A.W.A.D. - Lesser-Known Counterparts of Common Words

Have you ever asked yourself "If I can postpone something why can't I prepone it?" Well, you definitely can. It's just that sometimes we are not aware of the word. Prepone is an everyday word in India, where meetings, elections, weddings, movie releases, exams, court cases, and more are preponed all the time: http://google.com/news?q=prepone%7Cpreponed%7Cprepones%7Cpreponing

This week's collection features five words that are lesser-known counterparts of more common words.

prepone
(pree-PON) verb tr.
To reschedule an event to an earlier time.

[Modeled after the word postpone, from Latin pre- (before) + ponere (to put).]

nocebo
(no-SEE-bo) noun
A substance producing harmful effects in someone because it is believed to be harmful, but which in reality is harmless.

[From Latin nocebo (I will harm), from nocere (to harm). Modeled after placebo (I will please).]

dystopia
(dis-TO-pee-uh) noun
An imaginary place where everything is very bad, as from oppression, disease, deprivation, etc.

[From Greek dys- (bad) + utopia (an ideal place). Modeled after Utopia, an imaginary island described in Sir Thomas More's 1516 book Utopia as a place enjoying a perfect system in law, politics, etc. The word utopia is from Greek ou (not) + topos (place).]

inhume
(in-HYOOM) verb tr.
To bury.

[From Latin inhumare (to bury), from in (in) + humus (earth). Ultimately from the Indo-European root dhghem- (earth) that also sprouted human, homicide, homage, chameleon, chamomile, and Persian zamindar (landholder).]

prequel
(PREE-kwuhl) noun
A book, movie, drama, etc. set in a time preceding that of an existing work.

[From Latin pre- (before) + sequel, from Latin sequi (to follow).]

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