Word: hermetic (adjective)

Associations

"Hermetic" means something that is completely sealed or airtight. It can also mean something that is very mysterious or difficult to understand.

• The jar was hermetic, so the food stayed fresh for a long time. Here, it means the jar is sealed tightly.
• The ancient text was hermetic, understood only by a few scholars. Here, it means mysterious or secret.
• The room was hermetic to prevent outside air from entering. Again, it means airtight.

A well-known synonym is "airtight" when talking about sealing. The difference is "hermetic" is often used in a more formal or scientific way, and it can also mean "mysterious," which "airtight" does not.

Substitution

• Instead of "hermetic" (sealed), you can say "airtight," "sealed," or "closed tight."
• Instead of "hermetic" (mysterious), you can say "obscure," "cryptic," or "enigmatic." Changing the word changes the tone: "airtight" is more about physical sealing, while "enigmatic" is about meaning or understanding.

Deconstruction

• The word "hermetic" comes from "Hermes Trismegistus," a mythical figure linked to secret knowledge in ancient times.
• The root "Hermet-" relates to this figure and secret or closed knowledge.
• The suffix "-ic" means "related to" or "characteristic of." So, "hermetic" originally meant something related to secret or closed knowledge and later came to mean airtight or sealed, as if nothing can get in or out.

Inquiry

• Can you think of something in your life that is hermetic (completely sealed)?
• Have you ever read or heard something hermetic (hard to understand)? What was it?
• Why do you think the word "hermetic" connects both sealing and mystery? How are these ideas similar?