Make Your Point > Archived Issues > LUCENT

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connect today's word to others: The beautiful word lucent has two equally lovely synonyms: limpid and lambent. Imagine you're looking at a crystal clear stream: is it better to call it limpid or lambent? How about a softly glowing candle--is it limpid or lambent? Let's also connect today's lucent with our word elucidate, both of which are based on on the Latin lucere, which means "to shine." What does it mean to elucidate, say, a complex biological process? What does that have to do with (figurative) light? make your point with... "LUCENT" Something lucent is, literally or figuratively, bright and shiny in a lovely way. And because "lucent" looks so much like "translucent" (and is closely related to it), people have also more recently started to use "lucent" to mean "clear: letting light shine through it." Pronunciation: LOO sunt 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 "a lucent thing" or "a lucent person." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was lucent" or "He was lucent.") Other forms: lucence/lucency, lucently How to use it: "Lucent" is poetic and beautiful. Although it's unusual, your listeners will probably understand it right away, since it looks and sounds so much like other words related to light and clarity, like "translucent," "lucid," and "elucidate." You can be literal and talk about lucent eyes, gills, pearls, silks, screens, fluids, flames, clouds, stars, etc. Or talk about lucent colors: lucent blue, lucent green, lucent gold. And to be figurative, talk about lucent moments, lucent flashbacks, lucent dancing, lucent beauty, lucent mirth, and so on. It's rare, but you can also say that people are lucent: "Emanating beauty and life, she was absolutely lucent at the party." examples: Clinging to the brick bench was a gecko as bright as a jewel, its back a vivid green, its eyes rimmed in lucent blue. The first time I saw it, I had to look away from the sparkling blue water in Hilo Bay. Its lucent beauty was overwhelming. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "lucent" means when you can explain it without saying "luminous" or "sheer." try it out: Fill in the blank: "My memories of (something wonderful) remain as lucent as a ray of sunlight." Example: "My memories of art class in elementary school remain as lucent as a ray of sunlight." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. This month, we're playing with some beautifully worded passages from the Bible as we recall words we've studied before. From our previous issue: "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with ________ comes wisdom." (New International Version, Proverbs, chapter 11, verse 2.) What's the missing word? It means "that low, quiet, meek belief that you're not the best." Answer: humility. Try this today: "Whoever fears the LORD walks uprightly, but those who despise him are d______ in their ways." (New International Version, Proverbs, chapter 14, verse 2.) What's the missing word? It means "straying from the path of honesty by being sneaky or tricky." review today's word: 1. One opposite of LUCENT is A. CRUEL B. DANK C. DARK 2. At just the right moment, the photographer had captured the leaves, lucent _____. A. and somber in the gray fog B. in the afternoon sunlight C. but not entirely dead Answers are below. a final word: Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From Liesl's blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. C 2. B