flic-, flig-

(Latin: strike, to strike down; to destroy, dashed down, damaged, destroyed)

afflict (verb), afflicts; afflicted; afflicting
1. To cause some kind of grievous physical or mental suffering and distress on someone or others: Famine, pandemic diseases, and wars are afflicting many people in several parts of the world.
2. Etymology: from Latin affligere, "to throw down"; from ad-, "to" + figere, "to strike".

If a person is afflicted, his or her health or hopes have been "dashed down" or "struck down".

afflicted (adjective), more afflicted, most afflicted
Descriptive of sever suffering or distress and trouble: Sam's afflicted body is a result of arthritis in the joints of his fingers, toes, arms, knees, and back.
afflictedness (s) (noun) (no plural)
A condition of continued pain, wretchedness, or misery: After Mary's husband passed away, she had an afflictedness that continued for several weeks until her friends talked her into taking part in helping elderly people in a nearby nursing home.
afflicter (s) (noun), afflicters (pl)
A person or a situation that causes unhappiness, grief, and/or sorrow: The tornado was so severe that it was an afflicter which caused Robin's house to collapse on him and the rest of his family, killing all of them, except the little three-year old son who was heard crying loudly for his mother and father to help him.
affliction (s) (noun), afflictions (pl)
1. Something that causes pain or suffering; such as, a disease or other physical ailment: Laura lost her sight and she is now learning to live with her affliction.

Robert is convinced that his faith in God helped him to endure many afflictions, including nearly being killed while he was serving in the war as a soldier.

2. Etymology: from Latin afflictus, "cast down, wretched".
A cause of distress and sadness.
© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

afflictionless (adjective), more afflictionless, most afflictionless
afflictive (adjective), more afflictive, most afflictive
afflictively (adverb), more afflictively, most afflictively
conflict (s) (noun), conflicts (pl)
conflict (verb), conflicts; conflicted; conflicting
conflicted (adjective), more conflicted, most conflicted
conflicting (adjective), more conflicting, most conflicting
confliction (s) (noun), conflictions (pl)
conflictual (adjective), more conflictual, most conflictual
inflict (verb), inflicts; inflicted; inflicting