Make Your Point: STOIC

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pronounce STOIC:

STOW ick

connect this word to others:

I love Wikipedia's lists of things, especially their list of philosophies.

Stoicism is on there, which we're exploring today, and so are anthropocentrism, Hegelianism, and solipsism. Could you define those three?

If not, what if we make it multiple choice? One is the philosophy that every truth has an opposite truth, another is the philosophy that your own personal reality is the only true reality, and another is the philosophy that humans matter more than anybody else.

(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)

definition:

The word "stoic" traces back to the Greek stoa, "porch," and more specifically Stoa Poikile or "Painted Porch," a place in ancient Greece where Zeno of Citium, the first Stoic, taught the kind of philosophy that we came to call Stoicism.

Stoics believe that people can live their best, most peaceful lives by repressing or ignoring all of their human emotions, good and bad.

In a more general sense, then, when people and things are stoic, they seem emotionless or reactionless, as if nothing hurts them, upsets them, or makes them happy.

grammatical bits:

Part of speech:

Often an adjective: "He's stoic;" "He gave a stoic shrug."

Also a noun, meaning the person: "She's a stoic;" "They're all stoics."

Other forms:

The noun for the belief or behavior is "stoicism."

There's also an adverb, "stoically," as in "They stood stoically in the rain."

how to use it:

"Stoic" is a formal, semi-common word.

Pick it to describe people who, in emotional situations, seem to be surprisingly emotionless: "She stood on the sidewalk, stoic, as her house burned down." Or, you might describe someone as stoic by nature, or as a stoic: "He was a stoic, a man who never burdened his friends with his own pain and troubles (Nelson Mandela)."

You could also talk about people's stoic faces, voices, attitudes, composure, or comments.

I recommend using the lowercase "s" for "stoic" when you're using the word generally in this way. You'll sometimes see it capitalized when it refers specifically to the ancient Greek philosophy.

examples:

"But no matter what crashes against them, these men must remain stoic, hardened against the world."
— Esther Zuckerman, New York Times, 21 May 2023

"He threw his arms around Henry and sobbed in his lapel while Henry just stood there, gazing off into the distance with a haggard, stoic calm."
— Donna Tartt, The Secret History, 1992

has this page helped you understand "stoic"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this term, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "stoic" without saying "unemotional" or "imperturbable."

try it out:

Maybe you know that song by Cody Johnson, "The Painter," which has lyrics like these:

"She took chances.
With every wall I built, she saw a canvas.
I thank God every day for how He made her.
My life was black and white, but she's the painter."

Praising that song, Jon Caramanica wrote: "When someone is effusive, it might not mean as much when they gush. But when a stoic drops his guard, it can feel seismic."

See if you can explain what he means: whether it's in music, art, film, or real life, why is it so impactful when a stoic drops their guard? Could you give another example?

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game for April: Word Choice Chuckles!

I'll give you a snippet of text that I spotted in the wild, with a word or phrase removed. See if you can fill one in that'll give the reader a chuckle. Be cheesy. Be punny. Get in there and make me proud.

Here's an example:

"Americans buy about 5 million diet books per year, many of them _____ed with misinformation."
— Stephan J. Guyenet, Asterisk Magazine, March 2023

Meaning of the missing word: "filled."

One possible answer, the one the writer used: "saturated."

Try this one today:

"Fox News followed its viewers down a _____."
— Lauren Jackson, New York Times, 9 April 2023

Meaning of the missing term: "path to nonsense."

To see one possible answer, scroll all the way down.

review this word:

1. One opposite of STOIC is

A. COMPULSIVE (full of strong inner urges to do certain things, often again and again).
B. DEMONSTRATIVE (openly expressing feelings and emotions without holding anything back).
C. INTROSPECTIVE (focusing inward on yourself in a thoughtful way, often thinking carefully about your own thoughts, feelings, and situations).

2. Melinda Latour points out that Stoicism in ancient Athens was originally a way to "_____."

A. justify the pursuit of pleasure above all
B. manage destructive emotions such as anxiety, anger and grief through exercises that shift perspective
C. turn theoretical understandings of astronomy and mathematics into practical solutions in agriculture and architecture

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.

I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.

From my blog:
On vocabulary...
  36 ways to study words.
  Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
  How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.

From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

A 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.

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