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A mélange can be a type of multicolored yarn or a type of blended coffee drink, but more generally, a mélange is any blend or mixture. We got this word from the French word for "mixture."
And from the French for "seasoned salt meats," we got a synonym of mélange: sal______di. Can you recall it?
make your point with...
"MÉLANGE"
French for "mixture," a mélange is a mixture of different things.
Pronunciation:
Several ways are correct.
I prefer "may LONJ."
Part of speech:
Countable noun.
(Countable nouns, like "bottle," "piece," and "decision," are words for things that can be broken into exact units. You talk about "a bottle," "three pieces," and "many decisions."
Likewise, talk about one mélange, a mélange, the mélange, this mélange, that mélange, etc. We rarely make this word plural.)
Other common forms:
none
How to use it:
When you need a fancier, lovelier, more interesting word than "medley," "mixture," "hodgepodge," "combination," and so on, pick "mélange."
Most often, we talk about a mélange of things: a mélange of colors; a mélange of thoughts; a mélange of ideas on Post-it notes that clutter your desk; a mélange of yellow rice, black beans, roasted chicken, and avocado ranch dressing.
You can combine things into a mélange; talk about how things have merged into a mélange on their own; call something a cultural mélange, a historical mélange, a musical mélange, a culinary mélange and so on; or simply refer to a group of things as a mélange.
You can leave off the little mark above the first "e," if you prefer, and just write "melange." Many people do.
examples:
Downtown Houston is a mélange of lush greenery, glass skyscrapers, and waves of heavy heat.
Over the centuries, as we've welcomed words from dozens of foreign languages, English has grown into a formidable mélange.
study it now:
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "mélange" means when you can explain it without saying "assortment" or "combination."
try it out:
Fill in the blanks: "It was a curious feeling: a mélange of _____ and _____."
Example: "I had let Taylor run all the way across the park until she was a speck in the distance. I kept my eyes on that speck. It was a curious feeling: a mélange of terror and pride in her spirit of independence."
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.
License Plate Words!
You’ve spotted a cluster of three letters on a license plate. Keep all three letters together—don’t insert any letters between them—but add any letters you like to the left and/or right of the cluster to form words.
For example, when you spot the cluster CKG, you can form BACKGROUND and BACKGAMMON (and all their related words, like BACKGROUNDER and BACKGAMMONING, for a total of 8 possible words).
We’ll move from easy to hard clusters as the month goes on. (For the curious, you can generate a complete list of answers using a tool like this one.) Let's play!
Our previous question:
If you spot the cluster NJE, you can use it to form 40 words. Give yourself a minute or so. How many can you think of?
Possible answers:
You may have thought of CONJECTURE, INJECT, NON-JEALOUS, and/or TWIN-JET.
Try this today:
If you spot the cluster INB, you can use it to form 39 words. Give yourself a minute or so. How many can you think of?
review today's word:
1. A close opposite of MÉLANGE is
A. CURATED COLLECTION
B. EXPENSIVE COLLECTION
C. HOMOGENEOUS COLLECTION
2. Chad's _____ Theorem posits that just because _____ doesn't mean they'll make a tasty mélange.
A. Beer Float .. two things taste great on their own
B. Fancy Grill .. grilling equipment and implements are first-rate
C. Set It On Fire .. marshmallows are good either raw or cooked
Answers are below.
a final word:
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@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. A
A mélange can be a type of multicolored yarn or a type of blended coffee drink, but more generally, a mélange is any blend or mixture. We got this word from the French word for "mixture."
"MÉLANGE" French for "mixture," a mélange is a mixture of different things. Part of speech:
Downtown Houston is a mélange of lush greenery, glass skyscrapers, and waves of heavy heat.
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "mélange" means when you can explain it without saying "assortment" or "combination."
Fill in the blanks: "It was a curious feeling: a mélange of _____ and _____."
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.
1. A close opposite of MÉLANGE is
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com
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