Word Meanings

Word Meanings

by Bryce Hespe

Connotation is the idea or feeling a word causes

• youthful (+) vs. immature (-)

• fragrance (+) vs. odor (-)

Denotation is the dictionary definition (literal meaning) of the word

• youthful (+) vs. immature (-) = a young age

• fragrance (+) vs. odor (-) = a smell

You can use context to figure out the denotation of unfamiliar words in a text.

​Context is the section of text surrounding a word of passage and can be used to help determine its meaning.

​Definition

​Examples

​Antonyms

​Synonyms

Multiple Choice

Diurnal animals are easiest for people to observe because we, too, are active during the day.

• Example

• Synonym

• Antonym

• Definition

Multiple Choice

Most owls are active at night, but snowy owls are unusual in that they are diurnal.

• Example

• Synonym

• Antonym

• Definition

Multiple Choice

Animals like deer are crepuscular, meaning they are active at dawn and dusk. 

• Example

• Synonym

• Antonym

• Definition

Multiple Choice

Deer are crepuscular animals. They break into our garden at the first dim light of dawn, and we often spot them on the roadsides in the eerie dusk.

• Example

• Synonym

• Antonym

• Definition

Multiple Choice

Using the italicized antonym context clue in the passage, select the most likely meaning of the underlined word.

The desire to be loved is universal. It is not specific to one particular person or group.

• Experienced by everyone

• Necessary

• Rare or special

• Good for everyone

Multiple Choice

Using the italicized synonym context clue in the passage, select the most likely meaning of the underlined word.

When he asked her what she thought about the book, she didn't know what to say. He had told her it was his favorite book, and she didn't want to hurt his feelings. But the truth was, she thought the writing was vacuous – it was silly.

• Lacking meaning or substance

• Depressing, or dealing with dark subject matter

• Intelligent and thoughtful

• Funny and entertaining

Multiple Choice

Select the most likely definition of the underlined word as it is used in the sentence.

I couldn't play in the soccer championship game because of an ankle strain that made it difficult for me to walk.

• A severe demand on the strength of resources of someone or something

• Bodily injury

• A group that shares common ancestry

• A passage of verbal or musibal expression

Multiple Choice

3. After the team had spent several frustrating weeks failing to enact their plan, Destiny arrived at work with a novel idea for approaching the problem.

• Novel: new and unusual

• Novel: a book that tells a fictional story.

Multiple Choice

Which type of analogy is shown below?

China : country :: red : _____

• Part-whole

• Cause-effect

• Word-connotation

• Item-category

Multiple Choice

Which word would best complete this analogy?

China : country :: red : _____

• love

• warm

• color

• blood

Multiple Choice

Which type of analogy is shown below?

roof : house :: _____ : dog

• Part-whole

• Cause-effect

• Word-connotation

• Item-category

Multiple Choice

Which word would best complete this analogy?

roof : house :: ____ : dog

• bark

• tail

• happy

• pets

Multiple Choice

Which type of analogy is shown below?

jet : speed :: gorilla : ____

• Part-whole

• Cause-effect

• Word-connotation

• Item-category

Multiple Choice

Which word would best complete this analogy?

jet : speed :: gorilla : _____

• scary

• mammal

• strength

Multiple Choice

Which type of analogy is shown below?

practice : skill :: _____ : sleep

• Part-whole

• Cause-effect

• Word-connotation

• Item-category

Multiple Choice

Which word would best complete this analogy?

practice : skill :: ____ : sleep

• tired

• activities

• caming

• pillow

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