2. A tricuspid tooth has three points.

  4. A three-toothed or three-pronged spear. Specifically, a fishing spear.

  6. A trigamist is one who has been three times married; especially one who has three wives or three husbands at the same time.

  7. Trigonometry literally means three angle measure. That branch of mathematics which treats of the relations of sides and angles of triangles, and applies them to other figures.

  9. A trinomial in algebra is a quantity consisting of three terms.

10. A trio is a musical composition in three parts.

11. A tripod has three feet or legs; as a three-legged table or stool, a three-footed kettle or vase.

14. A triumvir is one of three men united in office; specifically in ancient Rome.

15. The triune is three in one; the three-fold personality of one divine being,—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

16. Trivial formerly meant, pertaining to three ways; where three ways or roads cross; of the cross roads; hence, common, commonplace, such as may be picked up anywhere; ordinary; trifling; of little worth.

  1. To lead or carry away wrongfully and usually by force; to kidnap; as, to abduct a child.

  2. To lead or bring to; to bring forward or offer as an argument in a case. “I too prize facts and shall adduce nothing else.”

  3. An aqueduct is a leadway or artificial channel for conveying water.

  4. A guide conducts a traveler when he goes with him and, in a sense, leads him along a safe route.

  5. To deduct is to take from; to draw away.

  6. A ductile metal is one capable of being drawn into wire; as, copper, platinum, steel, etc.

  8. To develop mentally and morally by instruction. Educate literally means to lead forth, to draw out.

11. An introduction is the initial step which leads people into one another's acquaintance.

14. (1) To lead or bring back to a former state; as,

(2) To bring to any specific state or form.

  1. A fact is something done or brought to pass.

  3. Quality of being easily done.

  5. Manufacture formerly meant to make by hand.

  6. An effect is something worked out, or done.

  7. A thing is perfect when thoroughly made, or finished.

11. Sacrifice literally means to make sacred; to set apart as sacred.

12. Pacific means pertaining to peace; suited to make or restore peace.

13. A feat is an act, a deed, an exploit; something done.

14. To defeat means to overcome or vanquish. Literally to un do.

16. The fashion of a thing is, in a sense, the make of it.

Note.—fy, meaning to make, is found as a suffix in derivatives too numerous to mention; as, purify (to make pure), rarefy (to make rare), classify (to make or put into a class), etc.

1. See first month, page 10.

2. When two or more persons confer they bring together opinions and facts on some special subject.

3. See second month, page 13.

5. To bring near to; to present for acceptance; as, to offer one's services.

6. To bring or put forward; to hold forth so that a person may take; as, to proffer a gift.

7. To direct for information. Literally, to carry back; as, “Mahomet referred his new laws to the angel Gabriel, by whose direction he gave out they were made.”

9. To suffer is to bear under; to undergo.

Note.—Ferr is an irregular Latin verb the principal parts of which are: fero, ferre, tuli, latus. The last form is found in a number of English words; as, dilate, elate, legislate, relate, superlative, translate. The meaning of the root in these words, as in the ten given above, is bear, carry, or bring.

1. fest al. Pertaining to a feast, a holiday or celebration.

2. fest ive. Pertaining to or becoming a feast; festal, joyous, gay.

3. festival. A time of feasting or celebration.

4. festivity. Joyousness, gayety, such as becomes a feast.

5. festoon. Originally an ornament for decoration at a feast.

6. fête. Modern French, equivalent of feast.

  9. The unicorn is a fabulous one-horned animal.

12. The universe consists of all things considered as one whole.

13. A thing is unique when it is the only one of its kind.

14. Onion comes from the Latin unio, which means oneness; also a single pearl of large size resembling the onion.

1. An anti climax is opposed to or in contrast with a climax. In rhetoric it is a figure or fault of style consisting of an abrupt descent (down the ladder) from stronger to weaker expressions.

3. An antidote is something given to counteract (act against) poison or disease.

5. Those who live at opposite points on the globe so that their feet are directly toward each other are antipodes. Figuratively, things opposed to each other.

6. In rhetoric an antithesis is a figure of speech which consists of one idea placed against another; a contrast.

8. A person is antisocial when he is averse or opposed to society, social intercourse or companionship.

1. A diagonal is a line across from angle to angle.

2. A diagram is that which is marked out by lines drawn or written across; as, a figure, a plan.

3. Dialect is speech or language by means of which ideas are communicated (across) from one to another.

6. The diapason is one of certain stops in the organ, so called because it extends through all notes of the scale.

7. The diaphragm is a membranous partition or fence between the thorax and abdomen.

1. To endorse a check is to write one's name on the back of it.

Note.—en in most words is the equivalent of the Latin in, meaning in, into, within; as in encage, encase, encircle, enclose, encourage, enrage, enroll, entangle, entice, entomb, entrap, entwine, envelop, enwrap.

  1. A fort is a stronghold.

  2. To make strong; to strengthen or secure by means of forts, batteries, or other military works.

  3. Ess is a feminine ending. A “maiden fortress” is a fortification which has never been taken. A fortress is a very strong fort.

  4. An effort is a putting out of one's strength for the accomplishment of some end.

  5. Fortitude is strength or firmness of mind in meeting danger, pain, or adversity.

  6. Force is strength in general, physical, mental, moral.

  9. To comfort is to strengthen with hope and cheer; to give consolation to.

10. The piano forte is an instrument having both soft and loud (strong) tones. The name is generally shortened to piano.

1. A thing is frail when it is easily broken.

2. Frailty is a quality of things easily broken.

3. A fracture is a break; as of a bone.

4. A fraction is a part, as if broken off.

5. A fractious person is one apt to break out into a passion.

6. “The stalk of ivy is tough and not fragile” (capable of being broken).—Bacon.

7. A fragment is that which is broken off.

8. To infringe is to break in upon; to trespass on another's rights.

1. Fraternal means brotherly; like brothers.

2. An organization in which the members hold one another in brotherly relations.

3. To fraternize means to make a brother of; to receive into a fraternity.

4. Frater. A brother; especially a monk.

5. Friar. A brother of any religious order, but especially one of certain monastic orders of the Roman Catholic church.

6. Friary. A home for friars (brothers); a monastery.

  1. A monarch is a sole or supreme ruler.

  2. A monogamist is one who believes in marriage with one person only.

  3. A monogram is a single character formed of two or more letters interwoven (as if done at one writing).

  4. A speaking by one person.

  5. Monomania is a derangement of mind in regard to a single subject only.

  6. A monomial in algebra is a quantity which consists of a single term.

  7. A monopoly is the sole (or single) right to sell a certain article, or to sell it at a given place.

  9. Monotheism is the doctrine of belief that there is but one God.

10. A monotone is a single tone without harmony or variation in pitch.

1. A parable is a short fictitious narrative placed (thrown) beside something which it is intended to illustrate.

2. A paragraph was originally a mark or note of comment written beside the line or place where a division should be made; now a distinct part of a discourse or writing.

3. Parallel lines extend beside one another.

4. Paraphrasing is telling (speaking) the same thing in other words.

5. A parasite is an animal or plant which lives beside or in another organism on which it feeds.

6. Marks of parenthesis are often used for a word, phrase, clause, or sentence put in by way of explanation to what it stands beside.

1. The perianth is the floral envelope around the flower.

2. The pericardium is the membrane which surrounds the heart.

3. The perimeter of a figure is the outer boundary or measure around it.

4. The peritoneum is the membrane which is stretched around the abdomen.

5. The periosteum is the membrane around the bones.

1. Literally, a syllable is two or more sounds taken together, or uttered by one impulse of the voice. Many syllables, however, comprise but one sound.

2. Sympathy is feeling with another, especially his sorrows and misfortunes.

3. A symphony is a sounding together; a harmony of sounds.

4. Synchronous. Happening or existing at the same time.

5. Synonym. Literally, a word having the same name. But it is applied to words of like or kindred meaning.

6. A synopsis is a view of the whole together. A summary giving a general view of some subject.

7. The putting of two or more things together. Synthesis is the opposite of analysis.

1. A telegram is a message transmitted (written) from afar.

3. Telepathy is the sympathetic communication at a distance of one mind with another; not by the ordinary methods, but through feeling.

4. Telemeter. An instrument for measuring distances in surveying.

1. Liberal. Relating to or possessing a free and generous heart.

3. Liberality is the quality of being free or generous.

7. To liberalize is to make free, as to free from narrow views or prejudices.

8. To deliver means to set free from bondage or restraint.

1. Letter (from L. linere, to besmear); so called because smeared on parchment and not cut on wood.

2. Letters usually means literature in general; hence knowledge gained from books; literary culture.

6. Alliteration is a repetition of the same letter or sound at the beginning of two or more words in close succession. Examples: “A whole fleet of bulky bottomed boats.” “What a tale of terror now their turbulency tells.” Literally, letter to letter.

8. In obliterate, ob means against or the reverse. The reverse of besmear is to rub off; hence to obliterate means to rub out, to erase.

Note.—Other words from the same root are, literally, illiteracy, literati, literature, literalize, literalist.

1. Bimana is a term applied to man as a special order of mammalia. Animals having two hands.

2. To emancipate a slave is to take him out of the hands of his master.

3. The word manacle comes from manicula, which means handcuff.

4. Literally, maneuver means a working with the hands. To make adroit and artful moves; as, of an army.

5. Manner relates to the way of handling or doing things.

6. Manual. Performed, made, or used by the hands; as manual labor, manual arts.

1. Literally, alma mater means foster mother. It is applied by students to the university or college in which they have been trained.

5. Metropolis means mother city; the chief city of a state or country. Chicago is the metropolis of Illinois.

6. Metropolitan. Relating to the metropolis; as, a metropolitan newspaper.

7. A matron is a woman with motherly duties; as the matron of a school or hospital.

1. Arable land is capable of being plowed.

2. A capable mind can take and hold ideas (understand and remember).

4. One is liable for a debt when legally bound to pay it.

7. A portable library is one fitted for being carried from place to place.

9. Tenable ground for argument is ground which is capable of being held or maintained.

1. Celibacy is the state of being unmarried; especially that of a bachelor or of one bound by vows not to marry.

3. Magistracy. The office of master; of one clothed with power, as a civil officer.

4. Obduracy is the state of being hardened, especially against moral influences; hard-hearted; stubbornly wicked.

6. The papacy is the office of the pope.

7. Intimacy is the state of being inmost or near in relationship.

16. Amphibian: amphi, both (two); bi, life; an, pertaining to: pertaining to two kinds of life; i. e. life on the land and in the water. Frogs, turtles, crocodiles, seals, walruses, otters, beavers, etc., are amphibians, because they can live in water (for a time at least) and on land.

18. Metropolitan. Pertaining to the mother city. (See fifth month's work, page 32.)

1. Literally, an adversary is one who turns toward another (to oppose him); hence, one who turns against another.

2. That day which returns each year commemorating some event is an anniversary.

3. An antiquary is one who collects and examines old (ancient) things; as, coins, medals, weapons.

4. A dromedary is a thorough-bred Arabian camel of more than ordinary speed and bottom; hence well adapted for running.

5. A missionary is one who is sent on a mission; especially one sent to propagate religion.

6. An emissary is one who is sent out; especially one sent on secret business, as a spy. “I am charged with being an emissary to France.”—Robert Emmet.

7. A notary was formerly one whose vocation was to make notes or memoranda of acts of others. Now, a public officer usually spoken of as notary public.

8. A salary was formerly an allowance (that which was) given to soldiers with which to buy salt.

9. A secretary was formerly one who was intrusted with the private or secret matters of his chief. One employed to do clerical work.

Ary is also a suffix of adjectives, meaning relating to; as in, arbitrary, contrary, culinary, exemplary, antiquary, hereditary, military, primary, revolutionary, solitary, secondary, visionary.

Ary also means place where; as in, granary, infirmary, library, seminary, sanctuary.

1. Corporate means having a body. (See incorporate, second month, page 18.)

2. Having no hope; as, “Continued misfortune had rendered him desperate.”

3. Effeminate. Having the qualities of a woman; soft, delicate, to an unmanly degree. Applied to men.

5. Inanimate. Not having breath; without life.

6. Cordate. Having the shape of a heart; as a cordate leaf.

  1. To compel, literally means to drive together; as a herd (a Latinism and rare). To drive or urge with force.

  8. The pulse is caused by driving the blood through the arteries.

12. A person is repulsive when he has qualities which tend to drive others back or away.

  1. Append. To hang or attach to.

  2. An appendage is that which hangs to something as a part of it. “This little pensive appendage or tender (the moon) to our fuming engine of an earth.”—De Quincey.

  3. Depend. To hang from; to be fastened or attached to something above; to rely upon.

  4. A dependent is one who hangs (figuratively), or relies on another for support.

  8. Impend. To hang over, be ready to fall; threaten. “We seriously consider the dreadful judgments that now impend the nation.”—Penn.

  9. A pendant is that which hangs from something else; as, an earring or a tassel.

10. The pendulum of a clock hangs and swings to and fro.

11. A plumb line is a line perpendicular to the horizon, hanging (through the air).

12. Suspend. To hang under or from beneath.

13. Suspenders are that from which trousers are hung.

  1. See fourth month, page 25.

  2. Biped. A two-footed animal, as man.

  3. Centiped. An animal so called from having a great many feet (indefinitely a hundred).

  4. Expedite. Literally, to take the feet out of entanglement; hence, to hasten.

  6. Impede. Literally, to entangle the feet. To obstruct the progress, motion, or effect of.

  8. The pedal is something made to be moved by the feet.

  9. A peddler, literally, is a trader who travels on foot.

10. Pedestal. That which forms the base (standing place for the feet) of a statue, column, vase, etc.

12. A peduncle is a (little) footstalk of a flower or leaf.

15. An octopus is an eight-footed or armed cuttlefish.

16. Pedigree means, literally, crane's foot. Why so called is uncertain, but supposed to be on account of a fancied resemblance of the lines of a pedigree, as drawn out on paper, to a crane's foot. (Compare crow's foot, applied to the lines of age about the eyes.)

  1. One word is in apposition to another when it is placed near to it, by way of explanation.

  3. Being made by putting together separate parts or elements; as, a composite flower.

  5. One of the several parts or elements which, when placed together, form the whole, is a component part.

  6. To compound is to put or mix together two or more elements or ingredients.

  8. To put away for safe keeping; as, to deposit money in a bank.

10. To dispose of anything is to put it apart from one; to get rid of it.

11. To place out where all may see; to uncover; as, to expose fraud.

15. An impostor is one who puts burdens on others; commonly applied to one who assumes a character for the purpose of deceiving others.

18. Position. The manner in which a thing is placed; the state of being placed.

20. To transpose a quantity from one side of an equation to another is to place it across.

  1. Arctic literally means pertaining to the Bear; i. e. the northern constellations called the Great and Little Bears; hence, pertaining to the northern polar regions.

  2. Aromatic. Pertaining to an agreeable or spicy odor; fragrant.

  3. One's civic duties are those pertaining to him as a citizen, in distinction from those as a soldier.

  4. Classic pertains to what is first class in literature or art, especially that of the Greeks and Romans.

  5. Comic pertains to revelry; to what provokes mirth; as a comic song.

  9. Empiric pertains to experience, or what is founded on experience; relying on or guided by practical experience rather than scientific knowledge.

13. Prosaic means pertaining to prose; especially to that which lacks animation or interest.

14. Plastic means pertaining to the process of forming or modeling; capable of being moulded into a desired form.

15. Graphic means pertaining to the art of writing or drawing. A graphic illustration is generally in the form of a drawing.