The Vocabulary of
Vocabulary
All the terms you need to help build and
enrich your vocabulary!
DENOTATION
• The denotation of a word is its specific
dictionary meaning.
For example:
Pizza: a food consisting of bread, tomato sauce, cheese, and
toppings.
CONNOTATION
• The connotation of a word is its tone -The emotions or feelings associated
with the word -- how the word makes
you feel when you hear or read it.
More on connotation…
•
Words can have a….
POSITIVE connotation: a good tone or feeling!
pizza: favorable connotation or feeling because pizza is
delicious.
NEGATIVE connotation: a bad tone or feeling!
spider: unfavorable connotation because spiders are creepy!
NEUTRAL connotation: no feeling either way.
stapler: neutral connotation because it’s not exciting.
Literal Word Usage
• Literal usage is when a word is used in its
exact dictionary meaning.
Example:
Bright red balloons floated in the sky.
The word balloon is used literally. Balloons contain air and can
float in the sky.
Figurative Word Usage
• Figurative word usage is when a word is used in a
symbolic or non-literal way.
Example:
The argument ballooned into a huge fight.
The word balloon is not used in a literal way. Instead,
the word is used to show how the argument grew in
intensity.
SYNONYMS
• A synonym is a word that has the same
or almost the same meaning as another
word.
Examples:
attempt -- try
mercy -- kindness
cheerful -- glad
ANTONYMS
• An antonym is a word that means the
opposite or almost the opposite of
another word.
Examples:
give -- take
love -- hate
cheerful -- sad
STRESS MARKS
• Stress marks follow the syllable that
receives the most stress; the syllable of
a word that you say the loudest.
For example:
en rich’
bal loon’
home’ work
CONTEXT CLUES
• Context clues are the words that are
near to or modify an unknown word.
For example:
Though some of my classmates are skinny, others are a bit
overweight. (contrast clue)
When I told my landlord I was planning to vacate my apartment,
he was sad to see me leave. (restatement clue)
ANALOGIES
• An analogy shows the relationship between
sets of words.
There are several different types of analogies:
Big is to large as little is to small. (synonym)
Up is to down as in is to out. (antonym)
Maple is to tree as rose is to flower. (definition)
Eyes are to see as ears are to hear. (object use)
ONLINE ASSISTANCE
• www.vocabularyworkshop.com
Use this website to help you study the
pronunciations and definitions of list
words as well as games and puzzles for
review!