierce"
• Morphology:  stimulus - n, stimulation - n
• Example: "I hope that my work will encourage self expression in others and stimulate the search for beauty and creative excitement in the great world around us." -A.A.

figurative

(adj) - A figurative word or phrase is used in a different way from its usual meaning, to give you a particular idea or picture in your mind.

• Synonyms: connotative, symbolic, metaphorical, representative, illustrative, descriptive
• Antonyms: denotative, literal, real, exact, precise
• Etymology: Late 14th Century Latin, from figura meaning "a shape, form, figure," which originally comes from the PIE word *dheigh- meaning "to form, build"
• Morphology: figure - v
• Example: In the figurative sense, we are a family and you are all my children.

literal

(adj) - The literal meaning of a word or expression is its basic or original meaning.

• Synonyms: denotative, word for word, exact, real, actual
• Antonyms: imaginative, connotative
• Etymology: Late 14th Century Latin, from litera meaning "letter, alphabetic sign; literature, books" (which is also where we get the word letter)
• Morphology: literacy - n, literary - adj, literate - adj, literature - n
• Example: The literal translation of this Latin word is "letter!"

emit

(v) - To emit means to send something out, such as sound, heat, light, energy, etc.

• Synonyms: send out, exude, shoot, radiate, gush, exhale, spill
• Antonyms: contain, hold in, hide
• Etymology: 1620s Latin, from ex- meaning "out"+ mittere meaning "to send"
• Morphology: emission - n, emissary - n
• Example: I like to use lamps in the classroom because they emit more peaceful light.

implement

(v) - If you implement something, you take action or make changes that you have officially decided should happen.
*This word can also be used as a noun. An implement is a piece of machinery, typically used for farming or ranching.

• Synonyms: put into place, carry out, accomplish, just do it
• Antonyms: finish, stop, ignore
• Etymology: 1806 Latin, from in- "into, in, on" + plere meaning "to fill"
• Morphology: implementation - n
• Example: When I first decided to implement Word of the Day, we didn't even use journals! We only talked about the word and cheered.

Want to see my very first blog?

It was implemented on Monday, September 29, 2008!

sustain

(v) - If you make something sustain, you make it continue to exist or happen for a period of time. If you sustain an injury, you become hurt.  If food or drink sustains a person, animal, or plant, it makes them able to continue living.

• Synonyms: keep up, maintain, carry, save, preserve, uphold
• Antonyms: discontinue, halt, stop 
• Etymology: Late 13th Century, from sub meaning "up from below, under" + tenere meaning "to hold"
• Morphology: sustainable - adj, sustenance - n
• Example: A very good singer can sustain a single note for very long time.

denote

(v) - The definition of denote is to mean or represent something. If you denote something, you directly make it known or make it plain.

• Synonyms: designate, mean, indicate, express, represent, symbolize
• Antonyms: hint at
• Etymology: 1590s Latin, from de- meaning "completely" + notare meaning "to mark"
• Morphology: denotation - n, denotative - adj
• Example: The little star on your map denotes a capital city.

Remember:

Denotation is the dictionary definition of a word. 

Connotation is the suggested or implied meaning of a word.

Ready? Get out your clickers!