Vocabulary Mnemonics

April 5, 2025

Matt’s words

Tautology (n):  needlessly repetitive; e.g., engaged to be married, very unique

Logic: Statement that is always true.

Now the objection was raised that the entire theory of natural selection rested on a tautology: “Who survives? The fittest. Who are the fittest? Those that survive.”—Ernst Mayr (feels redundant)

Mnemonic: The word repeats at the beginning: “ta ta.”

Potpourri (n): a miscellaneous collection

A potpourri of desserts…

We had a potpourri of appetizers at the party.

Mnemonic: Think of a pot that you pour a bunch of things into.

Cloying (adj): become distasteful through repetition

Her laugh became cloying over the course of the night.

The butter helps cut through the cloying sweetness of the syrup without masking the maple flavor. —Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Feb. 2025

Mnemonic: Think “oy,” like “that laugh – oy!”

Doppelganger (n): Someone who looks like you; twin

That guy could be your doppelganger.

Mnemonic: “Doppel” means double.

Megalomania (n): a mania for the great or grandiose; wanting to take over the world.

James Bond villains or known for their megalomania.

Syphilis has been attributed by modern academics to the megalomania and violence of dictators and thugs.—Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 1 Apr. 2016

Mnemonic: Think “mega”-–they want something big.

Dr. Mom’s words

Dissemble (v): to conceal or disguise one’s true motives, feelings, or beliefs

I could always tell when my coworker was dissembling because she wouldn’t make eye contact with me.

They try to avoid being put in a position where they will be forced to dissemble.

Mnemonic: “Semble” reminds us of “resemble,” which means to look like something. So “dis-semble” means something is not as it appears to be.

Grex (v): to grumble or complain, often shrilly or scoldingly

Few behaviors are more vexing to me than continuous grexing.

Mnemonic: From the German, greckse. Think of vexing (i.e., disturbing the peace of mind of, agitating, distressing) someone with all your grexing. (Krex means the same thing.)

Panoply (n): a magnificent display or impressive array

the full panoply of a military funeral…  –Merriam Webster

full panoply of autumn foliage…–Merriam Webster

Servers circulated through the crowd, offering a panoply of indulgent small bites, such as oysters coronated with pomegranate granita, dainty lamb meat pies, and tiny pita plump with sunchoke puree.—Nevin Martell, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Jan. 2025

Mnemonic: “Pano” is short for “panorama,” as in a picture that takes in a wide range of a scene. Additionally, “pan” means “all,” as in Pan-American or pandemic meaning a disease that spreads across a large region.

Enjoin (v): to link someone to an activity either by urging/requiring it or prohibiting it, usually by injunction (another contronym)

It’s probably a universal truth that parents enjoin their children to look both ways when crossing the street.

The company was enjoined from using false advertising.

Mnemonic: You order/require someone to join in on something by behaving the way you want them to, OR you order them “not”—the ‘n’—to join in by prohibiting them.

Philtrum (n): the vertical groove on the median line of the upper lip

Nothing makes a man more adorable than a well-shaped philtrum.

Mnemonic: Imagine Phil, who needs to trim his moustache so you can see his philtrum. “Phil, trim!”

COLOSSAL COMPILATION

I am dismayed that not only does my doppelganger speak in tautologies, enjoin others to engage in a panoply of megalomaniacal behaviors, dislike potpourris of candies, have a cloying laugh, habitually dissemble, and grex ad nauseum, she, perhaps worst of all, has a crooked philtrum.