Does an emigrant or an immigrant leave one country to settle in another? Are you paid an emollient or an emolument for working? Is the study of insects known as entomology, etiology, or etymology? Would you put a letter in an envelop or an envelope?
yellow moon after lunar eclipse, wikimedia commons
emersion, immersion
Emersion is the act of emerging or coming forth. In astronomy, emersion is the reappearance of a celestial body after an eclipse.
The emersion of the moon was seen by many.
Immersion is the act of submerging in water. It is also the state of being totally engrossed in something, such as a reading a book.
Because of her immersion in what she was reading, she noticed nothing that was taking place around her.
emigrant, immigrant
An emigrant is a person who moves from his or her native homeland to settle in another country.
The emigrant sailed across the ocean to get to his new home.
Immigrant describes a person who had already entered another country and started a new life there.
The skilled immigrant had no trouble finding a job that would enable him to live comfortably.
How can you remember the difference in the meaning of these words? “Emigrant” and “exit” both start with an “e.” “Immigrant” and “in” both start with an “i.”
a Polish immigrant family in the U.S., wikipedia
emigrate, immigrate
To emigrate means to leave one country to settle in another..
Her parents’ decision to emigrate to a country with a warmer climate made her consider going with them.
To immigrate means to enter a foreign country to make one’s home there.
How long ago did you immigrate to this country?
eminent, immanent, imminent
Eminent means outstanding, distinguished, or prominent.
After many years of hard work, the eminent doctor decided to retire and teach others.
Immanent pertains mostly to spirituality. It means existing within or restricted entirely to the mind.
Many believe that God is immanent in human consciousness.
Imminent means impending or likely to happen soon.
The family made preparations for the imminent storm headed their way.
lotions and oils, flickr
emollient, emolument
An emollient describes something that has the power to soften, soothe, or relax.
Besides working as an emollient, this lotion has a really pleasant fragrance.
Emolument is wages or compensation for employment.
Dissatisfied with the emolument she received working as a maid, she decided to seek better employment.
enervate, innervate, innovate
Enervate means to weaken or destroy the strength or vitality of.
Afraid the intense afternoon heat would enervate her, Jaime decided to wait and mow the front yard in the cool of the evening.
Innervate means to supply an organ or body part with nerves. But it can also mean to stimulate to action.
The growl of a nearby dog innervated the sleeping cat.
Innovate means to either make changes to something already around or to introduce something new.
The candidate for mayor promised to innovate the appearance of the dingy town.
entomology, wikipedia
ensure, insure
Ensure means to make certain.
The alarm clock will ensure that you wake up at the right time, but it cannot ensure that you will get out of bed.
To insure means to guarantee against loss or harm.
The company’s premium to insure her books would be protected against damage was not cheap.
entomology, etiology, etymology
Entomology is the study of insects.
The entomology class gave Lucia nightmares.
Etiology is the study of the causes and/or origins of diseases. It is also the cause of the origin of a disease.
The etiology of cancer is not yet completely understood.
Etymology is the study of words, especially their origins.
Since she was fascinated by words, she chose to study the etymology of each new word she learned.
and the all enveloping fog, flickr
envelop, envelope
Envelop means to surround completely.
As the eerie fog rolls into the town, it will envelop everything in its path.
An envelope is a flat, paper container for a letter.
Susan put the letter to her husband in an envelope she had sprayed with her perfume.
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