Make Your Point > Archived Issues > REPLETE

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connect today's word to others: Replete is basically Latin for "filled again," which is why it looks like other words about filling and fullness: complete, complement, deplete, supply, and even accomplish and implement (which both pretty much mean to fulfill something). Interestingly, although replete seems like it should be related to panoply, it's not. Panoply looks like it should literally mean "all the way filled"--and that would make sense, because a panoply is a full set of something--but instead it literally means "all the arms (of a soldier)." Could you explain why? (You'll find the answer here, in the first definition for the word.) make your point with... "REPLETE" When something is replete with things, it's totally filled with them. Pronunciation: Either "ruh PLEET" (my preference) or "ree PLEET." Part of speech: Adjective. Unlike with other adjectives, we don't stick "replete" in front of a noun (not "a replete thing"). Instead we talk about something replete with other things. Other forms: None are common. But "replete" is also a verb: you can replete things, and then they're repleted, and you've been repleting them to repletion or to repleteness, but we usually just stick to the adjective. Is "replete" basically the adjective form of "replenish"? Sort of, but to replenish something is to fill it again after it ran low or ran out, while something replete with things may have always been filled with them. How to use it: Usually we follow this pattern: "one thing is replete with other things." We often use "replete" to emphasize negative things: that is, we talk about statements replete with lies, books replete with errors, speeches replete with clichés, places and populations replete with difficulties, legislation replete with loopholes, a past (or a history) replete with struggles or atrocities or tragedy, etc. But we can also use it to be positive and talk about artwork replete with flowers, cities replete with stunning architecture, scenic trails replete with waterfalls, meals replete with wine, movies replete with clever plot twists, books replete with humor or wisdom, essays replete with dazzling details, days replete with joy, and so on. Here's an awkward thing to avoid. Not an error, necessarily--just a poor choice of words. Instead of saying that something is "replete with" one or two individual objects (as in "the room was replete with a fireplace and a built-in bookshelf"), use "complete" instead ("the room was complete with a fireplace and a built-in bookshelf"). examples: The Essential Calvin and Hobbes is replete with tender wisdom. We've known each other for so long that our conversations are replete with shared (often nerdy) references. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "replete" means when you can explain it without saying "abundantly filled" or "fully imbued." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "(A place you love) is replete with (light, beauty, energy, quirkiness, natural splendor, antebellum homes, horse-drawn carriages, etc.)." Example: "Restaurants along the River Walk are replete with baskets of tortilla chips, strings of patio lights, and rainbows of parasols." 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. Subject Line Redux! You know how I fill the subject line of each Make Your Point email with a little comment about the word? Let's revisit some of those subject lines; they make a good study tool. That is, you'll improve your chances of recalling our words when you need them later if you do this now: look at the little comment from the subject line and use that to recall the word, its meaning, and how it connects to the little comment. (For more on active recall and how you can employ it to strengthen your vocabulary, please go here.) In each issue this month, I'll share a puzzle or other activity that prompts you to recall 5 previous words based on their subject lines. (To make your own activities like these, check out the fun and useful Vocabulary Worksheet Factory.) And I'll share the answers in the following issue. From our previous issue:  Answers: Try this today: review today's word: 1. The opposite of REPLETE is A. COMPLETED. B. DEPLETED. C. DEFEATED. 2. Entomologists refer to _____ as "repletes." A. bee societies with an injured queen B. honeypot ants with very full abdomens C. beetles that crash into obstacles, as if blind, 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. B 2. B