Apposite

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Apposite

Postby Dr. Goodword » Mon Dec 12, 2011 12:05 am

• apposite •


Pronunciation: æ-pê-zit • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Adjective

Meaning: Extremely relevant or appropriate, most befitting, fitting a need perfectly.

Notes: Today's Good Word has drifted rather far afield of its original meaning, "stand close to". This is what the adjective appositive and its noun apposition still mean. An appositive noun is one that stands next to another and refers to the same thing, as in the subject of this sentence: "My brother, the brat, tied my shoes together." The adverb for apposite is appositely and the noun, appositeness. Be sure to keep its meaning clear of appositive: apposite means the opposite of opposite. Also remember that, like opposite, the accent always falls on the initial syllable.

In Play: Basically, our word today refers to things that go perfectly with something else: "I didn't think her flouncy peach frock was quite apposite for her husband's funeral." Of course, opinions vary as to what is appropriate in a given situation: "I thought a gentle belch was a rather apposite expression of my appreciation of the delightful meal I had just consumed—I turned my head!"

Word History: Today's word is an English makeover of Latin appositus, the past participle of apponere "to place near", comprising ad- "up to" + ponere "to place, put". Ponere seems to be a reduction of po "frequently" + sinere "to set, lay aside". This combination could have been syncopated to *posnere, which would become ponere in Latin, since Latin didn't like the combination SN. Apposite is obviously related to opposite, which comes ultimately from the same Latin verb, ponere, with the prefix ob "against". (I believe a word of thanks to Chris Stewart, our South African friend who suggested today's Good Word, would be apposite at this point.)
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Slava
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Re: APPOSITE

Postby Slava » Sat May 23, 2015 8:10 pm

Does anyone wish to expound on how apposite differs from apropos?

As to belching after a good meal, I've heard it said this is considered a compliment in certain cultures. Is this true, or another of the apocrypha floating around out there?
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Re: APPOSITE

Postby Perry Lassiter » Sat May 23, 2015 8:45 pm

My father enjoyed telling of "old man Biedenharn's" promise that if you didn't get at least three belches out of a Coke, he'd give you your nickle back! Very apt! (omB owned an early CC bottling company in Monroe, LA.)
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Slava
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Re: APPOSITE

Postby Slava » Sat May 23, 2015 9:08 pm

Was that back when Coke was "Coke"? :wink:
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.


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