Word: prodigious (adjective)

Associations

"Prodigious" means very large, impressive, or extraordinary in size, amount, or degree.

• It often describes something that is surprisingly great or powerful.
• Example 1: "She has a prodigious talent for music." (Her talent is very impressive.)
• Example 2: "The storm caused prodigious damage to the city." (The damage was very large and serious.)
• Example 3: "He made a prodigious effort to finish the project on time." (He worked very hard.) A well-known synonym is "enormous," but "prodigious" often adds a sense of wonder or amazement, not just size.

Substitution

You can replace "prodigious" with words like:

• enormous (focuses on size or amount)
• tremendous (emphasizes great intensity or size)
• remarkable (focuses on being unusual or worthy of attention) Using "enormous damage" is similar, but "prodigious damage" sounds more formal and impressive.

Deconstruction

"Prodigious" comes from Latin "prodigiosus," meaning "marvelous" or "monstrous."

• Root: "prodigium" means "a sign" or "omen," often something extraordinary.
• The suffix "-ous" means "full of" or "having the quality of." So "prodigious" means "full of wonder or amazement," explaining why it describes something very large or impressive.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a prodigious event you have witnessed or heard about?
• How would you describe a prodigious achievement in your life or someone else's?
• What feelings does the word "prodigious" bring to your mind? Is it more about size, skill, or something else?