A.Word.A.Day Archives from https://wordsmith.org/awad -------- Date: Mon Jun 1 00:01:02 EDT 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--sinecure X-Bonus: War is merely the continuation of policy by other means. -Carl von Clausewitz, general and military theorist (1 Jun 1780-1831) From time to time I get emails that begin, "Do you know if there is a word for ...?" The cauldron of the English language is overflowing with words. It has a word for the cry of a newborn (vagitus https://wordsmith.org/words/vagitus.html), a word for an uncontrollable urge to dance (tarantism https://wordsmith.org/words/tarantism.html), and a word for the use of 'we' in referring to oneself (nosism https://wordsmith.org/words/nosism.html). If you don't find the word, coin it. After all, every word was used by someone for the first time. This week we'll feature some things for which you don't need to coin a word because there's already a word for each of them. sinecure (SY-ni-kyoor, SIN-i-) noun A position in which one is paid for little or no work. [From Latin beneficium sine cura (a church position not involving caring for the souls of the parishioners), from sine (without) + cura (care). Earliest documented use: 1662.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/sinecure "Some 200,000 civil servants have been enlisted. Half are fairly useless: former guerrillas given sinecures to keep the peace. This cannot last. Some 75% of the budget is spent on wages." A New Country Rises from the Ruins; South Sudan; The Economist (London, UK); May 4, 2013. -------- Date: Tue Jun 2 00:01:03 EDT 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--pathography X-Bonus: The business of the poet and the novelist is to show the sorriness underlying the grandest things and the grandeur underlying the sorriest things. -Thomas Hardy, novelist and poet (2 Jun 1840-1928) This week's theme: There is a word for it pathography (puh-THOG-ruh-fee) noun A biography that focuses on the negative. [From Greek patho- (suffering, disease) + -graphy (writing). In the beginning, pathography was a description of a disease. Then the word came to be applied to the study of an individual or a community as relating to the influence of a disease. Now the term mostly refers to a biography focusing on the negative. Earliest documented use: 1848.] "Pizzichini's book, though nonjudgmental, still feels like a pathography." Mick Sussman; The Blue Hour; The New York Times; Jul 19, 2009. -------- Date: Wed Jun 3 00:01:03 EDT 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--performative X-Bonus: There is nothing more dangerous than a government of the many controlled by the few. -Lawrence Lessig, professor and political activist (b. 3 Jun 1961) This week's theme: There is a word for it performative (puhr-FOR-muh-tiv) adjective Relating to a statement that functions as an action by the fact of its being uttered. Example: By saying "I promise" a person actually performs the act of promising. [From Old French parfournir, from par (through) + fournir (to furnish). Earliest documented use: 1922.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/performative NOTES: Some examples of performative utterances are I promise, I apologize, I bet, I resign, etc. "I lost count of the scenes in which Gwen and Peter thrash out the question of whether they should be a couple, and there is a sigh of relief in the cinema when she, deploying what philosophers would call a performative utterance, says simply, 'I break up with you.'" Anthony Lane; Trouble Calls; The New Yorker; May 5, 2014. -------- Date: Thu Jun 4 00:01:03 EDT 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--stridulate X-Bonus: If you break your neck, if you have nothing to eat, if your house is on fire, then you've got a problem. Everything else is an inconvenience. Life is inconvenient. Life is lumpy. A lump in the oatmeal, a lump in the throat, and a lump in the breast are not the same kind of lump. One needs to learn the difference. -Robert Fulghum, author (b. 4 Jun 1937) This week's theme: There is a word for it stridulate (STRIJ-uh-layt) verb intr. To make a shrill creaking noise by rubbing body parts together. [From Latin stridere (to make a harsh sound). Earliest documented use: 1838.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/stridulate "Scientists recently discovered that in some ant species, the queen is a consummate percussionist, equipped with a tiny, uniquely ridged organ for stridulating out royal fanfares that help keep her workers in line." Natalie Angier; Surviving by Disguising; The New York Times; Sep 7, 2010. -------- Date: Fri Jun 5 00:01:03 EDT 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--mala fide X-Bonus: I'm sometimes asked "Why do you spend so much of your time and money talking about kindness to animals when there is so much cruelty to men?" I answer: "I am working at the roots." -George T. Angell, reformer (5 Jun 1823-1909) This week's theme: There is a word for it mala fide (MAL-uh FY-dee) adverb, adjective In bad faith. [From Latin mala fide, from malus (bad) + fides (faith). Earliest documented use: 1561.] "If he or she is found guilty of acting in a mala fide manner in damaging the company's reputation or interests, punishment can range from demotion to termination without benefits." Dibeyendu Ganguly; How is India Inc Coping with the Dangers of Ethical Fading?; The Economic Times (New Delhi, India); Apr 26, 2013. -------- Date: Mon Jun 8 00:01:04 EDT 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--antimacassar X-Bonus: The memory of most men is an abandoned cemetery where lie, unsung and unhonored, the dead whom they have ceased to cherish. -Marguerite Yourcenar, novelist (8 Jun 1903-1987) Summer is around the corner, at least in the Northern Hemisphere. If your summer plans call for travel, it may be hard to pick a place -- there are some 200 countries and territories. The same can be said for words. Every week I look at the dictionary and decide on words out of more than half a million words in the English language. Well, this week I have picked words derived from the names of places. Such words are called toponyms, from Greek topos (place) + onoma (name). We'll ride these words to places in Italy, Indonesia, USA, Spain, and Israel. antimacassar (an-ti-muh-KAS-suhr) noun A piece of covering placed over the back or arms of a seat to protect from hair oil, dirt, etc. [From anti- (against) + Macassar oil (a hair oil), said to be made from ingredients from Macassar (now spelled as Makassar), a city in Indonesia. Earliest documented use: 1852.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/antimacassar Macassar oil ad: https://wordsmith.org/words/images/antimacassar_oil_large.jpg Photo: Bert Christensen http://bertc.com/subsix/i19/19-16.htm Antimacassar on a bus: https://wordsmith.org/words/images/antimacassar_large.jpg Photo: Jess Rosenkranz https://www.flickr.com/photos/jrosenkr/2300346336/ "We take taxis home. There are antimacassars on the back of the seat." Japan: Lost in a Dream; The Sunday Independent (Johannesburg, South Africa); May 3, 2015. -------- Date: Tue Jun 9 00:01:03 EDT 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--podunk X-Bonus: My sole inspiration is a telephone call from a director. -Cole Porter, composer and songwriter (9 Jun 1893-1964) This week's theme: Toponyms podunk (POH-dungk) noun A small, unimportant town. [Podunk is the name of a river and a native tribe in Connecticut. Over time the name came to be used for several small towns including a mythical small and insignificant town. Earliest documented use: 1657.] A farmer paying his yearly newspaper subscription to the "Podunk Weekly Bugle" with farm produce: https://wordsmith.org/words/images/podunk_large.jpg Cartoon: F.S. Church, Harper's Weekly, Jan 17, 1874 "His spin on 'America's Next Top Model': take two wannabe club kids from Podunk towns and with no money, plunk them down in New York with $1,000." Kevin Gray; After Prison, No After-Hours; The New York Times; May 15, 2014. -------- Date: Wed Jun 10 00:01:03 EDT 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--charlatan X-Bonus: The ideal scientist thinks like a poet and only later works like a bookkeeper. -E.O. Wilson, biologist (b. 10 Jun 1929) This week's theme: Toponyms charlatan (SHAHR-luh-tuhn) noun One making false claim to having a certain expertise; a fraud or quack. [From French charlatan, from Italian ciarlatano, from cerretano (an inhabitant of Cerreto). Cerreto is a village in Umbria, Italy, once known for its quacks. Another etymology pins the origin of the term on the Italian ciarlare (to chatter), of imitative origin. Perhaps the word charlatan is a blend of the two, as charlatans are known for chattering. Earliest documented use: 1607.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/charlatan The Charlatan https://wordsmith.org/words/images/charlatan_large.jpg Art: Pietro Longhi, 1757 "Yet despite his career as a space pitchman, Wernher von Braun was no charlatan, and Neufeld shows clearly that his achievements as a rocketman are unsurpassed." Guy Gugliotta; Wernher von Braun, Scientist Without a Moral Compass; Washington Post; Sep 16, 2007. -------- Date: Thu Jun 11 00:01:02 EDT 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--spaniel X-Bonus: I never saw an ugly thing in my life: for let the form of an object be what it may, -- light, shade, and perspective will always make it beautiful. -John Constable, painter (11 Jun 1776-1837) This week's theme: Toponyms spaniel (SPAN-yuhl) noun 1. A submissive or fawning person. 2. Any of several breeds of small to medium-sized dogs with long drooping ears and a silky coat. [From Old French espaignol/espaigneul (Spanish dog), from Hispaniolus (Spanish), from Hispania (Spain). Earliest documented use: 1386.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/spaniel https://wordsmith.org/words/images/spaniel_large.jpg Photo: Will Marlow https://www.flickr.com/photos/williammarlow/5564962735 "Helena: I am your spaniel. And, Demetrius, The more you beat me, I will fawn on you." William Shakespeare; A Midsummer Night's Dream; 1590s. -------- Date: Fri Jun 12 00:01:02 EDT 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--Jerusalem syndrome X-Bonus: No one has ever become poor by giving. -Anne Frank, Holocaust diarist (12 Jun 1929-1945) This week's theme: Toponyms Jerusalem syndrome (ji-ROOS-uh-luhm SIN-drohm) noun A phenomenon in which a visitor to a holy place suffers from religious psychosis, such as believing him- or herself to be a messiah. [After Jerusalem, Israel, where the phenomenon was first described by the psychiatrist Heinz Herman. Earliest documented use: 1987.] Homer Simpson struck with the syndrome during his visit to Jerusalem: https://wordsmith.org/words/images/jerusalem_syndrome_large.jpg Image: Fox "Catherine admits a patient with Jerusalem syndrome who believes he has been touched by the hand of God." Kathryn Shattuck; What's On Thursday; The New York Times; May 22, 2014. -------- Date: Mon Jun 15 00:03:03 EDT 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--tenebrous X-Bonus: To a father growing old, nothing is dearer than a daughter. -Euripides, playwright (c. 480-406 BCE) We can get a random number by throwing a pair of dice. We can get a random answer to a yes/no question by tossing a coin. But beyond these trivial things, randomness is serious business. When a lottery winner is picked you want to make sure that the number picked is truly random. As the mathematician Robert Coveyou once said, "Random number generation is too important to be left to chance." Well, this week's words are randomly chosen. Not truly at random, because out of half a million words in the English language that method may give us words that aren't very interesting. Also, choosing words truly at random would mean that sometimes the same word may appear twice (or more often). But these words are random in the sense that there isn't a unifying theme connecting them. And if you need more words beyond what are featured this week, visit the web page on our website that shows a random word picked from words previously featured in A.Word.A.Day https://wordsmith.org/words/random.cgi . Again, these words are selected using a pseudo random number generator, so don't use them for divination or for your life's big decisions (Should I marry him?). tenebrous (TEN-uh-bruhs) adjective Dark, gloomy, or obscure. [From Old French tenebreus, from Latin tenebrosus (dark), from tenebrae (darkness). Earliest documented use: 1420.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/tenebrous Also spelled as tenebrious. "By its very nature rather tenebrous, undercover intelligence gathering blurs the lines between procedure and actual process, making it a difficult area to monitor and regulate." Sarah Vine; Radio Choice; The Times (London, UK); Sep 29, 2012. -------- Date: Tue Jun 16 00:03:02 EDT 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--swidden X-Bonus: The [Nobel] prize is such an extraordinary honor. It might seem unfair, however, to reward a person for having so much pleasure over the years, asking the maize plant to solve specific problems and then watching its responses. -Barbara McClintock, scientist, Nobel laureate (16 Jun 1902-1992) This week's theme: Random words swidden (SWID-n) noun An area of land cleared for farming by slashing and burning the vegetation. [A variant of Northern English dialect swithen (to burn), from Old Norse svithna (to be singed). Earliest documented use: 1868.] Under the Yoke (Burning the Brushwood), 1893 https://wordsmith.org/words/images/swidden_large.jpg Art: Eero Järnefelt "Some headed out to the charred earth of their swidden gardens to tend crops of manioc, bananas, and sweet potatoes." Chip Brown; Kayapo Courage; National Geographic Magazine (Washington, DC); Jan 2014. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2014/01/kayapo/brown-text -------- Date: Wed Jun 17 00:03:03 EDT 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--turbid X-Bonus: Silence will save me from being wrong (and foolish), but it will also deprive me of the possibility of being right. -Igor Stravinsky, composer (17 Jun 1882-1971) This week's theme: Random words turbid (TUHR-bid) adjective 1. Unclear; opaque. 2. Dark or dense, as smog or clouds. 3. Confused or muddled. [From Latin turba (turmoil, crowd). Earliest documented use: 1626.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/turbid Not to be confused with turgid https://wordsmith.org/words/turgid.html Turbid water from a stream entering Lake Tuscaloosa: https://wordsmith.org/words/images/turbid_large.jpg Photo: City of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, via USGS "But by the turbid standards of corporate Africa, the company is clean." Africa Calling; The Economist (London, UK); Jun 5, 2008. -------- Date: Thu Jun 18 00:03:03 EDT 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--prolegomenon X-Bonus: If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian. -Paul McCartney, singer-songwriter, composer, poet, and activist (b. 18 Jun 1942) This week's theme: Random words prolegomenon (pro-li-GOM-uh-non, -nuhn) noun A critical, introductory discussion, especially an introduction to a text. [From Greek prolegómenon, from prolegein (to say beforehand), from pro- (before) + legein (to say). Ultimately from the Indo-European root leg- (to collect, speak), which is also the source of other words such as lexicon, lesson, lecture, legible, legal, legend, select, alexia https://wordsmith.org/words/alexia.html , cull https://wordsmith.org/words/cull.html , lection https://wordsmith.org/words/lection.html , ligneous https://wordsmith.org/words/ligneous.html , lignify https://wordsmith.org/words/lignify.html , subintelligitur https://wordsmith.org/words/lignify.html , and syllogistic https://wordsmith.org/words/syllogistic.html . Earliest documented use: 1600.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/prolegomenon "With a witty and intriguing prolegomenon by Ashis Nandy, the book includes 76 poems that are travelogues of exile, identity, and adolescent fantasy of belonging and abandonment, portraying everyday struggles of existence." A Lyrical Celebration; Financial Express (New Delhi, India); Dec 28, 2014. -------- Date: Fri Jun 19 00:03:02 EDT 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--fructuous X-Bonus: Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction. -Blaise Pascal, philosopher and mathematician (19 Jun 1623-1662) This week's theme: Random words fructuous (FRUHK-choo-uhs, FROOK-) adjective Productive; fruitful; fertile. [From Latin fructus (fruit), from frui (to enjoy). Earliest documented use: 1382.] "Earlier this month Yemen made international headlines, this time not for its fructuous progress toward building democratic state institutions but rather for a more somber reason, the scheduled execution of a man, who, at the time of his crime was a juvenile." Death Penalty; Yemen Post (Sana'a); Mar 16, 2013. -------- Date: Mon Jun 22 00:03:03 EDT 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--precipitous X-Bonus: Him that I love, I wish to be free -- even from me. -Anne Morrow Lindbergh, author and aviator (22 Jun 1906-2001) Vincent A. Musetto, the editor who wrote the timeless headline "Headless Body in Topless Bar", died earlier this month. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/10/business/media/vincent-musetto-74-author-of-headless-headline-of-ageless-fame.html Countless editors toil in obscurity in newsrooms around the world every day. Even though they do an invaluable job, it's rare that newspeople themselves become news. Musetto's headline generated numerous stories in the press, so it's not surprising that his passing has resulted in many obituaries. May he rest in peace. He was no ordinary man -- here's hoping someone remembered to retrieve his brain to identify its genius (just like Einstein's https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein's_brain ). In Musetto's honor we'll feature five words that are coined after body parts, starting with today's word that has its origin in the head. precipitous (pri-SIP-i-tuhs) adjective 1. Resembling a precipice, a cliff with a nearly vertical overhanging face. 2. Extremely steep. 3. Abrupt, rapid, or hasty (applied to a worsening situation). [From obsolete French précipiteux, from Latin praecipitare (to cast down headlong), from prae- (before) + caput (head). Ultimately from the Indo-European root kaput- (head), also the origin of head, captain, chef, chapter, cadet, cattle, chattel, achieve, biceps, mischief, occiput https://wordsmith.org/words/occiput.html , recapitulate https://wordsmith.org/words/recapitulate.html , and capitation https://wordsmith.org/words/capitation.html . Earliest documented use: 1646.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/precipitous "I've always had a weakness for lost causes and for writers who achieved some acclaim and then experienced a precipitous fall from grace." Guy Vanderhaeghe; I Wanted to Return to the Darting, Glimmering Light of Short Fiction; The Globe and Mail (Toronto, Canada); May 2, 2015. -------- Date: Tue Jun 23 00:03:02 EDT 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--oppugn X-Bonus: It's like, at the end, there's this surprise quiz: Am I proud of me? I gave my life to become the person I am right now. Was it worth what I paid? -Richard Bach, writer (b. 23 Jun 1936) This week's theme: Words derived from body parts oppugn (uh-PYOON) verb tr. To call in question; to contradict; to dispute. [From Latin oppugnare (to fight or oppose), from ob- (against) + pugnare (to fight), from pugnus (fist). Ultimately from the Indo-European root peuk- (to prick) which is also the source of point, puncture, pungent, punctual, poignant, pounce, poniard, impugn https://wordsmith.org/words/impugn.html , pugilist https://wordsmith.org/words/pugilist.html , and pugnacious https://wordsmith.org/words/pugnacious.html . Earliest documented use: 1435.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/oppugn "President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono last week put the blame on the media, accusing media organizations of destroying the party's image. Furthermore, he oppugned press credibility." Donny Syofyan; Blame Game and Political Suicide of Indonesian Elites; The Jakarta Post (Indonesia); Jul 25, 2011. -------- Date: Wed Jun 24 00:03:03 EDT 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--enervate X-Bonus: Patriotism, n. Combustible rubbish ready to the torch of any one ambitious to illuminate his name. In Dr. Johnson's famous dictionary patriotism is defined as the last resort of a scoundrel. With all due respect to an enlightened but inferior lexicographer I beg to submit it is the first. -Ambrose Bierce, writer (24 Jun 1842-1914) This week's theme: Words derived from body parts enervate (verb: EN-uhr-vayt, adj.: i-NUHR-vit) verb tr.: To deprive of strength or vitality. adjective: Deprived of strength; Weakened. [From Latin enervare (to weaken), from ex- (out) + nervus (sinew). Earliest documented use: 1603.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/enervate "Dan Perjovschi has seen how rule by fear can twist and enervate a society." R.C. Baker; Best in Show; The Village Voice (New York); Aug 8, 2007. -------- Date: Thu Jun 25 00:03:03 EDT 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--splenetic X-Bonus: The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them. -George Orwell, writer (25 Jun 1903-1950) This week's theme: Words derived from body parts splenetic (spli-NET-ik) adjective Bad-tempered; spiteful. [From spleen, from French esplen, from Latin splen, from Greek splen. Earliest documented use: 1398.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/splenetic NOTES: In earlier times it was believed that four humors controlled human behavior and an imbalance resulted in disease. According to this thinking an excess of black bile secreted by the spleen resulted in melancholy or ill humor. Also, the spleen was considered to be the seat of emotions. To vent one's spleen was to vent one's anger. "Kasit Piromya, Thailand's splenetic foreign minister, has complained that other countries are not helping Thailand to catch a 'bloody terrorist'." Picking Up the Pieces; The Economist (London, UK); May 27, 2010. -------- Date: Fri Jun 26 00:03:03 EDT 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--eviscerate X-Bonus: I believe the greatest gift I can conceive of having from anyone is to be seen, heard, understood, and touched by them. The greatest gift I can give is to see, hear, understand, and touch another person. -Virginia Satir, psychotherapist and author (26 Jun 1916-1988) This week's theme: Words derived from body parts eviscerate (i-VIS-uh-rayt) verb tr. 1. To remove the entrails; to disembowel. 2. To deprive of essential parts; to weaken or to destroy. [From Latin eviscerare (to disembowel), from ex- (out) + viscera (internal organs), plural of Latin viscus (flesh, internal organ). Earliest documented use: 1607.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/eviscerate "The middle classes had been eviscerated during the period of sanctions." Seth J. Frantzman; Descent into Chaos; Jerusalem Post (Israel); Oct 10, 2014. -------- Date: Mon Jun 29 00:03:03 EDT 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--connate X-Bonus: A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral. -Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author and aviator (29 Jun 1900-1944) In high school I knew a student who was especially clever. When he faced a true/false question in a test, and he wasn't sure of the answer, he would write the letter T and then add a faint line in the middle of the letter, as if it were an F. So if you are a teacher looking at the test paper you may wonder if the student has written a T or an F and, perhaps, give him the benefit of the doubt. I don't know if this trick did him any good, but if I were his teacher, I'd give him half a point for ingenuity. Well, with this week's words, if you are not sure of the definition, you don't need to employ such a trick. Change a letter in the definition and it still works. Each of this week's words has two definitions that differ by a single letter. connate (KON-ayt, ko-NAYT) adjective 1. Congenial. 2. Congenital. [From Latin connasci (to be born with), from com- (with) nasci (to be born). Earliest documented use: 1641.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/connate "In the wilderness, I find something more dear and connate than in streets and villages." Ralph Waldo Emerson; Nature; 1836. "Zyuganov had a connate sense of how to convince subjects." Jason Matthews; Red Sparrow; Simon & Schuster; 2013. -------- Date: Tue Jun 30 00:03:03 EDT 2015 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--sorb X-Bonus: Life is a jest, and all things show it, / I thought so once, and now I know it. -John Gay, poet and dramatist (30 Jun 1685-1732) This week's theme: What's a letter here or there between friends? sorb (sorb) verb intr. 1. To take up and hold by absorption. 2. To take up and hold by adsorption. [Back-formation from absorb, from Latin absorbere, from ab- (away) + sorbere (to suck). Earliest documented use: 1909.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/sorb NOTES: So what's the difference between absorption and adsorption, besides a turned-around letter b? Absorption is when a substance is completely assimilated by another while in adsorption the substance deposits on the surface of another. https://wordsmith.org/words/images/sorb.png "Nitrate is an anion and is not attracted to or sorbed by soil particles." Philippe Quevauviller, et al; Wastewater Quality Monitoring and Treatment; Wiley; 2006.