Ancient Latin Stems,
Lesson V
Ancient Latin Stems, Lesson V
stem
loco
meaning
(place)
examples
locomotion, location,
dislocate
sur
(over)
surface, surrealist, surfeit
alter
(other)
alteration, alternative,
altruism
contra
(against)
contradiction, contrast,
contrary
stell
(star)
stellar, constellation,
interstellar
LOCO means place. Locomotives
move (mot) from place to place;
a location is a place, and to
dislocate something is to put it
out of place!
SUR means over. The surface of the
sea is over the rest; a surrealist is an
artist who depicts things beyond
ordinary reality; a surfeit is an
excess!
ALTER means other. An alteration is
to make something other than what it
was; an alternative is another option,
and altruism is thinking of others.
CONTRA means against. To contradict
someone is to speak against what they have said;
a contrast is a difference between two things,
and to be contrary is to go against what is
desired of you by others.
STELL means star. The stellar surface is
the surface of the star; a constellation is a
group of stars, and interstellar space is
the deep space between the stars.
Ancient Latin Stems, Lesson V
stem
loco
meaning
(place)
examples
locomotion, location,
dislocate
sur
(over)
surface, surrealist, surfeit
alter
(other)
alteration, alternative,
altruism
contra
(against)
contradiction, contrast,
contrary
stell
(star)
stellar, constellation,
interstellar
Advanced Word: Altruism
The word altruism (AL-troo-izm) contains the
Latin stems alter (other) and ism (doctrine).
Altruism is the opposite of selfishness and
egocentrism; it is the ability to do things that are
selfless, out of a genuine concern for others or for
the common good. In James Joyce’s A Portrait of
the Artist as a Young Man, we read that “you have
yet to learn the dignity of altruism and the
responsibility of the human individual.”
Analogies
SURFEIT : PAUCITY ::
a. stellar : interstellar
b. surface : submerge
c. excess : scarcity
d. locomotion : place
SURFEIT : PAUCITY ::
a. stellar : interstellar
b. surface : submerge
c. excess : scarcity
d. locomotion : place
Solve.
ALTRUISM : BENEVOLENCE ::
a.
b.
c.
d.
surrealism: imagination
alteration : tradition
contradiction : assent
stellar : constellation
Solve.
ALTRUISM : BENEVOLENCE ::
a.
b.
c.
d.
surrealism: imagination
alteration : tradition
contradiction : assent
stellar : constellation
Caesar’s Antonyms: Find the
best opposite.
CONTRADICTION
a. refutation
b. advocation
c. confirmation
d. interrogation
ALTRUISM
a. anger
b. consideration
c. benevolence
d. malice
Caesar’s Antonyms: Find the
best opposite.
CONTRADICTION
a. refutation
b. advocation
c. confirmation
d. interrogation
ALTRUISM
a. anger
b. consideration
c. benevolence
d. malice
Caesar’s Context: Find the best
word to complete the sentence.
The stoic philosopher advocated a life
of simplicity and _________.
a. altruism
b. anarchy
c. expatriatism
d. dislocation
The stoic philosopher advocated a life
of simplicity and _________.
a. altruism
b. anarchy
c. expatriatism
d. dislocation
Caesar felt he could speak without fear
of __________.
a.
b.
c.
d.
patriarch
contradiction
constellation
surrealism
Caesar felt he could speak without fear
of __________.
a.
b.
c.
d.
patriarch
contradiction
constellation
surrealism
An eerie sense of ________ pervaded
the weird scene.
a.
b.
c.
d.
surfeit
contradiction
surrealism
alteration
An eerie sense of ________ pervaded
the weird scene.
a.
b.
c.
d.
surfeit
contradiction
surrealism
alteration
Caesar’s Classic Words
Challenge
1.
From Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness
There was a moving appeal to every
_________ sentiment.
a. alternative
b. altruistic
c. contrary
d. stellar
1.
a.
b.
c.
d.
From Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness
There was a moving appeal to every
_________ sentiment.
alternative
altruistic
contrary
stellar
2. From Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre.
A more fantastic idiot had never
______ herself on sweet lies.
a.
b.
c.
d.
surfeited
dislocated
contrasted
surfaced
2. From Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre.
A more fantastic idiot had never
______ herself on sweet lies.
a.
b.
c.
d.
surfeited
dislocated
contrasted
surfaced
3. From Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man
It swept around my mind in a mad
________ whirl.
a.
b.
c.
d.
surreal
contrary
alternative
stellar
3. From Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man
It swept around my mind in a mad
________ whirl.
a.
b.
c.
d.
surreal
contrary
alternative
stellar
The Grammar of Vocabulary:
altruism, a noun.
He was egocentric, but now he practices altruism.
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