The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate (22 page)

silliness; shallowness, superficiality.

When two words are similar in spelling, careless writers may think they share a meaning. So it is with
inanity
, which means
silliness
, and
inanition
, which means
lack of vigor
. These words are related in etymology, which accounts for their similarity in spelling, but have totally different meanings. Do not fall into the trap of confusing them. Try not to slip into
inanity
when you are exhausted or so hungry that you risk
inanition
.

Related words:
inane
(i-NAYN)
adjective
,
inanely
adverb
.

inauspicious
(
IN
-aw-SPISH-
e
s)
adjective

1. not auspicious, ill-omened.

2. unlucky; unfavorable.

Related words:
inauspiciously
adverb
,
inauspiciousness
noun
.

inchoate
(in-KOH-it)
adjective

just begun; undeveloped.

Related words:
inchoately
adverb
,
inchoateness
noun
.

incredible
(in-KRED-
e
-b
e
l)
adjective

unbelievable; hard to believe.

Do not confuse
incredible
with
incredulous
, which see.

Related words:
incredibility
(in-
KRED
-
e
-BIL-i-tee) and
incredibleness
(in-KRED-
e
-b
e
l-nis)
both nouns
,
incredibly
adverb
.

incredulous
(in-KREJ-
e
-l
e
s)
adjective

unbelieving; showing disbelief; skeptical.

When careless writers or speakers use
incredulous
, meaning
unbelieving
, in place of
incredible
, meaning
unbelievable
, they are guilty of an error that is becoming more and more common, particularly among ill-educated persons. No editor will let this boner pass, nor should you. Remember that you may appear
incredulous
when a high official of our national government shows
incredible
ignorance of how simple words are spelled.

Related words:
incredulity
(
IN
-kri-DOO-li-tee) and
incredulousness
(in-KREJ-
e
-l
e
s-nis)
both nouns
,
incredulously
(in-KREJ-
e
-l
e
s-lee)
adverb
.

incubus
(IN-ky
e
-b
e
s)
noun, plural
incubuses
and
incubi
(IN-ky
e
-
B
I
)

1. a nightmare.

2. a person or thing that oppresses like a nightmare.

3. a spirit said to haunt or trouble sleeping people, especially by having sexual intercourse with sleeping women.

indefatigable
(
IN
-di-FAT-i-g
e
-b
e
l)
adjective

1. that cannot be tired out.

2. untiring, unwearying.

Related words:
indefatigability
(
IN
-di-
FAT
-i-g
e
-BIL-i-tee) and
indefatigableness
(
IN
-di-FAT-i-g
e
-b
e
l-nis)
both nouns
,
indefatigably
adverb
.

indigenous
(in-DIJ-
e
-n
e
s)
adjective

born or produced naturally in a country or region.

Related words:
indigenity
(
IN
-di-JEN-i-tee) and
indigenousness
(in-DIJ-
e
-n
e
s-nis)
both nouns
,
indigenously
adverb
.

indomitable
(in-DOM-i-t
e
-b
e
l)
adjective

1. having an unyielding spirit, unconquerable.

2. stubbornly persistent when faced with difficulty or opposition.

Related words:
indomitability
(in-
DOM
-i-t
e
-BIL-i-tee) and
indomitableness
(in-DOM-i-t
e
-b
e
l-nis)
both nouns
,
indomitably
adverb
.

indurate
(IN-duu-
RAYT
)
verb

1. make or become hard.

2. make callous or unfeeling.

3. accustom or become accustomed.

Related words:
induration
(
IN
-duu-RAY-sh
e
n)
noun
,
indurative
(IN-duu-
RAY
-tiv)
adjective
.

inebriety
(
IN
-i-BR
I
-i-tee)
noun

drunkenness; the habit of drunkenness.

Related words:
inebriant
(in-EE-bree-
e
nt) and
inebriation
(in-
EE
-bree-AY-sh
e
n)
both nouns
,
inebriate
(in-EE-bree-it) and
inebriated
(in-EE-bree-
AYT
-id)
both adjectives
,
inebriate
(in-EE-bree-
AYT
)
verb
.

ineffable
(in-EF-
e
-b
e
l)
adjective

too great to be described; inexpressible.

Related words:
ineffability
(in-
EF
-
e
-BIL-i-tee) and
ineffableness
both nouns
,
ineffably
adverb
.

ineluctable
(
IN
-i-LUK-t
e
-b
e
l)
adjective

that cannot be avoided or overcome.

Related words:
ineluctability
(
IN
-i-
LUK
-t
e
-BIL-i-tee)
noun
,
ineluctably
adverb
.

inexorable
(in-EK-s
e
r-
e
-b
e
l)
adjective

unable to be persuaded by request or entreaty; relentless.

Related words:
inexorability
(in-
EK
-s
e
r-
e
-BIL-i-tee) and
inexorableness
both nouns
,
inexorably
adverb
.

infamous
(IN-f
e
-m
e
s)
adjective

See
notorious
.

infelicitous
(
IN
-f
e
-LIS-i-t
e
s)
adjective

inappropriate; unfortunate; unhappy.

Related words:
infelicitously
adverb
,
infelicity
noun
.

infer
(in-FUR)
verb

reach an opinion from facts or reasoning.

Even though many people use
infer
and
imply
interchangeably, you should not fall into this practice, which obscures an important difference in meaning.
Imply
has as one of its meanings
hint or suggest without stating directly
, and the person performing such an action is actively hinting or suggesting. With
infer
, the person who is
reaching an opinion from facts or reasoning
is an interpreter of one's voice, facial expression, demeanor, etc. An easy way to keep these two verbs distinct from one another is to remember that the sender of an unstated message is
implying
, and the receiver of the message is
inferring
.

Related words:
inference
(IN-f
e
r-
e
ns)
noun
,
inferential
(
IN
-f
e
-REN-sh
e
l)
adjective
,
inferentially
adverb
.

infrangible
(in-FRAN-j
e
-b
e
l)
adjective

1. unbreakable.

2. inviolable.

Related words:
infrangibility
(in-
FRAN
-j
e
-BIL-i-tee) and
infrangibleness
both nouns
,
infrangibly
adverb
.