by Bill Bryson
hygiene, hygienic.
hymen. Not -man. Vaginal membrane, named after Hymen, Greek god of marriage.
Hynes Convention Center, Boston, Massachusetts; formally it is the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center.
hyperbole. Exaggeration.
hypertension. High blood pressure.
hypochondria.
hypocrite, hypocrisy.
hypotenuse. On a right-angled triangle, the side opposite the right angle.
hypothermia. Lack of body warmth.
hypothesis, pl. hypotheses.
hysterectomy.
hysterics is plural.
Hywel. Welsh forename; pronounced howl.
Ii
Iacocca, Lee. (1924–) American businessman.
IAEA. International Atomic Energy Agency, UN nuclear watchdog.
IATA. International Air Transport Association.
Iberia Airlines. Not Iberian.
ibex. A mountain goat; pl. ibexes.
ibid., the abbreviation of ibidem (Lat.), “in the same place,” is used in reference notes to indicate that a source is the same as the previous one in the note. See also OP. CIT.
-ible, -able. No reliable rules exist for when a word ends in -ible and when in -able; see Appendix for a list of some of the more frequently confused spellings.
Ibsen, Henrik. (1828–1906) Norwegian playwright.
ICBM. Intercontinental ballistic missile.
iceberg.
iced tea. Not ice.
Icelandair. Icelandic airline.
Iceni. British tribe that revolted against Rome under the leadership of Boudicca in the first century AD.
Ich dien. (Ger.) “I serve” motto of the Prince of Wales in the United Kingdom.
ichthyology. The study of fishes.
ichthyosaur, ichthyosaurus. Prehistoric marine reptile.
ici on parle français. (Fr.) “French spoken here.” Note lowercase français.
I, Claudius. Novel by Robert Graves (1934). Note comma.
Ictinus. (fl. fifth c. BC) Greek architect, co-designer with Callicrates of the Parthenon.
idée fixe. (Fr.) for an obsession or fixation. The plural is idées fixes.
ideology, ideological, ideologue.
ides of March. March 15, the day on which Julius Caesar was assassinated. In the Roman calendar, the ides was the fifteenth of March, May, July, and October, and the thirteenth of the other months.
idiosyncrasy. One of the most commonly misspelled of all words. Note that the ending is -sy, not -cy.
idyll. Poem or prose depicting rural bliss.
i.e. Id est (Lat.) “that is to say.” Used to introduce an elaboration, as in “He is pusillanimous, i.e., lacking in courage.”
if. Problems often arise in deciding whether if is introducing a subjunctive clause (“If I were…”) or an indicative one (“If I was…”). The distinction is straightforward. When if introduces a notion that is hypothetical or improbable or clearly untrue, the verb should be in the subjunctive: “If I were king…” “If he were in your shoes…” But when the if is introducing a thought that is true or could well be true, the mood should be indicative: “If I was happy then, I certainly am not now.” One small hint: if the sentence contains would or wouldn’t, the mood is subjunctive, as in “If I were you, I wouldn’t take the job.”
if and when. Almost always unnecessary. Choose one or the other.
igneous rock.
ignominy, ignominious.
ignotum per ignotius. (Lat.) “The unknown by the even less known” used of an explanation that is more confusing than what it is meant to explain.
iguanodon. Not iguana-. Dinosaur.
Iguassu (or Iguaçu) Falls. Waterfall on the Argentina-Brazil border; in Portuguese, Saltos do Iuaçu; in Spanish, Cataratas del Iguazú.
IJsselmeer, the Netherlands; freshwater lake created by damming part of the Zuider Zee. Note double caps.
Île-de-France. Region of France that includes Paris.
ileum, ilium. The ileum is part of the small intestine; the ilium is part of the pelvis and, when capitalized, is also the Latin name for Troy.
Iliad. Epic poem attributed to Homer.
illegitimate, illegitimize.
Illinoian, not Illinoisian, for something or someone from Illinois.
illuminati. (Always plural.) Enlightened people.
illustrator.
imbroglio. A predicament, a complicated situation; pl. imbroglios.
immanent, imminent. The first means inherent, the second, impending. Neither should be confused with eminent, which means outstanding.
immaterial.
immeasurable.
immoral, amoral. Immoral applies to things that are evil; amoral describes matters in which questions of morality do not arise or are disregarded.
Immortels, Les. Nickname of members of the Académie Française.
immovable, immovability.
immutable.
impala. Not -ll-.
impassable, impassible. The first means impossible to negotiate; the second means impervious to pain.
impazientemente. (It.) In music, to perform in an impatient manner.
imperative.
imperceptible.
impermeable.
impertinent.
implacable.
imply, infer. Imply means to suggest: “He implied that I was a fool.” Infer means to deduce: “After three hours of waiting, we inferred that they weren’t coming.”
imports, exports. It is implicit in imports that their source is foreign, so it is tautological to write “imports from abroad.” Similar phrases involving exports, such as “exports to overseas fell slightly last month,” equally cry out for pruning.
impostor. Not -er.
impractical, impracticable, unpractical. If a thing could be done but isn’t worth doing, it is impractical or unpractical (the words mean the same). If it can’t be done at all, it’s impracticable (the word means “incapable of being put into practice”).
impresario.
impressible.
imprimatur. Official authorization.
improvable.
improvvisata. (It.) In music, improvisation. Note -vv-.
impugn, impunity. The first is to criticize or attack; the second means to enjoy freedom from punishment.
in, into, in to. Generally, in indicates a fixed position (“He was in the house”) while into indicates movement toward a fixed position (“He went into the house”). There are, however, many exceptions (e.g., “He put the money in his pocket”). As so often with idiom, there is no describable pattern to these exceptions; it is just the way it is.
Whether to write into as one word or two also sometimes causes problems. The simple rule is that in to is correct when in is an adverb, but the distinction can perhaps best be seen in paired examples: “He turned himself into [one word] an accomplished artist” but “The criminal turned himself in to [two words] the police.”
in absentia. (Lat.) “While absent.”
inadmissible. Not -able.
inadvertent.
inadvisable.
innamorata (fem.), innamorato (masc.). Lover; pl. innamorati.
inasmuch.
in camera. Behind closed doors, not in open court.
incessant.
inchoate. Undeveloped, just starting out.
incidentally.
incisor.
include indicates that what is to follow is only part of a greater whole. To use it when you are describing a totality (as in “The 350 layoffs include 200 in Michigan and 150 in Indiana”) is sloppy and possibly misleading.
incognito.
incombustible. Cannot be burned.
incommodious.
incommunicado. Unable or unwilling to communicate.
incomparable.
incompatible.
incomprehensible. Not -able.
incongruous, incongruity.
incorrigible.
incubus. An evil spirit that ha
s intercourse with sleeping women; a nightmare or something that oppresses like a nightmare. See also SUCCUBUS.
inculcate means to persistently impress a habit upon or belief into another person. You inculcate an idea, not a person. “My father inculcated me with a belief in democracy” should be “My father inculcated in me a belief in democracy.”
incunabulum. A book printed at an early date, especially before 1501, and by extension, the early stages of development of something; pl. incunabula.
in curia. (Lat.) “In open court.”
indefatigable. Tireless.
indefeasible. Permanent, cannot be made void.
indefensible.
indefinitely means only “without prescribed limits,” not “lasting forever.” To say that a process will last indefinitely doesn’t necessarily mean that it will last for a very long time, but simply that its durability is unknown.
indelible.
indescribable.
indestructible.
indexes/indices. Either is acceptable, depending on how much of an air of formality you wish to convey.
Index Librorum Prohibitorum. Catalogue of books forbidden to Roman Catholics by their church. Not to be confused with Index Expurgatorius, a catalogue of books in which only certain passages are forbidden.
india ink. (Not cap.)
indices/indexes. Either is acceptable, though some dictionaries favor indices for technical applications.
indict, indite. The first means to accuse formally of a crime; the second means to set down in writing, but in fact is rare almost to the point of obsolescence.
indigenous.
indigent.
indigestible.
indiscreet, indiscrete. The first means lacking discretion; the second means not composed of separate parts.
indispensable. Not -ible.
individual is unexceptionable when you are contrasting one person with an organization or body of people (“How can one individual hope to rectify the evils of society?”). But as a simple synonym for person (“Do you see that individual standing over there?”), it is still frowned upon by many authorities as casual and inelegant.
indivisible.
indomitable.
indubitable, indubitably.
Induráin, Miguel. (1964–) Spanish cyclist.
Industrial Workers of the World. (Abbr. IWW.) A radical trade union movement from 1905 to 1925, often called Wobblies, particularly by detractors.
inebriate, inebriety.
inedible.
ineffaceable. Indelible (which in most cases is to be preferred).
inefficacious. A longer way of saying ineffective.
ineligible.
ineluctable. Inevitable, unavoidable.
inequable, inequitable. The first means not even or uniform; the second means unfair.
ineradicable.
inevitable.
in excelsis. (Lat.) “To the highest degree.”
inexcusable.
inexplicable.
inexpressible.
in extenso. (Lat.) “At full length.”
inextinguishable.
in extremis. (Lat.) “At the point of death” in dire circumstances.
infallible.
infer, imply. Imply means to suggest: “He implied that I was a fool.” Infer means to deduce: “After three hours of waiting, we inferred that they weren’t coming.” The condition of being able to make an inference is inferable.
infinitesimal.
infinitude.
in flagrante delicto. (Lat.) In the act of commiting an offense.
inflammable, flammable, nonflammable. Although inflammable means “capable of being burned,” it has so often been taken to mean the opposite that most authorities now suggest that it be avoided. It is deemed generally better to use flammable for materials that will burn and nonflammable for those that will not.
inflammation, inflammatory. Not im-.
inflation has become so agreeably quiescent in recent years that the word and its several variant forms are much less troublesome than they were when this book first appeared. However (and just in case), it is worth noting a few definitions. Inflation itself means that the money supply and prices are rising. Hyperinflation means that they are rising rapidly (at an annual rate of at least 20 percent). Deflation means that they are falling, and reflation that they are being pushed up again after a period of deflation. Stagflation means that prices are rising while output is stagnant. Disinflation, a word so vague in sense to most readers that it is almost always better avoided, means that prices are rising but at a rate slower than before. Finally, bear in mind that if the rate of inflation was 4.5 percent last month and 3.5 percent this month, it does not mean that prices are falling; they are still rising, but at a slower rate.
inflexible.
infra dig is the abbreviation of infra dignitatem, which translates to “without (or beneath) dignity.”
ingenious, ingenuous. The first means to be clever or inventive; the second means innocent, unsophisticated, guileless.
ingénue.
Ingushetia (or Ingushetiya). Russian republic.
inimical. Harmful, antagonistic.
iniquitous. Wicked.
Inkatha Freedom Party, South Africa.
in loco parentis. (Lat.) “In place of the parent.”
in media res. (Lat.) “In the middle of things.”
in memoriam. Not -um.
Innes, George. (1825–1894) American landscape painter of the Hudson River school.
innocent. It is pedantic to insist on it too rigorously on all occasions, but it is worth noting that people do not actually plead innocent (since one of the hallmarks of our legal system is that innocence is presumed). Strictly, they plead guilty or not guilty.
innocuous.
innuendoes.
inoculate.
in order to. A wordy locution. In nearly every instance, removing in order tightens the sentence without altering the sense. See also IN, INTO, IN TO.
Inouye, Daniel K. (1924–) U.S. senator from Hawaii.
inscrutable.
insects. It is always worth remembering that the term does not apply to spiders, mites, and ticks, which are arachnids, a different class of creature altogether. Although some dictionaries (American Heritage, for one) allow the looser usage in informal or in nontechnical writing, it is unquestionably incorrect and thus better avoided almost always. If you need a term to describe insects and spiders together, the word is arthropods.
inshallah. (Arab.) “If Allah wills it.”
insidious, invidious. Insidious indicates the stealthy or tardily detected spread of something undesirable (“an insidious leak in the pipe”). Invidious means offensive or inviting animosity (“I was angered by his invidious remarks”).
insignia. (Sing. and pl.) Historically, insigne is the correct singular, but almost no authority insists on it now.
in situ. (Lat.) “In place.”
insofar. (One word.)
insouciance, insouciant. Lack of concern, carefree.
install, installment.
instantaneous.
instill.
Institut de France. Not -tute. Umbrella organization for the five French academies: Académie des Beaux-Arts, Académie Française, Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres, Académie des Sciences, and the Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques.
insuperable.
insuppressible.
insurer. Not -or.
intelligentsia. The intellectual elite of a society.
intelligible.
in tenebris. (Lat.) “In the dark,” in doubt.
intense, intensive. Intense should describe things that are heavy or extreme or occur to a high degree (“intense sunlight,” “intense downpour”). Intensive implies a concentrated focus (“intensive care,” “an intensive search”). Although the two words often come to the same thing, they needn’t. An intense bombardment, as Fowler pointed out, is a severe one. An intensive bombard
ment is one directed at a small (or relatively small) area.
inter alia. (Lat.) “Among other things.”
intermezzo. In music, a short piece between longer ones; pl. intermezzi/intermezzos.
interminable.
International Atomic Energy Agency. Not Authority.
international courts. Understandably, these sometimes cause confusion. The International Court of Justice, or World Court, in The Hague, Netherlands, is an offspring of the United Nations and deals with disputes between or among UN member states. The European Court of Justice, in Luxembourg, is a European Union institution dealing exclusively with disputes involving EU member states. The European Court of Human Rights, in Strasbourg, France, addresses issues of civil liberties arising from the European Convention on Human Rights. It has no connection with the United Nations or European Union.
International Olympic Committee. Not Olympics.
internecine. For more than two hundred years writers have used internecine in the sense of a costly or self-destructive conflict, even though etymologically the word signifies only a slaughter or massacre without any explicit sense of cost to the victor. It has been misused for so long that it would be pedantic and wildly optimistic to try to enforce its original meaning, but it should at least be reserved for bloody and violent disputes and not mere squabblings.
interpolate. To insert.
interregnum. Period between reigns; pl. interregnums.
interrelated. Note -rr-.
in toto. (Lat.) “In total.”
intransitive verbs are those that do not require a direct object, as with sleep in the sentence “He sleeps all night.”
intrauterine device.
intra vires. (Lat.) “Within one’s powers.”
intrigue. Originally intrigue signified underhanded plotting and nothing else. The looser meaning of arousing or fascinating (“We found the lecture intriguing”) is now established. It is, however, greatly overworked and almost always better replaced by a more telling word.
in utero. (Lat.) “In the uterus.”
in vacuo. (Lat.) “In a vacuum.”
invariably does not mean frequently or usually. It means fixed, constant, not subject to change—in short, without variance.
inveigh, inveigle. Occasionally confused. The first means to speak strongly against (“He inveighed against the rise in taxes”). The second means to entice or cajole (“They inveigled an invitation to the party”).
invidious, insidious. Invidious means unfair or likely to cause offense; insidious describes the stealthy spread of something undesirable.