Make Your Point > Archived Issues > IMMISCIBLE

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"IMMISCIBLE" Meaning: Miscible things can be combined into a nice blended-up mixture. Immiscible things can't be mixed: they just don't blend together well. Pronunciation: ih MISS uh bull Part of speech: Adjective. (Adjectives are describing words, like “large” or “late.” They can be used in two ways: 1. Right before a noun, as in “an immiscible combination.” 2. After a linking verb, as in "The combination was immiscible.”) Other forms: immiscibly, immiscibility How to use it: Here's a word from chemistry that we can use in a general sense to give ideas a scientific flavor. By comparison, "incompatibility" is a vague problem, but "immiscibility" is a concrete, physical impossibility. You might call two or more things immiscible, or say that one thing is immiscible with something else or immiscible in something else. Literally, talk about immiscible liquids or immiscible substances, like oil and water. Figuratively, talk about immiscible components or immiscible elements, immiscible groups of people (such as immiscible nations,) immiscible personalities, immiscible ideas or philosophies, immiscible agendas or goals, etc. Yes, you could just say "unmixable" or "can't be mixed" instead, but "immiscible" has a more sophisticated, formal tone. (And its roots do literally mean "not mixable.") Some students and teachers clash continually over their immiscible goals: the teachers want them to learn, but the students want to do nothing more than socialize and enjoy themselves. The struggle is exhausting. Our immiscible political views wouldn't be such a problem if she would just quit bringing them up. Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "immiscible" means when you can explain it without saying "incongruous" or "discordant." Think of a time you couldn't get along with someone because you each had really different goals, habits, or beliefs, and fill in the blanks: "My (specific goal, habit, or belief) was immiscible with (Person's,) who (wanted/tended to/believed) _____." Example: "My tendency to keep everything in neatly labeled piles was immiscible with my coworker's, who tended to fling things wherever and worry about them later." Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game and quote below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. Playing With Words: Our October game references some material that may be protected by copyright. I appreciate your understanding as I err on the side of caution by not publishing it here! A Point Well Made: Anatole France: “If fifty million people believe a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing.” 1. One opposite of IMMISCIBLE is A. HETEROGENEOUS B. LIQUIDATED C. HARMONIOUS 2. Having encountered two immiscible philosophies in separate college courses, at first I was _____, but then I _____. A. excited and amazed .. realized that they were so similar that there was no reason to consider them separately B. annoyed and confused .. learned to better analyze each rather than accepting either at face value C. overwhelmed with the assigned readings .. found a more efficient method of note-taking to avoid rereading Answers are below. To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each day for free by Mrs. Liesl Johnson, M.Ed., a word lover, learning enthusiast, and private tutor of reading and writing in the verdant little town of Hilo, Hawaii. For writing tips, online learning, essay guidance, and more, please visit www.HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. C 2. B Exploring the archives: Be warned, I'm about to reference some television shows from the late 90s! :) Immiscible. This is the word that Buffy the vampire slayer needed when she talked about "oil, water, and a third, unmixy thing." But if she'd used "immiscible" instead of "unmixy," then she would have belonged on Dawson's Creek instead, with all the unrealistically articulate teenagers. Here's how a real teenager might express some other ideas. Could you think of the perfect word to use instead? Follow the links if you'd like to see them. And teenagers, please don't take offense. Not all of you talk like this. :) 1. "That is so important to her and like, she takes it so seriously that you like literally can't even joke about it." 2. "They keep bringing up stuff in class that's like, not even really having to do with what we were talking about. Like sort of, but mostly not." 3. "It was a TRULY EPIC FAIL. Omg, it just got worse and worse. Just (mimics falling airplane with one hand) psheeeeeeeeeew, kaboooom."