yore

(n) - If something existed in the days of yore, it was around a loooooooooong time ago.

• Synonyms: past, yesteryear, days gone by, good 'ol days
• Antonyms: present, future
• Etymology: Old English, date unknown, from gear which is related to year, which comes from the Greek word hora meaning "year, season"
• Example: I'll bet they didn't have winter vacation in the days of yore!

Yes, they did have string instruments in the days of yore, and new players probably sounded much like our fantastic orchestra students did at yesterday's concert!

ubiquitous

(adj) – Something that is ubiquitous seems to be everywhere. This word is often used in a facetious way.

• Synonyms: all over, everywhere, wall-to-wall, universal
• Antonyms: rare, scarce, hard to find
• Etymology: 1570s Latin, from from ubi meaning "where" + que meaning "any, also, ever" + -ous meaning "having, full of, having to do with"
• Morphology: ubiquity - n
• Example: At this time of year, concerts and holiday programs are ubiquitous.

bolster

(v) – If you bolster something, you improve it or "lift" it. You can bolster someone's feelings or confidence by helping them to feel better and more positive.

• Synonyms: aid, assist, help, boost, strengthen, support
• Antonyms: hinder, obstruct, stymie
• Etymology: Before 1200, from Pre Germanic bolkhstraz, which comes from the PIE root bhelgh- meaning "to swell" (this is where we get the word belly!)
• Example: A helpful friend can really bolster your confidence.

inscribe

(v) - If you inscribe something, you carefully cut, print, or write words on it (for example, the surface of a stone or coin).

• Synonyms: imprint, write, engrave, sign
• Antonyms: say, read
• Etymology: 1550s Latin, from in- meaning "in, into," + scribere meaning "to write in or on" (which is where we get the word "scribble")
• Morphology: scribble - v, describe - v, description - n, subscribe - v, subscription - n, inscription - n
• Example: One of my greatest treasures is a "Night Before Christmas" book that my dad inscribed for me when I was in high school.

furtively

(adv) - If you are acting as if you want to keep something secret, you are behaving furtively.

• Synonyms: secretively, sneakily, clandestine, surreptitiously, stealthy
• Antonyms: honestly, openly, publicly
• Etymology: Late 15th Century Latin, from furtivus meaning "stolen, hidden, secret," which comes from furtum meaning "theft, robbery," which actually comes from furis meaning "thief"
• Morphology: furtive - adj
• Example: Teachers dislike it when students pop their heads out, look furtively down the hall, and alert the rest of the class that, "THE TEACHER IS COMING!"

I have been behaving furtively when people ask me about my family's yearly Christmas card! Can you figure out why?

synthesize

(v) – To synthesize is to make something by combining different things or substances, or to combine separate things into a complete whole.

• Synonyms: combine, make whole, blend, mash up, incorporate, unify
• Antonyms: divide, separate
• Etymology: 1610s Greek, from from syn- meaning "together" + tithenai meaning "put, place”
• Morphology: synthesizer - n
• Example: When you combine what you already knew with what you know now, you are able to synthesize a whole new piece of information. 

Test your skill at synthesizing sounds to make a beautiful (??) melody:

inverse

(n.) - The inverse of something is the exact opposite of another.
(adj.) - An inverse operation, feeling, or procedure is on that is exactly opposite of its counterpart.

• Synonyms: opposite, flip-side, antonym, other, backward
• Antonyms: same
• Origin: 1533 Latin, from in- meaning "in, on" + vertere meaning "to turn"
• Morphology: inversion - n, invert - v
• Example: Addition is the inverse of subtraction.

Test out your ability to follow inverse operations

by finding the Eye of Rom:

woe

(n) - Woe is a way to describe the troubles or issues that someone faces.  If you feel great sadness, you could say that you feel woe.

• Synonyms: anguish, grief, distress, sadness, despair, misery, misfortune
• Antonyms: happiness, joy
• Etymology: 12th Century Old English, from wa which is a common expression of sadness in many languages because of its similarity to the sound of a cry
• Morphology: woeful - adj
• Example: I am trying hard to ignore the sense of woe I feel about turning 40!

Billy Bug will feel woe if he doesn't get his fill of grubs. Can you help?

subtle

(adj) - If something (or someone) is subtle, it is not easy to notice or understand unless you pay careful attention.

• Synonyms: barely noticeable, unobtrusive
• Antonyms: obvious, “in your face,” obtrusive, blatant
• Etymology: 1300 Latin, from subtilis meaning "fine, thin, delicate, finely woven," which comes from sub meaning "under" + -tilis, from tela meaning "web"

Can you spot the subtle differences between two very similar pictures?

coordinate

(v) - To coordinate is to organize people or things so that they will work or go well together;
(n/adj) - A coordinate is one of a set of numbers which give the exact position of a point on a map, grid, etc.

• Synonyms: equal, like; agree, go with, match, mesh
• Antonyms: mismatch, unequal
• Etymology: 1600 Latin, from com- meaning “with” + ordo meaning "order"
• Morphology: coordinated, coordination
• Example: The origami papers you you will choose for your gift coordinate so well with one another that I am sure your families will love them!

Let's test your memory of coordinate pairs: