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A nonentity is an imaginary or totally insignificant thing or person. We've checked out three other words that emphasize the "thinglessness" of people and things, or their utter lack of distinguishing qualities: face____, name____, and ___descript. Could you recall and define each?
Then, the only thing worse than treating folks like nonentities--like people who may as well not exist because they have no importance--is o______fying them, or treating them like they can be rightfully bought, sold, ignored, or discarded.
make your point with...
"NONENTITY"
An entity is a thing that exists. For example, a company is an entity, and so is a government, a political party, and an organization.
So, a nonentity is someone or something that doesn't exist or that doesn't matter at all. In other words, nonentities are things or people that either have no significance or exist only in someone's imagination.
Pronunciation:
non IN tuh tee
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 nonentity or multiple nonentities.)
Other forms:
Entity, entities; nonentities.
Three adjective forms exist, but all are rare: non-entitive, non-entitious, and non-entitous.
How to use it:
Most commonly we say that a person or thing is an nonentity, but you can also say things and people have nonentity: "the nonentity of this competitor," "they're convinced of the correlation's nonentity."
Talk about someone who's a nonentity, or a specific type: a professional nonentity, a political nonentity, a soccer nonentity. People can be treated as nonentities, dismissed as nonentities, turned into nonentities, or reduced to nonentities.
You can also call a thing a nonentity: "years ago, this party was a nonentity;" "she acted as if the past were a nonentity."
examples:
I like the message of Daya's "Sit Still, Look Pretty:" a refusal to be a well-mannered nonentity.
Cheetos may be delicious as all get-out, but they're a nutritional nonentity.
study it now:
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "nonentity" means when you can explain it without saying "imaginary thing" or "unimportant person."
try it out:
Think of someone or something that's important or valuable but doesn't get treated that way. Fill in the blanks: "It's (shocking/surprising/regrettable, etc.) that (a person or a group) treats (a certain thing or person) as a nonentity."
Example: "It's regrettable that Comcast has often treated customer satisfaction as a nonentity."
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 rhyming puzzles as we review previous words.
Examples: Someone who belts out songs in church with great gusto has ____ ___. Answer: hymn vim. And the barbecue place where you always meet up with your friends from Dallas and Houston is your _____ _____. Answer: Texas nexus.The puzzles, and their answers, will get longer and sillier as the month goes on. Click or mouse-over the link to the clue if you need it, and see each answer the following day. Enjoy!
From yesterday: Something that would make the capital of North Korea less powerful or even harmless would ______ _________. (Two words, two syllables each. Clue: use this word.)
Answer: defang Pyongyang.
Try this today: A particular aspect of something that's understood but never discussed openly is a _____ _____. (Two words, two syllables each. Clue: use this word.)
review today's word:
1. One opposite of NONENTITY is
A. AN ACTION
B. A BEING
C. A CATALYST
2. She'd starred in cult classics and major Hollywood films before _____ her to a nonentity.
A. drugs and alcohol reduced
B. the Broadway stage swept
C. Internet fame lifted
Answers are below.
a final word:
To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, 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. B
2. A
A nonentity is an imaginary or totally insignificant thing or person. We've checked out three other words that emphasize the "thinglessness" of people and things, or their utter lack of distinguishing qualities: face____, name____, and ___descript. Could you recall and define each?
"NONENTITY" An entity is a thing that exists. For example, a company is an entity, and so is a government, a political party, and an organization. Part of speech:
I like the message of Daya's "Sit Still, Look Pretty:" a refusal to be a well-mannered nonentity.
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "nonentity" means when you can explain it without saying "imaginary thing" or "unimportant person."
Think of someone or something that's important or valuable but doesn't get treated that way. Fill in the blanks: "It's (shocking/surprising/regrettable, etc.) that (a person or a group) treats (a certain thing or person) as a nonentity."
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. One opposite of NONENTITY is
To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
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