Word: ponderous (adjective)

Associations

"Ponderous" means something very heavy, slow, or boring because it is too serious or dull.

• The elephant walked with a ponderous step. (Heavy and slow movement)
• The lecture was so ponderous that many students fell asleep. (Boring and dull)
• The old book had a ponderous style, making it hard to read. (Heavy and difficult to understand)

A well-known synonym is "heavy," but "ponderous" often suggests not just weight but also slowness or dullness. For example, a "heavy" box is just physically heavy, but a "ponderous" speech is slow and boring.

Substitution

You can replace "ponderous" with:

• "heavy" (for physical weight)
• "slow" or "clumsy" (for movement)
• "boring" or "tedious" (for style or speech)

Each substitution changes the meaning slightly:

• "Heavy" focuses on weight only.
• "Slow" focuses on speed.
• "Boring" focuses on interest level.

Deconstruction

The root is from Latin "ponder-" meaning "weight." The suffix "-ous" means "full of" or "having the quality of." So "ponderous" literally means "full of weight."

Inquiry

• Can you think of a situation where something is physically heavy but not ponderous in style?
• Have you ever listened to a speech or read a book that felt ponderous? What made it feel that way?
• How would you describe a ponderous animal or machine? What words come to mind?