Make Your Point > Archived Issues > TRUCULENT

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connect today's word to others: Truculent means "harsh, mean, belligerent, violent, or barbarous," and it comes from a Latin word, trux, which means pretty much the same thing as truculent. As far as I can tell, trux isn't related to any other English words, meaning truculent is like an etymological orphan, lacking any family members in English. But whoa, does it ever have a ton of synonyms. Let's recall one: b_ll_c__e. Here's how I explained its meaning and how to use it: "Because we've overused the word belligerent and applied it to comments and facial expressions that are just barely hostile, b_ll_c__e is a good alternative that retains all its strength. Use it to describe words, actions, and people that are warlike, ready to leap into a fight, or eager to start a fierce argument." (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "TRUCULENT" Strictly speaking, truculent people and things are cruel, fierce, savage, or ferocious. More loosely, truculent things (especially speech and writing) are mean, rude, and harsh. Pronunciation: TRUCK yuh lunt 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 truculent thing" or "a truculent person." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was truculent" or "He was truculent.") Other forms: truculently, truculence How to use it: Talk about truculent people and personalities, truculent voices and attitudes, truculent strategies and tactics, truculent comments and speeches and articles, etc.  You might say someone (or some group) is truculent toward someone or truculent on a particular issue. And you can point out how people have truculent conversations, debates, disputes, etc. Or, point out how something written or spoken has a truculent tone. To get a little more abstract, talk about truculent qualities, like truculent contempt, truculent aggression, truculent nationalism, or truculent wit.  examples: Musical satire spans a continuum from gentle (like Weird Al's) to truculent (like Redfoo's). "Mr. Gao’s booming, pugnacious manner won him growing numbers of clients and glowing profiles in the Chinese media. But he also unnerved some other rights advocates, who feared he would attract a backlash with his truculent criticism of the party."    —Chris Buckley, The New York Times, 7 August 2014 study it now: Look away from the screen to define "truculent" without saying "aggressive" or "scathing." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "(Someone's) truculence won't (accomplish or prevent something)." Example: "Her business practices are illegal, and her truculence won't deter us from reporting them." 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. Apt Adjective Anagrams!  I'll invent a person's name and a brief description of that person, and you unscramble the letters in the name to form an adjective that aptly describes the person or the person's situation. For example, if I say "Naomi Cirous is still holding a grudge," then you rearrange the letters in "Naomi Cirous" to form the adjective "acrimonious," meaning "sharp, bitter, and mean"--an appropriate adjective for someone holding a grudge. From the previous issue: Dora Yilt takes forever to get her work done. Answer: She's dilatory in doing her work. Try this today: Brianna Bodging runs an absolutely enormous company. review today's word: 1. The opposite of TRUCULENCE is A. PRUDENCE. B. DOCILITY. C. PRIDE. 2. This season features _____; he's the most truculent villain yet. A. the Mayor, who fears germs despite being nearly invincible B. Q, who has godlike powers but, inexplicably, enjoys practical jokes C. Negan, who carries (and uses) a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire 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. C