In ancient Rome, genialis referred someone who was festive. We use it today to describe someone who...

CAESAR’S ENGLISH 20

GENIAL – KIND

In ancient Rome, genialis referred someone who was festive. We use it

today to describe someone who is kind or

warm to us.

STOLID– UNEMOTIONAL

When someone stands flat-faced and unmoved, with

little response. This adjective comes from the

Latin stolidus, which meant immovable or even stupid,

over 2000 years ago in Rome. It’s and interesting

connection between unmoved and stupid!

PALPABLE –TOUCHABLE

Our English adjective palpable can be a

synonym for tangible.

AUSTERE – BARE

This word comes from the Latin, austerus, which in

turn comes from the Greek austeros, which means harsh, rough or bitter. Today some synonyms

might mean bare, severe, stern, or ascetic.

FURTIVE– STEALTHY

This word has a wonderful origin. We use it to mean

stealthy, sneaky, or surreptitious, but it traces back through the Latin to

furtivus which means theft. When something is furtive, it means it’s done like a thief.