con-

Thoroughly Together With "Con-"

Today we will focus on the prefix con-, which can mean “with” or “thoroughly.” Prefixes are morphemes which begin words, attaching to a word’s main part, or stem.

One highly used meaning of the prefix con- is “with.” For instance, when you connect two objects, you link them “with” each other. When people convene at a particular place, they come there “with” others. In the same vein, when people congregate, they flock “with” each other. A consensus is a mutual feeling of agreement that people have “with” each other. And concord? Concord is agreement or harmony, or etymologically when one person’s “heart” is “with” another.

If you know Spanish, you’ll remember that the preposition con means “with,” such as in the expressions: con mucho gusto (“with” much pleasure), or chile con carne (chili pepper “with” meat). This Spanish word came from the Latin root word con- as well.

Prefixes, such as con-, can also act as intensives, which emphasize the meaning of the stem of the word to which they are attached. Intensive prefixes can functionally be translated as “thoroughly” to indicate that emphasis. For instance, when you conclude that something is true, you have “thoroughly” closed any debate on the issue of its truthfulness. When you convince someone of the truth of what you say, you “thoroughly” win him over. A consequence is a result which “thoroughly” follows you after you’ve done something. When you concede a point in a debate, you “thoroughly” yield to it. And concise wording? It has “thoroughly” cut away any unnecessary words, keeping what is said short and to the point. ’Nuff said!

Hence we’ve come to the conclusion, or “thorough” closing of our rootcast for the day. Just remember that con- can mean “with” or “thoroughly,” and you’ll “thoroughly” master all those words “with” the prefix con- in them!

1. connect: link ‘with’ another
2. convene: come together ‘with’ others
3. congregate: flock ‘with’ others
4. consensus: feeling ‘with’ others
5. concord: heart ‘with’ another
6. conclude: ‘thoroughly’ close
7. convince: ‘thoroughly’ win over
8. consequence: effect which ‘thoroughly’ follows
9. concede: ‘thoroughly’ yield
10. concise: ‘thoroughly’ cut

Usage

• contumacious

  Someone who is contumacious is purposely stubborn, contrary, or disobedient.

• conclave

  A conclave is a meeting between a group of people who discuss something secretly.

• contiguous

  Contiguous things are in contact with or near each other; contiguous events happen one right after the other without a break.

• disconcert

  If something disconcerts you, it makes you feel anxious, worried, or confused.

• convivial

  A convivial atmosphere or occasion is friendly, pleasant, cheerful, and relaxed.

• connote

  If a word or behavior connotes something, it suggests an additional idea or emotion that is not part of its original literal meaning.

• conjecture

  A conjecture is a theory or guess that is based on information that is not certain or complete.

• convoke

  To convoke a meeting or assembly is to bring people together for a formal gathering or ceremony of some kind.

• concordant

  Two people concordant with each other are in agreement or harmony.

• concatenate

  If you concatenate two or more things, you join them together by linking them one after the other.

• concomitant

  Something is concomitant when it happens at the same time as something else and is connected with it in some fashion.

• conjugal

  The adjective conjugal refers to marriage or the relationship between two married people.

• conflate

  If you conflate two or more descriptions or ideas, you combine them in order to produce a single unit.

• contingent

  If something is contingent upon something else, the first thing depends on the second in order to happen or exist.

• congenial

  A congenial person, place, or environment is pleasant, friendly, and enjoyable.

• condole

  If you condole with someone, you express sympathy or sorrow, usually on the death of someone dear.

• confluence

  A confluence is a situation where two or more things meet or flow together at a single point or area; a confluence usually refers to two streams joining together.

• consanguinity

  Consanguinity is the state of being related to someone else by blood or having a similar close relationship to them.

• congeal

  When a liquid congeals, it becomes very thick and sticky, almost like a solid.

• concentric

  Concentric circles, gradually increasing in size, radiate from a common central point.

• concerted

  A concerted effort is intensive and determined work that is performed by two people or more to complete a task.

• concurrent

  Concurrent events happen at the same time.

• congenital

  A congenital condition is something someone is born with, such as a character trait or physical state.

• conglomerate

  A conglomerate is a large business or organization that consists of many different companies involved in numerous areas of expertise.

• conjure

  When you try to conjure up images of the past, you call upon or summon them in your mind by imagining them.

• consensus

  When a group of people reaches a consensus, it has reached a general agreement about a given point.

• contemporary

  A contemporary object exists at the same time as something else or exists at the current time.

• convene

  To convene people is to call them together for a meeting; it is also when the people come together for the meeting.

• conventional

  A conventional way of thinking or behaving is the one that is most commonly accepted by social groups.

• convergent

  Two things that are convergent are meeting or coming together at a given point in time or space.

• nonconformist

  A nonconformist is unwilling to believe in the same things other people do or act in a fashion that society sets as a standard.

• concur

  When you concur with another person, you agree with or have the same opinion as them.

• constitute

  Those things that constitute something form or make it up.

• consent

  When you consent to something, you agree to it or give permission for it to be done.

• constituent

  A constituent part of something makes up part of the whole thing.

• confront

  When you confront another person, you challenge, oppose, or face that person, often with open hostility.

• concoct

  When you concoct something, such as a recipe, you create it or mix ingredients together in a new way.

• contract

  When a substance contracts, it becomes smaller or shrinks in size.

• inconsistency

  An inconsistency is something that does not quite fit with the rest of the members of its group because it is irregular or self-contradictory.

• concentrate

  When you concentrate on something, such as a difficult math problem, you think hard about it by focusing all of your brainpower on it.

• contribute

  When you contribute to something, such as a collection of money for a good cause, you give or donate to it.

• conduct

  Conducting yourself in a particular way is how you behave or act in a given situation.

• conflict

  A conflict is a fight or disagreement between two or more people that can sometimes last a long time.

• connection

  A connection is a link, joining, or relationship between things or people.

• congratulate

  When you congratulate someone, you say that they did a great job on something or wish them well about something that happened to them.

• construct

  When you construct something, you build or create it.

• condition

  The condition of something is the state or shape that it is in.

• consecutive

  Consecutive events happen one right after the other with no breaks in between.

• contain

  When something is contained, it is being held inside a vessel of some kind, such as a jar, box, or can.

• content

  If you are content about something, you are happy or pleased with it.

• confine

  When you confine someone, you limit or restrict where they can go or what they can do.

• conversation

  A conversation is a talking or chatting between two or more people in order to share ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

• contact

  When there is contact between two things or people, they touch or there is a link formed between them.