As an adjective, adopted usually applies to the adoptee (i.e., the one who is passive in the adoption process). Adoptive usually applies to the adopter. So an adopted child is raised by his or her adoptive parents. [Read more...]
Co-op vs. co-opt
Co-op is short for cooperative, meaning a jointly owned or operated enterprise or organization. It has no other meanings. If you’re looking for a verb meaning to take for one’s own use, the word you want is co-opt. That t is crucial. [Read more...]
Coral vs. corral
Coral refers to (1) rocklike organic deposits occurring in warm-water seas and sometimes accumulating into large reefs, and (2) the marine animals whose secretions produce the reefs. Corral is (1) a noun meaning an enclosure for confining livestock, and (2) a verb with several meanings, including to hold in a corral and to take control of. [Read more...]
Silicon vs. silicone
Silicon is a nonmetallic element (number 14 on the periodic table) found in the earth’s crust. The element is a major component in semiconductors, and its high conductivity makes it useful in solar power cells. Silicone is a class of silicon-based chemical compounds used in paints, adhesives, lubricants, and breast implants among other applications. [Read more...]
Dialectal vs. dialectical
Dialectal is the adjective corresponding to the noun dialect, and dialect means means a variety of a language peculiar to a particular region or group. Dialectical corresponds to the noun dialectic, which refers to (1) the art or practice of finding truth through logical argument, and (2) the process of change through the interaction of contradictory forces. It’s often used synonymously with logic or philosophy. So the ic differentiating dialectal and dialectical makes a big difference. [Read more...]
Aggression vs. aggressiveness
Aggression and aggressiveness are closely related—both meaning hostile or destructive behavior or actions—but, in practical usage, aggression is usually more extreme. While aggression involves malicious or even violent hostility, aggressiveness is rarely malicious. [Read more...]
Exhibit vs. exhibition
The difference between exhibit and exhibition is a matter of scale. An exhibit is a public showing of an object—usually a work of art or an object meant to educate—or a small collection of objects. An exhibition is a public showing of a large selection of such items, often united by a theme. So, for example, a fossilized dinosaur skeleton in the lobby of a museum is an exhibit, and a collection of dinosaur skeletons in a wing of the museum might be called an exhibition. [Read more...]
Asphalt, cement, concrete, pavement
The nouns asphalt, cement, and concrete all refer to materials used to create hard, often flat surfaces, but the terms are far from interchangeable. Pavement, meanwhile, is a general term for any hard surface, especially a road or sidewalk, meant to bear travel. The other three denote specific materials sometimes used to make pavement. [Read more...]
Half-mast and half-staff
On land, flags fly at half-staff as a symbol of mourning. On ships, flags fly at half-mast either in mourning or to signal distress. The terms are often mixed up. While it works to say a ship’s half-mast flag is at half-staff (because a mast is a sort of staff), flags on land cannot be at half-mast (because they are not hung on masts). [Read more...]
Colosseum and coliseum
The ancient outdoor theater in Rome is called the Colosseum. In all other contexts, the word for a large amphitheater used for sports or entertainment events is coliseum. We find claims that colosseum is the British spelling for the common noun, but this appears false, at least in current news publications that publish online. In fact, coliseum is preferred throughout the English-speaking world. [Read more...]
