infer

(v) - When you infer, you form an opinion that something is probably true, simply because of the information that you have.

• Synonyms: assume, conclude, understand
• Antonyms: misunderstand, imply
• Etymology: 1529 Ancient European bher- meaning “to take, carry”
• Morphology: inference
• Example: When my mom gives me “the look,” I should infer that I need to change my behavior.

ironic

(adj.) - An ironic situation is one that is unusual or amusing because something strange happens or the opposite of what is expected happens or is true. It can also be using words that are the opposite of what you really mean, often in a joking way.

• Synonyms: sarcastic, oddly funny, defiant, twisted
• Antonyms: ordinary, expected
• Etymology: 1500 Greek, from eironikos meaning "dissembling, acting ignorant." It originally came from eiron meaning "dissembler," which may have actually come from the word eirein meaning "to speak"
• Morphology: irony - n
• Example: It would be ironic if you were walking down the street and you found a penny, but you did not pick it up; then, when you tried to take the bus, you were missing a penny, and so you had to walk.

Congratulations - you researched Chuck Hoberman this week!  It was 10 years ago that his famous creation was used in the Opening Ceremonies for the Olympic Games.

modify

(verb) - If you modify something, you make small changes to it in order to improve and make it better or more effective.

• Word Family: modification
• Synonyms: adjust, change, tweak, transform, vary
• Antonyms: leave alone
• Origin: Late 1300s Latin, from modus meaning "measure, manner" + facere meaning "to make"
• Example: If your hypothesis turns out to be wrong in science, you may have to modify it.

commute

(v) - When you commute, you regularly travel, usually a long distance, to get back and forth to and from work. To commute can also mean to exchange one thing, especially one kind of payment, for another.

• Synonyms: travel, trade, exchange, go back and forth, transfer
• Antonyms: keep, stay
• Etymology: Mid-15th Century Latin, from com- meaning "with" + mutare meaning "to change." The sense of this word as "go back and forth to work" came from 1889.
• Morphology: commuter, commutative
• Example: Some people who work in big cities choose to live further away, and commute to work by bus or train everyday.

associate

(n) - An associate is someone who you work with.
(v) - If you associate with someone, you hang out or work with them. If you associate two things, you make a connection in your mind between them.
*This word can even be used as an adjective!

• Synonyms: (n) - coworker, colleague, partner, peer, friend, comrade, buddy; (v) - accompany, assist, mingle, hang out, get together
• Antonyms: (n) - enemy, opponent, stranger; (v) - avoid, disassociate, disjoin, divorce, separate
  
• Etymology: Mid-15th Century Latin, from ad- meaning "to" + sociare meaning "unite with," which comes from socius meaning "companion"
• Morphology: association, associated
  
• Example: In our class, we have the opportunity to associate with many different types of associates!

persevere

(adj) - If you persevere, you continue trying to do something in a very determined way, even though it may be difficult - this is a compliment!

• Synonyms: carry on, continue, stick it out, keep going, pursue, be strong
• Antonyms: give up, leave, quit, stop
• Etymology: Mid-14th Century Latin, from per- meaning "very" + severus meaning "strict" (which is where we get the word sever)
• Morphology: perseverance, perservative, perseverant
• Example: When the going gets tough, the tough persevere!

This week's Fab Five person is relevant to this object:

Who invented this object?

Do some research to find out!

It may be difficult, but don't give up - just persevere!

Hint:  C---- H-------

relevant

(adj) - If something is relevant, it is related to something that is being talked about at the time.

• Word Family: related, relative
• Synonyms: related, appropriate, fitting
• Antonyms: irrelevant, inappropriate, unsuitable, random
• Etymology: 1481 Latin, from re- meaning "again" + levare meaning "to lessen, lighten" (as in relieve)
• Morphology: relieve, irrelevant, relevance
• Example: Someone might wonder how a topic like baseball is relevant to a subject like math.

Click here or on the image below to find out!

deft

(adj.) - skillful and quick

• Synonyms: skillful, clever, smart, good at
• Antonyms: clumsy
• Etymology: No date, Old English gedæfte meaning "mild, gentle;" during the middle ages, this word “morphed” into daft, which is now considered an antonym.
• Morphology: deftly
• Example: With time and practice, you will become as deft at adding and subtracting decimals as you are at finding sums and differences of whole numbers.

Click here or on the image below to practice!

interrogate

(v.) - To interrogate someone is to ask a lot of questions for a long time in order to get information, sometimes using threats.

• Synonyms: examine, inquire, ask, grill, query, question, quiz
• Antonyms: answer, reply
• Etymology: Late 15th Century Latin, from from inter- meaning "between" + rogare meaning "ask, to question"
• Morphology: interrogated, interrogating, interrogation, interrogative
• Example: A detective has to interrogate his witnesses, as well as his suspects to figure out whether his conjecture is accurate or not.

In the game 20 Questions, the guesser must interrogate the thinker in order to figure out the mystery object. Let's see if the computer can correctly identify our object through its interrogation!

reluctant

(adj) - If you are reluctant to do something, you are slow and unwilling to do it.

• Synonyms: unsure, hesitant, afraid, shy
• Antonyms: ready, willing, enthusiastic
• Etymology: 1641 Latin, from re- "again" + luctari "to struggle."
• Morphology: reluctance, reluctantly
• Example: If you would be reluctant to bring home an orphaned bear cub, well you should be!

 I wonder if Ben Mikaelsen feels that way today...