These two adjectives sound the same (in-SIP-ee-ent) but are not related.Insipient means “stupid” or “foolish” (literally, “not-knowing”) and is archaic (no longer in common use); most English speakers do not know this word (they are insipient about it!). However, there is another word, insipid, with the same meaning, which is common.Incipient, in contrast, is a common […]

These two adjectives are closely related, and some of their meanings overlap (are partly the same). Both describe relationships between two things—including both spatial and abstract relationships.Two things which are apposed may be next to each other, or in comparable positions—like two book-ends or two words in a poetic phrase, such as “early to bed, […]

To cite is a verb meaning “to point to examples, sources, evidence, reasons, or authors.” In other words, it is a kind of speaking or writing.  Cite appears in other English words, such as to recite “read aloud” and citation (noun), which can mean (1) “the act of citing” or (2) certain kinds of documents […]

These two adjectives both mean “like a child” but in different ways.  Childish means “like a child” in a negative sense—incompetent, ignorant, selfish, or overly emotional for trivial reasons: It is childish to get angry when you don’t get what you want. Childlike, in contrast, means “like a child” in a neutral or positive way:The […]

Chafe is a verb meaning “to rub in a hurtful way, to annoy, or to abrade”—or “to feel annoyed”: The straps on her backpack chafed her shoulders.She was chafed at how long she had to wait in line for her visa. Chaff, in contrast, is a noun referring to any materials that are typically rubbed […]